The Mockingcast

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Lieutenant Dan season, holy inconvenience, millennial oversocialization, and playful faith. Also, Sarah buys a rebellious sweatshirt while RJ comes to terms with his inner delivery boy. Click here to watch the toddler yacht rock Dave and Sarah mention Click here to order a copy of the Beauty Issue of The Mockingbird Magazine Click here to register for the NYC Mbird Conference (4/23-25) Click here to read "Lieutenant Dan Season" by Matt Lindeman on Mbird Click here to read "The Ugly Side of the Truth" by Gretchen Ronnevik Click here to read "In 2026, We are Friction-Maxxing" by Kathryn Jezer-Morton in The Cut Click here to read "Oversocialization, the Shackles of the Millennial Generation" by Freddie deBoer Click here to read "Whatever Ails You, the Answer Is Dance" by Boris Fishman in The NY Times Click here to read "Blessed Are the Pickleball Players" by Dave in Christianity Today

Last episode of the year, in which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Knives Out, self-checkout lines, optional futures, and how not to hate Christmas. Also, Sarah gets a Zippo while heaven and earth meet at an unlikely funeral. Click here to read Dave's review of Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man on Mbird Click here to read Valerie Trapp's piece in The Atlantic on "The One Line Americans (Weirdly) Choose to Wait In" Click here to "From Option to Obligation" by Paul Skallas in the Lindy Newsletter Click here to read Sarah's "No More Flaccid Christmas Stockings" on Mbird Click here to read David Clay's "How to Not Hate Christmas" on Mbird Click here to read "Faith's Long December" by Kyle Wells on Mbird Click here to watch the performance of "Fairytale of New York" at Shane MacGowan's funeral

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk advent calendars, perfectionist musicians, interrupting mothers, and the Batman effect. The gang also takes a field trip to an acute mental health ward across the pond. Click here to respond to the opening appeal. Click here to read Ellen Cushing's "Advent Calendars Are Totally Out of Control" in The Atlantic. Click here to read "The Quest for Perfection Is Stunting Our Society" by Jonathan Biss in The NY Times. Click here to read "Can You Stop?" by Heather Havrilesky on Ask Polly Click here for the abstract of the study on The Batman Effect Click here to read William Fagan's article on Mbird, "Advent Has a Purpose (Candle Lighting Isn't It)"

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk picky eaters, shameless monsters, wartime tragedies, and the uselessness of God. Also, RJ wets the bed (and never looks back). Click here to listen to the recordings from the recent Mbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA. Click here to read "In Defense of Picking Eating" by Irina Dumistrescu on Serious Eats. Click here to read Belle Tindall's piece on Seen and Unseen, "We Needs a Sense of Shame -- But Need Mercy Even More." Click here for more details about the 2026 NYC Mbird Conference (4/23-25). Click here to read "The End of Ed Kochanowski's War" in The Boston Globe. Click here to read "A (Reluctant) Living Testimony" by Amanda Geisinger on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah and Dave talk intentional everything, morbid curiosity, Methodist exorcists, and Hollywood epiphanies. Also, Sarah praises her favorite horror film, while the boys gush about Task. Click here to register for our Fall Conference in Charlottesville, VA (11/14&15) Click here to read When Did Everything Become So ‘Intentional’? by Marie Solis in the NY Times Click here to read The Perks of Morbid Curiosity by Coltan Scrivener in The Atlantic Click here to read "Exponents of Falsehood" by Jason Micheli on Mbird Click here to listen to the Mcast episode Sarah mentions, "What Am I Gonna Do About the Demons?" Click here to read the interview with Anthony Hopkins in the NY Times Click here to read "It's a Beautiful Day to Yell at God" by Sarah Condon on Mbird

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk painless tattoos, workaholic scripts, sloppy social media, and Japanese lifesavers. Also, Sarah gets down with a theater full of fifth graders before singing with church full of Norwegians. Closing music courtesy of Voice of Joy. Click here for more details about -- or to register for -- the Fall Mbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA (11/14&15). Click here to read in the Atlantic about how "People Are Getting Tattoos Under Anesthesia." Click here to watch the short film, Beneath the Ink. Click here to read "If I Work Harder, Will You Love Me?" by Arthur Brooks in the Atlantic. Click here to read "We Are the Slop" by Freya India in the After Babel newsletter. Click here to read Dave's piece "Grace in a Time of Line-Drawing and Statement-Making" on Mbird. Click here to read about "The Pastor Who Rescues People from Japan’s ‘Suicide Cliff’" by Kazusa Okaya in Christianity Today. Click here to find out more about Voice of Joy, the Norwegian gospel choir Sarah mentions who also close the show.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk silent retreats, repentant writing, alien mercy, and Hallmark movies. Also, RJ goes Confucian while Dave spitballs a new kind of Dry January. Click here to read Ben Brasch's article "Silent Retreats Are Surging in Popularity" in the Washington Post. Click here to read Lauren Jackson's newsletter on "The Pscyhological Value of Repentance" in the NY Times. Click here to read Sarah's "Grace in an Age of Vengeance" on Mbird. Click here to read Ashley Hales's interview with Elizabeth Bruenig in Christianity Today, "Alien Mercy." Click here to read Elizabeth Bruenig's lengthy essay "Witness" in The Atlantic. Click here to read Matt Metevelis's piece on Mbird "The Gospel Is Not Your Happy Ending." Click here for more information about, or to pre-register for, the Fall Mbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA (Nov 14&15).

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk predatory advice-giving, suspicious mission statements, unloving algorithms, and atoning physicians. Also, Dave's son wins a big award. Click here to read Russell Shaw's article in the Atlantic, "When Your Kid’s Best Friend Is a Great Big Problem." Click here to read the NY Times interview with Brene Brown. Click here to read NBW's "Sufficiently Suspicious" newsletter. Click here to read "Excuses, Excuses" by Sam Bush on Mbird. Click here to read "A Family Doctor's Search for Salvation" in the New Yorker.

In the season premiere, RJ, Sarah and Dave talk nightmare summers, tween retailers, ethical checklists, and the deadliest addiction of all. We also learn the whole point of Sarah. Click here to read Dave's post on "Lessons from a (Miserable) Summer on Crutches". Click here to read Ellen Cushing's "What Claire's Once Gave Tween Girls" on The Atlantic. Click here to read "The Pain of Perfectionsism" by Leslie Jamison on The New Yorker. Click here to read "Bad Brains" by James Kimmel Jr on Slate. Click here to read "Jesus Doesn't Care When You Wake Up" by Todd Brewer on Mbird. Click here for more details -- or to pre-register -- for the Fall Mockingbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA (Nov 14&15).

Mockingcasters looking for something to listen to while the crew is on summner hiatus, look no further! We're cross-posting the first episode of the new season of our Terrible Parables podcast, "The Hawaiian Shirt Guy at a Wedding" in which long time Mockingbird contributors Cali Yee, Todd Brewer and Bryan Jarrell parse the parable of the Wedding Banquet that Jesus tells in Matthew 22:1-14. Listen to more episodes of Terrible Parables on Spotify Listen to more episodes of Terrible Parables on Apple Click here to order a copy of the Law & Gospel issue of The Mockingbird Magazine

In their last episode before the summer hiatus, RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk afternoon pop-ins, cigarette nostalgia, do-gooder derogation, and rejected generations. Also, RJ watches Cobra Kai while Sarah's son (thankfully) opts not to take over the world. To respond to the opening appeal, visit www.mbird.com/support. Click here to read Patricia Shannon's column, "Let's Bring Back the Lost Art of the Afternoon Visit" in Southern Living Click here to read Vox's Future Perfect newsletter about do-gooder derogation by Sigal Samuel Click here to read David Brooks' article "We Are the Most Rejected Generation" in the NY Times Click here to read "Nepo Babies and the Economy of Grace" by Chris Wachter on Mbird The closing song, used with permission, is "Miracle Service" by Andy Squyres, which you can find on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk marketing trauma, cultural decline, and the pluses and minuses of the silent treatment. Also, Sarah goes on a date to WalMart, while RJ tries real hard to be the shepherd. Click here to read Ellen Cushing's article "The Brands Are Very Sorry About Your Trauma." Click here to read Is This the Worst-Ever Era of American Pop Culture? by Spencer Kornhaber. Click here to read "Deafening Silence" by Sam Bush on Mbird. Click here to read David Marchese's interview with Ocean Vuong in the NY Times.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Pope Francis, dirty dishes, eternal life, and Dave's new book, The Big Relief. Also, RJ bleeds in the pulpit while Sarah takes us to the alley. Click here to listen to (and watch) Gregory Porter sing "Take Me to the Alley". Click here to read Ellen Cushing's "There Are Two Types of Dishwasher People" in the Atlantic. Click here to read "The Work of Small Talk" from the Oliver Bateman Does the Work substack. Click here to order Dave's book, The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World. Click here to listen to the interview that RJ mentions (Dave on Give + Take with Scott Jones). Or here to watch it. Click here to read Bryan Jarrell's piece, "Eternal Life Is Not Embarrassing" on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk comic marriages, unruly kids, brainwashed Christians and Lenten props. Also, RJ recounts his favorite ever baptism while Sarah revises her opinion of frozen margaritas. Click here to register for the NYC Conference. Click here to pre-register Dave's new book, The Big Relief. Click here to read Olga Khazan's article about "What Comedians Know About Staying Married". Click here to watch Conan O'Brien's acceptance speech for the Mark Twain Award. Click here to read "In Praise of Unruly Children in Church" by Phil Christman in The Christian Century. Click here to read "It's Always the Other Side That's Brainwashed" by Nikhil Krishnan in The New Yorker. Click here to read Ben Maddison's article on "The Dangers of Prop Comedy" on Mbird. Episode title courtesy of Jon Guerra's song "Citizens", used with permission.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk trend fatigue, athletic nepotism, and toxic preconditions. Also, RJ ponders South Korean babies while Sarah balks at a decision-making expert's decision. Click here to register for the upcoming Mbird Conference in New York City (5/1-3) Click here to read Callie Holtermann's "Too Many Trends!" in The New York Times Click here to read about LeBron James and the Limits of Nepotism in The Atlantic Click here to read Oliver Burkeman's newsletter about "Toxic Preconditions" Click here to read "The Last Decision by the World’s Leading Thinker on Decisions" by Jason Zweig in the Wall Street Journal Click here to read David Clay's "A Mercy Hidden in Judgment"

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk gracious dermatology, religious resurgence, endemic narcissism, and alto harmonies. Also, Sarah sings some spirituals while RJ watches some cows. Click here to read "Dr Pimple Popper Knows You Can't Look Away" by Eve Peyser Click here to read Ruth Graham's report on how Christianity’s Decline in U.S. Appears to Have Halted in the NY Times Click here to read Tony Robinson's post "Getting Over Ourselves" on Mbird Click here to read NBW's substack "Nobody Is Doing This Right (Except Me)" Click here to read "Singing Myself Back to Life" by Susan Swetnam in Commonweal The closing song is "I See the Birds" by Jon Guerra. Used with permission. Click here to purchase on Apple or here to purchase on Bandcamp, or here to listen on Spotify.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk relationship recessions, trustafarian guilt, providential nuns, and revitalized churches. Also, Sarah throws a Galentine's party for the ages. Click here to order a copy of the Holy Spirit issue of The Mockingbird, or here to subscribe to the magazine Click here to register for our upcoming NYC Conference (5/1-3) Click here to read about America's 'Marriage Material' Shortage in The Atlantic Click here to read Elizabeth Callen's piece "Dying Alone?" on Mbird Click here to read New York Magazine's profile of "People With Parents With Money" Click here to read Lawrence Wright's essay about "The Nuns Trying to Save the Women on Texas's Death Row" in The New Yorker Click here to read "Stirring Up Hope" by Paul Zahl on Mbird

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk attention wars, inner critics, and middle school drama teachers. Also, RJ learns what HALT stands for, while Sarah gets her playdates mixed up. Click here to learn more about (or order!) the Holy Spirit Issue of The Mockingbird Click here to watch_ The Turnaround_ Click here to read "You're Being Aliented From Your Attention" by Chris Hayes Click here to read Rhik Samadder's article about The Ick in The Guardian Click here for "People Lash Out When They're Sad" by Heather Havrilesky, via Ask Polly Click here to read The False Gospel of Our Inner Critic" by Steve Cuss in Christianity Today Click here to read "You Can't Choose Your Grace" by Ben Fort on Mbird

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk diminished partying, fearful motivations, radical saints, and the difference between spells and prayers. Also, Sarah shares what will happen when all the yards are finally mowed. Click here for more details about our Spring Conference in NYC (5/1-3) Click here to pre-order Dave's new book, The Big Relief Click here to read Oshan Jarow's newsletter about mediation for Vox. Click here to read about Americans Need to Party More by Ellen Cushing in The Atlantic. Click here to read Elizabeth Kolbert's essay in The New Yorker, "Does One Emotion Rule All Our Ethical Judgments?" Click here to read James Parker's piece on "The Saint America Needs Right Now." Click here to read "Spells and Prayers" by Alan Jacobs on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk peak reviewing, Martha Stewart's redemption, and Vietnamese recovery. Also, Spotify brings Dave full circle while Sarah uncovers a lost monologue from an 80s classic. Click here to read "Whatever You Do, Don't Review This" by Eric Taub in the NY Times. Click here to read Belle Tindall's "What Spotify Wrapped Really Tells Us About Ourselves" on Seen & Unseen. Click here to read Elizabeth Bernstein's column on "The Micropolitics of Family Gift Giving" in the WSJ. Click here to read about "Martha Stewart and the Pursuit of Perfection" on Mbird, courtesy of Sam Bush. Click here to read "Finding Sobriety--and Jesus--in Vietnam's Christian Rehabs" by Angela Lu Fulton in CT. Click here to read Mbird's list of Favorite Christmas Movies. Click here to listen to Sarah C's recent sermon, "The Tragic Gap of Advent." Click here to read the original script for Trains, Planes, and Automobiles. The scene Sarah references is on pages 119-122. Finally, click here to give a yearend gift to Mockingbird. We'll be back in mid-January!