It’s officially summer, and things are heating up. Esau is joined by Justin Giboney and producer Mike to swap summer playlists, celebrate Kirk Franklin’s unexpected honor at the BET Awards, talk about what kids should do during the summer, and unpack the recent protests in Los Angeles following aggressive ICE raids. What does faithful protest look like? How do Christians respond when political theater overshadows human dignity? And can you really call it a cookout without Earth, Wind & Fire? 0:00 - Theme Song 1:17 - Cookout Playlist Mount Rushmore 5:35 - BET Music Awards and Kirk Franklin 11:55 - Kid Rock 18:36 - Sponsor - No Small Endeavor - Award-winning podcast where theologians, philosophers, and best-selling authors talk about faith with Lee C. Camp. Start listening today: https://pod.link/1513178238 19:46 - Summer Protests 38:30 - Coco Gauff and Black Accomplishment 46:12 - End Credits
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46:34
The NBA Finals, Trump’s Sledgehammer, and Are We Misreading the Bible on Sex?
NBA Finals. Trump’s sledgehammer policies. A Bible debate over sex. Esau, Justin Giboney, and Producer Mike truly tackle it all this week. First, why do small markets (and small churches) keep getting overlooked? Then, what’s really driving the fight over international students on U.S. campuses? Also, a popular pastor claims the Bible does not say sex before marriage is wrong, but we aren't convinced. Finally, sports heartbreak, Taylor Swift, and Mike (kind of) makes his co-host debut. 1:04 - NBA Finals and Small Markets/Churches 9:22 - The Bible Sexual Immorality Debate 25:11 - Mike's Corner: International Students on Campus and Trump 46:48 - Taylor Swift
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46:49
The Right’s DEI, the Internet’s Pope, and a Plantation in Flames
Elite universities are trying something new, or maybe not so new. To attract more conservative faculty, they’re adopting diversity strategies once used to support marginalized communities. So now that DEI is working for the right, is it still “woke”? Plus, fake Pope quotes are everywhere. Why is everyone trying to make the new Pope say what they want to hear? And in other news: a plantation burns, prom has officially lost its mind, and Producer Mike is in need of some friends. 0:00 - Theme Song 2:11 - Big Budget Proms 14:18 - Sponsor - No Small Endeavor - Award-winning podcast where theologians, philosophers, and best-selling authors talk about faith with Lee C. Camp. Start listening today: https://pod.link/1513178238 15:40 - Fake Pope Quotes 25:18 - DEI for Conservatives 39:51 - The Plantation Fire 47:12 - End Credits
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48:10
Single Parenting, Disability, and the Church's Blind Spot
Author and mother of six, Katie Blackburn joins Esau for a conversation around single parenting, disability, and faith. Katie shares her experience raising a son with severe autism, the grief and grace that come with it, and how the church has responded, sometimes with welcome, other times with unintentional exclusion. Together, they explore why single parents and families affected by disability often feel unseen in church spaces, and what communities can do to change that. They also talk about Katie’s new children’s book The Very Best Baseball Game, inspired by a local disability league, and how stories can help us better understand diversity, empathy, and belonging. 0:00 - Show Starts 2:15 - Mount Rushmore of Family Films 7:55 - Single Motherhood 10:42 - Writing as Therapy 18:09 - Sponsor - No Small Endeavor - Award-winning podcast where theologians, philosophers, and best-selling authors talk about faith with Lee C. Camp. Start listening today: https://pod.link/1513178238 19:21 - Church with Single People 24:28 - The Very Best Baseball Game 33:20 - What Can Churches Do for Disabled Children? 42:38 - End Credits
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43:35
Is Pop Culture Out of Ideas?
Why does everything feel like a reboot? In this episode, Esau is joined by producer Mike and historian Malcolm Foley for a wide-ranging conversation on the current state of American pop culture. From promising films like Sinners and Thunderbolts to the creative fatigue behind endless reboots and auto-tuned algorithms, they explore whether we're stuck in a cycle of stagnation and cynicism, and why Beyoncé’s country album might provide a glimmer of hope for the future of the pop culture industry. 0:00 - Show Starts 0:45 - Theme Song 2:55 - Uninformed Takes on Ryan Coogler’s Sinners 10:16 - Movies with Anit-Christian Elements? 18:16 - Worst Pop Culture Era 26:15 - How in-Person Classes Change Things 33:55 - Revitalization of Pop Culture 47:15 - End Credits
The Esau McCaulley Podcast looks to find God in the midst of culture. Each week, Esau will bring together friends, scholars, artists, and writers to unpack the cultural stories that shape our lives and discuss how these stories point us back to God’s presence in the world. Whether it's literature, sports, movies, music, or politics, Esau and his guests will explore how culture reflects both human creativity and our deepest longings. They’ll also challenge the notion that spirituality and culture are at odds by showing how faith can inform our engagement with the world around us. The Esau McCaulley Podcast wants to help the church move beyond the walls of the sanctuary to meet real people where they are, in this beautiful, complex world God has made, and find the space where truth and goodness meet.
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