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Peaceable And Kind

Peaceable And Kind

By: Reach Right Network
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About this listen

 Welcome to "Peaceable and Kind," the podcast where we explore the transformative power of living out Jesus' call to peace and kindness in our everyday lives. Each week your host, Derek Vreeland, will delve into the stories, Scriptures, and practical steps that help us embody these essential Christian virtues. Join us as we talk with inspiring guests, reflect on Scripture, and discover ways to bring peace and kindness into our homes, communities, and the world. Whether you're seeking encouragement, guidance, or a deeper understanding of your faith, "Peaceable and Kind" is here to support and uplift you on your spiritual journey. Let's embark together on this path of grace, compassion, and love, living out the true essence of our faith. Thank you for tuning in, and may the peace of God be with you always.Reach Right Network Christianity Spirituality
Episodes
  • Episode 87: Philip Yancy and the Problem of Hypocrisy

    Episode 87: Philip Yancy and the Problem of Hypocrisy
    Jan 29 2026
    In this episode of Peaceable and Kind, Derek reflects on the devastating news surrounding Philip Yancey and what it reveals about the persistent problem of hypocrisy within the Christian life. Yancey’s writing shaped the faith of generations, helping many of us trust that grace is greater than sin. When news broke of his long-hidden moral failure, the response was not anger or judgment, but grief, lament, and a sober awareness of our shared human weakness. Rather than throwing stones, this episode turns inward. Hypocrisy is not simply something “out there” among fallen leaders. It is a temptation that lives close to home. Following Jesus requires honest lament over our brokenness and a renewed pursuit of integrity rooted in virtue and the Spirit’s transforming work. The disconnect between our interior life and our public life, between being and doing, lies at the heart of the problem. Sin is more than bad behavior; it is missing the mark and undermining who we were created to be as image-bearers of God. Hypocrisy emerges when we seek the rewards of discipleship without embracing the slow, humbling work of transformation. Jesus had little patience for religious performance, confronting outward righteousness that concealed inward decay. The episode concludes with hope. If you recognize yourself in this struggle, you are not alone. You are not beyond repair. You may simply be a recovering hypocrite—and recovery is possible. Key Insights Hypocrisy is not struggling and failing; it is pretending without pursuing transformation. Sin fractures the harmony between being and doing, making hypocrisy inevitable. The root of hypocrisy is not merely theological but ontological, that is, a problem of being. Christian formation requires virtue, humility, and dependence on the Spirit. Recovery from hypocrisy begins with honest self-examination, repentance, and grace. Books mentioned on this episode: From Aristotle to Christ — Louis Markos What’s So Amazing About Grace? — Philip Yancey Scriptures mentioned on this episode Mark 7:6–7 Matthew 23:27–28 Has Peaceable and Kind been meaningful to you? Support the show by: Leaving a review Giving us a 5-star rating on your podcast app Sharing this episode with a friend Order Derek's new Bible Study Series, God in the Neighborhood: Book 1: Incarnation: 8 Lessons on How God Meets Us || https://amzn.to/42jSZAs Book 2: Crucifixion: 8 Lessons on How God Saves Us || https://amzn.to/459bNUk Book 3: Resurrection: 8 Lessons on How God Restores Us || https://amzn.to/40T0sp0 Did you find this episode helpful on your spiritual journey? Consider helping us out! Leave a review Share it with your friends Give us a 5-Star rating on your podcast app of choice Learn more about Derek’s work as a pastor and author: https://derekvreeland.com Interact with Derek on Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky, or Facebook
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    36 mins
  • Episode 86: From Aristotle to Christ: A Conversation with Louis Markos

    Episode 86: From Aristotle to Christ: A Conversation with Louis Markos
    Jan 22 2026
    In this episode of Peaceable and Kind, Derek Vreeland invites listeners on a journey from ancient Athens to Jerusalem, exploring how Greek philosophy, especially Aristotle, has helped clarify Christian faith without ever replacing divine revelation. While reason must always remain subordinate to revelation, the wisdom of Athens can still serve the truth revealed in Christ. Derek is joined by Louis Markos, Professor of English and Scholar in Residence at Houston Christian University and holder of the Robert H. Ray Chair in Humanities. A prolific author, speaker, and public intellectual, Markos has written over thirty books on topics ranging from classical literature and philosophy to C. S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Christian apologetics. His latest book, From Aristotle to Christ: How Aristotelian Thought Clarified the Christian Faith, is the third volume in a trilogy exploring how pagan philosophy prepared the way for Christian theology. Their conversation focuses especially on Aristotle’s ethics, the nature of virtue, the role of habit in moral formation, and how Christians can affirm virtue without falling into works-righteousness. Together, Derek and Lou explore how Aristotle can help believers think clearly about goodness, character, and holiness in a morally confused age while keeping Jesus firmly at the center. Key Highlights Lou Markos’s journey into faith, philosophy, and literature Aristotle’s understanding of virtue, goodness, and habit The role of habit in forming character The “self-reinforcing cycle” of virtue and habit How Aristotle helps believers conform their souls to the image of Christ Book mentioned in this episode: From Achilles to Christ: Why Christians Should Read the Pagan Classics by Louis Markos From Plato to Christ: How Platonic Thought Shaped the Christian Faith by Louis Markos From Aristotle to Christ: How Aristotelian Thought Clarified the Christian Faith by Louis Markos Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis Louis Markos’ Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001JSBEBG?ingress=0&visitId=c43cc519-1ee8-4d84-b220-be3385b263bf&ref_=ap_rdr Louis Markos’ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1mcYKcQaJDA_a7sFVsHSgg Has Peaceable and Kind been meaningful to you? Support the show by: Leaving a review Giving us a 5-star rating on your podcast app Sharing this episode with a friend Order Derek's new book, Incarnation: 8 Lessons on How God Meets Us, here: https://amzn.to/42jSZAs Did you find this episode helpful on your spiritual journey? Consider helping us out! Leave a review Share it with your friends Give us a 5-Star rating on your podcast app of choice Learn more about Derek’s work as a pastor and author: https://derekvreeland.com Interact with Derek on Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky, or Facebook
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    33 mins
  • Episode 85: Why I Started Reading Fiction Again

    Episode 85: Why I Started Reading Fiction Again
    Jan 15 2026
    In this episode, Derek reflects on habits, formation, and why returning to the practice of reading fiction has renewed his imagination, faith, and understanding of the gospel. Two weeks into the new year, Derek offers a word of grace for those who may already feel discouraged by abandoned New Year’s resolutions. God’s mercy is deeper than our resolve—and lasting change is formed through habits, not willpower. Drawing on the difference between resolutions and habits, Derek reminds us that habits shape who we are becoming, not just what we do. From there, the episode turns to a personal shift: after years of reading almost exclusively non-fiction including theology, Scripture, and church history, Derek has returned to reading novels. Inspired by Eugene Peterson’s encouragement that pastors and Christians would be well-served to read fiction, Derek shares six reasons why it matters for people of faith including: 1. Scripture Is a Story The Bible is not merely a collection of ideas but a unified narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and new creation. Fiction trains us to read Scripture as living story rather than disconnected facts. 2. The Gospel Is a Story Good news is always narrated. Fiction helps us grasp narrative logic with beginnings, middles, and endings, so we can hear the gospel as something that has happened, not merely instructions to follow. 3. Stories Are Three-Dimensional Fiction immerses us in character, motivation, struggle, and emotion, cultivating empathy and helping us understand the complexity of real human lives. 4. Stories Shape Discipleship Like Jesus’ parables, stories invite transformation rather than mere information. Fiction allows us to see grace, forgiveness, courage, and repentance embodied in lived experience. 5. Everyone Has a Story Human lives are narratives, not bullet points. Reading fiction trains us to listen well—to attend to nuance, pain, joy, and transformation in others. 6. The Gospel Is Best Shared Through Our Story We proclaim the good news not only through explanation but through witness—by telling what God has done in our lives. Fiction helps us inhabit and tell stories that resonate with truth. Derek concludes by reflecting on how reading fiction, most recently The Lord of the Rings, has rekindled his imagination and deepened his engagement with Scripture. Fiction doesn’t replace Bible reading; it enriches it, helping us see more clearly the living story God is telling in the world and in our lives. The episode closes with a reading from The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, reminding us that some of the deepest truths are carried not by arguments, but by stories. Has Peaceable and Kind been meaningful to you? Support the show by: • Leaving a review • Giving us a 5-star rating on your podcast app • Sharing this episode with a friend Preorder Derek’s new books releasing February 17, 2026: Crucifixion: 8 Lesson on How God Saves Us Resurrection: 8 Lessons on how God Restores Us Did you find this episode helpful on your spiritual journey? Consider helping us out! • Leave a review • Share it with your friends • Give us a 5-Star rating on your podcast app of choice Learn more about Derek’s work as a pastor and author: https://derekvreeland.com Interact with Derek on Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky, or Facebook
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    40 mins
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