Between Faith & Reason with Dr. Jeff Lawrence

What does it truly mean to move from knowing about Jesus to abiding in Christ?

In this powerful Christian faith testimony, Greg Hurley shares his journey from routine church attendance and biblical knowledge to a life transformed by radical surrender to the Holy Spirit. A husband, father, and businessman, Greg believed in Jesus, faithfully served, and even read the entire Bible — yet he sensed something was missing in his relationship with God.

In 2022, a life-threatening medical crisis — a burst appendix that led to emergency hospitalization — became the turning point in his spiritual growth. In a moment of desperation, God taught him dependence. Faith shifted from information to formation. Religion became a relationship.

This episode explores:

1. The difference between intellectual belief and abiding in Christ
2. What radical surrender and daily dying to self really look like
3. How the Holy Spirit transforms marriage, fatherhood, and leadership
4. Moving from spiritual dryness to authentic Christian living

If you’ve ever felt spiritually stuck, spiritually dry, or wondered how to truly put God first in everyday life, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.

Discover what happens when faith becomes more than a label — and becomes your life.

As we approach the start of the holiday season with Thanksgiving and look forward to celebrating the birth of our Lord with Christmas, Jeff sits down with award-winning author Cynthia Ruchti to discuss her new book, "The Spirit of Christmas."

When we think of the first Christmas, we often focus on the wide-eyed young mother and her faithful fiancé, on tattered shepherds and singing angels and road-weary wise men. But the Holy Spirit was there–and just as He hovered over the waters in the beginning, He hovers over every page of the Christmas story.

You can find Cynthia online at CynthiaRuchti.com, and The Spirit of Christmas is available for purchase on Amazon.

 Today, Jeff sits down with Doug Campbell, who serves as the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), where he leads initiatives that help schools strengthen biblical worldview formation, spiritual formation, and home-school partnerships.

Doug and Jeff discuss parenting, not the picture-perfect filtered version, but the real thing. The moments when frustration rises quicker than we expected. The exhaustion that sneaks up on us, the nagging fear that we're not doing enough.

Jeff sits down with the Senior Associate pastor of Winter Garden's First Baptist to discuss Carl Trueman's book, "A Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution.

Jeremy Woods

 Jeremy has been in ministry since he was in college. He was with Biltmore Church for over 10 years, a multi-site congregation of +8000 in Western North Carolina, where he grew up. From there, he poured four years into founding and planting a gospel-centered Church on the coast of South Carolina.

A graduate of Liberty University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, he is passionate about learning, preaching, shepherding and equipping the church. His God-given purpose is to leave behind a legacy of faith.

Winter Garden's First Baptist

At FBC Winter Garden, we are one church in multiple locations, united in mission and heart. Each campus offers a welcoming environment, biblical teaching, and opportunities to connect with others as we grow in faith together. No matter which campus you attend, you’ll find a place to belong.

Foundation Academy

Foundation Academy, a private Christian school in Winter Garden, FL, partners with families and the church to build a firm foundation for life through Christ-centered education.

At Foundation Academy, we perceive the education of a child as a life-long process. A process that needs the right foundation set in place so as the child grows, they can thrive beyond any circumstance or adversity. We see it as an educational experience that lasts a lifetime and is comprised of four pillars Faith, Academics, Fine Arts and Athletics.

The tragic death of Charlie Kirk has shaken the country to its core. In many ways, it can cause one to think about how a person, particularly a believer, shares and expresses their faith, beliefs, and ideas. In this special episode, Jeff shares his thoughts on the loss of a remarkable young man who impacted Generation X, and how, as believers, we can respond.

Today, student-athletes face more pressure than ever before in athletics. This week, Jeff sits down with licensed clinical counselor Bradley Mack to discuss this ever-changing and challenging world of youth and high school athletics.

Bradley is the author of The Balanced Blueprint/Manage Pressure, Squash Burnout, Find Balance.

You can learn more about this week's guest, Bradley Mack: [email protected]

You can also find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebalancedblueprint

This week, Jeff sits down with a special guest, Tim Grosshans, Senior Pastor of Winter Garden's First Baptist, to discuss masculinity and Nancy Pearcey's book The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes.

Nancy Pearcey is a bestselling author and speaker. A former agnostic, she was hailed in The Economist as "America's pre-eminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual." Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Washington Times, First Things, Human Events, American Thinker, Daily Caller, The Federalist, CNSNews, and Fox News. She has appeared on NPR, C-SPAN, and Fox & Friends. She is currently a professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University. Pearcey's books have been translated into eighteen languages, including Total Truth, The Soul of Science, Saving Leonardo, Finding Truth, and Love Thy Body.

The link to Nancy Pearcey's book:

The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes

As a courtesy, here is the other book referred to by Jeff and Pastor Grosshans by Brant Hansen

The Men We Need: God’s Purpose for the Manly Man, the Avid Indoorsman, or Any Man Willing to Show Up

Pastor Tim Grosshans' Church

Winter Garden's First Baptist

What if the biggest threat to Christianity is not unbelief, but un-lived belief?

Today, Jeff sits with Corey Cline, an Educational Technologist at Foundation Academy. Corey has a passion for God's word and lives his faith daily. Jeff and Corey deeply dive into what God's word says about living out our faith, not simply professing it.

Foundation Academy, a private Christian school in Winter Garden, FL, partners with families and the church to build a firm foundation for life through Christ-centered education.

At Foundation Academy, we perceive a child's education as a lifelong process. This process needs the right foundation set in place so that as the child grows, they can thrive beyond any circumstance or adversity. We see it as an educational experience that lasts a lifetime and is comprised of four pillars: Faith, Academics, Fine Arts, and Athletics.

 There's a growing sense that the world is falling apart. Turn on the news, scroll social media, talk to your neighbor, and you'll see it: war, riots, political division, fear. We're living in a moment that feels unstable and unsafe.

Today, Jeff addresses believers, sharing that we have hope and certainty due to our relationship with the Creator. We can do things daily that will make a difference in how we perceive our world and allow us to make a difference through time in His word and prayer.

Believers and non-believers have at one time or another questioned the existence of God. This week, Jeff sits down with Teach, Strength Coach, and Author Christie Thompson to discuss how the evidence of God is very real and her new book, "A King's Heart: Restoring a Relationship with the King."

Her book addresses essential questions, such as: Who is God? Can we truly know God? How does God’s character impact my life? What draws God’s heart toward us? Can understanding God's character transform my own?

A King's Heart is a journey of discovery. It invites you to see God in a new light and inspires a deeper, more trusting relationship with Him. A King's Heart can be purchased on Amazon.

About Jeff's guest, Christie Thompson:

Christie Thompson earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. She teaches Physical Education, Weightlifting, and Varsity Sports Conditioning at the Tilden Campus for middle school and high school and helps lead the SLI Mentor Campus Connection. She enjoys teaching people about health and fitness, playing basketball, and spending time with her family. Christie’s favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11. Her brother is most influential because he spent time teaching her about basketball.