What assumptions do we pass along to young Christians about what the Christian life is like? And how might we pass along the faith to young Christians in ways that help them foster a faith that endures? Tim and Rick resume the discussion with John Marriott (PhD) on the topic of Christian deconversion. They discuss what parents, pastors, and Christian educators can do to help young Christians through doubt, handle differing convictions, and gaining perspective on difficulty, pain, and suffering. ...
Oct 11, 2021•27 min•Ep. 29
In advance of the upcoming conference, Digital Hope: Reclaiming the Online Public Square, on October 2, 2021 at Biola University, Tim is joined by Dr. Joy Qualls (Associate Dean of Communication Studies at Biola University) to discuss the pains and pressures of online incivility and whether we can be civil in online discourse. Tim and Joy highlights challenges of online discourse and discuss some strategies for online engagement, and they provide a taste of topics and issues that will be covered...
Sep 27, 2021•23 min•Ep. 28
Stories of Christians abandoning their faith have us thinking about the relationship between deconversion and convictions. So, when we heard about John Marriott's book, The Anatomy of Deconversion, it got our attention. Today on the podcast, John joins Tim and Rick to talk about Christians losing their convictions. They dig into surveys, statistics, and stories involving people who leave the Christian faith and consider some dynamics that may have undermined the durability of their convicti...
Sep 13, 2021•25 min•Ep. 27
Tim and Rick resume the discussion with Simon Greer, social entrepreneur and founder of Bridging the Gap, on his more recent project with students at Oberlin College and Spring Arbor University. Simon unpacks the skills and practices he has found beneficial in helping students find common ground. They also discuss the relationship between technique and skill and matters of the heart and motivation when seeking to find common ground, and they discuss the power of an immersive experience to foster...
Aug 30, 2021•37 min•Ep. 26
Simon Greer is a social entrepreneur with an interesting story. One of his more recent efforts in social change involves helping students at Oberlin, a more progressive college, and students at Spring Arbor, a more conservative university, find common ground. In this first part of the discussion with Tim and Rick, Simon shares the personal and vocation origins that provide the backdrop for this project with university students and how he began to organize these efforts. In part 2, Simon will sha...
Aug 16, 2021•26 min•Ep. 25
We've been talking about conflict and what causes conflict. In this episode, Tim and Rick resume the discussion on conflict and discuss the influence of phatic communication, the place of humor, and the need to do soul work when one is not in the throes of conflict in order to engage conflict in healthy ways when it arises. This is part 2 of a 2-part discussion on conflict. Show notes and a full transcript are available at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/winsome-conviction/2021/episode-24-conf...
Aug 02, 2021•26 min•Ep. 24
Conflict - it's part of being human, but we usually don't handle it well. Arguments and disagreements are more likely to break down and divide rather than strengthen and fortify our relationships and communities. As indicated in the New Testament letters, the early Church saw quarreling as the great existential threat to the health and influence of the Church. How should we address conflict and quarreling today? One of the more helpful practices with conflict is to identify the trigger...
Jul 19, 2021•35 min•Ep. 23
In part 1 of this segment on Reports from The Front, Sean McDowell (PhD) shared insight from his conversation with pastor/author Colby Martin on the differences between evangelical Christianity and progressive Christianity and how to keep the conversation civil and engaging. In this episode, Tim and Rick speak with Sean about a conversation he had with Jon Steingard, former frontman for the Christian band Hawk Nelson, who deconverted from Christianity. Sean shares the backstory on his conversati...
Jul 05, 2021•18 min•Ep. 22
It's difficult to keep conversations on hot topics conversational and keep the back and forth from devolving into a debate. In this segment of Reports from The Front where we share stories of people who demonstrate winsome conviction in real life, Sean McDowell (PhD) talks with Tim and Rick about his experience having conversations with those who have left evangelicalism. They discuss how to organize a conversation to keep it civil and engaging, the value of having moments of clarity, being...
Jun 21, 2021•26 min•Ep. 21
Preston Sprinkle (PhD) joins Tim and Rick to discuss what to do when you don't know what to do to foster healthy conversations on sexuality and gender and how to mix truth and love into these conversations. They discuss the importance of understanding "the already spokens," a phrase coined by Mikhail Bakhtin, a Russian philosopher and linguist, that refers to the social and personal histories, past hurts, and context embedded in every conversation. They also reflect on the need to...
Jun 07, 2021•34 min•Ep. 20
Tim and Rick resume the conversation on obstacles to listening and discuss two postures that undermine listening: "ambushing" and "dropping the mic." These postures can have the appearance of listening, but in actuality the listener is pretending to listen to the speaker and is primarily concerned with his own interests. With both postures, the listener is absorbed in breaking down what is said or gaining some kind of advantage, and these postures affect relationships in dama...
May 24, 2021•26 min•Ep. 19
Listening is important, a basic and vital action for learning, communicating, and fostering healthy relationships. When we don’t listen, our relationships suffer and unravel. In his book, The Road Less Traveled, psychiatrist M. Scott Peck says the number one way we show love to someone is by listening to them. The Bible also puts a premium on listening and regards those who don’t listen as fools. Yet, we are losing the ability to listen today. What undermines our ability to listen? In this episo...
May 10, 2021•24 min•Ep. 18
Tim and Rick continue the discussion on the three waves of feminism with Dr. Julia Wood, noted gender theorist and leading communication scholar. In this episode, they discuss how women in the third wave of feminism were key beneficiaries of first and second wave feminism, but they were doing things differently. Dr. Wood addresses two key developments with the third wave of feminism – intersectionality and building alliances. The discussion also draws out the importance of understanding a person...
Apr 26, 2021•19 min•Ep. 17
In this segment of "Getting Up To Speed," leading scholar Dr. Julia Wood joins Tim and Rick to discuss the topic of feminism. They discuss the three waves of feminism, key figures and prominent issues in each wave as well as common misperceptions, including debunking the emblematic act of bra-burning in the second wave. They highlight where Christians have historically supported feminist movements and which features of feminism might have found support from Jesus. It's good practi...
Apr 12, 2021•31 min•Ep. 16
In part 2 of a discussion with Preston Sprinkle (PhD), Tim and Rick ask Preston for insight on how Christians can be hospitable in disagreement without compromising on important matters of biblical conviction. They dive into gender neutral bathrooms, inoculation theory, gender pronouns, and the importance of accurately representing views of those with whom we disagree. Jesus made room for others with whom he disagreed, and he did so without needing to agree or condone ideas and lifestyles that o...
Mar 29, 2021•29 min•Ep. 15
Dr. Preston Sprinkle (PhD) joins Tim and Rick to discuss one of the more pressing issues facing the Church and Christian conviction – sexuality and gender. In a Pew Research survey 73% of LGBTQ+ adult respondents said they experienced evangelical churches to be unfriendly toward them, and only 3% of respondents said they experienced evangelical churches as friendly. In light of these troubling statistics, how should churches respond? The apostle Paul writes about the power of kindness in Romans ...
Mar 15, 2021•30 min•Ep. 14
Can a group of men who are racially diverse discuss taboo topics with respect and humility? Yes, and it’s happening at a local park in the heart of Texas. In this first segment of Reports from The Front, Tim and Rick speak with Shane Hurley about a group he helped form to discuss difficult issues, including race relations, interracial marriage, police brutality, and white privilege. They get into how the group began (sports really do bring people together), how it’s taking shape and growing, and...
Mar 01, 2021•37 min•Ep. 13
Tim and Rick resume the discussion on "rhetorical trash" and consider four types of words that litter our rhetoric: words of outrage, exaggeration, glee, and despair. They draw counsel from the book of Proverbs and communication theory for cleaning up the ways we speak to one another and highlight recent examples in the news of rhetorical trash and rhetorical treasure. This is part 2 of a 2-part discussion. Show notes and a full transcript are available at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/...
Feb 15, 2021•29 min•Ep. 12
Following the riot in the Capitol on January 6th, a photo of Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) went viral - he was cleaning up trash strewn across the floor of the Capitol's Rotunda. "It's a room I love so much - it's the heart of the Capitol, literally the heart of this country. It pained me so much to see it in this kind of condition," Kim said. It's a beautiful image, and Kim's action provides a moving metaphor for redressing the country's divisions and deep polar...
Feb 01, 2021•21 min•Ep. 11
We don't hear many people these days aspiring to "be gentle." Being gentle is often seen as weak and impractical, especially in harsh and abrasive times. Furthermore, people don’t tend to associate “being Christian” with “being gentle.” And yet, gentleness is a deeply Christian virtue, a characteristic of “the wisdom from above” (James 3:17). The Apostle Paul frequently advised the early Christian to embody gentleness. Dr. Perry Glanzer from Baylor University joins Tim and Rick to...
Jan 17, 2021•29 min•Ep. 10
A new year is upon us—2021! What practical changes can we make to be a little more charitable, civil and compassionate in our approach to others? Tim and Rick consider six challenging yet doable resolutions we can take toward cultivating winsome conviction this year. Even if you commit to one of these, you're on the way to deepening personal convictions and engaging others with gentleness and respect. Show notes and a full transcript are available at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/winsome-con...
Jan 04, 2021•31 min•Ep. 9
We have made some progress on race in America, but we have so much farther to go, especially in regards to the ways racial inequity is perpetuated in cultural representations and social, political, and economic systems. Tim and Rick resume the conversation with James White and draw out a helpful metaphor for thinking about these issues on race: groundwater. They discuss steps we can take for having constructive conversations on race, especially where faith instructs us. They also revisit the imp...
Dec 28, 2020•29 min•Ep. 8
For the past couple of months we’ve been consumed with the presidential election. Yet, we can’t let the issue of race fade into the background. The hardest part of rhetoric is keeping the conversation going. James White—popular Cru speaker, pastor, and member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission on race— joins the conversation in this first segment of Getting Up To Speed. Tim, Rick, and James discuss their different and complex upbringings and draw out the importance of the backstory for ac...
Dec 14, 2020•26 min•Ep. 7
Dr. Joy Qualls, an expert in political and religious rhetoric, joins Tim and Rick to discuss how polarized news sources contribute to making us polarized people. They give some tips for processing the continuous news stream in ways that foster a fair and balanced approach to political information, and underscore how the Kingdom of God shapes Christian perspective and engagement on political issues. Show notes and a full transcript are available at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/winsome-conviction/...
Nov 30, 2020•28 min•Ep. 6
"Where do I fit politically?" That's a question more Christians are asking as faith convictions feel at odds with party affiliations and partisan mindsets. Feeling at home with one particular political party is met with increasing discontent. "Political homelessness" seems to be setting in, and our guest today, David French, doesn't think that's a bad thing. In fact, he thinks it's a spiritual blessing (link to dispatch article in link section above). Join...
Nov 16, 2020•24 min•Ep. 5
Votes for the next president have been cast and one thing is certain—somebody will be happy, and others disheartened. Can a friendship or workplace relationship be preserved with someone who voted differently and holds vastly different beliefs? Show notes and a full transcript are available at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/winsome-conviction/2020/episode-4-processing-the-election-with-family-friends-co-workers...
Nov 05, 2020•32 min•Ep. 4
Can winsomeness be a path to persuasion in today's political climate? What is "informed winsomeness"? David French, political commentator and New York Times best-selling author joins Tim and Rick for a conversation on engaging others winsomely, the importance of humility when we liken ourselves to biblical figures, and the manner of response Christians should take toward incivility and political adversity, especially when facing opponents. Show notes and a full transcript are avai...
Nov 02, 2020•34 min•Ep. 3
Popular speaker and author, Brene Brown, states: “It’s hard to hate people close up. So, move in.” Communication theorists note that what helps break negative stereotypes the most is, information. How much do we know about the two presidential candidates? Learning the stories of Vice-President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump doesn’t condone their positions, but rather, humanizes them. Show notes and a full transcript are available at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/winsome-conviction/2020/huma...
Oct 19, 2020•31 min•Ep. 2
What is "the argument culture," and how have we been immersed into it? Tim and Rick unpack four notable characteristics of "the argument culture" and suggest an idea we can practice for turning it around. Show notes and a full transcript are available at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/winsome-conviction/2020/today-s-argument-culture
Oct 05, 2020•31 min•Ep. 1
Incivility is a hallmark of our conversations, both within the Church and across the broader culture. Can we foster conversations that deepen and enrich relationships rather than tear people apart? Tim and Rick highlight how today's argument culture has given rise to the Winsome Conviction podcast. Show notes and a full transcript are available at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/winsome-conviction/2020/winsome-conviction-podcast...
Sep 26, 2020•10 min
