Today on A Little Better, hosts Drew and Brad are joined by Kids Ministry Executive Director, Kristin Shughart, to answer the following questions:

How does Northridge partner with, equip, and encourage parents?

What are the best ways to invest in our relationships with our children?

What if I “missed” my opportunity to raise my children right?

Additional Resources Mentioned:

The Biggest Story Bible Storybook by Kevin DeYoung and Don Clark.

https://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Story-Bible-Storybook/dp/1433557371/

 Today on A Little Better, Drew and Ashley Karschner chat with Noah, our Brighton Campus Pastor, and answer the following questions:

What was a lesson you learned in the season of infertility?

How do I train my kids to surrender to God?

If I have a child who has walked away from Christ, where should I go from here?

Today on A Little Better, Noah and Paige from the Brighton Campus, and Maddie, the Rochester Kids Director, answer the following questions:

What characteristics of God did you see in Ruth Chapter Four?

What are some helpful tips for reading the Old Testament when you don’t blatantly see God working?

How does the Gospel connect to the book of Ruth?

What does God’s providence look like in your life?

Today on A Little Better host Michelle, our Outreach Director, is joined by Shawn Bantle and Drew, our Lead Pastor, to answer the following questions:

What's the significance of the harvest? 

How do we wait on God when it seems like doing what's right is bringing us down? 

What change is going on inside Naomi?

Today on A Little Better host Drew is joined by Calum, our Webster Worship Director, and Laura, Drew’s Mom, to answer the following questions:

What if doing the right thing doesn’t feel like it gets me in the right place?

What does it mean to honor your family?

Why does your reputation matter?

Additional Resources Mentioned:

Ruth - Fields of Grace Bible Study: ​​https://thedailygraceco.com/products/fields-of-grace-a-study-on-ruth-1?_pos=1&_psq=ruth&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Today on A Little Better, hosts Drew and Brad are joined by our Rochester Worship Director, Brittany, to answer the following questions:

Is it ok to vent our frustrations with God?  When is it too much?

What do those who are hurting need?

What if we are hurting ourselves? Can we still help?

Today on A Little Better, Calum, the Webster Campus Worship Director, Brad, the Online Campus Pastor, and Noah, the Brighton Campus Pastor, answer the following questions:

Why doesn’t God just tell us what He wants?

How can God’s sovereignty be compatible with my individual decisions?

How can I confidently make decisions that God is happy with?

Additional Resources Mentioned:
Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin DeYoung
https://www.amazon.com/Just-Do-Something-Liberating-Approach/dp/0802411592

Decision Making and the Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View by Gary Friesen and J. Robin Maxson
https://www.amazon.com/Decision-Making-Will-God-Alternative/dp/1590522052

Today on A Little Better, host Brad is joined by Jason, our Community Groups & Shepherding Director, and Matt, our Ministries Lead as they answer the following questions:

Is God being fair when He chooses some to be saved and not others?

How can I know if God chose me to be saved?

How should this teaching encourage me?

Additional Resources Mentioned:

Predestination: An Introduction by Andrew David Naselli
https://www.amazon.com/Predestination-Introduction-Studies-Systematic-Theology/dp/1433573148

Today on A Little Better, host Brad is joined by Josh Horn and Keith Horn, who both have a Ph.D in the science field, as they answer the following questions:

What is the proper role of science, and what is the proper role of faith?

Can science and faith work together?

What mistakes should I avoid when engaging with science?

What are some best practices for both Christians and skeptics to approach this issue?

Keith Horn has a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois, years of postdoctoral work and leadership in industry research, and has been an associate dean of math and science at Houghton College.

Josh Horn has a Ph.D. in Biophysics, is the former Director of Outreach at Northridge Church, and the current Director of 441 Ministries in the Beechwood community.

Additional Resources Mentioned:

Keith alluded to some mistakes to avoid and practices to follow.  We mentioned some of them in the podcast but did not have time to address them all.  Here is Keith’s more complete counsel:

10 (mistaken) assumptions people make about science:

All scientists are atheists

What the media says is science is science

What scientists say is science is science

Opinions and hypotheses are science

It was published, therefore it must be true

Scientific consensus means the hypothesis and facts are true (may only be the best view now, many established views have changed over time)

Science can know everything

All new research is wrong (this skeptical view denies the order God expects us to find)

Science is free of all bias, opinions, influence, agendas and distortion

Science is only bias, opinions, influence, agendas, distortion and conspiracy

Bonus:  Believing in “scientism” instead of science

Guidelines for handling questions about science and the Bible:

Remember how God has worked in your life

Know that you will never know everything, nor will your atheist/agnostic friends/colleagues

Don’t bind the Bible tightly to what science says today.  Science may update scientific theories.

Remember science has been wrong and harmful at times (e.g. thalidomide was once given to pregnant women and caused birth defects and death) and has been right and extremely helpful at times (e.g. some diseases, like polio, have been cured).

Keep Searching

Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance

Find out what the Bible says

Study how the Bible says it (e.g. is this text literal or figurative?)

Read biblical scholars and scientists who are Christians

Today on A Little Better, our host Drew is joined by Jason, the Community Groups & Shepherding Director, and Calum, the Webster Worship Director, to answer the following questions:

Is it possible to do the right thing, even though I am a sinner?

What does the voice of God sound like?

Is my growth all up to me or all up to God?