The RELEVANT Podcast

RELEVANT Magazine

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

    17H AGO

    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
  2. Impact Conversations: TreVeyon Henderson on Faith & the NFL and Lecrae on Reconstruction & Legacy

    5D AGO

    Impact Conversations: TreVeyon Henderson on Faith & the NFL and Lecrae on Reconstruction & Legacy

    In the final episode of the RELEVANT Podcast Impact Conversations series, we sit down with two influential voices using their platforms to point toward something deeper. First, New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson shares how his faith was shaped long before the NFL spotlight. From a season-ending injury at Ohio State that led him to Jesus to helping spark faith gatherings across campus, Henderson talks about spiritual leadership, obedience over outcomes, and what it looks like to follow Christ inside high-pressure locker rooms. His story is also featured in the new docuseries Redemption, now streaming on Prime Video via The Wonder Project. Then, Lecrae, one of the most influential figures in Christian hip-hop, joins the conversation following the release of his 10th album, Reconstruction. He reflects on misunderstanding, therapy, deconstruction and why he believes Christian hip-hop is entering a new era without categories. Lecrae also opens up about legacy, leadership, and his role as a bridge between faith and culture. This episode is presented by World Vision, a global Christian humanitarian organization working to tackle the root causes of poverty and injustice worldwide. Chapters: 01:15 – Why TreVeyon Henderson uses his NFL platform for faith 02:01 – Growing up with football as a lifeline 04:24 – When faith became real during a season-ending injury 06:40 – Sleep paralysis, spiritual warfare and healing through prayer 08:28 – Faith leadership inside Ohio State football 11:33 – Carrying faith into the NFL locker room 12:58 – Spiritual disciplines and the “secret place” 16:21 – Why faith is rising among professional athletes 18:56 – Why Henderson highlighted persecuted Christians in Nigeria 22:45 – Lecrae on why Reconstruction is different 24:53 – Transparency vs vulnerability in creative work 26:08 – Therapy, confidence and owning your voice 29:25 – Why Lecrae chose the word “Reconstruction” 30:46 – Leadership, loneliness and stewardship 33:01 – The future of Christian hip-hop 34:41 – Lecrae on legacy and being a bridge between faith and culture 44:17 – How Reconstruction invites people back to faith Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    47 min
  3. Episode 1280: Director Rian Johnson on Faith, Doubt and the Christian Themes in ‘Knives Out’

    DEC 16

    Episode 1280: Director Rian Johnson on Faith, Doubt and the Christian Themes in ‘Knives Out’

    Rian Johnson’s new Knives Out film, 'Wake Up Dead Man,' is sparking conversations few mainstream movies ever touch — faith, forgiveness, power and what it actually means to follow Jesus in a polarized world. In this episode, we talk with the filmmaker about growing up in the Church, walking away from faith and why Christ’s teachings — especially “love your enemy” — still shape the stories he wants to tell. Johnson opens up about wrestling with the us-versus-them mentality, the corrupting pull of power and influence, and why he wanted to portray Christian belief with empathy rather than caricature. Plus, the RELEVANT crew debates the best Christmas movie of all time in a chaotic bracket showdown, reacts to surprising year-end culture stories and discusses new research suggesting adolescence doesn’t actually end until age 32. HIGHLIGHTS: 01:40 – Why 'Wake Up Dead Man' Feels Like a Gospel Story 04:00 – Serving vs. Fighting: Faith and the Culture War 06:45 – Why Culture Is More Open to Spiritual Conversations 09:20 – Is Wake Up Dead Man the Best Knives Out Movie? 12:10 – Is Rian Johnson Done With Faith? 13:10 – Christianity vs. Church Culture 20:15 – RELEVANT Buzz 22:00 – Forrest Frank Breaks Into Google’s “Hum to Search” List 26:30 – Theo Von and Morgan Wallen’s Bible Study Revealed 32:00 – Rian Johnson on Growing Up Evangelical 34:00 – “Arms Wide Open vs. Fists Up” Faith Explained 39:00 — SLICES 39:20 – New Research Says Adolescence Lasts Until Age 32 45:15 – AI Reality TV Is Here (Unfortunately) 47:30 – Christmas Movie Bracket Challenge Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 1m
  4. Impact Conversation Series: Madi Prewett Troutt and Ben Higgins

    DEC 4

    Impact Conversation Series: Madi Prewett Troutt and Ben Higgins

    Two former Bachelor stars. Two very different, but impactful, post-show paths. One episode about what it really looks like to use your platform well. In this new installment of The RELEVANT Podcast: Impact Conversations, Emily Brown and Cameron Strang sit down with Madi Prewett Troutt and Ben Higgins to talk about life after reality TV, spiritual growth, calling, purpose, and how to steward influence in a way that actually matters. First, Emily talks with Madi Prewett Troutt, who has spent the last five years immersed in ministry—preaching, writing, podcasting, discipling young women, and building a life rooted deeply in Scripture and the local church. She opens up about spiritual transformation, accountability, confession, motherhood, leadership, and learning to stay true to her convictions even when it’s costly. Then Cameron sits down with Ben Higgins, who—after his time on The Bachelor—built Generous Coffee, launched multiple businesses, stepped into a major faith-centered role at iHeartRadio, and wrote a book on connection. Ben shares candidly about anxiety, purpose, fatherhood, entrepreneurship, and using business as a vehicle for generosity and Kingdom impact. If you’ve ever wondered how to live out your calling, use your platform responsibly, walk in integrity, or navigate fame and faith in a digital age—this episode is rich, honest, and deeply encouraging. Presented by World Vision. HIGHLIGHTS: 01:50 — Madi Prewett Troutt 02:13 — Madi on how her life has changed since The Bachelor 04:57 — Moving from motivational speaking to biblical teaching 07:11 — How moving and finding a new church shaped her spiritual growth 09:57 — How Madi discerns what God is calling her to speak into 12:21 — Choosing conviction over comfort 16:53 — Breaking secret sin cycles and finding freedom 22:14 — Protecting peace and setting boundaries on social media 28:23 — Why Madi launched her podcast and how God led the timing 33:37 — Learning patience when God says “wait” 38:21 — Ben Higgins 41:28 — Life/work balance as a new dad 43:30 — What Ben does for work now 45:49 — How his role at iHeartRadio is expanding into faith initiatives 50:39 — Rethinking conferences, creativity, and reaching the disconnected 52:29 — Mike Foster’s coaching 56:03 — Restaurant ventures, investing and avoiding AI-replaceable spaces 59:16 — Why his new book is about connection (not fame) 1:02:11 — Feeling like an outsider and the moment everything changed 1:04:47 — How vulnerability unexpectedly connected him with millions 1:07:21 — Did The Bachelor change him? 1:10:06 — A friend’s advice that shifted his entire approach to fame Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 17m
  5. Episode 1278: Rend Collective's Chris Llewellyn

    DEC 2

    Episode 1278: Rend Collective's Chris Llewellyn

    Chris Llewellyn from Irish folk worship band Rend Collective joins us to talk about the band’s new album 'Christmas in Belfast,' the surprising Irish traditions behind it and what it’s like navigating life between Ireland and Nashville. We also break down the biggest stories in faith and culture, including NF’s record-setting Billboard debut, the wild rise of AI-generated music, and Patriots rookie TreVeyon Henderson’s faith-forward breakout. Plus, the crew swaps celebrity-encounter stories and brings Chris into a special holiday round of “One Has to Go.” CHAPTERS: 02:00 – Jesse spots an SNL cast member at the airport 06:30 – Marty’s celebrity encounters at LAX 08:30 – Cameron’s wild Kanye West airport story 09:40 – RELEVANT Buzz  09:55 – NF’s massive Billboard debut 12:00 – AI music platform Suno is creating 7 million songs a day 14:20 – Is AI killing creativity? The crew debates 19:10 – Patriots rookie TreVeyon Henderson’s record-breaking game & public faith 24:10 – Chris Llewellyn of Rend Collective 24:40 – The story behind Christmas in Belfast 26:40 – Irish Christmas traditions & late-night candlelit services 27:50 – Gaelic football, Welsh kickers & Jesse’s confusion 29:55 – Chris on moving from Ireland to Nashville 31:00 – How Irish political history shaped his view of division 32:15 – Holiday Edition of “One Has to Go” with Chris 35:35 – Marty’s trauma with board games 36:10 – Brunch vs. naps: the debate 38:00 – Emily vs. “crisp evenings” 39:00 – Snoopy, Peanuts, and Christmas ornament chaos 40:45 – Group prayer handholding horrors 43:30 – Emily’s tiny tabletop Christmas tree revelation Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    1h 1m
  6. Impact Conversation Series: Tara-Leigh Cobble and Art Rainer

    DEC 1

    Impact Conversation Series: Tara-Leigh Cobble and Art Rainer

    On this episode of our Impact Conversations series, we sit down with Tara-Leigh Cobble, creator of The Bible Recap — one of the most influential Bible-reading podcasts in the world. Tara-Leigh shares how The Bible Recap started, how she built a global Bible-reading community and what she’s learned about Scripture, calling and obedience along the way. If you’re trying to understand the Bible or want to stay consistent in your Bible reading plan, this conversation is for you. We also feature a bonus interview with Christian financial expert Art Rainer, who breaks down how to approach money, generosity and financial stress from a biblical perspective. If you’re looking for Christian financial advice, how to give when money is tight or how to steward your resources well, you’ll want to hear this. Presented by World Vision. CHAPTERS: 02:37 — Tara-Leigh Cobble: How The Bible Recap Started 06:04 — Building the podcast with a $99 mic 08:45 — When the calling gets costly 10:55 — The story that kept her going 14:43 — Leadership, discernment and calling 16:49 — Feeling unqualified but called 21:09 — Advice for taking your first step 23:17 — Bonus Interview: Art Rainer 26:13 — Money is a tool, not a goal 28:10 — How to be generous when money is tight 33:31 — Giving, debt and proportional generosity 37:00 — Creative ways to be generous without money Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    39 min
  7. Episode 1277: Can We Trust Anything Online Anymore? A Christian Look at AI, Social Media and All Those Rigged Charts

    NOV 25

    Episode 1277: Can We Trust Anything Online Anymore? A Christian Look at AI, Social Media and All Those Rigged Charts

    This week on The RELEVANT Podcast, we dive into the strange new digital reality Christians are wrestling with — from AI artists topping the Christian charts to foreign troll farms shaping what we see online, even in faith spaces. Throughout the show, we keep asking one big question: can we trust anything online anymore? Plus, we talk Kristen Bell’s surprise appearance on a Fox News Bible podcast (and her feelings about that), Nate Bargatze’s real-life theme park, weird holiday debates, outlawed pickleball, Thanksgiving pizza and a lot more. It’s a holiday-week hangout episode with Cameron, Jesse and Emily — no guest, just chaos, honesty and a lot of laughs. 0:35 – Why do our YouTube views explode days later? 6:00 – Thanksgiving: the obligation holiday? 7:30 – When do you become the “main house” for holidays? 8:30 – Jesse’s traumatic Big Lots Thanksgiving miracle 14:20 – RELEVANT Buzz: AI tops the Christian charts 24:30 – Kristen Bell accidentally starring in a Fox News Bible podcast 30:40 – Nate Bargatze is opening a theme park?! 36:30 – SLICES: Pickleball banned in California 39:30 – The Elvis Judge saga 43:00 – Thanksgiving pizza: yes or no? 44:30 – ONE HAS TO GO: Holiday Edition 50:30 – Matching Christmas pajamas 51:15 – Final thoughts Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    53 min
4.6
out of 5
2,862 Ratings

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!

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