Think Deeper

We're back! This week Think Deeper returns with a look at the question of whether Christian teens should go to prom, whether parents should allow it, and the place of rites of passage in young people's growth. 5:25 - our answers and making the "steel man" case for prom 11:45 - is this a Romans 14 issue, a matter of opinion? 17:30 - parents' responsibility to their children 22:47 - statistics that...

Think Fast returns! Each Friday we'll be reacting to some major headline or talking point of that week, beginning with this discussion of President Trump's comments on some of the expected effects of tariffs. Keep an eye out for our return episode Monday - The Prom Question and Rites of Passage

In the churches of Christ, congregations are autonomous... to a point. Deciding when a line has been crossed and others have become beyond fellowship is a delicate but critical matter. Topics include: - The tendencies of progressivism and hyperconservatism - Being open to one another without becoming compromised - Being exclusive without being exclusionary - Whether there's a difference between sa...

Feminism's influence runs deep in our day, making it difficult for us to discern what God's design for women should look like. In this week's rewind, the guys examined the Bible's teachings on the design of women, their strengths, their weaknesses, and how our culture has missed the mark.

The world clearly has no idea what a man is, nor what a woman is. But do Christians know? Can we articulate the differences? Can we explain the strengths and weaknesses God gave to men, and why they matter? In this episode the guys discuss the common stereotypes of harmful masculinity before contrasting them with the role for which God created men. Originally aired March 29, 2022

Originally published in September 2022 Some Christians claim Jesus explicitly told us to prepare ourselves for self-defense. Other Christians claim Jesus expressly prohibited us from doing so. How can there be such a wide chasm of opinions on this matter? And what does the Bible really say? We discuss in this episode. Topics include: How both sides of the debate often misunderstand Jesus What the...

We're no strangers to controversy, but we want to be sure we're understood properly when we do wade into the controversial. In this episode, we look back on 169 episodes of Think Deeper (so far) and clarify some of the views we've shared and how they've been received. Topics include: - An announcement about the show - 00:00 - What do we REALLY believe about the man and woman's roles in the home? -...

The church's under-discussion of the Old Law combined with the rise of popular online Bible study communities is leading many astray with regard to Law-keeping. We discuss the rise of Torah Observant Christianity and Messianic Judaism and how it misunderstands the place of the Law of Moses, including: - Why so many are feeling drawn to keep the Law - Why they believe what they do, and what the Scr...

We discuss the theological importance of hymn lyrics and how they teach us doctrinal truths - even when we don't realize it. Topics include: Is 'Just a Little Talk with Jesus' teach wrongly about salvation? Does 'The Old Rugged Cross' glorify the cross instead of Jesus? Should we sing about our 'Mansion Over the Hilltop?' How can we know what's a personal nitpick and what's a legitimate complaint...

The winds of change are kicking up in the culture and the church, and a lot of positive developments are coming with them. However, correction always comes with the risk of overcorrection. We discuss: - Finding balance between feminism and an increasingly popular chauvinism - How rejecting "anti-racism" can turn into full-blown racism if we're not careful - The decline of Christian Gnostic tendenc...

Jack and Joe break down the logical fallacies and bad arguments used to introduce false teachings and teach you how to spot them. Topics include: - The primary logical fallacy that has been used to bring in LGBT support, women preachers, and all kinds of other errors - How to represent an opponent's beliefs without building a straw man argument - How empathy gets weaponized against good-hearted Ch...

We discuss the distractions in life that keep us from doing the things we know we should, including: How sports can dominate a family's life The way social media eats our time without us realizing it Why even church activities can be distractions What we can do to keep our priorities in line With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com, and visit us at...

For 10+ years, "woke" views on race, sexuality, and more have dominated the culture and even infiltrated the church. But is the tide turning? We discuss: How bad did it get? What was the tipping point, and what factors have caused this turnaround? Is this a permanent change in direction, or is the ideology just lying low for a while? 3 ways Christians are likely to respond Join us at the benefit d...

With Valentine's Day around the corner, we discuss the Christian's path toward finding a spouse. Topics include: - Rating college, apps, events, and other places where people go to find connections - Dating, courtship, and hybrid approaches - Pitfalls to avoid - The place of attraction - The most important qualities to look for and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our...

Vice President JD Vance started a controversy recently when he stated that Christianity teaches a hierarchy of loves beginning with the home. We discuss: Are Christians supposed to love some people more than others? If there is to be a hierarchy of loves, what is it? How have "love your neighbor" and "love one another as I have loved you" been misunderstood? How does it affect the church when we g...

We continue the discussion on church finances. This week we look at: Are preachers paid fairly? Ways churches can help their preachers make a proper income, even if they don't have enough money Should elders be paid? How much is too much when it comes to spending on building luxuries or events? and more! For more, go to focuspress.org With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We begin a 2-part look at church finances, including: - Is tithing an obligation, a good idea, or an outdated concept? - Can church efforts to care for the community be misguided? - Should we have a widow payroll like Paul discusses in 1 Timothy 5? - What is the place of missions in the church's budget? and more! Stay tuned for next week when we'll discuss paying elders, preacher salaries, church...

The home was mankind's first institution, and its health goes a long way toward determining a people's health - which is why Satan is so eager to tear it down. In this month's Think Magazine crossover episode, we examine some of the primary ways the home can be torn apart. Topics include: - The subversion of God's authority structure - When to involve the elders in a marital conflict - Divided loy...

Sure, everyone wants to pray and read their Bible more in 2025. But beyond those two things, what are other actionable steps we can take to make an impact this year? We discuss: Upgrading your Sunday morning habits Ways to grow closer with your church family Ideas for drawing closer to God with your spouse and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit focuspress.org for more

We review the biggest headlines from 2024, including: Luigi Mangione, Daniel Penny, and the online reaction to the two cases The wild Presidential election Hurricane Helene and the government's heartless response toward its own people, and what the church can learn from it Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s health push vs. the growing adoption of Ozempic/Wegovy/Mounjaro shots Diddy, Jay-Z, and the exposure o...

We get together to have some fun ahead of Christmas and New Year's Eve, playing a few games and rating hot takes submitted by YOU! Topics include: - Blind ranking Focus Press stuff and some of our, um, "favorite" controversies - Listener hot takes on issues like Bible Bowls and ministry roles - Underrated/overrated, Bible edition and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Donate at fo...

In part 2 in our look at the left and right edges of the church of Christ spectrum, we turn our attention to the right side. Topics include: - The strengths and weaknesses of Command, Example, and Necessary Inference Bible application - Was this the intended end of the "Restoration plea?" - The slippery slope of legalism - How hyperconservatism kills growth and more With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie,...

There is a broad spectrum of doctrinal beliefs among the churches of Christ. This week we focus on the progressive end of the spectrum. Topics include: Defining our terms The strengths and weaknesses of the progressives The place for giving grace in doctrinal disagreements How academia and intellectualism often create a drift Are they the true continuation of the Restorationist Movement? Tune in f...

Like it or not, many of the ideas we think we came to ourselves were placed there by some person or group of people. Ideas spread so rapidly and so subtly in our day that we can be influenced in ways we don't even realize. What does this mean for our Christian view of the world? Topics include: - The good and bad of the TradWife and Manosphere movements - Why (and how) secular people are finding t...

With each passing year, there's more discussion about the how difficult Thanksgiving and the holiday season are due to strained family relationships. Some even advocate skipping family gatherings entirely. We discuss: - What obligations do we have to our families? - How does the dysfunction of the American family parallel problems we're seeing in the church? - Are traditions really that important?...