Viral Jesus

Today Heather sits down with José Bourget, assistant vice president for faith engagement at Andrews University, for an eye-opening conversation about the chills and spills of being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as an adult. More than 8 million US adults are affected by the disorder. If you have ADHD, your brain doesn’t work in the same way that a neurotypical brain may process the world. It’s not all in your head. José has learned that an important part of living with ADHD is understanding what it is, and what it isn’t. What is neurodivergence? What are “ADHD Monsters,” and why do ADHD brains create them? And what are the strategies neurodivergent people often employ to solve their problems? If you have been wondering what ADHD is, or how to better understand a loved one with ADHD, this episode is for you. José wants everyone with ADHD to remember, your brain is not broken. In today’s episode Heather also welcomes back our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer. In what may be a controversial opinion for some, Brady explains why congregations without access to good technology shouldn’t livestream their services. Whether you agree or disagree with his take, Brady’s tips will challenge you to think harder about your church’s use of streaming technology. Guest Bio José Bourget is the Assistant Vice President for Faith Engagement at Andrews University in Michigan. He has served as a university chaplain and pastor for over ten years. Find José’s sermon here. He recommends Your Brain’s Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD by Tamara Rosier. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Sign up for Heather’s encouraging devotional email, which goes out every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST, at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the final session of our three-part podclass “Disrupting American gods.” Today Heather sits down with hip-hop artist Kevin “KB” Burgess, as he unpacks the themes of his latest book Dangerous Jesus. KB wants us to meet a Jesus who questions the status quo, threatens those seeking to divide us, and teaches us radical love of others. This conversation also reveals how KB discovered his call to music and ministry. Plus, KB shares his perceptive analysis of how Christians are seen in today’s popular culture. In this episode Heather also taps into a lighter conversation with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet in Safe Space, our new segment where Heather and Scarlett share their candid takes on social media, popular culture, much more. Today they discuss the ethics and economics of featuring family in social media. Should parents who have monetized their platform, and who rely on their children as a source of content, pay their children? Let’s talk it out. Guest Bio Kevin “KB” Burgess is a Dove Award–winning rapper, speaker, and podcaster. With four full-length albums to his name—including 2020’s His Glory Alone, for which he won the Dove Award for Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year—the multi-hyphenate artist is an inimitable force on today’s scene. He has become a No. 1 hitmaker and has received critical acclaim for his studio releases with placement on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart and top 5 on Billboard’s Top Rap Album Chart. KB is cohost of the popular podcast Southside Rabbi. His latest book is called Dangerous Jesus. Furthermore, HGA—a movement he spearheaded made up of multiethnic urban men and women from all walks of life—has amassed a loyal following around the globe. Although KB wears many hats, his greatest joy is being a husband to Michelle and a father to their three children. Host Bio Heather Thompson Dayis an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, includingI’ll See You TomorrowandIt’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter@HeatherTDayand on Instagram@heatherthompsonday. Sign up for Heather’s encouraging devotional email, which goes out every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST, atwww.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesusis a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather sits down with writer, speaker, and theologian Kaitlyn Schiess to discuss her latest book, The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics. Today’s episode is part two of our three-part pod-class on “Disrupting American gods.” Kaitlyn will explain the history of using the Bible as a prop in American politics, and she’ll also share her illuminating definition of “Christian nationalism,” a term we have heard a lot of in recent years. In this episode Heather also taps into lighter subject matter with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet in this week’s Safe Space convo. This go-round, Heather and Scarlett debate the pros and cons of unfollowing people online. Host Bio Heather Thompson Dayis an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, includingI’ll See You TomorrowandIt’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter@HeatherTDayand on Instagram@heatherthompsonday. Sign up for Heather’s encouraging devotional email, which goes out every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST, atwww.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesusis a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today Heather sits down with Garrison Hayes, a content creator and former pastor, who has been called “TokTok’s unofficial history professor and documentarian.” As a scholar of forgotten Black history, and a talented filmmaker to boot, Garrison has garnered millions of views for his videos, including his much-talked-about TikTok on the history of whiteness. In fact, when Heather saw Garrison’s provocative overview of how white people became white people, she found it so fascinating that she asked him to come on the podcast to discuss it further.In their lively conversation, Garrison also reveals why he believes God designed the Sabbath to be an instrument of disruption. This week marks the kickoff of “Disrupting American gods,” our latest pod-class series. Over the next three episodes, Heather and her guests will explore America’s uses and abuses of race, politics, and religion. This series will stretch your thinking and deepen your faith. Elsewhere in this episode Heather also chats with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet in our new Safe Space segment, where Heather and Scarlett discuss social media, popular culture, and other topics of interest. Today they discuss a TikTok by Julia Mazur that went viral over the weekend after she shared what her Saturday looks like as a 29-year-old single woman. Guest Bio Garrison Hayes produces innovative short documentaries for his community of 300,000+ followers on TikTok. He also has a massive Instagram presence with over 100,000 followers there. He explores the hidden or forgotten corners of Black history, faith, and politics, as well as his love of books. Additional Links Garrison’s TikTok on the history of whiteness: https://www.tiktok.com/@garrisonhayes/video/7258002292928974122?lang=en Here is an article giving more context to this week’s Safe Space conversation about a young woman’s unexpectedly controversial viral video about the joys of singleness:https://www.eviemagazine.com/post/viral-29-and-single-tiktok-sparks-heated-debate-single-life-married-life Sign up for Heather’s encouraging devotional email, which goes out every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST, atwww.heatherthompsonday.com/links Host Bio Heather Thompson Dayis an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, includingI’ll See You TomorrowandIt’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter@HeatherTDayand on Instagram@heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesusis a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today Heather sits down with Jeffrey Harmon, the chief content officer of Angel Studios, to discuss the art, craft, and unconventional marketing strategies that have made both The Chosen television series and the film Sound of Freedom surprise hits in their respective mediums. Based on the true story of a US government agent who quits his job to devote his life to rescuing children from global child traffickers, Sound of Freedom stars Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) in the lead role of Tim Ballard. Jeffrey Harmon says a key goal of the film is to put a spotlight on the global movement to end the trafficking of minors by successfully distributing the film to a worldwide audience. But even as it outperforms erstwhile blockbusters like Indiana Jones and Mission: Impossible, controversy and skepticism have surrounded Sound of Freedom, with some leaders of anti-trafficking ministries and organizations leaders concerned that it overly sensationalizes the real work of battling traffickers and rescuing abducted children. Other critics allege that it’s linked to the extreme-right QAnon conspiracy movement. Heather asks Jeffrey about the QAnon connections head-on. Tune in to hear his impassioned response to those questions and much more on how Angel Studios learned to make its projects go viral. In this episode Heather also talks with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet in Safe Space, a new segment in which Heather and Scarlett discuss social media and popular culture. Today, they talk about whether or not parents should take their kids to see Barbie. It was announced this week that the film became Warner Bros.’ best-selling global release of all time reaching more than $1.2 billion in sales. Heather and Scarlett are totally different. They don’t share the same religion or background, but they’ve done a good job of creating a Safe Space for both meaningful and casual conversation. Guest Bio Jeffrey Harmon is a cofounder and Chief Content Officer of Angel Studios. He's also a cofounder of the Harmon Brothers advertising agency, which has helped clients drive over $350 million in sales with over 1.3 billion online views. Based in Utah, Jeffrey hails from a Mormon family—another topic of ardent discussion over the years in the evangelicals spaces that he often occupies. Additional Links For a free ticket to Sound of Freedom, go to angel.com/freeticketsYou can sign up for Heather’s encouraging email that goes out every Friday night at 7pm EST at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back Viral Jesus family! Many of you asked over the summer if you could have more mental health episodes so we wasted no time in giving you exactly what you wanted. Episode 1 of season 4 is here with an incredibly thoughtful and wise conversation with TikTok's favorite trauma therapist, Kobe Campbell. *Trigger warning* Heather and Kobe do discuss mental health and trauma, and there is a point where Kobe discusses suicide. Heather also asks Kobe what her thoughts are on the dangers of TikTok therapy, and whether or not she thinks social media has created an oversimplification of therapy terminology that has been harmful to our generation. You will find this conversation incredibly insightful and we hope it also leaves you feeling hopeful about any trauma you’ve endured. In today’s episode Heatherintroduces a new segment called Safe Space. This is where she sits down with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet to discuss social media and popular culture. Heather and Scarlett are totally different. They don’t share the same religion or background, but as BFFs they’ve done a good job of creatinga safe space for both meaningful and casual conversation. Guest Bio Kobe Campbell is an award-winning licensed trauma therapist, bestselling author and transformative leader. She uses TikTok to create posts (that often go viral) about teaching people real-life applications for her clinical study. Her latest book is called Why Am I Like This? How to Break Cycles, Heal from Trauma and Restore Your Faith. Additional Links You can sign up for Heather’s encouraging email that goes out every Friday night at 7pm EST at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is our last episode of season 3, and we are pulling out all the stops. If you are a parent trying to figure out how to raise your kids in the age of social media and nonstop technology access, this episode is a great place to start. Heather sits down with the award-winning author Mandy Majors to discuss three practical ideas for how to navigate the toils and snares of this digital age. Today’s episode concludes our “3 Things That Could Change Your Life” series. If you’re jumping into our “3 Things” pod-class series for the first time with this episode, we encourage you to also catch part 1 with pastor and author Mark Batterson and part 2  with humorist and speaking coach Mary R. Snyder. In today’s episode Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer. Heather and Brady discuss why Facebook Reels may be the best-kept secret for reaching your audience and community. Guest Bio Mandy Majors is the author of the award-winning book, TALK, and Keeping Kids Safe in a Digital World. She is the co-host of the podcast nextTalk. She is also a speaker and the founder of nextTalk, a nonprofit organization passionate about creating a culture of honest conversation in homes, churches, and schools to keep kids safe in a digital world. Additional Links You can sign up for Heather’s encouraging weekly email that goes out every Friday night at 7pm ET at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. And remember to mark your calendar for season 4 of Viral Jesus, coming your way August 24. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two communication questions Heather gets without fail every season are: How can I become a better public speaker? and How do I break into the Christian speaking circuit?  If one or both of these questions have ever crossed your mind, then this episode is for you. Today Heather sits down with speaking coach Mary R. Snyder to discuss everything about public speaking—from working a stage, to finding your passion, to negotiating your pay. As a Christian entrepreneur, Mary also challenges her students to grow in their relationship with Christ even as they hone their public-speaking craft. This episode is part two of our season-ending series, “Three Things That Could Change Your Life.” Last week pastor and best-selling author Mark Batterson gave us three words that have the power to transform our friends, enemies, and everyone in between. And today Mary Snyder shares her three tips for raising our public-speaking game. Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer, about the concept of feast or famine on social media. Brady’s tips will help you add more tools to your Social Toolkit.  Guest Bio For over two decades, MaryR. Snyder has been paving the way in Christian event production. A speaker and coach herself, Mary is dedicated to helping others become successful public speakers through her podcast, Take the Stage, and course, Activate Your Speaking Career. Hear stories of influence from some of today’s most talented voices while learning how you too can turn your passion into a career with help from the expert. Visit www.maryrsnyder.com for more information.   Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we launch our final pod-class series of the season: “Three Things That Could Change Your Life.” In this three-part series, we speak with three Christian thought leaders about their three areas of expertise and ask them to share simple strategies that everyday people can implement in their daily lives. We are thrilled to open this series with Pastor Mark Batterson, the bestselling author of The Circle Maker. Mark tells Heather why three simple words—Please, Sorry, and Thanks—have the power to change the lives of those who love you, those who hate you, and everyone in between. Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer. Heather and Brady discuss why you should be making your online videos shorter. Brady’s tips will add more tools to your Social Toolkit. Guest Bio Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. Mark holds a doctor of ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times bestselling author of 23 books, including Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything and Win the Day: 7 Daily Habits to Help You Stress Less & Accomplish More, as well as several books for children, including The Best Worst Day Ever, written with his daughter Summer Batterson Dailey. Mark and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill and have three children. Find him on social media @MarkBatterson. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is session 2 of our two-part pod-class series “I Think I Need a Therapist.” If you’re a stickler for listening to podcasts in their sequential order and you missed last week’s episode, you may want to hit pause and play session 1 first. But you’ll find the conversations valuable in whichever order you listen to them. Today Heather sits down with family therapist Sarah Bontrager, a friend and former colleague from Heather’s Colorado Christian University days. In their candid conversation, Sarah talks about her own experience in therapy after her son Ben’s cancer diagnosis. Sarah also offers her perspective on how to know when you should see a therapist, the difference between clinical depression and situational depression, and navigating symptoms of anxiety. In this episode, Sarah also shares a deeply personal testimony of an encounter she had with Jesus. What if, in your life, Jesus turns out to be exactly who he said he is? Sarah’s story will leave you with a deeper awareness of God’s presence. Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer, about online trolling. What do we do when someone posts something about us that’s insensitive or intentionally harsh? Brady’s tips will help you add more tools to your Social Toolkit.  Guest Bio Sarah Bontrager is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, an assistant professor of psychology at Colorado Christian University, and a PhD student in Philosophy of Performance Psychology. She is a Colorado native and lives in Golden with her husband of 22 years, Dr. Jeff Bontrager, and their four children—Ethan (20), Sam (15), Benjamin (13), and Isabella (10). Sarah has been in private practice since 2008 and is passionate about engaging authentically with relevant, pressing mental health and faith issues with teens, athletes, families, couples, and children. Her specialties include working with depression and anxiety, life-stage adjustments, performance issues, faith questions, parenting, trauma, grief, and family relationships. Outside of work, Sarah loves to cook, lead worship, and spend time with her friends and family, skiing, hiking, camping, and traveling. Additional Links Join Heather and Beth Moore at the next Living Proof LIVE event at National Church of God in Washington, DC, June 9 and 10. Buy tickets at https://www.lproof.org/events. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices