Spider-Man, Loneliness & the Search for Meaning

Why is Spider-Man: Brand New Day resonating so deeply right now? Esau, Malcolm, and Sho Baraka unpack the loneliness at the heart of the film, why even superheroes struggle with isolation, and how the church can respond to our growing need for belonging. Then the conversation turns to America's story. They discuss whether they identify as "patriotic," how to hold the nation's ideals alongside its painful history of injustice, and what Paul can teach Christians about faithfully challenging the empire. Also, is Malcolm's superhero Mount Rushmore really the worst of all time? 00:00 - Introduction & Warm-Up 01:31 - Theme Song 01:44 - Superhero Mount Rushmore & Favorite Pop Culture Icons 05:17 - Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, and the Epidemic of Loneliness 12:49 - Overcoming Isolation & Building Real Community 19:25 - Sponsor - Tyndale - To celebrate the NLT's 30th anniversary, Use code ESAU30 to receive 30% off any NLT Bible! https://tyndale.com 20:38 - America's Story: History, Patriotism, and Identity 26:13 - Faith, Culture, and Higher Allegiances 41:55 - Finding Meaning, Belonging, and Hope Today 44:57 - End Credits

Churches in America are becoming more racially diverse, but many pastors are talking less about racial reconciliation. Esau, Mike, and guest Ike Miller explore why getting different people into the same room is not the same as creating a community where everyone truly belongs. Then, Ike shares the central idea behind his new book, Theology That Heals: salvation is not merely a transaction that forgives our guilt, but a lifelong process of restoring us to God, to one another, and to ourselves. Also, can Ike survive Esau's version of the newlywed game?   0:00 - Theme Song   0:43 - How Well Does Ike Know His Wife?   6:33 - Are Megachurches More Diverse?   13:45 - Preaching That Ignores Racial Divide   24:45 - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - For a quality mattress, go to https://www.brooklynbedding.com and use promo code ESAU to get 30% off site wide!   25:48 - Aware of Your Identity   35:20 - Jesus the Healer   49:33 - End Credits   Check out more from Ike Miller at: https://ikemiller.com/

Nearly half of Gen Z says Christian support for Donald Trump has made them less likely to attend church. Esau, Mike, and Sharon Hodde Miller discuss what the finding reveals about the church's political witness, while also asking whether some young adults have become unwilling to worship beside anyone who votes differently. Then, they examine the latest viral social media trend and why so many people think their lives should be a documentary. Also, why are mega churches growing, but small churches are struggling, and Esau found another new favorite team.   0:00 - Theme Song   1:53 - Are Curses Real?   8:56 - Is Trump Keeping Gen Z Out of Church?   16:54 - The Church's Witness   32:05 - Sponsor - InterVarsity Press - Truth's Table has a Bible study on the Book of John, featuring Esau McCaulley! Check it out at: https://www.ivpress.com/studytheword and use code ESAU30 to get 30% off!   33:05 - Sponsor - Tyndale - To celebrate the NLT's 30th anniversary, listeners of this podcast can use the code ESAU30 to receive 30% off any NLT Bible at this link: https://hubs.la/Q04n6dQn0   34:13 - Pastoring Among People   38:46 - Megachurches Keep Growing   55:44 - Esau Explains it All   58:38 - End Credits

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey asks what happens when you win the war but destroy the world you hoped to return to. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike discuss the cost of victory, the erosion of shared norms, and whether a country can ever truly go back to what it was before. They also turn to America's war with Iran and why leaders so rarely admit when they are wrong. Then, a bizarre effort to preserve a dying parent through an AI "death bot" raises deeper questions about grief, resurrection, and what makes a human being real. Plus, Esau (once again) has a new favorite soccer team.   0:00 - Theme Song   0:10 - Esau's Spain Jersey   3:00 - The Odyssey   11:24 - Erosion of Decency   24:22 - Sponsor - InterVarsity Press - Truth's Table has a Bible study on the Book of John, featuring Esau McCaulley! Check it out at: https://www.ivpress.com/studytheword and use code ESAU30 to get 30% off!   25:30 - War in Iran   38:51 - A.I. and Deathbots   52:25 - End Credits

How should Christians respond when a complicated or controversial person dies? Esau, Sho Baraka, and Mike reflect on Lindsey Graham's political legacy and the challenge of telling the truth without becoming cruel. Then, they turn to the death of Nolan Wells, the questions surrounding the case, and the pressure to draw conclusions before all the facts are known. They discuss how race shapes our suspicions, why wisdom sometimes means waiting, and how to pursue justice without turning every tragedy into a political scorecard. Finally, they consider the role Black barbershops can play in mental health, community, and creating spaces where men can speak honestly. 0:00 - Theme Song 0:58 - World Cup Predictions 7:52 - Responding to Lindsay Graham's Death 21:37 - Nolan Wells' Tragedy 26:06 - Sponsor - InterVarsity Press - Truth's Table has a Bible study on the Book of John, featuring Esau McCaulley! Check it out at: https://www.ivpress.com/studytheword and use code ESAU30 to get 30% off! 27:14 - Double Consciousness 35:57 - Black Barber Shops and Mental Health 52:40 - End Credits

America turned 250, but the celebration felt less like a shared national moment and more like another exhausting chapter in the Trump era. Esau, Malcolm Foley, and Mike discuss how Trump's involvement in a controversial World Cup decision managed to drain the joy out of U.S. soccer, and why so many Americans seem too tired to even argue about the country anymore. Then they turn to a disturbing Patriot Front march in Washington, D.C., and what it reveals about America's refusal to reckon honestly with racism. They also discuss the controversy surrounding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner and why both parties keep confusing charisma with character. Finally, the crew debates whether colleges were wrong to abandon standardized tests and what parents, churches, and schools can do to help kids flourish. 0:00 - Theme Song   0:06 - Show Starts   1:27 - Trump Interfering with FIFA   11:02 - Exhausted by America   14:33 - A Bus with White Supremacists   27:02 - Sponsor - InterVarsity Press - Truth's Table has a Bible study on the Book of John, featuring Esau McCaulley! Check it out at: https://www.ivpress.com/studytheword and use code ESAU30 to get 30% off!   28:10 - Graham Platner   40:50 - SAT and ACT Testing   56:45 - End Credits

Texas is adding Bible passages to its public school reading standards, continuing the endless debate over the Bible in schools. Esau, Kaitlyn, and Mike discuss why Bible literacy matters for understanding American history and why teaching the Bible while downplaying race creates a distorted picture of the country. Then, they turn to the rise of one-child families and what may be lost when fewer children grow up with siblings. Plus, why do female-led superhero movies keep struggling, and what does Supergirl reveal about how we talk about women, heroes, and doing good?   0:00 - Theme Song   0:22 - Cohost of the Cookout   15:00 - Increase in Single Children   24:02 - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - Use Code "ESAU" on checkout to get 30% sitewide for the July 4th sale—limited time offer, not available anywhere else! Go to https://brooklynbedding.com   24:55 - Sponsor - InterVarsity Press - Get Into The Word with Truth's Table - A new video Bible study series from InterVarsity Press, featuring biblical teaching from respected Black scholars and pastors including Dr. Esau McCaulley. Go to ivpress.com/studytheword and use the code ESAU30 at checkout for a 30% special discount.   26:00 - The Sacrifice of Having Kids   40:01 - Supergirl—do people want female superheroes?   49:37 - End Credits

World Cup visitors are discovering America, and somehow ranch dressing, air conditioning, Walmart have become ambassadors for the nation. Esau, Mike, and Nancy French ask why outsiders may be seeing America more clearly than Americans do, and whether our perception of the country is being warped by news, social media, and political caricatures. Then they consider a new study linking return-to-office mandates with narcissistic leaders. Does liking to work in the office automatically make you an egomaniac? Finally, they wrestle with the ethics of genetic testing for newborns, asking how much truth parents should want to know and whether some knowledge is too heavy to carry.    0:00 - Theme Song   3:11 - Tourists Discover America   7:05 - Americans Pessimistic About America   17:36 - Repenting of Nut-Picking   21:05 - Remote Work Unpopular with Narcissists   31:35 - Genetic Testing on Babies   45:11 - End Credits

The President hosted a UFC fight on the White House lawn. Was it a celebration of American pride, or Trump's ego?  Esau and Mike discuss President Trump's fight-night spectacle, and why it's another example of Trump demanding more, and offering even less in return. Then they turn to Britain's proposed social media ban for children under 16 and ask what government, parents, and Christian communities owe kids growing up online. Plus, new research on "hasslers" raises a familiar question: when are difficult people a gift, and when do they become harmful? Also, has Esau become a Youtube troll? 0:00 - Theme Song 0:23 - Mike's Disrespect Addressed 3:45 - UFC Fight at the White House 16:48 - Sponsor - World Challenge - Download a free 30-day devotional about Christ as our sustaining fire at http://www.worldchallenge.org/esau 18:00 - UK Bans Social Media for Teens 31:51 - "Hasslers" and Mental Health 43:56 - End Credit

With Esau out of town, we're sharing a special bonus episode featuring a few Holy Post Plus exclusives. First, Esau answers the question, "What should Christians say to the grieving?" in an episode of Advice-ish, our weekly HP+ advice-column-style show about the ordinary problems people face. Then, you'll hear two episodes from 66 Verses to Explain the Bible, where Esau uses a single verse or short passage to explore the larger theme and message of a biblical book. This week, he takes on Esther and Job.   Want to learn more about Holy Post Plus? Check it out at holypost.com/plus   0:00 - Theme Song   2:14 - Advice-ish on Grief   9:17 - 66 Verses - Job   16:07 - Sponsor - Access Forge - Go to https://www.accessible.faith/ to unlock the first two Belonging by Design lessons and use promo code HOLYPOST to get $200 off the full program   17:36 -  66 Verses - Esther   24:29 - End Credits