In part two of our “Best Books of the Year” conversation, Hunter and Autumn share their favorite reads as categorized within general interest, children’s books, and fiction and literature, reflecting on the stories that stuck with them this year. From critiques of modern discourse and meditations on land and interdependence to novels of grace, friendship, and moral awakening, these books ask what it means to live well and love rightly.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
General Interest:
Summer of our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse by Thomas Chatterton Williams
A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko
From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks
Children’s:
We Sing! and Pippa and the Singing Tree by Kristyn Getty
Colorado: 50 Hikes With Kids by Wendy Gorton and Kristin Tillack
Fiction and Literature:
Lord of the Rings (3 Vols.) by J.R.R. Tolkien - Fiction and Literature
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe by George Eliot
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Small Things Like These by Clare Keegan
Hunter and Autumn reflect on the best books they read in 2025, ranging from classic and contemporary works of theology and biblical studies to multi-volume biographies and history. They discuss books that deepened their understanding of God, Scripture, prayer, the church, and spiritual formation, alongside histories that explore power, leadership, and legacy.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Spiritual Life:
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Isaiah by the Day by J. Alec Motyer
A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation by Matthew Bingham
Theology and Bible:
Calling On the Name of the Lord: A Biblical Theology of Prayer by Gary Miller
What It Means to be Protestant by Gavin Ortlund
The Reason for Church by Brad Edwards
Biography and History:
The Years of Lyndon Johnson (4 Vols.) by Robert Caro
The Gathering Storm & Their Finest Hour by Winston S. Churchill
Napoleon by Andrew Roberts
Also mentioned:
The Reformation as Renewal by Matthew Barrett
“Renaissance Faith: My Best Books of 2025” by Hunter Beaumont
In this episode, Autumn and Hunter sit down with Joe to explore his winding vocational journey—a “river fed by many streams,” shaped by influential mentors, deep roots in Colorado, and surprising turns from seminary to pastoring to banking. Joe shares how God redirected and clarified his calling through seasons of desire, struggle, and faithful presence. Together, they discuss how seemingly ordinary work becomes sacred when done with and for God, and what it means to steward influence for the good of the city.
In this episode, Hunter and Autumn sit down with pastor and author Brad Edwards to talk about his recently released book, The Reason for Church: Why the Body of Christ Still Matters in an Age of Anxiety, Division, and Radical Individualism. In the first half of the book, Brad explains how modern “defeater beliefs” like the sacred self, spiritual pragmatism, and counterfeit institutions have eroded our perception of the church’s purpose and beauty. A biblical, historical understanding of the Church as the Body and Bride of Christ can be a powerful force of counter-formation by averting our gaze from ourselves to Christ and reorienting our actions from self-expression to self-sacrifice. This conversation invites listeners to recover a richer vision of what it means to be God’s people in the world.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Reason for Church: Why the Body of Christ Still Matters in an Age of Anxiety, Division, and Radical Individualism by Brad Edwards
Habits of the Heart, Multiple Authors
Autumn and Andy Barlow, Pastor of Community and Mission at Fellowship Denver, discuss the theological vision for family discipleship and offer practical principles to help that vision take shape. Scripture admonishes parents to speak continually to their children about God and his ways. Parents are also charged with loving and disciplining their children. Family discipleship requires parents to take those responsibilities seriously and to align their parenting accordingly.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Father Hunger by Margo Maine and Craig Johnson
In today’s episode, Hunter and Autumn respond to a listener’s question about the sometimes overwhelming world of youth sports—especially in suburban life in which youth sports are the social norm, yet they also compete with worship and family time. What are some of the common cultural narratives about youth sports? And what might it look like to be culture-makers who approach youth sports with wisdom and gospel-centered priorities?
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Youth Sports, Healthy Families, and the Future of the Church
In this episode, Autumn and Dave talk with Ross Chapman and Ryan Tafilowski, authors of Faithful Work: In the Daily Grind with God and for Others, about what it means to see our daily work as sacred—both as participation in God’s creative work in the world and as an active expression of love for our neighbors. They explore how a larger view of the gospel transforms the way we approach vocation, the purpose of work, and even the frustrations of ordinary jobs. From redefining success to rediscovering the intrinsic value of work, this conversation invites listeners to see their labor as partnership with God and service to others.
Resources mentioned in today’s episode:
Faithful Work: In the Daily Grind with God and for Others by Ross Chapman and Ryan Tafilowski
Worth Doing: Fallenness, Finitude, and Work in the Real World by Ryan Tafilowski and Dave Buschart
In this Q&R episode, Hunter and Autumn revisit the opening chapters of Silas Marner to discuss a question about Silas’s cataleptic fits—first seen as divine signs in Lantern Yard and later feared as witchcraft in Raveloe—and how they mirror his spiritual paralysis after betrayal.
Another listener asks what Silas Marner reveals about the relationship between faith and community. When Silas loses his faith in Lantern Yard, he also loses his sense of belonging. In Scripture’s conception, faith and belonging to the body of Christ are inseparable realities. Along the way, Hunter and Autumn respond to a question about casting lots, discuss the theme of divine sovereignty in the novel, and reflect on the impact of a life that seeks to trust God in and out of season.
In this third discussion on Silas Marner, Hunter and Autumn discuss Marner’s transformation and the effect of sin and secrecy in Godfrey Cass’ life. Eppie’s arrival transforms Silas’s lonely life and increasingly connects him to the life of Raveloe. George Eliot shows that the effects of sin and redemption are often slow but sure. Godfrey Cass’s hidden guilt ripens into regret, while Silas’s increasing openness to love and spiritual community blossoms into restoration.
Through Dolly Winthrop’s steadfast faith, the quiet working of Providence, and the contrast between false and true treasure, Eliot paints a vision of faith, family, and community. The return of Silas’s gold and the reappearance of Godfrey remind us that what is hoarded in secrecy turns to emptiness, but what is shared in love endures. The novel closes with a scene in the context of the life of the village — Eppie’s marriage, Silas’s contentment, and the joy of belonging.
Our last episode ended with an image of Silas Marner reeling from another betrayal and loss—his gold stolen, his world emptied once again. How would he respond this time? In this section, we see how Silas’s cry for help at the Rainbow marks the first crack in his isolation, opening him to community and the possibility of grace. Around him, the intrigues and inner lives of Raveloe unfold—revealing how the state of one person’s heart can ripple outward to shape the world around them.
In today’s episode, Autumn and Hunter follow the stories of Godfrey Cass, Dolly Winthrop, and Silas, examining three very different responses to guilt, faith, and human connection: Godfrey’s attempt to manipulate reality to preserve his image, Dolly’s quiet embodiment of lived faith, and Silas’s unguarded vulnerability that leads him toward restoration. And when the mysterious child appears on Silas’s hearth, a golden-haired “replacement treasure,” the story unexpectedly turns toward redemption.
In the first of our four fall book club discussions, we meet Silas Marner, the lonely weaver of Raveloe, whose faith and trust have been shattered by betrayal. Hunter and Autumn trace Marner’s fall from a man of faith in Lantern Yard to an isolated miser whose only comfort is the gold he hoards. When that gold is stolen, Silas’s world collapses once again, driving him to seek help from the very villagers he has avoided for 15 years. Join us as we explore themes of vocation and faith in the face of suffering.
Clark Nunnelly, Pastor at Fellowship Denver North Metro, joins Autumn to discuss the “meaning crisis” affecting the modern Western world. “The meaning crisis” refers to a cultural and philosophical condition in which many people experience a deep sense of disconnection, purposelessness, and confusion about what makes life meaningful. Christianity offers a purposeful life, given to us by God, ordered after Jesus, anchored in ancient wisdom and in loving community. Is this good news to a world filled with competing self-constructed frameworks of meaning?
Resources mentioned in this episode:
“The Absurdity of Life Without God” by William Lane Craig
Reasonable Faith, Third Edition: Christian Truth and Apologetics by William Lane Craig
Interest in Christianity is growing among young people, particularly among young men. Of those attending church, Gen Z’ers are largely rejecting relativistic forms of faith and being drawn toward historic, robust, and orthodox expressions of Christianity—forms of belief that offer depth, conviction, and community. Autumn and Hunter discuss this movement and encourage the church to maintain a robust, historically rooted faith that preaches the gospel with all of its sharp edges.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Full Fat Faith by James Marriott
The Homeless Mind: Modernization and Consciousness by Peter Berger
“...Work plays a critical role in God’s mission. As the Imago Dei, we are made to reflect the image of a Creator God, and we join him in making something of the world. To demonstrate the breadth and nuance of God’s character, we need women and men to be vitally engaged in workplaces, homes, and organizations across our communities, utilizing the full extent of their God-given gifts.” In Women, Work, and Calling: Step Into Your Place in God’s World,” author Joanna Meyer provides vision, encouragement, and practical guidance for women as they navigate work and it’s demands. In this episode, Joanna and Autumn discuss themes from the book by asking, What is God’s design for human work, and how does that theological vision inform our daily work? How does God use the circumstances of our work to shape us? What unique challenges do women face in their work and leadership? How can women and men partner to work together in a way that honors God’s design?
(Originally released September 11, 2024)
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Women, Work, and Calling by Joanna Meyer
Half the Church by Carolyn Custis James
Dave and Autumn respond to a listener’s question about the documentary 1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted a Culture. Our listener asks, “I’d love to hear your thoughts and Biblical perspectives on what this documentary is claiming. As Christians raising small children, we cannot arm ourselves enough with the truth. Hunter always says it’s important to know the best arguments against your beliefs.” The documentary contends that the translation team responsible for the 1946 Revised Standard Version wrongfully translated I Corinthians 6:9 and that this mistranslation catalyzed an anti-gay movement in churches and among conservative Americans.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
On Wednesday, September 10th, a student at Evergreen High School shot two students before shooting himself. Within the same hour, Charlie Kirk, a young political activist and speaker, was shot and killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. In I Thessalonians 4, Paul exhorts the church in Thessalonika to live in light of Jesus’ resurrection. He then adds, “that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” What does grieving with hope look like? Dave and Autumn discuss how to respond to tragedy, to lament, and to long for the kingdom with hope.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Autumn and Hunter discuss an article by Ian Harber called “The Christian in a Therapeutic Age.” Harber contends that while therapy terms describe real struggles, their overuse has turned treatable conditions into fixed identities. Amplified by social media, this therapeutic culture isolates people and worsens anxiety. In contrast, Christianity grounds identity in God, tells a story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Committing to Christian practices - prayer, worship, Scripture, sacraments, community—nurtures resilience and belonging.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Christian in a Therapeutic Age by Ian Harber
Is Today’s Self-Help Teaching Everyone to be a Jerk? by Emma Goldberg
How Anxiety Became Content by Derek Thompson
Habits of the Heart by Bellah, Madsen, Sullivan, Swidler, and Tipton
Social media personalities have popularized the notion that knowing and loving oneself can be achieved by reaching into a grab-bag of mental health diagnoses and neurodivergent labels. But what do we lose in a world in which people view themselves and others through labels and diagnoses rather than personality and relationships? Hunter and Autumn discuss the article “Nobody has a Personality Anymore.” In this article, Freya India, a young journalist from the UK, posits that the tendency to label and diagnose differences that would have been ascribed to “personality” in previous generations leaves young people dissatisfied and stuck.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
“Nobody Has a Personality Anymore” by Freya India
Silas Marner by George Eliot
In this episode, Hunter and Autumn consider what Proverbs teaches us about how to work wisely—commending diligence, urging careful planning, and calling us to seek wise counsel. While Proverbs and various New Testament passages emphasize the immediate reward of diligent, thoughtful work, Jesus also emphasizes the eternal nature of our work and the necessity of working wisely in and for his kingdom.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Silas Marner by George Eliot
Wisdom for Today’s Issues: A Topical Arrangement of the Proverbs by Stephen Voorwinde
Autumn and Hunter discuss Proverbs’ vision for work, tracing a pattern from the Old Testament’s creation blessings to the New Testament’s kingdom rewards. Proverbs promises that wise, diligent work leads to provision and flourishing, while Jesus echoes that principle and reframes it, presenting true wealth as treasure in heaven and eternal reward. Understanding wisdom principles about work within New Covenant realities reveals that stewardship of our material and immaterial resources shapes us as disciples, builds enduring kingdom wealth, and displays God’s kingdom.
For the fall Vision for Life book club: Silas Marner