Theology for the Rest of Us

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koiné Greek. Some observers have pondered the question: As the Scriptures have been translated from its original languages into modern English, has any truth been lost in translation? In this episode, Kenny responds to an email from a regular listener about this topic and several related questions. Kenny clearly explains why we can trust mod...

The traditional role of mothers throughout human history has been to have their primary focus to be on child rearing and home making. However, modern feminism has changed that throughout Western cultures and societies. So, this begs the question: Should women be more focused on child rearing more than anything else? Or is that traditional expectation merely nothing more than oppression that is an...

In this episode, Kenny answers a question based upon recent correspondence with a regular listener about discipleship. What’s the difference between a convert and a disciple? We are all called to be disciples of Jesus and to make disciples. Kenny explains that conversion is one of the early steps in the process of becoming a disciple of Jesus.

Many segments of our contemporary society do not value work within the home. Other segments even look down on mothers that choose to stay at-home with the kids instead of “contributing” to society. But the contributions you make at home, for fathers and mothers, matter significantly to God. In this episode, Kenny interviews author, speaker, and blogger Courtney Reissig about her newest...

There are many people who claim that they are Christians, but is it possible to determine if they truly are Christians? Can you know if they are genuine followers of Jesus? Have they truly been born again? In this episode, Kenny gives us four clear ways to determine if someone truly has been born again and determine if their faith in Christ in real or fraudulent. 1- Do they claim to have put their...

Dealing with heresies and dealing with those individuals whom espouse heresies is something that the church has been dealing with since the church’s inception. In this episode, Kenny explains how we should deal with modern heresies, and more specifically, how we ought to approach or deal with those people asserting or promoting the heresy.

As a part of an on going mini-series on issues related to homosexuality, Kenny addresses the questions around Christian business owners being forced to serve same-sex weddings, as well as other events, that may violate their own Biblical or ideological convictions. Kenny believes that business owners, of any religious or political conviction, should be allowed to do business with whomever they ple...

Mainstream views on homosexuality have shifted significantly in contemporary society over the past decade. Being homosexual is viewed as being perfectly normal, and even celebrated, by many people. Now, with the legalization of same-sex marriage, many Christians have asked: Should a Christian ever attend a same-sex marriage ceremony? This could be a tough question because there are a lot of emotio...

Lots of gay people claim that their inclinations and affections for the same gender are feelings that they have experienced since they were very young. Most would claim: “I was born this way!” In this episode, Kenny responds to this thought process by answering some common question that have come from a variety of people and sources in reference to homosexuality and those individuals w...

Contemporary western society is becoming increasingly more hostile towards the Gospel and increasingly more accepting of alternative lifestyles. People who stand for traditional Biblical morality and orthodox Biblical convictions are going to be called all sorts of derogatory names. There is no genre or topic in which this will be more applicable than in the arena of sexuality, especially any topi...

The cultural stigma around homosexuality has lessened significantly over the past few years in Western society, but certainly still remains. And the cultural stigma that is around homosexuality and same-sex relationships seems to be different than the stigma around any other sins or other sexual behaviors. There are many sexual choices that conservative Evangelical Christians would typically label...

There has been a moral revolution in America over the last few years, changing how people view homosexuality and other related topics. One recent expectation is the idea of complete “tolerance” of all sexual perspectives. But doesn’t the Bible tell us that certain sins are an “abomination” to the Lord? If so, how should we feel about the culture shift? And how should...

Parenting is one of the greatest privileges, and one of the greatest responsibilities, that God has given to human beings. If you are a parent you know how hard parenting can be, and how tough it is to feel like you’re being a good spiritual leader to your kids as well. But even the little mundane tasks can be used by God for His glory and for the good of your kids. In this episode, our host...

Typically, American Evangelicals are conservative in their theology and conservative in their politics as well. That means that most American Evangelicals support the typical conservative position which endorses capital punishment (aka: the death penalty). In this episode, Kenny explains that he is overall very conservative in both his politics and theology, but herein he outlines why he differs f...

In this episode, Kenny answers an email from a regular listener about the desire for death. Kenny first responds with some pastoral wisdom for anyone feeling this way. Then Kenny reminds us of the importance of remembering the fact that we are made in the image of God and the importance of promoting a culture of life.

In this episode, Kenny explains the concept of being “orthodox” and why we ought to evaluate the beliefs that were embraced by previous generations of Christians.

Often, critics of Christianity challenge the idea that “God is good” because it seems that God does things that He has told us not to do. Some people even claim that God is a moral monster because He chooses to do things that may seem wicked to us (from our human vantage point). Why is it that God seems to be allowed to break His own rules? This episode is inspired by two recent corres...

In this episode, Kenny interviews pastor and author Tim Carson about the concept of liminality, its importance to our faith journeys, and its transformational power in our lives when appropriately embraced. Check out Tim’s book: Liminal Reality and Transformational Power

Is there ever a set of circumstances where it is appropriate for a Christian to file a lawsuit against the government, a corporation, or a non-believing individual? In our previous episode (#204) Kenny covered the concept of Christians abstaining from suing other believers, but what about non-Christians or non-religious entities? In response to an email from a regular listener, Kenny answers this...

Should a follower of Christ ever file a lawsuit against another follower of Christ? Does the Bible address this? Is there ever a scenario wherein it would make sense or be appropriate for one believer to sue another believer? In the minds of many, this is a tough question, with many potential “grey” areas to consider. In response to a very sensitive email from a regular listener, Kenny...

Curiosity is such a childish word, right? Well, not so fast. Just because we grow up doesn’t mean we should lose our inclination towards curiosity. In this episode, Kenny interviews Barnabas Piper about his recent book “The Curious Christian” wherein Piper challenges Christians to keep their wonder of the world and the people around us. Barnabas Piper is an author, blogger, marketing g...

The Holy Spirit is often discussed and disputed by many Evangelical Christians. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, and He plays a vital role in our lives. As we evaluate the Scriptures, it appears that the Holy Spirit functioned differently in the Old Testament than He functioned in the New Testament. Is there truly a difference between how the Holy Spirit operated before Jesus ca...

Many people claim to experience the grace and presence of God, even those who do not necessarily profess faith in Christ. Is this possible? In response to an email from a regular listener, Kenny addresses the idea that all people experience God, and he specifically highlights the doctrine often referred to as “common grace” which is available to all people.

In response to several recent personal conversations, Kenny addresses the idea of having a “dry” season, wherein we feel far or distant from God. What should we do when our passions or affections for God have faded? Kenny boldly answered this question, challenging listeners to be proactive in their faith.

Many people pray, not just Christians. But to whom are they praying? And are their prayers effective? In response to a recent email that Kenny received from a regular listener, that does not profess to be a follower of Christ, Kenny tackles a sensitive but important topic about the prayers offered up from those whom do not believe. Does God answer (or even listen to) the prayers of those people wh...