In 1960, C. S. Lewis published The Four Loves which chronicles the four Greek definitions of love. Today, we will explore Eros love, the romantic/sexual type of love with Reverend Andrew Lazo, C. S. Lewis scholar and co-host of Pints with Jack. We know sex sells in all areas of our culture and economy and has been for centuries. But why are we susp…

C.S. Lewis wrote The Four Loves to present a balanced portrait of the different aspects of love using various Greek words that either appear in the Bible or else embody a biblical facet of love. In this episode, we explore storge love (“store-gae”) whose chief meaning is the deepest affection, like a parent to a child. A lively conversation with a …

February is the perfect backdrop to explore C. S. Lewis's 1960's book, The Four Loves, in which he unpacks his robust interpretation of four types of loves: philia, storge, eros and agape. Today we will speak with Lewis experts David and Crystal Downing of Wheaton College on the subject of philia - friendship bonds. Lewis described philia as the "l…

When you think of asking someone to be your mentor, do you break out in a sweat like you're asking someone on a first date? Do you think you have to find the 'perfect person' who will answer all of your myriad needs? Laura Flanders, a seasoned leader and educator in the training and mentoring field helps us dispels the myths, and our anxiety, by un…

We are at the end of January - how are you doing on your New Year's resolutions? Did you make any? Why do some resolutions seem to come easily while others are harder patterns to break - or start? Dr. Betsy Wagner unpacks how and why change is so hard, and how some resolutions and behaviors are easier to achieve than others. Based on her research a…

We all want to escape sometimes- work, responsibilities, and sometimes even our own bodies. Today's virtual reality offers an alternative world view where one can try on new personas and explore new worlds. Should Christians be building avatars and churches to minister in the metaverse? We visit with prolific author and professor, Dr. Doug Groothui…

Our bodies matter to God. And yet, almost all of us, at one time or another, fight the battle of the bulge. As we age, our metabolism slows down and for many, we can give up, thinking our weight is out of our hands--the downside of getting older. But this is not true and there is a way we can gain victory over the scale and achieve physical fitness…

What is a good life? How do we know when we are living one? If we find that we are not, when we're feeling burned out, dissatisfied, lonely, or addicted, how do we get on the right track? Listen in to today's episode with Dr. Bethan Willis, Associate Chaplain with the Oxford Pastorate.By Halee Gray Scott

American writer Frederick Buechner wrote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.” They are lovely words that express a lovely sentiment, but there is a theological problem with it: it’s all about me. And more: what if we never find that exact nexus where passion and need meet? Listen in t…

Secular and spiritual communities alike are fascinated with the concept of calling--the idea of pursuing your life's purpose. But what is the shadow side to pursuing your calling? What do you do when what you thought was your calling doesn't work out? When the bottom falls out of your your dreams or your life? Were you wrong about your calling? Lis…

In 2012, the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life released a report detailing the rise of the 'Nones.' The Nones are a growing number of Americans who identify with no particular religion. The data says that as America grows younger, America grows less religious. Yet in 2015, Brianne Shaw and her husband, Josh, were undaunted by those statistics.…

Women are God's invisible army. Every day, every moment, countless women are making a difference by leading ministries. It's far past time for a new conversation about Christian women leaders. The question is not whether women should lead. The question is how women are leading today amidst the unique challenges they face because of their gender. On…

For all the autonomy and civil liberties allowed us in the West, few places seem as powerless and irrelevant as a suburban home during times of global civil unrest. At least that's what it often feels like as a stay-at-home mom or work-at-home mom. As a young mother, I was often frustrated by what I saw to be my own inability to enact meaningful ch…

Work is not primarily a thing one does to live but the thing one lives to do," wrote Dorothy Sayers. "It is, or it should be, the full expression of the worker's faculties, the thing in which he finds spiritual, mental and bodily satisfaction, and the medium in which he offers himself to God." Swift on the heels of the pandemic came the Great Resig…

Powerlessness. It's the feeling of hands being tied or getting carried out to sea by a riptide. It buries us under an ocean of anxiety, stress, and depression. It's a feeling that I often hear expressed by young adults who, thanks to technology, are assaulted daily by images of worldwide crises. Against such things, we wonder: what good can I do? A…

Every year, more churches are closing their doors than opening them. A 2021 study conducted by LifeWay Research revealed that 4,500 churches closed in America, and only 3,000 opened. A few questions I often present to pastors are "If your church were to close, would your neighborhood notice? What good is your church doing in the community?" In this…

Teaching between generations is often one-way. In the home, parents teach their kids. In school, teachers teach the children. But what if we changed direction to see what we can learn from children? The Scriptures place a high value on children. When the disciples asked who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus answered, “‘Who is the greates…

Mil­len­ni­als are per­haps the most stud­ied gen­er­a­tion in his­to­ry. For years, new stud­ies on Mil­len­ni­als seemed to be pub­lished every day. But there is a new gen­er­a­tion on the rise; a gen­er­ation marked­ly dif­fer­ent from pre­ced­ing gen­er­a­tions: Gen­er­a­tion Z. Born any­where from 1996 to 2012, we still have much to learn abou…

There is power in the written word. Words can cut like swords, heal like salve, and preserve like stone. We don't question the power of writing... but we do wonder if there's a secret to the writing process. After all, most writers know that as satisfying as finishing a piece of writing can be, the process is often fraught with frustration. In this…

At the time of this podcast recording, it is August 2022. Summer is drawing to a close, and in just a few weeks students will return to public schools in droves. Several of them will be taught Critical Race Theory as a part of their curriculum and, according to apologist and philosopher Dr. Doug Groothuis, this should raise concern for Christians. …

Have you ever been 'evangelized' to? What did it feel like? What emotions did it evoke? Here's the truth: evangelism can be unsettling. Why is that, and is there a better way to reach non-believers with the good news of the gospel? The answer to that question starts with evaluating WHY non-believers are turned off to Christianity in the first place…

What does it mean to be a Christian? Unfortunately, Christian culture can put stipulations and standards on the title that aren't exactly biblical. In some circles, there are standards to pass: do you go to church every Sunday? Are your parents divorced or married? Do you struggle with addiction? In this episode of Christian Curious, we speak with …

UFOs. The Expansion of the Universe. The Multiverse. We have a tendency to fear what we don't understand. Is there a place for faith in the realm of astrophysics? Our guest on this episode of Christian Curious, Dr. Jeff Zwerinck, is convinced that the answer is yes. He helps us explore the following question: What Does the Universe Tell Us About Go…

It's a question we've been debating for decades: is there political imbalance in higher education? If there is, how does that impact our educational experience? A recent study compiled by professors from differing political perspectives unequivocally concluded that liberal professors are overrepresented on college campuses and universities. Thomas …

Christianity is the most practiced religion in the world, but what makes it different from the rest? What aspects compel people to believe the claims of Jesus over alternate world views? In this episode of Christian Curious, Dr. Halee Gray Scott speaks with apologist and author, Dr. Doug Groothius, who recently published a new edition of his classi…

(Part 2) In the last century or so, there has been a growing chasm between science and religion. However, our hunch is that they're more related than they might seem. So, in this episode of Christian Curious, we will explore the age-old question: are science and faith really enemies? We spoke with Dr. Sy Garte who has a Ph.D in biochemistry and is …

In the last century or so, there has been a growing chasm between science and religion. However, our hunch is that they're more related than they might seem. So, in this episode of Christian Curious, we will explore the age-old question: are science and faith really enemies? We spoke with Dr. Sy Garte who has a Ph.D in biochemistry and is the autho…

Many women struggle to maintain their interests, hobbies, friendships, and even their identities once they become a mother. Many feel guilty for taking time for self-care. But as we all know, we have to take care of ourselves first before we care care for others. So how can we be a great mom and still maintain our own identity? Today, Halee and Car…

On this weeks episode, Halee is joined by Caryn Rivadeneira, author more than twenty books including Mama's Got a Fake I.D. and Saints of Feather and Fang. Halee and Caryn explore the question, "What makes a good mom?" Ladened with so many expectations from both self and society, it can be difficult to discern what it really means to be a good mom.…

Churches (and church leaders) behaving badly top news headlines far too often. So how do you know if you're in a toxic church? Today, Halee will be discussing the factors that can help you identify if you are in a toxic church. She is joined by Laura McKnight Barringer, author of the book, A Church Called Tov. Listen in as Halee and Laura discuss h…

Today I'm speaking with Olena Shev, who grew up near Chernobyl.By Halee Gray Scott

What is happening in Ukraine and why does it matter? My guest, Dr. Mark R. Elliot is an expert on Russia and the editor of the East West Church Ministry Report. You can find out more about his ministry here: https://www.eastwestreport.org/about/editorBy Halee Gray Scott

By Halee Gray Scott and Hannah Grieser

"The opposite of faith is not doubt, it's certainty." As soon as you're certain about something, you stop learning, growing, and looking for what's true. In this episode of Christian Curious, we're back with Eugene Kim to discuss his nonprofit, The New Wine Collective. NWC exists to reimagine Church from the ground up--to foster a multidiscipline c…

What kind of results is the modern Church producing? Are people being discipled to be more like Christ? Jesus taught that we can judge a tree by its fruit. If the fruit isn't there, it could be time to uproot a few things. On this episode of Christian Curious, we chat with Eugene Kim, a former pastor and founder of the New Wine Collective, a moveme…

Over the last few weeks (recorded August 2021), Americans and people around the world have watched the stunning developments in Afghanistan as American troops have been pulled from the country. In this episode of Christian Curious, we share information straight from the source on what Christians are currently experiencing in Afghanistan from Dr. Re…

(Part 2) Full-time enrollment in seminary has a downward trajectory, and the scope of theological education is changing. But where exactly is the future of seminary headed? On this episode of Christian Curious, we chat with Evan Morgan. He's the founder and president of Our Daily Bread University, an online learning platform that makes theological …

Full-time enrollment in seminary has a downward trajectory, and the scope of theological education is changing. But where exactly is the future of seminary headed? On this episode of Christian Curious, we chat with Evan Morgan. He's the founder and president of Our Daily Bread University, an online learning platform that makes theological education…

(Part 2) Ryan Berg's life changed when he saw a news headline about twelve children being rescued from a brothel. Shocked and disturbed, he did some more research and traveled to the country where that occurred. He and his wife have since dedicated their time to the fight against sex trafficking. They run the Aruna Project, an athleisure brand that…

Ryan Berg's life changed when he saw a news headline about twelve children being rescued from a brothel. Shocked and disturbed, he did some more research and traveled to the country where that occurred. He and his wife have since dedicated their time to the fight against sex trafficking. They run the Aruna Project, an athleisure brand that rescues …

Our lives are full of gaps. Even when we're in the middle of something big, we're waiting for something else to occur. Where is God in the gaps of our life? Where is he in the waiting? On this episode of Christian Curious, we discuss those questions and more with Christie Love, author of 'God of the Gaps: Finding Faith in the in-between spaces of o…

In this episode of Christian Curious, we speak with Reid Bervik, a young adult and mental health counselor who has spent a lot of time considering his beliefs in the context of today's culture. If you're like us, this conversation will inspire you to think more deeply about your faith!By Halee Gray Scott and Hannah Grieser

Danielle Reeves is one of the founders of Resilience Church in Lakewood, Colorado, and they do things a little bit differently. On this episode of Christian Curious, she chats with us about how churches can practically adjust to meet the needs of culture.By Halee Gray Scott and Hannah Grieser

A major criticism that people have of Christians is that they're hypocrites. And who can blame them? When church scandals are a dime a dozen and services stay at the surface level, it's time that the Church learns how to be authentic and vulnerable. To discuss this issue in this episode is Julie Burns. She is a speaker, wife, mother of four daughte…

Is there a best way to structure Church? In Part 2 of the Future of the Church, we're back with organizational consultant Susan Yim to unpack how Church is changing on a structural level.By Halee Gray Scott and Hannah Grieser

What do you think the Church will look like for the next generation? The data doesn't lie--Church is changing rapidly, and we're curious about how God might be leading the transformation. On this episode of Christian Curious, we speak with a passionate organizational consultant and former minister Susan Yim to help us deconstruct & reconstruct our …

The nexus of suffering and belief is one of the biggest conundrums people struggle with on their faith journey. How do reconcile our idea of a good God when so much bad happens in the world? On this episode of Christian Curious, we continue our series on The Body with Kari Morris-Guzman. Kari is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and a Methodist…

Cancel Culture: the popular practice of withdrawing support for public figures and companies after they have done something considered objectionable or offensive. People and organizations are getting # canceled left and right-- think the city of Atlanta, Dr. Suess, Ellen DeGeneres, JK Rowling-- the list continues. We're not affirming the actions of…

Doug Barnes finishes our series on sexual addiction by discussing practical ways to recover.By Halee Gray Scott and Hannah Grieser

In this episode of Christian Curious, we're back with therapist Doug Barnes to dive deeper into the weeds of sexual addiction. He discusses the components of a healthy sexuality, pornography, and intimacy, to name a few.By Halee Gray Scott and Hannah Grieser