Office Hours

Our host, Jae Koo, talks with Dr. Michael Longinow about his past as a reporter, the Christian roots of American journalism and how Christians today can engage with the news in healthy ways. Dr. Michael Longinow is a Professor of Journalism at Biola University and is also the advisor for the university's student media organization, the Chimes Media Group. His work today explores the intersection of journalism, culture, and faith — examining how media shapes public understanding, civic life, and religious conversation. Through his accomplishments and experience, he works to raise up student journalists with an intellectual and ethical thrive in the modern media industry. Find more podcasts at The Chimes’ website (https://chimesnewspaper.com/torch/).

In this episode, our host, Jae Koo, talks with Dr. Shane Enete about how Christians should approach finances. Dr. Enete holds a Ph.D. in Personal Financial Planning from Kansas State University, a Master of Science in Mathematical Finance from University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from University of Southern California. Before coming to Biola, he spent more than a decade working in institutional finance. At Biola, he teaches courses in investments, retirement planning, business finance, and financial planning. He also researches how Christian faith shapes the way we think about money, generosity, and long-term stewardship. His books and researches such as Whole Heart Finances, explores how financial decisions are never just technical, but deeply connected to joy, worship, and the kind of life we are becoming. His research also looks at Biblically Responsible Investing, the theology of financial planning, and the tension many Christians feel between sacrificial giving and wise saving.

In this episode, our host, Jae Koo will talk with Dr. Jeremy Treat about the Kingdom of God, ministry in Los Angeles, and how we can serve our local community. Treat holds a Ph.D. from Wheaton College and serves as Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Reality Church of Los Angeles. He holds a Ph.D. in systematic Theology. At Biola, he teaches as the Ministry Affiliate Faculty, where he helps students think deeply about theology, ministry, and the shape of the Christian life. He is the author of The Atonement, Seek First, and The Crucified King—works that explore how the gospel, the kingdom of God, and the cross shape the Christian imagination. He also recently edited a new edition of On the Incarnation by Athanasius of Alexandria, bringing one of the church’s most influential theological texts to a new generation of readers. To hear more from The Torch, go to chimesnewspaper.com/torch.

In this episode, our host Jae Koo takes us through the life of Professor Stew Oleson—Associate Professor of Broadcast Journalism at Biola University—for a wide-ranging conversation about vocation, faith, media, and saying yes to unexpected opportunities. Before becoming a professor, Stew Oleson built a significantly diverse career: from trying over 500 cases as a prosecutor in Chicago to producing and hosting television programs like Good Day Sacramento, to performing stand-up comedy, hosting travel shows, and etc. Today, he brings that real-world experience into Biola through courses like Eagle Vision, Good Morning Biola, and Media Law, equipping students with hands-on experience.

Our host, Jae Koo, talks with Dr. Rachel Tracie about theatre, faith, and life advice. She is a theater professor, writer, director and spectator. She is interested in exploring the connections between a theoretical analysis of theater and its practical application in courses. She serves as writing coordinator and instructor for the Prison Education Project in Southern California, and on the board of Shining Light, an organization that pairs arts programming with character strength development in prisons across the United States. Find more podcasts at The Chimes’ website (https://chimesnewspaper.com/torch/).