In this episode, Johnathan Arnold and Dr. David Fry discuss why the resurrection is the necessary for our redemption.

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In this episode, David Fry and Johnathan Arnold discuss the Equality Act, its impact on churches and Christian organizations, and the void in our culture concerning what it means to be male and female.

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In this episode, David Fry and Johnathan Arnold discuss a recent piece of cultural art and how the church can respond.

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In this special Good Friday episode of the Holy Joys Podcast, Johnathan Arnold and David Fry discuss atonement theories: How does the death of Jesus on the cross accomplish our redemption? 

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Philip Brown joins David Fry and Johnathan Arnold to discuss the rule of faith. The episode begins with a short current events segment on Rush Limbaugh and his impact on evangelical Christians.

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In this episode, David Fry and Johnathan Arnold continue discussing Wesleyan Prevenient Grace in the thought of William Burt Pope. WPG is compared to the thought of John Cassian,  Jonathan Edwards, Augustine, Pelagius, and Charles Finney.

Quotes from Fry:

• Arminians continue to be accused of being semi-Pelagian or perhaps even Pelagian for saying that we initiate our salvation.
• Our doctrine of grace has many implications for our pulpit ministry.
• The way we appeal to people to come to Christ matters. Those are delicate theological moments, and we need to make sure we are exalting grace in those moments instead of placing upon a person a burden that they can't carry.
• It very unfortunate that our revival theology has been shaped so much by Charles Finney who denied prevenient grace. Finney is not a friend to Wesleyans.

Quotes from Arnold:

• I hear things like "God is just waiting for you to take the first step towards you." God is not just waiting.
• Pope defines faith as a "divinely-wrought belief." Faith begins with the act of God upon the soul.
• We cannot schedule a "revival." "Revivals" are days when we pray for revival and humble ourselves to ask if God would graciously give us revival.

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In this episode, David Fry and Johnathan Arnold continue discussing prevenient grace in the thought of William Burt Pope.

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In this episode, Johnathan Arnold and David Fry discuss whether or not the church should offer virtual communion and how the rush to live-stream the Lord's Supper reflects a general over-spiritualization of the church. 

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Travis Johnson joins David Fry and Johnathan Arnold to discuss his recent article, "Ravi Zacharias and the Moral Failure of Spiritual Leaders."

Quotes from Travis:

• Victims need to know that it's safe. The church can be a safe place to come forward and share your experience so that you can get the help that you need.  We in the church want to be a part of that healing process.
• We have to talk about this for the sake of transparency. People are struggling with this.
• Within the church, there are other victims of sexual abuse and they need to know we care. We need to be their voice. Many are afraid to come forward and they need to know the church can be a safe place to come forward and share your experience so you can get the help that you need.
• We need to talk about it because we learn from our mistakes. Other ministries will look at this and say, “What can we do to make sure that this doesn’t ever happen in our organization?" Churches will be learning from this, hopefully implementing changes that will strengthen their ministries.
• Our people need to hear from us that we care deeply about these issues. That we as leaders want to live lives of holiness and purity. They need to hear from us that we need their help in this area of accountability and transparency. 
• If there are victims of any kind of abuse in the congregation, they need to hear our voice that we care for them, that we love them, and that we will always stand with victims.

Quotes from Fry:

• It ought to be a reminder to everyone that sin is never just about me and my private life. It always affects relationships and other people. 
• As a church, we have to create a culture in which we are accountable, and have a culture and atmosphere so that if there is wrongdoing and lack of discretion, then that can be dealt with in a truthful and graceful way.
• When something comes to our attention, we have to listen to it.  It doesn’t matter how impeccable someone may seem to be.
• A church should have a policy for how things are followed up. If there’s a report of any wrongdoing, there should be a procedure. 

Quotes from Arnold:

• It’s important that we are theologically robust and defend the Christian faith with the best intellectual arguments. But if we are not living a life of integrity, then it doesn’t matter.
• This is something pastors should talk to their churches about.

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Andrew Graham joins David Fry and Johnathan Arnold to discuss the recent news about Ravi Zacharias and what we can do in our own churches and institutions to expose abusers and help victims.

Quotes from Graham:

• People in Christian leadership are not exempt from temptation, not exempt from the possibility of falling. There needs to be structures in place that protect them and the people who serve alongside them.
• If we view this as an isolated, RZIM-specific issue, then I think we will be talking about the next one. Rather than each of us in our own context looking at what needs to be done differently moving forward.
• What systems are in place so when a ministry leader acknowledges I am not okay, there is a place for restoration and recovery? Rather than feeling like the only way forward is to continue to hide.
• Books like Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused by Brad Hambrick and We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis by Mary E. DeMuth are very practical resources that talk about what to do for the victim and victimizer. 
• We need to listen to those who are victims. We need to hear their stories.
• Expressing your abuse narrative in a safe context is a significant part of beginning the healing journey. Identify someone who can help you.
• What am I doing and what are you doing in your context to make sure that the people who see you as a spiritual leader would say, “I know I can go to you and talk to you about this and you will handle it the right way."
• If someone identifies you as a safe person, you need to do the right thing. 

Quotes from Fry:

• We need to be very intentional as Wesleyans that we do not develop theological misconceptions that become a part of a structure that ensures something will happen and it will be overlooked because it can’t count as sin.
• We do not want to provide a theological shield behind which those who possess power in a ministry can hide.
• Someone who is caught up in sin will find theological reasons to justify themselves.
• We have to be aware that we are naturally going to be defensive of the system within which we work.
• We need room in our theology to understand that our system is not perfect. 

Quotes from Arnold:

• If we are serious about holiness, we must realize how we can undermine holiness by failing to call something sin that is sin.
• There are consequences for our theology. If we are not careful in the way that we preach and teach, real people get hurt.
• We’re unlikely to see red flags when our theological impulse is to justify those red flags.
• None of us are calling for the church to be weak on sin. We’re just calling for more nuance, more maturity, more carefulness, and more theological work. Because simplistic thinking hurts people. 

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