Beneath the Headlines
Each month, pastor Mike Woodruff sits down with a thoughtful guest to trace the quiet forces shaping tomorrow’s news. No hot‑take sparring. Just brisk questions on birthrates, algorithms, ideas, and idols, all aimed at giving thoughtful Christians a clearer map of the moment and a steadier hope within it. Expect solid data, memorable lines, and a nod toward grace. Subscribe and gain a firmer grasp of the stories happening beneath the headlines.
Episodes
20 years ago, Atheism seemed unstoppable in its growth on both sides of The Atlantic. Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, and Dennet were the four horsemen of faith's apocalypse. Belief was on the back foot. Reason was on the rise, and scientific materialism would soon banish Christianity from public life for good.
That did not happen. History, as usual, was stranger than we could have predicted.
The New Testament scholar Larry Hurtado once said that "Christianity has always been a bookish faith." Instead of a temple, we have a book. Reading well is thus instrumental to the good Christian life.
In this conversation, Mike and Dr. Vanhoozer discuss what it means to acquire theological and biblical literacy in a time of widespread biblical illiteracy.
Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer is the Research Professor of Systematic Theolog...
In an interview with David Brooks, Molly Worthen characterized both herself and Brooks as 'overly educated, slightly nerdy, late-in-life converts.'
Just 5 years ago, after conversations with Pastor J.D. Greear and Tim Keller, Worthen felt compelled to examine the evidence for Jesus. What she discovered forced her to change the direction of her entire life.
This episode of Beneath The Headlines tells her story.
Marriage rates have been plummeting for over 50 years. If you ask young people what they want to be when they grow up, the answers revolve around achieving career success, financial security and personal happiness. Marriage doesn't fit into the picture. In fact, marriage is viewed as a barrier to those pursuits.
But what if marriage doesn't impede those goals? What if marriage serves as the foundation for a flourishing lif...
What is a man?
Why are men now considered toxic? How can our culture promote a healthy vision for masculinity?
Together, Mike and Dr. Nancy Pearcey discuss these questions along with many others in this episode of Beneath The Headlines.
Nancy Pearcey is the author of The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, as well as Love Thy Body, The Soul of Science, Saving Leonardo, Finding Truth, and Total Truth. She ...
In this episode, Mike sits down with Dr. Abigail Favale, the author of The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory. She teaches at the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life and holds degrees in philosophy, women’s writing, and English literature.
In this conversation, they explore:
- Dr. Favale's journey from progressive feminism to Catholic orthodoxy
- How motherhood and spiritual crisis ...
In this episode of Beneath the Headlines, host Mike Woodruff sits down with Dr. Nathan Hatch, a renowned historian, former president of Wake Forest University, and scholar of American religious history.
Dr. Hatch reflects on the current crisis of trust in institutions — from higher education to politics — and offers a nuanced perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing universities today. He shares personal stories of le...
With over 40 years in ministry, best-selling author and pastor John Ortberg thought he'd seen it all. Then, he discovered the principles behind AA.
In his book Steps: A Guide to Transforming Your Life When Willpower Isn't Enough, John shares profound insights on how the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous can be transformative for everyone—whether struggling with addiction or simply seeking deeper spiritual growth.
Dr. Darren Whitehead is a pastor, author, and founder of Church of the City in Nashville, Tennessee. And his most recent book The Digital Fast: 40 Days to Detox Your Mind and Reclaim What Matters Most offers a transformative approach to breaking free from the grip of smartphones, social media, and constant digital distractions.
In this conversation, Mike and Darren explore:
- The hidden costs of our tech addiction and how it’s rew...
In this episode of "Beneath the Headlines," host Mike Woodruff interviews Glen Scrivener, an Australian writer, pastor, and apologist currently living in the UK. The conversation centers around Scrivener's book "The Air We Breathe" which explores how modern Western values like human rights, equality, progress, and compassion are deeply rooted in Christian thought and tradition.
Key points discussed include:
<...Join Pastor Mike Woodruff and guest Collin Hansen, editor-in-chief of The Gospel Coalition, as they explore:
- The evolution of journalism from traditional reporting to advocacy
- Challenges in discerning truth in today's media landscape
- Impact of changing media on faith and society
- Strategies for thoughtful news consumption
- The importance of local journalism
- Hansen's upcoming book on theodicy and evil
- The enduring relevance of ...
Enjoy listening to Mike lead a panel discussion about restoring trust at the sold-out inaugural Lakelight Institute Good Work Summit. Panelists include Dr. David Miller (Director of Princeton Faith and Work Initiative), Mike Zafirovski (former President of Motorola) and Tom Tropp (Chief Ethics Officer at Gallagher).
Today Mike’s guest is American philosopher Christian Miller, PhD, an award-winning professor from Wake Forest University who recently authored The Character Gap, has authored numerous other books and articles, and is a regular contributor to publications including Forbes. He is also director of The Honesty Project. Mike and Dr. Miller discuss his work and how our character shapes our lives.
This week we are sharing with you a link to a podcast that Mike appeared on as a guest.
In it, he talks about the importance of thinking well, particularly at this moment in history when we are allowing other voices to think for us. Mike argues for more “white space” as the volume and velocity of life is increasing every day. Mike also talks about some of his news rules including “less is more.”
On this week’s podcast, Mike’s guest is journalist, podcaster, and author Collin Hanson, who recently published a book on one of the 21st century’s most influential church leaders--Tim Keller. Collin is vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. Listen to Mike and Collin go behind-the-scenes on the life of Tim Keller and also...
This week’s Press On guest is Dr. Jeff Brannon, chair of the Biblical Studies Department at Belhaven University, and author of the recently published The Hope of Life After Death: A Biblical Theology of the Resurrection. Dr. Brannon and Mike discuss the hope of Christ’s resurrection, which changes everything.
In today’s podcast, Mike talks with Ian Vaillancourt, a professor in Ontario and an award winning author about his most recent book, The Dawning of Redemption, which provides an accessible overview of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). Dr. Vaillancourt is particularly focused on the way the Bible is an unified work and the big themes are introduced early.
In this week’s podcast, Mike explores the rise of Conspiracy Theories. What are they? Why are they growing and how do we deal with them. His guest is Jared Stacey, a PhD student in Theological Ethics at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.
In this week’s episode of The Press On Podcast, Mike talks with Katie Schnack, the author of Everything is Not Fine: Finding Strength When Life Gets Annoyingly Difficult (IVP: Sept. 2023). Through lots of stories (and humor) Katie reflects on the struggles she and her husband face when their son is born with very serious – and life-long – medical challenges.
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