Think Deeper

Many members of the churches of Christ struggle to feel "good enough" and often lack understanding of God's grace. Is there something unique to the church's teaching that creates this uncertainty? We discuss: The benefits of our strong emphasis on doctrine and obedience Why the doctrinal precision in our fellowship's DNA can make members feel unsure of their salvation How much do we have to get ri...

Dr. Brad Harrub joins the show to talk about 'Arrows in the Hands of a Warrior,' the new book on parenting he co-wrote with his wife, Melinda! Topics include: - The importance of parents admitting mistakes - Challenges previous generations of parents didn't have to face - Why discipline has grown so misunderstood - Navigating grandparent involvement and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe...

Just because we're spiritual, it doesn't mean we don't have to be grounded in the reality of the physical here and now. So many of the platitudes uttered in Christianity today come off as tone-deaf, totally unconcerned with the world around us. We discuss: How heaven is over-emphasized in modern Christianity and makes us look cold and uncaring about people's problems here and now What it looks lik...

We revisit a long-running Think Deeper debate and discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly surrounding Halloween and the Christian. Topics include: Where we draw the line on Halloween participation The pagan influences surrounding the day "All Saints Day" and the value of recognizing death Whether Christians should consume Harry Potter and other magical fiction Horror movies and haunted houses THIN...

Sometimes the Bible can be intimidating and you don't know where to start. Other times it can feel like we know all the relevant information already and don't have a lot left to explore. This week we look at how to study the Bible more deeply and share some nuggets we've found that have helped the Bible come alive and drawn us into further study. We discuss: - Why Bible reading is underrated - The...

We have some BIG announcements to share on this one to go along with this week's episode on the importance of grasping Bible terms. Topics include: - Sacrifice and offering and how the new system isn't as different from the old as we might think - Justification and sanctification - Faith and works and whether we're saved by "faith alone" - Why repentance isn't just a "step" of salvation and more!...

The Christian's war is fought on the philosophical level, and modern day philosophy has done a great job slithering into churches today, often almost entirely undetected. We discuss what this philosophy is and how it undermines God's Word, including: - The dominant philosophical tool of our day, its history, and how it presents itself - How this philosophy uses Christian terms to seem Biblical whi...

As young parents we don't claim to be experts in terms of how-to advice, but we do have goals for our families. Those are the focus of this week's discussion, and topics include: - Helping our kids learn to love the church - Differing goals for our boys and our girls - Lessons in self-discipline - How we want to break them of the individualism of today's world and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilk...

We examine what the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit and His work today. Topics include: - What the Spirit did in the Old and New Testaments - The charismatic, the indwelling, and the "only through the Word" camps - How indwelling works practically - Why this topic is so uncomfortable and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

This week we look at traditions in the church, including: - Why traditions are important and necessary - When traditionalism can become overbearing - Navigating generational preferences for changing vs. maintaining traditions - Debating traditional church practices With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Personal conflict and confronting others is one of those inevitable parts of life that none of us enjoy. But how we do it makes a big difference. This week we look at how confrontation and conflict can be handled well, including: - How personal conflict brings us closer - Knowing when to speak up and when to let it go - The difference between confronting someone over their sin against you vs. a ge...

We pick up with part 2 of answering listener questions, including: - Should Christians decline cremation? - Does "leave and cleave" mean you shouldn't live near family when you get married? - Can men use Bible study material written by women? - Is rural life more conducive to faithfulness? - Is apostolic succession valid for church authority? and more!

We respond to questions from the Deep Thinkers! This week's edition includes questions on: When and when not to judge What kind of care do new Christians need to receive from the church, and who is responsible for it? Why do many people who have wrong beliefs still seem to have true joy and peace? and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We continue the discussion on worship in song with comments and questions from our Focus+ members. Topics include: Whether it's important to have technically proficient song leaders What to do if you attend a church with weak singing Why men especially need to take singing seriously How churches of Christ view those who use instruments in worship With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

This week's episode looks at the importance of music in our praise to God. Topics include: - How music combats Christian gnosticism - Why we don't use instruments - The proper and improper place of emotion in worship - Questions about praise teams, clapping, and touring chorus groups With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

The world's evil has been on overdrive lately. We discuss the latest headlines with an eye toward what Christians should do in the midst of the madness. Topics include: - Why being "above it all" or burying our heads in the sand is not holier - Whether we should just "let the world be the world" - The crowd-pleasing impulse to blame our fellow Christians - The importance of developing discernment...

This week we discuss how NOT to use the Bible when trying to discuss the Scripture with others. Topics include: - Right and wrong ways to use the Scripture to make a point - "Tone policers" and "mic droppers" - The place of the Old Testament in our lives today - How to respect someone's argument even when you strongly disagree With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We discuss whether God expects physically able married couples to bear children, or if it's just a personal choice. Topics include: - Our culture's hatred of kids - Whether "Be fruitful and multiply" still applies today - The benefits of kids - Advice for those who want children but don't/can't have them With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Our resident licensed therapist, Joe Wilkie, leads a discussion of the pros and cons of therapy. Topics include: - Therapy vs "Therapy Culture" - How therapy terms get weaponized to excuse sinful behavior - The right way and wrong way to think about brokenness and weakness - A debate over whether society would be better or worse off without therapy With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We discuss the church's statistical decline and what it could mean for the future. Topics include: How the decline of Christendom in Europe gives us a glimpse of what may be headed our way What will happen if and when persecution ramps up Why the community church model reached so many people, and why we expect it to fail Why Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy are seeing a resurgence and what...

Every year, more men leave the pulpit. Churches struggle to replace them. Many smaller congregations can't afford to bring someone in even if they wanted. Among those who still preach, some are unqualified. In short, the church is in a tough spot when it comes to the future of preaching. Is our current system of selecting, training, and hiring to blame? We discuss: - Who should become a preacher?...

The role of preacher is a central part of most churches today. But is it supposed to be? We discuss: - The Biblical concept of the preacher - Stereotypical preacher problems - Are sermons overrated? - The problem of members disrespecting their ministers and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Not everyone is going to be a preacher, elder, teacher, or missionary... so how can they serve the church? What has God called them to do? We discuss: - How we've overrated ministry and church work and underrated other efforts - What is the end goal of "making disciples?" - What's true and untrue about "all of life is worship" - What "priesthood of all believers" means in practical terms - Is ever...

Summer is usually a church's busiest time of year as VBS, camp, and other events start to fill the calendar. We discuss the pros and cons of these events for spiritual formation. Topics include: Have youth and family ministries been sincere but misdirected from the start? When camps help young Christians grow into spiritual adulthood, and when they hinder The danger of building a walk with God aro...

As June begins and the rainbow flags start flying again, we revisit the origins of the LGBT movement and how the decline goes back much farther than we typically think. We discuss: - 90's propaganda - The sexual revolution - Abortion's role - The rise of pornography in the 1950s - How Christians opened the door to it all by forfeiting the family