Winsome Conviction

Tim and Rick resume the conversation with Quentin Schultze (PhD) on listening. Manner matters in communication, and they discuss how the habit of giving thanks affects how we communicate with others. They also discuss "spirit preceding technique" and Quentin's "Ouch Principle" to help de-escalate conversations that get hot. This is Part 2 of a 2-part conversation on grace-...

Why is listening so difficult? In today's argument culture, listening is especially difficult, and it often seems as if we have an incapacity to listen. Moreover, embodying qualities of good listening, such as empathy and humility in order to understand another's perspective, are seen as weak or ignorant of the dangers at hand in the conflicts we face. In this episode, Tim and Rick take...

Tim and Rick continue the discussion with Cas Monaco (PhD) on sharing the gospel in modern times. In Part 2 of this discussion, Dr. Monaco shares findings from a 2016 survey on the climate of evangelism in America. Of particular interest, she shares three disheartening findings from this survey on people's perceptions of Christians as being inauthentic, offensive, and unsafe. They then discus...

Tim and Rick speak with Cas Monaco (PhD) on sharing the gospel in modern times. Dr. Monaco's research identifies several behavioral changes Christians can make to help others listen to the gospel and make evangelism winsome. In Part 1 of this discussion, Dr. Monaco shares stories of how the landscape for sharing the gospel has changed; the old approaches aren't working as well as they us...

What assumptions do we pass along to young Christians about what the Christian life is like? And how might we pass along the faith to young Christians in ways that help them foster a faith that endures? Tim and Rick resume the discussion with John Marriott (PhD) on the topic of Christian deconversion. They discuss what parents, pastors, and Christian educators can do to help young Christians throu...

In advance of the upcoming conference, Digital Hope: Reclaiming the Online Public Square, on October 2, 2021 at Biola University, Tim is joined by Dr. Joy Qualls (Associate Dean of Communication Studies at Biola University) to discuss the pains and pressures of online incivility and whether we can be civil in online discourse. Tim and Joy highlights challenges of online discourse and discuss some...

Stories of Christians abandoning their faith have us thinking about the relationship between deconversion and convictions. So, when we heard about John Marriott's book, The Anatomy of Deconversion, it got our attention. Today on the podcast, John joins Tim and Rick to talk about Christians losing their convictions. They dig into surveys, statistics, and stories involving people who leave the...

Tim and Rick resume the discussion with Simon Greer, social entrepreneur and founder of Bridging the Gap, on his more recent project with students at Oberlin College and Spring Arbor University. Simon unpacks the skills and practices he has found beneficial in helping students find common ground. They also discuss the relationship between technique and skill and matters of the heart and motivation...

Simon Greer is a social entrepreneur with an interesting story. One of his more recent efforts in social change involves helping students at Oberlin, a more progressive college, and students at Spring Arbor, a more conservative university, find common ground. In this first part of the discussion with Tim and Rick, Simon shares the personal and vocation origins that provide the backdrop for this pr...

We've been talking about conflict and what causes conflict. In this episode, Tim and Rick resume the discussion on conflict and discuss the influence of phatic communication, the place of humor, and the need to do soul work when one is not in the throes of conflict in order to engage conflict in healthy ways when it arises. This is part 2 of a 2-part discussion on conflict. Show notes and a f...

Conflict - it's part of being human, but we usually don't handle it well. Arguments and disagreements are more likely to break down and divide rather than strengthen and fortify our relationships and communities. As indicated in the New Testament letters, the early Church saw quarreling as the great existential threat to the health and influence of the Church. How should we address confl...

In part 1 of this segment on Reports from The Front, Sean McDowell (PhD) shared insight from his conversation with pastor/author Colby Martin on the differences between evangelical Christianity and progressive Christianity and how to keep the conversation civil and engaging. In this episode, Tim and Rick speak with Sean about a conversation he had with Jon Steingard, former frontman for the Christ...

It's difficult to keep conversations on hot topics conversational and keep the back and forth from devolving into a debate. In this segment of Reports from The Front where we share stories of people who demonstrate winsome conviction in real life, Sean McDowell (PhD) talks with Tim and Rick about his experience having conversations with those who have left evangelicalism. They discuss how to...

Preston Sprinkle (PhD) joins Tim and Rick to discuss what to do when you don't know what to do to foster healthy conversations on sexuality and gender and how to mix truth and love into these conversations. They discuss the importance of understanding "the already spokens," a phrase coined by Mikhail Bakhtin, a Russian philosopher and linguist, that refers to the social and personal...

Tim and Rick resume the conversation on obstacles to listening and discuss two postures that undermine listening: "ambushing" and "dropping the mic." These postures can have the appearance of listening, but in actuality the listener is pretending to listen to the speaker and is primarily concerned with his own interests. With both postures, the listener is absorbed in breaking...

Listening is important, a basic and vital action for learning, communicating, and fostering healthy relationships. When we don’t listen, our relationships suffer and unravel. In his book, The Road Less Traveled, psychiatrist M. Scott Peck says the number one way we show love to someone is by listening to them. The Bible also puts a premium on listening and regards those who don’t listen as fools....

Tim and Rick continue the discussion on the three waves of feminism with Dr. Julia Wood, noted gender theorist and leading communication scholar. In this episode, they discuss how women in the third wave of feminism were key beneficiaries of first and second wave feminism, but they were doing things differently. Dr. Wood addresses two key developments with the third wave of feminism – intersection...

In this segment of "Getting Up To Speed," leading scholar Dr. Julia Wood joins Tim and Rick to discuss the topic of feminism. They discuss the three waves of feminism, key figures and prominent issues in each wave as well as common misperceptions, including debunking the emblematic act of bra-burning in the second wave. They highlight where Christians have historically supported feminist...

In part 2 of a discussion with Preston Sprinkle (PhD), Tim and Rick ask Preston for insight on how Christians can be hospitable in disagreement without compromising on important matters of biblical conviction. They dive into gender neutral bathrooms, inoculation theory, gender pronouns, and the importance of accurately representing views of those with whom we disagree. Jesus made room for others w...

Dr. Preston Sprinkle (PhD) joins Tim and Rick to discuss one of the more pressing issues facing the Church and Christian conviction – sexuality and gender. In a Pew Research survey 73% of LGBTQ+ adult respondents said they experienced evangelical churches to be unfriendly toward them, and only 3% of respondents said they experienced evangelical churches as friendly. In light of these troubling sta...

Can a group of men who are racially diverse discuss taboo topics with respect and humility? Yes, and it’s happening at a local park in the heart of Texas. In this first segment of Reports from The Front, Tim and Rick speak with Shane Hurley about a group he helped form to discuss difficult issues, including race relations, interracial marriage, police brutality, and white privilege. They get into...

Tim and Rick resume the discussion on "rhetorical trash" and consider four types of words that litter our rhetoric: words of outrage, exaggeration, glee, and despair. They draw counsel from the book of Proverbs and communication theory for cleaning up the ways we speak to one another and highlight recent examples in the news of rhetorical trash and rhetorical treasure. This is part 2 of...

Following the riot in the Capitol on January 6th, a photo of Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) went viral - he was cleaning up trash strewn across the floor of the Capitol's Rotunda. "It's a room I love so much - it's the heart of the Capitol, literally the heart of this country. It pained me so much to see it in this kind of condition," Kim said. It's a beautiful image, and Kim...

We don't hear many people these days aspiring to "be gentle." Being gentle is often seen as weak and impractical, especially in harsh and abrasive times. Furthermore, people don’t tend to associate “being Christian” with “being gentle.” And yet, gentleness is a deeply Christian virtue, a characteristic of “the wisdom from above” (James 3:17). The Apostle Paul frequently advised the...

A new year is upon us—2021! What practical changes can we make to be a little more charitable, civil and compassionate in our approach to others? Tim and Rick consider six challenging yet doable resolutions we can take toward cultivating winsome conviction this year. Even if you commit to one of these, you're on the way to deepening personal convictions and engaging others with gentleness and...