Thinking Christian: Clear Theology for a Confusing World

What if the most spiritually formative season of the Christian year isn’t Advent or Lent—but the long stretch of ordinary time in between? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Amy Peeler, Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College, to discuss her book Ordinary Time: The Season of Growth, part of the Fullness of Time series from IVP. Together, they explore how the church’s longest season—often overlooked or misunderstood—shapes Christian maturity, patience, and attentiveness to God’s work in everyday life. Amy shares her own journey from a free-church background into the Anglican tradition, where the church calendarprovides a shared rhythm for worship, discipleship, and formation. Ordinary time, she explains, is neither feast nor fast. Marked by the color green, it reflects growth—slow, patient, often unseen—rather than dramatic spiritual highs. This season mirrors how most of life is actually lived: meals, conversations, work, rest, and faithful obedience in the ordinary. James and Amy discuss how modern Christians—both liturgical and non-liturgical—often struggle with cadence, reflection, and rest. Without intentional rhythms, churches can become overly programmatic, while individuals drift into distraction, passivity, or burnout. Ordinary time offers a corrective: a space to reflect on God’s work, attend carefully to Scripture, and allow spiritual growth to “catch up” after seasons of intense focus. The conversation also explores how ordinary time functions formatively: As a season of growth rather than spectacle As an extended invitation to rest and receptivity, not spiritual laziness As a reminder that God is present in the mundane—not just in mountaintop moments Amy draws on biblical texts (especially Genesis 18) to show how God often appears not in dramatic events, but in ordinary hospitality, conversation, and faithfulness. She also reflects on Trinity Sunday, explaining how ordinary time helps Christians attend more deeply to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—not as abstract doctrine, but as lived worship shaped by prayer, posture, and participation. Throughout the episode, James and Amy examine how formation happens over time, why Christians need both structure and reflection, and how ordinary time can function almost like an extended Sabbath—a season where believers learn to cease striving and trust God’s work in them. You can get Ordinary Time at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)  Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! Topics include: What “ordinary time” is—and why it matters The church calendar and Christian formation Growth, patience, and rest in discipleship Green as the color of spiritual formation Ordinary practices as places of divine presence Genesis 18 and encountering God in the everyday Trinity Sunday and worshiping the triune God Liturgical vs. free-church approaches to time and rhythm Why reflection is essential in a distracted age This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The abortion conversation in the church is often framed as a political battle—pro-life versus pro-choice, red versus blue. But what if that framing itself is the problem? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencertalks with Angela Weszely, author of Becoming Pro-Grace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice and founder of the Pro-Grace movement, about why Christians need a distinctly theological framework for engaging abortion—one rooted in Jesus rather than political parties. Angela shares her personal journey into abortion ministry, beginning with work at a Christian pregnancy center in downtown Chicago. What she encountered there unsettled her: well-intentioned Christians operating with a deeply legalistic mindset, prioritizing agendas over people and persuasion over presence. That experience led her into a years-long theological reexamination of how grace, dignity, and the gospel should shape Christian engagement with one of the most emotionally charged issues of our time. At the heart of the Pro-Grace framework are two core theological commitments. First, equal value and equal dignity—the Imago Dei applies fully to both the woman and the child, rejecting the false binary that pits them against each other. Second, grace as the path of transformation—real change does not come through coercion, shame, or law alone, but through the radical grace of Jesus that heals hearts and restores relationships. James and Angela explore how political language and party loyalty often distort Christian witness, training believers to see one another as enemies rather than brothers and sisters in Christ. They discuss why laws, while important, are limited tools that can manage brokenness but cannot heal it—and why the church has too often abdicated its responsibility by outsourcing moral formation to government. The conversation also dives into the lived experience of unintended pregnancy. Drawing on years of qualitative research, Angela highlights three dominant emotional realities women face: panic, isolation, and shame. These realities are rarely acknowledged in political debates, yet they shape nearly every decision made in crisis. James reflects on his own family’s experience with a difficult prenatal diagnosis, underscoring how support, community, and compassion dramatically alter the moral landscape. Rather than offering a simplistic solution, Pro-Grace calls the church to something deeper: humility, listening, and imagination. What would it look like for Christians to lead with their kingdom identity, allowing political engagement to be shaped—rather than defined—by allegiance to Christ? What if churches became the safest places for women, men, and families navigating pregnancy, loss, and fear? This episode challenges listeners to rethink not only what they believe about abortion, but how they engage the conversation—inviting Christians into a posture that looks more like Jesus and less like partisan combat. Topics include: Why political frameworks distort Christian witness on abortion The Pro-Grace theological model explained Equal dignity of women and children (Imago Dei) Grace versus legalism in Christian ethics Emotional realities of unintended pregnancy The limits of law and the responsibility of the church Why Christians must lead with kingdom identity, not party loyalty How churches can become truly welcoming communities You can get Becoming Pro-Grace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)  Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Was America founded as a “new Israel”? And if so, what happens when biblical conquest narratives are used to justify colonization, displacement, and violence? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer speaks with Dr. Daniel Hawk, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Ashland Theological Seminary and author of Undoing Manifest Destiny: Settler America, Christian Colonists, and the Pursuit of Justice, about how Christian theology became entangled with the American settler story—and why that story now needs to be reexamined. Drawing on decades of Old Testament scholarship, especially his work on the Book of Joshua, Daniel Hawk explains how biblical narratives meant to form Israel’s identity were gradually transformed into templates for empire in the American imagination. Early Christian colonists interpreted their arrival in the New World through conquest theology—believing God had given them the land and authorized the dispossession of Indigenous peoples. Over time, this reading hardened into a powerful civil religion, blending Christian language with national mythology. James and Daniel explore how Manifest Destiny functioned as a theological story—one that framed American expansion as divinely sanctioned while masking injustice behind a “myth of innocence.” They discuss how the Exodus and conquest narratives were selectively used to legitimize political freedom and territorial expansion, while conveniently excluding Scripture’s deep moral critique of power, violence, and covenant unfaithfulness. The conversation also addresses the enduring effects of settler colonialism—not merely as a historical event, but as a set of social, economic, and cultural structures that continue shaping American life. Daniel argues that unresolved colonial sin damages everyone: Indigenous communities who bear the weight of dispossession and trauma, and white Christians whose imaginations have been warped by unexamined dominance and control. Rather than assigning blame, Hawk calls Christians to a posture of discipleship, humility, and repentance. Undoing the settler narrative begins with learning local histories, listening to Indigenous voices, and allowing uncomfortable truths to challenge long-held assumptions. Healing, he suggests, requires telling the whole story—without mythologizing the past or silencing pain. James and Daniel also reflect on the role of globalization, modern capitalism, and environmental exploitation as ongoing echoes of colonial logic, as well as Daniel’s work with the First Nations Version Bible translation project—an effort to hear Scripture through Indigenous linguistic and cultural frameworks. This episode invites Christians to ask hard questions: How should Scripture shape our understanding of land, power, and justice? What does repentance look like at a communal level? And how might the church become an agent of reconciliation rather than a guardian of national mythology? Topics include: The Book of Joshua and Christian identity Manifest Destiny as civil religion How biblical narratives were misused to justify colonization Settler colonialism vs. other forms of empire The “myth of innocence” in American history Structural sin and enduring injustice Listening to Indigenous voices and histories Discipleship, repentance, and reconciliation Christianity beyond nationalism You can get Undoing Manifest Destiny: Settler America, Christian Colonists, and the Pursuit of Justice at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)  Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Can Christians pursue success in business without sidelining their faith—or turning God into just another “box” in life? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Andrea Anderson, Christian business coach and author of Bread Like Rain, to talk about surrendered strategy, discipleship, and what it really means to follow Christ in entrepreneurial work. Andrea shares her journey from cultural Christianity to atheism and agnosticism—and eventually to a living faith shaped by loss, prayer, and God’s persistent pursuit. Her move into life coaching and consulting didn’t come from a desire to optimize productivity alone, but from a deeper question: How do I help people experience lasting, eternal transformation rather than temporary fixes? Drawing from her work with Christian business owners, Andrea explains why many leaders experience recurring chaos despite good intentions: self-reliance and control quietly replace trust in God. The solution isn’t better tactics at ground level, but a top-down reordering—learning to ask what the Lord is saying and aligning vision, strategy, and identity accordingly. When leaders build from misalignment, results never last. When they build from surrender, fruit endures. James and Andrea explore how discipleship must shape leadership, why faith cannot be compartmentalized into “God,” “work,” and “family” boxes, and how obedience opens our eyes to what God is already doing. They also discuss the dangers of redefining success apart from God’s purposes—where profitability, health, relationships, and obedience must be held together rather than traded off against one another. The conversation touches on prayer, listening for God’s voice, and why many Christians struggle to slow down spiritually: not because they don’t know prayer matters, but because they doubt they can actually hear God. Andrea introduces the idea of a “faith optimization gap”—the distance between what we know and what we truly believe—and how that gap quietly shapes decisions, priorities, and burnout. Finally, Andrea offers a candid reflection on the modern church: discipleship requires more than encouragement and affirmation. True love includes correction, accountability, and refining relationships shaped by Christ—not cultural comfort. Topics include: From organizing spaces to organizing lives under Christ Why self-reliance creates recurring chaos in leadership Faith, profitability, and God’s definition of success Compartmentalization vs. surrendered discipleship Prayer as communion, not a spiritual checklist Hearing God’s voice in daily decisions Church discipline, accountability, and real community Bread Like Rain and Andrea’s upcoming book, Rock Solid Business You can find out more about Andrea at https://andrealeighco.com. Here book Bread Like Rain is available here.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What do you do when faith feels dry, confusing, or emotionally barren—when God seems absent, or even uncomfortably near? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer talks with Dr. Noelle Forlini-Byrte, author of God in the Desert: A Spiritual Theology of Wilderness in the Old Testament and part-time lecturer at Samford University, about the wilderness as a spiritual landscape for real Christians living real lives. Noelle shares how this book was “twenty years in the making,” beginning with her first spiritual formation class and early encounters with the mystics—especially St. John of the Cross and the theme of God’s “dark night” and felt absence. Those questions followed her into doctoral work in the Old Testament, where narratives like Jacob wrestling at the Jabbok, the exile, and Israel’s wilderness wanderings became a rich theological map for suffering, disorientation, and divine encounter. James and Noelle explore why the church often defaults to two unhealthy extremes: shallow, pithy “application” divorced from biblical context—or scholarship so clinical that it leaves the soul malnourished. Noelle argues that liturgy and scholarship must belong together: rigorous exegesis should not be an escape from spiritual formation, and devotional practices should not ignore the actual meaning of the text. The goal is not information alone, but a scripture-shaped life where God excavates the soul. Along the way, they discuss difficult Old Testament passages without smoothing out their discomfort—especially the wilderness as a place of testing (Deuteronomy 8) and purgation (Hosea 2). Noelle draws on the Christian mystical tradition to describe purgation as the stripping away of “self-made props,” the idolatries and illusions that quietly sustain us until wilderness exposes what we truly trust. One of the most resonant themes is acedia—the “noonday demon” from the desert tradition: spiritual weariness, malaise, and the temptation to give up when faith becomes costly and daily life grinds us down. James connects acedia to midlife, family pressures, and the subtle exhaustion that comes not from one tragedy, but from “death by a thousand cuts.” Noelle suggests that the very presence of these questions can be a sign of a deeper, weathered faith—because wilderness presupposes we are actually walking with God. The conversation closes with a challenge for the church today: humility, honest questions, and a willingness to let Scripture form us rather than simply confirm us. Faithful discipleship requires more than confidence—it requires wakefulness and the courage to bring our real lives before God. You can get God in the Desert: A Spiritual Theology of Wilderness in the Old Testament at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)  Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! Topics include: Why wilderness is a central biblical image for spiritual formation God’s felt absence vs. God’s “hyper-presence” The danger of devotionals without exegesis—and scholarship without soul Hagar, exile, and uncomfortable honesty in biblical narratives Deuteronomy 8 and forgetting God in prosperity Hosea 2 and purgation: God stripping away false securities Acedia and spiritual weariness in midlife and modern discipleship Humility, honest prayer, and faith that can handle “why” questions This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What if a major driver of today’s mental health crisis isn’t simply “more disorders,” but more people who feel unseen, unheard, and alone? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer talks with Dr. Jackie E. Perry—Clinical Supervisor, Professor of Counselor Education at Columbia International University, and President of the Soulwell Center—about loneliness, the loss of emotional connection, and why the church must recover the skill of attuned listening. Jackie explains how the Soulwell Center began: while teaching counselor “helping skills,” she realized many of those relational tools could be taught in a lay-friendly way to parents, pastors, and everyday Christians. The result is a training approach that combines practical listening techniques with the neuroscience of relationships—equipping people to hold a safe space where others can feel truly “seen and known.” James and Jackie discuss a trend Jackie has observed across decades in the mental health field: in the last 10–15 years, more clients have been coming not primarily with severe pathology, but because they don’t have anyone who listens. Therapy becomes a paid place of connection—something that should not be rare in Christian community. The conversation explores how technology can create distance (including the rise of AI-mediated communication), why many people lack a “mental model” for deep listening, and how shame and perceived “threat” can make relational closeness feel unsafe. Jackie introduces the concept of “eyes of delight”—the nonverbal experience of being attended to with warmth—and explains why nonverbal presence often does more than words. They also connect listening to the broader formation of disciples: without embodied, relational connection, people drift into isolation, cope through substitutes, and struggle to develop distress tolerance—the ability to endure discomfort and stay engaged through conflict, hardship, and the messiness of real relationships. The result is not only loneliness, but fragility and retreat from vocation, mission, and spiritual maturity. In the end, Jackie offers a simple but demanding vision: the church must become a community that can listen across difference and reflect the “eyes of Christ.” That kind of faithful presence is not optional—it is essential for discipleship, mental health, and a credible Christian witness today. Topics include: Soulwell Center’s mission and the “listening course” Loneliness, mental health, and why therapy becomes a substitute for community “Eyes of delight” and the neuroscience of connection Shame, vulnerability, and why being known can feel threatening Nonverbal communication and why presence matters Distress tolerance, overprotection, and the formation of resilient adults What the church must recover to make faithful disciples You can purchase Heart Cries of Every Teen here.  For more information onf the Soulwell Center visit www.thesoulwellcenter.com. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this final episode of our German Reformation series, Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Greg Quiggle step back from the 16th century to ask a pressing modern question: what does it actually mean to be Protestant today—and what have we gained (and lost) since the Reformation? Greg frames Protestantism with a memorable realism: it isn’t perfect—it’s the “least problematic” of the major options(Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism). From there, the conversation explores Protestantism’s strengths—Scripture in the common language, broad engagement with the Bible, the dignity and responsibility of ordinary believers, and the freedom to test tradition against God’s Word—while also naming the hazards that come with that freedom. James and Greg dig into one of the central tensions of modern Protestant life: authority without a pope must still include accountability. The Reformation wasn’t a call for every individual to interpret Scripture with equal authority; it assumed a teaching office and depended on catechesis to form faithful readers. But in today’s digital ecosystem—where influence is often determined by charisma, algorithms, and audience-size—Protestantism can drift into fragmentation, echo chambers, and “pastor-as-pope” dynamics inside independent churches. This episode also turns practical and pastoral: how should Christians live faithfully amid online outrage cycles, misinformation, and slander—especially when “everyone is a publisher”? Greg and James connect these issues to biblical ethics (truth-telling, false witness) and to the urgent need to rebuild theological formation in the local church. In this conversation, you’ll hear about: Why Protestantism is a “best worst” option—and why that matters The strengths of Protestant diversity (and why it’s also dangerous) Why the teaching office matters—and what happens when it collapses How the loss of catechism has weakened Protestant interpretation The modern digital “echo chamber” problem and credibility collapse Why truth, slander, and false witness apply directly to social media Practical next steps: near-term wisdom + long-term formation Quotelos Travel offers small, expert-led “Tours for Ten” that provide an intimate and unforgettable way to explore church history and culture with guides who truly know the locations. Learn more at quotelostravelservice.com, and check out their upcoming trips to Germany, England, and Switzerland. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of our German Reformation series, Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Greg Quiggle pivot to one of the defining features of Protestant tradition: the Reformation Solas—and why they still matter for Christians today. Rather than beginning with a list of “five solas,” Greg frames the Reformation around three theological questions that generated the solas: What is the Church? (ecclesiology) How am I saved / how do I stand before God? (soteriology) Who or what has ultimate authority to define belief and practice? (authority) From there, Greg explains the contrast between 16th-century Roman Catholic and 16th-century Protestant answers—especially the difference between church-as-organization (a hierarchical structure) and church-as-organism (the priesthood of all believers). That “priesthood” isn’t only about rights; it also includes responsibility—the idea that ministry is not a spectator sport, and that clergy exist chiefly to equip the saints through the Office of the Word. The conversation then traces how the solas flow from these questions: Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone as final authority) Sola Fide (justification by faith alone) Solus Christus (Christ alone) and how these reshape Protestant ideas of salvation, grace, and the church’s mediating role. James also presses into a key modern confusion: “Bible alone” does not mean “my interpretation alone.” Both hosts argue that the Reformation assumed a teaching office, catechesis, and doctrinal boundaries—something many modern churches have lost. They connect this to contemporary debates about faith as mere intellectual assent versus faith as a way of lifemarked by trust, repentance, and fidelity. This episode includes discussion of: The three Reformation questions behind the solas Church as organism vs. church as organization Priesthood of all believers: rights and responsibilities The “Office of the Word” and why it still matters Catholic sacramental mediation vs. Protestant justification by faith Why authority (Sola Scriptura) is the “non-negotiable” dividing line Faith as lived trust and repentance—beyond a one-time decision Why modern American Protestant individualism isn’t the same as Reformation Protestantism Quotelos Travel offers small, expert-led “Tours for Ten” that provide an intimate and unforgettable way to explore church history and culture with guides who truly know the locations. Learn more at quotelostravelservice.com, and check out their upcoming trips to Germany, England, and Switzerland. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of our German Reformation series, Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Greg Quiggle begin exploring what happens after the attempt to reform the Catholic Church breaks down and the division becomes permanent: What does Protestantism look like under Luther once it’s no longer simply a reform movement? The conversation opens with a key structural issue: the evolving relationship between church and state in early Protestant contexts. Greg explains that most Protestants still lived inside the world of Christendom—where church and state were distinct but not separate—operating like two authorities under one religious framework. That arrangement also clarifies a disturbing feature of the era: the execution of “heretics.” In the 16th century, the church might declare a person heretical, but it was the state that carried the sword—treating heresy as an act of political-religious destabilization and responding as “self-defense.” From there, James and Greg move into the heart of the episode: the post-Reformation negotiation of identity. With the old Catholic structure breaking apart, Protestants faced a massive question: What do we keep from 1,500 years of Christian practice—and what must go? Greg frames the spectrum of Protestant responses: Luther’s approach: keep as much as possible, removing only what clearly violates Scripture Anabaptist/Radical approaches: jettison the entire Constantinian project, rejecting the church-state synthesis and attempting to rebuild from the New Testament alone This clash didn’t remain theoretical. Greg explains how competing Protestant visions collided—sometimes violently—highlighting cases like Zurich where Anabaptists were condemned and executed under the authority of the city council after theological disputes (including disputes over baptism). The episode also touches on radical apocalyptic movements in Germany (including Münster and Thomas Müntzer), showing how social upheaval, plague trauma, and end-times expectations created fertile ground for charismatic extremism—and why Luther feared the Reformation could spiral beyond control. James connects these dynamics to modern organizational realities: how policy tools (like catechesis) can become “passive instruments” when accountability structures fail, and why early Protestant instability wasn’t simply “denomination vs. denomination,” but often included fringe movements driven by chaos, charisma, and apocalyptic certainty. The episode closes by returning to a critical constraint often overlooked today: mass illiteracy. “Bible alone” emerges in a world where most people cannot read, intensifying the importance—and vulnerability—of teaching authority, civic enforcement, and communal formation Quotelos Travel offers small, expert-led “Tours for Ten” that provide an intimate and unforgettable way to explore church history and culture with guides who truly know the locations. Learn more at quotelostravelservice.com, and check out their upcoming trips to Germany, England, and Switzerland. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of our German Reformation series, Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Greg Quiggle linger in Wittenbergbefore the Diet of Worms and Wartburg Castle to unpack the moment everyone knows—but few understand: Luther’s 95 Theses. Greg begins with the real backstory: indulgence-selling tied to the fundraising machine behind the rebuilding of St. Peter’s Basilica and a chain of financial incentives involving an ambitious archbishop, borrowed money, and a gifted salesman—Johann Tetzel—whose catchy jingle promised liberation from purgatory at the drop of a coin. When Luther’s parishioners return with indulgences in hand, Luther doesn’t set out to start a revolution. He does what academics do: he drafts 95 points for debate and posts them publicly—more like a community bulletin board than a Hollywood act of defiance. But the moment doesn’t stay local. Two forces amplify it: A new technology: the printing press A predictable catalyst: students who love promoting their professor What was intended as a small-town disputation spreads rapidly, lands on the pope’s desk in Rome, and triggers a reaction Luther never expected—one that escalates through excommunication threats, imperial hearings, and eventually Luther’s dramatic stand before the emperor. James and Greg then trace the chain reaction: 1519 (Leipzig Debate): authority begins shifting toward Scripture over popes/councils 1520 (papal bull): Luther publicly rejects Rome’s demand to recant 1521 (Diet of Worms): Luther expects debate; Rome demands recantation Luther requests 24 hours, returns, and refuses to recant unless convinced by Scripture and plain reason Luther leaves under “safe conduct,” is “kidnapped” by agents of Frederick the Wise, and hidden at Wartburg Castle as “Knight George” In hiding, Luther produces a major turning point: his rapid German New Testament translation From there, the conversation turns to a crucial clarification often missed today: Luther did not teach modern “private interpretation” as individual autonomy. He wanted Scripture accessible, yes—but not atomized. That’s why catechesisand the teaching office matter: a catechism functions as a faithful constraint that helps the church read Scripture with shared boundaries rather than endless fragmentation. The episode closes by reframing the word Reformation itself: Luther never intended to create a new church. He aimed to reform the existing one—and the birth of Lutheran Protestant identity becomes, in many ways, an unintended necessity once Rome refuses the correction. Quotelos Travel offers small, expert-led “Tours for Ten” that provide an intimate and unforgettable way to explore church history and culture with guides who truly know the locations. Learn more at quotelostravelservice.com, and check out their upcoming trips to Germany, England, and Switzerland. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Greg Quiggle pick up the story after Luther’s intensifying crisis of conscience. If the monastery wasn’t bringing peace—what could? Luther’s mentor, Johann von Staupitz, attempts an intervention, first by sending Luther to Rome, hoping the pilgrimage and the center of the Church might relieve the pressure. Instead, Rome does the opposite. Luther returns disillusioned by the moral and spiritual decay he sees—corruption, scandal, and a religious economy saturated with spiritual “transactions.” Rather than loosening Luther’s burden, Rome deepens the problem. The turning point comes through Luther’s move to Wittenberg, where rigorous study of Scripture in the original languages (and in the intellectual wake of the Renaissance and renewed interest in Greek texts) forces Luther to confront a question that had been crushing him: How can an unrighteous sinner stand before a righteous God? Greg explains how Luther’s breakthrough forms as he wrestles with texts like Psalm 31 and then Romans 1—and begins to grasp righteousness not as something he can achieve, but something God can give. Luther’s language for this is striking: “alien righteousness”—a righteousness that belongs to God, received by faith, and credited to the believer. The episode also highlights a key detail that becomes explosive: Luther starts noticing where the Church’s claims don’t match the text itself—especially when he reads Scripture in Greek. The famous early example is the shift from “do penance” to “repent” (metanoia)—a translation issue with massive theological consequences. This segment ends by setting up what comes next: the 95 Theses, the Diet of Worms, and why Luther’s translation work (and his commitment to Scripture as final authority) becomes the fuse that ignites the Reformation. Quotelos Travel offers small, expert-led “Tours for Ten” that provide an intimate and unforgettable way to explore church history and culture with guides who truly know the locations. Learn more at quotelostravelservice.com, and check out their upcoming trips to Germany, England, and Switzerland. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Greg Quiggle to continue the German Reformation series—this time focusing on Martin Luther’s years in Erfurt and the startling turn that led him into the Augustinian monastery. Luther wasn’t headed toward ministry. He was a brilliant student on track for law, positioned to become his father’s “golden ticket” in a world with no social safety net. But beneath the surface, Luther’s life was haunted by a question that medieval Europe could not escape: What happens when I die—and how can I stand before a holy God? Greg places Luther’s fear and guilt inside the lived world of late medieval Germany—where death was constant, God was often imagined as perpetually angry, and the Church shaped the calendar, the culture, and the imagination of everyday life. The episode then centers on the famous storm moment: Luther, terrified by lightning, cries out to St. Anne and makes a vow—“Help me, and I will become a monk.” Unlike so many foxhole vows, Luther follows through. From there, James and Greg explore what life in Erfurt’s Augustinian monastery likely entailed: regulated prayer, ascetic discipline, study, and the grinding pressures that could intensify Luther’s already sensitive conscience. The discussion highlights the deep irony of Luther’s early story: the monastery was supposed to bring peace—but for Luther, the spiritual “solutions” only made the struggle worse. The episode ends by setting up the next move in the narrative: the relationship between Augustinian theology, Luther’s extreme ascetic practices, and the transition toward Wittenberg under the guidance of his mentor/confessor, Johann von Staupitz—where the next stage of Luther’s transformation begins. Quotelos Travel offers small, expert-led “Tours for Ten” that provide an intimate and unforgettable way to explore church history and culture with guides who truly know the locations. Learn more at quotelostravelservice.com, and check out their upcoming trips to Germany, England, and Switzerland. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this first episode of a new Thinking Christian series on the German Reformation, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Greg Quiggle—a historian, former Moody Bible Institute professor, and leader of Tours for Ten—to set the stage for the world that produced Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformation. Before you can understand Luther, you have to understand the world Luther lived in: a late-medieval Germany marked by constant death, recurring plague, widespread poverty, church corruption, and spiritual fear. Greg helps listeners reconstruct the medieval imagination—where God was often perceived as perpetually angry, life expectancy was low, child mortality was staggering, and the question “How can I stand before a holy God?” was not theoretical but urgent. Greg also clarifies an often-missed point: there wasn’t one Reformation, but multiple Reformations—Germany (Luther), Switzerland (Zwingli and Calvin), England (Henry VIII), and the Radical movements—each emerging from distinct contexts and theological pressures. This series focuses specifically on the German stream and its implications for Protestantism today. In this conversation, you’ll hear about: The split between Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Latin/Catholic) Christianity (1054) Why “Reformation” is really Reformations (Germany, Switzerland, England, Radicals) The medieval experience of death: plague, famine, and childhood mortality How the church often failed to provide spiritual comfort or clarity Why fear of judgment and purgatory shaped daily religious behavior The role of literacy, sermons, Latin worship, and “sheep without a shepherd” The core question driving Luther: certainty before God through Christ This episode lays the foundation for the rest of the series, where James and Greg will move from context into Luther’s theology, the 95 Theses, indulgences, justification by faith, and the long-term effects of the German Reformation on modern Protestant life. Related: Want to experience Reformation history on location? Greg leads small-group “Tours for Ten” through Germany (and beyond). Links are in the show notes. Quotelos Travel offers small, expert-led “Tours for Ten” that provide an intimate and unforgettable way to explore church history and culture with guides who truly know the locations. Learn more at quotelostravelservice.com, and check out their upcoming trips to Germany, England, and Switzerland. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What does it look like for Christians to pursue multicultural unity without flattening real differences—or turning ethnicity into an ultimate identity? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by recurring guest Ben Mathew (Professor of Counselor Education at Columbia International University) to discuss multiculturalism in the church through both a clinical lens and a biblical theology lens. Ben begins with his own story: growing up in Canada as part of an Indian immigrant family, encountering racial hostility, and watching his parents respond with persistent faith and love. That lived experience shaped his lifelong interest in identity, race, and how Christians should engage “the other.” From there, Ben and James explore how ethnicity relates to a person’s overall identity—especially for Christians who want a Christian-first posture without denying the embodied realities of culture and race. Ben describes two common errors: colorblindness (ignoring ethnicity as part of a person’s story) and “color essentialism” (making ethnicity the dominant identity). The challenge is not an either/or choice, but learning to live in the tension where unity in Christ is central while diversity remains real and meaningful. The conversation also turns to Scripture: Ephesians’ vision of Jew and Gentile becoming “one new man,” Acts as a casebook for early church multicultural tensions, and Revelation’s picture of worship around the throne from every tribe, tongue, and nation. They discuss why this unity isn’t a side issue—Paul frames it as part of the gospel’s public confrontation of powers and principalities. James and Ben also touch on contemporary frameworks such as Critical Race Theory, noting the difference between observations that may describe real dynamics and prescriptions that can become spiritually or socially destructive. Throughout, they return to a distinctly Christian claim: the church is called to embody a unity the world cannot produce, and that unity becomes a living witness to Christ’s authority. Finally, Ben offers a practical starting point: cultivate curiosity about other people’s stories. That posture of “cultural humility” can soften tribal instincts, expand empathy, and help churches pursue unity for the glory of God. Topics include: Ethnicity and Christian identity Colorblindness vs. “color essentialism” Biblical theology of multicultural worship (Acts, Ephesians, Revelation) Lament, anger, and healing in the face of racial evil Systemic sin and how Christians should think about systems CRT: insights, limits, and why the gospel must remain central Concrete first steps for churches toward multicultural faithfulness Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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 what it looks like when the church becomes a place of healing, relational care, and wise referral. Steve explains why the line between discipleship and counseling is often a false dichotomy. While some cases require trained clinical care (and sometimes medical collaboration), most people seeking help are what Steve calls the “worried well”—believers navigating grief, stress, anxiety, loneliness, transitions, and everyday burdens that can’t be carried alone. In those cases, what’s often missing isn’t a diagnosis—it’s relationship: a trusted person who can listen, walk with them, and help them grow in Christ. James and Steve also discuss the unique pressures pastors face: living in a fishbowl, constant availability, criticism, and the real loneliness that comes with leadership. Steve shares why many pastors won’t disclose struggles to denominational systems or even church members, and how chronic pressure can contribute to burnout, depression, anxiety, and in some situations, even trauma-like symptoms. The result is not just personal pain—it can limit a pastor’s ability to lead with spiritual health and long-term resilience. Finally, the conversation turns practical: What can churches do? Steve offers concrete advice for building a healthier ecosystem where lay care, discipleship, and counseling support work together—freeing trained counselors to focus on complex cases while the church becomes a genuine “hospital” for everyday burdens. They also touch on men’s ministry and why Christian manhood must be formed by Christlike strength, humility, and grace, not cultural machismo. Topics include: The overlap between counseling and discipleship Who truly needs clinical counseling—and who needs relational support Why pastors are often lonely (and afraid to be honest) How trauma and burnout can develop in ministry Practical ways elders and church leaders can care for pastors Men’s discipleship that builds strength without bravado Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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 behind RediscoverPrayer.com and a pivotal conversation with his dad that reshaped his view of prayer: “I pray for about 15 minutes… and then I just listen.” That moment helped expose a common misconception—many people assume prayer is a spiritual performance, a transaction, or a checklist. But Scripture invites something deeper: constant prayer as constant receptivity, lived from a place of rest and God-consciousness rather than self-consciousness. James and Addison discuss how modern life trains our attention toward anxiety and control, and how rebuilding a prayerful “cadence” can reorient our entire day. Addison explains why attention is a real sacrifice, why the first hour of the morning can have a disproportionate impact, and how prayer energizes every other spiritual discipline instead of merely being one more item on the list. They also explore: Why “pray without ceasing” isn’t a burden, but an invitation to ongoing intimacy The difference between formulas and frameworks for prayer How the enemy uses shame to turn prayer into a place of disqualification How prayer changes us—even when we’re messy, distracted, or unsure what to say Why the church needs to recover the sacredness of God’s presence in community to make disciples today Addison’s newest resource, Words with God Prayer Journal, is designed as a practical framework to help people reflect, recenter, rest, receive, ask, and respond—building a life of prayer that carries into every moment. Resources mentioned: Purchase Words with God Prayer Journal here. RediscoverPrayer.com MessengerX.com (Messenger International’s discipleship app) Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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 as a concrete example, Roger describes how the Holy Spirit opens our minds and hearts to what God wants to teach us—often through ordinary means like books, worship, relationships, and even painful experiences. God can use any moment as a formative “teaching point,” and mature disciples learn to recognize when something they’re hearing or experiencing is a clear prompt: “That was for me. I need to pay attention.” This episode will encourage you to rethink spiritual formation—not as self-powered improvement, but as Spirit-led transformation that can happen through every circumstance of life. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the Holy Spirit—not discipline alone—is the engine of discipleship How God uses ordinary and difficult experiences to produce spiritual growth What it means to be spiritually attentive to God’s “this is for you” moments How to avoid turning discipleship into self-help Christianity You can purchase Kinda Christian: From Curious to Serious about Jesus here. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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 behind it. Nick shares how years of hiding, silence, and “keep your emotions in check” masculinity gave way to a defining moment: God’s ultimatum to stop living divided and start living surrendered. Nick explains why so many Christians feel safest staying unseen and unheard—and why that “quiet” approach eventually harms us and the people we love. Together, James and Nick explore what it means to live an ordinary faith—not sugarcoated, not performative, not built on hype—just daily obedience rooted in God’s Word. They also discuss the importance of preparation and humility, the role of Scripture in discipleship, and how the church can form believers who don’t just hear the Word—but actually do it. In this episode, we cover: Nick’s testimony: from divided living to surrendered discipleship Why many men learn silence—and how God reshapes that story The message of Unmuted: moving from hiding to honest witness “Ordinary faith” vs. relevance-driven Christianity Why Scripture must shape the church more than trends or “bells and whistles” The Foundational Fathers Podcast vision (including taking the show on the road) What it looks like to share your story faithfully—one conversation at a time Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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 Parent Programs & Discipleship at the Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender. Lori explains why so many Christian families become reactionary—only talking about sexuality when a crisis hits—and what it looks like to build a foundation from ages 0–12. You’ll hear practical, parent-tested guidance on shaping kids to see people as image-bearers rather than consumers, navigating technology and porn culture, and teaching body safety in age-appropriate ways. The conversation also explores the often-missed biblical connection between marriage and singleness, and why the church must recover a bigger vision of the Christian life: mission before marriage. In this episode, we cover: Why parents don’t have to wait until the teen years to talk about sexuality How technology fragments relationships—and what it’s doing to kids’ formation A Christian framework for porn prevention: moving from “rules” to mindset What “sexual brokenness” includes (more than the headlines) Teaching kids body safety and boundaries without shame or fear Why discipleship—not stereotypes—should shape how we think about gender Helping kids see their purpose as advancing God’s kingdom, not “marry and settle down” You can purchase Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)  Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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 in the birth of Christ. James explores how the Magnificat and Zechariah’s prophecy function as “nexus passages,” pulling together themes from across the Old Testament—God’s mercy to those who fear Him, His concern for the humble and marginalized, the reversal of the proud and powerful, and the fulfillment of His covenant promises to Abraham and Israel. He shows how John’s role as forerunner and Jesus’ role as saving light are already anticipated before Jesus is even born, and why Luke wants us to see Christmas as a moment of both fulfillment and ongoing expectation. If you’ve ever rushed past Luke 1 to “get to the Christmas story,” this episode will slow you down, help you hear the songs before the manger, and deepen your grasp of what—and whom—we’re really celebrating at Christmas. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com. 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.