The determinetruth Podcast

Can church experiences cause real trauma? What is spiritual abuse? And how should Christians think about PTSD, anxiety, trauma, therapy, and healing? In this episode of the Determine Truth Podcast, we sit down with licensed marriage and family therapist Eric Winton to discuss the growing conversation surrounding church trauma, spiritual abuse, PTSD, complex trauma, anxiety, and mental health withi...

In this episode of the Determined Truth Podcast, we continue our important conversation on abuse in the church—focusing on power dynamics, safeguarding, and how churches can become truly safe environments. What happens when leadership power is misused? How can churches protect the vulnerable while still fostering trust and community? And what practical steps can leaders take today to prevent abuse...

Rob and Vinnie continue their series on Church Health, this time engaging the DIFFICULT conversation of s3xu@l abuse within the church and within church systems.    We bring back our friend Somer Ransom to discuss her experience as a church practitioner and what she’s learned about this subject over the years. What is the appropriate way for opposite-gender Christians to engage? Is the “Billy Grah...

Rob and Vinnie continue their series on Church Health, discussing Christians and Politics.    In this special episode, the DT Pod replays a livestream from April 2024 with preeminent NT scholar, Dr. Michael Bird. In this interview, they discusses his book, "Jesus and the Powers." Explore the dynamic relationship between the church and the state, delving into timely insights on faith and governance...

Rob and Vinnie continue their series on Church Health, discussing Christians and Politics. In this episode, they survey the various theological positions regarding how the Church should engage with the State and Politics.  Check us out: https://www.determinetruth.com Great Resources on the topic of Creating Healthy Churches Five Views on the Church and Politics    Jesus and the Powers: Christian P...

Rob and Vinnie continue their series on Church Health…and sometimes the lack thereof.    What happens when politics overly influences the local church (on the right OR the left)?!?!?! What does it look like to be an American Christian in the church and be centered around Jesus instead of our political tribes?   Check us out: https://www.determinetruth.com Great Resources on the topic of Creating H...

Rob and Vinnie continue their series on Church Health…and sometimes the lack thereof.    We have a return guest, our friend Somer Ransom, who shares perspectives on ways that women are often harmed within toxic church systems.     This is part of a multi-episode conversation where we talk about cultivating a healthy church environment and how to understand church hurt and church abuse.    Check us...

Rob and Vinnie continue their series on Church Health…and sometimes the lackthereof.    In this replay episode (July 2021), they bring on special guests Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer to discuss their book, A Church Called Tov.    Tragically, in recent years, Christians have gotten used to revelations of abuses of many kinds in our most respected churches…Respected author and theologian Scot Mc...

Rob and Vinnie continue their series on Church Health…and sometimes the lackthereof. In this episode, they finish discussing the proper application of Matthew 18 when peers within the church need to resolve conflict. Then they spend exploring the biblical concept of Forgiveness: what it is, what it is NOT, and how it relates to justice and reconciliation.     This is part of a multi-episode conver...

Rob and Vinnie continue their series on Church Health…and sometimes the lackthereof. In this episode, they ponder questions like: Can the congregation help reform an unhealthy church leadership? Should pastors view themselves as the “CEO”?     What about Matthew 18 and dealing with conflict? What is a better way of understanding this often-abused passage?   This is part of a multi-episode conversa...

Rob, Vinnie, and Danny Hall continue discussing the issue of unhealthy church systems and leaders. In the first chunk, they address the pursuit of seeing the church as a kingdom family (and the importance of community that’s needed to become self-aware in our pursuit of health).    In the second part of the show, they discuss the spectrum of church hurt, abuse, and trauma, and how the terms are of...

Rob and Vinnie welcome Danny Hall begin a multi-episode discussion looking at toxic church environments. How has the “church growth” and “mega church” model (since the 1970s) impacted the modern church? What should a healthy church leader look like? How important is self-awareness for the church leader?   This is part 1 of a conversation that will talk about cultivating a healthy church environmen...

Does 2 Timothy 3:16-17 teach Sola Scriptura? Is it actually a “pastoral letter”?    Rob and Vinnie continue to discuss through the “Pastoral Letters” and in this episode give an overview of 2 Timothy, and the     the church, the Gospel message (as fulfilled in Jesus), and what we should expect from pastors.   Check us out: https://www.determinetruth.com/ FOLLOW THE PODCAST Subscribe to be notified...

Have churches misunderstood Paul’s message about the requirements for Pastors and Deacons in the church? Do we apply this chapter too literally, or maybe not literally enough?   Rob and Vinnie continue to discuss the church, the Gospel message (as fulfilled in Jesus), and what we should expect from pastors.   Check us out: https://www.determinetruth.com/ FOLLOW THE PODCAST Subscribe to be notified...

Check us out: https://www.determinetruth.com/ EPISODE   Are modern pastors supposed to prophesy? Is prophecy actually the “future telling of events” that we often think it is? How should the pastor respond when a church service is interrupted by a protest (like what recently happened in Minneapolis)? How should the church respond to Christian Nationalism?    Rob and Vinnie continue to discuss the...

Check us out: https://www.determinetruth.com/ EPISODE Are traditional sermons the best way a pastor can effectively communicate the Word of God? In this episode, Vinnie and Rob continue to discuss the life of the church and how the modern sermon is often a hindrance to spiritual growth (personally and communally).    FOLLOW THE PODCAST Subscribe to be notified of our new episodes (each Monday).  W...

EPISODE   The Evangelical Church can be a weird place—we have our own customs and practices, and pastors are often    Vinnie and Rob continue to discuss the life of the church: what pastors might struggle with, the insider language of the church, and    FOLLOW THE PODCAST Subscribe to be notified of our new episodes (each Monday).  Want to help us expand the Gospel of the Kingdom? Leave a review,...

THIS EPISODE   How is your church organized? Have you ever thought about it?   What are the different forms of church leadership and governmental models? Should each church be autonomous and overseen by one person, or should they be part of a collection of churches? What about house churches? There are multiple ways in which churches have organized themselves over the centuries, and in this episod...

THIS EPISODE   Who are the leaders of the church supposed to be? How does accountability work for church leaders? What’s a healthy view of church discipline? Is there a “right way” to decide these things? In this episode, Rob and Vinnie continue going through the Pastoral Letters, exploring the ecclesiological topic of church leadership.  FOLLOW THE PODCAST Subscribe to be notified of our new epis...

THIS EPISODE   In this episode, we welcome in the new year by replaying a very important Livestream that Rob did in 2024, highlighting the Gospel and the Mission of the Church, specifically by looking at Jesus’ Parable of the Sower, and understanding how the Parable provides insights into why the Church is in such peril today.    Connect with Determinetruth on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/de...

THIS EPISODE   We look back on a great 2025 and look forward to an even better 2026! Rob and Vinnie reflect and share one of their favorite interviews from 2025—the renowned Dr. Gary Burge!   Also, it’s the final week of the year, and a great time to make one last donation to a non-profit! Determinetruth is a 501(c)3, and we’d love your support. Maybe consider making a one-time donation, or becomi...

  The Pastoral Letters #8: “Continuing to explore the prominence of women”   THIS EPISODE   Have you really sat down to appreciate how important women are in the biblical story?  In today’s show, Rob and Vinnie continue their discussion of the prominence of women in the Bible and in the early church.     “Something’s Not Right” (Wade Mullen)   FOLLOW THE PODCAST Subscribe to be notified of our new...

The Pastoral Letters #7: “The Prominence of Women in the Biblical Story”   THIS EPISODE   In today’s show, Rob and Vinnie continue to discuss the topic of women in church leadership by doing a biblical survey, exploring the prominence of women in the biblical story. This is an important study because when attempting to understand a biblical theology, we can’t only focus on one text, but explore wh...

THIS EPISODE   Does the word “authority” always mean what we think?  Rob & Vinnie go through 1 Timothy 2, specifically addressing some of the reasons why  “Authority” shouldn’t be interpreted the way we might assume, and how a better understanding of Paul’s use of “authority” in 1 Timothy 2 should change HOW we interpret this text.     FOLLOW THE PODCAST Subscribe to be notified of our new epi...

The Pastoral Letters #5: “Women in Ministry”   THIS EPISODE   What’s the proper role of Women in Church Leadership? Is 1 Timothy just SUPER CLEAR about it? How might dogmatic patriarchal systems affect the women who serve the church?   In this episode, Rob and Vinnie chat with Somer Ransom. Somer has a lifetime of experience serving in ministry, specifically in a complementarian context. She share...