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Friendship Leads to Podcast for Two Lindsey Wilson University Business Students

'That's God' produced in university's new podcast studio in J.L. Turner Leadership Center.

by Duane Bonifer

COLUMBIA, Ky. (12/09/2025) — Two Lindsey Wilson University students have turned a friendship into a new podcast aimed at helping people "laugh, learn and grow together in faith."

Emerson McKinnis '28 of Auburn, Kentucky, and Summer Ray '27 of Stanford, Kentucky, have launched the podcast That's God. It's the first podcast the two business administration majors have hosted, and it's also the first student-produced podcast in the university's new podcast studio.

Located on the first floor of the J.L. Turner Leadership Center, the podcast studio was opened this fall by the LWU School of Business and Communication to give students another creative outlet for their work.

McKinnis and Ray came up with the idea for their podcast while having one of their numerous conversations about faith and life. Dean of the School of Business and Communication Benson Sexton '04 helped them turn their idea into a weekly production.

"That's God comes from us constantly saying, 'Oh, that's crazy' or 'That's insane' to something that God does," said McKinnis, who has an emphasis in marketing. "In reality, it's not crazy or insane, it's just what God does."

The weekly podcast, which is scheduled to post on Tuesday on YouTube and Spotify, bills itself as a place "where two best friends pull up a seat, open God's word and share the real-life stories of his power and presence. (and) laugh, learn and grow together in faith."

McKinnis and Ray reckon they have been friends for about six years, meeting through softball competition.

"This has been in the making probably since we got here, then we found this space would be available," said Ray, who has an emphasis in management. "It's always been on my heart where we could have a podcast to share the Gospel and the good news of God. Emerson and I have been friends for a while, and now that we are at the same school together, we were just like, 'You know, let's do something.' Finally we were like, 'Let's do it.'"

Every other episode of That's God features "Testimony Tuesdays." On alternate weeks, McKinnis and Ray discuss biblical issues and topics in Christianity.

"Things that people may want to know more about, we want to know more about. And just talk about how good God is," said McKinnis.

Guests for "Testimony Tuesday" are intentionally everyday folks, people who McKinnis and Ray said live their faith through action and example.

"I think a big concept a lot of people miss is the concept of ministry through the workforce, not necessarily being put in a place of ministry and missions through a church," said McKinnis.

Added Ray: "I think a lot of the time we get caught up in hearing these big stories by these famous people, but the small-town people that we know and we love have a story and a testimony to share, just like everybody else does."

Although neither McKinnis nor Ray aspire to careers in media, they said they plan to continue the podcast for the foreseeable future.

"If we're 38 and still rolling on this podcast, that's great," said Ray.

"That's God" is available on YouTube and on Spotify.

Lindsey Wilson University is a vibrant liberal arts university in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson offers 28 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The university's 29 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.

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Lindsey Wilson University business administration majors Summer Ray ’27 of Stanford, Kentucky, left, and Emerson McKinnis ’28 of Auburn, Kentucky, have launched the podcast “That’s God,” which they produce in the university’s podcast studio in the J.L. Turner Leadership Center.

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