Faith & Clarity - Biblical Perspectives and Biblical Wisdom on News & Cultural Issues

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman sits down with Denison Forum contributing writer Jeff Parker, a North Texas father of five and former accountant and recovery pastor, to talk about his journey from early Christian faith to a seven-year hidden gambling spiral marked by deception and six-figure theft from his company. Jeff explains how shame, a double life in church, and an escalation in risk fueled his addiction, and why he now counts his days since his full confession on January 19, 2015. Together, they explore the cultural normalization and spiritual dangers of modern gambling and online betting.Jeff describes the role of community, ruthless honesty, and repentance in rebuilding trust with his wife, Stacy, including outside financial accountability, and shares parenting insights on presence and transparency.Topics(0:00) Introduction(1:00) Meet Jeff Parker(4:37) Childhood and meeting Jesus(9:42) Good dad vs godly dad(15:53) Double life in adolescence(23:53) Marriage pressure and spiral(27:46) Hiding at church and telling truth(31:16) Power of your story(33:38) Gambling spiritual dangers(34:46) Four stages of addiction(40:38) Hitting bottom and confessing(47:00) Rebuilding marriage trust(52:27) Practicing wise confession(58:06) Living out repentance(59:12) Where to follow Jeff(1:00:56) ConclusionResourcesDenison Forum Home PageFrom the Depths of Gambling into the Love of ChristThe Inefficiency of ShepherdingIs gambling the next pornographyAsk Us Anything: [email protected] for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribeAbout Jeff ParkerJeff lives in Allen, TX with his wife Stacey and their five kids, ranging from college to grade school. His career has taken him from big accounting firms to small businesses to serving as a teaching and recovery pastor. After experiencing God’s rescuing hand from a double life of gambling and stealing, he enjoys helping shepherd others in their pursuit of Christ. Now, through Rafa House Church and Voice & Vine he’s rediscovering the ancient rhythms of healing and restoration—learning again to tell his story and trust God to use it to bring wholeness to himself and others.About Dr. Mark TurmanDr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.About Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org.All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman sits down with Dr. Cory Hines, president of Howard Payne University, to discuss how education intersects with Christian faith and cultural headlines. Dr. Hines shares his journey from ministry student at Howard Payne to university leadership, emphasizing multigenerational influence, mentoring, and Ephesians 2:10 as a guiding vision for helping students discover God’s calling. Together, they address higher education’s challenges, including cost, politicization, and skepticism toward the liberal arts, while arguing that education supports human flourishing and wisdom.Dr. Hines offers guidance for families weighing K–12 and college options by focusing on student needs, culture, and “soil,” not just delivery models, and encourages campus visits and counsel from trusted voices. The conversation also explores college as a key season for worldview and character formation, concerns about faith “deconstruction,” student loneliness, and how AI is shifting education from information toward discernment and wisdom.Topics(0:00) Introduction(2:11) Campus life and chapel(3:45) Dr. Cory Hines backstory(9:55) Ephesians 2 10 vision(11:32) Education value and idols(14:31) Higher ed under fire(25:01) School options and culture(31:03) Trust God with choices(34:32) College shapes worldview(36:46) Beyond the college degree(41:06) Wrestling with faith(48:40) Loneliness on campus(54:04) AI and wisdom(57:08) Choosing schools wisely(1:01:41) ConclusionResourcesDr. Cory Hines at Howard Payne UniversityAsk Us Anything: [email protected] for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribeAbout Dr. Cory HinesDr. Cory Hines serves as the President of Howard Payne University. The Howard Payne University Board of Trustees unanimously elected Dr. Hines as the twentieth President in the school’s 130-year history on March 18, 2019. Dr. Hines began serving as President just two weeks later on April 1, 2019. A native of Gainesville, Texas, and a 1997 graduate of Howard Payne, Dr. Hines has a broad range of experience in higher education administration. Before returning home to HPU in April of 2019, Dr. Hines served as the Vice President for Enrollment at a sister Texas Baptist institution. In addition to serving as Vice President for Enrollment, he previously served that institution in other capacities as a Vice President in the areas of Advancement, Graduate Affairs, External Affairs, and Alumni and Community Relations. Beyond his administrative responsibilities at his previous institution, he also taught courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level and provided leadership in the creation of several graduate programs. Active in Texas Baptist life, he also has experience in vocational ministry, having served as executive pastor and student pastor at Ferris Avenue Baptist Church (now The Avenue Church) in Waxahachie, Texas.Dr. Hines earned his Bachelor of Arts in Religious Education from Howard Payne in 1997. He then went on to earn his Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2000 and his Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies with a focus in Higher Education from Dallas Baptist University in 2012.Dr. Hines has been married to the lovely Mrs. Melinda Hines for over twenty-five years. Together they have two children, Mackenzie and Caleb, The Hines’ are members at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church in Brownwood.About Dr. Mark TurmanDr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.About Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org.All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman is joined by Dr. Ryan Denison and Denison Forum contributing writer and PhD student Mark Legg to discuss how Christians should think about Halloween, noting its broad cultural participation and spending and debating whether it qualifies as a “holiday.” They reflect on childhood experiences of trick-or-treating, then explore biblical principles such as “all things are permissible but not all things are beneficial,” along with warnings against dabbling in the demonic and passages like John 8:44 and Acts 19, including the burning of occult books in Ephesus. Together, they connect Halloween’s themes to our modern discomfort with death and grieving, highlighting the gospel opportunities that come with it.Legg addresses horror films, arguing that the Christian worldview has room for horror while emphasizing conscience and spiritual health. Ryan summarizes Halloween’s historical roots in Samhain and its Christian reshaping around All Saints’ Day. The conversation closes with practical ideas for redeeming the night through intentional neighbor engagement and prayer.Topics(0:00) Introduction(1:20) Is Halloween a holiday(3:20) Halloween by the numbers(12:09) Biblical principles for discernment(14:05) Satan and spiritual caution(16:35) Death and grief in modern culture(22:14) Halloween as gospel opportunity(26:12) Acts 19 and the occult(28:20) Holy Spirit versus demons(30:27) Resist the devil(32:49) Horror movie faith story(34:24) Why horror works(42:30) Horror in the Bible(47:00) Modern horror and gospel hope(48:43) Redeeming Halloween history(51:52) Practical outreach ideas(54:35) ConclusionResourcesNational Retail FederationDenison Forum websiteWhat does the Bible say about horror moviesCremation StatisticsShould Christians Celebrate HalloweenWhat does the Bible say about HalloweenAsk Us Anything: [email protected] for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribeAbout Mark LeggMark Legg is a philosophy PhD student at the University of Glasgow, as well as a ghostwriter and editor. He was previously the Associate Editor at Denison Forum before leaving to pursue his master's degree in philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, which he completed in 2024. He's published in The Gospel Coalition, Mockingbird, Remarkable Ordinary, and BioLogos; he's also a regular contributor for Denison Forum. He authors a Substack blog called Agape Sophia, writing about philosophy, following Jesus, and culture. Mark loves reading and writing everything from science fiction to academic papers and enjoys coffee, rock climbing, and drawing. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Shannon. You can find him at markhlegg.com or get in touch at [email protected] Dr. Ryan DenisonDr. Ryan Denison is the Senior Editor for Theology at Denison Forum and the author of The Focus newsletter, contributing writing and research to many of the ministry’s productions. He holds a PhD in church history from B. H. Carroll Theological Institute and an MDiv from Truett Seminary. Ryan has also taught at B. H. Carroll and Dallas Baptist University.He and his wife, Candice, live in East Texas and have two children.About Dr. Mark TurmanDr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.About Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org.All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman is joined by Dr. Ryan Denison and trial lawyer and historian Talmage Boston to discuss how baseball illustrates biblical truths about grace, human nature, purpose, and character. They explore baseball’s changing place in American culture as television elevated football, why the game is better in person, and how its slower pace fosters conversation. Talmage highlights the faith-driven courage of Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey in breaking the color barrier, and reflects on heroes’ flaws through Mickey Mantle versus the integrity of Nolan Ryan, along with his own encounters with Robin Roberts and Carl Yastrzemski.Together, they connect baseball’s built-in failure rate to optimism and perseverance, address steroids and gambling as enforcement issues, and offer parenting advice about the pressure of youth sports. The conversation closes with some World Series rooting for underdogs like Milwaukee and the Rays.Topics(0:00) Introduction(2:20) Baseball in America today(5:10) Faith and Jackie Robinson(9:22) Childhood baseball roots(14:06) Heroes and hard truths(17:45) Nolan Ryan integrity(20:31) Meeting legends up close(24:34) Baseball as social glue(26:12) Pitch clock and pace(28:22) Back from break(28:40) Baseball teaches optimism(29:46) Hank Aaron mindset(31:55) Brewers gamers example(33:11) Faith beyond the game(37:23) Quiet witness in sports(38:55) Books as cultural glue(40:43) Steroids and gambling lessons(45:33) Parenting youth sports pressure(52:33) World Series underdog picks(56:17) ConclusionResourcesBaseball and the Baby Boomer: A History, Commentary, and Memoir1939: Baseball’s Pivot YearTalmage BostonAsk Us Anything: [email protected] for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribeAbout Talmage BostonTalmage Boston is a well-known figure among leading historians as an author, speaker, and onstage interviewer. His work has been endorsed by David McCullough, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jon Meacham, Douglas Brinkley, Annette-Gordon-Reed, Evan Thomas, and H.W. Brands, as well as many other esteemed presidential biographers. Boston is the author of Cross-Examining History (foreword by Ken Burns), Raising the Bar (foreword by former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh), Baseball and the Baby Boomer (foreword by Frank Deford), and 1939: Baseball’s Tipping Point (foreword by John Grisham). He is also one of the most highly recognized lawyers in Texas, having been chosen for three major statewide awards in the last four years by the Texas Bar Foundation and the State Bar of Texas’ Litigation Section. Boston has been named a “Texas Super Lawyer” by Thompson Reuters every year since 2003, and among the “Best Lawyers in America” every year since 2013. He is the only lawyer to receive a “Presidential Citation” from eight different presidents of the State Bar of Texas for outstanding service to the State Bar.Working as both a full-time commercial litigator and a full-time historian throughout the twenty-first century, Boston’s varied experience and notable achievements in both fields make him uniquely qualified to write How the Best Did It due to his knowledge of history, his skills as a writer, and his vast experience in business and law. In November 2023, Boston will be recognized by the Dallas Historical Society as “The History Maker of the Year” in the field of promoting history in North Texas.Boston lives in Dallas with his wife Claire, son Scott, daughter Lindsey, son-in-law Mitchell, and grandson Nolan. To learn more, visit his website at talmageboston.com.About Dr. Ryan DenisonDr. Ryan Denison is the Senior Editor for Theology at Denison Forum and the author of The Focus newsletter, contributing writing and research to many of the ministry’s productions. He holds a PhD in church history from B. H. Carroll Theological Institute and an MDiv from Truett Seminary. Ryan has also taught at B. H. Carroll and Dallas Baptist University.He and his wife, Candice, live in East Texas and have two children.About Dr. Mark TurmanDr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.About Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org.All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman sits down with Dr. Chris Harper of BetterMan Ministries to discuss confidence and courage amid cultural confusion about identity, gender, and purpose. Dr. Harper shares how he came to faith in his late 20s, pursued theological training, and shifted his ministry focus to “go after the men,” now leading BetterMan, a redesigned iteration of Men’s Fraternity for millennials and Gen Z. Together, they explore why the church has emphasized restoration more than formation, stressing that “you can’t become what you can’t define,” and distinguish toxic masculinity from biblical masculinity by framing the true opposite of masculinity as immaturity.Dr. Harper outlines BetterMan’s definition of manhood as the joyful pursuit of sacrificial responsibility and its “four Ws”: Word, woman, work, and world. The conversation also addresses men’s isolation, the loss of intergenerational discipleship, fatherlessness, responsibility in parenting, and guarding against late-life moral failure, closing with an encouragement for younger men to seek guides and for older men to reengage.Topics(0:00) Introduction(4:04) Dr. Chris Harper faith story(7:05) BetterMan origins(7:59) Why men need clarity(16:30) Millennials need a guide(21:11) Toxic vs biblical manhood(23:19) Four Ws of manhood(27:37) Why men feel isolated(30:18) Rebuilding generational discipleship(31:57) Homogenous church trap(37:57) Acts 2 vision and dreams(40:09) Fatherhood priorities at 14(42:34) Raising responsible young adults(46:55) Anxiety addictions and worship(54:22) ConclusionResourcesBetterMan websiteAsk Us Anything: [email protected] for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribeAbout Dr. Chris HarperDr. Chris Harper is passionate about biblical manhood and fatherhood, and often speaks on topics such as a man’s identity in Christ and the importance of being a gospel-centered husband and father. Chris received his Master's degree from Dallas Theological Seminary and his Doctorate from the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Chris and his wife, Ally, live with their four children - Scarlett, Malachi, Calvin, and Oliver - in Arlington, Texas. In addition to his family, Chris loves pickup basketball and a good cheeseburger, and firmly believes Jordan is better than LeBron.About Dr. Mark TurmanDr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.About Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org.All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.