How many more shootings before we admit thoughts and prayers aren't cutting it? In Episode 3 of The We Lift Up Podcast, Rev. TJ Frederick confronts one of the hardest questions facing the American church: what is our responsibility when gun violence continues to tear communities apart?

In this episode, we cover: The reality of gun violence in America, what Scripture actually says about protecting life, the NFL's grip on our attention, what we are sacrificing to stay entertained, burnout culture, why rest is a spiritual discipline rather than a luxury, mental health funding cuts, the church's failure to respond, and what it looks like to move from grief to action without losing hope.

This episode is for you if you:

• Are tired of watching the church offer prayers without policy
• Believe loving your neighbor means protecting their right to live
• Feel caught between faith convictions and political division
• Want to honor victims without becoming numb to the violence
• Are ready to have the hard conversation about what faithful action looks like

We can grieve AND act. We can pray AND advocate. We can love God AND demand better. Let's talk about it.

What happens when the faith you inherited doesn't fit the life you're living? In Episode 2 of The We Lift Up Podcast, Rev. TJ Frederick tackles the tension between staying rooted in Christ and navigating a church culture that often demands conformity over authenticity.

In this episode, we cover: Spotify wrapped and what our consumption habits reveal about us, AI-generated art and the question of human creativity vs. efficiency, immigration policy and why "love your neighbor" isn't just a nice idea, The church's response to political violence and threats in local communities, deconstruction culture: Are we deconstructing faith or just bad theology?

This episode is for you if you:

• Feel like your faith is evolving but you're afraid to say it out loud
• Are tired of performative Christianity that avoids the hard stuff
• Want to follow Jesus without checking your brain at the door
• Care about justice, compassion, and Scripture in equal measure
• Are you navigating belief in a world that demands you pick a side

We don't have to deconstruct our faith. But we do have to be honest about what we believe and why. Let's talk about it.

Welcome to The We Lift Up Podcast with Rev. TJ Frederick—a faith-driven show for the next generation of believers who refuse to choose between being thoughtful and being faithful.

In this premiere episode, we're diving into: The Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake fallout and what we're allowing to disciple us, the "deinfluencing" movement and why honesty is the new currency, healthcare access as a moral issue Christians can't ignore, the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan and our responsibility to act, real talk for anyone caught between faith and the world

This is for you if you:

• Love God but have honest questions about the church
• Care about justice, mental health, culture, and Scripture
• Want faith conversations that don't feel preachy or performative
• Are leading, searching, or just trying to make sense of it all

We lift up truth. We lift up faith. We lift up one another.