Provoke & Inspire Podcast

Where did our moral instincts come from? Did Christianity shape the values we take for granted today?  In this conversation Ben talks with apologist, author, and speaker Glenn Scrivener - who makes the case that ideas like human rights, equality, and the abolition of slavery didn’t emerge despite Christianity, but because of it - and warns what happens if we lose those roots. ---------------------...

What happens when someone who doesn’t believe in God walks into a church and encounters something real? Is it enough for people to simply feel loved and supported, or should they be clearly confronted with the truth of who Jesus is? The regulars discuss a viral clip of an atheist having an emotional encounter after being prayed for at a church service, and what it means for all of as as followers...

Is fighting our desires, sexual or otherwise, a losing battle? Have we completely misunderstood what they are, and what they point to? How do we reclaim a Godly vision for them?  Ben invites author, speaker, and Christian sex expert Jay Stringer back onto the show to talk about his new book, Desire: The Longings Inside Us, and the New Science of How We Love, Heal, and Grow.  Pick up Jay's new...

Is following Jesus the truest expression of the punk rock spirit? Has a prominent cultural philosopher now turned to Jesus? Ben, David, and Luke react to an interview clip of artist and thinker Nick Cave of The Red Hand Files .  ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the Secular World: Reaching a Culture in Crisis —a must-read guide for anyone lon...

How do you stay grounded in your faith despite having millions of followers, billions of views, and living in the Hollywood ecosystem? Ben talks with content creator and actor Read Choi, about achieving successes that few TikToker's ever see, and reaching people through humility and simple listening to them, rather than trying to answer questions they may not be asking. ----------------------...

Has the seeker sensitive movement gone too far? Is it irreverent for pastors to wear casual clothing during sermons, and is the church not actually for evangelism at all? The regulars react to a video of Dr. Frank Turek talking about what, from his perspective, the true mission of our church services should be. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus...

Why are Christians turning to more traditional expressions of the faith? Is there something in Orthodoxy that's missing from Protestantism? Are there things we misunderstand about it?  Ben talks with French-Canadian artist and YouTuber Jonathan Pageau about the beliefs, and practices of the Orthodox church, why it has become to attractive to a growing number of Christians worldwide. ---------...

How do we fight an enemy that, especially via our phones, seems to be everywhere? How do we prepare our children to guard themselves against explicit content - that is explicitly targeting them? With the pervasive presence of increasing levels of internet pornography, the rise of artificial intelligence, and intersection of both with thing's such as Grok's new chatbot, "Ani", h...

Ben is joined by renowned apologist Dr. Frank Turek, as he reflects on the tragic murder of his close friend Charlie Kirk and what the tragedy reveals about evil, eternity, and the urgency of the gospel.  They explore faith, politics, apologetics, and why the message of Jesus must never be watered down. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the S...

What if one of the most powerful ways to reach people isn’t better arguments… but better attention? After reacting to a socially disruptive street comedian who shocks strangers with genuine, thoughtful compliments, the regulars dive into a deeper conversation about loneliness, isolation, and the lost art of truly seeing people ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his power...

Ben welcomes author and speaker Preston Sprinkle back to the show for a candid and thought-provoking conversation about one of the most debated issues in the church today: women in leadership. Preston, known for tackling controversial topics with humility and depth, shares the three-and-a-half-year theological journey behind his new book, From Genesis to Junia . Rather than starting with a fixed c...

Is apologetics enough to make disciples? Are we aiming at the wrong target by focusing on them? The regulars wrestle with the role of reason, debate, and intellectual defense in a post-Christian world.  Reflecting on figures like Francis Schaeffer, C.S. Lewis, and modern apologists, they explore both the value and the limits of rational arguments for faith. ---------------------- Ben has completel...

What if the loneliness we feel isn’t because we’re weak, but because we’re trying to live in a system that was never meant to work? Ben reflects on a clip of comedian Trevor Noah about family, and the modern myth of independence, asking whether we’ve traded God’s design for community in exchange for a version of it that’s quietly exhausting us. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and...

Why did Jesus call peace a gift, and why do so few Christians actually feel it? What’s the difference between being a peacekeeper and a peacemaker?  Ben talks with Tim Ross of The Basement podcast, and they ask: What kind of peace did Jesus promise? Why are so many believers anxious, angry, or exhausted? Preorder Tim's new book, The Missing Peace: How to be Held Together When You're Fall...

From ministry success and identity confusion to burnout, failure, and suicidal ideation, this episode traces the slow erosion of intimacy with Jesus and the cost of trying to rebuild life on self-made identity.  Ben and Chad explore repentance, vulnerability, accountability, and the kind of hope that isn’t tethered to outcomes or success - all through the lens of Chad's personal story.  -----...

Why do people who look like they have it together still feel empty? What are we hiding that’s actually hurting us? And why does joy seem to show up only after confession, honesty, and real community? RobertAnthony Cruz (Coach RAC) of the Savannah Bananas reflects on what happens when things kept in the dark are finally brought into the light, and why healing follows every time. Listen to the full...

When does protecting leaders or institutions become enabling harm? And what happens to faith when silence replaces transparency?  The regulars examine the recent Shawn Bolz controversy and Bethel Church’s response to ask harder questions about accountability, public leadership, and institutional self-preservation. ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jes...

What if leadership isn’t about influence, platform, or control, but about bearing pain, building trust, and carrying hope for others? Who pays the price when leaders avoid suffering? Author J.R. Briggs reframes leadership as responsibility, not status. Listen to the full episode here Spotify iTunes ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the Secula...

How do we have a Jesus-perspective in a situation with so many grey areas? How do we react when protestors show up to disrupt our church services?  The regulars again weigh in on the situation in Minneapolis, where ICE agents contend with protestors in the controversial enforcement of immigration law in Minnesota, and across the country.  ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updat...

Author Skye Jethani unpacks how a 100-year-old divide in the American church still shapes our thinking today. Why did the gospel and justice get separated? How did faith become so politically tribal and binary? Listen to the full episode here Spotify iTunes ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the Secular World: Reaching a Culture in Crisis —a m...

Ben speaks with author, speaker, and professor of philosophy at Boston College, Dr. Peter Kreeft. Drawing from his now-famous commencement address at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, exposing the “ten lies” of modern culture, Dr. Kreeft reflects on identity, freedom, creativity, and the consequences of a world that has tried to live without God.  With his characteristic blend of sharp lo...

The regulars breakdown the current crisis in Minneapolis, Minnesota with ICE agents clashing against protesters, and the tragic death of Renee Good. How can we possibly respond like Jesus in this situation? Why is it so hard to remain rational, and avoid polarization in the midst of political turmoil? ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the Sec...

Jackie Hill Perry gets radically honest about striving, identity, and why Christian ambition so often masquerades as holiness. She reflects on stepping away from platforms, embracing ordinary faithfulness, and confronting the subtle belief that being a wife, mother, or hidden servant is somehow “not enough.”  Listen to the full episode here Spotify iTunes ---------------------- Ben has completely...

As Christians, we say we follow Christ, yet we don’t always pause to ask how that commitment informs what we watch. If we've become too cavalier with what we do watch, what do we do to get things back to the way they should be?  ---------------------- Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the Secular World: Reaching a Culture in Crisis —a must-read guide for anyon...

Author and mental health therapist Mark DeJesus reflects on his journey from a performance-driven, “superhero” version of Christianity toward a healthier faith rooted in receiving the Father’s love. He explains why grief, anxiety, and weakness are not spiritual failures, but places where deeper connection with God is formed. Listen to the full episode here Spotify iTunes ---------------------- Ben...