Justin McRoberts - Podcast Details

Shows

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Stop Calling Yourself Broken: A Conversation About Sobriety and Wholeness with Laura McKowenThis week, Justin sits down with bestselling author Laura McKowen for an honest, layered conversation about sobriety, identity, creative calling, and the slow, often painful work of becoming whole. Together they explore:• Why “place” matters for emotional and spiritual grounding• The strange internal pull that guides creative people long before they have language for it• How early snippets of desire can act as breadcrumbs into a future self• The difference between writing for yourself and writing for publication• Why AA saved Laura’s life—and where its framing can uni...

2025-12-111h 14

At Sea with Justin McRoberts The Hidden Danger of ShortcutsThe false promise of “instant clarity” and “quick fixes.”Why bypassing struggle stunts real growth.How to use AI and psilocybin responsibly—without losing your humanity.The value of failure, pain, and disillusionment.Reflections from In the Low by Justin McRoberts & Scott Erickson on living fully in difficult seasons. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred Strides...

2025-11-0616 min

Broken to Beloved Podcast 077: Seeking Wholeness in Low Seasons with Justin McRobertsWhat if your anxiety and depression aren't going away any time soon?Many have been taught that depression means you're broken, that sadness is a lack of faith, or that anxiety is a sign of weakness. This can feel hopeless, especially when the strongest prayers and medicine don't cure your condition. In this conversation with Justin McRoberts, we explore the concept of wholeness and challenge the idea that health is the absence of negative emotions and experiences. He talks about his latest book, co-written with Scott Erickson, In The Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons...

2025-10-2153 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Imagination, Work, and What Really MattersEncouraging imagination in children: why participation beats restriction.Work transitions: how to discern whether to push harder where you are or look for something new.Why Justin doesn’t comment on celebrity-centered current events, and what’s at stake when we confuse spectacle with real importance.Closing with a prayer from In the Low (October 2025 release with Scott Erickson). Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred Strid...

2025-09-1814 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Navigating Rejection, Overwhelm, and AuthenticityJustin shares gratitude for support after a recent car accident.Listener questions addressed:- How to reconnect during seasons of rejection and disconnection. - Managing the overwhelm of life’s constant demands. - Practicing transparency without sharing every detail.Insights from the Ignatian spiritual tradition on consolation and desolation.The importance of paying attention to your own needs and desires.Learning to say no to external demands and focus on what matters most.Setting healthy boundaries in relationships and public life.Actionable advice: Spen...

2025-08-2819 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Grieving the End, Embracing the NewJustin shares personal stories about his kids starting a new school year and the emotions that come with it.The myth of “creative block” and what it’s really about.How the Sabbath helps process endings and prepare for new seasons.Distinguishing between wisdom and fear when making choices.Why calling is more about who you’re becoming than choosing perfectly.Closing with an excerpt from Justin’s upcoming book with Scott Erickson. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW...

2025-08-0923 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Legalism, Loss, and Learning to Carry What HurtsEpisode Notes:Legalism vs. Values: Legalism is a rigid, unchanging posture; values evolve with evidence and relationship.Processing Group Hurt: Don’t rush past collective wounds; learn to carry them together.Contemplative Prayer: Prayer as receptivity and openness, not productivity.Caring for a Terminally Ill Friend: Let them teach you; honor their humanity without rushing to fix or control.Closing: A reading from Justin’s forthcoming book with Scott Erickson. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book...

2025-07-1020 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts OverwhelmIntroduction: The widespread struggle with overwhelmWhy We Feel Overwhelmed: Taking in too much informationEmotional Impact: The humbling and frustrating nature of feeling overwhelmedPersonal Stories: Examples of individuals struggling with prioritizationPractical Advice: How to focus on what's within your controlBuilding Patterns of Care: Creating sustainable habits to combat overwhelmEncouragement: Why your unique contribution to the world mattersClosing Thoughts: Developing a life where overwhelm doesn’t derail progress👉 Interested in diving deeper? Reach out to Justin for one-on-one coaching opportunities. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott...

2025-01-2719 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Church Hurt, Boundaries, and Spiritual GrowthPodcast Show Notes:Introduction: Justin McRoberts introduces the episode, its themes, and his approach to answering listener questions.Question 1: How to create spiritual practices after leaving a hurtful church environment:Importance of spiritual direction and coaching.Rebuilding trust in community and relinquishing control in spiritual growth.The role of forgiveness in healing and moving forward.Question 2: Maintaining healthy boundaries in nonprofit and religious work:Reframing the meaning of work as an internal and relational experience.Practical tips for setting boundaries and balancing expectations.Question 3: Why evangelicals are converting to Catholicism:Exploring the desire for deeper, less experience-driven spiritual...

2024-11-2616 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Navigating Politics in PublicShow Notes:Introduction to the episode and the season’s Q&A formatBackground on Justin’s previous online engagement in political conversationsEmotional and financial costs of discussing divisive topics on social mediaReflection on the neutrality (or lack thereof) of social media platformsReference to Johann Hari's book Stolen Focus and its insights on attentionThe impact of online platforms on our ability to empathize and listenJustin’s journey with the decision to step back from digital political discussionsEncouragement to shift political conversations to small, in-person settingsJustin's view on the limitations of online platforms for fostering meaningful discourseFinal thoughts on reclaiming human...

2024-11-1219 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Jubilee 2024 - Claude AtchoShow Notes:00:02 – Introduction to the episode by Justin McRoberts01:24 – Claude discusses his background in literature and how he uses it to engage faith communities04:50 – The balance between writing for oneself and writing for an audience06:45 – Influence of early conversations and figures in Claude’s life on his perspective of black history10:00 – The importance of African American literature and Toni Morrison’s Beloved14:20 – The power of literature to create empathy and broaden perspectives19:30 – Why black stories matter beyond the merit system23:45 – The concept of hope in black narratives and the role of progress27:00 – Endurance versus healing: A reflection on Christian hope30:00 –...

2024-10-2232 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Jubilee 2024 - Dr. Elissa Yukiko WeichbrodtShow Notes:[00:02] Introduction by Justin McRoberts – The importance of the Jubilee Conference and its connection to faith, art, and wisdom.[02:29] Elissa Weichbrodt’s background in art and faith – Growing up with a passion for art and balancing that with her Christian faith.[03:45] Discovering theology that embraces both art and faith – Introduction to Calvin Seerveld and Hearts and Minds.[04:49] Encountering discomfort in contemporary art – The role of art in challenging us and making us confront our own blind spots.[06:00] The importance of slowing down in art and life – How art teaches us patience and attentiveness in all areas.[10:43] The risk and bea...

2024-10-1521 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Jubileee 2024 - Abe ChoEpisode Notes:Introduction by Justin McRoberts:Overview of the podcast's shift towards deeper, direct conversations with key voices from the Jubilee Conference.The value of gaining wisdom and perspective from experienced speakers and leaders.Balancing Ministry and Personal Life:Discussion of being an introverted leader while balancing public speaking, pastoral responsibilities, and personal time.Navigating 25+ years of pastoral ministry and the reevaluation of what ministry should look like beyond the upfront work.Defining Home and Navigating Cultural Identity:Speaker shares his experience growing up in various places, moving often, and the sense...

2024-10-0840 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Rethinking Sabbath Rest and the Misuse of DeconstructionEpisode Notes:Introduction:Justin reflects on the shift in the podcast's format, now focusing on direct listener questions related to life, faith, creativity, and leadership.Sabbath-Keeping:Question: How do you build a Sabbath day?Justin shares his personal history of practicing Sabbath, noting that it's a flexible and evolving practice rather than a rigid set of tasks.He emphasizes the importance of regularly setting aside time for rest and reflection, allowing the Sabbath to become an opportunity to connect with God and assess one's soul.He encourages listeners to work with a coach or...

2024-09-2015 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Navigating Grief and Loneliness: Insights on Self-Care and LeadershipIn this episode of the At Sea Podcast, host Justin McRoberts discusses the podcast's shift towards direct conversations. He shares insights on various topics, including self-care as a parent, the distinction between loneliness and solitude, and leadership lessons as his faith has evolved. Justin answers questions from his Instagram followers on managing grief and finding stillness as a parent, moving from loneliness to solitude, and his biggest leadership lessons. 00:00 Introduction to the At Sea Podcast 00:59 Transition to Direct Conversations 01:57 Addressing Listener Questions 02:04 Finding Stillness and Moving Through Grief 02:46 The Balan...

2024-09-0517 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Letting Go, Grieving, and Embracing What's NextEpisode Notes:Introduction:Justin McRoberts continues the Q&A format, focusing on questions that matter most to his listeners.Discussion on why the podcast shifted from interviews to a more direct engagement with the audience.Key Topics Covered:From Busyness to Fulfillment:The importance of distinguishing between a busy schedule and a fulfilling one.How to prioritize activities that resonate with your soul and bring genuine satisfaction.Tips on using downtime to reassess and reorganize your schedule for greater fulfillment.Navigating Change and Spiritual Growth:How to connect with God...

2024-08-2223 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Community, Faith, and PerseveranceJoin host Justin McRoberts on this unique episode of the At Sea Podcast, where he engages directly with viewers' questions. Learn about the importance of community in religious practice, authentically sharing one's faith, and discerning when to persevere or move on from a project or relationship. Tune in for deep reflections on belonging, leadership, and living a joyous life.00:00 Introduction to the At Sea Podcast01:03 New Podcast Format: Q&A Sessions01:58 Question 1: The Importance of Church Community07:57 Question 2: Tips on Sharing Your Faith11:38 Question 3: When to Persevere or Let...

2024-08-1519 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Spirituality, Deep Work, and Meaningful DebatesIn this episode of the At Sea Podcast, host Justin McRoberts turns the focus inward, addressing audience questions in a traditional Q&A format. He discusses finding a new connection with God post-untangling, tips for achieving deep work amid distractions, recognizing when it's time for a new chapter in life, and balancing arguments with interpersonal relationships. Justin provides personal insights and practical advice on spirituality, productivity, change, and valuing relationships over winning debates. Tune in for a deep and thoughtful conversation aimed at enriching your personal and spiritual journey. 00:00 Welcome to the NC Podcast 00:22 Transition to Q...

2024-08-1015 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Navigating Big DecisionsIn this episode, Justin comes to you from the beautiful Young Life Woodleaf property, sharing his thoughts and insights amidst the serene setting of nature. This week, Justin dives deep into listener questions, offering profound advice on discernment, balancing suffering with hope, and the cultural movement of deconstruction.Key Topics Covered:🔹 Discernment and Decision-Making:How to make significant life decisions with clarity and intention.The importance of giving yourself time and space to let your subconscious and spiritual insights emerge.🔹 Balancing Suffering and Hope:Embracing seasons of grief, frustration, and anger without rushin...

2024-07-1921 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Listener Q&A on Art, Religion, and LeadershipIn this engaging episode, host Justin McRoberts introduces a fresh format where he directly answers listener questions from his popular Instagram Q&A sessions. Moving away from traditional interviews, Justin dives deep into the topics that matter most to his audience, providing insightful, practical advice.Key Highlights:🔹 New Podcast Direction: Justin explains the shift to a more interactive and personal podcast format, focusing on direct engagement with his audience.🔹 Physical Movement & Emotional Well-being: Discover the correlation between physical activity and mental/emotional clarity. Justin emphasizes the importance of engaging your whole person for holist...

2024-07-1123 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts New Season IntroJoin Justin McRoberts for a fresh and engaging chapter of the At Sea Podcast! After many years of evolving and connecting with our amazing listeners, we're excited to bring you a season focused on your questions, stories, and journey.This season, we'll dive into what truly matters to you, offering insightful conversations on art, religion, leadership, and more. 📚💡 Whether you're a longtime listener or just joining us, you'll find thought-provoking discussions every week. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoachi...

2024-06-2814 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sacred Strides Chapter 13 & Wrap UpDive into this engaging episode of the At Sea Podcast with Justin McRoberts and Dan Portnoy as they explore the radical concept of Sabbath as a rebellion against the systems that drain us and discover how embracing rest can revolutionize our personal and professional lives. Tune in for a compelling discussion on navigating resistance and finding joy in authenticity. Don't miss out—press play for a journey into reclaiming your time and energy! Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with Ju...

2024-06-2442 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sacred Strides Chapter 12 - I'm Not Running to WinIn this episode, Justin McRoberts and Dan Portnoy discuss Chapter 12 of the book 'Sacred Strides' titled 'I'm Not Running to Win.' They explore the importance of recognizing the dangers of exhaustion in ministry and the need for self-care. They highlight the impact of urgency and importance on mental health and the importance of prioritizing health and wellbeing. The conversation concludes with a prayer emphasizing the need to never sacrifice one's health on the altar of productivity.TakeawaysRecognize the dangers of exhaustion in ministry and the impact it can have on mental health.Prioritize self-care...

2024-04-0432 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sacred Strides Chapter 11In this episode, Justin McRoberts and Dan Portnoy discuss Chapter 11 of the book 'Sacred Strides.' They explore the importance of leading with love and true compassion in advocacy work. Justin shares a personal story of his experience as an MC at a music festival and how he initially struggled to connect with the audience. He reflects on the need to meet people where they are and tap into their desires and experiences. The conversation also touches on the pitfalls of manipulative advocacy and the importance of building genuine connections with others. Takeaways Leading with love an...

2024-03-2830 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sacred Strides Chapter 10 - Quitting the Race "For Good"In this episode, Justin and Dan discuss Chapter 10 of the book 'Sacred Strides' titled 'Quitting the Race for Good' or 'Disconnect and Repair'. They start by talking about technology and its metaphorical significance. Justin shares his experiences with tech issues and the need for intentional disconnection. He explains the analogy of Bluetooth connections and the importance of forgetting certain connections to reconnect in a healthier way. Justin also discusses his journey of disconnecting from transactional relationships and finding true connections that remind him of his belovedness.TakeawaysTechnology can serve as a metaphor for disconnection and...

2024-03-2130 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sacred Strides Chapter 4 - Finding My StrideWe are marching back through the book Sacred Strides, looking at different chapters, chapter by chapter. We're on Chapter Four, digging into elements of the book that will just kind of follow the arrows that the book provides. Because when I write, and I wrote this book, I never really intended for a book to be a whole thing. I intend for a book to point to other stuff and you are in the culture around you. So we're following those arrows and having the conversations around him. So welcome. Links For Justin:C...

2023-12-0152 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sacred Strides Chapter 3 - Staying In My LaneAnother episode with producer, Dan Portnoy, marching through the book Sacred Strides. We're going to dive into Chapter 3 today - Staying In My Lane. This is a chapter about limitations - something we love to talk about. Links For Justin:Coaching with JustinOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The BirdThe Book - It Is What You Make it

2023-11-1645 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sacred Strides - A False StartWe are doing a series in and by which we're digging back into and through the book Sacred Strides - chapter by chapter talking about the dominant themes in the book or extras on top of the book what you know what it looks like to apply some of the things that I get to in the book. Dan, who's been a friend for a long time and has produced this podcast from its beginning, has a really unique perspective on my work and on me as a worker. And so it's fun to talk about my stuff and...

2023-11-0341 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sacred Strides - Getting Off on the Right FootDan and I are doing a series of podcasts focused on my book. Reintroducing folks to the book Sacred Strides. We began last week with an overview of the book before it got into the introduction. And like why I wrote the book and some surrounding themes. This week, we will dive into Chapter One and talk about it. Dan is going to draw some stuff out. One of the things that's great about Dan and my partnership with Dan is that Dan has a unique perspective on the work I'm doing. Working more collaboratively with people is an...

2023-10-261h 03

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Introduction to Sacred StridesWelcome specifically to this new series. It's going to be a deeper dive into the book Sacred Strides, which I released earlier in the year. And I get to spend some time talking with my friend Dan Portnoy, who is also the producer of this show. So if you've been around the @Sea podcast for any amount of time you have benefited from and enjoy Dan Portnoy his work, I deeply value him as a friend and really value him also as a work partner. So what's gonna happen is instead of me just talking about the book, or...

2023-10-1341 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sara BillupsSarah Billups is a Seattle-based writer who has been speaking at and about the communal practice of religion for a number of years now. Most recently, she's collected a number of those thoughts in a book called orphaned believers. It's a wonderful book actually deeply insightful. And I was thrilled to have her on the podcast to talk not only about that book, but about the history she's had with religion with Christianity specifically, and the things that led to the assembly of those thoughts that make up that book. I enjoyed the conversation. I think you will as...

2023-05-0448 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Alan BriggsWelcome to the At Sea Podcast I'm your host, Justin McRoberts. I don't speak to a lot of other coaches, I talk to a few, but it's not a regular part of my conversation I actually fell into in some ways, the coaching job, just discovered myself doing it after a number of years. And so when I get to actually sit down and talk with someone else, working in that same space, it can be really refreshing. I found my conversation with Alan Briggs to be deeply informative, really refreshing, and incredibly enjoyable. I like his approach to...

2023-04-2749 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Kevin SweeneyWelcome to the At Sea Podcast. I'm your host, Justin McRoberts. When I first read Kevin Sweeney's initial book The Making of a Mystic, I found a bit of a kindred spirit that's somewhat unlikely person in the pastorate as well as a relatively unlikely person when one thing because of terms like mystical or contemplative. You might remember that conversation on this very podcast about that initial book from last season. His most recent book is called The Joy of Letting Go. And it actually met me exactly where I needed to be met when I picked it...

2023-04-2159 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Jess RayWelcome to the At Sea podcast. I'm your host, Justin McRoberts. I met Jess Ray a number of years ago at a conference where she was helping to lead songs and realize there was some of her music that I had heard before. Maybe you had that experience where you're paying attention to someone or something, you hear something and you realize, like, oh my gosh, this is already in my system. I'm already a fan of this. Well, having already been a fan of her music, just by nature of the songs themselves, then watching her engage with...

2023-04-1359 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Angie WardWelcome to the At Sea Podcast. I'm your host, Justin McRoberts. What does it mean to lead well? Heck, what does it even mean to lead period? And specifically, what does it mean to lead and lead well, in a religious context, when we talk about ministry, we talk about Church we talk about religious culture in general. Nowadays, the question of what good healthy leadership looks like might be the most important conversation on the table when it comes to the "Future of the American church and American religion." It's a conversation that Angie Ward has been in...

2023-03-3057 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Jenai AumanIf you are around or in conversations about mental health for much time at all, you probably hear the word trauma used relatively often. And if you are in or around conversations at the intersection of mental health and religious life, you'll probably hear the phrase church trauma, or religious trauma used, at least as regularly. Those conversations can be really tricky, can be really difficult, and also can be really necessary. Some of the most helpful voices in those conversations, at least that I've come across, aren't even necessarily folks trained as therapists or even working as pastors...

2023-03-2358 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Molly LaCroixWelcome to the At Sea podcast. I'm your host, Justin McRoberts. Molly Lacroix is my guest on this episode. And as a marriage and family therapist, she engages in the kind of art I find inspiring, incredibly rare, and necessary. She takes what would otherwise be, perhaps even frustratingly, wildly difficult concepts, things out of the reach of the average person's daily knowledge, and then boils those down and communicates those in such a way that folks like me can get handles on those ideas, but does so in a way that doesn't, I don't know, demean me, or...

2023-03-1648 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts John DelonyWelcome to the At Sea podcast. I'm your host, Justin McRoberts. One of the points of conversation we are returning to over and over during this series we're doing at the intersection of mental health and spiritual practice has to do with the benefit or the problem of familiarity with mental health issues, mental health terminology, and with diagnostic tools. There's a world of conversation now in public about what it means to be depressed, to have depression, to live with ADHD, and to have anxiety. Does the familiarity with and the public dialogue about these things actually benefit...

2023-03-0935 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Nicole UniceHello, and welcome to the At Sea podcast. I'm your host, Justin McRoberts. This episode of the podcast takes us deeper into the ongoing conversation here at the At Sea podcast. At the intersection of psychotherapeutics and spiritual practice, this time with author, pastor, speaker leader, and coach Nicole Unice. I think you'll pick up in the conversation that we haven't had a truckload of conversations. We've been trying to have this conversation for quite a while. I definitely find in Nicole Unice a kindred spirit not only because of our affinity for young life and kids but even...

2023-03-0245 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts KJ RamseyWelcome to the At Sea podcast. I'm your host, Justin McRoberts. The emphasis I've placed so far this season on the practice of poetry actually positions us to have some conversations well to continue some conversations that I care a whole lot about. Really specifically beginning with this episode of Focus, concentrated focus on the intersection and overlap between psychotherapy and religious practice. As someone who's benefited both from therapy and spiritual direction, this intersection is a place I experienced a great deal of life while also coming to a great deal of very complex and really interesting questions...

2023-02-091h 00

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Winter Solstice, Sick Kids, and The IncarnationWelcome to the At Sea Podcast. I'm your host, Justin McRoberts. I'm recording this on December 21, 2022. It is the winter solstice, the day where I live that features the least amount of light. The night is longest. And I'll be honest with you, I'm not feeling great. I don't know if I quite have the flu yet, but I might. Because my daughter does. And I found that out a few hours ago. It's been really since Sunday. She wasn't feeling well on Sunday. She was feeling not so great on Monday, so she didn't go to s...

2022-12-2206 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Enneagram and Being NamedA few years ago, I was invited to participate in this event. I don't remember what the event was, as a speaker, I was there to story tell, tell some stories and teach. And when the organizer introduced me, he said singer, songwriter, musician, Justin McRoberts. And I remember like, I wasn't mad, but I remember feeling like misnamed, or, like, I wasn't even offended, but like, it just didn't feel right. His context for me has had been music like he listened to a lot of my music growing up, and, and that's how he came to the...

2022-02-1704 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts God, Context, and Bad ReligionI ran into a friend recently whom I haven’t seen in a while. And at first, I didn’t recognize him. Some of that had to do with the time between meetings. But more of it had to do with context. The last time I saw him was in California in the Sierra Nevada foothills.This recent meeting was in a town called Goshen, Virginia. He and I were walking into buildings adjacent to one another and caught each other's eye. Then we did “that thing;” just staring at one another quizzically and awkwardly until he (his name...

2021-10-2105 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Monica DiCristinaYou know that friend who gets to the gym 7 days every week. I think we all have that friend (if we’re not that friend). I don’t think I’ve ever heard a friend like that called “weak” for working out regularly. Quite the opposite. Sometimes that friend gets called “obsessive” or something like that (often by people who aren’t taking their physical health as seriously)But.. even, in that case, they’re overdoing a good thing; nobody is suggesting that the desire to hit the gym is, in and of itself a sign and pr...

2021-07-0152 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Christopher WilliamsIn his Legendary book “The War of Art” Steven Pressfield writes:“The professional arms himself with patience, not only to give the stars time to align in his career but to keep himself from flaming out in each individual work. He knows that any job, whether it’s a novel or a kitchen remodel, takes twice as long as he thinks and costs twice as much. . . [he] steels himself at the start of a project, reminding himself it is the Iditarod, not the sixty-yard dash. He conserves his energy. He prepares his mind for the long haul.” I’ve p...

2021-06-171h 07

At Sea with Justin McRoberts JJ and Dave HellerClose to 20 years ago, I sat in a park near my place in The Bay Area, talking with Dave and JJ about their hopes and dreams. Having spent the first few years of their musical career between Arizona and California, they were right on the edge of a move to Nashville.They wanted to take a full, big league, swing at their work and believed that move would do it.Which is to say, they were doing what I regularly tell my clients to do, especially when young and less attached:They were...

2021-05-201h 04

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Nick LaparraThe @ Sea podcast started out to be (and I hope continues to be) a helpful and hopeful guide through sometimes murky or turbulent cultural waters. Some of what that looks like is talking to people I don't align with politically, ideologically, culturally,...Not because it's enough to simply "celebrate diversity" but because the discipline and practice of listening is the key to moving beyond division to understanding and then towards care. One of the reasons I gravitate towards podcasts is for this very reason.My guest on this episode is Nick Laparra, whose "Let's Give...

2021-05-061h 02

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Kevin GarciaI ask just about all my guests about life online. I'm of the opinion that "real" life happens there and I'm increasingly interested in the way it does; particularly when that happening takes on labels like "religion" or "faith" or "spirituality." I think a fair amount of personal formation takes place online and I'm intrigued (art least) by the people who take that formation seriously as well as take some degree of responsibility for it.My guest in this episode is Kevin Garcia, who has called himself a "digital pastor." And while I know there are a...

2021-04-221h 02

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Karen Swallow PriorI don’t know when the words “liberal” or “conservative” became insults. What I do know is that I can’t remember a time when they weren’t. So, maybe it’s always been this way to some degree. I’m not sure. My guest on this episode of the podcast is a voice who shows up on what many might call the “conservative side” of conversations, online and off. I’ve watched her navigate the nuances of those engagements without slipping into the snark and dismissiveness that has become a hallmark of political argument. I’ve also marveled at her...

2021-03-2549 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Harding House BreweryThe very first beer I ever had was, I believe, a Bud Dry. That’s probably not true for a lot of folks, but it’s part of my story and I like it as someone who tests as a 4 on the enneagram. At the time, beer pretty much only showed up at parties or in TV commercials and was never any talk about “hops” or or “malt” between beer drinkers. Which is to say, the culture around beer was thin. That’s not the case anymore. The most recent beer I had was last nigh...

2021-03-1138 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Kayla CraigIf you've been around me for any significant time, you'll likely know that my mother is a hero of mine. not in a cute "I love my mom, you guys" kind of way but more like "I hope I can be the kind of resilient and faithful and strong as that person" kind of way. From her very difficult childhood, marked by various in-house abuses and financial destitution to her adventures west to CA from Albuquerque, NM to the ways she held our family together while my father was falling apart and, more recently the relentless ways s...

2021-01-2854 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Eugene ChoLinks for Eugene ChoEugeneCho.comThou Shalt Not Be A Jerk - Latest Book Instagram Links for JustinJustinMcRoberts.comSupport This Podcast Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW...

2020-11-011h 04

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Levi The PoetLinks for Levi The Poet:http://levithepoet.netTwitterInstagramFacebook Links for Justin :JustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcast Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sl...

2020-10-081h 00

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Latifah AlattasLinks for Latifah:http://www.modaspira.comPage CXVI TwitterModa Spira TwitterInstagramFacebook Links for Justin :JustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcast Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let Go

2020-09-0157 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Shaun GrovesLinks for Shaun:WebsiteInstagramTwitterFacebook Links for Justin :JustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcast Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW M...

2020-07-1752 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Sarah HeathLinks for Sarah:WebsiteInstagramPodcasts Links for Justin :JustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcast Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The D...

2020-06-301h 14

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Jennifer LahlThe Center For Bioethics and Culture NetworkWebsiteBooks MusicInstagramSupport this podcast Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSupport this podcastNEW Single - Let GoNEW Music - Sliver of HopeNEW Music - The Dood and The Bird

2020-06-1650 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #42: Colby MartinOne of the most persistent criticisms of religious progressivism is that it is reactive, pushing back on (and sometimes warring against) older, institutional practices deemed out of date, unhelpful, and even unjust. And while there is some good to such a posture, it doesn’t constitute a full enough profile of leadership. In his book “The Shift” Colby Martin rises to meet that challenge and critique, not only delving into his own journey but pulling principles of leadership, cultural formation, and communal care that do, in fact, more completely fill out a posture of leadership. I enjoye...

2020-05-201h 06

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #41: Ben McBrideIt’s one thing to say “we’re in this together.” It’s another thing entirely to practice “belonging” and pay the kind of price required to actually broaden one’s tent; to include people who would just as soon exclude or eliminate you from the socio-cultural mix altogether. For many years now, Ben McBride has been doing the strange and difficult work of redefining what it means for folks to belong to one another, not just as a sentiment, but as a personal, cultural and institutional practice. He is an activist, a spiritual leader, one of the most va...

2020-03-1636 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #40: Jeremy JonesThis episode airs in February of 2020 and gyms all over the country are wrapping up their New Year’s deals to entice newcomers. It’s a poorly kept secret in the fitness world that most gyms (24 hr Fitness, Planet Fitness and the like) harvest the majority of their memberships in January and then.. come February or March, actually count on you not showing up much at all, if at all. In other words, the expectation and intention of most of these campaigns has less to do with satisfying your actual need to live healthily and more to do with capita...

2020-02-0546 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #39: Michael FrostIn a recent poll of Australians, 70% of those polled claimed to mistrust religious leaders. Of course, I don’t spend a lot of time searching Australian polling data. I saw this because I pay attention to author and missiologist Michael Frost. Michael, has spent much the past two decades tilting his ear towards those who live well beyond the walls of the institutional church, because… It is impossible to fulfill the Christian imperative to love my neighbor if I don’t know my neighbor. Michael’s work might be most poignantly categorized as a valiant and persistent effort...

2019-11-0758 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #38: Cameron Dezen HammonIn his early letters to Jesus followers the Apostle Paul regularly and specifically warned against a religious philosophy called Gnosticism. In short, Gnosticism valued immaterial things and particular devalued the human body. Over 2000 years later, it seems to me that disembodiment of various kinds continues to pose a threat, not just to a healthy Christian practice of faith but to a healthy practice of life together with others, as neighbors, regardless of religious preference. My guest’s debut book “This Is My Body: A Memoir of Religious and Romantic Obsession,” reads like an invitation to full, human...

2019-10-1056 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #37: Kirsten PowersThe power of those who identify, translate and communicate current events is truly massive; sometimes frighteningly so. In 1978, Science fiction writer Philip K. Dick warned against the power of what he called “the media,” writing… “I distrust their power. They have a lot of it. And it is an astonishing power: that of creating whole universes, universes of the mind.” I think that’s a fair warning. At the same time I also think that entitles like FOX, CNN, The NYT, USA Today are inextricable from American culture; they’re not going anywhere. Sure, the names will...

2019-09-1835 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #36: Jamie TworkowskiWorld suicide prvention day is Sept 10 this year. If you’ve been around my life or work for any stretch of time, you know that suicide, depression and related realties have played a significant role for me, in the show of my father’s suicide in may of 1998. I can trace back just about all the work I do as an artist and advocate to some threat extending from that moment. Regardless, the conversations I’ve had more directly about suicide have been, at times, clumsy, awkward, confusing… and I don’t think that’s always been because the topic is hard to app...

2019-08-2048 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #35: Sarah ThebargeI met Sarah Thebarge in Houston at a gathering of speakers and artists focused on advocating for children in poverty. I was immediately struck, not only by how articulate she was but by the depth and breadth of her definition of human flourishing. That depth and breadth runs through all her work and every conversation I’ve had with her, including this one. Check it out. Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest...

2019-07-2452 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #34: Dr. Christena ClevelandI first met Christena Cleveland across the street from a conference where, later that day, she would speak on issues of race and the long road towards unity among Christians. Her presentation was 3 minutes long.What I left that conference with was’t just what I heard Dr. Cleveland present in her few minutes.. but I left eyes somewhat newly opened to a system/culture that was comfortable nodding towards that which was non-white or non-male, but far less interested in fully investing. I also left with an awareness of my complicity. Since then, I’ve pa...

2019-05-211h 02

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #33: Andrew OsengaThat songwriting is an art is widely understood. What can be messy or confusing is what becomes of any art, and particularly songwriting, when it becomes a job, a business or an industry. And then, what becomes of the people who identified as professional artists when the season changes and the industry evolves? Part of what makes Andrew Osenga a standout artist, aside from his clear capability as a songwriter, is the posture he lives in towards the making of music, the people who make music and the business of making music a job. He is...

2019-04-2957 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #32: Aaron Niequist (full interview)For a season, Aaron Niequist worked at a church called Willow Creek in the Chicago area; a church that functioned as a kind of flagship for mainline christian Chruch practice. He also served at Mars Hill in Grant Rapids Michigan, a church whose culture was often seen as a next step away from (if not a remedy for) the culture and practice of churches like Willow Creek. In my conversation with Aaron, I found someone who is sincerely and profoundly concerned with the actual formation of actual people. His concern as well as his expertise stem form...

2019-03-2657 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast 31: Jen HatmakerWelcome to Season 4! And what a way to kick it off! In the fall of 2018, I got to spend a few weeks on the road with Jen Hatmaker and Nichole Nordeman on their Moxie Matters tour. For 15 nights, I got to play songs and then watch rooms full of women (and a few men), find a kind of home in the space Jen and Nichole provided as artist/storytellers. Between stops in Texas, I sat down with Jen Hatmaker to talk about the origin of the tour and where she saw her work heading in th...

2019-03-0746 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast Season 3 Recap/ReviewTake a brief tour through some of the key moments in conversations that defined Season 3 of the podcast. My guests: – Dominique Dubois Gillard – Sandra McCracken – Carlos Whittaker – Jeremy Cowart – Michael Mcbride – Matt Shotwell – Scott Erickson – Jonathan Merritt – Matt Mikalatos (a reflection on the death of John Chau) – Jer Swigart (a look at the “border crisis”) Links For Justin:Read Justin's SubstackOrder In The Low - NEW Book with Scott EricksonCoaching with JustinOrder In Rest - New Book of PoemsOrder Sacred StridesJustinMcRoberts.comSuppor...

2019-01-1722 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast 30: Jer Swigart on the “Migrant Caravan”On March 25, 2018, women, men and children from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador began walking north toward the US border. As weeks passed, their numbers grew… and their story began to move toward the stoplight of major American News sources. Of course, the tint of that spotlight varied in shade depending on its source. For instance, the sitting administration warned of the potential threat this group of people posed should they reach San Diego; even suggesting at one point that there might be “unknown middle easterners” among the group… making it a kind of Trojan horse for a more rec...

2018-12-0456 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Special Episode: Reflecting On The Death of John Chau with Matt MikalatosEarlier this month, John Allen Chau was killed by members of one of the most isolated peoples on earth. According to his own journal, Chau was committed to sharing what he knew of Jesus with the Sentinelese people… and even after being forcefully deterred several times prior, returned the island of North Sentinel on Nov 14, in some form of faith and hope that he would be received, along with his message. He wasn’t. This part of Chau’s story touches on and highlights themes that have moved their way close to the center several convers...

2018-11-2548 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #29: Jonathan MerrittIn her landmark book “Caring For Words in a Culture of Lies” Marylin McEntyre writes… “If language is to retain its power to nourish and sustain our common life, we have to care for it in something like the way good farmers care for the life of the soil, knowing nothing worth eating can be grown in soil that has been used up, fertilized or exposed too many toxic chemicals.” — There may not be a cultural sphere in greater need of that kind of word-care than that of American Christianity. My guest is author, journalist a...

2018-11-0853 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #28: Scott Erickson (Part 2)This is part two of my interview with visual artist and storyteller Scott Erickson. If you haven’t had the chance to check out part one, it’s not necessary to hear it first .. but… it might be helpful.. and it’s a great conversation. The second half of our conversation turns more specifically to the role of art in personal life and well as communal and religious life. We also dig a bit into the difficult of spoken language vs the freedom of visual expression and look, as best as we can into the future. Check...

2018-10-1943 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #27: Scott EricksonMy guest on this episode is long-time friend and co-creator Scott Erickson. He and I created and released the book “Prayer: 40 Days of Practice” a few years ago and his partnership has been not only enjoyable but enriching and transformative. Scott’s work as a visual artist and storyteller comes from and carves out what I consider a vital and sincerely unique place in American Religious culture. Unique to such a degree that I’ve divided this interview into two parts, of which this is part one… I intend to give you the opportunity to be challenged, inspired a...

2018-09-2655 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #26: Matt ShotwellJan 1 2018 was a landmark day for marijuana legalization in CA. For many, the moment was another stumbling misstep towards even more compromised societal norms. For others, including my guest, it was a hard-fought-for moment emblematic of a culture coming to its senses and embracing a kind of inevitable tide. Either way, It was a divisive moment, charged with the energy that often comes from social, economic and interpersonal difference. It was a moment I decided this podcast needed to enter into. My guest, Matt Shotwell, has been in the weed business for over a decade...

2018-08-2247 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #25: Michael McBride Returns“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. – Amos 8:11 You may have noticed a bit of a lag between episodes of this podcast. If you’ll allow… that lag as been rather intentional. I’ve not known what to say, what to this shared cultural moment of ours… I didn’t honestly know if it was even my place to say or add anything. I don’t want to ju...

2018-07-181h 04

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #24: Jeremy CowartYou may have heard the rumor or legend or sorts that certain cultures throughout history have been at least suspicious or cautious about photography in fear that something of the soul was captured in the process. The other side of that coin is that, to many purveyors of the arts, a great portrait actually has to do just that. I came across Jeremy Cowart’s work in the weeks and months after a horrific earthquake nearly flattened Port Au Prince, Haiti in January of 2010. With the project, entitled “Voices of Haiti,” Jeremy captured the collision of and tensio...

2018-04-2151 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Episode #23: Carlos WhittakerThe question “What do you do?” or “What do you do for a living?” it’s not so much a question about work as it is a way to figure out who someone is; a question of identity. And that relationship between who I am and what I do can be tricky,… even confusing. Too closely tying my identity to my work can lead towards a dehumanized, utilitarian view of my own humanity… while drawing a thick black line between who I am and what I do can lead to a kind of dysphoria … Carlos Whittaker has de...

2018-03-3148 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #22: Sandra McCrackenThe ways we move into and out of one another’s lives… the modality of relationship, is a matter of art. In fact, I resonate with Seth Godin’s definition of art as anything that facilitates human connection… including, in my own iteration of the definition, a relationship with one’s self. For nearly two decades Sandra McCracken has been making music that not only facilitates human connection, but has done so with a particularly thoughtful attentiveness. In our conversation, we consider whether or not it is that connection that makes art sacred… rather than a particular setting or u...

2018-03-1140 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #21: Dominique DuBois GilliardWelcome to episode 1 of season 3 of the @ Sea Podcast. My guest is Dominique DuBois Gilliard. Dominique is the director of racial righteousness and reconciliation for the Love Mercy Do Justice Initiative of Evangelical Covenant Church. He is also the author of Rethinking Incarceration, which is the focus of my conversation with him. We pick up as I’m finishing setup (full disclosure: we were both late to the interview site and I had to start before I was completely ready. Regardless, from the outset and throughout this unedited conversation, we cover some vital and rarely tr...

2018-02-091h 01

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #20: Julie Bindelin 1981, in Yorkshire, England, Peter William Sutcliffe was convicted of the murder of 13 women over a span of about 5 years. Police were criticized for there slowness of the investigation, the pace of which which appeared to pick up only after one of Suttcliffe’s victims turn out *not* to be a prostitute. Among those leveling criticism was Julie Bindel, who is my guest on this episode of the podcast. A teenager at the time, Julie took part in a series of protests, including one in which the public suggestion was made my that, instead of wo...

2017-09-2455 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Episode #19: Adam CaressI’m going go out on a limb and suggest that almost every music listener, even more casual fans, has been privy a conversation revolving around the idea of “selling out.” A conversation focused on what is happening or might happen to a band who is suddenly faced with the seemingly intractable dilemma… of making money. A conversation often highlighted by expressions and declarations of how much we liked their early work and how so and so might dig this band now, but doesn’t really get what they’re actually about. For an artists on the other side of...

2017-09-0454 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts Podcast Episode #18: Hanif AbduraquibArtists and critics have a famously contentious relationship. It can seem, at least, that the discipline of critiquing stands at odds to the discipline of creating it. Yet, I can’t think of really any professional artist who doesn’t hold some very pointed opinions about the work they consume (as well as their own. And I’ve yet to meet a professional critic whose attention to an art form didn’t at least begin in a sincere admiration for… if not love for… that same art form. My guest on this episode is poet and cultural critic Hanif...

2017-07-2725 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #17: Dr. Todd AllenSome of my guests make national news. They win Grammys or national book awards. But this will never be a podcast about what’s most popular or what’s trending, per se. My interest is in connecting you with great culture makers, because I believe what they do deepens and enriches our lives. My guest on this episode is Civil Rights professor and cultural curator Dr. Todd Allen. Since 2002, Dr. Todd has not only taught in the classroom on the history of the Civil Rights movement, but has led a bus tour to many of the sites vita...

2017-07-0125 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #16: Daniel White HodgeThis Friday, June 16, the Tupac Shakur Biopic “All Eyez on Me” hits theaters. The film is named after the rapper’s remarkable 1996 release “All Eyes On Me.” Since his death in September of that same year, conversation around and engagement with Tupac and his work has never really gone away. He’s one of those artists whose impact on his genre and culture is so deep that it still bears noting, two decades after his last contribution. For many of his listeners, the connection wasn’t just Tupac’s incredible talent, but the unapologetic way he granted the world access t...

2017-06-121h 00

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #15: Michael Wear ReturnsMy guest on this episode of the podcast is actually my first 2-time guest, Michael Wear. During season 1, Michael shared his unique angle on not just the idea of politics, but the human practice of politics. As someone who has lived and worked in Washington DC with the women and men who often end up characterized as either heroes or demons, Micheal sees the human interplay and the redemptive arc of American politics. His book, aptly entitled “Reclaiming Hope,” had not hit shelves last time we talked and I think it possesses a very intriguing corner of the pu...

2017-05-3139 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast # 14: Mark LabbertonMy guest on this episode is Mark Labberton. Mark is the author of three deeply insightful books and is most likely better known as the President of Fuller Theological Seminary. Mark’s work and friendship have often been, for me, a lifeline to hope when it comes to the communal, institutional practice of faith. When it comes to a particular group of human beings, practicing religious faith together, and the economic, political, vocational, racial soup that often is, there’s nothing I’ve seen that he hasn’t seen, nothing I know that he doesn’t know. An...

2017-05-1758 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #13: Ryan O’Neil (Sleeping At Last)A few nights ago, I took my newborn daughter, who was crying, into the small office space where I do most of my work, including recording and editing this podcast. I deftly navigated my laptop while holding her in the other arm… and started playing through some of my favorite songs. We listened to… Sigur Ros Jonsi and Alex Josh Ritter Kendrick Lamar and some older stuff from Tribe Called Quest. I could feel her breathing change with the music. She was captured, are are most people, by this incr...

2017-04-251h 03

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #12: PropagandaMy guest on this episode of the podcast is hip hop artist Propaganda. I have a somewhat poignant recollection of my fist real experience with hip-hop. On April 18, 1992, I was standing in the outfield of the Oakland Coliseum with thousands of other people like me. It was about 1 hr before Bono and U2 took the stage for a Bay Area stop of the Zoo tour and on the mic was an MC named Chuck D,. He was pacing the stage, delivering powerful, poetic lines with an authority and a focus I quite honestly hadn’t seen before in an ar...

2017-04-1033 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #11: Audrey AssadThe line between what is sacred and what some may call “secular” or “profane” is a famously difficult line to navigate. Volumes have been written and argued over regarding where that line is, how to recognize it and how to communicate that line to others. My guest on episode 11 is songwriter and advocate, Audrey Assad. Her work suggests that the real task might not be so much finding, navigating and communicating a line between where God is and where God isn’t … but sifting, granularly, through one’s own human experience in expectation and hope of discovering a multitude of di...

2017-03-2754 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #10: David DarkMy guest on Episode 10 of the @ Sea Podcast is author David Dark. I call him an “author,” perhaps because that’s what he may be best known for. But David is also a professor at Bellmont University in Tennessee, a huge music nerd, a collector of insights and wisdom and a kind of translator between the world as it is and the world we might expect/want it to be. Rather than living in or pointing to the clouds with visions of things as they ought to be, David, in just about all areas of his work, bends low to the...

2017-03-141h 06

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast Season 1 RecapWelcome to Season 2 of The @ Sea Podcast! Before we get into the actual interviews and guests that will make up Season 2, I thought it appropriate to look back at a few of the highlights from Season 1; moments that defined the season and helped see me what the podcast was actually about. We are learning to navigate the turbulent waters in which the practice and expression of faith finds itself. The past few years have been marked by a series of honest, poignant and in many cases, helpful critiques of religious culture. that the spaces and p...

2017-03-1230 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #8: Katelyn BeatyMy guest on episode 8 is author and journalist Katelyn Beaty. Christianity Today made Katelyn the first female managing editor in the magazine’s 60-year history. She also happened to be the youngest managing editor during that same time span. Earlier this year, she released her first book, Entitled “A Woman’s Place: A Christian Vision for your Calling in The Office, The Home and the World.” Most of our conversation focused on that book, which I found to be not only insightful but timely. This podcast puts you touch with great culture makers because I believe w...

2016-10-151h 10

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #7: David BazanSongwriter and artist David Bazan is my guest on Episode 7 of the @ Sea Podcast. David has been making music professionally since 1995, most notably, As the frontman for Pedro The Lion, the mind behind Headphones and most pertinent to the purposes of this podcast, as a solo artist. Among the many things I enjoy about David is that he is not a brand, nor does he aspire to be. He is an artist. He is a man making music and musical culture he believes benefits the lives of those who consume it. We get into his...

2016-09-051h 18

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #6: Jeremy CourtneyJeremy Courtney is my guest on episode #6 of the @ Sea Podcast. Along with his wife Jessica, he is the founder of the Preemptive Love Coalition, an organization describing themselves as “a global movement of peacemakers changing the way the world engages polarizing conflict by confronting fear with acts of love.” Here’s why I’ve asked Jeremy to be a guest: On August 2nd, 1990, Operation Desert Shield began, called by some the Persian Gulf War. I remember that time period clearly. I found myself blocking roadways in my hometown with groups of friends, each of us carryin...

2016-08-1340 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #5 with Michael McBrideIn Dallas, Texas On July 7th of this year, a heavily armed shooter fired upon a peaceful demonstration and the police officers who had been assembled to ensure the safety of those demonstrating. Two demonstrators were hurt. 5 officers died. the shooter was, reportedly, angered by the deaths of black men at the hands of police officers, specifically recent police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota… both of which were highly publicized and scrutinized as further evidence of the injustice dealt black citizens at the hands of law enforcement. And while there have been many vi...

2016-07-1735 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #4 with Jars of ClayJars of Clay has been living and working at the intersection of art, religion and advocacy for over 20years. We talked about early expectations for a successful band to how valuable that success is. We also discussed the usefulness of the word “christian,” and what it takes for a group of people to stick together for two decades. Because this was recorded during one of the dozen or so events the @ Sea team has hosted over the past four years, you’ll hear be start the evening with a bit of our philosophy and vision. You’ll a...

2016-06-2637 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #3: Michael WearMy guest for episode 3 is Michael Wear. Buzzfeed calls him one of President Obama’s “ambassadors to America’s believers.” Having worked in the White House office of Faith-Based initiateves, Michael Wear is recently the author of a book entitled “Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith In America.” We talk about working at the intersection of politics and faith, the relationship between House of Cards and reality and whether or not it actually matters if people participate in the political process. Michael is also a Buffalo Bills fan, which means...

2016-06-0551 min

At Sea with Justin McRoberts @ Sea Podcast #1: Gene Luen YangThe first installment of my first podcast, entitled “@Sea With Justin McRoberts,” is at iTunes. I am expecting this to become a significant part of my future and I’m glad you’ll be with me on these first few steps. Check it out. Gene Luen Yang is a writer and graphic novelist responsible for American Born Chinese and Boxers & Saints, both of which were nominated for National Book Awards. He is also the writer of DC’s “Superman” and will, this summer, be writing “New Superman” as part of DC’s Rebirth line. Gene and I talked about...

2016-04-3053 min