Things Above

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Christian attention, slowly trained toward grace.

The gist

Things Above is a contemplative Christian formation podcast led by James Bryan Smith’s recurring reflections and conversations. Episodes move between theology, Scripture, psychology, and lived stories of grace, with a steady aim toward thoughts that are good, beautiful, true, and life-giving.

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About Things Above

Things Above is a Christian spiritual formation podcast organized around the discipline of attention. James Bryan Smith repeatedly names the work as mind discipleship, drawing the title from Colossians and returning to the practice of setting the mind on what is good, beautiful, true, uplifting, encouraging, life-giving, and biblically based. The episodes are not frantic. They make space. A single thought can become a meditation on creation, a definition of the gospel, a story from church life, or a careful reflection on why theology matters. The show is especially interested in the way beliefs form people over time. Spiritual formation is described not as a church activity alone, but as something happening constantly because people are spiritual beings. That gives the teaching a wide frame. Birds at sunrise, the memory of a beloved dog, a student’s question, a Christmas joke about a nativity drawing, and the language of shalom can all become part of the same reflective movement. Conversation episodes broaden the register. Kelly Flanagan brings clinical psychology and relationship language into a discussion of triggered moments, calm, interoception, and connection. A.J. Swoboda and Nijay Gupta appear in a theological conversation shaped by books, doubt, Sabbath, Christian formation, and soul care. Andi Kolber speaks from the overlap of faith, psychology, pacing, nervous-system awareness, and gentleness toward painful stories. Other episodes draw on Dallas Willard, C.S. Lewis, Kurt Thompson, Michael, Brendan Manning, and Eugene Peterson as reference points for grace, human worth, and healing. The show’s emotional center is tender but not soft-headed. It names brokenness, perfectionism, pain, and the longing to be seen and valued, then places those concerns inside a Christian account of God’s love. Its best fit is the listener who wants devotional teaching with intellectual care and pastoral patience. It is less about hot takes than slow reorientation. The recurring promise is simple: the mind can be trained toward grace.

Made for: Things Above is for Christians interested in spiritual formation, discipleship, theology, and emotionally honest reflection. It especially suits listeners who appreciate patient teaching that connects Scripture with psychology, relationships, and everyday perception.

What sets it apart: The show combines devotional pacing with careful definitions, treating ideas like gospel, grace, discipleship, and spiritual formation as lived realities rather than church vocabulary. Its conversations make room for clinical psychology and embodied healing while staying rooted in Christian language and practice.

In their own words

A Community of Learning Centered on Discipleship

Why you'd press play

This is the reset button for when your inner perfectionist starts preaching louder than grace.

Press play if you want

faith and psychology in the same room, with James Bryan Smith asking how your nervous system fits
practical ways to catch a trigger before it becomes somebody else's problem

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

mind discipleshipChristian spiritual formationtheology and daily lifegrace and brokennessinterpersonal relationshipsnervous-system awarenessScripture-shaped reflectionGod's love and joy

Talks about

Religion & Spirituality Christianity

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Find your next episode

About Things Above

In their own words

Why you'd press play

Talks about

Podcasts like Things Above

Episodes

Spiritual World

Conversation with Dr. Kelly Flanagan

The Gospel Is Bigger

God Is Joyous

God is Looking for You

Conversation with AJ Swoboda and Nijay Gupta

Love Has You

Deny

Conversation with Aundi Kolber

Integrate Like Jesus

Your Project

Live By The Spirit

Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb

False Frames

Everything Okay Forever

Awe Filled Appreciation

Conversation with Ian Morgan Cron

Solitude

Trusting and Training

Conversation with Alison Cook

Two Kinds of Faith

Michael Cusick Sacred Attachment

All Things New

Know Your Name

Conversation with Matt Johnson Part Two

Conversation with Matt Johnson

Gratitude

Let Nothing Disturb You

Talk With God

Talk to God

Gentle and Mighty

Different with Jesus

Walking with Jesus

Weight of Glory

Conversation with Ken Shigematsu

Glorious Morning and Evening Part Two

Glorious Morning and Evening Part One

Conversation with John Mark Comer Part Two

The End In Mind

Open Hand

Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Three

Our Greatest Opportunity

Conversation with Brian Zahnd Part Three

Two Minute Morning

Conversation With Emily P. Freeman Part Four

Grieving with Hope

Breath Prayer

Conversation with Farrell Mason

Glory, Grace and Truth

Our Soul & Relationships