The Common Good Podcast

Brian From
  • 4.9 (34)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED DAILY

The idea of “the common good” has a rich history within the Christian church. It’s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God’s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God’s design for all of us fulfilled.

  1. 2D AGO

    Pop Stars, Demons, and Spiritual Discernment — with Adam Holtz of Plugged In

    Brian Fromm sits down with Adam Holtz from Plugged In — Focus on the Family's entertainment review ministry — to talk about Michael, the new Michael Jackson biopic covering his rise from Gary, Indiana to global superstardom. Is it a fair portrait, or does it sidestep the harder questions? Adam breaks down what the film gets right, why legal realities shaped what it couldn't show, and what it means for the value of the biopic genre altogether. Then, Adam pulls back the curtain on Plugged In's popular Theology Of series — deep-dive explorations of the spiritual worldviews embedded in major entertainment franchises like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and the latest entry: Doom. Yes, that Doom. It turns out a demon-shooting shooter from 1993 has more theological substance than you'd expect. Plus — what's coming this summer? Adam previews Spider-Man: Brand New Day and why it may be the movie to watch. Find Adam and the full Theology Of series at pluggedin.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    9 min

  2. 2D AGO

    Springtime, Repentance, and the God Who Does Extraordinary Things

    It's a big Friday in the From household — prom night for two kids at Wheaton Academy — and Brian opens the hour with something deeper than small talk: a reflection on what springtime is actually trying to tell us. From the birds waking up to the grass turning green again, Brian makes the case that God didn't design seasons by accident. The cycle of death and new life is a picture written into creation itself, and for anyone living under the weight of broken dreams or regret, it carries a message worth hearing. From there, Brian revisits a Trevin Wax piece on hypocrisy and repentance that's been rattling around in his head — and lands on a phrase worth sitting with: shoot high and repent often. Moral mediocrity dressed up as humility, Wax warns, is just a different kind of rot. Brian also reflects on NFL wide receiver Cooper Kupp's remarks at a men's event in Minnesota, where Kupp articulated something rare: a clear-eyed understanding of why he plays football, and it isn't for Super Bowls. Then Brian weighs in on the unraveling Mike Vrabel/Diana Russini scandal — not to pile on, but to ask the harder question it raises about the hidden corners in all of our lives. Rounding out the hour: a story on young Americans doing a month-long smartphone detox, a meditation on what the great Bible stories all have in common, and a look at Randy Alcorn's vision of worship, music, and ordinary life in heaven. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    51 min

  3. 2D AGO

    A Christian Perspective on Artificial Intelligence with Emily Tsaio

    Artificial intelligence is everywhere — and so are the big questions surrounding it. Is AI going to save the world, or destroy it? And what does any of it mean for people of faith? In this episode, Brian From sits down with Emily Tsiao, a writer for Focus on the Family's Plugged In, to unpack the ethical and theological dimensions of AI. They dig into her recent article Reflecting on the AI Doc, or How I Didn't Change My Mind About Apocalypticism — a response to a documentary featuring conversations with the CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic — and why Emily's core takeaway remains the same: God is still in control. Emily walks through the practical questions too — using AI for creative work, the ethics of AI-generated content, what it means for learning and education, and why letting a machine speak for you might cost you more than you realize. Whether you're an everyday ChatGPT user or just trying to figure out what to think, this conversation is a grounded, thoughtful place to start. Find more of Emily's work at PluggedIn.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    10 min

  4. 2D AGO

    Releasing Your Adult Kids: Dr. Kathy Koch on Conflict, Faith, and Family Restoration

    So many parents are grieving quietly — watching adult children pull away, questioning where things went wrong, and wondering if the relationship can be restored. In this episode, Brian From sits down with Dr. Kathy Koch, founder of Celebrate Kids and author of Resolve Conflict and Find Peace and Hope with Adult Children, to unpack one of the most painful challenges facing families today. Dr. Kathy shares practical wisdom on healthy communication with adult kids, how to navigate the tricky intersection of financial support and emotional distance, and what parents can do when a child walks away from their faith. She also offers an honest look at the role over-involved parenting can play — and what it looks like to parent differently in this new season. If you're exhausted, heartbroken, or just unsure where to begin — this conversation is for you. There is still hope. Resolve Conflict and Find Peace and Hope with Adult Children is available now through Moody Publishers. Learn more about Dr. Kathy Koch's ministry at CelebrateKids.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    10 min

  5. 3D AGO

    Lessons from Elijah, Laodicea, and the World We Live In

    Do you ever feel ordinary? Like you're just not the kind of person God uses for big things? In this episode, Brian From digs into one of the most overlooked verses in the New Testament — James's reminder that Elijah was "just a human being, like us" — and unpacks what it means that God chooses to do extraordinary things through completely ordinary people. From there, Brian turns to one of Scripture's most sobering passages: Jesus's letter to the church in Laodicea. Wealthy, self-sufficient, and spiritually lukewarm — sound familiar? Brian draws a pointed parallel to the American church today and asks the uncomfortable question: are we the church in Laodicea? Along the way, Brian also explores Russell Moore's provocative idea of the "casinofication" of the church, a striking new study on the rise of "no contact" relationships in America, a genuinely murky ethical question about a family using an AI clone to shield an elderly mother from the death of her son, and why a Relevant Magazine piece about new Christians and microphones might be the most important thing the church needs to hear right now. And he closes with a surprising strategy for finishing well as a Christian — one you probably won't see coming. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    51 min

  6. 4D AGO

    The Only Constant: Change, Courage, and Choosing What's Best

    Life is full of change — whether you're ready for it or not. Brian From reflects on the personal transitions hitting close to home as his kids approach major milestones, and asks the question we all wrestle with: how do you hold on to what matters when everything around you is shifting? Brian also unpacks a striking survey showing that only 3.4% of worship leaders describe their mental health as excellent, and what church communities need to hear about that. Plus: why a viral Altoids moment between George W. Bush and Michelle Obama says something profound about what Americans are actually hungry for; a challenge to expand your view of worship beyond Sunday morning and a Spotify playlist; the surprising case that a mundane life is actually a courageous one; a cautionary tale about an AI-generated MAGA influencer who fooled millions; and a fresh look at Mary and Martha — and what Jesus was really saying about distraction, urgency, and choosing what's best. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 7m

  7. 4D AGO

    Pastor Bill Farina: 39 Years of Faithful Ministry at Bethel Christian Church

    Brian From welcomes Pastor Bill Farina of Bethel Christian Church in Warren, Michigan. Pastor Bill shares the remarkable story of how he arrived in Michigan in 1987 at age 27 — originally intending only a short fill-in visit to a struggling congregation of eleven senior citizens — and how God redirected his path into what has now become 39 years of faithful ministry at the same church. In this conversation, Pastor Bill opens up about the joys and challenges of long-tenured pastoral ministry, including the privilege of dedicating the babies of babies he once dedicated and officiating weddings for the seventh member of the same family. He unpacks Bethel's vision of being "a Spirit-filled community church touching heaven and earth," rooted in a balanced Pentecostal tradition that leaves room for the Holy Spirit while honoring decency and order. Pastor Bill also shares the convicting question that reshaped his ministry philosophy decades ago: "If your church closed tomorrow, would anyone notice, and would anyone care?" That question drove him into deep community engagement — 17 years on the local school board, 16 years as Senior Chaplain of the Warren Police Department, chaplaincy work at Jimmy John's Field, prison and jail ministries, and partnerships with Forgotten Harvest. The episode closes with a pastoral word of hope for anyone feeling discouraged, drawn from Romans 15:13 — a prayer that the God of hope would fill listeners with joy and peace in believing, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Learn more about Bethel Christian Church: 📍 13211 Ten Mile Road, Warren, MI (south side of I-696 service drive between Hoover and Schoenherr) 🌐 bethelchristian-mi.org See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    12 min

  8. 5D AGO

    "I Am With You" — Grace, Change, and Faithfulness in the Unseen Places

    Brian From works through a stack of uncomfortable questions for the church. When Eric Metaxas calls for grace toward Trump over the Jesus meme, Brian asks the harder question — do we extend that same grace across the aisle? A new Barna survey finds only 22% of Americans see Christians as empathetic, and nearly half describe the faith as judgmental or hypocritical. Brian sits with what that means for how we engage a watching world. Plus: Moses never entered the Promised Land and Joshua had to take his place — what God's "I am with you" means for us in seasons of fear and transition; a sobering new report showing just 3.4% of worship leaders rate their mental health as excellent, and why pastors need to be asking harder questions of their teams; Tim Challies on why heaven will forget none of its heroes — even the ones no one on earth ever noticed; and Chuck Swindoll's 1985 challenge that still lands today: who do you want to be ten years from now? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    59 min
See All (2K)

4.9
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

The idea of “the common good” has a rich history within the Christian church. It’s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God’s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God’s design for all of us fulfilled.

Information

You Might Also Like