Why a Podcast?

For years, I continually left conversations without having the opportunity to tease out or finish them. Most of these conversations dealt with spiritual topics or themes. As someone who has grown up in church culture, knowing and even anticipating a lack of time for such conversation follow-up was commonplace. And, for me, it was so common that I never stopped to consider why these conversations could not be had. I have always been curious-minded, and was raised in a home where knowledge and truth were not things to be feared, but rather pursued. Therefore, I have always made a point to have sidebar conversations with people as often as possible. Even though there was never a common forum or outlet for these conversations, I was accustomed to having these impromptu conversations inconsistently.

It wasn't until I started my graduate work at both Murray State University (master's) and the University of Mississippi (doctorate) that I began to fully understand the importance of peer conversations on a regular basis. I was inundated with questions and conversations dealing ethics, philosophies, and methodologies of music education. These conversations were detailed, in-depth, and difficult, many with no easy or one-way solutions. This culture that I experienced exposed me to a gap in my spiritual walk that I needed filled--and if there is anything that I have learned in my life, I am not the only one experiencing something.

It wasn't until I started listening to podcasts in 2018 that I began to realize their purpose and attraction (yes, I know that I was WAY behind the times). The more that I listened, the more attracted I became at the possibility of starting a show. But, if I were to be the host of a podcast, what the heck would it be about? I refused for a while the thought of beginning a podcast, assuming that there was nothing that I had to say that would be worth starting a show. Let me tell you this, reader: that is a lie from the pit of Hell. Everyone has a story. Everyone has a story worth sharing. Everyone has opinions, thoughts, reflections. And they are worth sharing. Sometimes they're right. Other times they're wrong. I wanted and needed a safe and healthy place to ask questions and converse about things that I thought were important, and that dealt with the spiritual things that I wanted to discuss. This is when I settled on the idea of starting a podcast.

But, I think now is the most important part of the decision to start the show: my cohost, Brad Coleman. Brad joined our family when he married my sister 20 years ago. Since then, Brad and I have gradually gotten closer as brothers. It's not my story to tell, but I knew Brad before he surrendered to the ministry. If you're a listener of the show, you'll know that my dad has been a pastor for many years. And when Brad entered the ministry, I began watching how God started maturing him as a man, husband, father, and minister. Every time we were together, there were discussions I had with both my dad and Brad that extended late into the night. It was during these talks that I began to observe firsthand Brad's mind and love for following, thinking about, and talking about Christ. Through the years, Brad and I have continually grown closer and have always connected on a level that surpassed an in-law. As I closed in on the decision for a show, I kept in mind the possibility of asking Brad to host with me.

With my responsibilities with my family, work as a professor, work as a musician, and church, I didn't move quickly on establishing a podcast. And, again, I was incredibly hesitant about even starting a show. I considered a music podcast, but kept coming back to several conclusions:

1) I have ample opportunity through my job to have the conversations I would like to have about music topics

2) music is my job and I didn't necessarily have the desire to employ a "work" feel to something that would be considered above and beyond

3) I have plenty of outlets beyond the classroom to explore musical endeavors

4) I felt that I had far more unanswered and more impactful questions to be asked and discussed pertaining to spiritual things than musical things.

I did not come to starting the show lightly. I prayed, talked with my wife and coworkers, and dragged my feet because I didn't want to start something that I may quit quickly. I kept coming back to the feeling that I mentioned at the beginning of this post: there were so many conversations that I did not have the opportunity to unpack. This is what brought me to nail down the decision to start a Christian podcast--and there was only one person that I wanted to host it with: Brad. You can read the rest of the history of the show here.