The term "gay Christian" has long been disputed, even among those who agree with the traditional Christian sexual ethic. Christian author Rosaria Butterfield continued that argument in a recent article, titled "I Don’t Have an LBGTQ Neighbor—And Neither Do You." In the article, Butterfield argued that there is no such thing as an LGBTQ+ person, bec…

This week, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed a law requiring public school teachers to feature a poster of the 10 Commandments in their classrooms. While many conservatives are hailing the law as a victory, it is likely to be struck down in the courts. Landry indicated that he's looking forward to the legal battle, saying, "I can't wait to get …

It has been a busy couple of weeks as far as pastor scandals are concerned. Each case is extremely different from the others. But the fact that they have happened in such rapid succession raises common questions about how churches and church leaders should respond to them. What level of transparency should be demanded? Do pastors who have morally f…

For Christians, the hope of heaven is one of our most important beliefs. But it’s also one of the most mysterious and even one of the most misunderstood. And that makes sense. No one has ever been there and come back to tell us about it—although some have claimed to. When we think about heaven, we tend to think about a giant gated community in the …

Pope Francis recently sat down for a wide-ranging interview on "60 Minutes." And, as you might imagine, some people were quick to pick apart everything he said. Some even accused him of committing heresy. To be sure, this is strong claims to make against the pope. While we aren't Roman Catholic and certainly have some deep disagreements with Roman …

Pastor John MacArthur recently made waves by claiming that mental illness doesn’t exist. He made these remarks during a Q&A session at a church conference. "Psychiatry and psychology is finally admitting the noble lies they’ve been telling for the last hundred years," MacArthur said. "And the major noble lie is that there is such a thing as mental …

It has often been said that “the church is God’s Plan A for working in the world, and there is no Plan B.” We don’t disagree with that. Similarly, third century theologian Cyprian of Carthage once said, “No one can have God for his Father, who does not have the church for his mother.” Cyprian also said, “Outside the Church, there is no salvation.” …

When you think of the word "righteousness," any number of images and ideas might come to mind. Many of them are good, although some are probably incomplete. If you look at the concept of righteousness as presented in the Bible, what you'll quickly realize is that it is inextricably connected to the concept of justice. And Jesus says that those who …

Richard Dawkins, a biologist who is perhaps one of the world's most prominent apologists for atheism, recently said that he considers himself a "cultural Christian." "I do think that we are culturally a Christian country, and I call myself a cultural Christian," Dawkins said of his home nation, Britain. "I’m not a believer, but there’s a distinctio…

Last week, a firestorm erupted on social media after a Christian writer described disciplining his four-month-old son. While he later clarified that he was referring to sleep training, a wave of criticism ensued. Some called into question whether this father was abusing his infant, and some even claimed to have contacted Child Protective Services. …

Immigration is always a contentious issue in America, as well as in the evangelical church. In an election year and with the current crisis at the border, that is especially true right now. And while Christians have a rich history of caring for marginalized people, including refugees and immigrants, the current political climate has caused distrust…

When it comes to the devil, plenty of misconception circulate not only in our culture but in the church as well. Some of what we believe about Satan is informed by the Bible. But a lot of it comes from cultural traditions and misinterpretations of what the Bible says. On this episode, we do a deep dive on what the Bible says about the devil. Who is…

A recent Alabama Supreme Court decisions has ignited a passionate discourse about the morality of in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and pro-life Christians stand on either side of the debate. The case centers on a wrongful death lawsuit that was brought against a fertility clinic in 2020 after the embryos of a couple using the clinic's IVF treatment se…

From time to time, we receive questions from folks who are trying to figure out an important point of theology or biblical doctrine. And we enjoy getting to offer our thoughts in the context of those personal interactions, whether in-person or online. While we don't always have great answers, we think it's important to faithfully wrestle with the q…

As Christians, we look up to people who pray and read the Bible a lot. But the sad fact is that some of the people we think of as the most devout are actually suffering from a condition known as religious scrupulosity. Scrupulosity is a subset of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and is marked by the constant presence of intrusive thoughts about …

Alistair Begg has become the subject of considerable criticism in recent weeks after he said that he had advised a woman to attend her grandson's wedding with a trans person. While Begg gave the advice with the caveat that the woman was clear that she had not changed her views on marriage and gender, he said that reaching hearts for the gospel woul…

In a recent video that went viral, progressive Christian minister Brandan Robertson claimed that the problem with evangelicalism is that it focuses too much on the teachings of Paul and not enough on the teachings of Jesus. Robertson went on to claim that Paul even contradicts Jesus on a number of important points, and that when that happens, we sh…

President Joe Biden recently held a campaign event at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, denouncing white supremacy and casting his vision for a second term as president. Notably, Mother Emanuel has been a historic part of the Reconstruction era and Civil Rights movement. It is also the place where a racially motivated mass sh…

Throughout the millennia, Jesus has been portrayed by artists across every conceivable medium. Some of these depictions of Jesus have sought to prioritize historical accuracy, while others have focused on conveying theological significance through artistic expression. Depending on the culture of the artist, depictions of Jesus have varied greatly. …

After the fall of Roe v. Wade, pro-life Christians around the nation celebrated the nearly half-century of advocacy that led to the decision. However, a little more than a year after the Dobbs decision, national abortion rates are up. What's more is that Christians within the pro-life movement disagree about how best to move forward. On the one han…

Christmastime is here, and that means the annual worldwide tour of Santa Claus is upon us! While Santa is a hallmark of the Christmas season, what many people might not know is that this mythical character is based on a real person—a Christian hero, in fact. Saint Nicholas was an early church leader who served as a bishop during the third and fourt…

The Gospel Coalition recently came under fire after publishing an article written by Trevin Wax titled "Prone to Dechurch, Lord I Feel It." In the article, Wax suggests that the scandals and abuses that have taken place within evangelical institutions aren't as responsible for the dechurching of America as we might think. Instead, the cultural move…

Ghosts are a major part of American culture. Whether it is the celebration of spirits on Halloween, myths and fables, blockbuster films, or reality television shows about people who hunt them, ghosts feature heavily in the stories we tell each other. For some, that's all they are—stories. But for others, their belief in ghosts is unshakeable. But w…

Halloween is an important celebration in American culture. Trick-or-treating, costumes, and themed parties are all time-honored traditions in most communities. But what are the origins of the holiday? And what do they mean for us as Christians? That’s exactly what we want to discuss. In this episode, which was originally recorded in October 2020, w…

War has broken out in Israel and Palestine following the heinous attack on Israel by Hamas. On Oct. 7, the terrorist organization attacked Israel by land, air, and sea, launching thousands of missiles and engaging in a barbarous ground offensive. As they stormed the streets of Israel, Hamas brutalized Israeli citizens, committing war crimes that th…

North Point Community Church, which is pastored by Andy Stanley, recently hosted a conference that caused quite a stir. Called the Unconditional Conference, the two-day event was geared toward helping Christian parents of LGBTQ+ children navigate their relationships with the children. However, the conference came under sharp criticism for hosting s…

Followers of Jesus are called to stand upon the truth of Scripture. We are also called to be united with one another. But what happens when those two things seem to be in conflict with one another? How united can we, or should we, be with Christians across deeply held theological convictions? What are the limits of cross-denominational unity? Are t…

A Missouri pastor recently drew sharp criticism for claiming that children who live with autism are merely being oppressed by demons. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for deliverance preachers to make such a claim. Without condoning the words of this pastor or others who agree with him, it is undeniable that when Jesus healed people throughout his…

Astrology and horoscopes seem to be as popular as ever, with adherents looking to the stars for a sign from the universe that will be applicable to their lives in this present moment. But how should Christians feel about horoscopes? While astrology is an ancient practice, its usage in modern time remains common and can be even found in online memes…

When it comes to the Bible, certain passages are so well known that even many non-Christians are aware of them. Among them is the 10 Commandments. Even though not many can name all 10, most people are at least aware that they exist. Nevertheless, just because a biblical concept is familiar, that doesn’t mean that we have a good understanding of its…

A conservative publication recently published an article titled "Over Half of Southern Baptist Universities Have DEI Infrastructures," listing SBC institutions that make references diversity, equity, or inclusion on their websites. To be sure, the reporter was not seeking to celebrate the efforts of a denomination founded on an affirmation of chatt…

From time to time, we receive questions from listeners and readers about various topics of theology and biblical interpretation. And while we always do our best to provide responses to those questions on an individual basis, some of them are interesting enough (and important enough) that we wanted to discuss them publicly. On this episode, we explo…

A new song has taken the conservative world by storm. It was written and is performed by a former Virginia factory worker named Oliver Anthony, and it’s called “Rich Men North of Richmond.” At its heart, the song is about the plight of rural Appalachian people who struggle with poverty. It’s a protest song directed at the elites of Washington D.C.,…

In recent years, the enneagram of personality has become widely popular among evangelicals as a tool for people to better understand themselves and the world around them, with many using it as an integral part of their spiritual formation process. On the other hand, some evangelicals have raised alarm bells about the enneagram, alleging that it has…

Two recent headlines have called into question the type of stories America wants to tell itself about itself. The first is a controversial public school curriculum in Florida, which some argue seeks to diminish the horrors of American slavery. The other is the announcement of a national monument to Emmett Till, a project some have accused of being …

In many ways, the modern day evangelical church runs as a business. We manage buildings, payrolls, marketing budgets, and a host of other things that require business savvy. The modern day evangelical church is also fundamentally a spiritual community, centered on the mission of Christ and (hopefully) sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Ar…

Earlier this month, "Sound of Freedom" hit theaters to the praise of many evangelicals. The film depicts the real-life events surrounding Tim Ballard, a former federal agent who quit his job to lead operations to free children from child sex trafficking rings in South America. Ballard is portrayed by none other than Jim Caviezel, who is famous for …

In recent years, conversations around social justice and "wokeness" have dominated the public discourse, both inside and outside the church. For many evangelicals, opposition to social justice has even emerged as a theological distinctive used to identify who is "one of us." However, a close observer of the history of American evangelicalism will n…

In generations past, it was assumed that pastors had attended seminary before being ordained to lead their church. Today, that isn't necessarily the case, as an emphasis on formal theological training has given way to an emphasis on charisma or leadership ability. This week on the podcast, we discuss: is this trend a good thing, a bad thing, or jus…

In recent years, the existence of infinite parallel universes has become a popular narrative feature, appearing in several films and television shows. While these stories are full of fantasy about limitless possibilities and alternate realities, to many scientists, the existence of the multiverse is a real possibility. For some, such as Stephen Haw…

As the culture war is fought in the political arena, in the media, and online, any number of issues arise in the conversation that are important to devout Christians. From human sexuality to racial justice and other issues, Christians have something to say about how their personal convictions intersect with the public conversation. There are legiti…

Over the past number of months, we have had the opportunity to be a part of something exciting and new. We are a part of team of people who are going to be planting a new church. It's a big commitment, and it's not one that every person—or every Christian—understands. Why would anyone want to plant a church? Don't we already have enough churches? I…

From investigative podcasts to docu-series on major streaming platforms, you may have recently noticed a considerable uptick in Christian "Rise and Fall" content—programs that put a spotlight on the scandals and failures of evangelical leaders and institutions. Many have lauded these series and the truth they expose. Others, however, have given the…

Throughout the church's existence, there have been times when it was on the right side of history. Other times, it has been on the wrong side of history. And in other cases, it was on both sides, simultaneously. This was certainly the case in America when it came to the institution of chattel slavery. Prior to and all throughout the American Civil …

A couple of weeks ago, pastor, author, and apologist Timothy Keller passed away. As one of the most influential Christian thinkers of his generation, Keller's works and writings will likely be read and discussed by evangelicals for years to come. In the weeks since his passing, the internet has been flooded with tributes to Keller, who was known fo…

In the wake of the pandemic, which has coincided with a real scare about critical race theory and critical gender theory, private Christian schools have seen their enrollment boom over the last few years. Is that a good thing, a bad thing, or just a thing? Certainly, schooling is an important issue for Christian parents to consider. It's also a foc…

If you've ever been told that you have a Jezebel spirit, you probably immediately understood that it wasn't a compliment. You also probably aren't a man. In evangelicalism, the term Jezebel spirit has often been used to describe women who are deemed to be immodest, power hungry, or both. In this episode, we explore the origins of the phrase by taki…

Recently, apologist Ken Ham has ramped up his public criticism of high profile Christians who disagree with him on the age of the earth, accusing them of being both “lukewarm” and “compromising.” Young earth creationism has long been a central feature of Ham’s apologetic ministry, which is perhaps best known for its Creation Museum and Ark Encounte…

When it comes to addressing various social concerns that have theological implications, Christians are often quick to refer to certain causes as "gospel issues." But what does that actually mean? What is a gospel issue? The term isn't always very well defined. Most often, this phrase is used to indicate that if other Christians don't feel as strong…

In today's culture, it is becoming increasingly common for people to introduce themselves alongside their preferred pronouns, as well as to specify those pronouns on their social media profiles, resumes, and other spaces, and to ask for the preferred pronouns of others. How should Christians respond in the midst of this societal paradigm shift? Sho…