Our guest is Dr. Mark Caleb Smith, political scientist and professor at Cedarville University.

https://markcalebsmith.substack.com/p/wake-up-dead-man-and-frederick-douglass

Dr. Smith joins us to talk about his new Substack article engaging the latest Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man. We explore what the movie gets right, what it gets wrong, and why stories like this resonate so strongly in our cultural moment.

The conversation goes deeper than film critique as we discuss how Christians should think about storytelling, moral imagination, justice, and truth—and how pop culture can both reflect and distort deeper realities.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mOKIXPpYb4M

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPAs • Upliftd Stream • Edgewater Investment Group

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
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Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

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Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

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Our guest is Dave Szafranski, Founder and President of Edgewater Investment Group - https://www.edgewaterig.com/

Dave joins us to talk all things economics and what the financial world is doing today. We unpack current market trends, economic pressures, and what investors can realistically expect this year. Whether you feel confident or completely overwhelmed by investing, this conversation helps bring clarity to a confusing landscape.

We also discuss long-term thinking, avoiding emotional decision-making, and practical principles for navigating uncertainty in today’s financial climate.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NUIkZaOkaW8

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPAs • Upliftd Stream • Edgewater Investment Group

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

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Our guest is Pastor Leonard Tanks, Jr. from Reach City Church

https://www.reachchurchcle.com/

As always with Pastor Tanks, the conversation goes everywhere—in the best way possible. We talk about spiritual gifts, discipleship, and the growing academic bent of the modern church, along with how theology, practice, and everyday faith intersect in real life.

This episode is thoughtful, wide-ranging, and full of the kind of insight and challenge listeners have come to expect whenever Pastor Tanks joins the show.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XThu12kU4iw

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPAs • Upliftd Stream • Edgewater Investment Group

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

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A new year often comes with pressure to reinvent ourselves—but what if the real work isn’t becoming someone new, but returning to what actually guides us? In this episode, we unpack the difference between horizontal morality and vertical morality, and why that distinction matters for Christians.

We talk about how cultural standards often shape what we call “good,” how easily faith can drift into people-pleasing, and which should our lives should ultimately be guided by. This conversation sets the tone for the year ahead by asking a simple but challenging question: Who are we really living for?

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fjqdx2rz1_E

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPA
Upliftd Stream
Edgewater Investment Group

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Our guest is Kyle Hoffsmith, Pastor of Family Ministry at Old North Church
https://oldnorthchurch.org/

A recent statement from a popular Christian YouTuber sparked controversy by claiming that sending your kids to public school is a sin. Kyle joins us to respond to that claim and help unpack what Scripture actually says—and doesn’t say—about parenting, discipleship, and education.

We talk about how youth ministry is changing, what Gen Z looks like in the church today, whether you can really tell what kind of school a student attends, and how churches can partner with families no matter their schooling choices.

We also highlight Old North Church’s 5th Annual Equipped Conference for youth on March 7. Register here: https://equipped2026.com/

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-NxcX4Tsloo

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPAsAttachment.png • Upliftd StreamAttachment.png • Edgewater Investment GroupAttachment.png

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Our guest is Dave Szafranski, Founder and President of Edgewater Investment Group.

Dave joins us to break down the current financial state of the country—what’s actually happening beneath the headlines, what trends people should be paying attention to, and how individuals and families can think wisely about money in uncertain times.

We talk about inflation, market uncertainty, long-term planning, and practical financial principles that help cut through fear and noise. And yes, we also unpack how Lauren earned her “financial genius” title along the way.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uxushHKhqR0

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPAsAttachment.png • Upliftd StreamAttachment.png • Edgewater Investment GroupAttachment.png

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re looking back on the year and talking through the things that stood out the most. From our top purchases to the shows, podcasts, and books that shaped our thinking, this episode is a full rundown of what we loved—and what we’re ready to leave behind.

We also talk about what we’re taking with us into 2026, what habits and mindsets we’re letting go of, and how this past year has shaped where we’re headed next. And yes… there’s a surprise guest visit at the end you won’t want to miss.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eL-JEzLty3s

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPAsAttachment.png • Upliftd StreamAttachment.png • Edgewater Investment GroupAttachment.png

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Our guest is Lisa Anderson from Focus on the Family’s The Boundless Show.

Lisa joins us to talk about her unexpected sunsetting season at Focus on the Family after more than 20 years of ministry. We have an honest conversation about what it looks like to start a new chapter after decades at one organization, how you even begin to write a resume after that long, and the emotional and spiritual toll that layoffs bring.

We also zoom out to talk about the broader “year of layoffs” so many people are experiencing—what God may be teaching us through loss, uncertainty, and forced transitions, and how faith shapes the way we walk through change.

This episode is for anyone navigating career shifts, endings they didn’t choose, or wondering what faithfulness looks like when the future feels unclear.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jT8-BCzXjwg

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPAs • Upliftd Stream• Edgewater Investment Group

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==