Gene Luen Yang is back! His latest project is SUPERMAN SMASHES THE KLAN, the first graphic novel adaptation of a classic Superman radio show. The original show crushed post-WWII Nazi popularity. Can Gene's new comic do the same today? PLUS: #RoofPanthers
Sep 30, 2019•48 min•Season 1Ep. 240
Words shape our ideas about faith. What role does insider language play in Christian faith? How important is it? When is it a barrier to genuine faith? PLUS: Will we lose our iTunes rating thanks to bulls?
Sep 23, 2019•53 min•Season 1Ep. 239
In the wake of some prominent Christians leaving faith, we explore the process of deconstructing faith. What were the keys in our own journeys? And how can we be friends to those who are deconstructing?
Sep 16, 2019•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 238
Your favorite podcast is back from break! We review an uneven Summer of movies. Who won the Summer prediction, and who was the big loser?
Sep 09, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 237
Matt's back in the hot seat in this Season 3 preview. We dive into the Heartwood Crown - the brand new second installment in the Sunlit Lands saga. Plus, we're joined by guest co-host Michelle Reyes!
Aug 26, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 236
In our season finale, JR. and Kathy debut a new segment: Cheers to You! We're celebrating things that turn 21 this year, and first up is Google. We do a deep dive into the search engine. Plus, we reflect on 30 episodes of Kathy!
Jun 24, 2019•53 min•Season 1Ep. 235
From June 10, 2019, a panel on how faith in Jesus informs our public action. Hosted by JR. Forasteros, and featuring Mark Charles, Karen González, Andre Henry, Rev. José Humphreys, Kathy Khang and Dr. Michelle Reyes. Watch the full panel conversation.
Jun 17, 2019•1 hr 34 min•Season 1Ep. 234
Sociologist and pop culture guru Nancy Wang Yuen joins us to talk about a couple of recent hits - Netflix' Korean zombie thriller KINGDOM and romantic comedy Always Be My Maybe.
Jun 10, 2019•55 min•Season 1Ep. 233
What if aliens are real? If they were, that truth would impact everything from theology to communications. In fact, maybe the reason we like telling alien stories so much is that we know deep down these stories help us communicate with difficult people. Clay and JR. dive into some communication tips that will help with little green men or that difficult coworker, friend or neighbor.
Jun 03, 2019•51 min•Season 1Ep. 232
One of the biggest TV shows of all time has come to an end... and how was it? We welcome theologian Andre Henry to help us wade through the rubble of King's Landing, including a deep dive on the Mother of Dragons herself.
May 23, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 231
Though Jesus calls us to be poor - and poor in spirit, but weakness runs contrary to much of what's rewarded in Evangelicalism. Alia Joy shares with us how she navigates everything from church to publishing without the expectation that weakness is a stop along the way.
May 20, 2019•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 230
In honor of the the biggest movie of the year, we assembled an all-star cast of Fascinating guests. Rabbi Eliyahu Fink, Pastor Jose Humphreys and Dr. Michelle Reyes assemble to dive into the big themes of this big, big movie.
May 13, 2019•1 hr 34 min•Season 1Ep. 229
Author and writing instructor Blake Kimzey joins Clay and JR. to talk about how to face down distractions. What does it take to get things done? Plus: a Velocipastor update and maybe the best proof yet of yeti?
May 06, 2019•52 min•Season 1Ep. 228
It's the annual summer movie preview! Other than Avengers: Endgame, what films do we think will rule the box office? Which will bust? And which are we anticipating most fully? Listen up!
Apr 29, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 227
Exactly how expensive should a pastor's shoes be? Should pastors, professors, speakers or other culture leaders receive gifts? We wade into the ethics of power and money in light of some recent scandals.
Apr 22, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 226
Captain Marvel is breaking the box office. Dr. Michelle Reyes joins us to dive into the surprising spiritual themes of this marvelous new movie. We cover everything from Feminism to refugees.
Apr 08, 2019•59 min•Season 1Ep. 225
Author and artist Justin McRoberts joins us to talk prayer. Why is prayer so intimidating for many of us? And how can art invite us to recover prayer as a simple, accessible practice? Plus: a bevy of great t-shirt ideas.
Apr 01, 2019•59 min•Season 1Ep. 224
If creating is a calling, then don't we owe it to ourselves (and God) to take our creative process seriously? Author and professor Julianna Baggott returns to the podcast to share about her amazing new course, Efficient Creativity.
Mar 25, 2019•55 min•Season 1Ep. 223
Ben Winters returns to dive into his new novel, GOLDEN STATE. It's a detective story set in a dystopian future where telling lies is illegal, so we reflect on the nature of truth and whether it's possible to love a thing too much.
Mar 18, 2019•44 min•Season 1Ep. 222
While Kathy's in Paris, we reflect on some pop culture that turns 30 this year. Then we explore how to avoid fights when sharing Jesus. How can we keep our relationship with the other person center? (Plus, seriously, why were there so many great movies in 1989?)
Mar 04, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 221
Now that Season 3 of the Good Place has devastated us all, we dive into why we're so fascinated with this show about ethics and the afterlife. Plus, since the whole show is about impostor syndrome, we ask Clay and Kathy to shed some light on this all-too-common experience of feeling like a fraud.
Feb 25, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 220
Church attendance is plummeting in the US, but people aren't becoming less spiritual. What's behind the rise of this new paganism? How is the Church contributing?
Feb 18, 2019•59 min•Season 1Ep. 219
Despite the push for diversity, college campuses still feel very segregated. Dr. Julie J Park joins us to explore why. We dive into how religious organizations can both help and hurt - and how we can be more intentional about pursuing diversity.
Feb 11, 2019•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 218
Rachel Held Evans arrives on the Fascinating Podcast! Her latest book, INSPIRED, is all about how to fall in love with the Bible again. We dive into the Gospels to explore exactly what is so good about Jesus' news.
Feb 04, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 217
Jose Humphreys returns to take us into the latest animated sensation, Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse. We explore this film that breaks ground in representation, animation and storytelling.
Jan 08, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 216
In our final episode of the year, we count down our favorite books we read this year. (So if you're still doing Christmas shopping, we got you covered!) What made our lists? What made yours?
Dec 17, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 215
What good does short term missions do? Daniel White Hodge returns to the show to explore how we can decolonize missions work. Plus: a deep dive on the death of self-proclaimed missionary John Chau.
Dec 10, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 214
What does it mean to be called to a place? In our latest megashow, we're joined by three authors who have been called to very different neighborhoods. Jonathan "Pastah J" Brooks, author of Church Forsaken, pastors in West Englewood, in Chicago. Jose Humphreys, author of Seeing Jesus in East Harlem, pastors in Harlem in New York City. And Ashley Hales, author of Finding Holy in the Suburbs, serves in the suburbs of Los Angeles. We investigate our own places, and how we are listening for God's cal...
Dec 03, 2018•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 213
Advent begins on Sunday, so Clay, Kathy and JR. take some time to reflect on the reason for the season before Christmas. What do we gain by waiting a little longer for Christmas?
Nov 26, 2018•59 min•Season 1Ep. 212
Podcaster Knox McCoy returns to the Fascinating Podcast to dive deep into how many of us use pop culture to help us understand who God is.
Nov 19, 2018•57 min•Season 1Ep. 211