Through Faith & Grace

This is the only question that has been on my mind lately. Let me explain. 

So I got a new job and it's not at all engineering related! As I am navigating this new position, this is what God has been laying on my heart... 

Is the concept of God merely a human fabrication handed down through the generations from those who did not know any better? Is God man-made? Find out in today's episode. 

Are wives really supposed to submit to their husbands? In today's episode, we look at the highly controversial passage, Ephesians 5, which shares the biblical model for marriage. I used to hate this chapter until I got more context. Let me explain. 

No, technically it can't, but neither can theism or atheism. In today's episode, we look at two reasons why monotheism makes the most sense. Everything comes back to the cross. Let me explain. 

This is the episode you should visit when I kick the bucket. Ironically, the day after I die will be the best day of my life. Here's why. 

Science will one day explain everything and religion will die with it. You're not alone if that's how you think of God's role. In today's episode, we dive into the "God of the gaps" argument. Is it really God or do we just not know the answer, yet? 

Hey college students, this one is for you! In today's episode, we talk about an easy way to share your faith. It does not have to be as daunting as you imagine. In Matthew 28, Jesus says, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Let's do just that and all for the glory of God! 

Christians will claim that there is a creator but how is their God any different than a pink unicorn, monkey with a party hat, or the flying spaghetti monster? In today's episode, we look into the satirical religion of Pastafarianism.

I get where you’re coming from if you’ve walked away from the Church due to "bad Christians." I've made some horrendous mistakes myself. In today's episode, I share my response to the question: how can I believe in God when His followers are evil, hypocritical, judgemental, and in general fail to do a good job representing Jesus well?

Yep, you read that correctly. What do Spiderman and Jesus have in common? Find out in today's episode. 

I've been misleading you and it's time to come clean. There's only one reason to follow Jesus. Let me explain. 

I'm in a season where I'm encountering the 5-letter word that terrifies Christians: DOUBT. In today's episode, I open up about the details of my messy life. As I am discovering to embrace my doubt, I'm better understanding who Jesus is. Let me explain. 

I have a hard time forgiving people, especially when they fail to apologize. The funny thing is apologies aren't biblical, and what I mean by that is we are called to forgive regardless if we ever receive an apology, reconciliation, or closure. Jesus forgives completely and so we are to completely forgive one another. This is what God's been putting on my heart. 

In a culture that is increasing rapidly in naturalistic values and beliefs, how does the Christian fit in? Preacher, Elijah Lamb, asks the question, "How can Christians be better?" and in today's episode, I share my thoughts on the responses he received. Regardless if you're a Christian content creator or not, you're going to want to hear this.

It's clear from looking at the intricate design of your smartphone, that there was a designer. Can we say the same thing about the universe? In today's episode, we look at the Anthropic Principle, the complex reality of DNA, and a 2003 experiment involving monkeys and a computer. You don't want to miss this. 

One of the most common reasons people avoid Christianity is because they've already figured out how to do life without it, and I believe you. I get it. There's a reason why I do not follow a keto diet and it is because what I am doing works. But here's the thing, I think following Jesus is different because Christianity presents itself as history. The simple gospel is why you should consider becoming a Christian. Let me explain. 

Did the universe have a beginning and if so, who or what was this beginner? These are the two questions we seek to answer in today's episode. We investigate thermodynamics, Einstein's initially laughable theory, a 200 million dollar NASA project, and the age-old question: if God created the universe, what created God? 

Immense suffering, unanswered questions, and the desire to live life exactly how we want to are three reasons why I wanted to leave the faith, can you relate to that? In today's episode, I open up about my doubts about Christianity and my experience chasing sin instead of God. I do not know what you're going through nor your standing with the Christian God, but you're not too far gone for Jesus. He loves you. 

Christians will tell you that we can trust the Bible because the disciples died for their belief in Jesus, but isn't that a weak argument? People die for lies all the time, atheist Richard Carrier says so and I agree with him. In today's episode, we investigate the significance of this claim and what this implies about the reliability of the Bible. 

Naturalism is the belief that everything about our universe can be explained with natural laws and forces, but if that's true, humans have no ontological worth or value. This breaks my heart most about atheism. But here's the thing, I think you do know people have worth. I think your worldview actually more aligns with Christianity. Let me explain. 

Jesus is irrelevant if the Bible is flawed. I believe this. In today's episode, we explore two major questions. Do we have accurate copies of the original documents written in the first century? Are these documents true? Either the Christian worldview is true or it is not. If it is true, everything about what we understand about life changes. 

When it comes to defending the faith, it can be intimidating when the person you're talking to seems to know way more than you. I share a story that I'm not particularly proud of, but hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes. Who wrote the Bible? Was it changed several times? How can we even trust it? Find out in today's episode. 

We want more and it seems like even with manifestations, the power of positive thinking, and the stars aligning perfectly, it seems like long-term fulfillment is impossible. This leads to us raising the stakes or chasing something new. It's this endless cycle of trying to find what will satisfy our deepest desires. What if our needs are not physical, but rather, spiritual? In today's episode, we talk about Love is Blind and it actually points to Jesus.

My high school history teacher, along with many, will claim that Jesus never said, "I am God." You are completely right. Those words never came out of Jesus' mouth, but I'd argue Jesus did claim to be God. In today's episode, we investigate Jesus' words and the ways in which He communicated this in the context of their culture and religion. 

We have this tendency to always want more. It's "trust the science" until the science ironically does not align with your opinion, then it's labeled as "bad science." You've seen this with current events. When it comes to Christianity, it's not that there is not enough evidence, but that maybe you've already have made up your mind. If that's the case, your story is not over. My worldview offers eternal life, so would you be willing to see who this Jesus is?

Does the Bible say "God will never give us more than we can handle?" It seems to be a common phrase, but what does that mean when we go through the unbearable? Our world was torn between who made the "better" decision: Simone Biles or Kerri Strug. Are we supposed to always push through it or can we take a step back for the sake of our mental health? Can I share with you what the gospel says?

Facebook, I see where you're coming from. I get your good intentions, but I think censorship according to our culture's view of misinformation will lead to disaster. When there is no such thing as absolute truth, it can be difficult to discern. Here's why I think censorship is dangerous. 

The resurrection is essential to the faith, but did Jesus really rise from the dead? Is it possible that Jesus swooned? Did the Roman guards steal the body? Did the women go to the wrong tomb? Today, we speed through some of the most common conclusions based on four facts that nearly all scholars agree upon. What happened to this Jesus?

Not everything labeled "Christian" is automatically good and not everything secular is immediately wrong. Discernment is necessary. In today's episode, we discuss the harm in purity culture, the biblical content in Disney entertainment, and the balance with Christian romance. 

What does it mean when it is said that the gospel has the power to transform you? I have made mistakes. I do not have a perfect past. In today's episode, I share with you how Jesus has changed my life and continues to work on my heart as I seek to glorify Him in all that I do. Do not be so quick to dismiss the Christian worldview. 

Evil exists so God cannot. This statement trips up many Christians because evil is so evident in our world, how could there possibly be a good God who saves? In today's episode, we look at how the existence of evil is one of the greatest reasons why we can trust the Bible and the Christian God. 

We seek justice which is why cancel culture seems like the perfect solution, but is redemption possible? People change. I think the biggest problem with cancel culture is that it does not allow us to see any possibility of redemption. While we are all accountable for our words, I think our past words should be treated as something in the past. People can change. The gospel can redeem.

Be on the lookout for these common "conversational traps" that may come up when talking to people of different belief systems. As we talk more about Gregory Koukl's book, Tactics, we observe how to approach these situations with grace instead of fighting, freezing, or fleeing. 

As long as you're not pressing a point, you do not have to defend yourself. Ask simple, meaningful, and leading questions. Let your opponents do the talking. In today's episode, we continue our mini-series diving more into Greg Koukl's book, Tactics, which allows you to share the gospel in a stress-free way. 

You may be like me and find sharing your faith to be daunting and awkward. What if I told you, that there is a way to communicate which requires little talking on your end? Gregory Koukl, the author of Tactics, presents an easy way for Christians to graciously and effectively communicate the compelling truth of Christianity with confidence and grace. Included are some of the most challenging questions non-Christians may need to answer. 

"Speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where it is silent" is a quote well-known by both Christians and non-Christians, but is this actually what the Bible says? Does this mean we have free range on everything that is not listed in the Bible? Here are my thoughts.

We all know where Christmas originated from, the virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, the One who claimed to be the Messiah. Jesus could only truly be Lord if we have evidence that He is who He claimed to be. In today's episode, we look at the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery and how there is more to Christmas than hot cocoa and Santa Claus. 

Facts are facts, but they must be meaningful for us to change our lifestyles. We can study the historicity of Christianity, so what? Is it truly worth changing our lives around for this Jesus guy? My Christian friends, we have the privilege of seeing our life before and after placing our faith in God. This is why we share our testimonies.  

Self-helpism is a multibillion-dollar industry that teaches that through the power of positive thinking, self-examination, and goal setting that we can achieve the greatest versions of ourselves, but is it as good as it sounds? As someone who used to be infatuated with self-improvement, these are the dangers no one told me about. I learned the hard way that we cannot be both the problem and the solution. 

What about the other gospels like the gospel of Thomas? Did Christians pick and choose the gospels that only made Jesus look like God? In today's episode, we investigate these so-called "gnostic gospels."

Christians, we're called to be experts in our culture. We must get it. We have to see a need for Jesus in order to bring up Jesus. How are we supposed to share the gospel if we do not know how to communicate with the world? We must understand the world to then evangelize the world. Today's episode looks at the shifting cultural narrative and what Jesus says instead. 

If you feel uncomfortable sharing your faith with those who are not Christ-followers, you and I have something very in common, friend. It's scary and uncomfortable to bring up the gospel in a place other than church. I get it, but on the other hand, isn't this what it means to follow Christ? We're called to share who Jesus is and how He changes everything. Within our family, at work, and even as we buy groceries, we see so many hurting people that are longing for something greater. Could Jesus be the solution we're looking for?

"I do not mind your religion. I just do not want to have to give up my sins and desires." Does that resonate with you? I have tried the ways of this world and I have also tried the ways of Jesus. Though sin is alluring and seems inviting, it's not worth it. I have learned the hard way. Can I share with you my experience? 

A worldview seeks to answer four questions. Where did we come from? Why are we here? What is wrong with the world? How can we fix it? Society tends to favor a naturalistic approach but in the end, we are left with the reality that we have no purpose. May I introduce you to what my worldview says? Through the Christian lens, we see that life has meaning. We have a purpose. We are given worth from God alone. 

Nearly 2000 years ago, Pontius Pilate asked a question that is the cry of our culture today, "what is truth?" Truth is relative. Truth changes. There is no absolute truth, or is there? If there is no absolute truth, we cannot make any claims about what is right or wrong. Something about that statement does not sit right with us, even if it's true. My worldview says that absolute truth exists and has a name. Truth exists and His name is Jesus. Let me explain. 

What would it take for you to say you have true freedom? To some maybe a dream college, job, or person comes to mind. To others maybe it is the ability to do anything and everything without anyone telling you otherwise. We're not nearly as free as we think we are. Today's episode tackles this very idea of what true freedom looks like and it begins and ends with Jesus. Don't knock my worldview until you try it. 

"Aren't we better off without Christians?" In this week's episode, we skim through John S. Dickerson's book, Jesus Skeptic. It looks at the fields of science, medicine, education, and more and discovers the role Christianity played in major and minor advancements. Not all Christians are called to work in the church, so where have we seen God put people to work? How did Jesus influence the world? He can only be One of the three: liar, lunatic, or Lord. Who is this Jesus?

Not even Gandhi liked Christians because we do not represent Jesus well. You hear it all the time, "Christians are just hypocrites" and there is truth to that. More often than not, we most definitely can be. There is a way for us to remove that label. There is power in repentance. My Christian friend, it's time for me to shape up. Do you care to join?