There have been a number of controversies in the headlines recently, with Bad Bunny's halftime performance vs. TPUSA's, President Trump's video mishap, and the competing interpretations of the Epstein files. What's a Christian to make of it all? Are each week's headlines worth our time? If so, why, and what guidelines should we observe? CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and a survey of the events that prompted the episode 04:00 - Finding balance in how much we consume 12:49 - Principles for choosing what ...
Feb 16, 2026•1 hr 2 min
We begin a look at some of the Bible's more controversial topics, focusing this week on genocide like the flood and the Canaanite conquest, and slavery in the Old and New Testaments CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and the importance of wrestling with difficult questions 04:46 - Genocide and God's character 15:19 - Was it solely about the Nephilim? 23:55 - Slavery - chattel, indentured servitude, or both? 34:15 - How cultural contexts impact the discussion 38:16 - Why isn't this situation ethics? 45:38 ...
Feb 09, 2026•1 hr 3 min
We continue our list of the biggest challenges facing the church this year! CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and the Rising Threat of AI 10:28 - A looming confrontation over gender roles 21:55 - Political division in the church 37:08 - We're correcting errors of the past, but... 47:14 - The biggest problem continues to be... 01:03:41 - Recapping our Top 10 list With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit our sponsors at cobbpublishing.com Visit us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co...
Feb 02, 2026•1 hr 7 min
4 years ago we listed what we considered to be the biggest threats facing the churches of Christ in 2022. With so much happening since then, we thought it would be a good time to revisit our lists and update them for 2026. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and the need to get serious 08:27 - Are we impacting the culture? 24:40 - Uniting the highly divided generations 37:08 - Plugged-in leadership 47:47 - The lack of decisive leadership 54:21 - Honorable mentions and previewing part 2 With Will Harrub, Jac...
Jan 26, 2026•1 hr
We discuss perhaps the one facet of Sunday church life we have yet to cover: the Bible class. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 04:04 - The history of Sunday School 10:03 - The pros and cons of age-segregated classes 18:21 - When do youths need to graduate? Can women teach a baptized boy? 26:16 - How can we maximize the usefulness of kids' classes? 33:38 - What is the best format for adult Bible classes? 43:12 - How can you get more out of a class as a listener - even if it's dry? 50:19 - Should any topic...
Jan 19, 2026•1 hr 11 min
Old friends Titus Anderson and Daniel Mayfield join Jack for a discussion on 6 different interpretive approaches you can use when studying your Bible! CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and reading vs. studying 05:41 - The Bible as storybook 13:48 - The Bible as "true myth" 20:16 - "Love letter" vs. Rule book 42:46 - Zooming in (exegesis) vs. zooming out (typology) 55:40 - Practical tips for using these approaches in your Bible time With Jack Wilkie, Titus Anderson, and Daniel Mayfield Follow us at focusp...
Jan 12, 2026•1 hr 5 min
We begin 2026 with a look at an issue that is rapidly becoming one of the most important of the decade. Across religious, political, and generational lines, views on Israel and the Jewish faith and people are wildly misaligned. We discuss the lay of the land, what is out of bounds, and how to entertain these difficult conversations. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and statistics 05:44 - Kanye, October 7, and how we got here 09:34 - Generational and religious differences 15:03 - The complicated relations...
Jan 05, 2026•1 hr 3 min
We discuss the allegations of mass fraud perpetrated by Somalians running government-funded day cares in Minnesota and other states. Tune in Monday for the full episode of Think Deeper: Israel, Judaism, and "Jewish Influence" With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co
Jan 02, 2026•9 min
We recap the year that was and count down our top 10 storylines, touching on topics such as Charlie Kirk, Israel, the new pope, youth culture (6-7!), sports betting, and more. With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Join us at focuspress.org/plus to catch the exclusive Deep End episode each week. Check out our sponsors at cobbpublishing.com And, join our mailing lists at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co...
Dec 29, 2025•1 hr 9 min
We discuss the hot controversy regarding whether parents should tell their kids about Santa Claus. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and why we're doing an episode on the topic 05:30 - History of St. Nicholas and Santa Claus 08:52 - Is it a lie? 27:32 - Taking it too far: making Santa God, and manipulating behavior 37:40 - Taking it too far: parents overdoing it 49:16 - Romans 14 and disagreeing charitably With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com Visit us at f...
Dec 20, 2025•56 min
"We don't go to church, we ARE the church." Well, kind of. On this episode, the crew discusses whether the church is the people who go there, the institution, or something in between. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introducing the question 06:58 - Is the church just the people? 11:32 - "It's not an organization, it's an organism" - true or false? 16:25 - The church requires purpose 31:25 - The community church to Catholic church pendulum 36:54 - The house church question 42:22 - When church leadership goes w...
Dec 15, 2025•1 hr 10 min
It's suddenly a hot debate as to whether it's wrong for parents to tell their kids Santa Claus is real. In this Think Fast, we give our takes and discuss why it's a controversy when it seemingly wasn't before. Tune in on Monday for the full episode, 'What is the Church?' With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie focuspress.org jackwilkie.co
Dec 11, 2025•15 min
Joe and Will interview Jack about his new book, You Are Saved: The Christian's Assurance. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and announcing Jack's book 05:05 - Why write a book on assurance of salvation? 13:00 - The problem of legalism 20:24 - How lacking assurance keeps us from spiritual maturity 26:10 - Why focusing on doctrinal differences keeps us insecure 35:32 - The problem of overreacting to "faith alone" and cheap grace 41:34 - Do we have a "personal relationship" with God? Does the Holy Spirit ind...
Dec 08, 2025•1 hr 5 min
It's our 200th episode! We got together for a wide-ranging discussion across the spectrum of personal, spiritual, work, and more. Topics include: - Best marriage improvement books - Most impactful books - Christians and Harry Potter - Where the feminist movement stands today - Avoiding hypocrisy in leadership - The proper place of sports, movies, and other hobbies - Finding time for silence - The importance of financial discipline - What Joe would change about therapy world - Navigating family b...
Nov 24, 2025•1 hr 57 min
Are we doing enough to protect our children from abuse in the church? What about preventing and handling harassment among adults? On this week's Think Deeper, we discuss the alarming statistics surrounding sexual abuse and the crucial steps we must take to safeguard our congregations. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introductory thoughts and the reason for this episode 08:27 - Statistics and the scope of the problem 14:25 - Dealing with repentant offenders 21:50 - The responsibilities of church leaders 27:31 ...
Nov 17, 2025•55 min
"Hellfire and Brimstone" preaching is often thought of as a relic of Sundays gone by... but should it be? Have we overcorrected and begun to under-emphasize hell? We discuss CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introductory thoughts 05:40 - Biblical terms for afterlife (Hades, Sheol) and punishment (Gehenna, Tartarus) 13:48 - Jesus' words on hell 20:28 - God's nature and punishment 29:40 - Hell in the epistles 35:39 - Consequences of over-emphasizing hell 45:47 - Consequences of under-emphasizing hell 55:09 - Does...
Nov 10, 2025•1 hr 4 min
With the government shut down set to leave federal SNAP benefits for groceries unfunded, we discuss this issue from a Biblical lens and discuss the church's duty in times like these. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and covering the problem 05:33 - Problems with the program 12:28 - Compassion and its guidelines 17:00 - Biblical principles from Leviticus and 2 Thessalonians 23:30 - Guidelines for churches 34:00 - The "Fudge Rounds" problem and what charitable money should buy 48:19 - Think Fast: Nick Fuen...
Nov 03, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In the wake of leading conservative commentator Tucker Carlson's interview with controversial figure Nick Fuentes, a great debate has been waged online about the matter of "platforming." Should we have public dialogue with objectionable people? What are the limits? When it comes to the church, where do we draw the line of those we can speak with even if we disagree, and those whom we must mark and avoid? We discuss, on this week's Think Fast. Check us out at focuspress.org, and join Jack's email...
Oct 31, 2025•14 min
In this episodes we examine 5 common challenges in the churches of Christ, and what can be done about them. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and an overview of the church's reputation 05:00 - What is the proper place of emotion in the church? 15:57 - Do we pray enough? Do we know how? 27:50 - Where are we falling short in our Bible study? 36:42 - Why do so many people fail to feel God's grace? 45:58 - How do we avoid becoming legalistic without compromising doctrine? 55:32 - THINK FAST: Is Halloween fadi...
Oct 27, 2025•1 hr 5 min
Jack and Joe continue the discussion of having a backbone, with a practical look at what it takes to stand for truth in life's different situations. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and recap 11:04 - Principles for taking a stand: Have a Biblical moral compass 13:15 - Principles: fear God and not man 18:10 - Principles: love people 22:04 - Principles: prepare to be hated 26:49 - Standing for truth in the church 37:09 - Standing for truth in your marriage 51:20 - Standing for truth in your parenting 56:00...
Oct 20, 2025•1 hr 10 min
As C.S. Lewis wrote, "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." Every virtue we have to possess as Christians is only as good as the courage we have to stand behind it. Yet, we live in a time when courage is in short supply. In this episode, we discuss the importance of having a backbone. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and opening thoughts 06:11 - Hegseth's example 12:15 - How your backbone reveals your purpose 20:51 - The cost of lacking a backbone 2...
Oct 13, 2025•1 hr 4 min
In a world that shoves sexuality in our face every day, the church must not fail to rise to the challenge. We discuss where the Christian response often goes wrong in the church and the home, and what can be done about it. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and announcement 01:48 - The church's shortcomings on this topic 14:13 - How to start an accountability program 19:28 - Teaching beyond just abstinence 29:10 - What about purity culture? 34:36 - Where parents can go wrong 41:12 - Why you need to talk ab...
Oct 06, 2025•1 hr 11 min
Marco Arroyo of 'In Between Sundays' joins the show! We discuss: 00:00 - Intro and the church's "YouTuber Mt Rushmore" 02:28 - Getting the CoC to talk to each other 10:36 - How to stay plugged in to the conversations that matter 19:00 - Is the church of Christ an echo chamber? 30:10 - Evangelizing in the digital public square 35:44 - An appeal to get involved 52:03 - Think Fast: Erika Kirk's Act of Forgiveness With Jack Wilkie and Joe Wilkie You can follow Marco at his YouTube channel Check out ...
Sep 29, 2025•1 hr 1 min
Charlie Kirk's tragic death has sparked a renewed interest in Christianity in many who were previously indifferent. This week, the crew discusses what the church can do to make this stick and not just be a temporary bounce. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and reason for optimism 04:20 - Should churches preach on current events? 23:45 - A frank look at the churches of Christ 38:00 - Getting outside our bubble 43:20 - Crafting a message to the seekers With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check ou...
Sep 22, 2025•1 hr
The TD crew discusses the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Kirk's work, and the church's response Chapters: 00:00 - Intro and why this event felt different 09:32 - Rejecting Bothsidesism 18:46 - The courage to point out what's really happening 22:55 - Rejecting Aboveitallism 35:32 - The place of righteous anger 44:50 - Can we stomach difficult realities? 52:00 - What must be done
Sep 11, 2025•1 hr 3 min
There are many misused verses in the Bible, and some of the biggest distortions are made from Jesus' own words. We discuss 5 verses from the Gospels that have been twisted to say something they don't say, along with how to discern the proper use for them. Topics: 00:00 - Intro and recapping our previous misused verses episode 09:35 - Throwing stones 19:10 - Who are "The least of these?" 26:15 - Who's coming to dinner? 35:05 - Family ties 41:48 - Excused absences Check out our sponsor at cobbpubl...
Sep 08, 2025•53 min
Today's generation of seekers are not like those of the past. They may not be interested in debates over issues like instrumental worship like people were before. Instead, they want to find something serious, with roots, and able to stand against the evils of our day. With those points of emphasis, is the church of Christ the best option? We discuss: 00:00 - Intro 06:24 - The blessing and wisdom of church autonomy 14:15 - Where does church history stand? 22:10 - The case for local elders over a ...
Sep 01, 2025•1 hr 7 min
We discuss the big news in the sports and entertainment world and what it means for feminism, the family, cultural influence on people's values, and more Join our email lists at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.com
Aug 28, 2025•10 min
Cracker Barrel's disastrous rebrand has been a hot topic online. But when ew peel back why it has been such a disaster, we can find important lessons for the church on building culture, having an identity, chasing approval, and more. We discuss: 00:00 - Intro and Cracker Barrel's Rebrand 06:12 - Identity, Culture, and the Church 17:30 - All things to all men? 24:35 - Courting the world's approval 41:38 - Starving the sheep to feed the goats 46:30 - Enforcing a standard Check out our sponsors at ...
Aug 25, 2025•1 hr
We respond to listener questions on a broad variety of topics! 00:00 - Intro and a fun question to start 06:10 - What happened to Joseph? 11:00 - Demons, Nephilim, and the Flood 17:20 - What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit? 22:45 - Jesus's childhood and the age of accountability 30:32 - Questioning a Deuteronomic Law about sexual sin 38:45 - How do you deal with church disappointment? 47:51 - Church camp baptisms 1:03:15 - Dating someone with different beliefs Visit our sponsor at cobbpub...
Aug 18, 2025•1 hr 13 min
