What does one of the world’s leading New Testament scholars have to say to anyone who is tired, waiting, and wondering if God is coming back for them? In this episode of the Jesus Over Everything podcast, Lisa Whittle sits down with Dr. N.T. Wright, author of over 80 books and senior research fellow at Wycliffe Hall Oxford, for a conversation rooted in his new book Into the Heart of Isaiah: The Meaning and Message of Isaiah 40 through 55. Dr. Wright unpacks the two great themes running through Isaiah’s central poem, what biblical comfort actually meant to people in exile, why the point of Christianity is not for your soul to go to heaven when you die, what Isaiah 40:31 really means for those who are waiting on God, and what Jesus commissioning Mary Magdalene has to do with women using their gifts today. Scholarly, warm, and surprisingly personal, this is a conversation that will deepen your love for Scripture and steady your soul.

Lean in with Dr. N.T. Wright to learn:

(3:01) Why Dr. Wright was compelled to write about Isaiah 40 to 55, and why it reads like a Beethoven symphony
(4:50) The two great themes running through Isaiah’s central poem
(7:14) The three-lens approach to reading and understanding Isaiah
(10:14) What “comfort" meant to exiles in Babylon versus what it means to us today
(13:44) What is the actual message of the Bible? (Dr. Wright’s answer may surprise you!)
(16:30) Why we can get things dangerously wrong when reading Scripture out of context
(20:16) Dr. Wright's explanation: two views of "waiting" on the Lord
(26:20) Who is the servant of Isaiah?
(28:06) Dr. Wright on women using their gifts in the church
(31:24) What Isaiah 40 to 55 says to anyone who feels far from God right now
(35:28) The one thing Dr. Wright would say about Jesus

Mentioned in the Episode:

Book – Into the Heart of Isaiah by Dr. N.T. Wright: https://zondervanacademic.com/products/into-the-heart-of-isaiah
One-on-One Coaching with Lisa: https://www.lisawhittle.com/coaching-with-lisa
Invite Lisa to Speak: https://www.lisawhittle.com/speaking

Connect with Dr. N.T. Wright:

Website: https://ntwrightpage.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ntwrightonline/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialNTWright/
X: https://x.com/profntwright

Connect with Lisa:

Website: https://www.lisawhittle.com

Substack: https://letsbeclear.substack.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lisawhittleofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisawhittle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisawhittleofficial

What is the church missing when it comes to singleness, and what would it actually look like to get it right? In this episode of the Jesus Over Everything podcast, Lisa Whittle sits down with storyteller, singles ministry advocate, and author Sekou Browne for one of the most honest and needed conversations about dating and singleness in the church. Sekou unpacks why physical and relational chemistry is not unspiritual, what the gender imbalance in the church is doing to single men and women, why telling singles to “just stop looking” is bad theology, and what the church could learn from Ruth and Naomi about showing up for the people who want to be married. Whether you are single, married with single friends, or a church leader trying to figure out how to serve your congregation well, this conversation will both challenge and encourage you.

Listen in to learn more:

(01:41) Why married people are more out of touch with dating in 2026 than they realize
(04:42) Why chemistry (physical and relational) is not unspiritual and why it matters for a lasting marriage
(11:25) The things we say to single people: well-meaning, but are they helpful or harmful?
(15:22) What singles actually need and why presence matters more than answers
(18:00) How social media has fundamentally changed how we date and how we see ourselves
(21:50) FOMO and the lie that unlimited options are actually out there
(22:37) Why single women are quietly leaving the church (and what’s driving it)
(26:10) Does celebrating marriage have to mean neglecting singles? How to hold both well
(29:46) What the story of Ruth and Naomi teaches us about building a connection culture in the church
(36:31) Why singles are going to therapists and coaches instead of the church
(38:10) What church leaders need to understand about long-term singleness
(40:29) Sekou’s last word on Jesus

Mentioned in the Episode:

Novel — Coming Up Short by Sekou Browne: https://www.sekoubrowne.com/books
One-on-One Coaching with Lisa: https://www.lisawhittle.com/coaching-with-lisa
Invite Lisa to Speak: https://www.lisawhittle.com/speaking

Connect with Sekou Browne:

Website: https://www.sekoubrowne.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koubrowne/?hl=en
Substack: https://yokednewsletter.substack.com/
Join the Coming Up Short Early Reader Team: https://www.sekoubrowne.com/coming-up-short-reader-team

Connect with Lisa:

Website: https://www.lisawhittle.com

Substack: https://letsbeclear.substack.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lisawhittleofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisawhittle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisawhittleofficial