Rebecca and J.D. Greear explore how Christians can transcend the culture war by leading with grace and truth, loving hard-to-love neighbors, keeping politics downstream of discipleship, and holding fast to the gospel with joyful confidence.

Resources Mentioned:

• J.D.'s Website
• Summit Church
• Everyday Revolutionary: How to Transcend the Culture War and Transform the World

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.

How can anxiety become a doorway to deeper faith? Blair Linne joins Rebecca to discuss her new book Made to Tremble: How Anxiety Became the Best Thing That Ever Happened to My Faith. She recounts the accident that led to panic attacks, unpacks natural / sinful / religious fear, and shows how Scripture’s “do not fear” is an invitation to rest in God’s presence.

Resources Mentioned:

• Made to Tremble – Blair Linne
• Finding My Father – Blair Linne

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.

Rebecca welcomes back Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley for part two of their conversation about Theology Together. They unpack the Deep Discipleship Program—a tested, church-based framework for theological formation that is both sacrificial and accessible. They discuss lowering vs. raising the bar in ministry, how to call believers into deeper study and practice, and why the church must reclaim the life of the mind as part of following Jesus.

Resources mentioned:

• Deep Discipleship
• You Are a Theologian
• Formed for Fellowship
• Remember & Rehearse
• Training The Church
• Knowing Faith Podcast

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.

Rebecca welcomes Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley (Knowing Faith) to explore why every believer is a theologian, how women and men learn together in the church, and how practices of grace form us for fellowship with God and one another. They discuss You Are a Theologian, Deep Discipleship, Formed for Fellowship, and Remember & Rehearse—along with church-as-family, Priscilla & Aquila (Acts 18), and helping new Christians live inside God’s big story.

Resources mentioned:

• You Are a Theologian
• Deep Discipleship
• Formed for Fellowship
• Remember & Rehearse
• Training The Church
• Knowing Faith Podcast

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.

Rebecca welcomes Vaneetha Risner for a candid conversation about suffering, unanswered prayer, and the presence of Christ in our deepest pain. Vaneetha recounts her story (childhood polio, the death of her infant son, an unwanted divorce), how John 9 reframed her “why,” and why Christian hope rests in the character of God—not in guaranteed outcomes. They also explore lament, community, and practical ways to walk with those who hurt.

Resources mentioned:

• Watching for the Morning (90-day devotional): vaneetha.com/watching-for-the-morning
• Desperate for Hope (7-session Bible study): vaneetha.com/desperate-for-hope
• Vaneetha’s website: vaneetha.com
• Joni Eareckson Tada & Steven Estes, When God Weeps: Amazon
• John 9 (Jesus and the man born blind): Read
• John 11 (Jesus with Mary & Martha): Read

0:00 Exploring Faith and Suffering Through Personal Trials
3:12 Finding Faith Amidst Life's Trials and Unanswered Prayers
14:05 Finding Faith and Comfort Amidst Suffering and Loss
19:53 Unexpected Suffering and the Journey of Writing Through Pain
23:11 Finding Hope and Purpose in Suffering Through Faith
32:19 Exploring Faith, Suffering, and Devotionals with Vaneetha Risner

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.

Rebecca sits down with Karen Swallow Prior to explore vocation that comes from outside us, the goodness of “ordinary” faithfulness, and why pursuing the true, the good, and the beautiful gives shape to our work in every season. They reflect on biblical portraits of calling (Paul, Moses, Jonah), the role of community in discernment, and how serving others—not chasing status—aligns our lives with Jesus.

Resources mentioned:

• Karen's Website: karenswallowprior.com
• You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful (Karen Swallow Prior)
• On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books (Karen Swallow Prior)
• The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis (Karen Swallow Prior)
• Bible passages:
  • Acts 9 (Paul’s calling)
  • Exodus 3–4 (Moses)
  • Jonah (running from calling)
  • Colossians 3:23–24 (work as unto the Lord)

0:00 Exploring Vocation and Identity in Confronting Christianity Podcast
2:34 Understanding Life's Callings and Their External Origins
7:23 Discerning Personal Calling Amidst Biblical and Modern Examples
13:57 Discovering Your Calling Through Truth and Community
14:52 Jesus's Teachings on Power and Christian Vocation
17:47 Redefining Life's Calling Beyond Glamorous Achievements
24:09 Christian Perspectives on Vocation and Service
28:42 Finding Purpose in Serving Others Over Personal Ambitions
33:28 Finding Purpose in Caring for Creation
36:07 A Humbling Experience in a School Swimming Contest
36:56 Discovering Personal Callings Through Community and Encouragement
40:39 Exploring Beauty and Vocation Through a Christian Lens

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.

Season 7 of Confronting Christianity is here! Rebecca gives a sneak peek at upcoming conversations—from finding hope in suffering and living faithfully as a single Christian, to confronting anxiety, pornography, and the meaning of Jesus’ death. Subscribe now so you don’t miss a single episode.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Rebecca’s forthcoming book: How Church Could Literally Save Your Life (Releases October, preorder available)
• Rebecca's Website
• Weekly newsletter signup

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.

What happens when you’ve tried everything—and nothing works? In this episode, Justine shares how she searched for meaning through alcohol, relationships, yoga, crystals, and tarot—only to find herself more lost than ever. But a YouTube video, a prayer in Madrid, and a series of quiet nudges led her to confront the truth she could no longer ignore: she needed Jesus. Whether you're skeptical, curious, or clinging to faith, this story of rescue will challenge your assumptions and stir your soul.
Sign up for weekly emails at RebeccaMcLaughlin.org/Subscribe
Follow Confronting Christianity:
Instagram | X

Based on his beloved song, Penelope Judd, Shai Linne shares a beautiful allegory to help kids grasp the gospel—that Jesus, like the Prince in the story, enters our broken world and invites us into something new. Using the song’s lyrics, this book offers a creative way to start gospel conversations with the children you love.

Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Good Podcast Co.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.

What if rock bottom isn’t the end of the story, but the place where grace runs deepest? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Ray Ortlund about the kind of suffering that strips us bare—and the kind of Savior who meets us there. We dig into betrayal, isolation, and the painful honesty of self-examination. Ray shares wisdom from his new book, Good News at Rock Bottom, reminding us that Christianity doesn’t offer a shallow fix—but a Redeemer who walks with us through the wreckage. If you’ve ever felt like your faith is hanging by a thread, this conversation is for you.
Buy Ray's Book:
Good News at Rock Bottom
Follow Ray:
Instagram
Sign up for weekly emails at RebeccaMcLaughlin.org/Subscribe
Follow Confronting Christianity:
Instagram | X

Based on his beloved song, Penelope Judd, Shai Linne shares a beautiful allegory to help kids grasp the gospel—that Jesus, like the Prince in the story, enters our broken world and invites us into something new. Using the song’s lyrics, this book offers a creative way to start gospel conversations with the children you love.

Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Good Podcast Co.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.

What does it look like to follow Jesus at Harvard? In this episode, I talk with senior Andrei Comlosan-Pop about coming to faith in high school, navigating life as a Christian at a secular university, and how literature, economics, and community all play a part in shaping a thoughtful, lived-out faith.
Sign up for weekly emails at RebeccaMcLaughlin.org/Subscribe
Follow Confronting Christianity:
Instagram | X

Based on his beloved song, Penelope Judd, Shai Linne shares a beautiful allegory to help kids grasp the gospel—that Jesus, like the Prince in the story, enters our broken world and invites us into something new. Using the song’s lyrics, this book offers a creative way to start gospel conversations with the children you love.

Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Good Podcast Co.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use code SPIRIT to get 30% off What Jesus Started at thegoodbook.com.

Learn more and find the Life Application Study Bible at lifeapplication.com.