The RELEVANT Podcast

RELEVANT Magazine
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  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Since 2005, the show from RELEVANT magazine covering faith, culture and everything in-between! Every Tuesday, Cameron Strang, Jesse Carey, Derek Minor, Emily Brown and Marty bring buzzworthy news for thought-provoking and hilarious conversations!

  1. Episode 1288: Milo Ventimiglia Tells Us Why He's Starring in a Christian Movie, our Super Bowl Recap & Is Gen Z Getting Dumber?

    2D AGO

    Episode 1288: Milo Ventimiglia Tells Us Why He's Starring in a Christian Movie, our Super Bowl Recap & Is Gen Z Getting Dumber?

    This week, actor Milo Ventimiglia — known for 'This Is Us,' 'Gilmore Girls' and 'Heroes' — tells us why he chose to star in a new Christian movie, playing real-life worship artist Tim Timmons, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer over 20 years ago and is still defying the odds today.  In RELEVANT Buzz, the crew recaps the Super Bowl — including the incredible story of Seahawks coach Mike McDonald, who followed God's calling to leave the corporate world to take an unpaid internship in coaching. And now 12 years later, it's led to a Super Bowl championship. We also dig into a new study revealing that Gen Z is statistically dumber than their parents (and why that's significant). Plus, Jesse forces the crew to watch the Carman movie trailer, and at the end of the show, we have Ask the Cast! And of course Jesse and Derek have some strong thoughts on Ring cameras and drones. Highlights: 01:28 — The Olympics and Derek's New Drone 04:59 — Ring Cameras Have Ruined Jesse's Hypothetical Heist 06:18 — The Dark Knight Predicted the Ring Camera Era 09:20 — Apple Is Buying Tech That Can Hear Your Silent Speech 16:29 — RELEVANT BUZZ 19:31 — Coach Mike McDonald: From Accountant to Super Bowl Champion 23:04 — New Study: Gen Z Is Scoring Lower on IQ Tests Than Their Parents 24:40 — The Lost Art of Daydreaming & Why Boredom Matters 30:09 — Milo Ventimiglia on ‘I Can Only Imagine 2’ 33:24 — Jesse Makes the Crew Watch the Carman Movie Trailer (Live Reaction) 37:47 — SLICES 38:11 — Man Cited for Juggling Fire on a Unicycle in a Crosswalk 41:11 — Man Breaks Into Little Caesars After Hours & Starts Selling Pizzas 43:09 — ASK THE CAST 44:05 — What Belief Have You Changed Your Mind On? 45:46 — Boundaries You Didn't Know You Could Set 46:40 — What Today Would Shock Yourself 10 Years Ago? 47:18 — Podcast Voice vs. Real Voice 49:48 — Who Has the Worst Music Taste on the Crew? 51:04 — Why Jesse Is a Terrible Texter 52:55 — NBA All-Star Weekend: Does Anyone Care? 53:59 — Outro & YouTube Growth Update Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    56 min
  2. Episode 1287: Trip Lee's Worship Pivot, Jelly Roll's Grammy Sermon & Free Iguanas in Miami

    FEB 3

    Episode 1287: Trip Lee's Worship Pivot, Jelly Roll's Grammy Sermon & Free Iguanas in Miami

    This week, legendary Christian rapper Trip Lee tells us about his unexpected move into worship music with his new album. Before that, the crew swaps stories from last week's historic winter storm—Emily survived three days without power in freezing temps and Jesse narrowly avoided going to a fun Orlando Magic game with Cameron. In RELEVANT Buzz, we break down Jelly Roll's powerful Grammy acceptance moment, plus the youngest Grammy winner at just eight years old. We also dive into new research showing the vast majority of people want authentic faith representation in TV and movies, and then Emily previews two interesting new shows: Jury Duty Season 2's unexpected premise and Neighbors, HBO and A24's reality series about strangers forced to live together. Plus, Jesse announces his new podcast Target Intelligence: Psyop and Derek plugs his brand-new show, You Can't Say That in Church. Jesse of course brings his most rewatched video of the week: a Medieval Combat League warrior armed with a real axe who keeps targeting opponents from behind with hilarious headshots. Then in SLICES we cover Miami's iguana apocalypse—dinosaurs falling from trees as residents collect them by the armload (and definitely aren't disposing of them properly). And to close it out, it's Super Bowl week, so we're playing a special edition of "One Has to Go" covering everything from iconic Super Bowl commercials and halftime show moments to game-day snacks and controversial performances. Spoiler: mozzarella sticks do not survive Jesse's hot take. Highlights: 00:00 — Intro & Winter Storm Survival Stories 07:43 — RELEVANT Buzz 08:00 — Jelly Roll's Powerful Grammy Acceptance Speech 11:27 — Eight-Year-Old Becomes Youngest Grammy Winner in History 12:33 — New Study: 92% of Viewers Want Authentic Faith in TV & Movies 16:37 — Jury Duty Season 2 Preview: Hot Sauce Company Chaos 18:00 — Neighbors: HBO and A24's New Reality Series 24:00 — Medieval Combat League Axe Warrior Goes Viral 31:09 — Trip Lee 32:00 — Why Trip Lee Made a Worship Album After Years in Hip-Hop 35:00 — Trip Lee on Being a Teaching Pastor and Collaborating With Worship Leaders 37:00 — SLICES: Miami's Iguana Apocalypse 43:30 — Super Bowl Edition: "One Has to Go" Game 45:53 — Iconic Super Bowl Commercials (Doritos, Tide, QR Code) 46:21 — Controversial Super Bowl Ads (GoDaddy, Carl's Jr., Axe) 47:04 — Super Bowl Snacks Face-Off (Doritos, Lay's, Pringles) 47:30 — Soda Showdown (Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew) 48:00 — Jesse's Mozzarella Stick Hot Take Sparks Chaos 49:31 — Halftime Show Showdown (Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Beyoncé) 50:01 — Most Controversial Halftime Moments (Nipplegate, Dancing Sharks) 50:52 — Halftime Props (JLo's Pole, Usher's Skates, Dr. Dre's Lowrider) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    53 min
  3. Episode 1286: Chris Pratt on Faith, Fame and Finding Purpose Beyond Hollywood

    JAN 27

    Episode 1286: Chris Pratt on Faith, Fame and Finding Purpose Beyond Hollywood

    This week, we talk to ‘Mercy’ star Chris Pratt about how faith shapes his life and career. He opens up about navigating public narratives, using his platform with purpose and why he believes being open about faith matters more than ever. In RELEVANT Buzz, the crew dives into Jelly Roll’s moving moment on 'Star Search,' why Gen Z is intentionally disconnecting from their phones and whether music is actually getting sadder. Plus, stories about AI fatigue, bizarre license plate drama, a ketchup packet felony and a guy trying to create a new nation in Texas. And at the end of the show, don't miss the Best Game Ever! Highlights: 01:00 Storm prep anxiety and riding it out 03:27 The man who tried to start his own country in Texas 06:56 The confidence of mediocre white men 18:23 RELEVANT Buzz  18:53 Jelly Roll’s Gospel moment on Star Search 21:58 Study finds popular music is getting sadder 24:36 Gen Z intentionally disconnecting from phones 30:10 Chris Pratt  36:40 SLICES  38:38 Mr. Potato Head license plate controversy 39:34 Florida man charged over ketchup packet 45:14 “Best Game Ever”  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    52 min
  4. Episode 1285: Chelsea Smith on Dating, Marriage and What Actually Makes Love Last

    JAN 20

    Episode 1285: Chelsea Smith on Dating, Marriage and What Actually Makes Love Last

    This week, we sit down with Chelsea Smith to talk about dating wisely, building a resilient marriage and navigating seasons when love feels harder than usual. She shares practical advice for singles, couples and anyone wondering if what they’re experiencing is normal. In RELEVANT Buzz, we unpack the rise of political independents among Gen Z and millennials, Brandon Lake’s Good Morning America moment and why Christian hip-hop is showing up at Rolling Loud. Plus, the crew debates whether it’s easier to bowl a perfect game or hit a hole-in-one for a million dollars, discusses illegal monkeys in St. Louis and breaks down Gen Z’s newest solution to burnout: a “retirement home” in Malaysia. Highlights: 06:30 – Million-dollar question: perfect bowling game or hole-in-one? 16:05 – RELEVANT Buzz 16:15 – Christian hip-hop at Rolling Loud 18:10 – Brandon Lake on Good Morning America (and the Maury joke) 20:45 – Gallup: Gen Z and millennials are going independent 31:40 – Chelsea Smith on dating 33:55 – What every healthy marriage needs 35:30 – Advice for couples in hard seasons 37:55 – Our new partnership with 316 Financial + Reset Series 42:25 – Slices 42:45 – St. Louis offers amnesty for illegal monkey owners 47:05 – A Gen Z “retirement home” opens in Malaysia To learn more about 316 Financial's $100 offer for RELEVANT listeners, check out https://www.Bank316.com/RELEVANT! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    50 min
  5. Episode 1284: Khloé Kardashian Talks Faith, A ‘Stranger Things’ Star Does Too, and Philip Yancey’s Scandal

    JAN 13

    Episode 1284: Khloé Kardashian Talks Faith, A ‘Stranger Things’ Star Does Too, and Philip Yancey’s Scandal

    In this episode of The RELEVANT Podcast, we break down a surprisingly faith-heavy week in pop culture. In RELEVANT Buzz, Khloé Kardashian opens up in depth about her faith and prayer life, Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin shares why he’s returning to faith after growing up as a pastor’s kid. Then we discuss news at the other end of the spectrum: Bestselling Christian author Philip Yancey stepping away from ministry after confessing to an eight-year extramarital affair and Christian pop singer Stacie Orrico’s lawsuit alleging childhood sexual abuse by her former manager. We wrap things on an up-note, highlighting Daniel Caesar’s spiritually charged Tiny Desk performance. Plus, the crew reacts to DMX’s posthumous ordination, Jesse spirals over the murder math of NCIS, shares a wild Lamar Odom encounter and we play another round of ‘Overrated, Underrated or Just Right.’ Highlights: 03:00 Jesse’s NCIS take and the Navy murder math spiral 14:15 RELEVANT Buzz begins 17:05 Khloé Kardashian opens up about her Christian faith 28:15 Caleb McLaughlin talks faith, deconstruction and returning to God 31:55 Philip Yancey steps away from ministry after affair confession 34:35 Stacie Orrico files lawsuit alleging childhood sexual abuse 37:50 Daniel Caesar’s Tiny Desk and his spiritual journey 39:20 Slices: Lottery odds website exposes Powerball math 44:10 DMX to be posthumously recognized as a minister 46:05 Game: Overrated, Underrated or Just Right (Part 2) 47:15 Mayonnaise, squats and Chris Hemsworth 49:00 Pet fish, LaCroix and Philip Yancey books 50:00 Air fryers, motorcycles and voice notes Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    54 min
  6. Episode 1283: The Top Young Adult Faith Questions, Weird Guinness Records & CITIZENS Frontman Zach Bolen

    JAN 6

    Episode 1283: The Top Young Adult Faith Questions, Weird Guinness Records & CITIZENS Frontman Zach Bolen

    This week, we tackle the biggest faith questions young adults are asking right now (according to the recent Passion Conference) — from evidence for God’s existence and the tension between free will and predestination, to suffering, salvation and thoughts on hell. It’s an honest conversation about doubt, belief and why curiosity might be essential to spiritual growth. From there, Emily sits down with CITIZENS frontman Zach Bolen to talk about the band’s new album Museum, being in the Christian music bubble while feeling like an outsider and why art doesn’t need to explain itself to be meaningful.  Plus, Jesse has some thoughts over the increasingly unhinged Guinness World Records, from pigs on skateboards to LEGO-related pain tolerance, and the crew plays a round of “Overrated, Underrated or Just Right,” covering reboots, word-of-the-year culture and more! Highlights: 3:10 New Year check-in 4:20 The Crown 5:25 Why New Year’s TV is terrible 9:55 Fireworks gone wrong 14:15 RELEVANT BUZZ 17:05 The top faith questions young adults are asking at the Passion Conference 31:00 Awards season highlights 38:30 Zach Bolen of CITIZENS 42:10 Faith, deconstruction, and the Nashville bubble 46:20 Curiosity as a spiritual discipline 50:10 SLICES 50:14 Guinness World Records need a reboot 56:20 OVERRATED, UNDERRATED, OR JUST RIGHT? Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 3m
  7. Episode 1282: Our New Year Episode — Bieber’s Faith, Jesse’s Patriot Games and Very Accurate 2026 Predictions!

    12/30/2025

    Episode 1282: Our New Year Episode — Bieber’s Faith, Jesse’s Patriot Games and Very Accurate 2026 Predictions!

    We wrap up 2025 and kick off 2026 by catching up on everything from post-holiday chaos to the optimism that comes with starting a new year. Along the way, we touch on Justin Bieber’s recent reflections on faith, how people in 1998 predicted 2025, and surprising new archeological evidence that Noah's Ark was real.  From there, the episode takes a turn into full chaos as Jesse introduces his own idea for the “Patriot Games”: teams of Americans competing using everyday life skills, jury duty-style. The episode then wraps with the cast predicting the trends of 2026 — all delivered with the usual mix of humor, honesty and side-tracking that makes the show what it is. Highlights: 05:10 — Spring-free trampolines and modern parenting stress 07:40 — Childhood injuries, backyard chaos and growing up feral 12:30 — The unspoken pressure of being “the capable adult” 13:33 — SLICES: Noah’s Ark evidence 25:03 — 1998 predicts 2025 31:53 — Justin Bieber’s faith posts 30:45 — WHAT'S JESSE THINKING? Jesse introduces his Patriot Games concept 43:20 — IN OR OUT? Predicting 2026  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    53 min
  8. Episode 1281: Our Christmas Episode! Why Does December Feel So Unhinged?

    12/23/2025

    Episode 1281: Our Christmas Episode! Why Does December Feel So Unhinged?

    In our Christmas episode, Cameron Strang, Jesse Carey, Derek Minor and Emily Brown dive into a packed RELEVANT Buzz, including NFL players putting faith into action in unexpected ways, a Christian animated film debuting near the top of the box office, Timothée Chalamet unexpectedly singing Kirk Franklin and a spontaneous worship moment from Justin Bieber that caught the internet’s attention. The crew also tackles one of the most important questions of the season: what actually makes a perfect Christmas day? From wake-up times and breakfast spreads to family expectations, church plans and evening traditions, they attempt—somewhat successfully—to agree on a Christmas schedule everyone can enjoy. Plus, it’s an Ask the Cast: Christmas Edition, with listener questions about end-of-year burnout, holiday boundaries and when it’s officially time to stop saying “Merry Christmas.” Highlights: 1:00 – Emily’s Quilt Room Setup 4:00 – RELEVANT BUZZ 4:30 – Baltimore Ravens Wash Kids Feet 8:20 – David Hits No. 2 at the Box Office 11:30 – Is Avatar Still Impressive? 14:30 – Timothée Chalamet Sings Kirk Franklin 24:30 – Justin Bieber’s Worship Moment 25:45 – Designing the Perfect Christmas Day 36:12 – SLICES: The 6-7 Meme Gets Real  44:05 – The World's Largest Gingerbread Home Alone House 46:05 – ASK THE CAST: Christmas Edition Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    53 min
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out of 5
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About

Since 2005, the show from RELEVANT magazine covering faith, culture and everything in-between! Every Tuesday, Cameron Strang, Jesse Carey, Derek Minor, Emily Brown and Marty bring buzzworthy news for thought-provoking and hilarious conversations!

Information

  • Creator
    RELEVANT Magazine
  • Years Active
    2005 - 2026
  • Episodes
    802
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © RELEVANT Magazine
  • Show Website
    The RELEVANT Podcast

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