March 17, 2026

Why Would I Wear Orange on Saint Patrick’s Day?

March 17, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

When most people think of Saint Patrick’s Day, they think green. Green shirts, green hats, green rivers, and plenty of other novelty green junk to give Target a boost in sales. But some people wear orange on Saint Patrick’s Day. Why?

The answer has less to do with Patrick and more to do with Irish history.

The color orange is tied to William of Orange, the Protestant king who defeated the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Over time, “orange” became a symbol of Protestant identity in Ireland.

So if green came to represent Irish Catholic identity and nationalism, orange came to represent Irish Protestant identity.

That is also why the Irish flag includes both green and orange, with white in between. The point was to symbolize peace between those two communities.

So why would someone wear orange on Saint Patrick’s Day?

I had an Irish friend who had one Protestant parent and one Roman Catholic. His childhood was a bit like the flag. As an adult and a born-again Christian, he wore orange on Saint Patrick’s Day. Wearing orange is a way of saying that Irish identity is not exclusively green, Catholic, or nationalist. It is a reminder that Ireland has long been home to Protestants too, and that its history is more complicated than the sentimental version served with corned beef and green beer.

That being said, wearing orange may be about more than religious affections. For some, green and orange is political. It may be read as a statement about identity, allegiance, and history. So, a person wearing orange on March 17 may be making a historical, political, or religious point, or all three.

In the end, wearing orange on Saint Patrick’s Day is not really about Patrick. It is about the contested story of Ireland itself. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

March 14, 2026

Train Them Up: Accessing Disciples

March 14, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

How do you know who to disciple? How do you know when to stop discipling someone? How do you know when you’re making progress? When are we done? In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman talk about how to access a disciple and the discipleship process. Subscribe and listen to this episode wherever you get podcasts, watch on our YouTube channel, or listen here:

March 12, 2026

Including Children in the Life of the Church

March 12, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

How do we bring young people into the life of the Church? What is their role? How should they be included and how should they be excluded from aspects of the Sunday worship gathering, small groups, service, and other ways we live out our faith in the local church? Kirk Galster, Josiah Walker, and Bryan Catherman discuss this challenging topic and address some of these questions. Should the church include children in aspects of the worship gathering, and in what ways? Collecting the offering, serving on the worship team, and leading in other ways? Should little kids become members? What about young people preaching? This conversation is more than just including children in the worship service. This is about really bringing them in, maybe all the way in. How can children, young people, and new believers be included in the life of the Church, and how does this help train up the next generation? Listen to this episode wherever you get podcasts, watch on YouTube, or listen here:

In addition, this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted was unsponsored by the Reformed Sage, and therefore, we shared an unsolicited, unpaid advertisement for them. (Seriously, the Reformation Sage didn’t pay us to talk about it, and they don’t even know we exist. We just like the Reformed Sage and think you should too.)

March 07, 2026

Summary of the Rhythms of the Festivals in Leviticus

March 07, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

As Christians, we live in a routine that’s shaped by the weekly rhythm of the Lord’s day. Some Christians also live in accordance with the rhythms of the “Church Calendar” tradition. But these pale in comparison to the routines and rhythms of the Jewish calendar set in Leviticus 23-27. Here’s a summary:

Weekly Sabbath (Leviticus 23:1–3). Every seventh day was a Sabbath, a full day of rest and a “holy convocation,” which means God’s people gathered and treated the day as set apart for him (Lev 23:3). No regular work was to be done. Leviticus 23 does not add a special menu here, but elsewhere Israel often marked Sabbaths with extra offerings (Num 28:9–10). The purpose was simple and important. God was teaching his people that life is not only work. They belonged to him, and their time belonged to him. He would provide if they trusted him.

Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:4–8). Passover commemorates the night God rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt and marks the beginning of a weeklong festival called Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:5–6; see Exod 12). During that week, they ate bread made without yeast, and on the first and seventh days the people gathered and did no ordinary work (Lev 23:7–8). Special food offerings were also presented to the Lord each day (Lev 23:8). The point was remembrance and trust. God saves. God keeps his promises. God’s people live differently because of what he has done.

Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9–14). Firstfruits happened at the start of harvest. The people brought the first bundle of the barley harvest to the priest, and it was waved before the Lord as a sign that the whole harvest belonged to God (Lev 23:10–11). Along with it, they offered a burnt offering (a lamb), a grain offering, and a drink offering (Lev 23:12–13). They were not to eat bread or grain from the new harvest until this offering had been made (Lev 23:14). The purpose was to put God first. Before they enjoyed the harvest, they confessed that every good gift came from him.

Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (Leviticus 23:15–22). Seven weeks after Firstfruits, Israel celebrated Weeks. They brought two loaves of bread baked with yeast as a special offering, along with multiple animal sacrifices (burnt offerings, a sin offering, and peace offerings) (Lev 23:16–20). Peace offerings were associated with a shared meal, and the text highlights that the bread and certain portions belonged to the priest (Lev 23:20). The purpose was gratitude and dependence. God provided the harvest. God deserved public thanks. In the same section, God also commanded generosity. Farmers had to leave some grain for the poor and the foreigner (Lev 23:22). Worship and mercy belonged together.

Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23–25). On the first day of the seventh month, the people rested and gathered for a memorial announced by loud trumpet blasts (Lev 23:24–25). They did no ordinary work and brought food offerings to the Lord (Lev 23:25). This day was like a spiritual wake-up call. It marked a turning point in the year and prepared everyone for the most serious day that followed, the Day of Atonement.

Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26–32). On the tenth day of the seventh month, Israel observed the Day of Atonement. The people gathered, did no work, and they humbled themselves, often with fasting and prayer (Lev 23:27–32). Food offerings were presented to the Lord (Lev 23:27). The purpose was cleansing and forgiveness at a national level. It taught that sin is real and dangerous. It also taught that God is willing to forgive and restore when people come to him on his terms. The detailed sacrifices for this day are explained more fully in Leviticus 16.

Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) (Leviticus 23:33–44). Beginning on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, Israel held a joyful weeklong celebration. They lived in temporary shelters made from branches to remember how God cared for them in the wilderness after the exodus (Lev 23:34, 42–43). The first day was a special gathering with rest from ordinary work, and the eighth day was another gathering with rest (Lev 23:35–36, 39). Food offerings were presented each day (Lev 23:37). The purpose was gratitude and joy. God had carried them through hard years. God still provided them a home and a harvest.

The lamp in the sanctuary (Leviticus 24:1–4). Israel had a daily and weekly rhythm of worship inside the tabernacle. Pure olive oil was brought so the lamp could burn continually before the Lord (Lev 24:2–4). This was not a public festival, but it was a steady reminder that God’s presence and God’s light were central to Israel’s life. Worship was not only for special days. It was meant to be ongoing.

The bread of the Presence (Leviticus 24:5–9). Every Sabbath, twelve loaves of bread were set before the Lord on a special table, with frankincense placed with them (Lev 24:5–7). The bread was then eaten by Aaron and his sons in a holy place because it was “most holy” (Lev 24:8–9). This showed that Israel lived before God. It also showed that the priests were supported through the worship system. God provided for those who served, and the people were represented before him.

Sabbatical year (Leviticus 25:1–7). Every seventh year, the land itself got a Sabbath. Fields were not to be planted, and vineyards were not to be pruned in the normal way (Lev 25:3–4). Whatever grew on its own could be eaten by everyone, including servants, hired workers, foreigners, and even animals (Lev 25:6–7). The purpose was trust and mercy. God taught his people to rely on him for provision. He also built this into the economy so the poor and the outsiders could eat.

Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8–55). After seven cycles of seven years, the fiftieth year was the Jubilee. It began with a trumpet blast on the Day of Atonement (Lev 25:9–10). In Jubilee, land that had been sold returned to the original family, and Israelites who had become servants because of poverty were set free (Lev 25:10, 13, 39–41). The purpose was restoration. God refused to let poverty permanently erase a family’s future. He reminded Israel that the land ultimately belonged to him and that his people were not to be treated like disposable property (Lev 25:23, 55).

You may be questioning what all of this looks like on our modern calendar. That’s where a great Study Bible chart can be helpful.

Weekly Sabbath (Lev 23:3): Every 7th day. For Jews today, that is sunset Friday to sunset Saturday.

Passover (Lev 23:5): 14th day of Nisan. Usually late March to late April.

Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:6–8): 15th to 21st of Nisan, immediately after Passover. Also, usually late March to late April.

Firstfruits (Lev 23:9–14): During Unleavened Bread, “the day after the Sabbath” (Lev 23:11). This is commonly during Passover week, typically late March to late April.

Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (Lev 23:15–22): Seven weeks after Firstfruits, so usually late May to mid June.

Feast of Trumpets (Lev 23:23–25): 1st day of Tishrei. Usually September to early October.

Day of Atonement (Lev 23:26–32): 10th of Tishrei, 9 days after Trumpets. Usually from September to October.

Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) (Lev 23:33–44): 15th to 21st of Tishrei, with a concluding assembly on the 22nd (Lev 23:34–36, 39). Usually late September to late October.

Lamp and Bread of the Presence (Lev 24:1–9): an ongoing tabernacle rhythm, with the bread set out each Sabbath (Lev 24:8–9).

Vows and tithes (Lev 27): not a single holiday date. These happened as people made vows or as produce and herds increased through the year.

Sabbatical year (Lev 25:1–7): every 7th year, the land rested.

Jubilee (Lev 25:8–55): every 50th year, announced with a trumpet on the Day of Atonement (Lev 25:9–10).

March 07, 2026

A Summary of the Leviticus 1-7 Sacrifices

March 07, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

Reading Leviticus can leave your head swimming. Sometimes it’s helpful to have a summary overview first in order to know and understand the parts you are reading. Here’s a summary overview of the prescribed sacrifices in Leviticus 1-7:

Burnt offering (Leviticus 1). A burnt offering was an animal from the herd or flock (and for the poor, a bird) that was completely burned on the altar. It had to be an unblemished male. The worshiper laid a hand on its head, and the priests handled the blood at the altar (Lev 1:3–4, 10–17). Nothing from the animal was eaten, because “all of it” was burned up (Lev 1:9, 13, 17). It was given so the worshiper could be “accepted” by God and “make atonement,” meaning God provided a way for the person to be welcomed despite sin (Lev 1:4).

Grain offering (Leviticus 2; 6:14–18). A grain offering was fine flour (often baked or cooked), mixed with oil and frankincense, and it could not have yeast (leaven) in it (Lev 2:1–10; 2:11). The priest burned a small “memorial portion” on the altar, and the rest became food for the priests, eaten unleavened in a holy place (Lev 2:2–3; 6:14–18). It was a way to honor God with the fruit of one’s labor and to support those serving at the tabernacle, while still being treated as “most holy.”

Peace offering (Leviticus 3; 7:11–21, 28–34). A peace offering (also used for thanksgiving, vows, and freewill gifts) was an unblemished animal from the herd or flock, male or female (Lev 3:1–17). The fat portions were burned on the altar as God’s portion, but much of the meat was eaten as a joyful meal. The priests received specific portions (the breast and right thigh), and the rest could be eaten by the worshiper and others who were ceremonially clean (Lev 7:19–20, 28–34). Some peace offerings had to be eaten the same day, and others by the next day, with anything left on the third day burned (Lev 7:15–18). This sacrifice expressed a restored relationship and shared fellowship with God, often in gratitude and celebration.

Sin offering (Leviticus 4:1–5:13; 6:24–30). A sin offering was brought when someone sinned unintentionally or became guilty through specific kinds of wrongdoing or uncleanness (Lev 4; 5:1–13). The animal varied by who sinned and what was involved, but the key actions were similar: the priests used the blood in a prescribed way, and the fat portions were burned on the altar (Lev 4:8–10, 20). In some cases (like a bull offered for the priest or the whole community), the hide and remaining parts were taken outside the camp and burned, not eaten (Lev 4:11–12). In other cases, the priest who offered it could eat the meat in a holy place, but any sin offering whose blood was brought into the tent of meeting could not be eaten and had to be burned (Lev 6:26, 30). The point was cleansing and forgiveness. It showed that sin defiles and harms our relationship with God, and God provided a way to deal with it so the person could be forgiven.

Guilt offering (Leviticus 5:14–6:7; 7:1–7). A guilt offering was brought when someone wronged God in a serious way involving “holy things” (things dedicated to worship) or when someone cheated, stole, or otherwise sinned against a neighbor and then realized it (Lev 5:14–16; 6:1–7). The sacrifice was a ram without blemish (Lev 5:15; 6:6). What made it distinctive is that it required repayment: the person had to restore what was taken or damaged and add an extra fifth (20 percent) (Lev 5:16; 6:4–5). The fat portions were burned on the altar, and the remaining meat belonged to the priests to eat in a holy place (Lev 7:3–7). The point was to make wrongs right. It combined forgiveness with real-world repair of the harm done.

March 04, 2026

Train Them to Listen to Sermons

March 04, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

Learning to listen to sermons does’t just happen by showing up, and the next generation needs to learn how to listen to sermons. It’s by listening to sermons with the desire to grow and think critically, week by week, over many years, that people learn and grow. In this episode, Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker discuss the idea of preaching as discipleship and training. What is preaching? How does it do the training and discipleship work? Should the Gospel be there every week? What kind of preaching? They discuss these questions and many others. Listen to this episode wherever you get podcasts, watch on YouTube, or listen here:

In addition, this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted was unsponsored by 9Marks and therefore shared an unsolicited, unpaid advertisement for the 9Marks podcast, “Bible Talk.” (Seriously, 9Marks didn’t pay us to talk about it, and they don’t even know we exist. We just like “Bible Talk” and think you should too.)

February 13, 2026

Train Them Up: One-On-One Discipleship

February 13, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

A graphic with the words, One-on-One Discipleship

As we consider what's needed to train the next generation of Christians, Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker discuss one-on-one discipleship. Why is one-on-one discipleship important? How do we do one-on-one discipleship? What’s the difference between formal and informal discipleship? What might be the pushback? Why don't we do it? They discuss these questions and share some tools they use for one-on-one discipleship. Subscribe and listen to this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted wherever you get podcasts, watch on YouTube, or listen here:

January 29, 2026

Train Them Up: An Introduction

January 29, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

Bryan and Josiah with the question, "Can The Next Generation Be Trained?"

There seems to be a boost of young men becoming Christians and engaging with the local church. Is it true? With the significance of generational differences, how are the Boomers and Gen-X generation going to train the Millennials and Zoomers (Gen-Z and Gen-A) if there are more young men coming to church? In this Salty Believer Unscripted series, Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker start a series about training up the next generations for ministries. Bryan also deals with a negative email concern. And they've started an unsolicited, unsponsored advertisement that's fitting for an unscripted podcast. Listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or listen here:

January 24, 2026

Should We Read Creeds in Church Services?

January 24, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

Text reading, "Creeds Read in Church?" with images of Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker

How can a church incorporate a creed, confession, or catechism in weekly gatherings and services? Should they? Before dealing with the primary question, we must define the terms. What is a creed? What is a confession? What’s the difference? What is a catechism? How can we use these things in our spiritual journey? How do they help us grow? How can they be used in weekly worship services? Should they be used in a local church gathering? If a Pastor wants to integrate these things, how does he get there? In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker chat about creeds, confessions, and catechisms. Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get podcasts, watch on our YouTube channel, or listen here:

January 21, 2026

Disciplines of a Godly Man (and Heaven Taken by Storm)

January 21, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

A book titled Disciplines of a Godly Man sitting on a table.

There's something going on with young Christian men in America. Studies are finding more young men in church than young women. Bible sales are up, but not by a noticeable margin. More and more football players are talking about God on national television than ever before. College campuses are buzzing with theological talk, and the greater majority of it is among men. And this even seems to be stirring some action in older men. Therefore, there's never been a better time than now to press into being a godly man and raising up godly men.

Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes is 19 chapters of easy-to-read, real-to-life, rich instruction for personal reflection, one-on-one discipleship, or men's group studies. I lead two small groups of young men, and we start with Disciplines of a Godly Man. I am also using the table of contents as the direction for our monthly men’s breakfasts at the church where I’m a pastor. (I am using a Text for each of the topics, but the topic is driving my choice of Texts.) The book has been in print since 1991 and has been updated a few times, but it is more important now than ever. It’s outstanding if you're looking to grow as a godly man. It’s also an excellent book for men’s groups and one-on-one discipleship.

Here’s a video of my thoughts and recommendations for Kent Hughes’ Disciplines of a Godly Man (Crossway, 2019). I also couldn’t help a brief discussion of Thomas Watson’s book, “Heaven Taken by Storm” (Banner of Truth).

Find this book wherever you buy good books or get it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3YN4Zbl. Find more book reviews and recommendations like this one on my book recommendations page.

January 21, 2026

Journey Through John: A 5-Minute Bible Study

January 21, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

Bryan Catherman reading a Bible in his truck.

Bryan Catherman is taking a journey through John on YouTube, with a simple, 5-minute daily Bible study. He and Josiah Walker discuss what’s behind it, why it's done, and how it works on this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted. Find the Journey Through John playlist on the SaltyBeliever.com YouTube channel. Listen to this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted wherever you get podcasts, watch this episode on YouTube, or listen here:

Watch the recording of this podcast on our YouTube Channel:
Salty Believer Unscripted Video Playlist

January 16, 2026

Intern Episode: Daniel Catherman

January 16, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

It’s important that Christian churches and ministries seek to raise up Christian ministers for and from the next generation. We want to do our part, even at a website and podcast of obscurity. This is why we have a podcast intern. We don't even know what that really is when it comes to a podcast like this one, but it gives us a good excuse to challenge young people to serve, learn, and grow. Over the past 14 years of the podcast, previous interns have gone on to become biblical counselors, missionaries, associate pastors, and even a lead Pastor. This is a special episode, so we could interview Daniel the Intern, moving him out from behind his other duties and putting him in front of the microphone. He discussed his premium Schuyler Bible, Tim Wildsmith, and many more things. He’s the youngest intern we’ve ever had, and yes, we know there could be some nepotism at play here. Listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts or listen here:

Or watch us record the episode on YouTube here:

January 15, 2026

Dealing with Change

January 15, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

Change can be hard. It’s harder for some than others. And it seems like the hardest place for change in the local church. What is change so difficult, and how are we to navigate change? Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman discuss change and the difficulties that come with change in this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts or listen here:

Or watch on YouTube here:

January 05, 2026

Forming Better Spiritual Habits

January 05, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

How do we form better spiritual habits? How do we stick to them? How do we achieve our Bible reading goals? What stops us? How do we say no to bad habits and yes to good habits? Forming good spiritual habits and achieving our goals requires learning to say no to things. It’s also helpful to measure the right things. This is the conversation in this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted. Listen wherever you get podcasts or listen here:

Or you can watch the recording of this podcast on YouTube here:

January 02, 2026

What Devotionals are Helpful? (2026 Edition)

January 02, 2026/ Bryan Catherman

In this video, Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman share the devotional materials they find helpful. What are their daily habits to grow closer to God? That's the question they answer. It may help you. Listen wherever you subscribe to podcasts or listen here:

Or watch here or on our YouTube channel:

December 27, 2025

The P.R.A.Y. Method for Prayer

December 27, 2025/ Bryan Catherman

Prayer doesn't come naturally. It's something to learn and be taught. There are plenty of tools out there, A.C.T.S. being one of the most popular. But the ACTS prayer method is missing something biblical. The PRAY model gets closer. In the video below, I discuss how PRAY might be healthier than ACTS. Also, here are some simple instructions for anyone asking, "How do I pray?"

P.R.A.Y.

P - Praise, Adoration, & Thanksgiving

Praise: Begin your prayer by taking several minutes to marvel in the God you serve. Think of some of His attributes and note how they are experienced by you each day. Remember His promises and how He has fulfilled them in the past. Think of the things that drive your affections toward God and tell Him about them. Notice the great things God is doing and declare His glory.

R - Repentance & Confession

Repentance: Acknowledge your struggles, trials, and shortcomings to God. Be upfront about your sins and let Him know you are genuinely sorry for them. This is not just remorse for getting caught, but real sorrow for choosing a false path. We acknowledge our sinfulness in contrast to His purity and confess who we are, considering who God is.

A - Asking & Intersession

Ask: Lay your specific requests before the Lord. There’s no need to be generic or “beat around the bush.” Share your needs, understanding that God already knows what you need before you ask, but He still wants you to ask. Pray for others. Bring the burdens of others before the Lord and intercede on their behalf. Nothing is too small or too big, just ask.

Y - Yielding & Honoring

Yielding: To yield to God in prayer is to submit to His plan and give him all glory. It involves choosing Him and what He is doing over what you want. Yielding puts Him in a position above you and above others. It can and should be stated in words in your prayer, but it’s practices over time as you preserve and trust in God’s timing. Continue to pray, wait, and watch for what God will do.

December 27, 2025

Calendar Years in the Bible

December 27, 2025/ Bryan Catherman

When reading the Bible, we regularly come across statements like the one in Nehemiah 2:1: “in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes.” Or like Isaiah 6:1, “In the year that King Uzziah died.” These are significant statements because the numbering of the years was (and still is) tied to the reigning king. The first year of Artaxerxes would have been the first year he was in power. Every time a new king came into power, the numbering of each year would have started over.

We use the same system today, but we base our calendar on King Jesus, starting in the year most believe was his earthly birth year, rather than arguing when Jesus’ kingly rule began. There is some debate about the starting year, with a range of 3 to 5 years. We still use the same language as the Old Testament: “in the year of our Lord,” but we say AD. AD is short for the Latin statement, Anno Domini, which means, “In the year of our Lord.” At the time of this writing, it’s AD 2025. AD comes first to identify which counting system we’re using. “In the year of our Lord, 2025.” And because Jesus is alive and will never die, our numbering system continues onward centered on Christ.

But what about when we go back years before Jesus? Obviously, the author of Nehemiah didn’t know he was in 445 B.C. because he wouldn’t have known the starting point of the calendar system we use today. So to clarify, we count away in the negative, starting at the same point—Jesus’ earthly birth. However, rather than using a negative symbol, we use B.C. Because this is English for “Before Christ,” it’s abbreviated with periods.

Some who want to avoid acknowledging Jesus have tried to change this system to B.C.E., meaning “before the common era,” and C.E., meaning “common era.” This is humorous because the timeline is still based on Jesus. It’s also a form of chronological snobbery to assume that anything more than 2,225 years ago was uncommon, or that it happened before some magical common time. What defines something as the common era? If we try to remove Jesus from the timeline, what defines someone as in the common or before the common era?

The months of the Jewish calendar originally began with Passover and the Exodus. Some of the names changed after the exile into Babylon, but they continued to have twelve months that didn’t start over with each king. They are Abib (Nisan), Ziv (Iyyar), Sivan, Tammuz, Ab, Elul, Ethanim (Tishri), Bul (Marchesvan), Chislev, Tebeth, Shebad, and Adar.

December 23, 2025

Daily Doctrine by Kevin DeYoung: Yes or No?

December 23, 2025/ Bryan Catherman

In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker discuss their year going through Kevin DeYoung’s book, Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology (Crossway, 2024). After reading it, they review it. Would they recommend it to others? Their answer might surprise you. Why did they end up disappointed? Listen wherever you get podcasts or listen here:

Or watch the YouTube video here:

December 18, 2025

Social Media is Killing Biblical Community

December 18, 2025/ Bryan Catherman

Facebook’s newest advertisement is selling the community it killed. Does social media help or hurt real, meaningful community? It hurts. It was intended to help, but has it accomplished what we thought it would do? No. Has the effort to make money come at the cost of real community? Yes, and Meta is king. Is it causing depression and anxiety? Yes. Have we lost the idea of what community really is, and now long for something we already had? Yup. What is the cost? Doom scrolling is a thing, and doom is not a positive word. We need to talk about social media and the death of community. That's the topic of this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted. Subscribe or listen here:

Or watch here:

December 13, 2025

Leadership Development Lessons for the Church, From Whittingham and Scalley

December 13, 2025/ Bryan Catherman

University of Utah Head Football Coach, Morgan Scalley.

The University of Utah Football coach, Kyle Whittingham, announced his retirement, and already, the next head coach, Morgan Scalley, is ready to go. There wasn’t a single minute in question, and the team won’t skip a beat. While it became official for Scalley on December 13, 2025, the decision was made and announced by Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan on July 1, 2024. There are lessons the Evangelical Church could learn from this living illustration.

In an article titled “Empty Pulpits Coming to a Church Near You” (August 4, 2025), the EFCA reported that one in four pastors is planning to retire by 2030, and young people entering ministry are on the decline. Christianity Today reported the same situation across all Evangelical Churches, stating, “In 2022, just 16 per cent of Protestant senior pastors were 40 years old or younger. The average age of a pastor is 52. Thirty years ago, 33 percent of US pastors were under 40, and the median age was 44” (April 28, 2023). And in a Barna Report titled “The Pastoral Succession Crisis Is Only Getting More Complicated” (August 23, 2023), we learn that 79% of pastors believe “churches aren’t rising to their responsibilities to train up the next generation of Christian leaders.”

In light of such a ringing alarm, what lessons could churches learn from Coach Whitt?

Make succession a culture, not a crisis.

Utah didn’t wait until Whittingham’s last press conference to start thinking about Scalley. They treated continuity as part of the program’s identity. The team has known for well over a year that when Whittingham was ready to retire, Scalley would take over and keep moving. They selected him while Whitting was still on the job, and it’s likely that Wittingham was a part of the selection process. Churches often treat succession like an awkward conversation you have when the pastor hits a certain birthday, and everyone pretends not to notice. Or even worse, it’s a conversation that starts after the previous pastor’s moving truck pulls out of town.

If the mission of the church matters (and it does), then leadership development can’t be a panic plan. It has to be a standing commitment. The leadership pipeline should go from the ground level all the way to the top and be a regular conversation. Jesus loves his church and intends to keep feeding his sheep after any one shepherd is gone.

Stop hoping for mature leaders and start making them.

Most churches want mature leaders to appear out of thin air, preferably well-trained, already tested, already humble, and already gifted. Scalley played Utah Football from 2001 to 2004. He was given a position as an administrative assistant in 2006. In 2008, Whittingham entrusted Scally with coaching the safeties and special teams. Recruiting Coordinator was added to his resume in 2009. In 2016, Scalley became the Defensive Coordinator. He’s had increasing responsibilities at the practices and on the field for years, growing into who he is today.

That’s discipleship. Paul didn’t tell Timothy, “Wait for the mature Christians to show up.” He told him to entrust the gospel to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2). That’s a pipeline. That’s a plan. That’s multiplication. It’s slow, inconvenient, and absolutely normal Christianity.

I remember Mark Dever once saying that when churches replace a well-seasoned, aged Pastor, they shouldn’t go looking for another tiger, but look for a cub who will likely scratch up the furniture some, but grow into the tiger they’ll want. And he’ll be their tiger.

Give the next guy real reps, not just theoretical preparation.

Utah’s transition is going to work because Scalley wasn’t a name pulled from a committee hat. He’s had real responsibility before the handoff. He’s been tested some. Sure, Scalley will need to keep growing, but Utah knows him, and he knows Utah. Churches need to give young guys the opportunity to succeed and fail, but that means they need real opportunities.

Leaders aren’t formed by reading books about leadership (although that can help). They are formed by carrying weight: teaching, counselling, leading, being corrected, learning the church’s culture, and absorbing the unwritten realities no seminary course can cover. Young men don’t grow into pastoral steadiness by accident; they grow into it by doing pastoral work under wise oversight.

Transition publicly, clearly, and with blessing rather than ambiguity and politics.

Utah didn’t drift into a leadership change. They named it. They owned it. They communicated it. We all saw it coming and welcome it. And they honored the outgoing leader while setting up the incoming leader for credibility.

Not every church gets the opportunity to transition well, but the chances are greater if the church works at it from the start. A healthy transition blesses both men: gratitude for the former, confidence in the next, and clarity for the people of God doing the mission of God.

A football program can plan for the future because it knows what it’s trying to win. The church should be able to do the same, except our mission and the power behind it are far superior. Christ gives shepherds to his church (Eph. 4:11), and he loves to do it through ordinary means: faithful discipleship, qualified elders, tested character, and deliberate training.

If one in four pastors really will step down by 2030, then this isn’t a problem for them out there. It’s a question for every local church. It’s time we get intentional about raising the next shepherds.

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