Jimmy’s Table Podcast

Why are some people poor and others rich? Is escaping poverty simply a matter of pulling up your boot straps and working hard? Dave Ramsey recently gave a "hot take" on this issue that I explore, as I talk about the complicated issues of poverty...

Because of a recent sex scandal involving a celebrity preacher, there has been a lot of discussion about "The Billy Graham Rule." In today's podcast, I take a critical look at this rule, and talk about navigating the complexities of our social interactions with the opposite sex...

“The Mandalorian” star Gina Carano was recently fired from her acting job on Disney+ over controversial comments she made on social media. This has raised questions over the freedom of speech, cancel culture, and human rights. In today's podcast, I talk about speech, its consequences, and our responsibilities in exercising our rights...

Valentine's Day has undergone a lot of changes since its pagan origins in the 5th century BC in Rome. In today's podcast, I talk about the historical origins of this holiday, and how it has transformed over the centuries into the sappy Hallmark holiday that it's become known as today. I also share why I think we should embrace the sentimentality of the holiday, as we celebrate the many different expressions of love...

During the past year, COVID-19 has put our lives on pause one way or another. Metaphorically, we probably have a sense that we've all died. And having died, we all long to live again. In today's podcast, I talk about our longing for resurrection...

Abraham Lincoln predicted that America would not fall as the result of an external foe, but by suicide. The outcome of the 2020 election appears to be our possible suicide pact. President Trump and his supporters protested in DC this week outside the US Capitol Building. Things turned violent, and there is an increasing level of political fallout in a nation that is deeply polarized. In this week's podcast, I talk about the dangerous situation we find ourselves in as a nation...

To become better people, we need more than a random smattering of New Year's Resolutions and the advice of self-help gurus. I believe we are in need of a blueprint for humanity. In today's podcast, I talk about the model for becoming a better human...

At this time of year, it's pretty common for people to make predictions about the New Year. In today's podcast, I talk about why I don't put much stock in the predictions of prognosticators or prophets for the upcoming year...

What is Christian nationalism? And is it, as Beth Moore recently stated, one of the most seductive and dangerous things the Church in America faces today? Or is it as Dr James White suggested... nothing at all? In today's podcast, I sit down and discuss the issue of Christian nationalism, and the recent "Jericho March" event that took place in Washington, DC, and what we can learn from it...

We all have our favorite Christmas movies that we love, and those we love to hate. But what makes the Christmas movies we love so great? And why do some Christmas movies fail? In today's podcast, I sit down with a children's librarian to talk about....

Should marijuana be decriminalized? Recently the House of Representatives passed legislation that is attempting to do such. In today's podcast, I sit down with a friend to discuss two differing perspectives on this topic from a Christian point of view...

How do we know when we have "enough" in a culture saturated by materialism? We give thanks for what we have, but still seem to have an itch that tells us we don't have enough. In today's podcast, I look at consumerism, and our struggle to practice contentment...

The pandemic of 2020 is forcing a lot of people to spend the holidays alone. In today's podcast, I provide 9 tips for making your holiday season a little less blue, and creating a sense of being together, even if we are alone.

Cable news, talk radio, and social media websites are often full of very heated exchanges. We’ve become captive to popular “talking heads,” who regularly engage in combative discussions. We flippantly share wild conspiracy theories consisting of the most heinous accusations, and regularly malign our political opponents to score points for our tribe. In today’s podcast, I talk about the destructive nature of our discourse in this nation, and what we can do to heal…

The election had everyone in America filled with anxiety this past week. We waited on the edge of our seats as every vote was counted. The levels of anxiety created a lot of vitriol as people attempted to cope with the unfolding political drama. Things often got ugly, and as some imagined what the future would be like if the other side won the election. People imagined outcomes that were on par with the end of the world as we know it. In today’s podcast, I talk about wrestling with anxiety, and how we can feel good in a world full of uncertainty.

This past week at work, a lot of people were laid off and lost their job. I wasn't among them in this round of layoffs. But I once was, and there is the very real possibility I could be laid off in the future. In this week's podcast, I talk about the inevitability of job loss, how we can prepare for it, and how we can handle it once we find ourselves out of work.

Because of COVID-19, an increasing number of people are working from home. Some temporarily, others permanently. The transition for many has been difficult. In today's podcast, I provide 10 tips practical tips on how you can improve your work from home situation...

Who am I? And who do others think that I am? In our culture, our sense of self-identification is the end all be all of human existence. Whether we are talking about our family, careers, race, sexuality, religion, or politicial affiliation, who we think we are ends up dramatically shaping what type of lives we live, and how we get along with others. In today's podcast, I talk about why I think this can sometimes be dangerous, and propose an alternate solution...

What is friendship? And can you be friends with your spouse? In today's podcast, I look at how to cultivate friendship with in your marriage...

Watching the Presidential debate between Trump and Biden, I felt like I was looking into a mirror. In today's podcast, I talk about what I learned from watching this historic debate...

Convincing your boss to give you a raise is almost impossible. But you do have the power to give yourself a raise this year. In this week's podcast, I talk about how I gave myself a raise...

In order to maximize your personal finances, you need to approach life with a spirit of simplicity, modesty, and frugality. In today's podcast, I talk about 7 tips for simplifying your personal finances...

Over a decade ago a "Ten Commandments" was discovered to exist in one mafia family. Apparently, there is "honor among thieves." In today's podcast, I look at why ethics and character matter, even in criminal organizations, and what such teaches us about the organizations we are a part of...

Have you ever had to make a really hard decision in life, but didn't really know what to do? In ancient times, people used to "cast lots" to divine the will of God for their life. In the 21st century, we tend to be a little more sophisticated with making hard decisions. In today's podcast, I talk about how to make hard decisions, and casting lots...

The recent sex scandal involving the head of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell, Jr., his wife, and his "pool boy" / business partner, has made us painfully aware that a certain hypocrisy exists among us in Evangelical circles. In today's podcast, I look at what it means to be a hypocrite, how hypocrisy thrives, and what we can do to combat it.

To me, Donald Trump and Joe Biden seem like terrible presidential candidates. To vote for either would require me to "hold my nose" while in the voting booth. And instead of doing that, I've decided I'm not voting for either candidate in the 2020 election. I am voting "none of the above."

Have you ever ended up in "Facebook jail?" Or, have you noticed you have some friends and family that end up in this virtual slammer? Why is this? Is it because those who do such are simply truth tellers that the powers that be simply cannot handle? Is it a vast left wing conspiracy that Mark Zuckerberg and his powerful friends are engaged in, as they attempt to suppress your freedom of speech and wage war against the truth? In today's podcast, I talk about why people end up in Facebook jail., and how you can avoid it...

COVID-19 has many people talking about the "new normal." In today's podcast, I want to talk about letting go of the "old normal," as we learn to adapt to a world in transition. To do this, I want to look at the preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus, who taught us to embrace the new thing that God was doing in the history of the world...

I believe COVID-19 is being used by God to challenge the models of ministry we commonly use in the church. In today's podcast, I talk about how John MacArthur's defiance of government orders to shut down his large church as something that exposes the broken mindset we have as a church, and how we need to get back to a much more nimble and personal model of ministry, like we read about in the Bible. A model that doesn't resemble a circus...

Do you want to change your life? And just exactly how do you change your life? Is it through dramatic decisions and New Years Resolutions, or, is it through small and gradual changes? Is it through powerful encounters with God and dramatic interventions? Or, is it through simple baby steps? In today's podcast, I talk about how we can bring about meaningful changes in our life...

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents are weighing the options when it comes to the upcoming 2020 school year. Should they send their kids to school? Or will they elect to have their child learning virtually? Or should they take their kids out of public school altogether, and homeschool them? How is a parent to do decide what is best for their child's education during a global pandemic? In today's podcast, I talk...

We love living life inside the box. It brings us comfort. And according to musician John Howey, this comfort becomes a cage that oppresses us. It's a life we need to be freed from. We need to become "uncaged." In today's podcast, I talk to John about the uncaged life, and his upcoming album.

When I think of common sense, I think of "Forrest Gump." He's the embodiment of folk wisdom. And while "common sense" is good, I believe common sense has its limitations. We need something more than common sense to help us navigate the complexities of our world...

There are a number of spiritual dangers that we face as Christians in America. A "worldliness" has crept into us. And by that, I don't mean what movies we watch or what clothes we wear. Rather, it is our identity as Americans. As Christians baptized into the red, white, and blue, our nationalistic identity as Americans threatens to distort our view of what it means to be a Christian. In today's podcast, I talk about this pressing issue...

Our culture has become like a child banging pots and pans together on the kitchen floor. We make plenty of noise, but have no love. Looking at 1 Corinthians 13 today, I question whether or not we really love as we ought to, and how the ultimate acid test of love is seen in how we treat our enemies.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 might have officially ended the "Jim Crow" laws that overtly discriminated against blacks, but many are of the opinion that Jim Crow is still alive and well in America. In today's podcast, I have a conversation about systemic racism in America., and how we can fight against racism today...

Recently the NAACP held a protest rally here in Charlotte, NC on behalf of George Floyd, who was unjustly killed by police. White evangelical teenagers are not usually among the faces you usually see at such protests. In today's podcast, I talk to one...

I think we are all idiots. At least, to some degree. We all suffer from faulty critical thinking skills. Sometimes this is from pride, other times, we just don't know how to think about thinking...

Memorial Day is upon us. How is the COVID-19 pandemic and CDC guidelines impacting your summer vacation plans this year? Are you maintaining a quarantined lifestyle, or are you making plans that include practicing reasonable social distancing recommendations while going on vacation? In this podcast...

This past week, a friend of mine died unexpectedly. Trying to process my grief, I turned to "A Grief Observed" by C.S. Lewis. In today's podcast, I walk through this raw and emotionally gut-wrenching book as I wrestle with the loss of a loved one...

For over a decade I've been learning the art and science of making a better burger. In today's podcast, I share my dogmatic philosophy that guides me in making a better cheeseburger. These rules will ruin you. Follow only if you want to really make the best cheeseburger possible...

As Americans, we love conspiracy theories. But why is that? From our founding fathers, to who really killed JFK, to the coronavirus, we always feel like someone powerful is behind the curtain pulling all the levers that make our world go round. In today's podcast, I explore the political and psychological reasons why conspiracy theories appeal to us so deeply...

Are you stuck in a rut? I think the coronavirus has many of us feeling like we are stuck in a rut, and one that mirrors Bill Murray's "Groundhog Day," where every day is the same and tomorrow never comes. In today's podcast, I talk about some practical steps we can take to get out of a rut...

What should you do with your coronavirus "stimulus check" coming from the IRS? And how should the COVID-19 pandemic impact your personal finances? In today's podcast, I discuss how to manage your personal finances during these difficult times...

The coronavirus is impacting us in many ways. In today's podcast, I sit down to talk with a man who can't see his son because of his high risk job, and the chance he could be exposed to COVID-19...

COVID-19 highlights the tensions we have about our individual "civil liberties" and our "collective" duties as citizens. In today's podcast I talk with a Canadian friend as we compare and contrast America and Canada's responses to the coronavirus, and how our respective national DNA shapes the responses of our respective countries, and the tensions that exist in both nations.

COVID-19 is presenting a challenge to the church. In today's podcast, I sit down with pastor Daniel Rushing (Renovatus Church) to talk candidly about the impact of the coronavirus on the life and ministry of the church. Daniel believes this seemingly apocalyptic event will open-up the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to breathe new life into the church.

If you've been around uptown Charlotte, you've probably heard a loud booming voice proclaiming "JESUS SAVES!" and "JESUS LOVES YOU!" In today's podcast, I sit down and interview Sam Bethea, Charlotte's most famous street preacher...

Recently I talked to someone who was upset over how the coronavirus pandemic will negatively impact their Spring Break plans. I was beside myself at the thought. In light of all that is transpiring in the world, how can anyone possibly talk about Spring Break? I felt like I was talking to a person who doesn't understand the gravity of the situation we are facing. I believe in a month's time, questions about such things simply will be irrelevant. This event will likely transform the world...

The recent coronavirus outbreak has made many people afraid. As Christians, I believe we need to respond to this virus with a living faith, a faith that works, and one that makes us bold and courageous. Now is not the time to live in fear...