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The UpWords Podcast

Upper House
Christianity
Forgiveness
Artificial Intelligence
Vocation
Spiritual Formation
Calling
Faith and Work
Christian Citizenship
Advent
Judaism
American Evangelicalism
George Whitefield
Dallas Willard
Peacemaking
Christian Worldview
Church
Leadership
Faith At Work
Early Christianity
Bible Project

Each week, we sit down with scholars, authors, and leaders to explore faith, vocation, culture, and what it means to think and live well. For curious Christians and honest seekers. An initiative of SLBF STUDIO at Upper House in Madison, WI.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes195Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ChristianityEducationReligion & SpiritualitySelf-Improvement

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Artwork for The UpWords Podcast

Latest Episodes

This summer, the UpWords Podcast is featuring leaders making a tangible difference in the Madison community. Host Rebecca Cooks sits down with Rev. Dr. Alexander Gee — pastor, author, and founder and CEO of the Center for Black Excellence and Culture... more

How do you read the Bible? Most of us assume we already know: we read to learn what happened, to understand what a passage means, or to find a principle to apply. In this episode, host Dan Hummel is joined by guest Jeff Dryden, professor of biblical ... more

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Phil Haslanger has spent decades straddling two worlds that don't always trust each other: journalism and the church. In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host John Terrill sits down with the longtime Capital Times editor turned ordained pastor fo... more

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This summer, The UpWords Podcast is spotlighting local leaders shaping faith and community life in Madison. Host Dan Johnson sits down with Jon Anderson, founder and executive director of Collaboration Project, to talk about what happens when churche... more

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Recent Guests

Tim Mackie
BibleProject co-founder and lead scholar
Bible Project
Episode: Rediscovering the Bible as Wisdom Literature — Tim Mackie of BibleProject
Gerald Sittser
Theologian, historian and author; professor of theology at Whitworth University
Whitworth University
Episode: Water from a Deep Well: Recovering the Riches of Historic Christianity | Dr. Jerry Sittser
Seth Whitaker
Biblical scholar, speaker from Upper House's Questions of Faith event in Oshkosh
Upper House / SLBF Studio
Episode: How Do Jews and Christians Read Scripture Differently? | Seth Whitaker
Scott Bessenecker
Author and longtime ministry leader
InterVarsity / author of Bad Religion, Good News
Episode: Bad Religion, Good News: Surviving Church Disappointment | Scott Bessenecker
Matt Rusten
Author of Pastoring for Monday; leader with Made to Flourish
Made to Flourish
Episode: Pastoring for Monday: Helping the Church Take Work Seriously | Matt Rusten
Amy-Jill Levine
Renowned biblical scholar
Scholar-in-residence at First United Methodist Church in Madison; frequent speaker on Jewish-Christian dialogue
Episode: A Jewish Scholar on What Christians miss when Reading the Bible | Dr. Amy-Jill Levine
John Fia
Historian who has written about American Evangelicalism across centuries
Luhman Center
Episode: TRAILER: American Evangelicals - A History Podcast
Maggie Capra
Teacher and researcher focused on American Evangelicalism
Luhman Center
Episode: TRAILER: American Evangelicals - A History Podcast
Dan Hummel
Historian of Evangelicals and foreign policy and theology
Luhman Center
Episode: TRAILER: American Evangelicals - A History Podcast

Hosts

Jean Geran
Host of The UpWords Podcast with leadership role across SLBF Studio at Upper House (Madison, WI)
Dan Hummel
Host of The UpWords Podcast; historian and educator with ties to SLBF Studio at Upper House
Daniel Johnson
Host of The UpWords Podcast; engages with faith, theology, and practical spirituality

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 20 ratings
  • Highly Recommend

    This is such a great podcast! I couldn’t recommend it more!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Parentgame39827404&$@
    United States10 months ago
  • Unique information

    I just listened to the interview about faith in China. First, the interviewer, Dan, was great. Usually the dynamic is an interviewer and an expert, but this was more like two peers having a great conversation. The life of the author was fascinating, I’m glad it was not hurried over. Then the insight into China was unique, obviously, credible, and very helpful to my view of the church in China.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DouglasWI1957
    United States4 years ago
  • Magnificent!

    Wow… Just wow…

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jtanderson4
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and hosts are described as credible and well-credentialed, contributing to a sense of intellectual rigor.
Audience appreciates practical takeaways for church life and personal faith amidst complex cultural topics.
Episodes frequently highlight interfaith dialogue, historic Christian tradition, and practical faith formation.
Listeners praise the show's thoughtful, peer-level conversations rather than a traditional interviewer-expert dynamic.

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The Briefing with Albert MohlerR. Albert Mohler, Jr.
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BibleProjectBibleProject Podcast

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Reading as a Spiritual Practice | Jeff Crosby
Q: Why do you advocate fasting from books at times, and how does that serve spiritual life?
Fasting from books can help renew focus on scripture or other urgent life commitments, prevent burnout, and remind readers of primary sources of faith, followed by a renewed engagement with reading that aligns with spiritual needs.
Reading as a Spiritual Practice | Jeff Crosby
Q: What are three practical practices of becoming a wiser reader?
He outlines practical steps: (1) build a liturgy of reading with committed time, spaces, and journaling; (2) read widely—inform yourself with reviews and periodicals, then select diverse works; (3) engage in dialogue with others about what you are reading to deepen understanding.
Reading as a Spiritual Practice | Jeff Crosby
Q: Jeff, could you speak to reading across genres and how that fits into the spirituality of reading?
Jeff explains that reading across genres broadens perspective, nourishes the soul, and supports ongoing spiritual formation by exposing the reader to varied voices, contexts, and styles, rather than sticking to a single genre.
Pastoring for Monday: Helping the Church Take Work Seriously | Matt Rusten
Q: Could you spell out that theological framework and how we might think about the seasons and cycles of our work in ways that are congruent with the larger story line of scripture?
The framework centers on how work fits into the grand biblical story—creation, fall, redemption, and new creation. Work is good and purposeful because God is a worker, but it is fractured by the fall; redemption reorients our work, and new creation points toward ongoing kingdom renewal. The host invites the guest to explain how these big story arcs shape preaching, discipleship, and church life, with practical questions to guide people through different life-stage responses to work.
Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace | Mark DeYmaz
Q: How has your personal history influenced your approach to peacemaking and church leadership?
Mark shares a background of marginalization and resilience, explaining how his experiences with absence of a father and financial hardship shaped his commitment to extend peace to the marginalized and to build diverse, just communities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The UpWords Podcast

What is The UpWords Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program features in-depth conversations with scholars, authors, and leaders who explore faith, vocation, and culture through thoughtful dialogue and practical insights. Recent episodes emphasize Christian interpretation, interfaith engagement between Jews and Christians, historical Christian spirituality, and the intersection of faith with politics, work, and technology. A distinctive angle is the rigorous, scholarly approach paired with accessible storytelling, often grounded in historical context and real-life applications for faith communities. Guests tend to bring academic rigor, lived experience in ministry, and a willingness to discuss difficult questions with nuance, making it a compelling listen for curious Christians and serio... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The UpWords Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The UpWords Podcast:

1. The Russell Moore Show
2. Life with God: A Renovaré Podcast
3. The Esau McCaulley Podcast
4. Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer
5. Curiously Kaitlyn

How many episodes of The UpWords Podcast are there?

The UpWords Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 195 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The UpWords Podcast?

Recent guests on The UpWords Podcast include:

1. Tim Mackie
2. Gerald Sittser
3. Seth Whitaker
4. Scott Bessenecker
5. Matt Rusten
6. Amy-Jill Levine
7. John Fia
8. Maggie Capra

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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