“A Note Of My Own” with Mac McAnally
Eddie and Chris join music legend Mac McAnally in a delightful conversation about music, making your mark, and leaving the world a better place than you found it. Mac is a native of Belmont, Mississippi, but he’s better known as a country music singer, songwriter, session musician, and record producer. He is an award-winning talent who has worked with country stars Kenny Chesney and Sawyer Brown, and he is a long-time member of Jimmy Buffett’s band, The Coral Reefers.
“How To Heal Our Racial Divide” with Derwin Gray
Today we are joined by Dr. Derwin Gray, Lead Pastor and Co-Founder of Transformation Church in Indian Land, South Carolina. Dr. Gray played professional football in the NFL following his graduation from Brigham Young University in 1993. After his NFL career, Dr. Gray graduated magna cum laude from Southern Evangelical Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree. He received an honorary doctorate from Southern Evangelical Seminary in 2015, and in 2018 he earned his Doctor of ministry in the New Testament in Context at Northern Seminary. He is also the author of several books, including his most recent, How to Heal Our Racial Divide.
“Finding Jesus In The Storm” with John Swinton
In this episode, Chris and Eddie speak to John Swinton, author of “Finding Jesus in the Storm: The Spiritual Lives of Christians with Mental Health Challenges.” A registered mental health nurse, Swinton has listened to the multi-layered experiences of Christians who deal mainly with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Swinton maps out what it looks like to redefine health and healing in the context of connection, he speaks to the unique resources and community that the church can offer, and he addresses the sense of abandonment that Christians feel, especially when dealing with depression. We hope that this episode gives you permission to move through your story with freedom and greater imagination.
“The Weight of Being Human” with Scott Erickson
Scott joins Eddie and Chris to speak about the nature of prayer as a portal that is already inside of us, the aspects of communal worship and life together, and the ways we can expand our view of the Christian faith. Scott speaks to the transformation that comes when we fully embrace our brokenness, engage in life together, and search for our own stories in the symbols all around us.
“Practically Divine” with Becca Stevens
In this episode, Chris and Eddie sit down to talk with Becca about her work as an advocate for women--standing alongside women and helping them pull themselves, and by extension their communities, out of a history of trauma and poverty and into a life thriving with healing, hope, and often tea.
“Remember & Revise” with Kiese Laymon
Chris and Eddie are joined by Kiese Laymon, a black southern writer, born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. He is the author of the best-selling memoir “Heavy,” a deeply honest reflection on his complex relationship with his mother, grandmother, anorexia, obesity, sex, writing, and ultimately gambling. The winner of multiple awards, including the Carnegie Medal for Nonfiction, Laymon’s writing in “Heavy” and other works exhibits a profound usage of prose and ability to enter into his memories to bring forward a voice that speaks to the experiences of Mississippi, specifically of black Mississippians.
“Raising Boys & Girls” with David Thomas and Sissy Goff
In this episode, David and Sissy offer encouragement, resources, and hope to parents dealing with all the challenges and joys of raising boys and girls, including how to write your family’s own mission statement and books and authors who have guided them in their counseling ministries.
“World Without War” with Stanley Hauerwas
What does it take to imagine a world without war? How do we begin to believe that as a possibility? Eddie and Chris begin a series on war with guest Stanley Hauerwas, noted theologian and ethicist. Dr. Hauerwas asks us to contemplate the hard questions of war and nonviolence, but he knows the answers don’t come easily.
“The Rhythm & Religion of Sports” with Wright Thompson
It is undeniable that sports have always played a significant role in our society. They have a unique way of uniting, inspiring, and exciting mass populaces in a manner that is irreplicable. For many communities in America, the sports scene plays a vital role in terms of general morale, and for many, economic vitality. Furthermore, sports have served as a therapeutic and restorative outlet for communities in the face of tragedy.
“Broken Crayons Still Color” with Toni Collier
Toni Collier is the founder of an international women’s ministry called Broken Crayons Still Color, which helps women process through trauma and find hope for the future. She is a speaker, podcast host, and author who uses her own brokenness to help others see that good things can still happen, that broken crayons can still color. Toni and her husband Sam founded Story Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where they live with their two kids.
“How To Inhabit Time” with James K. A. Smith
James K.A. Smith is a returning guest to The Weight, this time for a conversation about his newest book, How to Inhabit Time: Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now. He, Eddie, and Chris talk about the redemptive work of God’s love and grace in the broken parts of our lives. Our brokenness is part of our story, and it’s something God uses to bring us to an even better place than we could have imagined. Getting to that better place is difficult, especially as we live in a world that would rather gloss over the problems of our past than acknowledge the pain in order to move forward.
“The Table Before Us” with Angie Ward
Our guest today is Dr. Angie Ward, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and Associate Professor of Leadership and Ministry at Denver Seminary. Angie is the editor of a series of books called Kingdom Conversations, compilations of essays by various authors and theologians that help us reframe our context and the inherent love we should feel for those around us.
“Faith & Physics” with Josh Gladden
The intersection of science and theology can lead to some heated discussions, but for Dr. Josh Gladden, it’s more about being open and curious and willing to think beyond what the eye can see. Today’s episode dives into the Webb Telescope, the moral questions of certain scientific advancements, and how God fits into our ever-expanding world.
“The Sacred Year” with Lyn Pace
Our world is busy. Our lives are busy. Our time is filled with tasks and lists and work and errands and obligations. How do we slow down and open ourselves up to letting God disrupt our lives? Today’s guest, Dr. Lyn Pace, talks Chris and Eddie through using the liturgical year to engage the season we’re in and how to emphasize certain moments within each season of the church calendar.
“When HBCUs Thrive” with Ivy Taylor
HBCUs, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, serve an important role in the education system of the United States. Today on The Weight, Chris and Eddie talk to Dr. Ivy Taylor, the President of Rust College, an HBCU in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Dr. Taylor consistently values the importance of education in general and the significance of HBCUs specifically in the United States.
“Ancient Future” with Winfield Bevins
In this episode, Eddie and Chris have a hopeful conversation about the future of the church with guest Winfield Bevins. Winfield is an author, artist, pastor and church planter who sees younger generations longing to be a part of a bigger story. They are looking for something deeper, and they’re finding themselves diving into liturgical traditions of the Church.
“A Martyr’s Vision” with Edgardo Colon-Emeric
We welcome Dr. Edgardo Colón-Emeric to The Weight for a discussion of Maundy Thursday (the day Christians commemorate Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples before his arrest, crucifixion, death, and resurrection) through the lens of the ministry of Fr. Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of El Salvador who was assassinated in 1980. Edgardo was drawn to the way Archbishop Romero read the gospel through the context of where and when he lived, especially how Romero dedicated himself in his short time as Archbishop to the lives of the people he served, who mostly lived in overwhelming poverty.
“Life Through Song” with Jenny & Tyler Somers
In this episode, Chris and Eddie are joined by Jenny and Tyler Somers, the singer/songwriter duo who met at the University of Delaware, where they began building a life together. They moved to Nashville in 2006 to pursue a musical career and have navigated the highs and lows of being in the music industry, all while staying true to their voice in the Christian music scene, raising a family, and working with the social justice organization International Justice Mission. They continue to tour (although not as much as they did before having children), perform, write, and produce music.
“Breaking Good” with Dana Trent
We welcome back Dana Trent to The Weight for a conversation about trauma and finding a path towards healing with empathy and faith. Dana has shared her story through the Breaking Good podcast, which she is currently turning into a book. In today’s conversation, she offers some tips for how she centers herself spiritually every day to help her navigate every day challenges.
“Edible Theology” with Kendall Vanderslice
You might need a snack for today’s episode.
We welcome Kendall Vanderslice, baker, author, and theologian to The Weight for a discussion about the intersection of food--specifically, bread--and worship. Kendall explores the dichotomy of the simplicity and complexity of making bread and how it connects to the simplicity and complexity of a life of faith.