Happy Sunday,
The following is a draft section of my book, Broken News, scheduled for release in ~Fall 2027.
I add/revise/cut content based on feedback from this newsletter each week, so if something stands out as wrong, confusing, or wow-that-actually-helped-please-don’t-change-it… hit reply and let me know!
Scriptural Basis
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
John 16:33
Know the Score
Super Bowl LI (that’s 51, for non-Romans) was one of the most iconic sporting events of the 21st century. While my personal football affections have never included the Patriots or their quarterback, even I will admit Tom Brady cemented his status as one of the GOATs by bleating his way to a 34-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Late in the third quarter, however, the Patriots were trailing by 25 points (3-28).
Imagine the difference in viewing experience between a Patriots fan watching live and one who watched a recording, already knowing the final score.
They watch an identical game: the same plays, runs, droughts, triumphs, and failures. Yet for the live viewer, each play has the potential to affect the outcome. So when Tom Brady’s pass late in the first half is intercepted and returned for an Atlanta touchdown, they think: Things are bad right now, and I don’t think they’re going to get better.
Now consider the Patriots fan who knows the final score, watching the exact same play. Does this person like watching Tom Brady’s pass get intercepted and returned for a touchdown? Of course not! The deepening deficit is painful to watch, just as the eventual comeback is still thrilling. But always, at every point of the game—especially the bad ones—there’s an insulation from despair that comes from knowing the final score. Things are bad right now. But I know how this story ends. And it ends with glory.
For this person, the plays on the field still matter. If a player is injured, their pain is still real. If someone catches a touchdown, their stats and celebration are still legitimate. But the final score? It can’t be touched. It’s coming whether you can see a path toward it or not. Whether it looks likely or not. Whether the players, coaches, announcers, and stadium can believe it or not.
The same is true for the way we relate to the news. Knowing Jesus wins doesn’t minimize the pains and trials of today, but it can banish despair, allowing us to weather hardships with hope and confidence. It reminds us that the hardship is temporary, but the glory is eternal.
Our lives are meant to be anchored in something far bigger than a news cycle. When we lose sight of God’s long story—the return of Christ and the hope of new creation—we end up being discipled by the news into anxiety and despair. We become part of the problem and miss the opportunity to be a beacon of God’s hope and peace. But when our eternity on the New Earth is vivid and top of mind, we can’t help but respond to current events with confidence that God is in control. When we force ourselves to view today’s headlines in the context of eternity, we can’t help but feel less afraid.
Was this valuable? Was this heretical? Do you have a rebuttal? Should it not make the book?
Please hit reply and let me know! Your replies are genuinely a huge help and are massively shaping this book. I don’t have time to respond to each one, but I personally read every email.
Pre-Orders: The best way to support me and our mission is to pre-order my book. We’re doing a limited run, exclusive hardcover edition just for News Health subscribers.
Recommended*: My favorite Bible translation is whichever one you’ll actually read, but for the last decade my go-to has been the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). I picked it for the translation itself, but I stayed for the amazing physical Bibles, like the CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible, which pulls in over 200 evangelical scholars alongside full-color reconstructions, family trees, and maps that make the world of Scripture come to life. Check it out!
*I’m fortunate enough to be paid to promote products I actually use and genuinely recommend. The CSB is one of them.
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