Asking for a Neighbor

Episode Title: Truth, Trust, and the Traps of Conspiracy Culture Episode Number: 007 Guest: Taylor Locke / Brad Holcomb Episode Summary We are diving deep into a heavy but increasingly common question "asking for a neighbor" this week: How should Christians navigate the rapid rise of dark conspiracy theories when they start bleeding into ideologies like neo-Nazism and causing serious friction in marriages? Skye, Brad, and guest Taylor Locke discuss moving away from the addiction of the virtual echo chamber and grounding ourselves back into real-life community, biblical truth, and the calling God has placed right in front of us. Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & The "Neighbor" Question of the Week Skye kicks off the episode with Taylor subbing in for Shawn. They unpack a preliminary "neighbor" question about the boundaries of generosity, open-handedness, and the wisdom of stewardship. 05:15 – The Core Question: Christians and Conspiracy Theories Brad introduces the primary topic: how to handle the modern obsession with dark conspiracy theories, specifically touching on real-world situations where men are falling into anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi rhetoric, creating division in their homes. 10:42 – Why We Fall Into the Trap: Biological and Cultural Hooks The guys discuss the human nature of "doom scrolling" and seeking closed answers. Taylor points out that since 2020, we live in a full-blown "conspiracy culture" fueled by online personalities and an algorithmic world that replaces shared culture. 16:30 – Villainization of Manhood and the Fatherless Internet Brad and Taylor explore why men specifically gravitate toward these spaces. A lack of earthly fatherhood and a mainstream culture that villainizes masculinity drives younger generations to online platforms like Twitter looking for strong figures, direction, and purpose—often leading them down dangerous paths. 24:15 – Scriptural Deep Dive: 1 Timothy and Ancient Myths Taylor takes the team into 1 Timothy, drawing a parallel between modern conspiracy rabbit holes and the "myths and endless genealogies" that Paul warned Timothy to steer clear of because they promote vain speculation rather than love and a clear conscience. 32:40 – Practical Takeaways: Diagnostic Questions & Community Taylor offers key diagnostic questions to gauge your attention span: What is making you the most angry? What are you most passionate about? Brad highlights the vital importance of real, flesh-and-blood community over virtual validation, alongside keeping a vertical focus on the holiness of God rather than a strictly horizontal focus on world affairs. 41:10 – Closing Thoughts: Prioritizing Your Marriage & Outro Brad shares a direct word for any husband letting online research cause strife in his marriage, calling it spiritual warfare and urging men to repent, turn off the feeds, and choose their wives over the internet. Skye outlines a potential Part 2 as they close out the show. Key Verses & Quotes 1 Timothy 1:3–4: "...charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith." Notable Quote [15:10]: "The more you dive into these things... it's a kind of deconstruction that says, man, the Jews are just behind everything that’s evil. And suddenly it warps your heart in such a way that there is hate there now instead of like a desire to pray for your enemies..." – Taylor Locke Notable Quote [22:05]: "You can’t make an argument that consuming your mind with conspiracies... Chapters (00:00:00) - The Signing of the Declaration of Independence(00:00:39) - "Asking for a Neighbor": Do You Always Say Yes?(00:03:38) - Open-Handed Gifts(00:08:13) - Proverbs 31: Most Loving Thing to Do For Others(00:09:43) - A Lesson on The Problem of Violence(00:10:32) - Conspiracy theories in Christian culture(00:13:10) - We're Living In A Conspiracy Culture(00:19:22) - Bradley on the Occupy Movement(00:19:52) - What Draws Men To Conspiracy Theories?(00:20:35) - Part 8: Sky(00:21:43) - Matt Walsh on Masculinity(00:26:23) - Neo-Nazism on 4chan(00:31:07) - Breedman on Conspiracy Theories(00:33:46) - Taylor on the Israel Problem(00:38:13) - First Timothy 3: Mythology and Genealogies(00:45:18) - "It's a Junk Food," Says Eminem(00:45:48) - No Go Zone for Conspiracy Theories(00:49:58) - What Angers You the Most Right Now?(00:54:36) - Is It Better To Be Gay?(00:54:44) - Close Thoughts on Israelism(00:57:41) - How to Prioritate Your Wife

Episode Summary In this episode, we dive into the cultural fascination with government UFO disclosures, a surprising take on outer space from C.S. Lewis, and how a terrifying Texas thunderstorm can actually teach us the difference between dreadful and delightful fear. We are asking for a neighbor: If God is completely sovereign over the vast unknowns of the universe and the tragic storms of life, how do we anchor our hearts in His goodness instead of being paralyzed by fear? Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & The "Neighbor" Question of the Week 05:40 – Government Disclosures & Psyops 11:15 – The C.S. Lewis Trajectory (Space & The Image of God) 18:50 – Humanity: The Only Broken Species? 23:10 – Microevolution vs. Dystopian Timelines 31:45 – Deep Dive: The Fear of God (Dread vs. Delight) 42:10 – Discerning God in the Midst of Tragic Storms 54:30 – Narnia, Book Recs, and Closing Thoughts Key Verses & Quotes Isaiah 6: The foundational scene where the layers of the unseen realm are pulled back, revealing a holy God so otherworldly pure that even sinless angels cover their eyes. James 1:19: "Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger..." Notable Quote [00:19:12]: "I think we are the one species in the universe not doing what we are designed to do because we've rebelled against God, and that's the curse of sin." — Brad Holcomb Notable Quote [00:33:45]: "He’s not trembling because he’s terrified of his wife. He’s trembling because of delight. He’s so delighted to be with the object of his affection that his body is responding to it. That’s the fear of the Lord for the Christian." — Brad Holcomb Notable Quote [00:46:15]: "In moments of tragedy, you can uphold a good, big God theology... but as one Christian to another human, our job is to weep with those who weep, not explain everything." — Brad Holcomb Resources & Links Redemption Hill Church: https://www.redemptionhillfw.org/ Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redemptionhillfw/ Mentioned Essay: Religion and Rockets by C.S. Lewis (Found in The World's Last Night and Other Essays) Mentioned Books: The Pastor by Eugene Peterson Heaven by Randy Alcorn Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill Leadership on the Line by Martin Linsky and Ronald A. Heifetz Join the Conversation Got a question you’re "asking for a neighbor"? Email us: [email protected] Visit us in Fort Worth: Sundays 10 AM | 6301 Granbury Rd Fort Worth TX, 76133 Chapters (00:00:00) - Ask For A Neighbor(00:00:32) - A Question for Brad(00:00:46) - Paul Was Surprised By His Take on Aliens(00:03:02) - Pastor on the UFO Disclosure(00:06:38) - Ezekiel Saw Angels(00:09:00) - Trump on His Views on Aliens(00:09:50) - C. S. Lewis on Alien Life(00:12:54) - Louis C. Lewis On Aliens(00:15:59) - Macro-Evolution vs. Micro Evolution(00:19:46) - Lewis on Contact With Alien Aliens(00:23:34) - Trump on the Meeting With the Russians(00:24:01) - Chaos: The Story of the CIA and Charles Manson(00:25:20) - Favorite Books of All Time(00:27:56) - "Narnia: The Movie Review"(00:28:52) - The Beautiful Life of Narnia(00:31:22) - The Fear of God for the Non-Believer(00:36:36) - The Fear of the Lord for the Christian(00:41:48) - What Is Fear in People's Lives?(00:42:02) - Storms in the Life(00:43:05) - God's Fear of Storms(00:46:21) - Wonders of the World: The Great God(00:49:26) - TALKING TO SEAN

[This week a neighbor asked us how we should walk with someone who is struggling with their faith or going through deconstruction] In this episode of Asking for a Neighbor, we tackle three profound cultural and spiritual dynamics affecting modern Christian life: technology, youth gambling, and faith deconstruction. We begin by examining whether constant information exposure and AI are harming our critical thinking and emotional health. From there, we transition into a moral and regulatory discussion on the rapid rise of mobile sports betting among young adults and the vital role of parental discipleship. Finally, we explore how to patiently, prayerfully, and curiously walk alongside a friend or loved one who is walking away from their faith. How can we maintain deep relationships and speak truth in love without falling into the trap of manipulation? Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & The Question from a Neighbor: Overexposure to Information. A candid discussion on whether the modern 24-hour news cycle, doom scrolling, and constant information inundation are driving unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety compared to previous generations. 05:12 – Technology, AI, and the Human Soul: Evaluating the shift from critical thinking and manual skill sets to outsourced cognitive labor. The hosts unpack the pastoral framework of "Receive, Reject, Redeem" when engaging with technological advancements. 12:45 – Sports Betting & Parental Discipleship: Navigating the rapid legalization and societal ramifications of online gambling. The pastors distinguish between true investing (building objective value) and gambling, emphasizing that while government regulation has its place, the home and the church must serve as the primary moral anchors. 20:30 – Scriptural Deep Dive on Deconstruction: Defining the spectrum of faith deconstruction. The hosts contrast healthy theological refinement (reconstructing around truth) with total apostasy (abandoning core Christian doctrines like the Trinity and the Resurrection), grounding the discussion in Hebrews 6, 1 John 2, and the Parable of the Soils. 32:15 – Practical Takeaways for Walking with a Deconstructing Friend: Utilizing Proverbs 20:5 to draw out the deep waters of a friend's heart through slow, prayerful, and curious question-asking rather than defensive argumentation. 40:00 – Closing Thoughts & Outro: Embracing Christ's love for His broken bride, the church, and a robust 2-minute presentation of the Gospel message from Creation to Restoration. Key Verses & Quotes Proverbs 20:5: "The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out." 1 John 2:19: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us." Notable Quote: "Being a good friend oftentimes is this very slow, patient, prayerful, curious, drawing out of these deep waters within their heart in order to help them in a more helpful way... It allows stress to diminish from you because you no longer feel the weight of having to navigate the conversation a certain way." — Brad Notable Quote: "As we keep our eyes on Jesus, that actually grows our love and affection for the church, as broken and flawed as the church is... because we see how much Jesus loves his bride." — Shawn Resources & Links Redemption Hill Church: https://www.redemptionhillfw.org/ Mentioned Book:... Chapters (00:00:00) - Seniors Say They're Dying Earlier(00:01:06) - Is the overexposure to violence in the media causing PTSD?(00:04:08) - Sen. Rand Paul: Technology is Not the Problem(00:09:46) - The Future of Technology(00:11:23) - Who Should Fix AI?(00:14:43) - Ask For A Neighbor(00:15:16) - Should the Government Regulate Gambling?(00:21:06) - Pushing the moral issue of gambling(00:24:16) - Bradley on Gambling and Work(00:26:17) - Mixed Views on the Family(00:28:54) - Does Investing Be Sinful?(00:30:28) - Government regulation of social media(00:32:43) - God's Regulation of Sports Betting(00:37:06) - Choosing the Right Phone for Your Child(00:41:24) - What is Deconstruction?(00:45:28) - Questions about Dissent and Apostasy(00:48:43) - The Warning of Hebrews 6: Fall Away(00:53:48) - Separation of Deconstruction and Apostasy(00:59:21) - What is Unitarianism and the Trinity?(01:02:23) - Sean on The Question About My Sister's SSA(01:08:07) - Paul on Personal Criticism of Christians(01:10:21) - Keeping Our Eyes on Jesus(01:12:09) - Preaching the Gospel in 2 Minutes

Is gambling a sin, or is it a matter of Christian liberty? Today, we’re "asking for a neighbor" about the morality of modern sports betting and prediction markets, while diving deep into a difficult theological question: How do we hold our active responsibility to repent alongside God’s total sovereignty over our salvation? In other words…do we Repent ‘enough’? Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: The Great Pickle vs. Cucumber Debate 04:42 – The "Neighbor" Question: Christianity and Gambling 07:20 – Context: Legal Shifts, Technology, and Prediction Markets 11:15 – Is Gambling a Christian Liberty Issue? 14:30 – Stewardship: Time, Money, and the "Empty Thrill" 18:10 – Why Men? Testosterone, Risk, and the Search for Adventure 25:40 – Topic B: Is My Repentance "Repentant Enough"? 30:15 – Justification vs. Sanctification: Distinction Without Separation 34:50 – Scriptural Deep Dive: Worldly Grief vs. Godly Sorrow 39:10 – Practical Takeaways: John Owen and the Mortification of Sin 46:25 – Sovereignty vs. Responsibility: Psalm 51 and the Character of God 53:00 – Closing Thoughts & The Power of Community Prayer Key Verses & Quotes 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear them from heaven and I will forgive their sin and heal their land." Psalm 51: A scriptural blueprint of true repentance written by David after his sin with Bathsheba. Notable Quote [23:18]: "One look at sin and 10 looks at Jesus." Notable Quote [38:52]: "Always be killing sin or it’ll be killing you." – John Owen Notable Quote [46:00]: "Children born after 1995 are overprotected from the real world and underprotected from the virtual one." – The Anxious Generation Resources & Links Redemption Hill Church: https://www.redemptionhillfw.org/ Featured Book: The Mortification of Sin by John Owen Featured Book: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt Mentioned Article: Jim Essien (The Paradox) on gambling and testosterone Connect with us: https://www.instagram.com/redemptionhillfw/ Join the ConversationGot a question you’re "asking for a neighbor"? Email us: [email protected] Visit us in Fort Worth: Sundays at 10 AM | 6301 Granbury Rd Fort Worth TX, 76133 Chapters (00:00:00) - A Week in the Life of Jesus(00:01:03) - Redemption Hill Church Ministers on the Death and Resurrection(00:01:39) - Cucumbers vs Pickles(00:03:36) - Not everyone likes cucumbers or onions(00:04:24) - Christian Athletes on Sports Betting(00:07:15) - Poker and Sports Betting(00:13:41) - Gambling in the World(00:17:52) - Poker Heads: Do We Need to Protect Our Kids?(00:19:59) - Is My Repentance Good Enough?(00:23:14) - Brad on Repentance and His Finished Work(00:31:31) - How to Stop Being anxious About My Sin(00:35:24) - "Worldly Grief and Godly sorrow"(00:41:04) - How to Repent From Anxiety(00:41:53) - What Does It Look Like to Put Our Sin to Death?(00:46:35) - Is My Repentance Good Enough?(00:49:31) - Repentance and Hate Sin(00:51:28) - How to Repent(00:56:25) - A Question for Next Steps(00:57:39) - God's Sovereign Grace and Our Responsibility to Repent(01:01:55) - What True Repentance Looks Like in Psalm 51

Episode Summary: Was the death of Jesus merely a historical tragedy or a moral example? In this episode, we tackle the "neighbor" question: "What actually happened to Jesus on the cross, and why does it matter for us today?" We explore the difference between viewing the crucifixion as a mere "good example" versus the life-altering reality of substitutionary atonement. Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & The "Neighbor" Question of the Week: Public bathroom etiquette and practically sharing the Gospel. 05:12 – Relational Evangelism: Is there a set timeline for sharing your faith with a neighbor? 12:45 – The Substitution: Unpacking the core biblical truth of "God in our place." 20:30 – Scriptural Deep Dive: A look at 1 Peter 2 and 2 Corinthians 5:21. 32:15 – Historical Evidence: Addressing skepticism, the empty tomb, and the radical change in the Apostles. 40:00 – Practical Takeaways: Why the resurrection is transformational, not just informational. 48:00 – Closing Thoughts & Outro Key Verses & Quotes 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For he made him, Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him." 1 Peter 3:18: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God." Notable Quote: "[15:30] - 'Jesus took our place for our sins on the cross. And in exchange, when we trust in him, we are given his righteousness.'" — Brad Holcomb Notable Quote: "[32:20] - 'What hasn't been assumed can't be healed.'" — Athanasius (quoted by Shawn McCorkle) Resources & Links Redemption Hill Church: https://www.redemptionhillfw.org/ Mentioned Book: Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen Mentioned Series: The Chosen Connect with us: https://www.instagram.com/redemptionhillfw/ Join the Conversation: Got a question you're "asking for a neighbor"? Email us: [email protected] Visit us in Fort Worth: Sundays at 10:00 AM | 6301 Granbury Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76133 Special Services: Good Friday at 6:00 PM and Easter Sunday at 10:00 AM Chapters (00:00:00) - Boskoe(00:00:06) - Private Bathrooms for Christians(00:02:46) - Questions for the Blind(00:03:00) - When Do You Share the Gospel With People?(00:07:24) - Barber on Sharing the Gospel(00:11:33) - Podcasters on Podcasts(00:11:46) - What Happened To Jesus On The Cross?(00:15:32) - The Atonement and Its Discussions(00:20:50) - "What Do We Need to Do to Be Inspired by God?"(00:21:16) - Brad on Atonement in Christianity(00:26:39) - Bradley on Christianity and Liberalism(00:31:22) - Peter on the Crucifix(00:31:54) - 1 Peter 2,21-24(00:34:05) - How Do We Know Jesus Died and Rescued?(00:40:16) - "I Don't Believe Jesus Risen From the Dead"(00:43:25) - Jesus' Crucification(00:45:34) - "The Chosen" Cast Member on Netflix(00:48:39) - The Resurrection of Jesus(00:49:11) - Bradley on the Historical Evidence of the Resurrection(00:52:32) - How Do We Know the Resurrection Happened?(00:55:43) - Would You Be willing to Die for Something You Believe to Be True(00:59:49) - The Conspiracy of The Apostle Paul(01:03:22) - Democracy on the Resurrection(01:04:43) - What Does This Resurrection Mean For Us Today?