Pop Culture Devotionals with Chaplain Dave Remboldt

Dave Remboldt
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  • Christianity
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Pop Culture Devotionals with Chaplain Dave Remboldt finds biblical truth in the movies, music, and stories we love. Each short episode takes a familiar piece of pop culture and uncovers the deeper longing, hope, and meaning pointing back to God.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Love Your Skeletor

    When Chaplain Dave was seven, he got Castle Grayskull for Christmas — and then he broke the drawbridge. In this episode, that broken toy becomes a surprisingly honest picture of us, and a way into one of the hardest things Jesus ever asked: love your enemies. A devotional on Matthew 9, the real meaning of compassion, and learning to see broken people the way God still sees them. (Yes, there's a new Masters of the Universe movie out — perfect timing.)

    12 min

  2. May 26

    Robin Of The Hood

    What does Robin Hood have in common with the story of Zacchaeus? More than you'd think. A devotional on Luke 19, going out of your way for the outsider, and why the King coming back changes everything.

    11 min

  3. May 19

    If You Build It...

    Field of Dreams is one of the most beloved movies in American culture, and Chaplain Dave thinks he knows why. In this graduation-season devotional, Dave looks at the famous dad/catch scene through the lens of Hebrews 11 and offers a word to the parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors of this year's graduates. Most of us won't get the Field of Dreams ending. So what then?

    9 min

  4. May 12

    If I Fight, You Fight

    Heroes in pop culture don't usually get old. Rocky did. In this episode, Chaplain Dave walks through the scene in Creed where the mentor becomes the one being called back into the fight...and what 1 Peter 5 has to say about humility, wisdom, and the people walking with us.

    10 min

  5. May 5

    Don't Dream Its Over

    What can an 80s hit from Crowded House teach us about distraction, endurance, and keeping our eyes on Jesus? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt reflects on “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” connects its warning about walls and distraction to Hebrews 12:1–2, and explores what it means to keep running the race of faith in a world built to keep us checked out. If you’ve felt spiritually scattered, this one will meet you there.

    9 min

  6. Apr 28

    Ferris Bueller & The Gospel Of Rest

    What if Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is more than a comedy about skipping school? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt looks at Ferris’s famous line about life moving fast, the anxiety and control gripping everyone around him, and the biblical truth that rest is not laziness—it’s trust. With Jesus’ words on Sabbath at the center, this devotional is a reminder that in a culture addicted to productivity, stillness can be a holy act of resistance.

    9 min

  7. Apr 21

    Castaway Control

    What if Cast Away isn’t really about survival at all? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt looks at Chuck Noland’s obsession with control, the strange peace waiting for him at the end of the movie, and how Philippians 4:6–7 reframes what peace actually is. This is a devotional for anyone who’s been white-knuckling their way through life and wondering if letting go of the need for control is the answer.

    10 min

  8. Apr 14

    Rocky Training Montage

    What can a training montage in Rocky IV teach us about real strength? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt contrasts Ivan Drago’s polished, controlled training with Rocky’s gritty, real-world endurance and connects it to Philippians 4:13 and the kind of inner strength God actually builds. If life has felt more like the 15th round than a highlight reel, this one’s for you.

    8 min

  9. Apr 7

    There's Some Good In This World

    What can Samwise Gamgee teach us about hope, faith, and keeping going when the road feels impossibly long? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt reflects on Sam’s unforgettable speech from The Two Towers, connects it to Viktor Frankl’s search for meaning, and anchors it all in the biblical truth that faith keeps moving because God is faithful. If you’re tired, discouraged, or just trying to take the next step, this one is for you.

    9 min

  10. Mar 31

    Wizard Of Oz

    What does The Wizard of Oz have to do with Holy Week? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt connects the man behind the curtain to Jesus cleansing the temple—and shows why Christ’s anger wasn’t aimed at “the world acting worldly,” but at religious fraud that made it harder for people to get to God. Centered on Matthew 21, this devotional invites listeners to let Holy Week turn the spotlight inward, asking where image, pride, or performance may be standing in the way of true worship.

    10 min

  11. Mar 24

    March Madness

    What does basketball defense and Peter pulling a sword in the garden have in common? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt uses the world of hoops to explore a deeper spiritual question: are we confusing defensiveness with faithfulness? Drawing from Jesus’ rebuke of Peter and the call to love with courage, this devotional looks at how the kingdom of God moves—not by guarding, but by giving. If you’ve ever wrestled with what it means to stand for truth without losing the heart of Christ, this one will meet you there.

    13 min
  12. Holding Out For THE Hero

    Mar 17

    Holding Out For THE Hero

    What do Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out for a Hero and David’s cry in Psalm 13 have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt revisits the 80s anthem of longing and connects it to the ancient ache of a heart waiting for God to act. With Psalm 13 as the scriptural anchor, this devotional explores the universal human longing for rescue, the tension between lament and trust, and the hope we have because the Hero has already come in Jesus. If you’ve ever felt like heaven was quiet or life was one long late-night power ballad, this episode is for you.

    7 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

Pop Culture Devotionals with Chaplain Dave Remboldt finds biblical truth in the movies, music, and stories we love. Each short episode takes a familiar piece of pop culture and uncovers the deeper longing, hope, and meaning pointing back to God.

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