Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, ponders the demise of civilizations. This reflection was provoked by reading a recent post about “the European Union’s LGBTQ+ goodwill ambassador” who had “cross-dressed as a bearded Virgin Mary”—“a same-sex rendition of the Holy Family draped in the colors of the transgender flag.” Christians must not curse the darkness but build a lighthouse in the midst of the gathering storm. Christians...
Jan 06, 2022•6 min
How do some birds, turtles, and insects possess navigational abilities that rival the best manmade navigational technologies? Who or what taught the honey bee its dance, or its hive mates how to read the complex message of the dance? How do blind mound-building termites master passive heating and cooling strategies that dazzle skilled human architects? In The Origin of Species Charles Darwin conceded that such instincts are “so wonderful” that the mystery of their origin would strike many “as a...
Jan 06, 2022•1 hr 36 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯 broadcast, distinguishes between ministry-centric giving and soul-centric giving. CRI is committed to that which is soul-centric—interested in the spiritual benefit that giving abounds to the account of the giver. Less focused on the needs of ministry—though important and significant—CRI focuses more on the nous (mind/soul—“the eye of the heart,” “the seat of our spiritual perceptions”) ...
Jan 01, 2022•3 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯 broadcast, reflects on a scene from James Michener’s historical novel, The Covenant. Among the Xhosa people in South Africa, there was a shaman who looked into a dark pool of water and predicted that the great chiefs who once ruled the Xhosa people would miraculously return and regain control of the land, and the people would once again flourish—on the condition that Xhosa warriors first...
Jan 01, 2022•7 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯 broadcast, wishes all a glorious new year—a new year in which we are connected to the epicenter of the universe, which is the church. It is in the church that God dispenses the graces that transform us and prepare us for eternity. May God use us all this year for His glory and for the extension of His kingdom—“not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6).
Jan 01, 2022•2 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on the rage of the organization known as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). This time over the World Series because baseball pitchers warm up in what is called the “bullpen,” a term most insensitive to cattle. PETA suggests “Arm Barn.” As ridiculous as that may seem, it raises the question of what organizations like PETA are up to in the first place. Ultimately, th...
Dec 27, 2021•6 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Hank Unplugged podcast, reads portions of the latest letter from his sister Jobje, who is battling pancreatic cancer. She writes, “First and foremost, I want to wish you all a very blessed Christmas in our adoration of our Savior and Lord, the King of all Kings, for His indescribable gift of a Savior!....My adoration for my Savior has increased during this year of ‘blessings and affliction’ for all His supplied grace....
Dec 27, 2021•7 min
The Christian Research Institute would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy this special message from Hank Hanegraaff on the incarnation of Jesus Christ as an opportunity to celebrate the great exchange—Christ taking on our humanity so that we might become partakers of the divine nature. Listen to Hank’s podcast and follow Hank off the grid where he is joined by some of the brightest minds discussing topics you care about. Get equipped to be a cultural change agent. Archived epi...
Dec 23, 2021•43 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, meditates on the amazing ant and the brilliance of creation. Hank’s wife, Kathy, was lightly attacked by ants while hanging up Christmas lights, reminding him of the proverb, “Go to the ant, observe its ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer, or ruler, prepares its food in the summer and gathers its provision in the harvest” (Proverbs 6:6–8). Weaver ants build nests that are abou...
Dec 20, 2021•4 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, exhorts us to pause for a moment in the midst of our busy-ness and ponder the majesty of the word Immanuel. It is simply incredible to consider that when Isaiah, the holiest man in ancient Israel, prophesied, “the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14), he was literally predicting that in the future the One who spoke and the li...
Dec 20, 2021•2 min
There is no such thing as religious neutrality. Dr. Scott Hahn joins Hank Hanegraaff to discuss why Christians simply cannot compartmentalize our beliefs as if reality and religion are not intrinsically and existentially related. The privatization of faith has been perilous for the public square and as the world continues to become increasingly anti-Christian, it is imperative that Christians snap out of our “Spiritual Stockholm Syndrome” and claim the culture for Christ. The future of civiliza...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 46 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on another precious note from his older sister Jobje, who is battling pancreatic cancer. The suffering she endures is almost beyond imagination, yet in the midst of her pain, she again and again extols God’s mercy and grace—and says how unworthy she feels in the midst of His abundant blessings. Jobje writes, “Even this morning’s travel to the cancer center was breathtakingly beauti...
Dec 14, 2021•3 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on a recent note from his sister Jobje, who is battling pancreatic cancer. Jobje exemplifies gratitude—in the midst of suffering and exhaustion. Picture Jobje laying in a hospital bed, looking out the window. As she does, a hymn is going through her mind—“Beneath the Cross of Jesus”—capturing both her heart and rational mind. Looking out her window, she sees, partially blocked by o...
Dec 13, 2021•6 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯 broadcast, offers a meditation on thanksgiving—the gateway to righteousness. Thanksgiving is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. Prayer without thanksgiving is like a bird without wings. Each day we ought to approach God overflowing with thankfulness. Our thankfulness flows from the sure knowledge that our heavenly Father knows precisely what we need, and He will ...
Dec 10, 2021•3 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and Host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on Benny Hinn’s misuse of Scripture in “7 Reasons for the Rapture.”[ https://www.bennyhinn.org/podcast/7-reasons-for-the-rapture/ ] Hinn cites Christ’s words in John 14:3 as teaching a secret pretribulational rapture: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (KJV). In Hinn’s paradigm, the church...
Dec 09, 2021•6 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on a recent Wall Street Journal opinion article, “Are Internet Services as Good as Church?” by Paul Glader and John Semakula. The authors write about how digital worship has overtaken the Christian church, particularly among Evangelicals. Almost half of people who responded to a survey now believe that online services are as good as in-person services. Many don’t want to return to ...
Dec 09, 2021•5 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, conveys another eloquent and convicting message from his sister Jobje, who is battling pancreatic cancer. Before her many missionary trips and travels, she would, of course, need to pack—and then unpack afterward. But now she is going on a journey that requires no packing. Jobje writes, “This time, I find myself unpacking for the greatest journey of my life—for my eternal home. In church th...
Dec 04, 2021•5 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, considers the temptation of Eve in light of the literal principle of biblical interpretation. To read Scripture literally is to read it as literature. This means that we are to interpret the Word of God just as we interpret other forms of communication—in the most obvious and natural sense. Thus, when Moses uses the symbolism of a snake, we do violence to his intentions if we interpret him ...
Dec 03, 2021•4 min
Do you give with a joyful heart? According to today’s guest Dr. Andrew Geleris, “An utterly breathtaking divergence has developed between the joy of giving that God intends his people to experience and the way many Christians view giving as an unpleasant but necessary obligation of church membership.” Simply put, for many of us money has an unhealthy hold on our hearts. This conversation will challenge you to make a change in your life and view your finances from an eternal perspective. The Lord...
Nov 30, 2021•1 hr 31 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reads from a public letter written by Christian florist Barronelle Stutzman. Her courageous nine-year legal battle for religious liberty has ended in a settlement. Willing to stand on her convictions, she is a tremendous example of Christ-honoring perseverance.
Nov 24, 2021•9 min
Seemingly no topic is off limits when it comes to Anne Kennedy—a prolific author who has compiled a comprehensive catalogue of the cultural issues facing our world today through her contributions to the Christian Research Journal. She joins Hank Hanegraaff to discuss the topics of several of her articles in a wide-ranging conversation that touches on gaslighting, Black Lives Matter, modern attacks on womanhood, cancel culture and much more. Topics discussed include: On leaving the Episcopal chur...
Nov 18, 2021•1 hr 27 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and Host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, honors our nation’s Veterans—all who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Thank you for your sacrificial service. In The Dying Citizen, Victor Davis Hanson writes of a troubling poll concerning the lack of understanding many have about what it means to be a citizen of the United States. Hanson reminds us that citizenship is not indestructible—“the more it includes everyone, the le...
Nov 11, 2021•4 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, recently spoke with the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia. Hank asked this remarkable servant of Christ to speak to the significance of the church—as the sphere within which union with God is accomplished. His Eminence explained that “to be a Christian does involve personal experience but not isolated experience—to belong to the community of the faith….Not ‘I’ but ‘we....
Nov 04, 2021•7 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, recently spoke with the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia. In this brief episode, Hank asked his Eminence to share about his love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “What matters is not salvation as an idea, but the Savior. Christianity is not about ‘what.’ It is about ‘Who’—our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Indeed, says Metropolitan Kallistos, “salvation is not ju...
Nov 03, 2021•3 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, recently spoke with the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia. In this brief episode, Hank asked his Eminence to share the remarkable account of how he became Orthodox as a young man. Significant influences in the Metropolitan’s life included the writings of the Desert Fathers and a particular experience he had within an Orthodox Church in London—an experience of “heaven ...
Nov 02, 2021•7 min
Hank Hanegraaff, the host of the 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯 broadcast and the 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘜𝘯𝘱𝘭𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘥 podcast, reflects on the virtue and spiritual discipline of reading. Tragically, many have given up on this wonderful discipline, or perhaps have never engaged it in the first place. Reading provides one with new heights of perspective and new depths of understanding. Some of the greatest breakthroughs in insight and understanding that Hank has experienced in his life have come as a dire...
Nov 02, 2021•3 min
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on the significance of the U. S. State Department having issued the first passport with a gender designation “X.” This monumental decision is analogous to a submarine earthquake—barely noticeable on the surface of the water above—that triggers a catastrophic tsunami. The United States government has now effectively determined that one can no longer designate the gender of a human b...
Oct 29, 2021•6 min
What must I do to be saved? This is a popular question—and an important one—but it is not the gospel. It is a response to the gospel. For many the gospel has often been reduced to a sales pitch of what Jesus can do for you. But, the gospel isn’t about what Jesus can do for you. The gospel is a declaration of what Jesus has done, solving the three biggest problems facing mankind—defeating death, sin and domination by demons. Hank is joined by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick to discuss what the true co...
Oct 26, 2021•2 hr 5 min
Hank Hanegraaff, the host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast and the Hank Unplugged podcast, shares a parable of sorts from his sister Jobje, who is fighting pancreatic cancer. In the parable she receives a large mirror through which she looks back to survey the many years God has so graciously given to her. “I’m ashamed as I look back and see my road of life,” writes Jobje, “a road of life strewn thick with stones, rocks, and boulders—my transgressions are everywhere…making for a very rough and ...
Oct 21, 2021•8 min
Hank Hanegraaff, the host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast and the Hank Unplugged podcast, reads an insightful article that captures the very issues he too thinks about when passing through an airline terminal. The article is by Spencer Klavan, “Life in the Airline Terminal,” The American Mind (September 30, 2021), https://americanmind.org/salvo/life-in-the-airline-terminal/ .
Oct 21, 2021•7 min
