Pop Culture Devotionals with Chaplain Dave Remboldt

What can an 80s hit from Crowded House teach us about distraction, endurance, and keeping our eyes on Jesus? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt reflects on “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” connects its warning about walls and distraction to Hebrews 12:1–2, and explores what it means to keep running the race of faith in a world built to keep us checked out. If you’ve felt spiritually scattered, this one will meet you there.

What if Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is more than a comedy about skipping school? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt looks at Ferris’s famous line about life moving fast, the anxiety and control gripping everyone around him, and the biblical truth that rest is not laziness—it’s trust. With Jesus’ words on Sabbath at the center, this devotional is a reminder that in a culture addicted to productivity, stillness can be a holy act of resistance.

What if Cast Away isn’t really about survival at all? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt looks at Chuck Noland’s obsession with control, the strange peace waiting for him at the end of the movie, and how Philippians 4:6–7 reframes what peace actually is. This is a devotional for anyone who’s been white-knuckling their way through life and wondering if letting go of the need for control is the answer.

What can a training montage in Rocky IV teach us about real strength? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt contrasts Ivan Drago’s polished, controlled training with Rocky’s gritty, real-world endurance and connects it to Philippians 4:13 and the kind of inner strength God actually builds. If life has felt more like the 15th round than a highlight reel, this one’s for you.

What can Samwise Gamgee teach us about hope, faith, and keeping going when the road feels impossibly long? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt reflects on Sam’s unforgettable speech from The Two Towers, connects it to Viktor Frankl’s search for meaning, and anchors it all in the biblical truth that faith keeps moving because God is faithful. If you’re tired, discouraged, or just trying to take the next step, this one is for you.

What does The Wizard of Oz have to do with Holy Week? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt connects the man behind the curtain to Jesus cleansing the temple—and shows why Christ’s anger wasn’t aimed at “the world acting worldly,” but at religious fraud that made it harder for people to get to God. Centered on Matthew 21, this devotional invites listeners to let Holy Week turn the spotlight inward, asking where image, pride, or performance may be standing in the way of true worship.

What does basketball defense and Peter pulling a sword in the garden have in common? In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt uses the world of hoops to explore a deeper spiritual question: are we confusing defensiveness with faithfulness? Drawing from Jesus’ rebuke of Peter and the call to love with courage, this devotional looks at how the kingdom of God moves—not by guarding, but by giving. If you’ve ever wrestled with what it means to stand for truth without losing the heart of Christ, this one will meet you there.

What do Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out for a Hero and David’s cry in Psalm 13 have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of Pop Culture Devotionals, Chaplain Dave Remboldt revisits the 80s anthem of longing and connects it to the ancient ache of a heart waiting for God to act.With Psalm 13 as the scriptural anchor, this devotional explores the universal human longing for rescue, the tension between lament and trust, and the hope we have because the Hero has already come in Jesus. If you’ve ever felt like heaven was quiet or life was one long late-night power ballad, this episode is for you.