Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

A Strategy for Discovering What the Bible Has to Say on Any Topic

Greg explains a simple strategy for discovering what the Bible has to say on any topic, then he answers questions about Jesus’ physical body and initiating spiritual conversations and gives another example of what he discovered by using his Bible study strategy.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A strategy for discovering what the Bible has to say on any topic (00:00)
2. Does Jesus have a physical body in a physical location in the universe? (24:00)
3. How can I initiate spiritual conversations? (33:00)
4. Commentary: A discovery Greg made by using his Bible study strategy (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – October 16–17 in Seattle, WA; November 13–14 in Minneapolis, MN; February 26–27 in Dallas, TX
• Greg’s commentary on the virtues of a good teacher
• The Story of Reality by Greg Koukl
• Red Pen Logic – YouTube channel
• Preaching God’s Love in Acts? by Greg Koukl

Is It Wrong to Make a Living from Ministry?

Greg discusses what the Bible has to say about Christian workers receiving payment, then he answers questions about someone who’s disrupting a church and witnessing to people who don’t speak English well.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Is it wrong to make a living from ministry? (00:00)
2. How would you go about stopping someone from coming to church who’s showing up to attack the pastor and the church? (24:00)
3. Do you have any advice for witnessing to my Cambodian in-laws who don’t speak English very well? (46:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Greg’s Facebook page

Five Guidelines for Students

Greg talks about five guidelines for students to follow for their spiritual health, then he answers questions about the correspondence theory of truth and the biblical authors’ meaning vs. God’s meaning.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Five guidelines for students (00:00)
2. Doesn’t the correspondence theory of truth require circular reasoning? (33:00)
3. When interpreting Scripture, is the author’s meaning always God's meaning? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – October 16–17 in Seattle, WA; November 13–14 in Minneapolis, MN; February 26–27 in Dallas, TX
• How (Not) to Read the Bible: Making Sense of the Anti-women, Anti-science, Pro-violence, Pro-slavery and Other Crazy-Sounding Parts of Scripture by Dan Kimball

Related Links:

• A Long-Term Plan to Know Your Bible by Amy Hall

Evidence of Spiritual Warfare

Greg talks about how widespread belief in lies is evidence of spiritual warfare, then he answers questions about divine command theory, God’s reasons for creating the world, and the salvation of those with severe mental illnesses.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Evidence of spiritual warfare (00:00)
2. How would you answer these challenges to divine command theory? (21:00)
3. Why did God create the world? (37:00)
4. Where do people with serious mental illnesses or brain defects stand in the eyes of the Lord? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Ethics: Discovering Right and Wrong by Louis Pojman
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• A Response to Atheistic Moral Platonism by Amy Hall (quoting William Lane Craig)
• God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (With the Complete Text of The End for Which God Created the World) by John Piper

Interview: Tom Gilson – Too Good to Be False

Greg interviews Tom Gilson, author of Too Good to Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Tom Gilson, author of Too Good to Be False (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Tom Gilson’s website
• Too Good to Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality by Tom Gilson
• Peter Boghossian, Atheist Tactician: A Preliminary Response to A Manual for Creating Atheists by Tom Gilson

The Virtues of a Good Teacher

Greg talks about the four key virtues Christians should have as they teach, mentor, or parent in order to be more effective, then he talks about how we’re being catechized by digital media more than by the church.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The virtues of a good teacher (00:00)
2. Commentary: We’re being catechized by digital media. (41:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• CrossExamined Instructor Academy
• New Testament Prayer – PDF
• Become a strategic partner: Be One of the 100
• The quote Greg cited (from How to Reach the West Again: Six Essential Elements of a Missionary Encounter by Tim Keller)

Related Links:

• A Long-Term Plan to Know Your Bible by Amy Hall

A Journey out of Progressive Christianity

Greg talks to a CrossExamined Instructor Academy student, Josh Morris, about how he became a Christian, then he talks about being a Christian in a crazy culture.

 

Topics:

1. Interview with Josh Morris: A journey out of progressive Christianity (00:00)
2. Commentary: Being a Christian in a crazy culture (48:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• CrossExamined Instructor Academy
• Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air by Greg Koukl
• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl
• Greg’s podcasts last week on the atonement: first part, second part
• Alisa Childers – See her website for blog posts and podcasts on progressive Christianity
• Another Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers
• Become a strategic partner: Be One of the 100
• Book a Stand to Reason speaker
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – October 16–17 in Seattle, WA; November 13–14 in Minneapolis, MN; February 26–27 in Dallas, TX
• Red Pen Logic – YouTube channel
• Empart – The ministry Greg supports that works with people in India

God Is the Threat and the Rescuer

Greg talks about the bad news we need to understand before we can understand the good news of the gospel.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Pay it forward. (00:00)
2. Commentary: God is the threat and the rescuer. (07:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Become a strategic partner: Be One of the 100
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl

Jesus Came to Rescue Us from the Father’s Wrath

Greg chats with Craig Hazen, then he responds to a letter from someone who disagreed with the way he characterized what happened on the cross.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Craig Hazen and the Be One of the 100 campaign (00:00)
2. Commentary: Jesus came to rescue us from the Father’s wrath. (21:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Become a strategic partner: Be One of the 100
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl

Another Challenge to Objective Morality]

Greg responds to another challenge he received to objective morality then answers questions about whether Jesus said we need to follow the Mosaic Law in Matthew 5:17–20 and whether 1 Samuel 28:15–19 contradicts other parts of the Bible.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Another challenge to objective morality (00:00)
2. Is Jesus saying we need to follow the Mosaic Law in Matthew 5:17–20? (25:00)
3. Isn’t 1 Samuel 28:15–19 contrary to what the Bible says about not contacting the dead? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Become a strategic partner: Be One of the 100
• Atheist Accidentally Affirms Objective Morality While Denying It – Red Pen Logic Video
• Red Pen Logic – YouTube channel

Related Links:

• Why We’re Not Under the Mosaic Law by Amy Hall
• Should Followers of Christ Observe the Torah? by Amy Hall
• The Law Is Good by Amy Hall
• We Still Need the Old Testament by Amy Hall
• Why Is the Old Covenant Obsolete? by Amy Hall
• Answering an Objection to Grace: Why Not Sin? by Amy Hall
• How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians Today? by Greg Koukl