This week, Cameron, Derek, Emily and Marty cover a ton: American Idol's Songs of Faith Night, which was way more Jesus-heavy this year than last, British Christian rapper DC3 making MOBO Awards history, and the story of Forrest Frank's new indie band having to ditch their name days before releasing their debut album.

In RELEVANT Recommends, we talk to Madison Ryann Ward — an amazing, soulful singer (and former D1 volleyball player) who walked away from Rick Rubin's label after rededicating her life to Christ, and is now showing up everywhere and absolutely thriving.

In Slices, we cover a guy who’s selling a compass that only points to the Olive Garden in Times Square, and the story of 12 tons of stolen Kit Kat bars giving some pretty great April Fool's fodder.

At the end of the episode, we have a great edition of One Has to Go!

Highlights:

00:00 — Intro / Derek Minor's new single "Up"

07:35 — RELEVANT Buzz: American Idol Songs of Faith Night

15:00 — RELEVANT Buzz: DC3 wins two MOBO Awards

17:30 — RELEVANT Buzz: Forrest Frank's new band

24:50 — RELEVANT Recommends: Madison Ryann Ward

33:00 — Slices: Compass pointing to the Olive Garden in Times Square

35:15 — Slices: Someone stole 12 tons of Kit Kat bars

38:30 — One Has to Go: Holidays / Florida animals / Blockbuster night / MTV cartoons / Sports video games

49:00 — Outro

Cameron, Jesse, Derek and Emily are all back together for a packed episode. In RELEVANT Recommends, we highlight Indie Tribe's new album, Who Do You Say I Am? and caught up with the guys at SXSW to talk about the making of the project and what it says about who they are as a group.

In RELEVANT Buzz: Alabama's basketball team has been quietly building a faith culture all season that's worth knowing about. Then, as Stephen Colbert is wrapping up the Late Show, his next move is pretty unexpected: writing a Lord of the Rings movie with Peter Jackson. And then we highlight an unexpected connection between SNL's newest cast member and Orlando-based Christian rapper Caleb Gordon. For real.

Plus we cover NCAA tournament drama, late night legends ranked, and the high school celebrity alumni rabbit hole (yes, DJ Khaled, Joey Fatone and Wayne Brady went to school together). In Slices: googly eyes are scientifically proven to deter seagulls (and lions), and the world record Big Mac guy has opinions on the Big Arch. And at the end of the show it's One Has to Go: pop icons, board games, classic Comedy Central, sneaker culture and more. We said it was packed.

0:00 — Intro / Derek's back, everybody's been sick

4:00 — The podcast economy is in trouble

11:30 — Mike Lindell gets served mid-interview

19:58 — RELEVANT Buzz

20:30 — NCAA Tournament buzzer beater & Dan Hurley headbutts a ref

23:30 — Alabama basketball's faith culture and Bible study movement

25:45 — Stephen Colbert leaving Late Show; late night legends ranked

27:25 — Colbert is co-writing a Lord of the Rings movie (Shadows of the Past)

33:00 — Unexpected celebrity connections: Snoop & Cameron Diaz, Dr. Phillips HS alumni

34:50 — SNL's Cam Patterson and Christian rapper Caleb Gordon went to school together

39:05 — Slices: Googly eyes deter seagulls (and lions in Botswana)

41:35 — Slices: The Big Mac world record holder reviews the Big Arch

44:42 — RELEVANT Recommends: Indie Tribe's Who Do You Say I Am?

47:37 — Derek on writing albums in lockdown camps

53:00 — One Has to Go: pop icons, comedians, board games, sneakers, Nickelodeon, MTV

Worship leader Pat Barrett — known for "Good Good Father" and "Build My Life" — joins Cameron, Jesse and Emily to talk about his new live album 'Break Open,' why he sat on the title track for nearly a decade, and his late-in-life obsession with surfing (including an upcoming trip to Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch). He also gets honest about how his thinking on songwriting vs. worship leading has shifted, because of course we ask awkward questions.

Also, Emily brings RELEVANT Buzz fresh from South by Southwest, where she sat in on a panel with Vince Gilligan — creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul — who said he thinks he owes the world something better than anti-heroes. Plus: High Point University's Cinderella March Madness run, and the faith story behind Chase Johnston's #99 jersey that everyone's been talking about.

And to close it out — Pat helps the crew run the Sweet 16 mascots through a no-stats, vibes-only bracket challenge to crown the real national champion. Based solely on mascots, not teams. One with a mustache may or may not have won.

Highlights:

• 0:00 – Why last week's episode was late
• 2:30 – Starlink satellites
• 9:30 – Driving gloves
• 17:50 – RELEVANT Buzz: High Point University's Chase Johnston's #99 story
• 27:00 – Emily's South by Southwest panel with Vince Gilligan
• 31:45 – The Lost arc, the Sawyer problem, and what Vince Gilligan owes culture
• 36:00 – Pat Barrett joins the show
• 38:30 – Recording 'Break Open' live in a sweaty tent
• 40:40 – Why the title song sat unreleased for nearly 10 years
• 42:50 – Songwriting vs. worship leading — what's actually better?
• 45:20 – Pat's surfing obsession
• 48:15 – The March Madness Mascot Bracket Challenge

Ryan Gosling joins the RELEVANT Podcast to talk about his new sci-fi film Project Hail Mary — what made him fall in love with this story and why this one might be a "core memory" film for a generation.

Before that, Emily reports from SXSW to break down the week's biggest faith-and-culture stories: a Christian animated short film made by two Pixar animators and 200 volunteers (including musician Josh Garrels) got nominated for an Oscar. Also Christian apologist Wesley Huff went on the popular podcast 'Diary of a CEO' and told Stephen Bartlett to his face he's going to hell. Plus, NFL quarterback Justin Fields reveals he wants to become a missionary after football.

Then in Slices: the Tooth Fairy economy is growing (Jesse has a lot of thoughts), a huge scandal in a camel beauty pageant, and you'll never be able to predict this week's 'What's Jesse Thinking?' segment. It's a wild ride this week.

Highlights:

00:25 — SxSW breakdown: The decline from tech-and-music powerhouse

07:38 — RELEVANT BUZZ

07:43 — The Office canon errors: a deep dive nobody asked for (Michael Scott's anniversary math)

10:11 — Forevergreen: Oscar-nominated Christian animated short by two Pixar animators + 200 volunteers, featuring Josh Garrels

19:22 — Wesley Huff talks Christianity on 'Diary of a CEO'

26:07 — NFL QB Justin Fields says he wants to be a missionary after football

30:07 — SLICES

30:14 — The Tooth Fairy economy

35:34 — Camel beauty pageant scandal

37:53 — RELEVANT RECOMMENDS: Project Hail Mary

43:25 — Ryan Gosling on why he keeps making space movies and why he won't actually go to space

46:42 — Ryan Gosling on why he picked Project Hail Mary — "you would die for this rock alien"

48:54 — Ryan Gosling on Project Hail Mary as a "core memory movie" like E.T. and Back to the Future

50:01 — WHAT'S JESSE THINKING?: Should Golden Corral run the US government?

56:23 — Post-credits: Apology to the estate of Shel Silverstein

Colony House is back with a new album, and they sat down with Emily to reflect on 10 years of making music and what they want the next decade to look like.

In RELEVANT Buzz: Papa Roach lead singer Jacoby Shaddix shares his powerful faith journey — from foxhole prayer, to sobriety and a faith that sounds like the real thing. We also bring a story flying under the radar: nearly a million Christians are living inside Iran right now, and we hear directly from believers on the ground to get their thoughts on the war and religious freedom.

Plus, the backlash to the Atlanta Hawks announcing "Magic City Night" — a themed game night centered around an infamous Atlanta strip club.Then, pastor Kyle Idleman joins us to talk about how modern American Christianity has slowly turned Jesus into a therapist and self-help guru — and what we've lost in the process. It's a challenge worth sitting with.

In Slices: a Turkish soccer player performs CPR on a seagull he accidentally hit mid-game, United Airlines starts banning passengers who refuse headphones, and we close with a Spring Break edition of Would You Rather.

01:00 — The crocheting trend taking over

03:48 — The appeal of old stuff

10:41 — RELEVANT BUZZ

10:41 — Papa Roach lead singer Jacoby Shaddix shares his Christian testimony. Foxhole prayers, sobriety and millennial rockers finding faith

14:25 — Marty's attempt to join the Elk Club for a Newport parking spot

22:04 — Iranian Christians: nearly 1 million believers inside Iran

28:33 — Atlanta Hawks "Magic City Night"

30:42 — Kyle Idleman interview: How American Christianity has missed the real Jesus

35:16 — SLICES

35:16 — Turkish soccer player performs CPR on a seagull he accidentally hit

41:01 — United Airlines bans passengers who won't use headphones

45:31 — RELEVANT RECOMMENDS: Colony House — 77 Part 2

50:33 — WOULD YOU RATHER: Spring Break Edition | Pullout couches, photo shoots, emo cruises, bad vibes vs. mediocre food, and Marty's 3am cockfight vacation

Zachary Levi — Chuck, Shazam, and now host of the new docu-drama David: King of Israel — joins us to talk about why the story of David is the one he keeps coming back to. It's a story of someone who's broken, who makes terrible decisions, and who somehow still gets called a man after God's own heart. Levi explains what sets this show apart from all the other David content out there right now and why he thinks everyone needs to hear this story again.

Also in this episode: We've been hearing a lot about revival — from the SEU outpouring to Asbury to rising Bible sales. But does the data actually back that up? We talked to Ryan Burge, a pastor, researcher and political analyst who's spent 20 years studying church trends, and his answer might surprise you. Plus, Gen Z is quietly bringing physical media back, why AI in the operating room is already causing problems, and Jesse drops a statistic about cats and birds that is either shocking or deeply unpopular depending on whether you own a cat.

And it's the spring edition of One Has to Go!

TIMESTAMPS

0:45 — Cameron stress-eating popcorn at the Magic game and them losing because of it

5:45 — RELEVANT Buzz

7:00 — Zach Levi on David: King of Israel

11:15 — DVDs and physical media are making a comeback, thanks to Gen Z

19:00 — Is revival actually happening in America? Researcher Ryan Burge on the data

28:15 — SLICES: Jesse's very unpopular take on cats and birds

36:05 — Derek: AI in the operating room and why we need to pump the brakes

41:00 — ONE HAS TO GO: Spring Edition

This week, Elevation Worship's Chris Brown tells us why the band took an extra year off from releasing music — and what their new album ‘So Be It’ sounds like on the other side of that pause. We also hear from Portland Trail Blazers chaplain Mike Tatlock, who talked to us during NBA All-Star Weekend to share what he's seeing behind the scenes: more players showing up to chapel, more genuine conversations about faith, and a tangible spiritual shift across pro sports.

In RELEVANT Buzz, we dig into a new report revealing the alcohol industry has lost $830 billion in the last four years — largely because Gen Z just isn't drinking. Plus, the cast gets real about dealing with hateful internet comments, the Celebrity All-Star Game gets a much-needed fix, and we settle the TGIF sitcom debate once and for all. Oh, and a man at a Nashville Waffle House ordered a hash brown bowl and got bear-sprayed, tased and zip-tied instead. You know, a typical RELEVANT Podcast.

HIGHLIGHTS

01:07 — Jesse Got Roasted on YouTube and It's Eating Him Alive

08:10 — Hate Follows: Why Do People Follow Content That Triggers Them?

10:03 — Golden Rule the Comments Section

12:57 — RELEVANT Buzz: Is A Faith Revival Happening in Pro Sports?

15:12 — NBA Chaplain Mike Tatlock

18:10 — Derek on How Christian Hip Hop Maybe Helped Fuel the Movement

19:31 — What Chaplains Are Seeing Behind the Scenes

23:23 — Jesse's Celebrity All-Star Game Fix: Danny DeVito & Tom Cruise

26:46 — The Worst National Anthems of All Time

31:26 — Gen Z Is Killing the Alcohol Industry — $830 Billion Lost

35:09 — Elevation Worship's Chris Brown on Their New Album So Be It

36:45 — Interview Clip: Why They Took Time Off for the First Time in a Decade

38:08 — SLICES: Buffalo Wild Wings Sued Over "Boneless Wings"

42:10 — A Man Got Bear-Sprayed, Tased & Zip-Tied at Waffle House Over Hash Browns

44:42 — ASK THE CAST: Has Jesse Ever Been Pranked?

45:24 — Jesse's Most Diabolical College Pranks (Alarm Clocks, Air Horns & Peanut Butter)

48:45 — Cameron Put Squirrels in a Guy's Room

49:48 — Dream Guests: The RELEVANT Mount Rushmore

50:31 — Which Cast Member Would You Want to Be Stranded With?

51:05 — Do Your Families Listen to the Podcast?

51:30 — Favorite TGIF Era Sitcom

53:22 — If You Could Go Back to 2003 and Tell Yourself One Thing

This week, Zach Williams from indie-folk band The Lone Bellow joins the show to talk about their new album — including the wild story of how their van was broken into, all their recordings were stolen, and their fans raised enough money to help them start over.

In RELEVANT Buzz, we show you the ongoing worship outpouring happening at Southeastern University in Florida, where students have been in nonstop prayer, worship and confession for the last week (we talk to the campus pastor). We also break down the viral claim that Christian hip hop is the #1 rap subgenre on Spotify — and why it's not actually true.

Plus, a worship pastor goes viral on American Idol, Kevin Durant gets exposed for burner accounts during All-Star Weekend, and a guy who lost a golf bet is now 23 days into eating nothing but Wendy's chili. At the end of the show, we've got Ask the Cast and Jesse and Emily confess to the one question they both regret asking in an interview.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — Jesse's Super Bowl Spreader Event

05:46 — RELEVANT Buzz: The SEU Outpouring

18:49 — Kevin Durant's Burner Account

22:06 — Is Christian Hip Hop Really Huge on Spotify?

24:44 — Worship Pastor Goes Viral on American Idol

29:26 — RELEVANT Recommends: The Lone Bellow

34:49 — SLICES: The Wendy's Chili Bet

41:31 — AI Is Bad at Medical Advice

45:57 — ASK THE CAST: Embarrassing TikTok Purchases & Weird Google Searches