Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Greg talks about what science can and cannot determine when it comes to religious claims, then he talks to callers about whether there was a doctrine he couldn’t have seen in the Bible on his own and why God isn’t partly responsible for whether or not we follow him if he created our personalities.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Christianity has nothing to fear from science. (00:00)
2. Was there a doctrine that had to be explained to you because you couldn’t have seen it in the Bible on your own? (36:00)
3. If God created our personalities, why is he not partly responsible for whether or not we decide to follow him? (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Donate to Stand to Reason

Greg answers questions about what evidence convinces him the earth is old that couldn’t be explained just as easily by a young-earth view, a book that explains what old-earth creationists believe, a church devoting an entire service to first responders, and more.

 

Topics:

1. What evidence convinces you the earth has to be old that couldn’t be explained just as easily by a young-earth view? (05:00)
2. Can you recommend a book that explains what old-earth creationists believe that isn’t heretical? (24:00)
3. Isn’t saying that “if you have scientific evidence that appears to contradict the Bible, then you should conclude you’ve misread the Bible” a dangerous line of thought since we have scientific evidence that men don’t rise from the dead? (34:00)
4. What do you think about my church devoting an entire service to first responders? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Seven Days that Divide the World: The Beginning According to Genesis and Science by John Lennox
• A Matter of Days: Resolving a Creation Controversy by Hugh Ross

Related Links:

• Have Grace for Fellow Christians on the Age of the Earth by Amy Hall
• Theistic Evolution: Drifting toward Darwin by Greg Koukl

Greg talks to Tara Schwartz, a field rep for LifeWise Academy, an organization that helps people start Bible education programs at their local public schools, then he answers a question about the current assault on biblical values and offers encouragement to disappointed missionaries.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Tara Schwartz of LifeWise Academy (00:00)
2. What do you think explains the assault on biblical values we’re living through, and where do you think it’s going next? (31:00)
3. Do you have any encouragement for disappointed and anxious missionaries who are having to return home for health reasons after only eight weeks? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Tara Schwartz
• LifeWise Academy
• Donate to Stand to Reason

Related Links:

• Seeing the Unseen: The Nature of Spiritual Warfare by Greg Koukl

Greg talks to Natasha Crain about her book Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture (your gift for any donation to STR this month), then he answers questions about intersex people and whether or not all living beings have souls.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Natasha Crain on biblical clarity in a secular culture (00:00)
2. How should I respond to people who say they’re intersex? (31:00)
3. Do all living beings have souls, or do some living beings not need a soul in order to be alive? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Natasha Crain’s website
• Natasha Crain’s books
• Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain
• Natasha’s interview on Focus on the Family
• Donate to Stand to Reason

Related Links:

• Natasha Crain Can Help You Be Faithfully Different by Amy Hall (review of the book)
• Interview: Natasha Crain – Faithfully Different – Greg’s previous interview with Natasha Crain
• Intersex People Don’t Prove There Are More Than Two Sexes by Amy Hall (quoting Alastair Roberts)
• Humans Come in Only Two Sexes by Alan Shlemon

Greg talks to David Limbaugh, author of The Resurrected Jesus: The Church in the New Testament, about the unity of the Bible, how the biblical worldview resonates with our deepest intuitions, and some of the main themes in Paul’s Pastoral Epistles. 

 

Topics:

1. Interview: David Limbaugh, author of The Resurrected Jesus: The Church in the New Testament (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• David Limbaugh
• The Resurrected Jesus: The Church in the New Testament by David Limbaugh
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important That Happens in Between by Greg Koukl

Greg explains how his Inside Out tactic relates to Thanksgiving, talks to a caller about what, if anything, to say to pastors who aren’t addressing cultural issues, reflects on a book that provides a liturgy for daily worship, and answers a question about whether we should address the devil in prayer.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: You can’t be thankful without someone to thank. (00:00)
2. What, if anything, should I say to my pastors about the fact that my church is not addressing any cultural issues? (18:00)
3. Commentary: Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship (38:00)
4. What are your thoughts on addressing the devil during prayer? (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Inside Out by Greg Koukl
• Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship – Compiled by Jonathan Gibson

Related Links:

• Don’t Lose Sight of the Big Picture by Amy Hall – On how pastors can address the cultural issues of the day by teaching the foundational doctrines of Christianity

Greg talks to apologist Melissa Dougherty about how she fell into New Age beliefs, thinking they were Christian, her return to biblical Christianity, the importance of biblical literacy and clear thinking for all Christians, and New Age beliefs in the church.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Melissa Dougherty on Christians and New Age Beliefs (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Melissa Dougherty
• The #1 Thing That Drove Me into False Christianity
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 23–24 in Orange County, CA; October 14–15 in Seattle, WA; November 11–12 in Minneapolis, MN; February 24–25, 2023 in Dallas, TX; March 24–25, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA; April 21–22, 2023 in Augusta, GA
• Is Mormonism Just Another Christian Denomination? by Greg Koukl
• Forensic Faith: A Homicide Detective Makes the Case for a More Reasonable, Evidential Christian Faith by J. Warner Wallace
• Counterfeit Kingdom: The Dangers of New Revelation, New Prophets, and New Age Practices in the Church by Douglas Geivett and Holly Pivec
• Top Five New Age Teachings in the Church by Melissa Dougherty

Guest Host: Robby Lashua

 

Robby talks to Eric Johnson of Mormonism Research Ministry about the rules Mormons have to follow, the LDS view of authority and the way they view their prophets, the LDS need to keep all their commandments, and how Mormons and Christians talk past each other by using the same terms with different definitions.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Eric Johnson of Mormonism Research Ministry (00:00)
2. Can Mormons drink caffeine? What are the rules they have to follow? (06:00)
3. What’s the LDS view of authority and their structure of leadership? (24:00)
4. Christians and Mormons use the same terms but mean different things. (41:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Eric Johnson
• Mormonism Research Ministry
• Introducing Christianity to Mormons: A Practical and Comparative Guide to What the Bible Teaches by Eric Johnson
• Viewpoint on Mormonism – Podcast
• Utah Lighthouse Ministry
• Temple Recommend Interview Questions

Guest Host: Robby Lashua

 

Robby interviews Eric Johnson of Mormonism Research Ministry about his new book, Introducing Christianity to Mormons: A Practical and Comparative Guide to What the Bible Teaches.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Eric Johnson, author of Introducing Christianity to Mormons: A Practical and Comparative Guide to What the Bible Teaches (00:00)
2. Why are so many Latter-day Saints leaving their faith? (15:00)
3. Why does the historicity and reliability of the Bible matter so much when talking to Latter-day Saints? (28:00)
4. What is the LDS view of faith? (37:00)
5. Are Mormons Christians? (40:00)
6. How can we share the truth with LDS friends and family? (48:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Eric Johnson
• Mormonism Research Ministry
• Introducing Christianity to Mormons: A Practical and Comparative Guide to What the Bible Teaches by Eric Johnson.
• BuddyandSanta.com
• Gospel Topics Essays on LDS website
• MRM’s reviews of the Gospel Topics Essays
• The Next Mormons: How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church by Jana Riess
• Utah Lighthouse Ministry
• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl
• The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball (LDS book)
• IntroducingChristianity.com

Related Links:

• Verses for Your Conversations with Mormons by Amy Hall
• Who Is the God of Mormonism? by Amy Hall

Greg critiques the concept of “practicing prophecy,” explaining why prophecy is not something one learns to do, then he answers questions about taking a sick child to a Christian who claims to be a healer and whether some people are called by God to be single.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Prophecy is not something one learns to do. (00:00)
2. What do you think of my decision to not take my eleven-year-old son, who has scoliosis, to a Christian who claims to be a healer? (32:00)
3. Is it true that some people are called by God to live a life of singleness, and what’s your view on Matthew 19:12 and 1 Corinthians 7? (44:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 23–24 in Orange County, CA; October 14–15 in Seattle, WA; November 11–12 in Minneapolis, MN; February 24–25, 2023 in Dallas, TX; March 24–25, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA; April 21–22, 2023 in Augusta, GA
• EPS Apologetics Conference in Littleton, CO on November 17–19
• Info for front office manager position at Stand to Reason
• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line