Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

How Can I Become a Better Thinker?

Greg talks to callers about how to become a better thinker, how to get better at responding to people in conversations, and whether the Israelites stole stories and laws from other cultures to create the Old Testament.

 

Topics:

1. How can I become a better thinker and get better at responding to people in conversations? (07:00)
2. Did the Israelites steal stories and laws from other cultures to create the Old Testament? (33:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA
• STR Outposts
• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl
• Noah’s Flood Revisited: New Depths of Insight from Science and Scripture by Hugh Ross

Should I Attend an Unmarried Woman’s Baby Shower?

Greg answers questions about attending an unmarried woman’s baby shower, whether God causes mutations, implications of God being temporal, splitting prayers between Jesus and the Father, anomalies in worldviews, and advice for someone who doesn’t like church.

 

Topics:

1. Should I attend my unmarried niece’s baby shower? (01:00)
2. Does God cause mutations, or does he allow them to happen? (11:00)
3. Can you explain to me your understanding of the relationship between the beginning of time and God being a temporal being? (18:00)
4. Are we supposed to split our prayers between Jesus and the Father? (32:00)
5. Can you speak to the concept of anomalies in worldviews? (36:00)
6. Do you have any advice for someone who doesn’t like going to church? (46:00)

Even Christians Are Becoming Culturally Velocitized

Greg talks about how even Christians are getting used to radical things in the culture, then he answers questions about annihilationism, people who appeal to emotion in response to arguments, and what to do when someone is telling you about a dialogue they had with God.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Even Christians are becoming culturally velocitized. (00:00)
2. What are your thoughts on annihilationism? (22:00)
3. What’s a good way to respond to people who appeal to emotion in response to my arguments? (39:00)
4. What’s a good response or posture to have when someone is telling me about a dialogue they had with God? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square by Natasha Crain
• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line
• Hell Interrupted—Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 by Greg Koukl and Tim Barnett

Related Links:

• When God Speaks by Greg Koukl

What Did Jesus Think About Homosexuality?

Greg talks about what Jesus thought about homosexuality, reads a parable written by a listener describing the panel discussion on The Diary of a CEO, then answers a question about whether God had to try a few times to get Samuel’s attention before he was able to.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: What did Jesus think about homosexuality? (00:00)
2. A parable a listener wrote about Greg’s The Diary of a CEO panel discussion (30:00)
3. How should I respond to someone who says in response to the idea that “God doesn’t try” that God tried a few times to get Samuel’s attention before he was finally able to? (35:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA
• Heritvge – Worship band at Reality conferences
• STR U Online Training
• Greg on The Diary of a CEO
• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line
• When God Speaks by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Jesus Did Condemn Homosexuality by Alan Shlemon
• Jesus’ “Hidden” Teaching on Homosexuality by Greg Koukl

Thoughts on a Podcast Discussion with Former Christians

Greg talks about a discussion he had on a podcast with former Christians, then he answers questions from callers about Christians using an artificial-sounding voice in church, recognizing demonic influence, praying to Jesus, and what “forsaking all others” includes.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Thoughts on a podcast discussion with former Christians (00:00)
2. Why do Christians use an artificial-sounding voice in church? (22:00)
3. What advice would you give parents who think there might be a demonic influence in their child’s life? (28:00)
4. If all authority in Heaven has been given to Jesus, should we pray to him now? (43:00)
5. Is adultery the only grounds for separation, or does the idea of “forsaking all others” apply to things like one partner putting friends, family, or church over his wife’s needs and desires? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA

Interview: Alisa Childers – Another Gospel for Students

Greg talks to Alisa Childers about helping students respond to progressive Christianity in a discussion about her new book, a student edition of Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Alisa Childers, author of Another Gospel? Student Edition: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Alisa Childers
• Another Gospel? Student Edition: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers
• The Legend of the Social Justice Jesus by Greg Koukl

What Does It Mean to Be Made in God’s Image?

Greg answers questions from callers about what it means to be made in God’s image, whether Jesus was omniscient while he was on earth, how to best disciple your kids, whether Jeremiah 29:11 applies to us because all promises are yes in Christ, and recognizing a calling to ministry.

 

Topics:

1. What does it mean to be made in God’s image? (03:00)
2. Was Jesus omniscient while he was on earth? (19:00)
3. How can I best disciple my kids? (29:00)
4. Do verses like 2 Corinthians 1:20 that say that all the promises of God are yes in Christ mean that we can claim Jeremiah 29:11 for ourselves? (40:00)
5. How do you know when you’re actually called to a particular ministry and it’s not just a desire? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side by Natasha Crain

How Do We Know Objective Values Aren’t a Delusion?

Greg chats with callers about how we know objective values exist and aren’t a delusion, how to redirect someone who’s on the wrong theological road, and how to navigate bringing apologetics to a church in a denomination that doesn’t allow outside speakers.

 

Topics:

1. How do we know that objective moral values actually exist and we’re not deluded by culture or evolution? (05:00)
2. How can I stop someone from going down a wrong theological road and redirect them towards the right path? (32:00)
3. As I bring apologetics to my church, how can I navigate the exclusivity of my denomination, which doesn’t allow outside speakers? (45:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA
• Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl
• Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air by Francis Beckwith and Greg Koukl
• Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World by Melissa Dougherty

What If a Darwinist Denies There’s Something Wrong with the World?

Greg answers questions about Darwinists who deny there’s something wrong with the world, attending a baptism at an LGBTQ-affirming church, why Christians have pets instead of giving the money to orphans, the name “Lord of Hosts,” and singing worship songs about our feelings.

 

Topics:

1. You say everyone acknowledges there’s something wrong with the world, but how would you respond to a Darwinist who says that’s simply survival of the fittest, the dog-eat-dog nature of this place? (02:00)
2. What are your thoughts on attending a baptism at a church that affirms LGBTQ lifestyles? (13:00)
3. If humans are more valuable than animals, why do Christians have pets instead of giving the money to orphans? (24:00)
4. Why does God refer to himself repeatedly as “the Lord of Heaven’s armies” (also translated as “Lord of Hosts” or “Lord of Sabaoth”)? (34:00)
5. You said you don’t like to sing about your feelings, but don’t many of the psalms do this? What makes it difficult for us to sing songs with personal pronouns? (43:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line

Beauty Is Real

Guest Host: Megan Almon

 

Megan Almon talks about the reality and nature of beauty, answers questions about introducing heavy cultural topics to young people who aren’t already asking about them and whether or not God would have destroyed the Israelites if Moses hadn’t intervened, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Beauty is real. (00:00)
2. Is it dangerous to bring up the heavier questions of culture to young people in our church if they’re not asking the questions already? (34:00)
3. If Moses hadn’t stepped in, would God have followed through and destroyed the Israelites? (41:00)
4. Commentary: We can all create beauty with acts of everyday faithfulness. (46:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA
• The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
• Cultural Apologetics: Renewing the Christian Voice, Conscience, and Imagination in a Disenchanted World by Paul Gould
• Echoes of Eden: Reflections on Christianity, Literature, and the Arts by Jerram Barrs
• Christianity for Modern Pagans: Pascal’s Pensees Edited, Outlined and Explained by Peter Kreeft