Faith was never meant to be boring, predictable, or safe.
The Aggressive Life is a faith podcast for people who want more than the usual answers. Author, adventurer, and pastor Brian Tome brings an honest, gritty, and sometimes unexpected take on following God in the real world. One week he might unpack what the Bible actually says about a question you’ve wrestled with. The next, he might tell a story from an adventure gone sideways, answer questions he wasn’t prepared for, or sit down with someone doing something remarkable.
You never quite know where the conversation will go, but it will be real, useful, and rooted in a faith that demands action.
Faith isn’t something you just believe. It’s something you live.
The Power of Spiritual Gravitas—Live with Student Influencers
Jul 23, 2024
Show notes
Certain people have a gravitas to their lives, a weightiness that you notice whenever you are around them. This isn’t an inborn trait, it’s a muscle that can be developed—if you’re willing to make decisions that go against cultural norms. In this talk, recorded on an iPhone in a room full of high school leaders, Brian unpacks this idea, the importance of youth, and why it’s never too early (or late) to develop gravitas.
If God is Good, Why Do Bad Things Happen?—Brian on the "Surviving Grief" Podcast
Jul 16, 2024
Show notes
It’s likely your best—and worst—days are still ahead of you. How you prepare for, and face them, could make all the difference. In this appearance on the new podcast, “Surviving Grief,” Brian discusses making it through difficult days with your faith intact, and tackles one of life’s most challenging questions: why do bad things happen? If you are facing grief of your own, or walking through grief with a loved one, be sure to check out Surviving Grief wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple | Spotify)
Punching Back at Loneliness—Live with Crossroads Staff
Jul 09, 2024
Show notes
Nothing will affect the trajectory of your life like the people you surround yourself with. Friendship matters, much more than most of us understand or are willing to admit. In this live talk, delivered to a gathering of male staff members at Crossroads, Brian explains the importance of having good people around you—and what it takes to find friendship in a world drowning in loneliness. Listen, put it into action, and your life will begin to level up.
Growing Lifelong Friendship With Your Kids—Live at Father+Son Camp
Jul 02, 2024
Show notes
Every parent wants to cultivate a lifelong relationship with their kids, but how do you actually get there? In this accessible and incredibly practical talk, recorded at Crossroads Father+Son camp, Brian shares the steps he took to grow genuine friendship with his kids. Hint: it’s all about the transition between each stage of parenting. Learn more about Father+Son camp, including registration for the next one, here.
Cattle Drives, Leading at Home, and Wake-Makers—Listener Q&A with BT
Jun 25, 2024
Show notes
You asked, BT answers. Fielding questions submitted by listeners via Instagram, Brian tackles everything from what he learned on a legit cattle drive, to his favorite forms of tobacco, to how he processed the online uproar over the Super Bowl of Preaching. Along the way, he also takes time to consider what items he’d take into the wilderness, why he’s so interested in learning new things, and how wake-makers are key to any organization. This unscripted Q&A is just the boost to keep you moving aggressively this summer.
What to Expect in Each Decade of Life with Bobb Biehl—Executive Mentor, Author, Sage
Jun 18, 2024
Show notes
What if life wasn’t nearly as unpredictable as we think? That’s what executive mentor, Bobb Biehl, believes. After 50 years working with some of the most successful executives and brands on the planet, he’s uncovered patterns, challenges, and opportunities that every person will face in life—and he’s organized them by decades. According to Bobb, your 20s are for discovering what you don’t want to do; your 40s are about survival; and your 60s are the most impactful decade of your life. In a world that leaves us all feeling perpetually behind, Bobb’s learnings are a breath of fresh air.
Father’s Day Bonus: Brian Reads “The Five Marks of a Father”—Audio Articles Podcast
Jun 14, 2024
Show notes
In this crossover episode from the Audio Articles podcast, Brian reads (and adds extra commentary) on his original article, “The Five Marks of a Father.” While Father’s Day can be complicated for some, Brian helps redefine what it means to be fathered, and shares ideas on how to aggressively make the day count. Read the original article here. Find more articles from Brian here.
Getting Back Up After a Hard Hit with Jim Kelly—NFL Legend, QB Buffalo Bills
Jun 11, 2024
Show notes
You might think life as an NFL legend would be a cakewalk… but that’s not been Jim Kelly’s experience. The Buffalo Bills great has overcome more than his fair share of pain—from four straight Super Bowl losses, to a grim cancer diagnosis, to the death of his son from a rare neurological disorder. Like any great QB after a hard hit, each time Jim has gotten back up, dusted himself off, and kept going. In this aggressive conversation, Jim puts on a clinic around resilience and the lessons difficulty can teach.
We’re Overdue for a Spiritual Awakening, So How Do We Get There? With Dr. Michael McClymond—Historian and Professor, Saint-Louis University
Jun 04, 2024
Show notes
According to the foremost expert on the topic, spiritual revivals and awakenings happen about every 50 years in American history. We’re long past the overdue mark. For whatever time he has left, Brian is focused on learning about, and doing everything he can, to be part of an awakening, a movement of God that makes history. Dr. Michael McClymond has written the definitive guide to every revival and awakening in American history—a two volume set that is over 1,200 pages long. Dr. McClymond brings his expertise into an aggressive conversation on what it takes to be part of spiritual history.
You Are More Than Your Enneagram Number with Ian Morgan Cron—Enneagram Expert, Podcaster, Author
May 28, 2024
Show notes
Ian Morgan Cron is an Enneagram expert, the host of the insanely popular Typology podcast, and a best-selling author… who also just happens to be an Episcopal priest, a songwriter, and a psychotherapist. In this aggressive conversation, Ian breaks down the history of the Enneagram, shares healthy (and unhealthy) ways to use it, and explains why it’s critical to live beyond your personality type.
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