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It’s become trendy to deconstruct your faith, but where do turn after you’ve torn things down to the foundation? Justin is a former pastor and current chaplain, while Ansen is a former radio host and... current radio host. Together, they explore the idea of refreshing our faith by going back and taking another look at the Bible passages, beliefs, and church practices that we've all heard a million times.
There's a lot of confusion and insecurity around the mechanics of baptism. Should we be baptized as kids or adults? By sprinkling or dunking? Does baptism save us, or is it just an optional rite of passage? Ansen and Chaplain Justin try to get to the heart of the issue, and find that perhaps more important than the "how" and "when" of baptism is the "why" and "who."
Scripture tells us to be holy as God is holy. But what does holiness mean? Is the Bible saying we must be good, righteous-acting people to earn God's favor? But if so, how do we live up to God's perfect standard? Justin and Ansen return to discuss both what holiness means and how we can attain it.
After the resurrection, Jesus appears to his disciples on a beach and questions Peter about his love for Him. What was Jesus trying to do with this line of questioning? Was he just being passive-aggressive? Ansen and Justin discuss a beautiful truth that becomes apparent upon closer inspection of this story... that our passion and love for Jesus doesn't matter nearly as much as His passion and love for us.
What is confession, and why is it such an important part of practicing the Christian faith? Ansen and Chaplain Justin discuss how confession is so much more than just admitting all the bad stuff you've done. It's "agreeing with God" and telling the whole truth... not just about our character, but about God's... including has faithfulness to forgive and cleanse.
During the season of Lent, Christians around the world spend a few weeks in solemn observance of their own sinfulness and mortality. Sounds like a good time, right? But have you ever heard someone make the case that the Christian doctrine of sin is actually part of the good news of the gospel? Chaplain Justin and Ansen discuss what sin nature means for our lives and futures, and try to answer the question, "Is it really ok not to be ok?"
What do we do with the rather curious story of an oppressed slave-woman named Hagar and her "not the chosen one" son, Ishmael that we find in the book of Genesis? What do we do with Biblical "heroes" like Abraham and Sarah whose actions seem anything but "heroic?" And what can this strange story teach us about God's desires for the oppressed and marginalized nations and people groups of the world?
Across all types and denominations of churches, worship services have at least one thing in common: singing. If you grew up in Christian culture, you've probably never questioned this practice. If you didn't, the idea of corporate worship might be... odd, at the least. Where does this practice originate, and why is it so important? Chaplain Justin and Ansen take a second look at the Christian practice of praise & worship.
The phrase "social justice" has become a flashpoint for controversy and conflict in American politics and culture. But while social justice has been given new meaning in modern times, the idea of helping and serving "the least of these" is far from new. What would a social justice look like with the gospel of Jesus as its foundation? And is there any potential for unity in the midst of such a fractious debate?
The woman at the well, as she's known, often gets a bad rap. To some, it's the story of an adulterous woman living in unrepentant sin who is confronted by Jesus. Is this just another example of the Bible marginalizing women? Justin and Ansen take another look at this well-known passage, and find a woman who, far from being condemned, is chosen by the Messiah himself to play a remarkable role in God's rescue plan.
Few subjects are as contentious as money. So let's talk about it! Is giving ten percent of our income a requirement? Will God financially bless us if we tithe? What about the wolves in churches who take advantage of others for financial gain? Chaplain Justin and Ansen trace the story of offerings, tithes, and generosity through the Bible to determine what application it might have for us today.
We've talked about verses, stories, and characters from the Bible, but what about the book itself? There's a lot of theological claims about scripture: some say it's inspired, revelatory, prophetic, authoritative, or even inerrant. Are these claims valid? What implications do they have for our lives? And should we really trust everything we read from a book written by a bunch of ancient dead guys?
We're headed back to the Old Testament to revisit the story of Samson. If the last time you learned about Samson was in Sunday School, you might be surprised at how dark and disturbing this story really is. Is this messed up guy really one of the "heroes" of the Bible? Or are we completely misunderstanding the story that the Book of Judges is trying to tell?
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