We’ve witnessed story after story about the abuse of power practiced by Christians and Christian institutions. Does that mean that, to quote Lord Acton, that “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely?” How should followers of Jesus relate to the possibility of wielding power? Cherie Harder, the President of The Trinity Forum, is ideally suited to address these questions. She’s spent a lifetime in the corridors of power and shares a wealth of theological and practical wisdom on this important topic.

How can Christian respond to the epidemic of gun violence sweeping our country? Michael Allen and David Dillon join us to share about their inspiring work with Together Chicago. They are an unlikely pair in a racially divided city torn by violence: Michael is a former black pastor and David is a white business executive. Starting with their own friendship, Michael and David have led an innovative and inspiring campaign to counter the evil of gun violence with collaboration and hope.

This week, Curtis kicks off a two parter on the tough subject of guns in America. Part 1 is a Good Faith Classic where Curtis and David explored the tensions between gun culture and gun control in our hyper-polarized environment. They help us take a step back to think through the “how” of approaching such a complex issue versus just the “what” of our preferred policy outcome. Stay tuned for next week’s Part 2 episode where Good Faith explores what a Christian response to gun violence could look like.

The Asbury revival of early 2023 garnered a great deal of interest from Christians hungering for signs of hope. What’s happening there now? In the first part, Curtis talks with the President of Asbury University, Kevin Brown, to learn more about the experience itself and how the institution has sought to steward this outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In the second part, “founding friend” David French joins Curtis to reflect more deeply on how God works through revivals, drawing on Asbury, US history, and especially their shared experience of revival at Harvard in the 1990’s.

We examine the phenomena of spiritual abuse with the help of Dan Koch, researcher, therapist, and host of the podcast, You Have Permission. Both Curtis and Dan share how their own lives have been affected by spiritual abuse, and then together address questions such as, “Why can it be difficult to spot? What kind of impact does it leave? What makes spiritual abuse distinct from other kinds of abuse?” The conversation connects important theological insights - including the nature of institutional sin and redemption - with practical advice for victims, their loved ones, and current leaders of Christian organizations.

Longtime friend Andy Crouch joins Curtis to talk about what it means to truly rest the way God intended us to do so. Why is rest so important to creativity? What is the difference between rest and leisure? Is binge watching Netflix actually restful? What are other key mistakes we make in approaching this vital topic? The conversation is Good Faith at its best, combining Biblical theology, cultural analysis, and practical living.

David returns from his recent trip to Kyiv to provide an eyewitness account of the war, including what it is like to survive the terror of a hypersonic missile attack by the Russians. He and Curtis discuss the physical, emotional, and spiritual toll of the war on the Ukrainian people. They explore what lessons we all should take from this ongoing, world changing event.

Curtis Chang, the regular host of the Good Faith podcast, takes a turn in the “guest seat” in this special episode in which Nancy French interviews him about his new book, The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry Is the Doorway to Your Best Self. Curtis, who has suffered from anxiety to the point of losing his job as a senior pastor, offers up hard-earned wisdom that could transform one’s view on parenting, relationships, and even politics. Curtis also talks about the way the church gets anxiety wrong, how Jesus dealt with anxious people, and how grieving is a necessary component of effectively walking through loss.  

It’s the 75th Good Faith episode and we’re celebrating our “diamond” podcast by running back one of our first episodes. First released in November 2021, this episode is a “classic” (in our minds) because we define terms around several key questions that have recurred on Good Faith: “What is an ‘evangelical?’ Is it a set of religious beliefs, a set of cultural beliefs, or a set of political beliefs? How does evangelicalism compare with fundamentalism?” Is “evangelical” a term worth salvaging for Christians?” 

Jon Ward, senior political correspondent for Yahoo News, joins Curtis to talk about his process of deconstructing - and reconstructing - his life as a follower of Jesus. Jon draws on his recently released book, Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation, to dissect the spiritual, social, political, and emotional dimensions of his years growing up as an insider in the evangelical world. Jon also provides a fascinating account of why his life as a journalist has been so crucial to his faith. Curtis offers the Biblical basis for why deconstruction - properly understood - is necessary for every generation of believers.