Kainos Project

The term "gay Christian" has long been disputed, even among those who agree with the traditional Christian sexual ethic. Christian author Rosaria Butterfield continued that argument in a recent article, titled "I Don’t Have an LBGTQ Neighbor—And Neither Do You." In the article, Butterfield argued that there is no such thing as an LGBTQ+ person, because sexual orientation is a social construct. Furthermore, Butterfield argued, this an issue of identity, and identifying by sexual orientation enslaves a person to sexual sin. Any number of Christian leaders agree with Butterfield completely. However, many do not. On this episode, we discuss the differing views of people on LGBTQ+ issues. Specifically, we take a closer look at the range of views among those who hold to a traditional sexual ethic on issues of terminology, celibacy, and how to best approach our LBGTQ+ neighbors. READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed a law requiring public school teachers to feature a poster of the 10 Commandments in their classrooms. While many conservatives are hailing the law as a victory, it is likely to be struck down in the courts. Landry indicated that he's looking forward to the legal battle, saying, "I can't wait to get sued." Opponents of the law are citing the establishment clause of the constitution, arguing that requiring public school teachers to post an explicitly religious text on their classroom walls is a religious liberty violation. On this episode, we discuss the wisdom of such a law. Is it necessary? Is it prudent? In our discussion, we explore what we believe to be the best and worst arguments for and against this law, as well as the dangers of pulling Scripture out of context to make it a cultural icon. READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

It has been a busy couple of weeks as far as pastor scandals are concerned. Each case is extremely different from the others. But the fact that they have happened in such rapid succession raises common questions about how churches and church leaders should respond to them. What level of transparency should be demanded? Do pastors who have morally failed to the point of needing to be removed from the pulpit ever get to return? If so, when and under what circumstances? How do we pursue justice and righteousness while not inflicting unnecessary pain on those who have undeniably hurt others? On this episode of the podcast, we discuss these questions and more. READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

For Christians, the hope of heaven is one of our most important beliefs. But it’s also one of the most mysterious and even one of the most misunderstood.  And that makes sense. No one has ever been there and come back to tell us about it—although some have claimed to. When we think about heaven, we tend to think about a giant gated community in the sky. Saint Peter stands at the gates, looking through a giant book with your name in it, so that you can enter into the city with golden streets and white buildings backlit by the sun.  To be sure, some of this imagery is pulled directly from Scripture, even though it’s an overly literalized rendering of prophetic and apocalyptic texts. But a lot of it is also culturally conditioned, based on what artwork we’ve seen or movies we’ve watched. So on this episode, we discuss three things that Christians tend to get wrong about heaven and cast a bigger vision for what it will be like experience the new heavens and new earth in eternity. READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Pope Francis recently sat down for a wide-ranging interview on "60 Minutes." And, as you might imagine, some people were quick to pick apart everything he said. Some even accused him of committing heresy. To be sure, this is strong claims to make against the pope. While we aren't Roman Catholic and certainly have some deep disagreements with Roman Catholic theology, we thought it might be helpful to break down some of what the pope said. So in this episode, we discuss whether some of the remarks Francis made are really as awful or outside the realm of our own Christian thinking as some people have characterized them. READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Pastor John MacArthur recently made waves by claiming that mental illness doesn’t exist. He made these remarks during a Q&A session at a church conference. "Psychiatry and psychology is finally admitting the noble lies they’ve been telling for the last hundred years," MacArthur said. "And the major noble lie is that there is such a thing as mental illness." He went on to add, "There’s no such thing as PTSD. There’s no such thing as OCD. There’s no such thing as ADHD. Those are noble lies to basically give the excuse, at the end of the day, to medicate people." While MacArthur's words are shocking, he expressed sentiments that are not entirely uncommon in evangelical circles. And while many evangelical churches and institutions have come a long way with regard to how we speak about mental health, it's important that we continue to be thoughtful about how we approach the topic. May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, so we thought it important that we discuss not only MacArthur's arguments and why we strongly disagree with them, but also how Christian leaders can cultivate environments where mental healthcare is celebrated. READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

It has often been said that “the church is God’s Plan A for working in the world, and there is no Plan B.” We don’t disagree with that. Similarly, third century theologian Cyprian of Carthage once said, “No one can have God for his Father, who does not have the church for his mother.” Cyprian also said, “Outside the Church, there is no salvation.” While we don't take his meaning literally, this axiom offers important wisdom. There is no way for people in the world to experience Jesus and be formed by his way of life apart from walking alongside other Jesus people. But what exactly is the church? What is its purpose and function in the world? While most of us would agree upon a set of theological tenets when it comes to the church, there are also many fundamental questions that we often let go unspoken. And even without us talking about them, they provide a rubric for the practical concerns we think are important. In this episode, we probe into some of those questions: Who is the church for? What should it be doing in the world? And where is allowable, and even healthy, to have disagreement over those questions? READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When you think of the word "righteousness," any number of images and ideas might come to mind. Many of them are good, although some are probably incomplete.  If you look at the concept of righteousness as presented in the Bible, what you'll quickly realize is that it is inextricably connected to the concept of justice. And Jesus says that those who are desperate for righteousness and justice are the kind of people who are the most blessed. On this episode, we share a sermon Dale recently gave about Matthew 5:6, which says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Richard Dawkins, a biologist who is perhaps one of the world's most prominent apologists for atheism, recently said that he considers himself a "cultural Christian." "I do think that we are culturally a Christian country, and I call myself a cultural Christian," Dawkins said of his home nation, Britain. "I’m not a believer, but there’s a distinction between being a believing Christian and being a cultural Christian." Dawkins added, "But I must emphasize that I think that the things that Christians believe are actually nonsense." Specifically, he scoffed at the idea that Jesus could be born of a virgin or that he rose from the dead. So it seems like Dawkins wants the societal benefits of Christianity, just without Christ. On this episode, we discuss what to make of Dawkins' cultural Christianity by looking into his comments within their context. Is Dawkins turning toward faith, or is something else going on here? What is cultural Christianity, and is it something Christians should seek to cultivate? If so, what should that even look like? READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Last week, a firestorm erupted on social media after a Christian writer described disciplining his four-month-old son. While he later clarified that he was referring to sleep training, a wave of criticism ensued. Some called into question whether this father was abusing his infant, and some even claimed to have contacted Child Protective Services. The original social media post described the infant's sleep training process in terms of sin and discipline. But should we be framing the actions of a baby in moral terms? On this episode, we dive into the theology of humanity and how it can affect our parenting styles. Since parenting is an important part of life for every Christian who has children, we want to ensure that we are cultivating an underlying theology that is conducive not only to raising and disciplining godly children but also to treating them with the dignity they deserve. READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe on Apple PodcastsFollow on Spotify Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.