Thinking Christian: Clear Theology for a Confusing World

Pastors are carrying more emotional and spiritual weight than most congregations realize—and many churches still treat counseling and discipleship as if they’re separate worlds. In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast , Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Steve Stuhlreyer (Professor of Counselor Education at Columbia International University , former lead pastor) to talk about...

Why do so many Christians feel like they’re “bad at prayer”? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast , Dr. James Spencer sits down with Addison Bevere (President of Messenger International ) to talk about prayer as presence, not performance —and why shame and distraction keep God’s people from the intimacy they were made for. Addison shares the origin story...

Is discipleship mainly about trying harder—or is it something God does in us? In this short, focused segment on the Thinking Christian Podcast , Roger Ross explains why the Holy Spirit is the prime mover in the entire work of Christian discipleship. If spiritual growth becomes merely human effort, Roger argues, we’ve missed the point of how God actually transforms people. Using growth...

What happens when God confronts the “two lives” we’re living—and calls us out of the background and into honest testimony? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast , Dr. James Spencer is joined by Nick Sash (a longtime friend and the host of the Foundational Fathers Podcast ) to talk about Nick’s new book, Unmuted: From Silence to Testimony , and the story be...

How do Christian parents raise kids with wisdom in a culture shaped by pornography, confusion about gender, and broken ideas about relationships—without living in “hair-on-fire” panic? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast , James Spencer sits down with Lori Krieg , co-author (with Matt Krieg) of Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World (IVP) and Director of Paren...

Before angels sing over Bethlehem in Luke 2, two other voices break into song—Mary and Zechariah. In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer continues the “Thinking Christian about Christmas” series by walking through Luke 1:39–79, where Mary visits Elizabeth, John the Baptist leaps in the womb, and two rich, Scripture-saturated songs frame what God is doing...

What kind of hope can actually sustain racial justice work over decades—not just months? In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer is joined by anthropologist and author Dr. Christine Jeske to talk about her new book, Racial Justice for the Long Haul: How White Christian Advocates Persevere and Why . Christine explains how anthropological research actually works—long in...

As technology offers us endless ways to be “present” without actually being there, what does it mean for Christians to imitate the incarnation of Christ? In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer explores the often-overlooked ethical and theological dimensions of the incarnation—not just that “the Word became flesh,” but how Jesus chose to be with us a...

Every two years, Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research release The State of Theology —a massive survey that reveals what Americans (including evangelicals) actually believe about God, the Bible, Jesus, and culture. The 2025 report is out, and some of the numbers are… surprising. In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer is joined by longtime friend and theologian Dr...

James welcomes Dylan (founder of Varsity Skateboarding & leader of Skate Church KC ) and co-host Nate to unpack how skateparks have become mission fields. They cover why skating is exploding post-Olympics, what makes a skatepark a “safe space,” and a practical model— teach, equip, empower —that moves kids from pizza and push-offs to Scripture, mentorship, and local chur...

In a season filled with noise, outrage, and “cancel culture,” is there still room for real joy? In this Christmas episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer invites you to slow down, listen, and remember. He begins with a personal memory of reading the Christmas story in church as a teenager, then simply does the same for you—reading Luke 2 so you can hear the story of Jes...

At Christmas, Christians often quote Isaiah 7:14—“the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son”—but few pause to ask what that verse meant for King Ahaz before it pointed to Christ. In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer walks through the political and spiritual crisis facing Judah, the rising Assyrian threat, and Ahaz’s refusal to ask God for a...

In this episode of Thinking Christian , I sit down with Dr. Tanita Maddox—National Director of Generational Impact for Young Life and author of What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God . Drawing from years of research and on-the-ground ministry, Tanita helps untangle the unique worldview of Gen Z and why many of our “classic” Christian explanations fall flat with today’s y...

In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Daniel (Danny) Zacharias and Dr. Christopher Hoklotubbe, co-authors of Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation . Together they explore how Indigenous perspectives can help Christians read Scripture more faithfully on this land we often call North America&mdash...

 In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer welcomes back Sathiya Sam—CEO and founder of Deep Clean Coaching—to talk about pornography addiction, sexual integrity, and the power of Christian community in lasting recovery. Sathiya shares his own story of breaking free from pornography after years of struggle as a pastor’s kid, ministry leader, and re...

In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer talks with J.R. Briggs—founder of Kairos Partnerships and author of The Art of Asking Better Questions: Pursuing Stronger Relationships, Healthier Leadership, and Deeper Faith . Together they explore why the questions we ask of God, ourselves, and others shape the quality of our lives, leadership, and discipleship. J.R. sha...

In this episode of  Thinking Christian , I sit down with Pieter Valk—founder and director of Equip and a founding brother of an ecumenical monastery in Nashville—to talk about what it really means to follow Jesus as single men and women in the church. Pieter shares how his ministry equips churches and parents to care well for people who experience same-sex attraction or gender inc...

James sits down with Denise Lester , founder of Rended Heart (Kansas City, MO), to explore what sexual exploitation looks like today—and how her ministry stands in the 30-day gap between crisis and long-term recovery. Denise shares her journey from NYC to KC, early work with Exodus Cry , street and club outreach, and why most trafficking now hides offline and online . They discuss highways I...

In this episode of Thinking Christian , James Spencer talks with David Green , CEO of Hobby Lobby, and Bill High , CEO of Legacy Stone, about their new book Legacy Life: Leading Your Family to Make a Difference for Eternity . Together they explore what it really means to live a legacy life —one rooted not in wealth or success, but in faithfulness, purpose, and generational discipleship . Ref...

In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer engages with Dr. Carmen Imes about her book 'Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters.' They explore the themes of identity, vocation, and belonging within the context of the church, discussing the significance of ecclesia and its roots in the Old Testament. The conversation emphasizes the continuity of God's people from the Old T...

Dr. James Spencer sits down with Beth Felker Jones (Professor of Theology, Northern Seminary) to talk about her new IVP book Why I Am Protestant . Beth lays out how Protestant distinctives—especially Scripture as the norming norm —fit within a broader, lowercase-c catholic Christian unity rooted in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. They dig into the ecumenical creeds, the mes...

Dr. James Spencer welcomes Gregory R. Lanier (RTS Orlando, NT) and William A. Ross (RTS Charlotte, OT), co-editors of The Authority of the Septuagint: Biblical, Historical & Theological Approaches (IVP Academic). What is the Septuagint (LXX)? Why is it a library of Greek translations rather than one book? How did NT authors access Scripture—and why do their citations sometimes match Gree...

In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer engages with Dr. Greg Quiggle and Dr. Jerry Root to discuss an upcoming study tour focused on the English Reformation and the works of C.S. Lewis. The conversation delves into the complexities of the English Reformation, exploring its political and theological dimensions, and how these historical events resonate with contemporary issues. The...

Dr. James Spencer welcomes Georgette Beck —author of Junk to Jewels: A Journey from Brokenness and Despair to Beauty and Delight and founder of the Bella Healing Hearts Foundation . Georgette shares her path from low self-worth, early marriage, and divorce to God’s steady restoration as a single mom and, later, in a blended family. We talk generational patterns (genograms), lament that...

James talks with Debbie D’Souza (co-writer/co-director) about the new film The Dragon’s Prophecy —why the project accelerated after Oct 7th, how Revelation 12’s “dragon” frames Israel’s story, what recent archaeology (City of David’s Pilgrimage Road, Pool of Siloam, Tel Dan, etc.) says about the Bible’s historicity, and why the filmmakers went...