The Pulpit and Porch

This week on The Pulpit & Porch, Tony and Robert do something a little different… and a whole lot of fun. We’re talking Christmas movies, the ones we grew up on, the ones we quote all year long, and the ones that somehow manage to preach a better sermon than half the stuff we’ve heard on Sunday mornings.

The guys reveal their official Top 10 Christmas Movies of All Time (and yes, we’re sure you’ll disagree with at least three of...

Christmas isn’t a mood.

It’s not a memory.

And it’s definitely not just a moment.

It’s a miracle.

In this final episode of our Advent mini-series, we light the Love candle and gather around the Christ candle, the center of the wreath and the center of our faith. We talk about what it really means to live a life shaped by God’s love, and why the birth of Jesus wasn’t sentimental… it was sacrificial.

On today’s porch, we explore:

• What ...

Advent is more than a countdown to Christmas; it’s an invitation to slow down, look up, and lean into what really matters.

In Part Two of our Advent mini-series, we’re talking about two words we all crave this time of year… peace and joy. But if we’re honest, December often delivers stress, exhaustion, and noise instead.

So what does it look like to experience real peace in a chaotic season?

And how do you hold onto joy when life (and...

Christmas can feel chaotic, rushed, and full of pressure, but Advent offers a different way. In Part One of our Advent series on The Pulpit & Porch Podcast, Tony and Robert explore what Advent really is, why it matters, and how it can anchor your family in the middle of the holiday whirlwind.

We talk about the history and theology of Advent, the two horizons of waiting for Christ, and how this season can slow us down, reconnect ...

Grab a seat on the porch and pour a glass of sweet tea. In this episode, Tony and Robert sit down for a front-porch conversation about the things we wish we had learned earlier in life, leadership, faith, and family.

From the lessons that came the hard way, to the truths that finally clicked years later, to the wisdom we’re still learning in real time, this is an open, reflective, and surprisingly funny look at the road behind us an...

Baseball isn’t just a game, it’s life in nine innings. In this episode, Tony (the proud Dodgers fanatic) and Robert (the loyal Braves man) step up to the mic to talk about the 2025 World Series, the greatest Game 7 in recent memory, and how baseball mirrors the beauty and struggle of life itself.

From perseverance and momentum swings to heartbreak and jubilation, this conversation is about more than home runs; it’s about hope that n...

We’ve been called “grumpy old men”… and honestly, they’re not wrong.

This week, Tony and Robert swap reading glasses for microphones and dive into the hilarious (and slightly painful) signs that we might be getting old, from groaning when we stand up to getting way too excited about new appliances.

But it’s not all jokes, we also talk about what aging has taught us about purpose, peace, and learning to laugh at ourselves along the w...

We all carry stories inside our heads, beliefs about who we are, what we can do, and what God can do through us. Some of these stories empower us… others hold us back.

In this episode, Tony and Robert explore the internal narratives that shape our lives, how to spot the ones that are holding us back, and practical ways to rewrite them in light of God’s truth.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not enough” or “It’s too late for me,” this ep...

They say, “It’s the hope that kills you.” But Ted Lasso, and maybe the Gospel, would disagree.

This week on The Pulpit & Porch, Robert finally gets his wish: Tony watched Ted Lasso. And not only did he love it, he found a sermon hiding inside a soccer (or football) match. From the locker room to the living room, we’re unpacking what hope really means, why it’s so hard to hold onto, how it shapes our faith, and why sometimes it h...

This week on The Pulpit & Porch, we pick up right where we left off with Jodi Ramey, and this time, her sister Bethany Wilson pulls up a chair to join the conversation.

If Part One was the story, Part Two is the soul. At the heart of their story is a simple family phrase,“Not quit.”

More than a motto, “not quit” has become their family’s reminder that the story isn’t over yet. Whether you’re fighting through a setback, waiting o...

Some stories break your heart. Some inspire you. Some do both at the same time.

In this first part of our conversation with Jodi Ramey, you’ll hear a story of faith that’s been tested in ways most of us can’t imagine. A mother, wife, daughter, and grandmother, Jodi has walked through more loss than most will face in a lifetime, yet her faith in Jesus hasn’t just survived…it’s deepened.

From family struggles and addiction to unthinkab...

This week on The Pulpit & Porch, we’re sitting down with Pastor Jeremy Burden from First Christian Church in Bristol, VA. Jeremy’s journey hasn’t been easy, he was kicked out of three churches as a young man, nearly lost his way in another ministry, and faced countless setbacks. Yet through it all, God and faithful mentors stayed with him, believing in a calling bigger than his mistakes.

In this candid conversation, Jeremy share...

The past month has been full of stories. Some inspiring, some heartbreaking, and some that caught us completely off guard. From powerful conversations with Kyle Goff, Robert Bess, Hayley Wherry, and Kim Weitkamp… to headlines of tragedy and division… to even the shared hope of a no-hitter at a Dodgers game, every story points us somewhere.

This week, Tony and Robert pull it all together. What do these stories reveal about our cultur...

Some people tell stories to pass the time… but Kim Weitkamp tells stories that stop time. She’s one of the most sought-after storytellers in the world, a keynote speaker and consultant for Fortune 500 companies, and a festival headliner who knows how to make audiences laugh, cry, and see their own story in a new light.

In this episode, Kim joins us on the porch to talk about the power of story, not just on stage, but in everyday lif...

In today’s episode of The Pulpit & Porch, Tony and Robert pull up a couple of chairs to talk about a tension that’s all too real in our culture: Are we chasing our calling, or are we chasing clout?

From social media platforms to the pulpit, the temptation to seek influence, recognition, and applause is everywhere. But what happens when clout overshadows calling? How do we discern the difference, and how can we stay rooted in wha...

In this episode of The Pulpit & Porch Podcast, Tony and Robert sit down with former Navy SEAL and pastor Robert Bess for a conversation that blends grit, faith, and leadership. From his years as a radioman on Navy ships to a covert mission during the Cold War, Robert shares powerful lessons learned from military service and BUD/S training that continue to shape his life today.

But his story doesn’t stop with the SEAL Teams, Robe...

This week on The Pulpit & Porch, Tony and Robert welcome Haley Wherry, Regional Director of First Priority, a ministry working inside Tri-Cities middle and high schools to connect students to Christ.

From navigating the complexities of public school systems to equipping student leaders, Haley shares how God is opening doors in places many believe are closed to faith. We talk about building partnerships with local churches, empow...

We’re back on the porch with Kyle Goff, CEO of the YMCA in Sparta, TN and White County Commissioner, to wrap up our conversation on what it really means to lead with faith, serve with heart, and keep your head (and soul) above water in leadership.

In this second half, we talk community leadership in real life, the wins and wounds that come with it, navigating criticism in a small town, and staying spiritually and emotionally healthy...

Grab a glass of sweet tea and pull up a rocking chair — because today we’re diving deep into what real leadership looks like when the spotlight’s off and the pressure’s on.

In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Kyle Goff, CEO of the YMCA of Sparta, TN, County Commissioner, and lifelong community leader, joins us to talk about how leadership is more than a title. We cover everything from leading with integrity, the importance of s...