This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like: A Podcast on K-Pop Demon Hunters

In Episode 12 of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, teacher Sarah Crowder and pastor-writer Andy Jones begin with awards-season excitement around K-Pop Demon Hunters before turning to a deeply moving scene in Wake Up Dead Man.This episode explores pastoral presence, the power of listening, and the meaning of confession and absolution in the Christian tradition. What happens when someone hears, “You are forgiven,” and believes it?They discuss:• The ministry of presence in crisis• Confession and absolution explained clearly• Private vs. corporate forgiveness• The symbolism of the missing cross• Fortitude vs. grace in the life of the churchSpoiler warning: major plot details from Wake Up Dead Man are discussed.At its heart, this conversation asks: What does the Gospel actually sound like?

Sarah Crowder and Andy Jones discuss Wake Up Dead Man and what it reveals about faith, culture, and the church’s calling.This episode explores compassion versus culture wars, ministry among strangers, and how Jesus engaged the world with love and presence.This is what the gospel sounds like: you’re not alone!

Can a K-Pop Demon Hunters echo the gospel?In this finale of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, teacher and PhD student Sarah Crowder joins Lutheran pastor and author Andrew Jones for a deep, joyful conversation on loving our enemies, language, and the Trinity in K-Pop Demon Hunters.Together, they unpack what happens when faith meets culture; from the way language shapes how we hear Scripture to how grace defeats hate when nothing else can. You’ll hear reflections on church life, translation, Trinity analogies, and fan theories about Celine and Jinu that reveal something profoundly human and divine.What you’ll learn:• Why hate can’t heal the real enemy and what Jesus gives us instead• How biblical languages and cultural context shape faith• Where our favorite Trinity metaphors fall apart• Why stories like K-Pop Demon Hunters sound like good news• What hope might look like in the next chapter of this worldFeaturing clips from classroom conversations and pastoral insight, this episode brings together heart, humor, and theology, reminding us that grace is the last word.🎙 This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like - where film, faith, and friendship meet to explore how ordinary stories echo extraordinary grace.

In Episode 9 of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, Sarah Crowder and Pastor Andrew Jones dive into Take Down, one of the most intense songs from K-Pop Demon Hunters.What happens when faith meets failure, or when the desire to do right becomes another form of control? Sarah and Andy unpack how this scene captures the tension Luther called the life of the sinner and saint. They trace how Rumi’s fight echoes the human struggle to master what only grace can heal. Along the way, they explore what true Gospel sounds like, how vulnerability can turn from performance into healing, and why love always dismantles what power cannot.✨ In this episode you’ll hear:What makes Take Down a song of Law, not Gospel, and why that mattersRumi’s internal fight as a picture of the Christian lifeHow safe confession contrasts with forced vulnerabilityWhy the Gospel doesn’t destroy the sinner but restores the personThe rhythm of grace that disarms both pride and fear📖 Scripture and Themes: Romans 7, the two natures of believers, confession, freedom, forgiveness, and the communion of saints.💬 Reflection Questions:When have you felt the pull between control and grace?How does community help you confess honestly and live freely?🙏 Thanks for listening to This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like.If this episode helped you hear grace in a new way, share it or leave a quick note. Each listen helps others discover the beauty of the Gospel in unexpected places — even in K-Pop.

✨ In Episode 8 of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, Sarah Crowder and Pastor Andrew Jones dive into the opening song “Done Done Done” from K-Pop Demon Hunters. From Pharisees and self-righteousness to ramen, humor, and grace, this episode explores how the film captures both the silliness and seriousness of spiritual life.Together they discuss:Why Celine might remind us of the Pharisees and our own self-righteousnessHow Luther’s earthy humor (yes, even the fart jokes) points to a deeper theology of joyThe difference between Law and Gospel — what we “do” vs. what Christ has “done”Representation, creativity, and how God delights in diversity and good thingsThe power of art that invites us to be fans — receivers of grace rather than performers🎧 They also share stories from Korean baseball, ramen breaks, and even the Luther quote that proves humor can be holy.💬 Share your thoughts and theories in the comments! What gospel moments did you notice in K-Pop Demon Hunters?

This episode continues the discussion of the climactic song from K-Pop Demon Hunters. Sarah and Andy begin by recalling how the song “This Is What It Sounds Like” revisits earlier themes of the film — loss, identity, and the longing to belong.They notice how the reprise brings Rumi’s story full circle, showing both musical and emotional resolution. The focus is on sound as a way of expressing confession, grief, and hope. Sarah connects this to Christian theology: how honesty, vulnerability, and singing together reflect the Gospel’s movement from isolation to grace. They discuss how the movie captures the ache of wanting to be known and forgiven, and how the final performance becomes almost liturgical, a communal act of truth-telling.Throughout, they reflect on:The difference between performance and confessionThe emotional weight of music in expressing griefThe way the film uses sound and color to symbolize redemptionThe idea that beauty itself points us to resurrection hopeThe episode ends on a quiet note of gratitude, for art, for friendship, and for the ways music allows us to glimpse what the Gospel sounds like.

In Episode 6 of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, Sarah Crowder and Pastor Andrew Jones react to the climactic song “This Is What It Sounds Like” from K-Pop Demon Hunters. They reflect on how music expresses grief and hope, why harmony matters for community, and how the Gospel meets us in silence and suffering. From Tolkien’s Silmarillion to Mary’s Magnificat, the conversation connects pop culture and theology with honesty and hope, showing how Jesus sings a louder word into our lives: you are not alone, you are forgiven, and you belong to Him.Show NotesThe power of musical storytelling in “This Is What It Sounds Like”Tolkien’s vision of creation through song in The SilmarillionMary, Miriam, and Deborah as voices of faith and courageGrief, depression, and the Gospel word that speaks into silenceWhy vulnerability in music opens space for community

Can a K-pop song about freedom help us hear the Gospel? In this episode of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, Sarah Crowder and Andy Jones explore the song Free from K-pop Demon Hunters and connect it with themes of memory, shame, hope, and true Christian freedom.They reflect on how Rumi and Jinu’s stories reveal our longing to be seen and released from the weight of the past, and how the Gospel offers something greater. Through Christ, we are not defined by regret or self-doubt but set free by forgiveness and God’s promises.This conversation shows how K-pop Demon Hunters, Korean culture, and Christian faith can meet in surprising ways, reminding us that our past does not define us, that God sees us, and that in Christ we are truly free.✨ Topics in this episode:K-pop Demon Hunters and theologyHope, memory, and shameChristian freedom and forgivenessThe weight of sin and the promises of ChristBeing seen and loved by God🙌 Follow for more conversations that connect culture and the Gospel.

In Episode 4 of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, Sarah Crowder and Pastor Andrew Jones react to the song “Your Idol” from K-Pop Demon Hunters. They explore the double meaning of “idol” in K-pop culture and Christian theology, why distraction is one of Satan’s favorite tools, and how idols promise freedom but actually bring chains. The conversation contrasts false gospels with the true freedom of forgiveness and renewal in Christ.📖 Episode 4 Show NotesIn Episode 4 of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, Sarah Crowder and Pastor Andrew Jones react to the song “Your Idol” from K-Pop Demon Hunters. They reflect on the cultural and theological weight of the word “idol,” the way music can enchant and distract, and how false gospels twist the idea of freedom. The conversation draws on C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters, Latin chant in popular culture, and Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame to contrast the lies of idols with the forgiveness and true freedom found in Christ.✨ In this episode:The double meaning of “idol” in K-pop and theologyWhy distraction is one of Satan’s favorite toolsThe false gospel of “I will love your sin” vs. the true Gospel of forgivenessC.S. Lewis’s insights on temptation in Screwtape LettersLatin chant and Hunchback of Notre Dame as cultural echoes of judgment and grace

Can a Huntr/x song help us hear the Gospel? In this episode of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, Sarah Crowder and Andy Jones explore the song Golden from K-pop Demon Hunters and connect it with themes of identity, self doubt, truth, grace, and redemption.They reflect on how the story of Rumi and the other characters mirrors our longing for belonging and acceptance, and how the Gospel gives us something greater. Through Christ we are given a new identity in baptism, not based on performance but on God’s love and grace.This conversation shows how K-pop Demon Hunters, Korean culture, and Christian faith can meet in surprising ways, reminding us that we are never alone, that we belong to God, and that we are made golden in Christ.✨ Topics in this episode:K-pop Demon Hunters and theologyIdentity and self doubtGrace and redemption in ChristBaptism and new identityCommunity and belonging in faith🙌 Follow for more conversations that connect culture and the Gospel.

In Episode 2 of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like, Sarah Crowder and Pastor Andrew Jones explore the themes of shame, performance, and identity in K-Pop Demon Hunters. They discuss how the film’s characters long for belonging, the hope of found family, and the way baptism points us to true identity in Christ. Along the way they highlight the lies of performance, the power of renewal, and the Gospel that calls us beloved children of God.

🎧 Episode 1 Show NotesWelcome to Episode 1 of This Is What the Gospel Sounds Like!This is a spoiler-free invitation into the world of K-Pop Demon Hunters. Sarah Crowder and Pastor Andrew Jones react to the film, share first impressions, and explore why Christians might enjoy a story about idols, demons, and music. Together, they highlight the power of music in spiritual warfare, the importance of community worship, and how the Gospel exposes the lies of fear and deception.✨ Resources & LinksAndrew Jones’s book: Ten Lies Satan Loves to TellWatch the podcast on YouTube💬 Join the ConversationShare your thoughts: Should Christians watch K-Pop Demon Hunters?🙏 Thanks for listening!