Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview

Tag Archives: Podcasts


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A Few of My Favorite Things from 2025

As I have done for several years now, I am sharing my favorites in a variety of categories. All items listed were released or took place during 2025, except for books, which reflect books that I read during 2025, regardless of publication date. I hope you enjoy this list, and find some good recommendations.

Movies
Note: Just a few years ago, my wife Tammy and I would see at least one movie per week in the theater. The pandemic and actor and writer strikes changed our viewing patterns, and we have moved much more to home streaming.

Top Pick: Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning

Other movies that I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, were:

  • David
  • September 5
  • Nuremberg
  • Song Sung Blue
  • Paddington in Peru
  • Bono: Stories of Surrender
  • The Amateur
  • Eleanor the Great
  • F1
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

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A Few of My Favorite Things from 2024

As I have done for several years now, I am sharing my favorites for this year in a variety of categories. All items listed were released or have taken place during 2024, except for books, which reflect books that I read in 2024, regardless of publication date. I hope you enjoy this list!

Movies

Top Pick: A Complete Unknown

Other movies that I’ve enjoyed, in order, were:

    • The Boys in the Boat
    • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
    • Conclave
    • Reagan
    • Am I Racist?
    • Juror #2
    • Inside Out 2
    • Let it Be (2024 version)
    • Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice

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Growing in the Christian Life

How do you grow in the Christian life? A theological word for growing in your faith is sanctification. Question 35 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks what is sanctification? The answer is:

“Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.”

To grow in the Christian life, first of all, you should be a regular attender of a gospel believing and preaching church and consider being a member. You should get involved in a Bible study, discipleship group or small group at your church if they are offered. We learn a lot from our fellow believers, both biblical knowledge and wisdom in applying it – iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17).  But how do you grow between Sundays? I’ve developed a rhythm that I follow. As I share it, remember that I am retired. You can scale what you do to the time that you have available. Continue reading →


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2024 Mid-Year Favorites

As I have done for several years now, I am going share my favorites in a variety of categories. All items listed were released or have taken place during the first half of 2024, except for books, which reflect books that I read in 2024, regardless of publication date. I hope you enjoy this list! 

Movies

Top Pick: The Boys in the Boat 

Other movies that I’ve enjoyed, in order, were:  

  • Let it Be (2024 version) 
  • Unsung Hero 
  • Ordinary Angels 

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My 2023 Favorites

As I have done for several years now, I am going share my favorites in a variety of categories for 2023. All items listed were released or took place in 2023, except for books, which reflect books that I read in 2023, regardless of publication date. I hope you enjoy this list!

Movies

Top Pick: Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (read my review here).

Other movies I enjoyed, in order, were:

  • The Essential Church
  • Wonka
  • Sound of Freedom
  • Air
  • Jesus Revolution
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
  • Surprised by Oxford

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My 2023 Mid-Year Favorites

As I have done for several years now, I am going share my favorites in a variety of categories for 2022. All items listed were released or took place in 2022, except for books, which reflect books that I read in 2022, regardless of publication date. I hope you enjoy this list!

Movies

Top Pick: Air (read my review here).

Other movies I enjoyed, in order, were:

  • Jesus Revolution
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Books

Top Pick: Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin Hansen
(read my review here).

 Other books I enjoyed, in order, were:

  • Providence – John Piper
  • Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? by Tim Keller
  • Worthy: Living in Light of the Gospel – Sinclair Ferguson
  • Galatians: An Expositional Commentary – R.C. Sproul
  • The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most          of Your Message by John Maxwell
  • The Sacred Meaning of Everyday Work by Robert Tribken

MUSIC:

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My 2022 Mid-Year Favorites


As I have done for several years now, I’m going share my favorites in a variety of categories for the first half of 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced this list once again, as we have not been to a conference and have seen very few movies. All items listed were released in 2022, with the exception of books, which reflect books that I read in 2022, regardless of publication date. I hope you enjoy this list!

Movies

Top Pick: Top Gun: Maverick. Here’s my review.

Other films that I have enjoyed, in order, were:

  • Belfast
  • King Richard
  • CODA
  • Jurassic World: Dominion
  • Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Books

Top Pick: Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman. Here’s my review.

Other books I have enjoyed, in order, have been:

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More Favorite Books, Music, Television, Blogs, Podcasts, Apps, Concerts, Conferences and Recommended Resources

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2021 Favorites


As I have for several years, I’m sharing some of my personal favorites in a variety of categories for the year of 2021. As with 2020, this list will look a little different from previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as we have been to only one concert and one conference, and we saw very few films this year.
Except for books, these are all items that were released in 2021. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve read this year, regardless of when the book was originally published.
Enjoy, and please let me know what you think of my list, as well as what would be on your list.

Movies
Top Pick: No Time to Die. Read my review here.

The remainder of my top 5 films were:

  1. American Underdog
  2. S. Lewis: The Reluctant Convert
  3. West Side Story
  4. In the Heights

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  • More favorite Music, Books, Blogs, Podcasts, Apps, Television, Conferences and Concerts.

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2021 Mid-Year Favorites


As I have for several years, I’m sharing some of my favorites in a variety of categories for the first half of 2021. As with 2020, this list will look a little different from previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as we have not been to any concerts or conferences, and we have seen very few films thus far this year.
Except for books, these are all items that were released in 2021. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve read this year, regardless of when the book was originally published.
Enjoy, and please let me know what you think of my list, as well as what would be on your list. Continue reading →


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My 2020 Favorites

As has been my practice for several years, I want to share with you my favorites for 2020 in a variety of categories. (Here is my list from 2019). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s list will look very different from past years, as concerts and conferences have been cancelled and movie theatres have been closed.

Except for books, and the film A Hidden Life (a 2019 film that wasn’t available for me to see until 2020), these are all items that were released in 2020. For books, I include my favorite books that I read during 2020, regardless of when the book was published.

Enjoy, and please let me know what you think of my list, as well as what would be on your list.

Movies

Top Pick: A Hidden Life (read my review here).

Other films I enjoyed, in no particular order, were:

      • Hamilton
      • Just Mercy
      • 1917

Music: Albums

Top Pick: Patient Kingdom – Sandra McCracken (read my review here)

Here are the rest of my Top 10 albums of 2020:

  1. The Life of Christ Quintology – Keith and Kristyn Getty (and friends)
  2. Rough and Rowdy Ways – Bob Dylan
  3. McCartney III – Paul McCartney
  4. Restoration – Lecrae
  5. Out of Body – NEEDTOBREATHE
  6. Chris Tomlin and Friends – Chris Tomlin
  7. Live from the Forum MMXVIII – Eagles
  8. Blues with Friends – Dion
  9. Let There Be Wonder – Matt Redman

Other albums I enjoyed, in no particular order, were:

  • American Standard – James Taylor
  • Christ Be All EP – Grace Worship
  • The Lost Demos EP – TobyMac
  • Evensong – Hymns and Lullabies at The Close of Day – Keith and Kristyn Getty
  • Letter to You – Bruce Springsteen
  • A Drummer Boy Christmas – for King & Country
  • Vintage – Shane and Shane

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