The Relevant Podcast

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 stress07:40 — Childhood injuries, backyard chaos and growing up feral12:30 — The unspoken pressure of being “the capable adult”13:33 — SLICES: Noah’s Ark evidence25:03 — 1998 predicts 202531:53 — Justin Bieber’s faith posts30:45 — WHAT'S JESSE THINKING? Jesse introduces his Patriot

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 Setup4:00 – RELEVANT BUZZ4:30 – Baltimore Ravens Wash Kids Feet8:20 – David Hits No. 2 at the Box Office11

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 b

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 Story04:00 – Serving vs. Fighting: Faith and the Culture War06:45 – Why Culture Is More Open to Spiritual Convers

This week, Andy Mineo joins us for a hilarious and surprisingly vulnerable conversation about reinvention, perfectionism, leaving Reach Records, making his first album in four years and why he almost drove himself crazy trying to get it right. Plus, the cast dives into:– Brandon Lake dominating Billboard’s year-end charts– The ER vs The Pitt IP controversy– Ticketmaster’s takedown– TreVeyon Henderson spotlighting persecuted Christians on the field– A chaotic game of “One Has to Go” that reveals way too much (about Andy)CHAPTERS:1:20 – '90s nostalgia, ER and the IP drama behind The Pitt10:25 – RELEVANT Buzz: Brandon Lake ruled 202515:45 – Olivia Dean takes on Ticketmaster19:50 – TreVeyon Henderson highlights persecuted Christians in Nigeria21:50 – Andy Mineo joins the show22:20 – Why his new album took four years23:40 – Perfectionism, analysis paralysis and moving faster27:10 – More new music is already loading28:35 – Andy & Marty’s 15-year friendship origin story32:05 – “One Has to Go” with Andy41:55

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

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 airport06:30 – Marty’s celebrity encounters at LAX08:30 – Cameron’s wild Kanye West airport story09:40 – RELEVANT Buzz 09:55 – NF’s massive Billboard debut12:00 – AI music platform Suno is creating 7 million songs a day14:20 – Is AI killing creativity? The crew debates19:10 – Patriots rookie TreVeyon Henderson’s record-breaking game & public faith24:10 – Chris Llewellyn of Rend Collective24:40

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 Started06:04 — Building the podcast with a $99 mic08:45 — When the calling gets costly10:55 — The story that kept her going14:43 — Leadershi

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 miracle14:20 – RELEVANT Buzz: AI tops the Christian charts24:30 – Kristen Bell accidentally starring in a Fox News Bible podcast30:40 – Nate Bargatze is opening a

Worship leader and Passion artist Kristian Stanfill joins us to talk about the long road from addiction to five years of sobriety, the moment everything changed and how his new album 'Come to Jesus' was born from real healing and real joy.Cameron, Jesse, Derek and Emily also bring RELEVANT Buzz, our weekly breakdown of the latest at the intersection of faith and culture — and of course, we close the show with Slices, where the crew dives into the funniest, weirdest and most unexpected stories the internet has to offer.Show Highlights01:25 — Denver altitude, sinus infections & Cameron’s Chap Stick disaster04:36 — The Colorado horse-ride saga and Derek’s conspiracy theories08:55 — RELEVANT Buzz 09:00 — Daniel Caesar’s faith-filled album hits the charts11:00 — The wild bike-prank video Jesse found on his cursed algorithm12:05 — Vine is officially coming back… sort of16:20 — Jenna Jameson gets baptized and shares her story18:15 — Guest: Kristian Stanfill joins the show18:45 — Why he made a solo album

In this episode of the RELEVANT Podcast Impact Conversation Series, we sit down with two leaders who have shaped the faith lives of billions.First, adventurer and global TV icon Bear Grylls opens up about how the wilderness taught him about spiritual survival. It’s one of Bear’s most personal and honest conversations ever — covering doubt, faith, courage and why he believes Jesus’ life is the greatest adventure of all.Then, YouVersion founder Bobby Gruenewald joins us fresh off a historic milestone: one billion downloads of the Bible App. He shares the wild origin story of YouVersion, how God exceeded every expectation, how to steward faith in a tech-driven world and why Gen Z is turning to Scripture like never before.This episode is part of our special Impact Series sponsored by World Vision, whose community-focused work is changing lives around the globe. Learn more and get involved at WorldVision.org/RELEVANT.CHAPTERS00:00 — Introduction from Cameron Strang02:19 — Emily Brown sits down with Bear Grylls02:3

This week, Kings Kaleidoscope’s Chad Gardner joins us to talk about the band’s new album, “Asaph's Arrows II,” a return to their roots reimagining classic hymns. He opens up about creative integrity, the lessons of Mars Hill, and how the band’s journey has reshaped his view of worship and art. Plus, the cast tackles haircut horror stories, the SNAP funding freeze, Mike Todd’s viral Breakfast Club interview and this year’s weirdest scientific discoveries.Highlights:1:00 – Intros10:45 – The Great Hair Debate: Who has the courage to stop a bad haircut in progress?11:00 – RELEVANT Buzz: This week’s headlines at the intersection of faith and culture11:15 – SNAP Funding Freeze: 42 million Americans face a food crisis — what Christians can actually do to help12:15 – Church vs. State: Who’s really responsible for feeding the hungry?17:30 – Mike Todd on The Breakfast Club: Why he went viral (again)25:20 – Special Guest: Kings Kaleidoscope’s Chad Gardner joins to talk about the band’s new album, “Asaph’s Arrows II”

Christian researcher, sociologist and Hamilton actress Ashley LaLonde joins The RELEVANT Podcast to unpack new data revealing why more Gen Z women are walking away from church. She explains how purity culture, politics and the lack of space for single or career-focused women are reshaping faith for a generation. It's a must-listen conversation! Plus, we have RELEVANT Buzz and Slices1:00 – The Crew Debates Big Napkin: Jesse exposes the “decorative napkin industrial complex.”6:30 – The Dollar Tree Uprising: The cast demands rebranding to “$1.25 Tree.”8:00 – Smooth Pivot Attempt: Cameron tries to move from napkins to faith and culture.9:00 – RELEVANT Buzz: This week’s headlines at the intersection of faith and culture9:15 – Frankie Muniz Finds God: The Malcolm in the Middle star’s surprising faith story12:00 – Christian Music Chart Update: Josiah Queen, Phil Wickham, and the rise of worship on Billboard’s Hot 10015:45 – Hip-Hop’s Chart Collapse: No rap songs in the Top 40 for the first time in 35 years16:00

In this episode of our IMPACT Conversation Series, entrepreneur David Meltzer shares how losing everything led him to redefine success through faith, gratitude and purpose. Then, pastor and author Mark Batterson unpacks the message behind his new bookGradually Then Suddenly — why breakthroughs happen slowly, then all at once. Hosted by Cameron Strang and presented by World Vision, these conversations explore what it really means to make an impact through business, ministry and everyday faith.CHAPTERS:00:00 — Introduction with Cameron Strang01:18 — World Vision partnership + mission spotlight02:30 — David Meltzer joins the conversation04:00 — Losing everything and redefining success07:10 — Rebuilding faith, gratitude, and purpose10:45 — How business can be a tool for impact14:20 — The balance between ambition and surrender18:05 — Closing thoughts from Cameron21:25 — Introduction to Mark Batterson21:40 — “Gradually Then Suddenly”: the meaning behind the title23:00 — The myth of overnight success24:20 — Why fait

This week the crew breaks down the NBA’s shocking gambling scandal, Daniel Caesar’s unexpected faith journey, and what actually happens after we die. Plus, Jelly Roll launches a free rehab center, Emily questions if Florida makes the cut for the New Earth and Jesse warns us about smart beds gone rogue.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro 01:15 The NBA Gambling Scandal → Chauncey Billups, the mafia & a Walter White theory15:00 RELEVANT Buzz: Daniel Caesar’s Faith Journey & New Album22:00 Jelly Roll’s Free Rehab Center24:00 Faith Charting Again on Prime Video + Hollywood vs. Christian Storytelling27:00 “What Happens When We Die?” — Cameron Breaks Down Heaven, The Good Place & the Bible’s Timeline35:00 Afterlife Debate → New Earth, Time & Purpose in Eternity45:00 SLICES: Smart Beds Gone Wild & The Robot UprisingNew video episodes of The RELEVANT Podcast drop every Tuesday on the RELEVANT Podcast Youtube channel!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/pri

After reflecting on their recent conversation with viral creator Jimmy Darts, the crew dives into what living out real faith actually looks like — not just believing the right things, but showing compassion and generosity in everyday life. Then they tackle the big October question: should Christians celebrate Halloween, or skip the costumes altogether?In RELEVANT Buzz, they unpack Mel Gibson’s questionable new Resurrection of the Christ casting, AI’s takeover of the internet, and Miley Cyrus’ surprising thoughts on sobriety. Plus, in Slices, wild stories about speeding tickets, Switzerland’s $100K fines, and self-driving cars gone rogue.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Cameron’s New Setup05:44 A Serious Discussion About Facial Hair10:23 Reflecting on Our ‘Impact Series’ Conversation With Jimmy Darts16:28 Showing Compassion in Everyday Life18:32 Shaming for Generosity: A New Approach18:56 RELEVANT Buzz19:07 Mel Gibson Recast Jesus24:28 The Internet Is Now 50% AI-Generated Content32:06 Why Miley Cyrus Got Sober3

We believe every follower of Jesus is called to make a difference — and in this special bonus series, we’re sitting down with creators, leaders and dreamers who are doing just that.In this episode, we kick things off with Jimmy Darts — GoFundMe’s top creator, known for surprising strangers with life-changing generosity. His videos have reached hundreds of millions, but behind it all is a simple mission: to show the world what God’s love looks like in action.The RELEVANT Podcast IMPACT Series is presented by World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization serving children and communities around the globe. Learn more at worldvision.org/RELEVANT.New episodes drop here throughout the fall. Make sure to watch on YouTube!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Pastor Chris Durso joins us to talk about the shifting landscape of modern Christianity — why flashy churches are losing their influence, how Gen Z is reshaping faith communities, and what authenticity really looks like in a post-celebrity-pastor era.Plus, the crew breaks down the biggest stories at the intersection of faith and culture, including Chandler Moore’s lawsuit against Maverick City Music's CEO, Project Pat's stunning salvation moment at a Memphis concert, the Taco Bell Ultra Marathon and the viral “Jericho dating strategy” at ORU. (FYI, it's glorious.)Chapters:05:00 – RELEVANT BUZZ Returns: The Maverick City Music lawsuit explained12:20 – Project Pat leads a prayer of repentance in Memphis15:15 – SLICES: The Taco Bell Ultra Marathon (why would anyone do this?)22:30 – ORU freshmen attempt a “Jericho dating” stunt27:00 – GUEST: Pastor Chris Durso joins the show28:00 – Launching Good Company Church in NYC32:00 – Why the showmanship era of church is over35:30 – How COVID changed what peopl

It’s only our second-ever video episode, and things already get weird. (What's new?) The crew dives into the wildest stories this week — unpacking whether Instagram is really “not listening,” the lady who will name your baby for the low, low price of $30,000, and Emily uncovers the faith-filled backstory of SNL’s James Austin Johnson (spoiler: he started in Christian movies). Plus, we relive the legendary Fabio goose incident, cringe youth group names and a lot more!Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Video Podcast Transition03:04 Audience Reactions and Expectations05:58 Fabio's Roller Coaster Incident08:59 Randy Johnson's Bird Incident11:34 Celebrity Comparisons and Humor14:40 Local Legends and Mount Trashmore15:54 The Golden Era of Morning Radio19:54 SLICES24:48 The Business of Naming Babies31:27 A New Mom Is a Gaming Superhero33:13 Instagram's Controversial Listening Claims34:33 Exploring Social Media Manipulation39:15 An SNL Cast Member's Christian Movie Past44:19 ASK THE CASTAdvertising I

This week, we try a bunch of new things that may (or may not) live on, but we want you to check it out and tell us what you think about the new format. We have some big announcements about the new video era of the show at the beginning, and then Slices is back! Jesse brings some vital squirrel news, Derek brings the dystopian future of drone surveillance, and Emily brings a heart check about sharing our faith that spurs an unexpected conversation. At the end of the show, we have Ask the Cast, and definitely connect with us on Instagram @RELEVANTpodcast or YouTube to tell us what you think about the new format! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy