Episodes

"From Indiana to Columbia - An Interview with Bryce Worrell" — Season 09, Episode 02

Episode #100, here it is! After 8 years, Josh and Betsy have reached the top of Mount Everest. Okay, well, actually they have just recorded episode #100 of Intersect. Take a tour down memory lane as they blitz through those one hundred episodes category by category. Categories include memorable interviews, shows on parenting, technology, mental health and so much more. What has been your favorite episode of Intersect? This one goes out to all our listeners and viewers. Thank you for being a part...

"Sports Gambling Will Kill Us All" -- Season 08, Episode 10

"Should Josh LooksMax??" - Season 08, Episode 09

The sun is shining, the bees are buzzing, and Josh and Betsy are still reading various and sundry books. Listeners and viewers of Intersect Podcast have always appreciated their book reviews, so on this Spring Reading Roundup Josh and Betsy each share about three books they have read over the past few months. You may want to read these books . . . or not! Either way, enjoy. BOOKS REVIEWED: "Mother Emanuel" -- Kevin Sack "Freeing Celibacy" -- Donald Cozzens "Nobody's Girl" -- Virginia Roberts Giu...

Betsy has now had a flip phone for two months! Josh wants to know if this is realistic. Can she keep it going? Do we have to all have smart phones? If you will never get rid of your smartphone what can you do to be less addicted and chained to it? Are we losing boredom and does that matter? This and more! https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/style/teens-social-media.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/style/luddite-teens-reunion.html https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/opinion/teen-luddite-smar...

“All sins are the same.” “I can do all things through Christ…” “All our works are filthy rags…” “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” There are a lot of bumper sticker slogans that Christians toss around. But are these statements biblically accurate? On this episode Josh and Betsy are joined by Dr. Seth Scott, the head of the counseling department at Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina. This discussion on Christians fallacies provides a rich window into what Go...

Are limitations good or bad? Are limitations a result of humanity’s fall into sin, or a part of being a creature? Is it wrong to try to transcend our limitations? Shouldn’t we try to be as productive as possible and to optimize our health and lifestyle? Josh and Betsy dive into these questions and more with award winning author Dr. Kelly Kapic. Dr. Kapic’s 2022 book, Your Only Human, won Christianity Today’s award that year for the best theology book. Join us for a fascinating conversation that ...

Have you heard about Christian Nationalism? What is it, who believes it, and what impact does it have? In this episode Josh and Betsy review the book, The Violent Take It by Force, by Matthew D. Taylor. This book explains the rise to power of Independent Charismatic Christians and their connection to what happened on January 6th at the Capital. Every Christian should want to be informed about what Chrisitan movements are arising around us and how faithful they are to the Great Commission and the...

Artificial Intelligence . . . It’s here. We are all using it. Should we be? Does it matter? What are the benefits? What are the risks? Is ChatGPT your friend? It’s the AI episode. Brought to you totally by two people with real human brains! Listen in and let us know what you think. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/06/opinion/ai-therapist-suicide.html?smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/technology/chatgpt-openai-suicide.html?smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/health/ai...

College. To go or not to go? There are few topics that bring up strong opinions and anxiety for modern parents than the question of college. Josh and Betsy take a deep dive into the research on college and evaluate the crucial college question from a variety of perspectives. The choice of whether or not a person should attend college is a complicated one. Here are Intersect we are here to educate you and help you think through this complicated question. And of course, we do it all through a Chri...

College. To go or not to go? There are few topics that bring up strong opinions and anxiety for modern parents than the question of college. Josh and Betsy take a deep dive into the research on college and evaluate the crucial college question from a variety of perspectives. The choice of whether or not a person should attend college is a complicated one. Here are Intersect we are here to educate you and help you think through this complicated question. And of course, we do it all through a Chri...

"Take Back the Game..." Are We Ruining Kids Sports? A Book Review — Season 7 Episode 7 Josh and Betsy tackle the issue of kids' sports in America. How should Christians navigate the challenging waters of youth sports? This episode is a book review of Linda Flanagan’s 2022 book, "Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids’ Sports—and Why It Matters". So, grab your Gatorade bottle and your thinking cap and enjoy the latest from Intersect. Buy on Amazon here. Email us at: intersect@ne...

"Exvangelicals: Leaving the Evangelical Church — Season 7 Episode 6" Book Review! "The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church" by Sarah McCammon. Why are so many people leaving the American evangelical church? Huge numbers of people, especially those under forty, are leaving the evangelical tradition of their upbringing. In this episode, Josh and Betsy discuss a recent book on this phenomenon by NPR correspondent Sarah McCammon. Does the word evangelical need a f...

Book Review! "The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church" by Sarah McCammon. Why are so many people leaving the American evangelical church? Huge numbers of people, especially those under forty, are leaving the evangelical tradition of their upbringing. In this episode, Josh and Betsy discuss a recent book on this phenomenon by NPR correspondent Sarah McCammon. Does the word evangelical need a facelift? What can we learn from the Exvangelical movement?

Men in America are struggling. Since the pandemic, media has been reporting on so called “deaths of despair” which particularly afflict men. These are deaths from suicide, drugs or alcohol abuse. In this interview, Josh and Betsy spotlight an amazing local ministry seeking to bring the light of Christ to struggling men in Columbia. Whether you live in Columbia or not, you will enjoy hearing about how men are finding freedom in Christ from addictions and other issues.

"Providence Home: An Interview with Christy Cox" Men in America are struggling. Since the pandemic, media has been reporting on so called “deaths of despair” which particularly afflict men. These are deaths from suicide, drugs or alcohol abuse. In this interview, Josh and Betsy spotlight an amazing local ministry seeking to bring the light of Christ to struggling men in Columbia. Whether you live in Columbia or not, you will enjoy hearing about how men are finding freedom in Christ from addictio...

"Wrap Up Some Hope for Christmas" In this festive episode of Intersect, Pastor Josh Desch and his wife Betsy discuss the cultural and spiritual significance of Christmas. They delve into Christmas songs, movies, and traditions, analyzing how each depicts the holiday season. They then discuss how the real theme of Christmas is summed up in 'Hope' -- as it played out so long ago in Bethlehem, and how we can still find Hope at this special time of year. Finally, join in on their lightning round of ...

In this festive episode of Intersect, Pastor Josh Desch and his wife Betsy discuss the cultural and spiritual significance of Christmas. They delve into Christmas songs, movies, and traditions, analyzing how each depicts the holiday season. They then discuss how the real theme of Christmas is summed up in 'Hope' -- as it played out so long ago in Bethlehem, and how we can still find Hope at this special time of year. Finally, join in on their lightning round of Christmas Questions and see if Jos...

"David French: My Journey as a Christian to the New York Times" In today’s episode, Josh and Betsy are joined via phone by David French – a well-known writer and political commentator. David is an attorney, a former senior editor of The Dispatch, a professor at Lipscomb University, and a frequent columnist for The New York Times. David discusses his work at The New York Times, and what it is like to be a part of such a prestigious – and sometimes liberal – organization. He reflects on his influe...

In today’s episode, Josh and Betsy are joined via phone by David French – a well-known writer and political commentator. David is an attorney, a former senior editor of The Dispatch, a professor at Lipscomb University, and a frequent columnist for The New York Times. David discusses his work at The New York Times, and what it is like to be a part of such a prestigious – and sometimes liberal – organization. He reflects on his influence as a man of faith, a follower of Christ, and shares his jour...

"Reading Round Up" Josh and Betsy are back with more book recommendations. Each of them shares briefly about three books they read this summer. Log onto Amazon, open your Kindle, or get out your library card -- and let us know what you think of these books! Betsy reviews: "Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon" by Michael P. Ghiglieri & Thomas M. Myers "The Comfort Crisis" by Michael Easter "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt Josh reviews: "The Return of the Prodigal Son" by Henri J. M...

Josh and Betsy are back with more book recommendations. Each of them shares briefly about three books they read this summer. Log onto Amazon, open your Kindle, or get out your library card -- and let us know what you think of these books! Betsy reviews: "Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon" by Michael P. Ghiglieri & Thomas M. Myers "The Comfort Crisis" by Michael Easter "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt Josh reviews: "The Return of the Prodigal Son" by Henri J. M. Nouwen "Where the...

Animals. We love them. We love learning about them and having many of them, especially cats and dogs, as pets. However, has America gone too far in our love for our four-legged furry friends? Would you pay $15k to extend your pet’s life? How should Christians think about pet ownership? Josh and Betsy dive into a controversial, but important topic in this episode, including digging into some recent articles that have caught national attention. Intersect wants to hear from you! Should our faith af...