Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Hollywood Is Changing Women into Men

Greg talks to a caller about how to deal with doubts, then he talks about Hollywood’s depiction of women and answers a question about churches that do more “seeker-friendly” sermons and focus on presenting the gospel rather than doing expository preaching.

 

Topics:

1. How can I deal with my doubts? (00:00)
2. Commentary: Hollywood is changing women into men. (27:00)
3. What are your thoughts on churches that do more “seeker-friendly” sermons and focus on presenting the gospel rather than doing expository preaching? (48:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes by Nancy Pearcey

Related Links:

• The Thomas Factor: Using Your Doubts to Draw Closer to God by Gary Habermas
• Why God? Part 1 and Part 2 by Greg Koukl (about God being the best explanation for the way things are)
• When (and Why) Feminism Is Anti-Feminine by Amy Hall (quoting Alastair Roberts)

Do the Right Thing before God

Greg talks about putting faithfulness to God above appeasing friends who disagree with you, then he answers questions about whether God is evil if he created a world where he knew so many people would suffer and what a teacher should do when he’s told to use preferred pronouns.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Do the right thing before God. (00:00)
2. Since God knew how many people would suffer when he created the world, does that make him an evil God who caused the suffering? (32:00)
3. What should a teacher do when he’s asked to use preferred pronouns? (48:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Amy Grant will host a same-sex wedding by Rick Pidcock
• Should You Accommodate an LGBT Person’s Requests? by Alan Shlemon
• Why I No Longer Use Transgender Pronouns—and Why You Shouldn’t, Either by Rosaria Butterfield
• A Response to an Employer’s Request for Pronouns by Amy Hall
• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers
• STR Outposts

Related Links:

• How Can We Condemn Evil if God Is Sovereign? by Amy Hall
• Evil and the Cross by Amy Hall
• Why Did God Create People if He Knew So Many Would Go to Hell? by Amy Hall
• Why Pronouns Matter…a Lot by Greg Koukl
• #STRask: How Can I Lovingly Explain to Someone That I Will Not Be Using Their Pronouns?
• Why Agree to Use Preferred Names but Not Preferred Pronouns? by Amy Hall

Is Christianity a Mind-Control Cult?

Greg talks to callers about whether Christianity is a mind-control cult because it says you’re fallen and need someone to save you, the view that the Jews of today are not the real descendants of Abraham, reason vs. the Bible, Jesus’ view of social justice, and when to apply 1 Corinthians 5:11.

 

Topics:

1. How should I respond to someone who says Christianity is a mind-control cult because it says you’re fallen and need someone to save you? (00:00)
2. Is it possible to be a Christian and believe that the Jews of today are not the real descendants of Abraham, and is this a dangerous belief to have in your church? (17:00)
3. If the Bible were to contradict the laws of reason, which should take precedence for the Christian? (31:00)
4. How would you respond to someone who says that since the way we understand social justice now wasn’t around during the time of Jesus, we can’t know what Jesus would have thought of it? (38:00)
5. How should 1 Corinthians 5:11 be applied to someone’s daughter who claims to be Christian but isn’t living a godly life? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Legend of the Social Justice Jesus by Greg Koukl
• Christopher Yuan’s books
• Rosaria Butterfield’s books

A 30-Year Ride

Greg talks about the first 30 years of Stand to Reason, then he answers questions about universalism, the Roman Catholic view of the authority of tradition, and the difference between tradition and the objective truth of Scripture.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A 30-year ride (00:00)
2. Can you help me respond to people in my church who have been influenced by a theologian’s YouTube videos to accept the idea that all people will eventually accept Jesus, whether now on earth or later in Hell (universalism)? (37:00)
3. Why do Roman Catholics view tradition as authoritative, and how can I show them the difference between tradition and the objective truth of Scripture? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers
• Hell Interrupted Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

A Real-Life Example of the Tactical Game Plan

Greg talks about how he managed a spiritual conversation he had on a plane with someone who was challenging him, then he answers questions about where our passions come from and whether Matthew 25:31–46 ties our salvation to how we treat the poor.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A real-life example of the tactical game plan (00:00)
2. Do our passions come from God? (28:00)
3. What’s your take on Matthew 25:31–46, which seems to tie our salvation to how we treat the poor and oppressed? (37:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• STR U Online Training
• Purchase the Reality Livestream
• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers

Did Jesus Ever Exist?

Greg talks to Frank Turek about the upcoming CrossExamined Instructor Academy, then he answers questions about whether Jesus existed and how we should view God’s sovereignty when it comes to tragedies that result from non-moral decisions we’ve made.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The upcoming CrossExamined Instructor Academy (00:00)
2. Did Jesus ever exist? (20:00)
3. How should one view God’s sovereignty when it comes to tragedies that result from non-moral decisions we’ve made? (39:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• CrossExamined Instructor Academy
• Unshaken Conference
• The Story of Civilization: Caesar and Christ by Will Durant

Related Links:

• Bart Ehrman on the Existence of Jesus by Amy Hall
• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 by Greg Koukl

Is Critical Race Theory Really an Issue?

Greg answers questions about whether he’s fighting a ghost when it comes to critical race theory, whether the famous Christians who have been deconstructing were ever truly regenerated, the “Divine Council” in Psalm 82, and how to be satisfied where we are.

 

Topics:

1. Are you sure you’re not fighting a ghost when it comes to critical race theory? (04:00)
2. Were the famous Christian musicians and YouTubers currently going through the deconstruction process ever truly regenerated? (17:00)
3. Is the idea of a “Divine Council” a biblical concept? (36:00)
4. How can I be satisfied where I am and stay focused on the tasks God has for me right now? (45:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 21–22, 2023 in Augusta, GA
• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers
• STR Outposts
• The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible by Michael Heiser
• The Hurt Locker – Film
• Mr. Holland’s Opus – Film

Related Links:

• Intro to Critical Theory by Neil Shenvi
• What is Critical Race Theory? by Neil Shenvi
• How to Be Content in Suffering by Amy Hall
• The Value of Disappointment by Amy Hall

What’s the Relationship between Apologetics and Our Experience of God?

Greg talks about the only two schools he would recommend these days, then he answers a question about the relationship between apologetics and our experience of God.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The only schools Greg recommends (00:00)
2. What is the relationship between apologetics and Christian experience? (10:00)

Related Links:

• Apologetics Aren’t Enough to Connect You with a Person by Amy Hall
• Do You Convey a Sense of the Reality, Centrality, and Desirability of Jesus with Your Apologetics? by Amy Hall

Circular and Absurd Definitions of a Woman

Greg talks about Alan Shlemon’s excellent article on the definition of a woman, then he answers questions about how parents who just reconnected with a daughter should respond to her claim to be gay, what to say to someone whose child overuses video games, and whether Christianity is militant.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Circular and absurd definitions of a woman (00:00)
2. How should parents in our Tactics small group respond to their daughter’s claim to be gay? (11:00)
3. What should I say to my sister about my nephew’s overuse of video games? (26:00)
4. Why is Christianity so militant? (40:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• What Is a Woman? by Alan Shlemon
• The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield
• The Question that Stops Christians in Their Tracks by Greg Koukl
• Greg’s debate with Deepak Chopra
• Bart Ehrman on the Existence of Jesus by Amy Hall

How to Interpret and Apply God’s Promises in the Old Testament

Greg explains how to interpret promises God made in the Old Testament and when to apply them to Christians today, then he answers a question about whether verses in Romans about the Holy Spirit testifying in our hearts indicate Christians should expect to receive an experience of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Topics:

1. Why do you disagree with John Piper’s understanding that some promises to the Jewish people apply to Christians today, and how do you tell which promises apply to us and which don’t? (00:00)
2. When Romans 5:5 and 8:16 talk about the Holy Spirit testifying in our hearts, does that mean Christians should expect to receive an experience of the Holy Spirit? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• God Rejoices to Do You Good by John Piper
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 21–22, 2023 in Augusta, GA
• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers
• Confessions of a French Atheist: How God Hijacked My Quest to Disprove the Christian Faith by Guillaume Bignon

Related Links:

• Promises We Can’t Claim. Promises We Can. by Greg Koukl
• How Can I Know Which Bible Promises Apply to Me? by Amy Hall