God‘s Story Podcast

Brent talks with Russell Joyce about his new IVP America book called ‘His Face Like Mine: Finding God’s Love in Our Wounds’. ‘Russell was born with a rare craniofacial disorder called Goldenhar syndrome, where the left side of his face was not formed.  Years of patchwork surgeries made him more outwardly presentable, but not without deep pain and physical and emotional scars.  But a life changing...

What do we make of the idea of the soul? Brent talks with Joshua Farris about his new Soul Science publication called ‘The Banquet of Souls: A Mirror to the Universe’. ‘The Banquet of Souls’ is an accessible exploration of the soul in relation to the universe.  It’s written in a fun way that centers around the dinner table. Joshua is a philosopher and theologian. He’s Vice President of Ethical Eng...

‘Sherry Hoppen, active church attendee, devoted wife and mother, and ministry worker, unveils the raw and unvarnished truth of her decade long battle with alcoholism – a secret that consumed her life, faith, and family.  In a moment of desperation, she embarked on a thousand mile bike hike from Michigan to Texas, a grueling challenge that she hoped would mark the start of her journey toward sobrie...

Can we KNOW God is real? Brent talks with Roy Clouser about his forthcoming book ‘Can We KNOW God Is Real? – the Nature of Religious Belief’.   Roy is Professor Emeritus of the College of New Jersey.  He’s served as professor of philosophy, religion and logic at the College since 1968.  He also serves (among other things) as the resident philosopher of Christian Leaders Institute.   (1:20) The aim...

‘We are in the business of seeing others, seeing them the way God sees them, and letting them know they have value’. Brent talks with Amy Williams about her new IVP book ‘Worth Seeing: Viewing Others Through God’s Eyes’. Amy has spent three decades doing ministry with youth in gangs and prisons.  While most of society sees high-risk youth through lenses of fear or disregard, she has come to see th...

‘Adoption is often framed by happy narratives, but the reality is that many adoptees struggle with unaddressed trauma and issues of identity and belonging'.  Brent is joined by Cameron Lee Small to talk about his new IVP book ‘The Adoptee’s Journey: From Loss and Trauma to Healing and Empowerment’. Cameron is himself an adoptee. He faced his own tumultuous search for and reunion with his mother in...

How do we think about faith and doubt in an everchanging world? Brent is joined by Jennifer Holberg to discuss Alfred Lord Tennyson and his massive poem ‘In Memorium’. Jennifer is professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing.  She’s also the author of the book ‘Nourishing Narratives’.   (1:35) Who was Te...

‘The history of the theology of worship is riddled with examples of clergy and worship leaders who have sought to manipulate their parishioners’ anxiety in order to spur repentance and turn people toward God.  Even if such ends may be desirable – at what cost’? Brent talks with J. Michael Jordan about his new IVP book ‘Worship in an Age of Anxiety: How Churches Can Create Space for Healing’. Rev....

What can trigger grief? Does your grief feel too much to bear? Brent talks with Steve Carter about his new book from Thomas Nelson ‘Grieve, Breathe, Receive: Finding a Faith Strong Enough to Hold Us’. Steve is a pastor, speaker, author, podcast host, and the former lead teaching pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago.  He hosts the Craft and Character Podcast, where he helps people get...

Instead of resigning ourselves to a life of isolation and judgement, should we embrace the notion that we can stand proudly in our uniqueness, fully blooming into the remarkable beings that we were always meant to be? Brent talks with Cally Logan the author of a new Bridge-Logos Publishers book called ‘The Wallflower that Bloomed: Finding Your Place at the Lunch Table of Life’. Cally is an author...

‘Everyone who met Dallas Willard was impressed by his personal attention, calm confidence, wisdom, and profound sense of the spiritual.  But he was not always the man who seemed to live on a different plane of reality than the rest of us’. Brent talks with Gary Moon about the new paperback edition of his IVP biography ‘Becoming Dallas Willard: The Formation of a Philosopher, Teacher, and Christ Fo...

‘We often see setbacks and disasters as events that keep us from our best life.  But they’re really opportunities to grow in leadership’. Brent talks with Gayle Beebe about his new IVP book ‘The Crucibles that Shape Us: Navigating the Defining Challenges of Leadership’. Gayle has been president of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California since 2007; previously he was president of Spring Arbor...

Brent talks with Patricia Weerakoon about her ‘Growing Faith’ book ‘The Best Sex for Life’. Patricia is a counsellor, sexologist and academic.  She trained in medicine at the University of Sri Lanka and did her postgraduate study in sexology at the University of Hawaii.  She taught at Sydney University where she was the director of an internationally recognised postgraduate programme in sexual hea...

In the second part of our podcast about the movie ‘The Train’ Brent talks with Michelle Young about the art curator featured in the movie – Rose Valland. Michelle is the author of a forthcoming book from Harper One, an imprint of Harper Collins, about the World War 2 Resistance spy.  The book will be issued in May 2025 and will be called ‘The Art Spy’. Michelle is the founder of ‘Untapped New York...

Is it ever justified to sacrifice a human life to save a work of art? Brent is joined by Hannah Long to discuss the 1964 movie ‘The Train’ starring Burt Lancaster and Paul Scofield. The first part of a two part feature – the second part will drop in a couple of days! In the second part, Brent interviews author Michelle Young about Rose Valland, the World War 2 Resistance spy whose book became the...

What does God’s Word say about money? Brent talks with Callie and Rosario Picardo about their new book from Invite Press called ‘Healthy Money: A 30-Day Journey Toward Spiritual, Emotional, and Financial Freedom’. Callie has spent her career working in finance and charitable giving.  She currently serves as Vice President for Development at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.  In 2011 she...

Where did the universe come from and is it conscious? Does the universe have a purpose? Brent is joined by philosophers Philip Goff and Joshua Farris to discuss Philip‘s latest book from Oxford University Press called ‘Why? The Purpose of the Universe’. Philip is a philosophy professor at Durham University in the UK. He spends most of his time ‘trying to work out the ultimate nature of reality’. ...

‘Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, and George Whitefield were the three most prominent early evangelicals – and all three were deeply compromised on the issue of slavery.  Edwards and Whitefield kept slaves themselves, and Wesley failed to speak out against slavery until near the end of his life’. Brent talks with Sean McGever the author of a new IVP book called ‘Ownership: The Evangelical Legacy of...

What’s the symbolism of the lampstand in Zechariah 4 and how does it compare with the lampstand in the Tabernacle and the lampstands in the Temple? Brent talks with Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States about the weird 4th chapter of Zechariah!  (0:33) The 5th night vision; (3:15) The lampstand; (6:50) Jubilee; (9:20) Zerubbabel; (10:15) The two olive trees; (12:20) The mou...

Brent is joined by Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States to discuss the very problematic opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris. Who was the Greek god Dionysius and how is Dionysian symbolism used throughout Western culture?   (0:45) What is all the fuss about? (1:55) The title and the ‘Feast of the gods’; (3:45) Recent media depictions of the ‘Last Supper’; (7:10)...

Who is the ‘angel of the Lord’ in Zechariah 3? Brent talks with Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States about Zechariah 3.  (0:35) The ‘night visions’ of Zechariah; (2:35) The High Priest; (3:35) The defiled garments; (6:30) What does Zechariah see? (7:50) The golden plate; (9:30) The garments of the High Priest and the Tabernacle and Temple; (10:35) A new Day of Atonement? (...

Brent is joined once again by Jennifer Holberg to talk about the 20th century poet Jane Kenyon. Jennifer is professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing.  She’s also the author of the book ‘Nourishing Narratives’.  (1:00) Jane Kenyon; (2:30) The Luminous Particular; (3:50) ‘The Thimble’ and ‘Finding a Lo...

‘On February 8, 2023, the Holy Spirit sparked a flame at the end of an Asbury University Chapel Service.  Over the next 16 days, what began as a local experience within the confines of Asbury’s campus soon flared into the blaze of a global movement that captivated millions through the viral power of social media’. Brent talks with Dr. Sarah Thomas Baldwin about her new book from Invite Press calle...

Who was Teresa of Avila? What wisdom or insight can a Spanish mystic from the 1500’s possibly offer today’s Christian? Brent talks with Laurel Mathewson about her new Whitaker House book called ‘An Intimate Good: A Skeptical Christian Mystic in Conversation with Teresa of Avila’. Laurel is an Anglican priest.  She’s worked in academia, in media and in ministry.  Laurel is the editor of ‘The Interi...

Digital technology has become a ubiquitous feature of modern life.  But how do we think about computer technology and how do we live as faithful Christians in a digitially saturated society? What is a ‘hallucinating’ chatbot? Brent talks with Derek Schuurman about his IVP book ‘Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology. Derek is professor of computer science at Calvin Univers...