Provoke & Inspire Podcast

How do our sins, our shortcomings, effect our capacity or ability to be used by God? How do we balance grace and accountability? Is it possible to destroy the holy spirit's power in our own lives through what we do? Ben, David and Luke explore this weighty topic. ------------------------ Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@st...

Knowing your scene - the place where you find yourself most often - is important, but what if you are nothing like the people in it? How do you share the love of Jesus with them if you appear as an alien; as a foreigner? The regulars draw on decades of history: what works, what doesn't work, and how they've seen God work in and through them to reach people from various walks of life - &q...

Why is true community rare these days, and increasingly so? How can a person find it, and make friends in a world where we simply do not value these things anymore. The regulars weigh in on the gravity of this topic, where more and more people these days find themselves alone and seemingly unable to fix it. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in t...

How are Christian artists supposed to choose between being bold with the gospel, and paying their bills? Does every song need to have the name, "Jesus", in it? Ben talks with KB - an American Christian rapper and GMA Dove Award Winner on navigating fame, money, staying true to Jesus in your art. Learn more about KB HERE ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his po...

The number of unmarried people in our world continues to rise - steadily increasing since the 1970's. More and more young people find themselves single, and seemingly unable to get married. What are the contributors to this phenomenon, and how can the church speak into this issue?  Does the church add to the problem? Does the help given actually just hurt? How can a single person get married?...

You've heard of FOMO, but is FOBO the real issue that the new generations are facing? A fear of missing out may play a part in people rushing into things, but a haunting fear of there being better options available - that is something that can cause an unprecedented crisis of commitment in our world. The regulars are back, as they explore how this phenomenon is affecting marriages, careers, m...

The world often says we should live our lives as if we are the main character in our story - but is this a biblical way of doing things? Are we sabotaging what God has for us, by insisting things play out with us at the center? Ben and David address this prevalent phenomenon that we see playing out, not only outside of church, but inside of it too. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised...

What seems to be the primary cause of Christians falling away, becoming lukewarm, or fizzling out spiritually? Is there a common denominator? David and Ben come to you from a Romanian hotel room, to address this question. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the Secular World: Reaching a Culture in Crisis —a must-read guide for anyone longing to...

Is it possible we are missing the plans that God has for our lives? Are we wasting our time and potential, that God would otherwise have extraordinary plans for? The regulars continue this unofficial series, bringing together both scripture and anecdote, about utilizing the time and talent God has given us all. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus...

What is minimalism, from a spiritual perspective? How does growth as a Christian depend on our ability to let go of things? Ben speaks to author and speaker T.K. Coleman about loosening our grip on the things around us, learning what Jesus expects of us in terms of following him, and how to be a minimalist in the way that ultimately matters. Check out T.K.'s book Emotional Clutter HERE ------...

How can we hope to reach our Muslim neighbors? How can we cut through hostility and fear with the grace and truth of the gospel?  Ben talks with author and speaker Abdu Murray. As a former Muslim, Abdu shares his story of growing up in Islam, and how meeting Jesus changed everything. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the Secular World: Reachi...

Is the life I'm living, the one that God wants me to live? Are we able to change the trajectory of our life and calling through the choices we make? Ben, Chad and David continue to delve into this topic, with exploration into themes of cause and effect, consequences of actions, and a life of surrender to Jesus, versus insisting on one's own plans. ---------------------- Ben has completel...

Is the life I'm living, the one that God wants me to live? Are we able to change the trajectory of our life and calling through the choices we make? Ben, Chad and David weigh in on this controversial and important subject, on whether or not our decisions ultimately dictate the outcome of our lives.  ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the...

Have we unknowingly embraced New Age ideas and ideals, even as Christians? How do we identify them, in our lives and the lives of others? How can someone find Jesus, while neck-deep in occult practices? Ben is joined by author, speaker, and ex-New Age practitioner, Jac Marino Chen, who shares her powerful story of conversion to Christianity.  Check out Jac's YouTube channel HERE Buy Jac'...

Why is it that Christians often set out to build missional connections with their community, only to do so for years and never end up sharing the gospel? How does this keep happening? What does the bible say about this topic? David and Ben tackle this topic from years of ministry experience, and shed light on why this paradigm seems to exist, and how it can be avoided. ---------------------- Ben h...

How do we navigate ambition as Christians? Is it worldy - or Godly? Ben talks with YouTube personality, cultural commentator, and author Ruslan KD about preaching the gospel using social media, the potential pitfalls of doing so, and his book, "Godly Ambition." Click HERE to order now on Amazon. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the...

Is it possible to idolize our own families at the expense of our faith? What is the real root cause behind the constant restlessness and anxiety modern Christians feel? How should a generation dealing with severe "church hurt" respond to the flaws of the modern church?  Author, pastor, and theologian Gary Thomas joins Ben to answer these questions and more as they unpack his book, The Li...

How do we reach loved ones who have walked away from Jesus, or simply have never chosen to follow him at all? How do we see them as God does? What can we do? In this episode, Ben David, and Chad address these crucial questions, drawing from anecdotal accounts of people in their own lives, as well as the countless people they meet on the road of ministry, who grapple with this severely challenging...

Have you ever tried to share your faith with a friend, family member, or coworker, only to watch them immediately put up a wall? In a culture where the very name of Jesus is often tied to negative baggage, harsh judgment, or dead religion, how do we break through the noise to share the true gospel? In this episode, Ben breaks down a core principle learned through years of global mission work with...

Is there truth to "staying in your lane" regarding what God has called you to do? How do we navigate Gen-Z's view of spirituality? How do we know whether or not we will fall into sin again when we are in heaven? Author, apologist, and theologian Dr. William Lane Craig joins Ben on the podcast to answer these questions and more. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and u...

Can social media, YouTube, and online content truly disciple followers of Jesus - or are we trading real spiritual formation for sound bites and algorithms? Ben sits down with YouTuber Allen Parr to wrestle with the future of discipleship in a digital age, the role of the local church, online influence, and how believers can pursue transformation in a world addicted to distraction. ---------------...

Have we all, as the author of Hebrews writes, "entertained angels" without knowing it? How do we think about the spiritual realm without granting it too much attention or power? Ben, David and Chad dive into this mysterious topic, using scripture to guide as they explore stories and concepts about the actions of the unseen beings all around us. ---------------------- Ben has completely r...

Is AI a threat to us as image-bearers of God? As we become to depend more and more on machines, what will happen to our daily lives? Are we slowly rotting and atrophying our brains by using ChatGPT? Ben welcomes back Oxford Professor, author, and speaker Dr. John Lennox to the Provoke & Inspire podcast again to talk about the advent of AI and the concerns it presents us with, not only socially...

Is the existence of aliens a threat to our faith? What do we make of this potentially real phenomenon as followers of Jesus?  Ben, David and Luke weigh in as the U.S. Department of War's publishes a second release of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena files.  ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the Secular World: Reaching a Culture in Crisis...

Most young people never step foot inside of a church, but how do we engage those who do? Is the church supposed to be a place not only for worship and communion, but evangelism too? Social media fitness influencer Ben Polson joins the P&I podcast to share his journey from atheism, to ending up at a church service, and the profound moments he experienced there.  Follow Ben on IG @ben.polson ---...