
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 and mental health counselor, 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.
What can we learn from Biblical characters? We've already discussed Old Testament figures like Abraham and David, but what do we do with the more... shady... stuff from their stories? Furthermore, how should all of that inform the way we think about hypocritical Christians in the modern day? Is all this mess proof that Christianity is a big farce? Or does it say something else about who we are and what God is doing...
It's one of the most well known stories in the Bible... the classic tale of the young shepherd boy David taking on and defeating the giant Goliath. What should we take away from this story? Is it that if we have faith or cunning or leadership skills like David we too can slay the giants in our lives? Or is there something deeper going on in this Biblical narrative?
Do you raise your hands during worship in church, or do you keep your arms glued to your sides? What about standing, kneeling, dancing, or any other number of physical postures of worship? Navigating through and determining our comfort level with these practices can induce self-consciousness, comparison, peer pressure, and anxiety. So where do these ideas come from, and how can we work towards adopting a healthier view of worship?
It's a Top 5 verse in the Bible: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." You've probably seen it on bumper stickers, coffee mugs, and motivational posters. But we all know it doesn't literally mean that God is guaranteeing us a promotion at work or that we'll dunk a basketball in our next game. So what does it mean? Is there still a promise here worth clinging to?
In this classic Old Testament Story, the God of Abraham makes a seemingly reprehensible demand of His most devoted follower: sacrifice your only son, Isaac. If this story turns your stomach, you're not alone. Why would God ask this of Abraham? Why does He later change His mind? And ultimately... what is God saying to the nation of Israel and to us about the nature of our worship relationship with Him?