The Pact Podcast

Here's a good Halloween question: Can Christians learn anything from zombies? 

Is there a specific Bible translation that everyone should use? Is there one English translation that God has providentially ordained and that we must use? Why are there people who think that there is one specific translation that people should use? What’s the difference between an autograph and a manuscript? What translations does the pact podcast recommend?

What should we wear to church? What is the normal attire to where to church in Kentucky and/or rural America? Should we even be concerned about what we wear to church? Does “Sunday Best” still mean anything? What should our guideline be about how to dress for church?

Is cremation sinful? What is the best option for a believer? What happens at the resurrection to the person who was cremated and their ashes scattered? How should we view that? What does the process of burial of cremation proclaim to the world about our beliefs? Is burial or cremation a better picture of the gospel? Why do churches have graveyards? Why are we buried facing east? Why did Spurgeon p...

What is the doctrine of mortification? Why is phrase be killing sin instead of something “lighter?” What does it mean that sin could be killing us as a christian if we’re not killing it? What does it look like to be killing sin? What are the tools to do that? What happens if we pray for God to take away our sin and he doesn’t? The Mortification of Sin - John Owens:  https://a.co/d/6zolQi4

Is suicide a sin? Why is it a sin if it is? Is suicide selfish? Is there any legitimate justification for someone taking their own life? Can suffering serve a purpose? Is it possible for a Christian to commit suicide? How do we show the love of Christ to those who might be struggling with depression and/or suicide? Can taking medication be a good idea? How does the gospel speak to suicide?

Is there is a significance in the different names of hell, hades, Sheol, etc. Is hell eternal? Do people in hell have a repentant heart? Are there different levels of punishment in hell? what is hell like? How bad is hell? Will people in hell remember life on earth? Can Adam pronounce annihilationism correctly?

Will we know each other in heaven? Are you married in heaven? Will there be food in heaven? Is there a difference between heaven now and heaven in the future? Is the whole earth going to burn and cease to exist or is just going to be burned in a purifying fire as we continue to walk this earth? Are heaven and earth different at the end of the world? What will be doing with our time in heaven? Does...

What does my education have to do with my faith? How is it that we become educated? What is the right way to think about education? Is it useless to study calculus if you never use it? Is the devil in the details or is it God that is in the details? How do we love The Lord with our minds? What does Pastor Tim have a minor in? How do we utilize our mind to love God? When does our education end? The...

What is the unforgivable sin and where is it found in scripture? (Spoiler: if you have repentance and turn to faith in Christ you have not committed the unforgivable sin) What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? What prompted Jesus to say this in the context that he did? Should I be worried that I’ve committed the unforgivable sin and is there any comfort if I am worried about it?

What is the problem of evil? Why is this evil happening to me? Can God really be good if he had the power and knowledge to stop evil and chooses not to? What are some ways people have solved this problem? What is the greater glory argument? How will the evil the we experience in our lives be used?

How does the sovereignty of God and the free will of man play into salvation? Where does the debate come from to begin with? What scriptures are used to support the Calvinist and Arminian perspectives on this issue? Is there an error in taking either perspective too far? Can someone be elect and not ever know it or bear fruit? Does this topic have to be a divisive issue? How much of our viewpoint...

What do we mean by divine sovereignty? How much choice do people have over their own lives? What is man’s responsibility? Are we robots? What do people mean when they say “free will” and is that term in the Bible? Where do we see examples in scripture of man’s responsibility and choices in God’s story? How does Gods sovereignty free us to make decisions between two options?

What is the purpose of a sabbatical and what do people do on them? Is it different from vacation time? Why might a sabbatical be needed? How often do pastors consider quitting? How can you be praying for your pastors?

What is AI? What is some of the good and some of the bad that can come from AI? Is AI even really what it claims to be when it comes to “intelligence”? How should we view our own intelligence vs artificial intelligence in light or being an image bearer of God?

Why is it important to think about tools and strategies that we can use to disciple our children? What are some things that are helpful for being able to talk to your kids about the gospel? Is it the responsibility of the parents or the church to disciple children? What is the proper “balance” in the relationship between the parent’s and the church’s responsibility in discipleship of children? Wha...

What does the Bible say about discipline in general and how that relates to parenting? What is God’s goal in disciplining us and how should that change how we discipline out children? What does age appropriate discipline look like? Should discipline be something that the mother or the father should primarily be leading or taking care of? How should we think about success and failure when it comes...

How should we approach technology as Christian parents? What are some of the positives and some of the negatives? How does technology impact the creativity that God had given us and our children? What are some potential concerns that parents should have in regards to their children and technology? Do parents always need to practice what they’re preaching to their kids in regards to technology? Wha...

What are the things that scripture teaches us that we need to know before coming to faith? How can we explain what “faith” means? What kind of strategies and tools can we use to begin conversations in the home? What questions should you be asking your child? How should we approach conversations differently with a kid than we do with an adult? 

How are individual moments important to change? How does seasonal change impact our lives as Christians?

What are denominations? Why are there so many different denominations? What issues are really at the heart of one denomination being different from another? Which denomination is right? In what ways can we cooperate with people of other denominations that we differ with? How do we help a non-believer understand why there are so many denominations? Are denominations a good thing or a bad thing? How...

Where is our presence the most important? Are there places that our presence is not important? What is the difference in western vs eastern ways of thinking about presence? What is the difference between physically being somewhere and really being there? What does the bible have to say about how we pay attention? If we aren’t fully engaged is it better to be or to no be somewhere? How big of an in...

Was competition a part of God’s original design? If it was then what is different about it post-fall? What does it look like to be a good loser or a good winner? If competition is indeed a result of the fall should Christians avoid competition completely? As Christians, why do we compete? Can competition be redeemed?

Why do we care so much about winning? Why does competition exist in the human experience? Is competition itself a good thing or a bad thing? Why does losing exist? What is life about? Does God care who won/wins the Super Bowl? 

Why is learning considered a spiritual discipline? What is the difference between intentional and unintentional learning? How do we learn? What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? What areas should we work on learning an growing in the knowledge of God? Are there specific things that we’re supposed to learn about as believers that bring God glory?