At Me, Bro

Show open and rundown

Ben (speaker-2) opens the episode from the Pathway Studios in Johnston, jokingly introducing a 'Mike Hoost' before introducing himself as Ben Foust. He lays out the night's rundown: the Chick-fil-A donation controversy, a set of church-renewal proposals to react to, and Dear LFTP advice letters.

Chick-fil-A changes its donation strategy

• Did Chick-fil-A capitulate on its values by changing its donation strategy?

The hosts walk through Chick-fil-A's announcement that it will end multiyear charitable commitments and focus giving on education, homelessness, and hunger, which drops the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and, in effect, the Salvation Army. They push back on the viral 'Chick-fil-A bows to LGBT pressure' framing as an overreaction, note the company clarified it will keep giving to faith-based organizations and stays closed on Sundays, and land on a broader point: fighting culture wars through fast-food loyalty is a poor substitute for real engagement. The show's complaint line number is given for angry callers.

Church renewal proposals: communion and Sunday services

• Are Jake Meador's church-renewal proposals actually worth adopting?

The hosts react to writer Jake Meador's '15 proposals for ecclesial reform' from the Mere Orthodoxy blog, voting thumbs up or down. Proposal one, weekly communion with congregants coming forward, a common cup, and elders praying with children not yet confirmed, splits them: they like elders praying with kids but balk at the common cup. Proposal two, morning and evening Sunday services with catechism and congregational prayer, gets a warm reception in principle, with doubts about whether people would actually come.

Proposal: weekly corporate confession of sin

Proposal three, weekly corporate confession of sin with assurance of pardon, sparks the longest debate. A host reads a written confession aloud to show the liturgical meaning of 'confession' as doctrinal statement rather than personal sin-sharing. The group wrestles with rote repetition, citing the Lord's Prayer and holiday table prayers said without thought, versus the value of being regularly reminded that the congregation is sinful and rescued, landing in favor of the principle with varied practice.

Proposal: prayer meetings, the 1857 NYC revival, and Pray Iowa

Proposal four, informal Wednesday evening prayer meetings, gets unanimous enthusiasm paired with honest admissions that nobody comes to prayer meetings. Dan (speaker-3) tells the historically documented story of the 1857 New York noon prayer meeting that grew until downtown businesses closed to pray, including sailors weeping as ships entered the harbor. He announces a 'Pray Iowa' effort tied to February's Real Men conference: 31 Iowa churches each covering 24 hours of prayer one day a month. A host recommends Jim Cymbala's book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire.

Comedy bit: the pope is in town

A comedy bit: Ben tells an escalating tall tale about being tapped on the shoulder in a bookstore by a trench-coated stranger whispering 'the pope is in town,' receiving a flyer whose address turns out to be Boova's, and a crowd gathering at Boova's apartment complex until Boova plays pontiff and dispenses advice. Boova (addressed on-air as 'Buva'/'Bubba') plays along, admitting he falls for the story every time. The bit sets up the next segment's 'pope-style advice.'

Testimony: food addiction, Whole30, and denying yourself

• What do you do about the things you refuse to deny yourself?

Boova (speaker-0; addressed on-air as 'Buva'/'Booba') gives an extended testimony about food addiction as idolatry. He describes making food his emotional crutch and 'golden calf,' putting 'a cheeseburger on the stand' instead of God, and being on day 18 of a Whole30, this time without chasing social-media approval, learning to run to God in prayer instead of food. He shares that he lost his dad at 18 and fears not living to see his own kids reach 18. His advice: 'Deny yourself things,' take stock of what sins stem from refusing to deny yourself pleasure. Ben responds with his own struggle to say no to small whims, like stopping for a donut.

Dear LFTP: 'All smoke, no sex in Michigan'

• Is my wife right to withhold sex until I quit smoking?

Dear LFTP letter: married 27 years, the writer still smokes about 15 cigarettes a day after his wife quit 20 years ago; two years ago she said no more sex until he quits. The hosts say the wife's heart is understandable but ultimatums are risky and manipulative, they create a second problem on top of the first, and an addict only quits when he wants to. They advise honest communication about unmet needs on both sides. Dan is asked for his take. The Secular persona's answer: try cold turkey, pegged to the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 21, and accept her terms.

Dear LFTP: keeping your therapist on track

• How can I keep my therapist on track, or end therapy without ghosting?

Dear LFTP letter: a listener working through major anxiety finds therapy helpful at times, but the therapist goes off on tangents; how to keep the therapist on track, or break up without 'ghosting.' The hosts say just fire a bad therapist, not scheduling another appointment isn't ghosting, but warn that if you've burned through two or three therapists the problem is probably you, and a good therapist may be circling the real issue you can't see yet. The Secular answer: as the patient you can accept or reject the therapist's direction, and disengage with a letter or phone call rather than ghosting.

Dear LFTP: is an online affair really an affair?

• Is an online affair really an affair if it isn't physical?

Dear LFTP letter: a listener disagrees with a friend who says an online affair 'isn't an affair because it isn't physical.' The hosts side with the listener, sneaking, lying, and outsourcing emotional intimacy is betrayal either way, while noting an emotional affair differs in kind from a physical one and pornography raises its own labeling questions. Ben offers his working definition of adultery, taught when preaching through the gospel of Mark: treating someone as your spouse who isn't your spouse. The segment ends with a Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky joke and an 'Epstein didn't kill himself' aside. Secular agrees: sneaking and lying make it betrayal regardless of physicality.

Outro and end music

Outro: Secular's sign-off on the affair letter, a host notes things run smoother when Mike handles this segment (Mike is absent this episode), and the hosts find the end music and sign off.