What happens when you reach the midpoint of your life and look around to realize you didn’t know who your true friends were anymore? In this episode, I share my personal journey of navigating the complexities of male friendships post-40, exploring why it’s so challenging to establish new bonds at this stage in life. Through reflections on life events, social media influences, and political differences, Ben, Duce and I discuss the reasons behind so many broken relationships. We discuss how men are socialized to prioritize activities over genuine emotional connections, often leading to superficial, transactional friendships.

We also hit the value of meaningful friendships within Christian communities — emphasizing the importance of finding a close-knit group of true friends who share the bond of Christ. Moreover, we underline the role of the local church in fostering these connections. Christ during His time on earth modeled what genuine friendship looks like and we want to encourage you to seek for and endure in brotherly bonds that sharpen and encourage you in the Lord.

Chapters

- Male Friendships Over 40

- Dealing with the loss of Friendship

- The Value of Meaningful Friendships

- Restoring Broken Friendships

About the Hosts

Shai Linne (@shailinne) (Host) is an author and recording artist who has released numerous acclaimed Christian hip-hop albums. After completing a pastoral internship at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C., Shai co-founded Risen Christ Fellowship, an inner-city church in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA. As an author, Shai’s most recent book is The New Reformation: Finding Hope in the Fight for Ethnic Unity (published in May 2021). Shai has been married to his wife Blair for 13 years. They have three children and live in Portland, OR.

Ben Otero (@benotero) (Co-host) is a senior web developer for a Church Plant Media, an organization that serves churches and missions organizations. Ben grew up in Tampa, Florida before moving to Philadelphia to study at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a degree in economics. In addition to being a student of hip-hop culture, Ben is an elder at Crown and Joy Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia, where He lives with Jeraldine, his wife of 18 years, and their 8 children.

William “Duce” Branch (@ambassador215) (a.k.a. The Ambassador) (Co-host) is a pioneering Christian Hip-hop artist and professor. Duce served for over a decade as a co-founder and leader, and primary spokesperson for the nationally acclaimed Christian rap ministry, The Cross Movement. He also co-planted and co-pastored an urban church in North Philadelphia from 2004-2009. Duce is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., where he also serves as an adjunct professor for the College at Southeastern. He and his wife Michelle have been married for 26 years. They live in Wake Forest, NC and have four children

Credits

Executive Producer - Thomas J Terry

Recorded By - ⁠⁠⁠Humble Beast⁠⁠⁠

Additional Production Elements - Miguel A. Iniesta

Editing and Mixing by - ⁠⁠⁠The Good Podcast Co.⁠⁠⁠

This season is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠Brilliance Labs

On this episode, I introduce the concept of the "Christo Urbanite," a term that perfectly encapsulates individuals who are immersed in urban hip-hop culture but are transformed by a profound Christian faith. We discuss how iconic albums like Illmatic and hip-hop pioneers like Run DMC coupled with a faith in Jesus Christ led to a synthesis that became the catalyst for the Christian Hip-Hop (CHH) movement of the early 2000’s — a pivotal period that shaped today's fusion of faith and beats.

We tackle the nuances of teaching our kids to view hip-hop through a Christ-centered lens and balancing cultural identity with theological integrity. Sharing personal stories and reflections, we talk about the long-standing conversation on integrating faith with hip-hop, emphasizing the diverse community of urbanites who have embraced this blend. Whether you're an artist, parent, scholar, or professional, this episode celebrates maintaining your cultural and theological distinctives while striving to honor the Lord in every aspect of life.

Chapters

Exploring Christo Urbanite Concept

Hip-Hop Culture Transformed by Christ

Hip-Hop and the Urban Community

About the Hosts

Shai Linne (@shailinne) (Host) is an author and recording artist who has released numerous acclaimed Christian hip-hop albums. After completing a pastoral internship at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C., Shai co-founded Risen Christ Fellowship, an inner-city church in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA. As an author, Shai’s most recent book is The New Reformation: Finding Hope in the Fight for Ethnic Unity (published in May 2021). Shai has been married to his wife Blair for 13 years. They have three children and live in Portland, OR.

Ben Otero (@benotero) (Co-host) is a senior web developer for a Church Plant Media, an organization that serves churches and missions organizations. Ben grew up in Tampa, Florida before moving to Philadelphia to study at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a degree in economics. In addition to being a student of hip-hop culture, Ben is an elder at Crown and Joy Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia, where He lives with Jeraldine, his wife of 18 years, and their 8 children.

William “Duce” Branch (@ambassador215) (a.k.a. The Ambassador) (Co-host) is a pioneering Christian Hip-hop artist and professor. Duce served for over a decade as a co-founder and leader, and primary spokesperson for the nationally acclaimed Christian rap ministry, The Cross Movement. He also co-planted and co-pastored an urban church in North Philadelphia from 2004-2009. Duce is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., where he also serves as an adjunct professor for the College at Southeastern. He and his wife Michelle have been married for 26 years. They live in Wake Forest, NC and have four children

Credits

Executive Producer - Thomas J Terry

Recorded By - ⁠⁠Humble Beast⁠⁠

Additional Production Elements - Miguel A. Iniesta

Editing and Mixing by - ⁠⁠The Good Podcast Co.⁠⁠

This season is brought to you by ⁠⁠Brilliance Labs

A particularly challenging season of trials produced a personal crucible that birthed a shift in my perspective on life. The difficulties of that season demanded I consider what I truly valued as I entered the “midpoint” of my life — my halftime.

On The Halftime Podcast I’ll be joined by my good friends Ben Otero and William “Duce” Branch — old friends with a wealth of wisdom. We will explore what it means to be 'Christo-Urbanites' at life's midpoint. And we're not just waxing nostalgic about our early days in Christian hip hop; we're dissecting the teachings of the Bible, contemplating the finite nature of our time here, and the intentional steps we must take as we tiptoe into the second act of our lives. It's a candid conversation, steeped in the realities we all face and the wisdom we hope to pass on to the generations that follow.

Chapters

• Journey Through Caregiving
• Halftime Adjustments
• Christo-Urbanite

About the Hosts

Shai Linne (@shailinne) (Host) is an author and recording artist who has released numerous acclaimed Christian hip-hop albums. After completing a pastoral internship at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C., Shai co-founded Risen Christ Fellowship, an inner-city church in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA. As an author, Shai’s most recent book is The New Reformation: Finding Hope in the Fight for Ethnic Unity (published in May 2021). Shai has been married to his wife Blair for 13 years. They have three children and live in Portland, OR.

Ben Otero (@benotero) (Co-host) is a senior web developer for a Church Plant Media, an organization that serves churches and missions organizations. Ben grew up in Tampa, Florida before moving to Philadelphia to study at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a degree in economics. In addition to being a student of hip-hop culture, Ben is an elder at Crown and Joy Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia, where He lives with Jeraldine, his wife of 18 years, and their 8 children.

William “Duce” Branch (@ambassador215) (a.k.a. The Ambassador) (Co-host) is a pioneering Christian Hip-hop artist and professor. Duce served for over a decade as a co-founder and leader, and primary spokesperson for the nationally acclaimed Christian rap ministry, The Cross Movement. He also co-planted and co-pastored an urban church in North Philadelphia from 2004-2009. Duce is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., where he also serves as an adjunct professor for the College at Southeastern. He and his wife Michelle have been married for 26 years. They live in Wake Forest, NC and have four children

Credits

Executive Producer - Thomas J Terry

Recorded By - ⁠Humble Beast⁠

Additional Production Elements - Miguel A. Iniesta

Editing and Mixing by - ⁠The Good Podcast Co.⁠

This season is brought to you by ⁠Brilliance Labs⁠