The Esau McCaulley Podcast

How can Christians have difficult conversations about faith without turning every disagreement into an argument? Christian hip-hop artist and apologist Emmanuel "Da Truth" Lambert joins Esau to discuss his new book, Forgive Me If I Was Rude, and why defending Christianity requires more than having the right answers. They explore the difference between winning arguments and reaching people, the importance of understanding someone's doubts and experiences, and why the gospel is bigger than many Christians realize. Plus, how should Christians respond to criticism of the church, and why do so many of us abandon kindness when we get on social media?
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
0:56 - Forgive Me if I was Rude
 
6:02 - Deconstruction
 
16:52 - Responding to Those Questioning Christianity
 
23:34 - Sponsor - Church at the Crossroads - Esau shares about Church at the Crossroads, a conference hosted by Palestinian Christians in Atlanta, November 5–7. The gathering offers an opportunity to meet and learn from Palestinian pastors and Christian leaders, join in worship, and enjoy Palestinian food and cultural experiences, with time for conversation and fellowship. Use code ESAU for 20% off. Register at www.churchatthecrossroads.com/atlanta
 
24:47 - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - For a quality mattress, go to https://www.brooklynbedding.com and use promo code ESAU to get 30% off site wide!
 
25:47 - Sponsor - The Subtext - Want to see pop-culture through the lens of faith and ethics? We've got a podcast you need to check out: https://pod.link/1835471106
 
27:06 - Respond to the Culture
 
43:50 - Convergence of All Time
 
58:48 - End Credits
 
Forgive Me If I Was Rude: The Art of Having Complicated Faith-Based Conversations by Emmanuel Lambert: https://amzn.to/4ztEI1L

A sexual assault case at Cornell has sparked intense debate about consent, trauma, and how we talk about victims before all the facts are known. Esau is joined by Mika Edmondson to discuss what Christian sexual ethics should say about power, exploitation, and the dignity of the body. Then, they look at new research suggesting Black Christians in multi-ethnic churches may become less civically engaged, and ask what churches lose when pastors are too afraid to address racial injustice. Plus, are kids actually getting dumber? The guys talk declining test scores, shrinking attention spans, and what happens when education becomes only a means to the next achievement.
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
2:12 - Cornell 7 and God's Heart for Victims
 
11:55 - Church Should Be a Place of Healing
 
19:46 - Sponsor - Church at the Crossroads - Esau shares about Church at the Crossroads, a conference hosted by Palestinian Christians in Atlanta, November 5–7. The gathering offers an opportunity to meet and learn from Palestinian pastors and Christian leaders, join in worship, and enjoy Palestinian food and cultural experiences, with time for conversation and fellowship. Use code ESAU for 20% off. Register at www.churchatthecrossroads.com/atlanta
 
21:00 - Sponsor - Want to see pop-culture through the lens of faith and ethics? We've got a podcast you need to check out: https://pod.link/1835471106
 
22:18 - Myth of the Non-Political Church
 
30:11 - Pastoring a Multi-Racial Church
 
39:50 - Are Teenagers Getting Dumber?
 
53:45 - End Credits
 
The Power of Unearned Suffering by Mika Edmondson:
https://amzn.to/3Wd9qOh
 
Student Test scores going down:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/08/us/us-reading-test-scores-pisa.html

Tim Tebow is facing criticism after an investigation raised questions about a Christian financial conference where he regularly spoke and encouraged attendees to sign up for classes. Esau, Mike, and guest Justin Giboney discuss how much responsibility Christian leaders have to vet the organizations they lend their name and credibility to, and when influence starts to look like endorsement. Then, they turn to grind culture and the popular idea that success simply comes down to wanting it badly enough. Does hard work really separate the people who make it from the people who don't, or are opportunity, timing, talent, and providence part of the story too? Plus, the guys discuss how quickly the internet can turn a brief viral moment into a sweeping judgment about someone's entire life.   
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
0:17 - Mike's Man Cold
 
1:38 - Tim Tebow Trouble
 
12:22 - Kirk Franklin and GloRilla
 
19:42 - Sponsor  - Church at the Crossroads - Esau shares about Church at the Crossroads, a conference hosted by Palestinian Christians in Atlanta, November 5–7. The gathering offers an opportunity to meet and learn from Palestinian pastors and Christian leaders, join in worship, and enjoy Palestinian food and cultural experiences, with time for conversation and fellowship. Use code ESAU for 20% off. Register at  www.churchatthecrossroads.com/atlanta
 
20:54 - Sponsor - The Subtext - Want to see pop-culture through the lens of faith and ethics? We've got a podcast you need to check out: https://pod.link/1835471106
 
22:14 - Meeting People Where They Are?
 
26:11 - Druski and Grind Culture
 
44:24 - End Credits
 
Inside Tim Tebow's Favorite Wealth Seminar: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/09/life-surge-the-gospel-of-high-yields-inside-tim-tebows-favorite-wealth-seminar/
 
Kirk Franklin and GloRilla:
 https://www.crosswalk.com/headlines/contributors/michael-foust/kirk-franklin-glorilla-collaboration-sparks-debate-over-her-explicit-music.html
 
Nacho Mom:
https://people.com/mom-of-the-year-carries-baby-food-at-mlb-game-defends-husband-after-viral-backlash-12143084

Meryl Streep is the new voice of Aslan, and Christians have plenty of opinions about it. Esau, Malcolm, and Producer Mike talk about the outrage over Greta Gerwig's Narnia casting choice and what it reveals about the things Christians choose to treat as sacred. They also discuss Nicole Hannah-Jones's reflections on sending her daughter to public school and the difficult question of whether our children should have to bear the cost of our convictions. Plus, Esau breaks down Pete Hegseth's use of Isaiah 6 on his "Send Me" military tour and why turning a prophetic calling into a recruiting message badly distorts the text.
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
0:32 - Malcolm Foley
 
5:34 - Pete Hegseth and Isaiah 6
 
17:44 - Sending Kids to Private or Public School?
 
31:23 - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - For a quality mattress, go to https://www.brooklynbedding.com and use promo code ESAU to get 30% off site wide!
 
32:15 - Sponsor - The Subtext - Want to see pop-culture through the lens of faith and ethics? We've got a podcast you need to check out: https://pod.link/1835471106
 
33:27 - Sponsor - The Center for Christianity and Public Life - Come to Washington, D.C. on October 5-7 to join the Good of the Public Summit. Go to https://www.ccpubliclife.org and use code BETTERSTORY for 20% off at registration
 
35:00 - Parental Failure
 
37:34 - Meryl Streep as Aslan
 
51:23 - End Credits
 
Pete Hegseth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0VynQFRJRs
 
Can I Kick My Dog out of Bed?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/22/well/get-pet-out-of-bed.html
 
Greta Gerwig's Narnia Casting Choice:
https://deadline.com/2026/09/greta-gerwig-chose-meryl-streep-voice-aslan-narnia-1237107096/
 
Public Schools
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/magazine/ny-public-schools-black-students-segregation.html

A Texas political candidate sees a crowd of brown students celebrating and assumes they must be foreigners. Esau, Mike, and Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez unpack what that reaction reveals about race, belonging, and the fear of a changing America. They also talk about the growing power of AI, the tech world's obsession with overcoming human limits, and why some limitations may actually be good for us. Plus, Pricelis shares about her new book, False Peace, and why churches can confuse unity with sameness, asking people to assimilate instead of making room for genuine difference.
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
0:20 - Esau in Español?
 
1:43 - Boosie's Presidential Pardon Attempt
 
6:20 - Community Work
 
19:35 - Sponsor - The Subtext - Want to see pop-culture through the lens of faith and ethics? We've got a podcast you need to check out: https://pod.link/1835471106
 
20:52 - Sponsor - With God Daily - Get the daily devotional for people who hate daily devotionals in your inbox every day by signing up at: https://holypost.com/plus
 
22:05 - A.I. and False Promises
 
33:24 - False Peace by Assimilation
 
49:08 - End Credits
 
False Peace: How to Reject the Lie of Sameness, Embrace Difference, and Embody True Unity (How Christians Can Go Beyond Surface-Level Agreement to Build Communities of Authentic Unity) by Priceless Perreaux-Dominguez: https://amzn.to/4yCKduC
 
Articles Covered:
Boosie Lawsuit:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/us/boosie-badazz-pardon-lawsuit.html
 
New York Times on AI Tech Apocalypse:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/opinion/ai-tech-apocalypse-silicon-valley.html