Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Three Reasons to Celebrate Christianity

Guest Host: J. Warner Wallace

 

J. Warner Wallace explains three reasons to celebrate Christianity, answers a question about what to do when you lose motivation and feelings in your Christian walk, then discusses how social media is affecting two forms of autonomy and contributing to a shift in our priorities and perspectives.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Three reasons to celebrate Christianity (00:00)
2. What do you do when you lose motivation and feelings in your Christian walk? (21:00)
3. Commentary: How social media affects two forms of autonomy (and how it’s contributing to a shift in our priorities and perspectives) (32:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• J. Warner Wallace’s website
• 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, 2022 in Dallas, TX; March 24–25, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA; April 21–22, 2022 in Augusta, GA
• STR U Online Training
• Three Good Reasons To Celebrate Your Christian Worldview by J. Warner Wallace
• Three Ways Social Media Has Changed Our Priorities And Perspectives by J. Warner Wallace

Related Links:

• Apologetics Aren’t Enough to Connect You with a Person by Amy Hall
• Prayer Begins with Hope in God by Amy Hall
• How I Pray...Even When It’s Hard by Greg Koukl

The Magnitude of the Loss of Life Due to Abortion

Greg talks about the magnitude of the loss of life due to abortion, responds to arguments made by Alex Berenson, who thinks abortion is murder but should remain legal, then answers questions about leaving a church that’s teaching questionable prayer practices and when it’s proper for a pastor to address politics in the pulpit.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The magnitude of the loss of life due to abortion (00:00)
2. My church is teaching ways of praying that seem New Age to me; is this grounds for leaving? (57:00)
3. When is it proper for a pastor to address politics in the pulpit? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Women in Apologetics Conference – June 9–11 in Boca Raton, FL
• On Roe v. Wade: And Why Abortion Should Be Legal by Alex Berenson
• Getting “Political”—Vice or Christian Virtue? by Greg Koukl

 

Related Links:

• Abortion and Slavery: The Same Old Arguments by Amy Hall

The Supreme Court’s Leaked Draft Opinion

Greg talks to Megan Almon of Life Training Institute about the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion, then he answers questions about relativism, having an opposite-sex roommate, and applying 1 Corinthians 5 to a professing believer who is in sexual sin.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Megan Almon of Life Training Institute (00:00)
2. Is it relativism if I think it’s okay to lie in a certain situation but someone else doesn’t think it’s okay? (37:00)
3. Some thoughts on the response you gave on #STRask about people having opposite-sex roommates. (45:00)
4. How should I apply 1 Corinthians 5 when interacting with a professing believer who is in sexual sin? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Megan Almon – Life Training Institute
• Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion
• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• #STRask episode referenced by the caller

Overturning Roe Will Restore Integrity to the Constitution

Greg explains how overturning Roe will restore integrity to the Constitution, discusses with Robby Lashua what pro-lifers should do now, Robby answers a question about how the STR outposts will work, and then they both give some thoughts on the series The Chosen.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Overturning Roe will restore integrity to the Constitution. (00:00)
2. Can you give some more detail about what the outposts will involve so I can propose this to my church? (15:00)
3. Commentary: Thoughts on The Chosen (36:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl
• The Chosen Is Not ‘Produced by Mormons,’ the Series’ Facebook Page Says

Stand to Reason’s 29th Anniversary

Greg chats about STR’s anniversary and talks to Robby Lashua about the new STR outposts and the Reality conference, Robby explains how the change from Saturday to Sunday worship in the early church points to the truth of the resurrection, and they respond to the news about the probable overturning of Roe v. Wade.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Stand to Reason’s 29th anniversary (00:00)
2. The change from Saturday to Sunday worship is evidence for the resurrection. (35:00)
3. What’s your take on the news about the probable overturning of Roe v. Wade? (44:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• STR’s statement of faith

Do All Babies Automatically Go to Heaven?

Greg answers questions about whether Zaccheus’s statement about giving back four times as much as he stole supports the idea of reparations, the biblical evidence that babies go to Heaven, where we go immediately after death, the Christology of George MacDonald, and how to evangelize someone who’s been hurt by Christians.

 

Topics:

1. Does Zaccheus’s statement that he would give back four times as much as he stole support the idea of reparations? (01:00)
2. Is there biblical evidence that all babies automatically go to Heaven? (11:00)
3. Do people go to Heaven immediately when they die, are they in a holding place, or are they simply in the grave? (21:00)
4. Can you elaborate on the Christology of George MacDonald? (33:00)
5. How can I evangelize my brother who thinks, after being mistreated by people in the church, that there’s no redemptive power in Jesus? (46:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reparations: A Critical Theolgical Review by Kevin DeYoung
• Heaven: A Comprehensive Guide to Everything the Bible Says About Our Eternal Home by Randy Alcorn
• When a Baby Dies by Ronald Nash
• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)

Related Links:

• Why Did God Create People if He Knew So Many Would Go to Hell? by Amy Hall
• Sinners in the Hands of a Good God: Reconciling Divine Judgment and Mercy by David Clotfelter (Clotfelter contrasts the ideas embraced by George MacDonald with those promoted by Jonathan Edwards.)
• The Life and Spirituality of John Newton by John Newton (an incredible story of redemption and change)

Interview: Frank Turek – Hollywood Heroes

Greg talks to Frank Turek about the upcoming CrossExamined Instructor Academy and Frank’s new book, Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Frank Turek, author of Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• CrossExamined Instructor Academy
• Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God by Frank Turek and Zach Turek
• Click here to get the audiobook for free if you buy the book before May 3.
• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Too Good to Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality by Tom Gilson

Related Links:

• Harry Potter Is a Danger to Modern Society (In a Good Way) by Amy Hall
• Should Christians Avoid Reading Harry Potter? by Amy Hall (includes two caveats about reading Harry Potter)

The Science and Theology of Adam and Eve

Greg talks to callers about integrating the science and theology of Adam and Eve, the series The Chosen, why we don’t focus more on the fact that Jesus explained his resurrection using the Old Testament, and whether demons have the ability to perform miracles.

 

Topics:

1. What are your thoughts on integrating the science and theology of Adam and Eve? (04:00)
2. What’s your opinion of the series The Chosen? (29:00)
3. Why don’t we focus more on the fact that Jesus explained his resurrection to his followers using the Old Testament? (45:00)
4. Do demons have the ability to perform miracles? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe by Stephen C. Meyer
• William Lane Craig’s view on evolution (short video)

You Ask Me How I Know He Lives...

Greg talks about evidence for the resurrection, then he answers a question about how his decision making material impacts his personal relationship with God.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: You ask me how I know he lives... (00:00)
2. People are afraid that your decision making teaching removes the personal nature of our relationship with God. What is your relationship with God like? (34:00)

Download the mp3...

 

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl
• Decision Making and the Will of God (audio) by Greg Koukl
• The Ambassador’s Guide to the Voice of God (booklet) by Greg Koukl
• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (online articles) by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Decision Making and the Will of God (book) by Garry Friesen

Another Conversation with YouTube Atheist PineCreek Doug

In audio from Canadian Catholic’s YouTube show, Greg interacts with YouTube atheist PineCreek Doug and others.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Greg interacts with YouTube atheist PineCreek Doug and others on Canadian Catholic’s YouTube show (00:00)
2. What is your view on Street Epistemology? (01:00)
3. Do you think it’s okay for atheists to ask Christians questions designed to make them doubt? (06:00)
4. Do Christians take advantage of people in crisis when they evangelize them? (09:00)
5. Is having a warm tingly feeling in your chest a good reason to become a Christian? (22:00)
6. Since it’s God’s fault that I’m not a Christian, doesn’t it follow that I’m going to Hell because of what God didn’t do? (28:00)
7. What does “good” mean? (45:00)
8. What’s your stance on evolution? (49:00)
9. What do you think about Platonic Forms? (51:00)
10. Couldn’t you just respond back to Doug with a similarly emotional argument? (53:00)
11. Do you think you had good reasons at the time of your conversion to Christianity? (56:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Ask Greg Koukl Anything – Canadian Catholic’s YouTube show
• Questions from an atheist about using tactics in conversations with Christians – Greg’s first conversation with Doug
• A Conversation with an Atheist – Greg’s second conversation with Doug
• Is Christianity a Religion of Carrots and Sticks? – Greg’s response to Doug’s “carrots and sticks” claim 

Related Links:

• Christians Don’t View Jesus as a Means to an End by Amy Hall (another response to Doug’s “carrots and sticks” claim