Truth Over The Noise

Before you can argue about music, you have to know what music is actually doing to you. In Part 5 of the Playlist Theology series, Nathan and Trey work through chapter four of Ben Everson's "If Not Unison, Then Harmony" — the forgotten basics of how music works, and why "lyrics are the theology, music is the tone of voice."They break down the three building blocks: melody (the hummable line that carries the emotional arc), harmony (the chords underneath that decide whether a song feels joyful, warm, sorrowful, or tense), and rhythm (the pulse that hits your body first). Along the way: why rhythm is not tempo, what the rock backbeat actually is, how tempo shapes a worship set, and why musical tension and resolution mirror the arc of Scripture itself. Nathan shares the time he started crying during an instrumental worship set before a single word was sung — proof that music reaches the heart before the brain gets a vote.Then it gets practical. Nathan tells how the TIL Radio Network music committee has asked artists for stripped-down, acoustic versions of songs whose production was burying great lyrics, and the hosts talk honestly about how churches build worship sets to shape emotion — the opening celebration song, the slower songs that bring conviction, the "preaching song," the altar call — and what they almost never think about: how the music communicates with no lyrics at all, and what the rhythm is doing to the body.Scripture in this episode (KJV): 2 Chronicles 5:13 • Job 38:7 • Psalm 150:4 • Psalm 42:5 • 1 Samuel 16:23 • Exodus 32:17–18 • 1 Corinthians 14:33This is Part 5 of the ongoing Playlist Theology series — start with Parts 1–4 if you're just joining. Next week: chapter five, and what the Bible actually says about music.Listen and subscribe at truthoverthenoise.com or on Spotify.

It's not just a debate — it's a wound. A jingle you can't shake twenty years later. An apology that showed up decades too late. In Part 4 of the Playlist Theology series, Nathan and Trey dig into chapter three of Ben Everson's "If Not Unison, Then Harmony" — the chapter that names why the Christian music wars hit so much deeper than any debate about doctrine.They unpack why music binds so tightly to memory (think of the commercial jingle you still remember from decades ago), why any challenge to your musical preferences can feel like a challenge to your whole past, and why both the guilt-trippers and the so-called progressives did real damage to real people — "that wasn't the Holy Spirit," Everson writes, "that was fear, that was pride or insecurity wearing a Bible verse like a mask." Nathan and Trey get personal too: Trey opens up about growing up on the Gaithers, discovering Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, and DC Talk as a teenager, and receiving an apology years later from someone who once judged his music. Along the way they walk through Psalm 63:4, Job 38:7, and the example of Enoch's closeness with God as the model for real discernment, landing on Everson's challenge to protect the past without letting nostalgia replace discernment.This is Part 4 of the ongoing Playlist Theology series — catch up on Parts 1–3 first if you haven't yet. Next week: chapter four and the forgotten basics of how music actually works — melody, harmony, and rhythm.Listen and subscribe at truthoverthenoise.com or on Spotify.

Charts that said "the beat equals the flesh." Blacklists disguised as discernment. Christians walking out of church because a song made them feel closer to God. In Part 3 of the Playlist Theology series, Nathan and Trey dig into chapter two of Ben Everson's "If Not Unison, Then Harmony" — an honest audit of where the conservative Christian music movement went wrong.They break down six breakdowns from the book: guilt by association (with a very relatable Elvis and "Brother" by NEEDTOBREATHE example), oversimplified charts and diagrams, application getting elevated over principle (with a Moses-and-the-rock illustration), pressure replacing discipleship, neglecting the Holy Spirit for memorized arguments, and leaning on shaky science like the debunked "Mozart Effect." Along the way they walk through five key passages — 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, Romans 14:3 & 5, Galatians 5:1, Colossians 2:20-23, and 1 Corinthians 2:15 — and land on the real question: is a list of "good" and "bad" songs even the point, or is it about walking in the Spirit?This is Part 3 of the ongoing Playlist Theology series — catch up on Parts 1 and 2 first if you haven't yet. Next week: chapter three and the emotional weight of the music debate.Listen and subscribe at truthoverthenoise.com or on Spotify.

Is music Satan's number-one weapon against your faith, or does it not really matter what you listen to? In Part 2 of the Playlist Theology series, Nathan Woltmann and Trey Cochren (nursing a rough voice of his own this week — Nathan's payback from a few episodes back) dig into Chapter 1 of Ben Everson's If Not Unison, Then Harmony and ask why the decades-old fight over Christian music refuses to die.Nathan and Trey unpack the two extremes believers keep swinging between — sounding the alarm that music is Satan's greatest tool, or shrugging it off as if it doesn't matter at all — and make the case that Lucifer, created as heaven's original worship leader, knows exactly how to twist something God made good into something corrupting. They walk through Everson's warning that in a digital, algorithm-driven age, playlists often shape theology faster than pulpits can correct it, and talk candidly about testing music against Scripture, doctrine, and the leading of the Holy Spirit rather than raw emotion (1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:16). A true story about a pastor who unknowingly praised a song he'd have condemned if he'd known who really sang it drives home the episode's challenge: think about music biblically, not just react to it emotionally.They also crack open Chapter 2, "What Went Wrong in the Past," previewing why understanding history — including the sobering example of the Library of Alexandria — matters for not repeating the same mistakes with music in the church today.This one runs a little longer than usual, so settle in. Got a topic you want covered? Reach out through truthoverthenoise.com or tilradio.org, and watch for the TOTN Discord launching soon. New episodes weekly.

Is the music on your playlist pulling you toward God or further from Him? Nathan and Trey kick off a brand-new series inspired by Ben Everson's book "If Not Unison, Then Harmony," exploring why the morality of a song was never about one isolated ingredient — a beat, a chord, an instrument — but about the whole package: lyrics, sound, and the heart behind it.They open up about their own musical journeys — from traditional hymns and Southern Gospel to CCM, rock, rap, and pop — and unpack why a song that reached one generation may not reach the next, even when the message stays the same. Along the way they talk about artists like Brandon Lake, Elevation Worship, and Forest Frank who are reaching new audiences for Christ, and lay the groundwork for a multi-week deep dive into what the Bible really says about music, worship, and worldliness.Whatever your favorite style of music is, the question this series keeps coming back to is simple: is it bringing you closer to God, or is it taking you further away? Stay tuned for the rest of the Playlist Theology series in the weeks ahead.Listen and subscribe at truthoverthenoise.com or on Spotify.

Two judgment seats. One eternity. Here's the message that helped 350+ teenagers meet Jesus this summer.Nathan recaps Truth Over The Noise and TIL Radio Network's time sponsoring the ARISE Youth Conference in Pigeon Forge, TN — where over 150 souls were saved on opening night alone, and 200+ more on the final night after Pastor C.T. Townsend's unforgettable illustration of the Great White Throne Judgment and the Judgment Seat of Christ. Nathan walks through that illustration in detail, then lays out the full plan of salvation straight from Scripture (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 10:9, 10:13) — because knowing Christ as your personal Savior is the foundation everything else on this podcast is built on.If you don't know Christ as your Savior yet, or you're not sure where you stand, this episode is for you. Reach out anytime at truthoverthenoise.com or [email protected] — we'd love to help you take the next step.This bonus episode was recorded alongside Episode 6: Playlist Theology (Pt. 1) — check that one out too.Listen and subscribe at truthoverthenoise.com or on Spotify.

How do you find God's will when you're anxious about what's next? In the final part of Truth Over the Noise's series on worrying about the future, Nathan Woltmann and Trey Cochran (voice restored and back at full strength) dig into a powerful biblical phrase — "in the way" — and what it teaches about walking in obedience and overcoming the obstacles that stand between you and your calling.Trey opens with a sweep through Scripture, showing the two sides of being "in the way": God directs those who are already moving in obedience (Abraham's servant — "I being in the way, the Lord led me"), and how faith pushes past the people who block the path — blind Bartimaeus, Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree, the friends who lowered the paralytic through the roof, David and his brother Eliab, Joseph, Moses and Pharaoh, Nehemiah's critics, Paul, and Jesus and the religious leaders. Nathan adds the story of Job — trusting God even when your closest people tell you to give up — and shares that the King James phrase "in the way" appears 93 times across Scripture.They get practical for Gen Z and young adults chasing the will of God: step out in faith (Nathan tells how he chose his college and let acceptance or rejection be God's answer), seek wise, godly counsel over the flattery of peers (the cautionary tale of Rehoboam), and remember God gives the desires of a heart that's obeying Him. It closes with a clear gospel invitation and how to know you're saved.Find every episode at truthoverthenoise.com or totn.blog, and through TIL Radio Network at tilradio.org. Next up: a brand-new series on music — you might be surprised where they land. New episodes weekly.

God doesn't call the equipped — He equips the called. In Part 2 of Truth Over the Noise's series on worrying about the future, Trey Cochran takes the lead (Nathan's a little under the weather) for a deep dive into Jeremiah chapter 1 and what it means to trust God with your calling.Walking verse by verse through the whole chapter, Trey and Nathan unpack God's words to a young Jeremiah — possibly only 12 years old: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." They dig into the fear Jeremiah felt, how his objection ("I don't know how to speak, I'm only a youth") echoes Moses, Gideon, and Isaiah, and how God's answer is always the same — "Do not be afraid, for I am with you." They cover the visions of the almond branch and the boiling pot, God's six-fold charge to Jeremiah, and the promise that faithfulness — not popularity — is the real measure of success.Along the way they get practical for Gen Z and young adults: when God opens several doors, pick one and step out in faith; focus on what God is calling you to do today rather than fearing five or ten years down the road. They point to ordinary people God used — the disciples, Joseph, Esther, Rahab — and Nathan closes with the cautionary story of Jonah, who obeyed only in spite of himself. A closing challenge: read Psalm 139 and see how personally God knows you.Got a topic you'd like covered? Send it in through truthoverthenoise.com or tilradio.org. New episodes weekly.

Everybody worries about the future — but what does the Bible actually say about it? In this episode of Truth Over the Noise, hosts Nathan Woltmann and Trey Cochran dig into anxiety, fear, and the "what's next?" questions that keep Gen Z (and everyone else) up at night.Opening in Matthew 6 with Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount, Nathan and Trey unpack a key distinction: Jesus doesn't tell us to stop worrying entirely — He teaches us how to handle it. They talk honestly about their own worries, why anxiety was a "taboo" subject growing up, and why they're glad this generation can finally be open about mental health — while still pointing back to Scripture as the anchor.Along the way they walk through the widow and the jars of oil in 2 Kings 4 as proof of God's provision, and land on Proverbs 3:5-6 — trusting God with all your heart instead of leaning on your own understanding. They also get real about prayer's three answers — yes, no, and the dreaded "not yet" — and Nathan shares a personal story of a year-long "wait" that finally opened the door to his career in radio.This is Part 1 of a multi-part series. Next week they continue with the command not to worry about tomorrow, the power of prayer, and more real-life examples of how God moves.Questions, feedback, or a topic you want covered? Visit tilradio.org or truthoverthenoise.com — and watch for the upcoming Discord. New episodes weekly.

In this special episode of Truth Over the Noise, host Nathan Woltmann shares his full testimony — much of it publicly for the first time. From accepting Christ at four years old at his family's kitchen table, to growing up as the son of a traveling evangelist doing schoolwork in the back of a van, Nathan opens up about a life shaped by both a rich Christian heritage and years of private struggle.He's honest about the hard parts: a long, hidden battle with pornography, dating relationships pursued for the wrong reasons, and academic struggles that culminated in his college major being cut out from under him at Pensacola Christian College. Nathan walks through how God used mentors in radio, a humbling season of learning patience, and a full-circle journey back to the very station where it all began — leading to his role today as Network Director of TIL Radio Network.Through every failure and detour, one theme holds it all together: the grace, mercy, and faithfulness of God. Nathan's message to anyone listening — especially those struggling with addiction or doubting their worth — is that no matter what you've done, God still has a purpose for your life, and finding an accountability partner can change everything.Fair warning: this one runs long, but it's worth it. Learn more at tilradio.org or truthoverthenoise.com.

In this special episode of Truth Over the Noise, co-host Trey Cochran shares his testimony — a story of being counted out again and again, and a God who never gave up on him. From a difficult pregnancy and a childhood illness where doctors wrote "failing to thrive," to a kindergarten teacher who said he'd never learn to read or write, Trey grew up hearing plenty of doubt. He answers all of it with the words his sister gave him: let your haters be your motivators.Trey gets real about the difference between the prayer he prayed at six and truly accepting Christ at fourteen, his own long battle with lust and pornography, and the mentors who shaped him — especially youth minister Jason Arrington and a literal mountaintop moment of learning to trust God. He shares the loneliness of being single into his thirties, how a Bumble notification led him to his wife Amber, and the recent hard road of surgeries, grief, and losing his grandmother, a 93-year-old pillar of faith.It's an honest, emotional look at doubt, addiction, friendship, brotherhood, and the faithfulness of God through it all — proof that the people who doubt you don't get the final word. Grab the tissues; this one's heartfelt.Learn more at tilradio.org or truthoverthenoise.com.

Meet Nathan Woltmann and Trey Cochran — two Southern guys, longtime friends, and the hosts of Truth Over the Noise, a new podcast from TIL Radio Network. In this premiere episode, they lay out what this show is really about: giving Gen Z and young adults honest, biblical answers to the questions nobody else will shoot straight about.Nathan and Trey explain why they started this podcast after more than a year of prayer and planning, and who it's for — the teens and twenty-somethings who've been handed easy answers like "God's got you" but wanted someone to be real with them instead. Their heart is to be the older brothers you wish you'd had: honest, direct, and 100% out of love.You'll also get a preview of what's ahead — upcoming episodes tackling anxiety, depression, worrying about the future, and other struggles head-on from a biblical worldview, plus a series on church and world history and why it still matters today. They also share their vision for revival in the next generation and how you can send in your own topics and prayer requests.Got a topic you're wrestling with? Reach out through the links at tilradio.org or truthoverthenoise.com. New episodes drop weekly.