Filter: Biblical Clarity in a Confusing World

Win a free copy of Os Guinness's The Magna Carta of Humanity , Douglas Groothuis's Christian Apologetics , and several other books from Filter guests! Total prize package over $225 value. Enter below now through Nov. 22, 2021.   ENTER OUR BOOK GIVEAWAY HERE: https://www.aaronshamp.com/contest We find ourselves surrounded by a technological atmosphere today. The devices and media that we consume ar...

ENTER OUR BOOK GIVEAWAY HERE: https://www.aaronshamp.com/contest   Over the last several years, we have repeatedly heard or said that this is a culturally divided age. Politics, culture, and even evangelicals appear to be more and more polarized over key moral issues. Societal disruption and breakdown are present all around our country. However, we might forget that this past decade is not the onl...

If you are going to understand Jesus' teaching in the Gospels, then you must know how to read the parables. The parables of Jesus are some of the most famous stories in the world for a good reason. Jesus was a master storyteller and the use of parables was one of his favorite teaching techniques. In part 2 of How to Read the Parables, I will teach you the four basic steps to interpreting the parab...

We live in a contentious time with a constant swirl of crises, controversies, and divisions. Christians often get caught up in the cycle of outrage in our reactionary culture. However, if we look at Scripture, then we will discover that Jesus desires us to be salt and light in the midst of cultural crises. My guest on today’s show helps us to see how Jesus laid forth this vision in his Sermon on t...

The rise of digital communications technology has had a significant impact in every area of human life. The Christian church has not been immune to the challenges of the digital age, as many leaders have grappled with how to approach it. While some church leaders have been enthusiastic about embracing the advantages of digital media, today’s guest is urging caution and wisdom as we evaluate how mu...

One of the most famous names in the world is that of the Ancient Greek philosopher Plato. Yet, though many are familiar with his name, far less are familiar with his ideas and how Platonic thought influenced the history of philosophy. My guest on today’s show argues that Plato not only influenced Greek philosophy but that he also played a role in shaping the Christian faith. His name is Louis Mark...

One of the enduring problems faced by humanity over the centuries is global poverty. An exciting development in the last century is the rapid economic growth in developed nations that provides us with an opportunity to address extreme poverty like never before. The issue is figuring out how to relieve poverty in the best and most sustainable way.    I believe that one of the absolute best groups d...

Many people wonder if a document as old as the Bible can be considered historically reliable. Moreover, they wonder if it is even possible to test the reliability of a document that is so old. My guest today helps us to see that there are intellectually credible ways to test and rely on the historicity of the Gospels and the New Testament. Her name is Lydia McGrew and she introduces us to the argu...

The Bible describes the world as God’s cosmos. This word conveys the idea of creation being God’s well-ordered household that is organized for his glory. Paul emphasizes the importance of this truth in his letters when he explains that Christian households are to be a reflection of God’s household. Unfortunately, many Christians today do not think of their family lives as “households” with a purpo...

Justice, race, sexuality, and gender are among the hottest topics in our culture today. These issues are often packaged together under the banners of “social justice” and being “woke.” The church has not been immune from these conversations, as many Christians attempt to grapple with the various issues and voices around social justice.    As I have studied these debates, I have found one of the be...

Every major world religion is based on a set of principles or truths. Adhering to these bodies of wisdom is the essence of following that religion. However, Christianity is unique in that the essence of biblical belief is centered upon a person—Jesus Christ. My guest on this episode argues that if we see the greatness of Jesus’ character, then we can’t help but follow him. His name is Tom Gilson a...

Over the last several years we have seen the rise in the gig economy and hustle culture. More and more people are attempting to achieve greater freedom and higher income through gigging, side hustles, or simply working more. Yet, few people are drawing attention to the lies of hustle culture and the risk of burnout. In this episode, author Daniel Im joined me to talk about these issues and the lie...

Suffering is a fact of life that we must all face. Moreover, it is an element of life that every worldview must provide an answer for. Opponents of Christianity have considered the problem of evil to be the Achilles heel of the Christian faith. However, today’s guest sees no problem with the existence of an all-loving, all-powerful God in a world that has suffering. He argues that we must start of...

Christians who desire to have an influence in the world for the sake of the gospel often overlook the greatest opportunity: family and work. God has given each of us the ability to spread his good news and make a positive impact in the communities around us through these most “everyday” aspects of our lives. How can we begin to live a life where our families and work become a blessing to the commu...

Many people in our postmodern world argue that Muslims and Christians worship the same God. They post that, as members of the Abrahamic faiths, Christianity and Islam are essentially the same. Most Christians intuitively know this is not true; yet, they still struggle to articulate why it is so. My guest on this podcast is Andy Bannister and his new book is an excellent resource to answer this que...

One of Jesus’ most common teaching tools was the parable. If you have read the Gospels, then you know that he used these short stories frequently to answer questions and teach his disciples. Since Jesus used parables so often, it’s important that we are able to properly read them and gain their instruction for our lives. In part 1 of How to Read the Parables, we talk about what it means to read th...

One of the foremost conversations in our country today is centered on race and systemic racism. In the past few years, a new ideology called “antiracism” has come to the forefront of the conversation. This approach to racism has been most popularized by Ibram X. Kendi, as well as other authors like Robin DiAngelo and Ta-Nehisi Coates. Sociologist and Christian author George Yancey has been a criti...

Renowned author and social critic Os Guinness joined the podcast to discuss his latest book The Magna Carta of Humanity: Sinai’s Revolutionary Faith and the Future of Freedom . Guinness argues that America is on its last leg as a republic and this book is his proposal for a path forward. He uses the Exodus narrative in the Pentateuch as a foundation for how Christianity provides a future for freed...

For Earth Day 2021, we are celebrating with a special episode of Filter on science, climate change, and creation care. I got to have a great conversation with Dr. E. Calvin Beisner on a wide range of topics related to the environmental movement and Earth Day. Though many Christians might be unaware, the Bible gives us a foundation for creation care and how we ought to approach the challenges of po...

Meditation and yoga are major parts of the mainstream culture in the West today. While only a few decades ago, they were only in the counter-culture revolution of the 60s and 70s. These practices do not originate in the Western mind but are the products of Eastern religions that were imported to the West. Yoga, meditation, and other Eastern mystic assumptions were imported and rebranded as health...

In this episode of Filter Conversations, author Glenn Sunshine talks to us about his newest book Slaying Leviathan (Canon Press, 2020). This book is a historical exploration of the Christian tradition of limited government and resistance theory. Many Christians might be unaware that the beliefs in limited government and individual liberty in the West have their origins in Christianity. Dr. Sunshin...

What are church elders? If you grew up going to a church where elders played an important role, then you might have some idea of what it is all about. For many people, this church office in the New Testament is new and confusing.   In this episode, I continue our short series in explaining church elders. We look into the roles and responsibilities of elders, as well as the relationship between the...

What are church elders? If you grew up going to a church where elders played an important role, then you might have some idea of what it is all about. For many people, this church office in the New Testament is new and confusing.   In this episode, I begin a short series on church elders. We'll learn a simple definition, see what the Bible says about elders, and take a look at the character qualif...

Ben Malcomson never intended to be on the number one college football team in the country or work for one of the most famous coaches in the NFL. However, when he decided to pursue his passion and follow God's purpose for his life, these are just a few of the incredible things that happened. His story is an inspiration to all of us who tend to wonder if God is at work in our lives and if what we ar...

The Pro-Life Evangelicals for Biden argue that if someone is truly pro-life then they will support a candidate that advocates for a progressive platform, even if that person is expressly pro-choice. They make the case that to be fully pro-life one must pursue agendas to improve living circumstances for every person beyond just the pre-born.   In this conversation, Aaron interviewed Dr. E. Calvin B...