The role of women in the church has long been a debated topic. This week we take on the big issues like women preachers and what prominent women in the Bible teach us, along with a number of practical questions, including: - Non-speaking roles in worship - "Children's minister" and other titles - Church internships - Ladies Days With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie See focuspress.org for more!
This week we take on one of the Bible's most philosophically challenging questions: how much free will do we actually have? Topics include: - Where do we fall on the spectrum of determinism, middle knowledge, or open theism? - Did Pharaoh have a choice when he was "hardened by God?" - What about when God allowed a "deceiving influence" to do His work? - Were key players like John the Baptist and Judas effectively forced to help God accomplish His will? - What are the limits of free will? With Wi...
The guys take a look at Calvinism and the big questions it presents, including: - The 5 points of Calvinism (TULIP) - Whether man has a sin nature - Which system is more consistent with God's character - Calvinism's weakest point With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie
This week we take on the difficult but important topic of suicide. Topics include: - Why the rate is so much higher among males than females - How the mental health industry often doesn't help and sometimes makes the problem worse - Why faith is the answer... but also why it's not as simple as that - Questions like is suicide a sin, and does it bring automatic condemnation? With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie
Some people are big on chasing goals and resolutions. Others aren't. Does it matter? Do Christians have a duty to aim to grow year over year? Topics include: - Why aimlessness makes us the 1 talent man of Matthew 25 - How do we balance contentment with what we have in life without becoming complacent? - How to make plans without assuming we know what tomorrow holds (see James 4) - All of the things and people depending on your growth - Tips and resources for sustained growth With Will Harrub, Ja...
We respond to listener questions, including: - Does the church of Christ have a cult of personality problem? - Why should I stay in the church of Christ? - What's the biggest challenge facing congregations in 2024? - What are the advantages and disadvantages of small groups? - What should we make of the decline of evening services? And is extended AM worship a positive change? - Can Christians join others' religious celebrations to "become all things to all men?" - Where is the line between righ...
In the churches of Christ congregations are autonomous... to a point. Deciding when a line has been crossed and others have become beyond fellowship is a delicate but critical matter. Topics include: - The tendencies of progressivism and hyperconservatism - Being open to one another without becoming compromised - Being exclusive without being exclusionary - Whether there's a difference between salvation issues and fellowship issues - Are churches supposed to "police" one another? With Will Harru...
There are many things the Bible does not discuss. There are also plenty of things it discusses briefly or vaguely without giving a firm answer as to what we should do. How do we handle those matters? Romans 14 shows us. We discuss: - The role of the weaker brother and stronger brother - The "tyranny of the weaker brother" vs. the laxness of those who may think themselves strong - How God expects us to use our wisdom - What elders can and can't bind - Specifics like religious holidays, entertainm...
How we dress for worship has been a hot topic on social media recently. We discuss the controversial meme that started it all and give our takes on the matter of church clothes from a number of angles, including: - Is it only a matter of where a person's heart is? - James 2 and preferential treatment - Why do we dress differently on Wednesday night? - What the Old Testament teaches us - Should we avoid making visitors uncomfortable? Join us on Focus+ for the exclusive Deep End episode each week!...
We discuss what the church may look like in 10 years and what needs to change. Topics include: - Why the status quo can't be maintained - The single biggest issue we're facing - How we've failed at training leaders - The place of doctrine in the coming years - How the family and the home are key to a better future and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Join us on Focus+ at focuspress.org/plus to get access to the Deep End bonus segments, our Revelation class, and plenty more!...
We celebrate our 100th episode with a "Get to know your hosts" series of questions. Topics cover a wide range, including: - Bible questions - Church matters - Personal goals - Food, sports, and culture takes - The past and future of the podcast, and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie
We continue our 2-part series on sexuality with a look at how proper masculinity and femininity aid the married couple's sexual relationship, and how misplaced gender roles hurt it. We also share advice for the unmarried, young marrieds, and beyond. With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie
Sex used to be a taboo topic in both the church and the culture. But when the culture started talking about it in all the wrong ways, we didn't rise to meet the challenge. We discuss: - The two ditches the culture has created for us, and how we fall into both - What the Bible has to say on the matter, particularly in the Song of Solomon - Answering the specific questions that rarely get discussed This is a mature discussion, so we advise not listening in the company of children. With Will Harrub...
Paganism has seen rapid growth in recent years, with people giving up Christianity and even atheism to worship "gods" like Thor, Odin, and Zeus. TikTok is especially driving this trend among young people. We may be a few years away from these religions posing a major opposition to the church. So, what do Christians need to know about them? We discuss this and more, including: - What do modern pagans even do? - Pagan gods in the Bible and their role in Christian history - What role did Harry Pott...
Many operate with the belief that Israel remains God's chosen people. This drives both their current politics and their expectations for how the world will end. In fact, dispensational premillennialism may be the foremost view of the end times in evangelicalism today. This week we examine that belief. Topics include: - The history of these beliefs, and why you should be wary of your study Bible - Israel's place in history, and the future - Differing views of which Bible prophecies are yet to hap...
Everybody who's ever lived wants to know what happens after we die. Though the Bible does not lay out a full description of how things will be, it does give us a number of glimpses. This week's episode examines those and explores a number of questions about the afterlife, including: - What is the difference between Hell and Hades, and what is Sheol? - Do we go to heaven when we die, or a place of waiting? - If we're already sorted into places of rest and torment, what is the point of Judgment Da...
We look at popular memes and shareable quips from social media and examine their Biblical accuracy, including: - "God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers" - "You don't have a soul, you are a soul. You have a body." - Heaven gained another angel." and more Plus, a discussion on maintaining reverence in our humor, and on the Christian's use of social media.
We live in a culture obsessed with self-love and self-care. In this week's episode, we discuss: are these practices selfish, or should Christians engage in them? Topics include: - How modern innovations have created mental health problems - If Jesus practiced self-care - Where "Jesus, Others, Yourself" often goes wrong - Does "Love your neighbor as yourself" require us to develop self-love? - How therapeutic terminology gets corrupted to legitimize bad habits...
We conclude our brief series on money with a look at the claim that Jesus was a socialist. Topics include: - Did the early church practice socialism in Acts 2 and Acts 4? - Is it true that socialism is "a good idea on paper?" - Shouldn't the Christian advocate for everyone to have healthcare, shelter, etc.? Don't forget to check out the books going up for pre-order at focuspress.org/shop
Money is one of the most misunderstood topics of the Christian life. This week we try to cut through the confusion on a number of topics, including: - Is it wrong to desire to make good money? - Where is the balance between preparing like the Proverbs vs. the vice of building bigger barns (Luke 12)? - Gambling - Is Dave Ramsey right? - Do we need to tithe? - What should churches do with their excess contributions? Join us on Focus+ to contribute comments and questions for our weekly Deep End bon...
We discuss the "Nice Guy" issue plaguing modern masculinity and why it subverts everything God intended for men to be. Topics include: - Why "Nice Guys" are unsuited to lead their home and make everyone miserable - The reason "bad boys" like Andrew Tate are popular - "Nice Guys" in positions of political power - "Nice Guys" vs. True masculinity in the Bible - How "Nice Guys" in church leadership slowly choke the life out of the congregation - The role of women in raising and encouraging "Nice Gu...
We conclude our brief series on evangelical trends with a look at: - The "Radical" discipleship of Francis Chan and David Platt - What to take from the Duggars and Bill Gothard's representations of patriarchy and homeschooling - What happened when Josh Harris kissed dating goodbye and what became of all those "True Love Waits" promise rings
We start a two part series on evangelical trends of the last 50 years, this week focusing on the rise of megachurch/seeker sensitive churches, plus the "Emerging Church" of the early 2000s. Topics include: - Where "Relationship over Religion" came from and why it's wrong - How the biggest churches of the 80s and 90s set us up for the decline we're seeing today - What ever happened to the "Emerging church" and its anti-building, anti-rules emphasis? - Where we see the influences of these movement...
This week we discuss the church's long and storied "Cancel Culture," when Christians cut off relationships and silence brethren over minor doctrinal disputes. We cover: - The wicked incentives of measuring our doctrinal purity by others - Why we should be careful with terms like "false teacher" and "false doctrine" - How "Do not judge lest you be judged" comes into play - When to draw the line, and how to do it in love Join us on Focus+ to get access to the Deep End bonus episode every week, alo...
We take on a subscriber suggestion to reexamine the ways we do worship and see how they could be more effective. Topics include: - How can we bring more passion to our song service without making it a performance? - Can the Lord's Supper be made more communal? - Are there "5 acts of worship?" - Is the invitation Biblical? Join us on Focus+ where you'll get access to the video episodes of Think Deeper along with a weekly Deep End episode where we respond to comments and questions. focuspress.org/...
Aliens and UFOs have long been a fringe interest in our society - that is, until very recently. With government officials claiming encounters with UFOs and maybe even aliens themselves, suddenly the issue is being taken much more seriously. What are Christians to make of this? Do aliens exist? And if so, what would that mean for the Christian faith? Is it all one big hoax, created to distract us from some other more pressing news? Or, is it all very real, but not what we think? Join us for the s...
This week we share our Top 5 Favorite Bible books and debate each others' lists. We finish with a discussion of what might be the Top 5 Most Important or Impactful books in the Bible. We'd love to read what's on your lists! Leave a comment on Focus+, our FB page, or the YouTube video.
This week we look at alleged Bible contradictions, including some tough questions like: - Did God tempt Abraham, contradicting James 1:13? - Moses talked with God face to face, why does John 1:18 say no one has seen God? - Was God dishonest in dealing with Ahab and the prophet Micaiah? We answer these and more! Don't forget to check out our 25% off summer sale at focuspress.org/shop
One of the biggest attacks on the Christian faith today is aimed at the Bible's reliability. The culture insists we should see the Word as nothing more than a flawed collection of folk tales. We discuss why you can have full confidence in your Bible, along with: - Scientific proofs - Prophetic and historic accuracy - Plus, a discussion on how to properly use apologetics, as sword or shield
We've lost all understanding of what it means to be a kid, an adult, and an elderly person. Kids are rushed into adulthood by being confronted with serious issues and being allowed to make all kinds of decisions for themselves. Adults want to get to their 20s and stay there as long as possible. And nobody wants to be old. But God has given us blessings and responsibilities in each of these phases in life. Sadly, too many Christians have been discipled by the culture and don't have His view of ho...
