Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Is Morality Just Based on Society’s Definition of Human Flourishing?

Greg answers questions about interpreting and using Paul’s list of qualifications for elders, the vetting process for church leaders and workers, what charismatics think about speaking in tongues, and the idea that morality is based on society’s definition of human flourishing.

 

Topics:

1. Is everything on Paul’s list of qualifications for elders required, and how do you interpret the “husband of one wife” requirement? (04:00)
2. What should the vetting process be for church leaders and workers? (20:00)
3. Do charismatics say that speaking in tongues is speaking in a language that exists, or do they say it’s speaking words that only a spiritual gift can interpret? (31:00)
4. How would you respond to someone who says that morality is subjective, based on the society’s definition of human flourishing, and that we only feel an obligation not to go against it because of the consequences imposed by the society? (43:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100 – Become a strategic partner

Interview: David Halevy – Bring the Gospel Back to the Jewish People

Greg talks to David Halevy about his outreach to Jews in Israel and his book, Returning the Favor, written to train people who want to share the gospel with Jewish people but don’t know how or are afraid of offending them.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: David Halevy, author of Returning the Favor: An Ambassador's Guide to the Jewish People (00:00)
2. What is the biggest barrier Jews have to taking the gospel and Jesus as the Messiah seriously? (29:00)
3. Responding to “I’m just not interested in Jesus.” (42:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Returning the Favor: An Ambassador’s Guide to the Jewish People by David Halevy
• Builders of Israel
• Dr. Michael Brown’s responses to Jewish objections to Jesus and the gospel

Apologetics on Mission

Greg chats with Ben Clifton of Apologetics on Mission about his work training Christian leaders around the world, then he answers a question from a concerned mom about how to respond to a “queer prom” at a children’s museum where she frequently takes her children.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Ben Clifton, president of Apologetics on Mission (00:00)
2. Do you have any advice about how I should respond to a “queer prom” that will be held at a children’s museum where I frequently take my children? (39:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Apologetics on Mission
• John Warwick Montgomery’s International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism and Human Rights in Strasbourg
• Be One of the 100
• Greg’s Message to His School Board Regarding Proposed Sex Ed Curriculum by Greg Koukl
• Paul Carden’s CFAR (Greg mistakenly referred to this as CARM)

What Should I Say to Someone Who Doesn’t Like Organized Religion?

Greg answers questions about Jesus’ commands, what it means to follow Jesus, responding to someone who doesn’t like organized religion, the reasonableness of the Trinity, and whether belief in an eternal Hell is essential to the Christian faith.

 

Topics:

1. How many commands does Jesus have? (02:00)
2. How would you respond to someone who said, “What does it mean to follow Jesus—not STR or any other organization, but Jesus”? (09:00)
3. What would you say to someone who says he doesn’t like organized religion? (16:00)
4. How should I respond to someone who thinks the Trinity is unreasonable? (33:00)
5. Why don’t you think belief in an eternal Hell is essential to the Christian faith? (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line
• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl
• Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl
• A Simple Survey to Help Initiate Spiritual Conversations by Greg Koukl
• Hell Interrupted Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

Why Isn’t the Holy Spirit More Active in His People?

Greg answers questions from callers about why the Holy Spirit isn’t more active in his people, whether monotheism is essential to the Christian faith, feeling like giving up at the end of one’s life, why we arrange worship services the way we do, and the transcendental argument.

 

Topics:

1. Why isn’t the Holy Spirit more active in his people? Why doesn’t he prevent divisions in the body of Christ? (04:00)
2. Is monotheism essential to the Christian faith? (18:00)
3. I’m old, tired, and in pain, and I just feel like giving up. (31:00)
4. Is there a reason why we arrange our worship services the way we do? (42:00)
5. What do you think about the transcendental argument for the existence of God? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 13–14 in Los Angeles, CA; October 18–19 in Seattle, WA; November 8–9 in Minneapolis, MN; February 21–22, 2025 in Dallas, TX; March 21–22, 2025 in Philadelphia, PA
• The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
• Be One of the 100 – Become a strategic partner
• Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl

A Conversation About Hell and the Gospel

Greg describes a conversation he had with someone about Hell and the gospel, then he answers questions about what to look out for when hiring a new pastor, whether or not it’s wrong to use instruments in worship, and why Greg ended up getting married later in life.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A conversation about Hell and the gospel (00:00)
2. What should our church look out for when hiring a new pastor? (29:00)
3. How would you respond to someone who says it’s wrong to use instruments in worship? (41:00)
4. Why did you end up getting married later in life? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100 – Become a strategic partner
• STR Outposts

Related Links:

• #STRask: What Questions Should I Ask Pastors When Looking for a New Church?

There Are No Bible Verses

Greg talks about not interpreting Bible verses out of context as if they were originally written as discrete verses, then he answers a question about whether inclusivism is true or people need to know and trust in Jesus to be saved.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: There are no verses in the Bible. (00:00)
2. Do Protestants still disagree with Catholics on whether or not people need to know and believe in Jesus to be saved? (36:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100 – Become a strategic partner
• One Way or Any Way – Part 1 and Part 2

Interview: J. Warner Wallace – The Truth in True Crime

Greg talks to J. Warner Wallace, author of The Truth in True Crime: What Investigating Death Teaches Us About the Meaning of Life, about the Christian worldview and human flourishing—the nature of wisdom, stable identity formation, selflessness and humility, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: J. Warner Wallace, author of The Truth in True Crime (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• J. Warner Wallace
• The Truth in True Crime: What Investigating Death Teaches Us About the Meaning of Life by J. Warner Wallace
• Operation Heal Our Patriots

Differences Between Protestants and Catholics

Greg talks to callers about differences between Protestants and Catholics, whether Jesus ever told people to worship him, how to tell if an experience was spiritual, emotional, or demonic, whether or not Greg is a cessationist and why, and how to reach nominal Christians.

 

Topics:

1. Can you explain the differences between Protestants and Catholics? (00:00)
2. Did Jesus ever tell people to worship him? (15:00)
3. Is this sensation I’m experiencing something spiritual, something emotional, or something demonic? (28:00)
4. Are you a cessationist, and what is the reasoning behind your position? (38:00)
5. How do I reach nominal Christians? (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Was Jesus Worshiped? by Greg Koukl
• Decision Making and the Will of God: What the Bible Doesn’t Say
• Decision Making and the Will of God: The Biblical Model
• STR Outposts

Related Links:

• The “Gospel for Believers” in 3 Quick Verses by Greg Koukl
• Did Jesus Receive Worship? by Tim Barnett
• Another Claim to Deity? by Amy Hall
• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (online articles) by Greg Koukl

What Is Humility?

Greg talks about the nature and importance of humility, then he answers questions about whether we can determine which writings are Scripture just by looking at those writings and whether the fact that the Catholic church chose the canon is evidence of their authority.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: What is humility? (00:00)
2. Can we determine which writings are Scripture just by looking at those writings, and since the Catholic Church was the first to recognize the books of the Bible, shouldn’t that mean they are the ones with authority? (34:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 13–14 in Los Angeles, CA; October 18–19 in Seattle, WA; November 8–9 in Minneapolis, MN; February 21–22, 2025 in Dallas, TX; March 21–22, 2025 in Philadelphia, PA

Related Links:

• Is Sola Scriptura Self-Refuting?