Kainos Project

North Point Community Church, which is pastored by Andy Stanley, recently hosted a conference that caused quite a stir. Called the Unconditional Conference, the two-day event was geared toward helping Christian parents of LGBTQ+ children navigate their relationships with the children. However, the conference came under sharp criticism for hosting speakers who are LGBTQ+ affirming theologians, two...

Followers of Jesus are called to stand upon the truth of Scripture. We are also called to be united with one another. But what happens when those two things seem to be in conflict with one another? How united can we, or should we, be with Christians across deeply held theological convictions? What are the limits of cross-denominational unity? Are there more limits than there should be, and if so,...

A Missouri pastor recently drew sharp criticism for claiming that children who live with autism are merely being oppressed by demons. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for deliverance preachers to make such a claim. Without condoning the words of this pastor or others who agree with him, it is undeniable that when Jesus healed people throughout his earthly ministry, the cause of whatever ailed the...

Astrology and horoscopes seem to be as popular as ever, with adherents looking to the stars for a sign from the universe that will be applicable to their lives in this present moment. But how should Christians feel about horoscopes? While astrology is an ancient practice, its usage in modern time remains common and can be even found in online memes and social media posts, as well as in the mouths...

When it comes to the Bible, certain passages are so well known that even many non-Christians are aware of them. Among them is the 10 Commandments. Even though not many can name all 10, most people are at least aware that they exist. Nevertheless, just because a biblical concept is familiar, that doesn’t mean that we have a good understanding of its meaning and importance. In fact, sometimes the pa...

A conservative publication recently published an article titled "Over Half of Southern Baptist Universities Have DEI Infrastructures," listing SBC institutions that make references diversity, equity, or inclusion on their websites. To be sure, the reporter was not seeking to celebrate the efforts of a denomination founded on an affirmation of chattel slavery to move past the racism of the past, bu...

From time to time, we receive questions from listeners and readers about various topics of theology and biblical interpretation. And while we always do our best to provide responses to those questions on an individual basis, some of them are interesting enough (and important enough) that we wanted to discuss them publicly. On this episode, we explore the following questions, most of which were rec...

A new song has taken the conservative world by storm. It was written and is performed by a former Virginia factory worker named Oliver Anthony, and it’s called “Rich Men North of Richmond.” At its heart, the song is about the plight of rural Appalachian people who struggle with poverty. It’s a protest song directed at the elites of Washington D.C., who are the rich men who live and work north of R...

In recent years, the enneagram of personality has become widely popular among evangelicals as a tool for people to better understand themselves and the world around them, with many using it as an integral part of their spiritual formation process. On the other hand, some evangelicals have raised alarm bells about the enneagram, alleging that it has satanic roots and promotes ideas that are fundame...

Two recent headlines have called into question the type of stories America wants to tell itself about itself. The first is a controversial public school curriculum in Florida, which some argue seeks to diminish the horrors of American slavery. The other is the announcement of a national monument to Emmett Till, a project some have accused of being a liberal "CRT" endeavor. School curriculum has be...

In many ways, the modern day evangelical church runs as a business. We manage buildings, payrolls, marketing budgets, and a host of other things that require business savvy. The modern day evangelical church is also fundamentally a spiritual community, centered on the mission of Christ and (hopefully) sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Are these two things at odds? In this episode, we di...

Earlier this month, "Sound of Freedom" hit theaters to the praise of many evangelicals. The film depicts the real-life events surrounding Tim Ballard, a former federal agent who quit his job to lead operations to free children from child sex trafficking rings in South America. Ballard is portrayed by none other than Jim Caviezel, who is famous for playing the role of Jesus in "The Passion of the C...

In recent years, conversations around social justice and "wokeness" have dominated the public discourse, both inside and outside the church. For many evangelicals, opposition to social justice has even emerged as a theological distinctive used to identify who is "one of us." However, a close observer of the history of American evangelicalism will note that this division over justice is not new. In...

In generations past, it was assumed that pastors had attended seminary before being ordained to lead their church. Today, that isn't necessarily the case, as an emphasis on formal theological training has given way to an emphasis on charisma or leadership ability. This week on the podcast, we discuss: is this trend a good thing, a bad thing, or just a thing? Is it absolutely necessary for a pastor...

In recent years, the existence of infinite parallel universes has become a popular narrative feature, appearing in several films and television shows. While these stories are full of fantasy about limitless possibilities and alternate realities, to many scientists, the existence of the multiverse is a real possibility. For some, such as Stephen Hawking, its existence can even be used to explain aw...

As the culture war is fought in the political arena, in the media, and online, any number of issues arise in the conversation that are important to devout Christians. From human sexuality to racial justice and other issues, Christians have something to say about how their personal convictions intersect with the public conversation. There are legitimate debates to be had and arguments to be made. B...

Over the past number of months, we have had the opportunity to be a part of something exciting and new. We are a part of team of people who are going to be planting a new church. It's a big commitment, and it's not one that every person—or every Christian—understands. Why would anyone want to plant a church? Don't we already have enough churches? In this episode, we share both our personal and the...

From investigative podcasts to docu-series on major streaming platforms, you may have recently noticed a considerable uptick in Christian "Rise and Fall" content—programs that put a spotlight on the scandals and failures of evangelical leaders and institutions. Many have lauded these series and the truth they expose. Others, however, have given them a derogatory moniker: failure porn. Whether it i...

Throughout the church's existence, there have been times when it was on the right side of history. Other times, it has been on the  wrong  side of history. And in other cases, it was on both sides, simultaneously. This was certainly the case in America when it came to the institution of chattel slavery. Prior to and all throughout the American Civil War, devout Christians stood on either side of t...

A couple of weeks ago, pastor, author, and apologist Timothy Keller passed away. As one of the most influential Christian thinkers of his generation, Keller's works and writings will likely be read and discussed by evangelicals for years to come. In the weeks since his passing, the internet has been flooded with tributes to Keller, who was known for his winsome approach to cultural engagement and...

In the wake of the pandemic, which has coincided with a real scare about critical race theory and critical gender theory, private Christian schools have seen their enrollment boom over the last few years. Is that a good thing, a bad thing, or just a thing? Certainly, schooling is an important issue for Christian parents to consider. It's also a focal point when it comes to any number of culture wa...

If you've ever been told that you have a Jezebel spirit , you probably immediately understood that it wasn't a compliment. You also probably aren't a man. In evangelicalism, the term  Jezebel spirit  has often been used to describe women who are deemed to be immodest, power hungry, or both. In this episode, we explore the origins of the phrase by taking a closer look at the story of Jezebel in the...

Recently, apologist Ken Ham has ramped up his public criticism of high profile Christians who disagree with him on the age of the earth, accusing them of being both “lukewarm” and “compromising.” Young earth creationism has long been a central feature of Ham’s apologetic ministry, which is perhaps best known for its Creation Museum and Ark Encounter in Kentucky. Ham also famously debated Bill Nye...

When it comes to addressing various social concerns that have theological implications, Christians are often quick to refer to certain causes as "gospel issues." But what does that actually mean? What is a gospel issue? The term isn't always very well defined.  Most often, this phrase is used to indicate that if other Christians don't feel as strongly about a particular issue as the person using i...

In today's culture, it is becoming increasingly common for people to introduce themselves alongside their preferred pronouns, as well as to specify those pronouns on their social media profiles, resumes, and other spaces, and to ask for the preferred pronouns of others. How should Christians respond in the midst of this societal paradigm shift? Should we practice what has been referred to as prono...