Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley: "Living What We Preach" (ft. Matthew West)

PodcastOne | March 3, 2026

Episode Overview

This heartfelt episode of Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley features Grammy-nominated Christian singer-songwriter Matthew West. Together, Savannah and Matthew dive deeply into what it means to authentically "live what we preach"—living faith not just as a public performance but as a genuine part of daily life, especially in family, parenting, adversity, and personal growth. The conversation is rich with vulnerability, humor, faith, and actionable insights about spirituality, forgiveness, raising children, breaking generational cycles, and pursuing purpose even when life gets difficult.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Embracing Vulnerability and Laughter (00:26–03:20)

• Savannah and Matthew kick off with playful banter about Savannah’s appearance on The Masked Singer as the “Afghan Hound,” poking fun at her own lack of musical skills.
  • Quote: "I have no musical ability, so sitting beside someone who's just a musical genius and then you have me." —Savannah (00:53)
  • Matthew praises Savannah’s fearlessness, drawing a comparison to his wife’s bold karaoke attempts, underlining the importance of enjoying life's lighter, silly moments.
  • Quote: "When someone puts themselves out there, it, like, pulls everybody else along and makes everybody else more comfortable." —Matthew (03:12)

2. Growing Up as a Preacher’s Kid and Living Under Pressure (04:43–07:40)

• Matthew discusses his childhood as a preacher’s kid and the pressure it created to "always be on."
  • Quote: "It always felt like all eyes were on me... that's one of the dangers of growing up as a preacher's kid." —Matthew (05:32)
• Savannah relates, sharing her mother's similar upbringing.
• They discuss the challenges of dual identities: public faith leader versus private family member.
  • Quote: "You don’t want to be one way on stage and in front of people, and then another way backstage." —Matthew (07:00)

3. Authenticity and Avoiding a "Performative" Faith (07:41–11:19)

• Matthew opens up about the temptation for faith leaders (and Christians in the spotlight) to be “performative” and the struggle to align public persona with private reality.
  • Quote: "The danger is being... performative. You don't want to have these two versions of you." —Matthew (07:00)
• He shares a powerful lesson from his father about focusing on a personal relationship with God, not people.
  • Quote: "Humans are going to disappoint you and let you down... keep your eyes on Him." —Matthew (07:59)
• Savannah’s mother’s advice: “You may be the only Bible that someone reads.” (08:43)

4. The Difficulty of Forgiveness and Accepting Grace (13:58–19:18)

• They discuss the countercultural, sometimes troubling idea of God's grace being freely available to all—even the gravest offenders if they ask for forgiveness.
  • Quote: "Accepting a gift you know you don’t deserve is always hard, and that's what God's grace is." —Matthew (16:47)
• The power and challenge of forgiveness—not only of others but of oneself.
  • Quote: "The enemy tries to work in our lives to let shame overshadow the power of God's grace." —Matthew (18:04)

5. Faith Amid Adversity: “Where Is God in the Hard?” (19:18–21:57)

• Savannah and Matthew relate to people facing hardship, highlighting public figures like Savannah Guthrie holding to faith through personal crisis.
• Matthew recounts a personal health crisis that threatened his music career and how such moments can clarify what truly grounds you.
  • Quote: "It's those trials we wish we didn't have that wind up making you who you are." —Matthew (21:18)

6. Role Modeling Faith and Humility in Parenting (29:19–35:00)

• Matthew emphasizes living faith at home by example, not just by lecture for his daughters.
  • Quote: "Do our kids see in us...what it looks like to be compassionate towards others?" —Matthew (31:23)
• He praises his wife’s fierce determination to break generational cycles of dysfunction.
  • Quote: "Whatever dysfunction you grew up in doesn't dictate what kind of parent you're going to become." —Matthew (33:47)
• The importance of humility: apologizing to children when parents “blow it.”
  • Quote: "Some of the most special moments with my kids have been like when dad blew it but was humble enough to go knock on my daughter's bedroom door and be like, 'Hey, I apologize.'" —Matthew (34:19)

7. Marriage, Commitment, and the Power of Example (39:18–44:31)

• Both reflect on entering marriage with a determination to never choose divorce as an option, celebrating the idea (and song!) that "we wrote it down in pen."
  • Quote: "The world writes it down in pencil, but we wrote it down in pen. They say when love gets hard, take back your heart and start again. But you and me dare to believe in a love that has no end." —Matthew (40:15)
• Savannah discusses the value of healthy marital and family structures, referencing her therapist's "totem pole" for priorities: God, marriage, children, then career.

8. Purpose, Service, and Redemption – Sharing Stories & Prison Ministry (46:15–56:06)

• Matthew describes his nonprofit and the “story songs” project—how everyone’s story matters, even the broken parts.
• They discuss working with prisons, the transformative nature of music and faith for the incarcerated.
  • Quote: "Some of the most special concerts I've ever done were not at Bridgestone arena...they were behind bars." —Matthew (52:01)
• Powerful stories about prison, restoration, and the impact one person (like his late friend Cindy, who served women prisoners) can have in breaking cycles and bringing hope.

9. Why Grace Still Shocks Us & The Thief on the Cross (56:06–57:29)

• Matthew shares the story that inspired his song "The Man on the Middle Cross," highlighting that entry to heaven is about grace, not earned merit.
  • Quote: "I'm here because the man on the middle cross said I could come." —Matthew (57:21)

10. Final Reflections: Hope for the Hopeless & Upcoming Projects (57:38–61:39)

• Matthew encourages those who feel God is “done with them” with Jeremiah 29:11.
  • Quote: "Pay attention to the present tense in that scripture. I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord...They're still right here in this moment." —Matthew (59:49)
• He announces his new book Don’t Stop Praying, a 40-day devotional, and new music releases. (57:38)
• Savannah teases his soothing audiobook narration.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Humans are going to disappoint you and let you down... keep your eyes on Him." —Matthew (07:59)
• "You may be the only Bible that someone reads." —Savannah’s mother (08:43)
• "Accepting a gift you know you don’t deserve is always hard, and that's what God's grace is." —Matthew (16:47)
• "Some of the most special moments with my kids have been like when dad blew it but was humble enough to go knock on my daughter's bedroom door and be like, 'Hey, I apologize.'" —Matthew (34:19)
• "I'm here because the man on the middle cross said I could come." —Matthew (57:21)
• "Pay attention to the present tense in that scripture...He still has plans for you. Even if you think you've screwed up every plan you've ever had." —Matthew (59:49)
• Lighthearted moment: "You could sing it with me on the Masked Singer." —Matthew to Savannah (40:44)

Important Timestamps

• 00:26 – Savannah’s Masked Singer story & lesson on fearlessness
• 07:00 – Dangers of “performative” Christianity
• 11:02 – The critical importance of being the same person at home and on stage
• 14:29 – How to start a journey with God, and faith as God’s pursuit not our works
• 21:18 – Faith and perseverance in the middle of trials
• 29:19 – Faith-based parenting and leading by example
• 34:19 – The transformational power of parental humility
• 40:15 – Commitment in marriage: "We wrote it down in pen"
• 46:15 – The power of telling your story & prison ministry
• 52:01 – Most meaningful concerts are “behind bars”
• 56:06 – The shock and beauty of grace, inspired by the thief on the cross
• 59:49 – Encouragement for those who feel hopeless: Jeremiah 29:11

Resources & Calls to Action

• Matthew West’s Book: Don’t Stop Praying (available on Amazon and as audiobook)
• New Music: Songs inspired by faith and authenticity, including an unreleased song about marital commitment
• Matthew West Website: matthewwest.com
• Prison Ministry: Opportunities for getting involved, leveraging music, and the importance of second chances

Episode Tone & Final Takeaways

This episode is both deeply spiritual and down-to-earth, full of honest admissions, laughter, and encouragement, making faith approachable and real. Both Savannah and Matthew press listeners to make faith more than a public act—it’s a call to authenticity, humility, and service, reminding all that no one is beyond hope or redemption.

"That's why your listeners love you. They're like, hey, she ain't scared, so why should we?" —Matthew (61:01)