Episodes

James Bryan Smith gives a commentary on his three favorite conversations from season two of the Things Above podcast. In this episode we share a snippet from three conversation episodes. The three featured episodes are with authors, William Paul Young, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, and A.J. Swoboda. After each episode James gives us a commentary on how that conversation helped him to set his mind on things above. In addition, Smith adds some highlights that we can take away from to help us on our ...

You were made for beauty, goodness and truth. James Bryan Smith begins the episode talking about the three transcendentals; beauty, goodness and truth. Plato said, beauty is one of the transcendental forms because it stands above the actual form. They are higher forms and thus they help us to transcend ourselves when we encounter them. In this universe there many things that are beautiful, Thomas Aquinas said “Beauty is that which when seen, pleases.” Smith goes on to say that, we are creatures...

This week on the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith has a conversation with his long time friend Juanita Rasmus. Juanita is a pastor, Spiritual Director, and contemplative with a passion for seeing people transform into being their best selves in our world. Juanita co-leads the St. John’s Church in Downtown Houston with her husband, Rudy. In this episode, James and Juanita discuss her latest book Learning to Be: Finding Your Center after the Bottom Falls Out. The book focuses on a time in ...

We all need Jesus with skin. This may sound odd but in fact it is very true. In this episode James Bryan Smith explains how he experienced the love of Jesus through an unexpected disaster with his neighbor. While living in their first home, James and his wife Meghan experienced a problem many new homeowners run into. They had a burst pipe in their basement. Luckily they had a neighbor named Steve who was a plumber. Steve showed up immediately and fixed the broken pipe. Both Jim and Meghan wante...

In this episode James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Dave Mullins. Dave is a speaker, teacher, writer, musician and recently co-producer of the movie “Ragamuffin,” David Mullins seeks to use these gifts to take the simple, life-changing word of God’s love to both the lost and to those in the Church who believe they are unlovable, unaccepted and unworthy of His love. David is currently serving as the Lead Teaching Minister at Colonial Heights Christian Church in Kingsport, TN. ...

In this Things Above podcast episode, James Bryan Smith give this thought from above: “We are saved by His life.” In 1992 James and his friend and fellow pastor Jeff Gannon, attend a conference in Maryland about how to understand the gospel. This conference would be one of the most impactful gatherings the two had ever experienced. The two main parts of the conference were about; the finality of the cross, and the reality of the resurrection. From this conference James learned more about grace...

We are in a season of lament. As we struggle to cope with all the problems the coronavirus has brought, we need a way to ease our suffering. In this episode James Bryan Smith explains how we can use the Psalms to help us deal with our pain. Smith explains how the Psalms provide us a way to explain to God how we are feeling. There are three main types of Psalms, Grace, Thanksgiving, and Lament. The Psalms of lament share a common structure and pattern, they move from the negative to the positive...

As we continue to navigate through the coronavirus pandemic, James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Natasha Sistrunk Robinson. In this episode they discuss Natasha’s latest book as well as the difficulties that come with cultural biases in our communities. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is an international speaker, leadership consultant, diversity and mentoring coach with nearly 20 years of leadership experience in the military, federal government, church, seminary, and nonprofit sec...

In Romans 12:2 Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. and that is what we do this podcast. Today’s thought from above is this: God is in this. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, we have been hearing some really bad theology. We so badly want, not just a reason, but a divine reason for this epide...

In this episode James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Bill Gaultiere. James and Bill discuss the importance of soul care, especially at a time when we are struggling with a global pandemic. Bill is a Psychologist (PhD; PSY12036 in CA) and pastor/mentor to pastors. He writes and speaks to thousands of people every week through the Soul Shepherding website, blog, podcast, and Facebook page. He was personally mentored for many years by Dallas Willard and Ray Ortlund Sr. His recent...

“For those alive in the kingdom of God, the world we live in is a perfectly safe place to be.” – Dallas Willard Life throws us many unexpected things, and we are now living in a time of uncertainty. None of us had planned for the virus to spread this rapidly. It is easy to be discouraged and feel upset at a time like this, but in this episode James Bryan Smith offers a different way to understand what is going on around us. It is easy to to be discouraged but it is also a time to say, “what co...

James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with his friend and fellow podcast host, Shane Blackshear. Shane is a Jesus follower, blogger, speaker & host of the podcast Seminary Dropout. The Seminary Dropout podcast features interviews with Christian authors, leaders, and thinkers where they discuss a multitude of topics around Christianity and current events. In this episode, James and Shane discuss the day to day decisions when hosting a podcast, as well as their favorite episodes and g...

The thought from above in this episode is: “We know our sin in relation to Him.” Sin is a very difficult topic to talk about. One of the most important things we can do is to think about how we understand it. We tend to be subjective to our own sin but objective towards the sin of others. We are often much more judgmental towards others and less on ourselves, because we naturally try to think well of ourselves. Smith says our fundamental identity is that we are “One in whom Christ dwells and ...

“What repeatedly enters your mind and occupies your mind, eventually shapes your mind, and will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you become” – John Ortberg The Thought From Above in this episode is: “Remember you are dust.” As we continue in the season of Lent we need to be reminded of the importance of the phrase “remember you are dust.” Lent begins with a special service known as Ash Wednesday. During the service there is what is called the “imposition of ashes,” where the min...

In this episode, James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with longtime friend and author Richella Parham. She is the author of Mythical Me: Finding Freedom from Constant Comparison, published by InterVarsity Press (October 2019) and of the Renovaré resource A Spiritual Formation Primer. Her online home is Imparting Grace; her physical home is Durham, North Carolina, where she lives with Jack, her husband of 34 years. Richella serves on the Ministry Team and Board of Trustees for Renova...

James Bryan Smith begins this episode by sharing a story from Deuteronomy 30:15-19. In this passage, Moses offers some powerful words at the end of his farewell address. Moses essentially says: I have told you about God’s commands and, at the center of them all, is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. He concludes with a warning, “Obey these commands. If you do, you will find blessings. If you don’t, you will find curses.” Smith explains that it can be easy to be frightened ...

In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith gives this thought from above: "God is happy about you." When Jim's son Jacob was around 7 years old he asked him a question that brought tears to Jim's eyes. Jacob walked up to his dad and asked, "Are you happy about me?" While Jacob's grammar was incorrect his desire was not. He wanted to know, like many of us do, if the person he loved also loved him back. Of course most of us want everyone to think well of us. And it hurts when w...

James Bryan Smith has a conversation with Derwin L. Gray about our identity in Christ and how we can learn to love and see ourselves the same way God does. Labels you have internalized and apply to yourself every day. Labels like Afraid. Or Addict. Orphan. Damaged Goods. Failure. Maybe even Religious. These labels might be sewn into your life with such tight little stitches that they feel like a part of you. They feel like they define you. But that’s a lie. If you let Him, Jesus can remove those...

The thought from above in this episode is: “You don’t have to make it happen.” In the summer of his junior year, James attended an elite basketball camp where he learned a very valuable lesson about the grace of God. At the end of the camp was an all-star game that you had to be selected by the staff to play in. James goal at camp was to make the all-star team and be the M.V.P. in the all-star game. Before the game, the coach gave a speech titled “If it is to be, it’s up to me.” The whole point ...

What will the future be like? Will it be good? What will happen to us at the end of lives? These are questions we all want an answer to. Deep down we desire a future for ourselves and others that is good. But how do we know that in the end it will be good? In this episode James Bryan Smith explores these questions and how we can find answers to them. Smith begins with a passage from Isaiah 65:17-25. In the passage we learn that a day will come when God will create a new heaven and a new earth. I...

In this "Things Above Conversation" James Bryan Smith chats with Casey Tygrett. Casey is the host of the “otherWISE” podcast, a place for gathering wise conversations about living well on the journey with Jesus. He holds both a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Formation degree from Lincoln Christian Seminary. He is the author of two books, Becoming Curious: A Spiritual Practice of Asking Questions (2017) and As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories in the Spi...

The "Thought from Above" for this episode is: "No more silly superstitions." In a previous podcast James spoke about how worry is essentially superstition. We think by worrying we will actually have an effect on a situation we are concerned about. For example, when we worry about something and then that something does not happen, we think it did not happen because we worried about it. This then reinforces the idea that our worrying can give us control over the situation. We do this because it al...

The "Thought from Above" in this episode is: Include Jesus in all of your relationships. The relationships we have in our lives are amazing but also challenging. There are times where we want the other person in the relationship to make a change in their life. Even if we are well meaning in our advice, it is rarely helpful and can sometimes drive a wedge in the relationship. Anytime we offer advice or correction in whatever form, it is in fact a form of judgment. In Matthew 7:1 Jesus gives us th...

In this episode, James Bryan Smith sits down with A.J. Swoboda for a Things Above Conversation. A.J. is the author of "Subversive Sabbath" which was Christianity Today's Spiritual formation book of the year. This book pioneers a creative path to an alternative way of existing. Combining creative storytelling, pastoral sensitivity, practical insight, and relevant academic research, Subversive Sabbath offers a unique invitation to personal Sabbath-keeping that leads to fuller and more joyful lives...