Today we’re celebrating a huge milestone — 10 years of The Debrief Podcast— with a very special guest, Stephanie Schafer, one of the original co-hosts from when the show first began. Together, Matthew, Stephanie , and Tammy look back on the very first episode that aired on February 8, 2016, the heart behind starting the podcast, and the conversations that shaped the last decade.

In this anniversary episode, we revisit defining moments from the show, reflect on how honest dialogue has impacted real-life faith conversations, and explore why transparency — even when it feels uncomfortable — is still deeply needed in Christian spaces today. From topics the Church once avoided to the ones we can’t ignore anymore, this episode is both a celebration and a look forward to what’s next.

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Welcome back to The Debrief Podcast with Matthew Stephen Brown. This week’s episode, takes a meaningful turn as Pastor Matthew is joined by his daughter, Madison Moses, as co-host for a Valentine’s Day–themed conversation about love, family, marriage, and singleness through a Christ-centered lens.

Together, Matthew and Madison respond to real questions from listeners navigating complex relationships and heartfelt longings. From parenting outside of marriage, to prioritizing marriage after God while raising children, to approaching Valentine’s Day with hope when you’re single and longing for connection—this episode explores what biblical love looks like in everyday life.

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In this episode of The Debrief Podcast, Matthew Stephen Brown explores the tension every relationship eventually faces—conflict. From family dynamics to disagreements with others who don’t share our beliefs, how do Christians pursue peace without avoiding hard truths? This conversation centers on balancing grace, accountability, and healthy boundaries, offering biblical wisdom for navigating relational conflict.

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In this episode of The Debrief Podcast, Matthew Stephen Brown addresses the intersection of faith and mental health in a time when our minds can feel overwhelmed, anxious, and unsure of what to trust. As conversations around healing, spirituality, and emotional well-being grow louder, this episode focuses on finding clarity, peace, and discernment without giving fear the final word.

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In this episode, Pastor Matthew addresses a timely cultural question at the start before diving into deeper conversations about how Christians navigate freedom, authority, parenting, and fractured family relationships in today’s world. As theology meets real life, this episode offers biblical clarity and pastoral wisdom for believers facing complex and emotional realities.

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We’re back for part two of Matthew Stephen Brown’s conversation with Pastor John Martinez of Sandals Church Banning. After a powerful first episode, this debrief continues by turning to your questions — honest, practical, and rooted in everyday faith.
In this episode, Pastor Matthew and Pastor John respond to audience-submitted questions about what it really looks like to live out your faith in today’s culture. From navigating music and entertainment as a Christian, to understanding what “great faith” actually means and how it grows, to discerning the difference between genuine worship and performance, this conversation is thoughtful, biblical, and refreshingly real.

Show notes: Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 NLT

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In this special episode of The Debrief Podcast, Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown sits down with Pastor John Martinez, campus pastor of Sandals Church Banning, to discuss his journey into ministry and how he began working at Sandals Church. John shares the roles he’s held over the years and what those looked like in everyday ministry life. They explore the unseen realities of serving in a megachurch, including both the rewarding moments and the challenges. Pastor Matthew and Pastor John also talk about navigating creative blocks versus true spiritual dryness and how to practice faith authentically rather than performance. The episode touches on handling critique from both church communities and music circles, as well as advice for young Christian artists wrestling with the tension between traditional ministry and creative calling.

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In this episode of The Debrief Podcast with Matthew Stephen Brown, Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown offers compassionate and biblical clarity on some of the most personal questions surrounding faith—what baptism means, how someone becomes a child of God, and how salvation works for people from different backgrounds and beliefs. With both honesty and hope, he explores how God meets us in our darkest moments, how grace covers our imperfect intentions, and how Scripture reveals a God who invites every person into redemption and life with Him. Tune in for a grounded and encouraging conversation that helps make sense of some of Christianity’s most challenging topics.

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