Thinking Christian: Clear Theology for a Confusing World

In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer is joined by John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center, to discuss the Truth Rising Project—a collaboration between the Colson Center and Focus on the Family. John explains how Truth Rising emerged from a growing realization: many of the cultural “hypotheticals” Christians debated decades ago have become lived realities. The project frames our moment as what Oz Guinness calls a civilizational moment—a tipping point where cultures become “clipped off” from the roots that once animated them, often leading to decline, upheaval, or (rarely) renewal. A key theme in the conversation is the difference between faithfulness and effectiveness. James presses the question: What happens when faithfulness doesn’t seem to “work”? John responds by grounding Christian hope not in saving Western civilization, but in the resurrection of Jesus Christ—and echoes Chuck Colson’s memorable line: “Despair is a sin.” Not because outcomes are guaranteed to improve, but because Christ is risen and his kingdom is the true story of the world. The discussion then turns to cultural destabilization, dehumanization, and what it looks like to live “against the grain of reality.” John and James reflect on the way ideas produce real-world consequences—how societies can treat moral realities like “speed limits” (negotiable) when they function more like “gravity” (inescapable). Finally, John highlights stories featured in Truth Rising—especially Jack Phillips and Chloe Cole—as examples of courage and costly faithfulness in public life. The episode closes with a practical invitation: Truth Rising is free, designed to equip Christians and churches to live with hope, clarity, and conviction in this moment. Key topics bullets Why Colson Center + Focus on the Family launched Truth Rising Oz Guinness and the idea of a “civilizational moment” Faithfulness vs. effectiveness—and why hope is rooted in resurrection “Despair is a sin” (Chuck Colson) and the logic of Christian hope Dehumanization, identity confusion, and cultural decline Truth vs. “renegotiated reality”: gravity vs. speed limits Jack Phillips, Chloe Cole, and the cost of courageous obedience How to access the free documentary and 8-part study You can find out more about the Truth Rising project at https://www.truthrising.com. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What should Christians do with the hardest laws in the Bible—texts about slavery, sexual violence, capital punishment, and social inequality? Should they be explained away… or even crossed out? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Gary Edward Schnicker, Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Cairn University, to discuss Schnicker’s recent article in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society examining a provocative proposal by biblical scholar James W. Watts: that “immoral” commands in Scripture—especially in the Torah—should be struck through or repealed. Watts argues that certain biblical laws are morally indefensible by modern standards and that retaining them enables abuse, violence, and injustice. Schnicker agrees that these texts deeply trouble modern readers—but strongly disagrees with the solution. In this wide-ranging and careful conversation, James and Gary explore why removing or canceling difficult passages creates dangerous “collateral damage”, both theologically and pastorally. At the heart of the discussion is a crucial claim: many of the biblical laws that offend modern sensibilities are not endorsements of evil, but divine constraints on evil—laws designed to protect the most vulnerable people in the ancient world: slaves, women, the poor, and victims of violence. When these laws are removed or ignored, the Bible is reshaped into something that actually empowers the strong and exposes the weak. Gary explains how Old Testament law often functions not to establish an ideal society, but to curtail injustice in deeply broken social realities. Drawing on ancient Near Eastern context, Jesus’ own teaching on the law, and long-neglected biblical scholarship, he argues that God meets people where they are—without endorsing the world as it is. The conversation also addresses: Why bad interpretation is not the same as biblical meaning How “reception history” can be misused as a moral veto on Scripture Why Christians are often embarrassed by parts of the Old Testament The danger of modern “neo-Marcionism” and un-hitching the Old Testament Why apologetics answers often fall flat for younger Christians How ignoring these texts creates faith crises rather than resolving them James and Gary reflect candidly on the church’s failure to teach these passages well—and how that failure has contributed to widespread biblical confusion, especially in a digital age where moral objections to Scripture circulate constantly but context rarely follows. Rather than advocating pulpit shock tactics, Schnicker calls pastors, teachers, and church leaders to patient, informed engagement—to stop brushing difficult texts under the carpet and instead learn how they reveal God’s concern for justice, restraint of violence, and care for the vulnerable. Resources mentioned: Gary Edward Schnicker, JETS article (available free at carpentersstudent.com) CarpentersStudent.com (Gary’s Substack) If you’ve ever struggled with parts of the Old Testament—or wondered why Christians seem embarrassed by their own Scriptures—this episode offers a careful, honest, and deeply pastoral way forward that refuses to cancel the Bible while taking moral questions seriously. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! Topics include: “Immoral” commands in the Torah—what’s really going on? Law as restraint, not endorsement Slavery, sexual violence, and justice in the ancient world Why cutting Scripture creates moral blind spots The limits of modern moral frameworks Teaching difficult texts without fear or defensiveness Rebuilding trust in the Bible for the next generation This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What if the most spiritually formative season of the Christian year isn’t Advent or Lent—but the long stretch of ordinary time in between? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Amy Peeler, Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College, to discuss her book Ordinary Time: The Season of Growth, part of the Fullness of Time series from IVP. Together, they explore how the church’s longest season—often overlooked or misunderstood—shapes Christian maturity, patience, and attentiveness to God’s work in everyday life. Amy shares her own journey from a free-church background into the Anglican tradition, where the church calendarprovides a shared rhythm for worship, discipleship, and formation. Ordinary time, she explains, is neither feast nor fast. Marked by the color green, it reflects growth—slow, patient, often unseen—rather than dramatic spiritual highs. This season mirrors how most of life is actually lived: meals, conversations, work, rest, and faithful obedience in the ordinary. James and Amy discuss how modern Christians—both liturgical and non-liturgical—often struggle with cadence, reflection, and rest. Without intentional rhythms, churches can become overly programmatic, while individuals drift into distraction, passivity, or burnout. Ordinary time offers a corrective: a space to reflect on God’s work, attend carefully to Scripture, and allow spiritual growth to “catch up” after seasons of intense focus. The conversation also explores how ordinary time functions formatively: As a season of growth rather than spectacle As an extended invitation to rest and receptivity, not spiritual laziness As a reminder that God is present in the mundane—not just in mountaintop moments Amy draws on biblical texts (especially Genesis 18) to show how God often appears not in dramatic events, but in ordinary hospitality, conversation, and faithfulness. She also reflects on Trinity Sunday, explaining how ordinary time helps Christians attend more deeply to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—not as abstract doctrine, but as lived worship shaped by prayer, posture, and participation. Throughout the episode, James and Amy examine how formation happens over time, why Christians need both structure and reflection, and how ordinary time can function almost like an extended Sabbath—a season where believers learn to cease striving and trust God’s work in them. You can get Ordinary Time at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! Topics include: What “ordinary time” is—and why it matters The church calendar and Christian formation Growth, patience, and rest in discipleship Green as the color of spiritual formation Ordinary practices as places of divine presence Genesis 18 and encountering God in the everyday Trinity Sunday and worshiping the triune God Liturgical vs. free-church approaches to time and rhythm Why reflection is essential in a distracted age This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The abortion conversation in the church is often framed as a political battle—pro-life versus pro-choice, red versus blue. But what if that framing itself is the problem? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencertalks with Angela Weszely, author of Becoming Pro-Grace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice and founder of the Pro-Grace movement, about why Christians need a distinctly theological framework for engaging abortion—one rooted in Jesus rather than political parties. Angela shares her personal journey into abortion ministry, beginning with work at a Christian pregnancy center in downtown Chicago. What she encountered there unsettled her: well-intentioned Christians operating with a deeply legalistic mindset, prioritizing agendas over people and persuasion over presence. That experience led her into a years-long theological reexamination of how grace, dignity, and the gospel should shape Christian engagement with one of the most emotionally charged issues of our time. At the heart of the Pro-Grace framework are two core theological commitments. First, equal value and equal dignity—the Imago Dei applies fully to both the woman and the child, rejecting the false binary that pits them against each other. Second, grace as the path of transformation—real change does not come through coercion, shame, or law alone, but through the radical grace of Jesus that heals hearts and restores relationships. James and Angela explore how political language and party loyalty often distort Christian witness, training believers to see one another as enemies rather than brothers and sisters in Christ. They discuss why laws, while important, are limited tools that can manage brokenness but cannot heal it—and why the church has too often abdicated its responsibility by outsourcing moral formation to government. The conversation also dives into the lived experience of unintended pregnancy. Drawing on years of qualitative research, Angela highlights three dominant emotional realities women face: panic, isolation, and shame. These realities are rarely acknowledged in political debates, yet they shape nearly every decision made in crisis. James reflects on his own family’s experience with a difficult prenatal diagnosis, underscoring how support, community, and compassion dramatically alter the moral landscape. Rather than offering a simplistic solution, Pro-Grace calls the church to something deeper: humility, listening, and imagination. What would it look like for Christians to lead with their kingdom identity, allowing political engagement to be shaped—rather than defined—by allegiance to Christ? What if churches became the safest places for women, men, and families navigating pregnancy, loss, and fear? This episode challenges listeners to rethink not only what they believe about abortion, but how they engage the conversation—inviting Christians into a posture that looks more like Jesus and less like partisan combat. Topics include: Why political frameworks distort Christian witness on abortion The Pro-Grace theological model explained Equal dignity of women and children (Imago Dei) Grace versus legalism in Christian ethics Emotional realities of unintended pregnancy The limits of law and the responsibility of the church Why Christians must lead with kingdom identity, not party loyalty How churches can become truly welcoming communities You can get Becoming Pro-Grace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Was America founded as a “new Israel”? And if so, what happens when biblical conquest narratives are used to justify colonization, displacement, and violence? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer speaks with Dr. Daniel Hawk, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Ashland Theological Seminary and author of Undoing Manifest Destiny: Settler America, Christian Colonists, and the Pursuit of Justice, about how Christian theology became entangled with the American settler story—and why that story now needs to be reexamined. Drawing on decades of Old Testament scholarship, especially his work on the Book of Joshua, Daniel Hawk explains how biblical narratives meant to form Israel’s identity were gradually transformed into templates for empire in the American imagination. Early Christian colonists interpreted their arrival in the New World through conquest theology—believing God had given them the land and authorized the dispossession of Indigenous peoples. Over time, this reading hardened into a powerful civil religion, blending Christian language with national mythology. James and Daniel explore how Manifest Destiny functioned as a theological story—one that framed American expansion as divinely sanctioned while masking injustice behind a “myth of innocence.” They discuss how the Exodus and conquest narratives were selectively used to legitimize political freedom and territorial expansion, while conveniently excluding Scripture’s deep moral critique of power, violence, and covenant unfaithfulness. The conversation also addresses the enduring effects of settler colonialism—not merely as a historical event, but as a set of social, economic, and cultural structures that continue shaping American life. Daniel argues that unresolved colonial sin damages everyone: Indigenous communities who bear the weight of dispossession and trauma, and white Christians whose imaginations have been warped by unexamined dominance and control. Rather than assigning blame, Hawk calls Christians to a posture of discipleship, humility, and repentance. Undoing the settler narrative begins with learning local histories, listening to Indigenous voices, and allowing uncomfortable truths to challenge long-held assumptions. Healing, he suggests, requires telling the whole story—without mythologizing the past or silencing pain. James and Daniel also reflect on the role of globalization, modern capitalism, and environmental exploitation as ongoing echoes of colonial logic, as well as Daniel’s work with the First Nations Version Bible translation project—an effort to hear Scripture through Indigenous linguistic and cultural frameworks. This episode invites Christians to ask hard questions: How should Scripture shape our understanding of land, power, and justice? What does repentance look like at a communal level? And how might the church become an agent of reconciliation rather than a guardian of national mythology? Topics include: The Book of Joshua and Christian identity Manifest Destiny as civil religion How biblical narratives were misused to justify colonization Settler colonialism vs. other forms of empire The “myth of innocence” in American history Structural sin and enduring injustice Listening to Indigenous voices and histories Discipleship, repentance, and reconciliation Christianity beyond nationalism You can get Undoing Manifest Destiny: Settler America, Christian Colonists, and the Pursuit of Justice at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Can Christians pursue success in business without sidelining their faith—or turning God into just another “box” in life? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Andrea Anderson, Christian business coach and author of Bread Like Rain, to talk about surrendered strategy, discipleship, and what it really means to follow Christ in entrepreneurial work. Andrea shares her journey from cultural Christianity to atheism and agnosticism—and eventually to a living faith shaped by loss, prayer, and God’s persistent pursuit. Her move into life coaching and consulting didn’t come from a desire to optimize productivity alone, but from a deeper question: How do I help people experience lasting, eternal transformation rather than temporary fixes? Drawing from her work with Christian business owners, Andrea explains why many leaders experience recurring chaos despite good intentions: self-reliance and control quietly replace trust in God. The solution isn’t better tactics at ground level, but a top-down reordering—learning to ask what the Lord is saying and aligning vision, strategy, and identity accordingly. When leaders build from misalignment, results never last. When they build from surrender, fruit endures. James and Andrea explore how discipleship must shape leadership, why faith cannot be compartmentalized into “God,” “work,” and “family” boxes, and how obedience opens our eyes to what God is already doing. They also discuss the dangers of redefining success apart from God’s purposes—where profitability, health, relationships, and obedience must be held together rather than traded off against one another. The conversation touches on prayer, listening for God’s voice, and why many Christians struggle to slow down spiritually: not because they don’t know prayer matters, but because they doubt they can actually hear God. Andrea introduces the idea of a “faith optimization gap”—the distance between what we know and what we truly believe—and how that gap quietly shapes decisions, priorities, and burnout. Finally, Andrea offers a candid reflection on the modern church: discipleship requires more than encouragement and affirmation. True love includes correction, accountability, and refining relationships shaped by Christ—not cultural comfort. Topics include: From organizing spaces to organizing lives under Christ Why self-reliance creates recurring chaos in leadership Faith, profitability, and God’s definition of success Compartmentalization vs. surrendered discipleship Prayer as communion, not a spiritual checklist Hearing God’s voice in daily decisions Church discipline, accountability, and real community Bread Like Rain and Andrea’s upcoming book, Rock Solid Business You can find out more about Andrea at https://andrealeighco.com. Here book Bread Like Rain is available here. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What do you do when faith feels dry, confusing, or emotionally barren—when God seems absent, or even uncomfortably near? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer talks with Dr. Noelle Forlini-Byrte, author of God in the Desert: A Spiritual Theology of Wilderness in the Old Testament and part-time lecturer at Samford University, about the wilderness as a spiritual landscape for real Christians living real lives. Noelle shares how this book was “twenty years in the making,” beginning with her first spiritual formation class and early encounters with the mystics—especially St. John of the Cross and the theme of God’s “dark night” and felt absence. Those questions followed her into doctoral work in the Old Testament, where narratives like Jacob wrestling at the Jabbok, the exile, and Israel’s wilderness wanderings became a rich theological map for suffering, disorientation, and divine encounter. James and Noelle explore why the church often defaults to two unhealthy extremes: shallow, pithy “application” divorced from biblical context—or scholarship so clinical that it leaves the soul malnourished. Noelle argues that liturgy and scholarship must belong together: rigorous exegesis should not be an escape from spiritual formation, and devotional practices should not ignore the actual meaning of the text. The goal is not information alone, but a scripture-shaped life where God excavates the soul. Along the way, they discuss difficult Old Testament passages without smoothing out their discomfort—especially the wilderness as a place of testing (Deuteronomy 8) and purgation (Hosea 2). Noelle draws on the Christian mystical tradition to describe purgation as the stripping away of “self-made props,” the idolatries and illusions that quietly sustain us until wilderness exposes what we truly trust. One of the most resonant themes is acedia—the “noonday demon” from the desert tradition: spiritual weariness, malaise, and the temptation to give up when faith becomes costly and daily life grinds us down. James connects acedia to midlife, family pressures, and the subtle exhaustion that comes not from one tragedy, but from “death by a thousand cuts.” Noelle suggests that the very presence of these questions can be a sign of a deeper, weathered faith—because wilderness presupposes we are actually walking with God. The conversation closes with a challenge for the church today: humility, honest questions, and a willingness to let Scripture form us rather than simply confirm us. Faithful discipleship requires more than confidence—it requires wakefulness and the courage to bring our real lives before God. You can get God in the Desert: A Spiritual Theology of Wilderness in the Old Testament at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! Topics include: Why wilderness is a central biblical image for spiritual formation God’s felt absence vs. God’s “hyper-presence” The danger of devotionals without exegesis—and scholarship without soul Hagar, exile, and uncomfortable honesty in biblical narratives Deuteronomy 8 and forgetting God in prosperity Hosea 2 and purgation: God stripping away false securities Acedia and spiritual weariness in midlife and modern discipleship Humility, honest prayer, and faith that can handle “why” questions This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What if a major driver of today’s mental health crisis isn’t simply “more disorders,” but more people who feel unseen, unheard, and alone? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer talks with Dr. Jackie E. Perry—Clinical Supervisor, Professor of Counselor Education at Columbia International University, and President of the Soulwell Center—about loneliness, the loss of emotional connection, and why the church must recover the skill of attuned listening. Jackie explains how the Soulwell Center began: while teaching counselor “helping skills,” she realized many of those relational tools could be taught in a lay-friendly way to parents, pastors, and everyday Christians. The result is a training approach that combines practical listening techniques with the neuroscience of relationships—equipping people to hold a safe space where others can feel truly “seen and known.” James and Jackie discuss a trend Jackie has observed across decades in the mental health field: in the last 10–15 years, more clients have been coming not primarily with severe pathology, but because they don’t have anyone who listens. Therapy becomes a paid place of connection—something that should not be rare in Christian community. The conversation explores how technology can create distance (including the rise of AI-mediated communication), why many people lack a “mental model” for deep listening, and how shame and perceived “threat” can make relational closeness feel unsafe. Jackie introduces the concept of “eyes of delight”—the nonverbal experience of being attended to with warmth—and explains why nonverbal presence often does more than words. They also connect listening to the broader formation of disciples: without embodied, relational connection, people drift into isolation, cope through substitutes, and struggle to develop distress tolerance—the ability to endure discomfort and stay engaged through conflict, hardship, and the messiness of real relationships. The result is not only loneliness, but fragility and retreat from vocation, mission, and spiritual maturity. In the end, Jackie offers a simple but demanding vision: the church must become a community that can listen across difference and reflect the “eyes of Christ.” That kind of faithful presence is not optional—it is essential for discipleship, mental health, and a credible Christian witness today. Topics include: Soulwell Center’s mission and the “listening course” Loneliness, mental health, and why therapy becomes a substitute for community “Eyes of delight” and the neuroscience of connection Shame, vulnerability, and why being known can feel threatening Nonverbal communication and why presence matters Distress tolerance, overprotection, and the formation of resilient adults What the church must recover to make faithful disciples You can purchase Heart Cries of Every Teen here. For more information onf the Soulwell Center visit www.thesoulwellcenter.com. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this final episode of our German Reformation series, Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Greg Quiggle step back from the 16th century to ask a pressing modern question: what does it actually mean to be Protestant today—and what have we gained (and lost) since the Reformation? Greg frames Protestantism with a memorable realism: it isn’t perfect—it’s the “least problematic” of the major options(Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism). From there, the conversation explores Protestantism’s strengths—Scripture in the common language, broad engagement with the Bible, the dignity and responsibility of ordinary believers, and the freedom to test tradition against God’s Word—while also naming the hazards that come with that freedom. James and Greg dig into one of the central tensions of modern Protestant life: authority without a pope must still include accountability. The Reformation wasn’t a call for every individual to interpret Scripture with equal authority; it assumed a teaching office and depended on catechesis to form faithful readers. But in today’s digital ecosystem—where influence is often determined by charisma, algorithms, and audience-size—Protestantism can drift into fragmentation, echo chambers, and “pastor-as-pope” dynamics inside independent churches. This episode also turns practical and pastoral: how should Christians live faithfully amid online outrage cycles, misinformation, and slander—especially when “everyone is a publisher”? Greg and James connect these issues to biblical ethics (truth-telling, false witness) and to the urgent need to rebuild theological formation in the local church. In this conversation, you’ll hear about: Why Protestantism is a “best worst” option—and why that matters The strengths of Protestant diversity (and why it’s also dangerous) Why the teaching office matters—and what happens when it collapses How the loss of catechism has weakened Protestant interpretation The modern digital “echo chamber” problem and credibility collapse Why truth, slander, and false witness apply directly to social media Practical next steps: near-term wisdom + long-term formation Quotelos Travel offers small, expert-led “Tours for Ten” that provide an intimate and unforgettable way to explore church history and culture with guides who truly know the locations. Learn more at quotelostravelservice.com, and check out their upcoming trips to Germany, England, and Switzerland. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of our German Reformation series, Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Greg Quiggle pivot to one of the defining features of Protestant tradition: the Reformation Solas—and why they still matter for Christians today. Rather than beginning with a list of “five solas,” Greg frames the Reformation around three theological questions that generated the solas: What is the Church? (ecclesiology) How am I saved / how do I stand before God? (soteriology) Who or what has ultimate authority to define belief and practice? (authority) From there, Greg explains the contrast between 16th-century Roman Catholic and 16th-century Protestant answers—especially the difference between church-as-organization (a hierarchical structure) and church-as-organism (the priesthood of all believers). That “priesthood” isn’t only about rights; it also includes responsibility—the idea that ministry is not a spectator sport, and that clergy exist chiefly to equip the saints through the Office of the Word. The conversation then traces how the solas flow from these questions: Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone as final authority) Sola Fide (justification by faith alone) Solus Christus (Christ alone) and how these reshape Protestant ideas of salvation, grace, and the church’s mediating role. James also presses into a key modern confusion: “Bible alone” does not mean “my interpretation alone.” Both hosts argue that the Reformation assumed a teaching office, catechesis, and doctrinal boundaries—something many modern churches have lost. They connect this to contemporary debates about faith as mere intellectual assent versus faith as a way of lifemarked by trust, repentance, and fidelity. This episode includes discussion of: The three Reformation questions behind the solas Church as organism vs. church as organization Priesthood of all believers: rights and responsibilities The “Office of the Word” and why it still matters Catholic sacramental mediation vs. Protestant justification by faith Why authority (Sola Scriptura) is the “non-negotiable” dividing line Faith as lived trust and repentance—beyond a one-time decision Why modern American Protestant individualism isn’t the same as Reformation Protestantism Quotelos Travel offers small, expert-led “Tours for Ten” that provide an intimate and unforgettable way to explore church history and culture with guides who truly know the locations. Learn more at quotelostravelservice.com, and check out their upcoming trips to Germany, England, and Switzerland. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.