The Mockingcast

Mockingbird

The Mockingcast is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by RJ Heijmen, Sarah Condon and David Zahl, and brought to you by Mockingbird Ministries, an organization which seeks to connect the Christian faith with the realities of everyday life in fresh and down-to-earth ways. You can find out more about Mockingbird at www.mbird.com. Audio production provided by TJ Hester.

  1. 22/12/2025 · BONUS

    Episode 288: A Dog Named Lucifer

    Last episode of the year, in which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Knives Out, self-checkout lines, optional futures, and how not to hate Christmas. Also, Sarah gets a Zippo while heaven and earth meet at an unlikely funeral. Click here (https://mbird.com/film/knives-out-and-the-cinema-of-perpetual-grace/) to read Dave's review of Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man on Mbird Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/family/2025/12/self-checkout-grocery-line-long/685125/) to read Valerie Trapp's piece in The Atlantic on "The One Line Americans (Weirdly) Choose to Wait In" Click here (https://lindynewsletter.beehiiv.com/p/from-option-to-obligation) to "From Option to Obligation" by Paul Skallas in the Lindy Newsletter Click here (https://mbird.com/holidays/christmas/no-more-flaccid-christmas-stockings/) to read Sarah's "No More Flaccid Christmas Stockings" on Mbird Click here (https://mbird.com/holidays/christmas/how-to-not-hate-christmas/) to read David Clay's "How to Not Hate Christmas" on Mbird Click here (https://mbird.com/suffering/faiths-long-december/) to read "Faith's Long December" by Kyle Wells on Mbird Click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s8lvnSmISc) to watch the performance of "Fairytale of New York" at Shane MacGowan's funeral

    1h 12m

  2. 08/12/2025

    Episode 287: All the Blessed Interruptions

    In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk advent calendars, perfectionist musicians, interrupting mothers, and the Batman effect. The gang also takes a field trip to an acute mental health ward across the pond. Click here (https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E353807&id=2) to respond to the opening appeal. Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2025/11/peak-advent-calendar/684971/) to read Ellen Cushing's "Advent Calendars Are Totally Out of Control" in The Atlantic. Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/opinion/pianist-music-performance-perfection.html) to read "The Quest for Perfection Is Stunting Our Society" by Jonathan Biss in The NY Times. Click here (https://www.ask-polly.com/p/can-you-stop) to read "Can You Stop?" by Heather Havrilesky on Ask Polly Click here (https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-025-00171-5) for the abstract of the study on The Batman Effect Click here (https://mbird.com/holidays/advent/advent-has-a-purpose-candle-lighting-isnt-it/) to read William Fagan's article on Mbird, "Advent Has a Purpose (Candle Lighting Isn't It)"

    1h 2m

  3. 25/11/2025

    Episode 286: Miracle at the Body Shop

    In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk picky eaters, shameless monsters, wartime tragedies, and the uselessness of God. Also, RJ wets the bed (and never looks back). Click here (https://mbird.com/conferences/charlottesville-conference-recordings/) to listen to the recordings from the recent Mbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA. Click here (https://www.seriouseats.com/the-kid-is-all-right-in-defense-of-picky-eating-11832437) to read "In Defense of Picking Eating" by Irina Dumistrescu on Serious Eats. Click here (https://www.seenandunseen.com/we-need-sense-shame-need-mercy-even-more) to read Belle Tindall's piece on Seen and Unseen, "We Needs a Sense of Shame -- But Need Mercy Even More." Click here (https://mbird.com/events/mockingbird-nyc-conference-2026/) for more details about the 2026 NYC Mbird Conference (4/23-25). Click here (https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/06/metro/end-ed-kochanowskis-wars/?s_campaign=8315:varf) to read "The End of Ed Kochanowski's War" in The Boston Globe. Click here (https://mbird.com/religion/testimony/a-reluctant-living-testimony/) to read "A (Reluctant) Living Testimony" by Amanda Geisinger on Mbird.

    1h 7m

  4. 03/11/2025

    Episode 285: A Beautiful Day to Yell at God

    In which RJ, Sarah and Dave talk intentional everything, morbid curiosity, Methodist exorcists, and Hollywood epiphanies. Also, Sarah praises her favorite horror film, while the boys gush about Task. Click here (https://mbird.com/events/mockingbird-charlottesville-fall-conference/) to register for our Fall Conference in Charlottesville, VA (11/14&15) Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/style/when-did-everything-become-so-intentional.html) to read When Did Everything Become So ‘Intentional’? by Marie Solis in the NY Times Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/10/morbidity-horror-films-psychology/684554/) to read The Perks of Morbid Curiosity by Coltan Scrivener in The Atlantic Click here (https://mbird.com/everyday/exponents-of-falsehood/) to read "Exponents of Falsehood" by Jason Micheli on Mbird Click here (https://themockingcast.fireside.fm/261) to listen to the Mcast episode Sarah mentions, "What Am I Gonna Do About the Demons?" Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/25/magazine/anthony-hopkins-interview.html) to read the interview with Anthony Hopkins in the NY Times Click here (https://mbird.com/suffering/its-a-beautiful-day-to-yell-at-god/) to read "It's a Beautiful Day to Yell at God" by Sarah Condon on Mbird

    1h 2m

  5. 14/10/2025

    Episode 284: The Telephone of Life

    In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk painless tattoos, workaholic scripts, sloppy social media, and Japanese lifesavers. Also, Sarah gets down with a theater full of fifth graders before singing with church full of Norwegians. Closing music courtesy of Voice of Joy (https://www.voiceofjoy.no/om/). Click here (https://mbird.com/events/mockingbird-charlottesville-fall-conference/) for more details about -- or to register for -- the Fall Mbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA (11/14&15). Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2025/09/sedation-tattoos-painless-anesthesia/684232/) to read in the Atlantic about how "People Are Getting Tattoos Under Anesthesia." Click here (https://mbird.com/film/beneath-the-ink/) to watch the short film, Beneath the Ink. Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/09/workaholic-love-practical-solutions/684353/) to read "If I Work Harder, Will You Love Me?" by Arthur Brooks in the Atlantic. Click here (https://www.afterbabel.com/p/we-are-the-slop) to read "We Are the Slop" by Freya India in the After Babel newsletter. Click here (https://mbird.com/everyday/grace-in-a-time-of-line-drawing-and-statement-making/) to read Dave's piece "Grace in a Time of Line-Drawing and Statement-Making" on Mbird. Click here (https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/09/japan-suicide-shirahama-church-mental-health/) to read about "The Pastor Who Rescues People from Japan’s ‘Suicide Cliff’" by Kazusa Okaya in Christianity Today. Click here (https://www.voiceofjoy.no/om/) to find out more about Voice of Joy, the Norwegian gospel choir Sarah mentions who also close the show.

    1h 5m

  6. 29/09/2025

    Episode 283: The Ol' Telling the Truth Trick

    In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk silent retreats, repentant writing, alien mercy, and Hallmark movies. Also, RJ goes Confucian while Dave spitballs a new kind of Dry January. Click here (https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2025/09/20/silent-retreat-meditation-religion/) to read Ben Brasch's article "Silent Retreats Are Surging in Popularity" in the Washington Post. Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/21/briefing/the-psychological-value-of-repentance.html) to read Lauren Jackson's newsletter on "The Pscyhological Value of Repentance" in the NY Times. Click here (https://mbird.com/grace-in-practice/grace-in-an-age-of-vengance/) to read Sarah's "Grace in an Age of Vengeance" on Mbird. Click here (https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/09/alien-mercy/) to read Ashley Hales's interview with Elizabeth Bruenig in Christianity Today, "Alien Mercy." Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/07/death-row-executions-witness/682891/) to read Elizabeth Bruenig's lengthy essay "Witness" in The Atlantic. Click here (https://mbird.com/religion/church/the-gospel-is-not-your-happy-ending/) to read Matt Metevelis's piece on Mbird "The Gospel Is Not Your Happy Ending." Click here (https://mbird.com/events/mockingbird-charlottesville-fall-conference/) for more information about, or to pre-register for, the Fall Mbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA (Nov 14&15).

    1h 5m

  7. 15/09/2025

    Episode 282: Do It Afraid

    In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk predatory advice-giving, suspicious mission statements, unloving algorithms, and atoning physicians. Also, Dave's son wins a big award. Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2025/09/parents-dislike-kids-friends/684061/) to read Russell Shaw's article in the Atlantic, "When Your Kid’s Best Friend Is a Great Big Problem." Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/06/magazine/brene-brown-interview.html) to read the NY Times interview with Brene Brown. Click here (https://thecorners.substack.com/p/sufficiently-suspicious) to read NBW's "Sufficiently Suspicious" newsletter. Click here (https://mbird.com/everyday/excuses-excuses/) to read "Excuses, Excuses" by Sam Bush on Mbird. Click here (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/07/21/greg-gulbransen-profile-doctor-pediatrician) to read "A Family Doctor's Search for Salvation" in the New Yorker.

    1h 3m

  8. 01/09/2025

    Episode 281: Fluffy Pens and Perfectionist Pain

    In the season premiere, RJ, Sarah and Dave talk nightmare summers, tween retailers, ethical checklists, and the deadliest addiction of all. We also learn the whole point of Sarah. Click here (https://mbird.com/religion/testimony/lessons-learned-from-a-summer-on-crutches/) to read Dave's post on "Lessons from a (Miserable) Summer on Crutches". Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2025/08/claires-bankruptcy-sale-tween-girl-store/683938/) to read Ellen Cushing's "What Claire's Once Gave Tween Girls" on The Atlantic. Click here (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/08/11/the-pain-of-perfectionism) to read "The Pain of Perfectionsism" by Leslie Jamison on The New Yorker. Click here (https://slate.com/life/2025/07/drug-brain-addiction-revenge-public-health-death.html) to read "Bad Brains" by James Kimmel Jr on Slate. Click here (https://mbird.com/bible/jesus-doesnt-care-when-you-wake-up/) to read "Jesus Doesn't Care When You Wake Up" by Todd Brewer on Mbird. Click here (https://mbird.com/events/mockingbird-charlottesville-fall-conference/) for more details -- or to pre-register -- for the Fall Mockingbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA (Nov 14&15).

    1h 5m
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About

The Mockingcast is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by RJ Heijmen, Sarah Condon and David Zahl, and brought to you by Mockingbird Ministries, an organization which seeks to connect the Christian faith with the realities of everyday life in fresh and down-to-earth ways. You can find out more about Mockingbird at www.mbird.com. Audio production provided by TJ Hester.

Information

  • Creator
    Mockingbird
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    288
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Mockingbird Ministries
  • Show Website
    The Mockingcast

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