Control Freak Christianity

Politics have been crazy and Christians are all over the map when it comes to political involvement and positions. Joe and Rachel discuss their own political experiences and talk about what a healthy understanding of politics in the life of the Christian can look like.

Joe and Rachel have a raw and unscripted conversation about a rarely addressed topic - that people have fantasies, imaginative worlds, and daydreams. Is that even ok? Join us for the discussion!

The Quiverfull movement, and similar movements, teach that all birth control is wrong, and families should produce as many children as possible. Joe and Rachel discuss some of the thoughts, beliefs, and arguments of the Quiverfull movement, along with the truth and freedom found in the Bible.

In a world where internet experts and armchair theorists abound, Joe and Rachel discuss the importance of listening to people who actually live out their own ideas. How can we tell if somebody is a practitioner? How do we know if their practice is healthy and good? And what does a practitioner learn from engaging in real life?

Co-hosts Joe and Rachel discuss the core Christian doctrine of repentance and how it is often dealt with cheaply. From abusers faking repentance to save face, to large numbers of Christians being gullible because they don't regularly walk in repentance, much discussion and work is needed on this topic.

The sexual abuse of famed evangelist and apologist, Ravi Zacharias, is in the open. We know he shamefully used his ministry for selfish reasons, harming and abusing others in the process. Joe and Rachel have an unscripted conversation on the ordeal and what it means for Christians and the Church.

This episode contains a detailed account of abuse. Joe and Rachel discuss an example of abuse from Joe's life and how God faithfully met Joe in many moments of darkness.

Previous guests, Bethany and Adia, return to talk about the cost they had to pay to publically share their stories. All of us benefitted from each of their first visits with co-hosts Joe and Rachel, but few know how much hardship those interviews brought them. From being attacked by people who didn't like what they had to say, to reopening wounds that came with intense grief, these two women share their insights and experiences. 

A shallow understanding of suffering can easily lead to trite Christian sayings or quoting a Bible verse without compassion. Joe and Rachel discuss the heart of God, our need for comfort, and how we should seek to comfort others in their suffering.

Abusers are not the only ones to blame for cultures of abuse. The enablers, those who stand by and don't resist abuse, bear culpability as well. Joe and Rachel touch on the biblical theology of Justice, discuss how we have all fallen short in acting justly, and give examples of how passivity against abusers hurts the abused. But for all of our failure in these areas, our hope is in Jesus who actively walked out Justice perfectly.