In which Sarah, Dave, and RJ talk diabolical mirrors, marital submission, and contingent self-esteem. Also, RJ eats a whopper (but keeps his balance). The articles discussed include: "The Devil Lives in the Mirror" (https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/june-web-only/satan-demonic-devil-lives-in-mirror.html) by Jessica Hooten Wilson via Christianity Today "Stop Blaming the Devil" (https://mbird.com/2019/06/stop-blaming-the-devil-you-can-do-bad-all-by-yourself/) by Sarah Condon "Is Marriage O...
Jun 26, 2019•54 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk summer expectations, arrival fallacies, and the most American heresy of all. With rocks. The articles discussed include: "The Tyranny of Summer Expectations (https://www.mbird.com/2019/06/the-tyranny-of-summer-expectations/)" by Carrie Willard via Mbird.com "You Accomplished Something Great (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/smarter-living/you-accomplished-something-great-so-now-what.html)" by A.C. Shilton via New York Times "If I Only Understood the Arrival Fa...
Jun 12, 2019•53 min
In which Sarah, RJ, and Dave talk sleep technology, reckless generosity, and back row churches. Also, Sarah would like an epidural, all the time. Oh and to take RJ up on his offer, visit www.mbird.com/support (www.mbird.com/support). The articles discussed include: "Sleepless in Silicon Valley (https://www.economist.com/business/2019/05/16/sleepless-in-silicon-valley)" via The Economist "Morehouse College Grads are Suprised (https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/19/us/morehouse-robert-smith-student-loans-...
May 26, 2019•49 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave reunite to talk pop culture homework, judging other people's relationships, and the lives and deaths of Rachel Held Evans and Jean Vanier. Please note: this is not the episode where Sarah cries the whole time. Articles discussed include: "When Did Pop Culture Become Homework? (https://longreads.com/2019/04/26/when-did-pop-culture-become-homework/)" by Soraya Roberts via Longreads "Let's Face It, We All Judge Other People's Relationships (https://www.theguardian.com/l...
May 13, 2019•50 min
In which Sarah, Dave, and guest co-host Aaron Zimmerman talk shifting Instagram aesthetics, fashionable funerals, and Easter hope. Also, Sarah inherits some QVC jewelry. Articles discussed include: "The Instagram Aesthetic is Over (https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/04/influencers-are-abandoning-instagram-look/587803/)" by Taylor Lorenz via The Atlantic "The Funeral as We Know it is Becoming a Relic (https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-funeral-as-we-know-it-is-bec...
Apr 27, 2019•42 min
Recorded live at the 2019 Mbird Tyler Conference, in which Sarah and Dave are joined by Aaron Zimmerman and Matt Magill to talk text etiquette, grown-up dreams, and ladders to the sky. Also, Matt sings (better than RJ). Articles discussed include: "Texting Means Never Having to Say Goodbye (https://slate.com/technology/2019/03/texting-slack-internet-conversation-goodbye.html)" by Jane Hu via Slate "Stop Asking Kids What They Want to Be When They Grow Up (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/smarte...
Apr 07, 2019•41 min
In which Sarah, RJ, and Dave talk college admissions, 1st century charity, and the benefits of preaching as "a dying man to dying men." Also, RJ lives the solution. Articles discussed include: "Kids, Don't Become Success Robots (https://www.wsj.com/articles/kids-dont-become-success-robots-11552604595)" by Peggy Noonan via The Wall Street Journal "How the Poor Became Blessed (https://aeon.co/essays/the-poor-might-have-always-been-with-us-but-charity-has-not)" by Pieter van der Horst via Aeon "Thi...
Mar 23, 2019•48 min
In this special episode, editor Ethan Richardson takes us through the new issue of The Mockingbird print magazine! Featuring interviews with existentialist boxing guru Gordon Marino, reconstructed Mbird contributor Connor Gwin, and legendary children's author Sally Lloyd-Jones. Order your copy at magazine.mbird.com (magazine.mbird.com).
Mar 19, 2019•1 hr 7 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and DZ discuss Hollis-mania, intuitive eating, and useless awards. Also, RJ sucks on a rock. Articles discussed include: "Girl, Follow Jesus (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/girl-stop-apologizing/)" by Jen Oshman via The Gospel Coalition "'Girl, Wash Your Face' is a Massive Best Seller With a Dark Message (https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/lauraturner/rachel-hollis-girl-wash-your-face-self-help-book)" by Laura Turner via Buzzfeed "Intuitive Eating: The Latest Di...
Mar 09, 2019•46 min
In which Dave, Sarah, and RJ discuss millennial evangelism, how to talk to someone who's grieving, and what depression can teach us about the human condition (and God). Thankfully, Sarah cracks a bunch of jokes too. Articles discussed include: "Half of Millennial Christians Say It's Wrong to Evangelize (https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2019/february/half-of-millennial-christians-wrong-to-evangelize-barna.html)" by Kate Shellnut via Christianity Today "What to Say (and What Not to Say) to S...
Feb 23, 2019•42 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk punk-rock piety, fake meat, and hungry children. Also, in Texas queso counts as a protein. Articles discussed include: "The Moral Indecency of the Away Message (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/opinion/going-away-message.html)" by David Brooks via the New York Times "Objects of Despair: Fake Meat (https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2019/01/28/objects-of-despair-fake-meat/)" by Meghan O’Gieblyn via The Paris Review "I’m a Little Too Fat, a Little Too Giving. I...
Feb 09, 2019•45 min
In which Sarah, RJ, and Dave try to make sense of familial estrangement, millennial burnout, and recovering musicians. Also, Sarah gets real at the bus stop. Articles discussed include: "I Cut Off All Contact With My Mother. It Made My Life Much Better. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/i-cut-off-all-contact-with-my-mother-it-made-my-life-much-better/2019/01/18/cc454e9e-1529-11e9-90a8-136fa44b80ba_story.html?utm_term=.b6c5fae1e5eb)" by Harriet Brown via The Washington Post ...
Jan 26, 2019•47 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave kick off the new year by throwing out their boundaries and sitting at the feet of an incarcerated preacher. Also, RJ almost gets a hug. Articles discussed include: "Prison Was My First Pulpit (https://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2019/january/prison-first-pulpit-domestic-violence-incarceration.html)" by Morgan Lee via Christianity Today
Jan 12, 2019•39 min
On this special one-off, Dave speaks with Dr. Todd Brewer about his picks for the top (academic) theology books of the year. You can read the whole list here (https://www.mbird.com/2019/01/the-top-theology-books-of-2018/).
Jan 09, 2019•52 min
In which Sarah, RJ, and Dave explore why we all take the same travel photos, how marriages become unstuck, and what the outrageous generosity of Christmas looks like. Also, Neil gets a MorfBoard. Articles discussed include: "Why We All Take the Same Travel Photos (https://www.wired.com/story/why-all-travel-photos-are-the-same/)" by Laura Mallonee via Wired "Love is Not a Permanent State of Enthusiasm: An Interview With Esther Perel (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/love...
Dec 14, 2018•49 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave get to the bottom of "the sex recession," weigh the challenges of self-promotion, and explore what happens after you accidentally kill someone. Also, RJ tries to affirm himself, with mixed results. Articles discussed include: "Why Are Young People Having So Little Sex? (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/12/the-sex-recession/573949/)" by Kate Julian via The Atlantic "Everything Is For Sale Now. Even Us. (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/24/opinion/sunda...
Dec 02, 2018•48 min
In which Dave, Sarah, and RJ figure out how to cry in their offices and optimize their Sunday mornings. Plus, the gospel according to Stan Lee. 'Nuff said. Articles discussed include: "Where to Cry in an Open Office (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/09/opinion/sunday/where-to-cry-open-office.html)" by JiJi Lee via The New York Times "Trading Brunch for the Eucharist (https://www.cardus.ca/comment/article/trading-brunch-for-the-eucharist/)" by Sarah Dahl via Comment "Stan Lee, Generational Alienat...
Nov 17, 2018•42 min
In which Sarah, Dave and RJ talk about disgraced Chinese coal workers, dodgy motivational techniques, and moral futility. Also, Marshall crosses the parking lot on his own. Articles discussed include: "What It's Like To Be On The Blacklist In China's New Social Credit System (https://www.npr.org/2018/10/31/662696776/what-its-like-to-be-on-the-blacklist-in-chinas-new-social-credit-system)" by Stacey Vanek Smith and Cardiff Garcia via NPR "Science Confirms It: People Are Not Pets (https://www.nyti...
Nov 04, 2018•46 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave try to make sense of corporate surveillance, opioid obituaries, and merciful mothers. Also, several solid Salmon stories. Articles discussed include: "The Employer-Surveillance State (https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/10/employee-surveillance/568159/)" by Ellen Ruppel Shell via The Atlantic "Obituary: Madelyn Linsenmeir, 1988-2018 (https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/madelyn-linsenmeir-1988-2018/Content?oid=21797604)" via Seven Days "A New Recipe: Gra...
Oct 20, 2018•49 min
In which Sarah, RJ, and Dave discuss their hobbies (and lack thereof), the recent supreme court hearings, and the not-so-secret life of pets. Also, the Condons rent the wrong movie. Articles discussed include: "In Praise of Mediocrity (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/29/opinion/sunday/in-praise-of-mediocrity.html)" by Tim Wu via The New York Times Elizabeth Gilbert (https://www.facebook.com/227291194019670/posts/dear-ones-its-monday-morning-and-the-godawful-news-cycle-is-about-to-begin-again/202...
Oct 06, 2018•52 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk branding in marriage, personality tests, and Christian Rock. Also, Sarah gets a title for her next book. Articles discussed include: "Honey, I Swept the Floor! (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/31/style/modern-love-honey-i-swept-the-floor.html)" by Brooke Williams via The New York Times "The Tyranny of Personality Testing (https://newrepublic.com/article/151098/personality-brokers-book-review-invention-myers-briggs-type-indicator)" by J. C. Pan via The New Republ...
Sep 21, 2018•47 min
In which Ethan Richardson takes us on a tour of The Deja Vu Issue of our print magazine--with the help of Jacob Smith, Nancy Hanna, and Simeon Zahl. Also, to take advantage of the special deal Ethan mentions, head on over to magazine.mbird.com (http://magazine.mbird.com/shop/) and enter "CAST" in the memo line of the order form.
Sep 15, 2018•1 hr 18 min
In which Dave, RJ and Sarah come clean about parenting paranoia and weigh the benefits of taking things for granted. Also, Robert Capon drops a bomb. Articles discussed include: "Motherhood in the Age of Fear (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/27/opinion/sunday/motherhood-in-the-age-of-fear.html)" by Kim Brooks via The New York Times "Is Safetyism Destroying a Generation? (https://quillette.com/2018/09/02/is-safetyism-destroying-a-generation/)" by Matthew Lesh via Quillette "A Quick Word on Christ...
Sep 07, 2018•44 min
In which Sarah, RJ and Dave interpret the signs, buy too much stuff and visit a cancer ward. Also, Sarah wonders what Mother Mary is thinking right now. Articles discussed include: "I Am the Universe, and Humans Are Correctly Interpreting My Signs (https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-am-the-universe-and-humans-are-correctly-interpreting-my-signs)" by Ginny Hogan via McSweeney's "We Are All Accumulating Mountains of Things (https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/08/online-shopping-...
Aug 25, 2018•39 min
In which RJ, Sarah and Dave comb through their Google search histories, uncover some Useful Knowledge and go to church with Garrison Keillor. Also, RJ embarrasses his kids. Articles discussed include: "Sorry Mom, Your Floss Dance is Just Embarrassing (https://www.wsj.com/articles/sit-down-mom-the-floss-dance-is-just-for-kids-1532625645)" by Joanna Sugden via The Wall Street Journal "Everybody Lies: How Google Search Reveals Our Darkest Secrets (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/09/...
Aug 11, 2018•47 min
In which Sarah, RJ and Dave make it all look so easy, not just keeping the law but planting a church. Also, RJ goes car shopping. Articles discussed include: "Medical Report: Woman Hospitalized After Attempting Effortless Lifestyle (https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/medical-report-woman-hospitalized-after-attempting-effortless-lifestyle)" by Patricia Lawler Kenet via McSweeneys "Warning: Warnings Are Useless (https://www.mbird.com/2018/07/warning-warnings-are-useless/)" by Troy Elliott via Mbi...
Jul 28, 2018•44 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave relive eighth grade and try to figure out who's the most "washed" (spoiler alert: it's RJ). Also, Mr Rogers makes an appearance.
Jul 07, 2018•48 min
In which Dave, Sarah, and guest host Aaron Zimmerman talk Hollywood evangelists, suicidal men, and detained children. Also, Aaron gets a new office.
Jun 22, 2018•45 min
In which RJ, Sarah and Dave win the narrative on obituaries, Kate Spade, and political addictions. Plus, Sarah chases her son up the stairs.
Jun 09, 2018•46 min
In which RJ, Sarah and Dave talk about the royal wedding sermon, YouTube Vegans, and the only empirically verifiable Christian doctrine. Also, Philip Roth was not astonished.
May 26, 2018•42 min
