HopeNet Radio

On this episode

Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Jason @kempster220 | Terra Kay @terrakfree | Bill, Homeland Security

Holidays are hard enough to handle when a loved one isn’t a part of the traditions. This week, we’re continuing our discussion on the topic of refugees, but in a little different way. Refugees are guests in our country. How do we treat guests? How do we talk around guests? Does anybody actually care about how they’re perceiving what’s become abundantly clear from the headlines that “we’re not sure that we like you?”

Let’s move from behind the politics and look to the people who we allow at our family table around the holidays. And if there’s an empty chair around your table this year, take that sense of loss and sadness symbolized by the empty chair and include someone who needs joy and peace this Christmas season.

[typography font=”Asap” size=”12″ size_format=”px”](Note: We are not advocating that everyone invite a refugee or complete stranger over to your house as that doesn’t work for everyone. But do look for ways to reach out to people who may live near you and do something small that communicates hope and joy and peace.)[/typography]

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Show Notes

Check out last week’s notes.

While the issue has been highly politicized lately, refugees continue to be among the most vulnerable people in our society. They may not celebrate Christmas or quite understand why we have certain customs. That’s OK. Refugees are guests in our country. How do we treat guests? How do we talk around guests? Does anybody actually care about how they’re perceiving what’s become abundantly clear from the headlines that “we’re not sure that we like you?”

 

Man Thanks Officer for DUI Arrest – (WAGA) Nov 16, 2015

A Georgia man thanked a Tyrone Police Officer for arresting him in July.

According to the police report, the man was driving on Highway 74 and while in a turn lane, instead of making a right onto the street, the driver went straight running off the road. Sgt. Jacob Collins arrested the man for DUI.

Monday, Tyrone Police Chief Brandon Perkins received a letter from the man, thanking Sgt. Collins for arresting him. The letter reads “I was severely intoxicated. He saved my life and the lives of others and I truly appreciate his actions and his efforts.”

[Tweet “As a Christian, two of our greatest tensions to wrestle with is mercy and grace. #HNRTB”]

As a Christian, two of our greatest tensions to wrestle with is mercy and grace. Mercy in that we don’t get what we deserve (hell) and grace in that we’ve been given something we don’t deserve (Jesus &a...

On this episode

Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Jason @kempster220 | Terra Kay @terrakfree | Bill, Homeland Security

Holidays are hard enough to handle when a loved one isn’t a part of the traditions. This week, we’re continuing our discussion on the topic of refugees, but in a little different way. Refugees are guests in our country. How do we treat guests? How do we talk around guests? Does anybody actually care about how they’re perceiving what’s become abundantly clear from the headlines that “we’re not sure that we like you?”

Let’s move from behind the politics and look to the people who we allow at our family table around the holidays. And if there’s an empty chair around your table this year, take that sense of loss and sadness symbolized by the empty chair and include someone who needs joy and peace this Christmas season.

[typography font=”Asap” size=”12″ size_format=”px”](Note: We are not advocating that everyone invite a refugee or complete stranger over to your house as that doesn’t work for everyone. But do look for ways to reach out to people who may live near you and do something small that communicates hope and joy and peace.)[/typography]

Subscribe & Support the Podcast

Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Tune In Radio! Make sure to leave a ★★★★★ review and consider a small gift.

 

 

Show Notes

Check out last week’s notes.

While the issue has been highly politicized lately, refugees continue to be among the most vulnerable people in our society. They may not celebrate Christmas or quite understand why we have certain customs. That’s OK. Refugees are guests in our country. How do we treat guests? How do we talk around guests? Does anybody actually care about how they’re perceiving what’s become abundantly clear from the headlines that “we’re not sure that we like you?”

 

Man Thanks Officer for DUI Arrest – (WAGA) Nov 16, 2015

A Georgia man thanked a Tyrone Police Officer for arresting him in July.

According to the police report, the man was driving on Highway 74 and while in a turn lane, instead of making a right onto the street, the driver went straight running off the road. Sgt. Jacob Collins arrested the man for DUI.

Monday, Tyrone Police Chief Brandon Perkins received a letter from the man, thanking Sgt. Collins for arresting him. The letter reads “I was severely intoxicated. He saved my life and the lives of others and I truly appreciate his actions and his efforts.”

As a Christian, two of our greatest tensions to wrestle with is mercy and grace. #HNRTB
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As a Christian,

On this episode

Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Jason @kempster220 | Terra Kay @terrakfree | Bill, Homeland Security

Could it be that the way to change a generation plagued by narcissism, consumerism and apathy is dependent on our response to refugees coming to America?

In the recent months, there has been growing discussion in news media and on social media around refugees coming to America from nations like Syria, Iraq and other parts of the Middle East. After the attack that happened in Paris, there has been growing concern that refugees with violent ulterior motives will be coming to America. Not only that, but there are many refugees who have been resettled in neighborhoods in the US. So, what are Christians to do? Who are these refugees and how are we to respond to them?

As Christians are torn on this issue, Jeff and Dave welcome a a couple of guests with distinguished views on the issue of refugee resettlement to shed some light on the tension we face. One thing is certain – this next generation needs to care about

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Guests on this episode

Terra Kay, World Relief Fox Valley

Come hear about ways you can volunteer and serve refugees in Northeast Wisconsin at an upcoming Volunteer Information Night!

Terra is the Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator at World Relief Fox Valley. Their office has resettled over 130 refugees this year and is looking for ways to get Christians and the Church to reach out to some of the most vulnerable people of our society.

 

Bill, Homeland Security

People are exploiting gaps in the vetting process of refugees that makes it difficult to ensure that everyone coming in as a refugee is safe to resettle in our local communities. There is a lot going on behind the scenes surrounding the types of people coming as refugees that concern our national security.

 

The Big Idea

The vast majority of refugees coming to America get some support up front, but many times go forgotten because it’s assumed that they’ve adjusted to American way of life. But this is often not the case. And it’s the Church’s job to care for the needs of the most vulnerable members of our society, including refugees. Or simply put:

This is a different kind of topic for us to cover because there is so much media attention around the issue of resettling refugees. It’s complex, yet simple. In its purest form, a refugee is someone who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

While some would exploit the process to cause harm to Americans, the vast majority of refugees who have come through the process over the last 70 years have come to seek refuge from the storms of life and perils of evil. Some move thousands of miles away from “home” to find safety and security. Imagine for a moment that you were one of them.

 

On this episode

Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw

It happened again.

 

I heard something today and immediately knew that it had to be posted on Twitter. The likes and retweets affirmed my view and self-worth. And then I saw it: the annoying reply from those pesky Twitter trolls trying to steal my limelight. No way. I’ll show them.

New tweet. “Keep looking at me! I’ve got something important to say!”

Don’t worry. I know I’m not the only one. In a time where relationships and conversations have been pushed to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine… (whew!), words have become cheap – essentially losing their effectiveness. It’s like someone handed out bullhorns and whistles at the DMV. There’s lots of noise, but what’s the point?

Jeff and Dave are back with some perspective on how to engage a world that creates noise, but goes nowhere. Check it out…

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Show Notes

Coming soon!

On this episode

Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Jason Kemper @kempster220 | April Strom-Johnson

Red cups.

If I didn’t know any better, it would be easy to believe that the only thing that mattered to Christians this week were some plain red cups.

News flash. Being a Christian is way more than plain red cups.

Our guest tonight is April Strom-Johnson. April has spent the majority of her adult life mentoring young men and women in their musical abilities as well as life. She has an incredible story and shares insight on what it means to love one another.

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Show Notes

[Tweet “Love was never intended to have victims. -April Strom-Johnson #HNRTB”]

 

Penn Jillette is a renowned entertainer and illusionist. He’s also very vocal of his atheistic worldview. However, a few years back, he recorded this video, which has stuck with me through the years. We couldn’t have explained the mission of a Christian any better.

On this episode

Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw

Faith Fundamentals | Seems like there is always someone going on TV about paranormal activity. Does the Bible actually address these beings? Do they affect my daily life? Should I be afraid?

Alright, before we move further, let’s just admit there are a lot of people out there who love to dabble in this mystical, angelical, sort of darkness. What we actually want to talk about is how the spiritual realm does intersect with human life, often through good and evil. This world gets overly complex and sometimes the complexity of life causes us to be fearful. There’s a saying that people are generally apprehensive or afraid of that which they do not understand. Trust us, the spiritual realm turns people off. But the interesting thing is that every year around the end of October, our culture celebrates what is a very spiritual realm occasion involving ghouls and ghosts and goblins and skeletons… death. We wear masks and go around “tricking” and “treating.” Interesting.

It can be difficult having a conversation about the spiritual realm because there is a lot that is unexplainable from a human mindset. But the Bible sheds light on this topic, and we get quite a few questions in our inbox, so we’re talking about it!

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Show Notes

 

On this episode

Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Jason Kemper @kempster220

Faith Fundamentals | The Church plays a big part of our faith journey. How we view the Church in relation to our new relationship with God matters. Some view it as the place you go to be around other Christians. Some view it as the place you got baptized as a baby or where you go to hang with God. Few see it as what it really is – a vibrant community of people in God’s family. So, in conjunction to the Church playing a big part of our faith journey, you and I play a big part in the Church.

Church is you and it’s me. This week, Jeff and Dave discuss what the church is and give some insights on how to go about finding one.

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Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Tune In Radio! Make sure to leave a ★★★★★ review and consider a small gift.

 

Show Notes

Q-Drive is this week! Thank you for supporting this program and podcast.

Ekklesia is the Greek word where we get “Church” from.

[Tweet “I am the Church. #HNRTB”]

On this episode

Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Jason Kemper @kempster220 | Terra Kay @terrakfree

 

Much like football, life is built on mastering fundamentals. When it comes to faith, it’s much the same. In this Fundamentals series, Jeff and DW will help you unpack the Christian faith. In this week’s episode, we’ll continue our discussion about God and look at how the Bible helps us in this new way of living. Terra Kay is back with us, too.

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Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Tune In Radio! Make sure to leave a ★★★★★ review and consider a small gift.

Show Notes

Terra Kay and World Relief Fox Valley is hosting a Volunteer Night in Oshkosh, WI on October 27. (Website)

For some of us, the idea of God is convoluted by negative or painful experiences in life that cause us to doubt His being for us. If left to just our experience or our feelings, we’ll be misled and deceived often. Reality and faith has to be objective. For something to be true absolutely, it must be true over time and over cultures. Just because many people believe in something doesn’t make it necessarily true. Christianity and Scripture is supported logically.

Read about what a Logical Fallacy is.

Laws of Logic

For more about this conversation, check out last week’s show notes.

On this episode

Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Jason Kemper @kempster220 | Pastor Mike Ott @theotterpop

 

Much like football, life is built on mastering fundamentals. When it comes to faith, it’s much the same. In this Fundamentals series, Jeff and DW will help you unpack the Christian faith. In this week’s episode, we’ll start – literally – at the beginning with the question, “Who is responsible for this?”

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Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Tune In Radio! Make sure to leave a ★★★★★ review and consider a small gift.

Show Notes

[Tweet “If ever a generation needed to know of the God of the Bible, it’s this one. #HNRTB”]

Who is responsible for this?

JEFF: One of my rules or “things you should know” as a parent is that when my 2 boys are quiet, it probably doesn’t mean they’re sitting on the couch reading a book or drawing neatly in their composition notebook. No, it generally is a sign that they’re up to no good.

There have been plenty of messes in my home that have resulted from this “false peace” with my boys and one of the first questions that will inevitably come out of my or my wife’s mouth is, “OK. Which one of you did this?”

And of course, the older one has begun to put the blame on his almost-2-year-old brother like it was all him. The truth is that much of the time, when it is his younger brother, he has encouraged this behavior or specifically told his brother to “do this…”

The fundamental question asked in that moment is telling because it’s one we ask in every area of life… “OK, who did this? Who is responsible for this?” It can be negative or positive. Like, “who just gave me $5 or paid for my drink in the drive-thru?”

And when we look at the universe and everything in it, is it not human for us to each ask ourselves, “Who or what is responsible for this?”

 

We’re living in a time in America where skepticism, confusion and willful ignorance is embraced over logic, reason and truth. In many ways, this generation would rather embrace a pluralistic mindset irregardless of the contradictions that it would require embracing. Want an example?

“All religions are equal.”

Or what about…

“What’s true for you is true for you and what’s true for me is true for me.”

And…

“All life is sacred, but abortion/assisted suicide/death penalty should still be legal.”

Or the fact that many would look down on unmarried couples who get pregnant, but look the other way when the same are just sexually active. How do we sort this out? Who is right? Because someone has to be right – right?

In order to even begin to answer any of these questions or statements, we have to go back to the original metaphysics question, “Why do we have something instead of nothing?”

[Tweet “Why do we have something instead of nothing? #HNRTB”]

Reality (GotQuestions.org)

1.

100 episodes.

That’s a lot of conversations. What an exciting journey this has been with you! We’ve got it all tonight: Peeps records, our favorite episodes of HNR, and a little of where we’re going in the next 100. Jeff, DW and Jason welcome Terra Kay and Mike Ott back to the show.

Subscribe & Support the Podcast

Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Tune In Radio! Make sure to leave a ★★★★★ review and consider a small gift.

Show Notes

@Wagerdaw is humming in Chinese during the break. #HNR100 #HNRTB

— HopeNet Radio (@hopenetradio) October 5, 2015

Terra Kay is the Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator at World Relief Fox Valley. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter. https://twitter.com/hopenetradio/status/650830332950921216 Mike Ott is the youth pastor at Graceway Fellowship in Green Bay. He’s got a million and one great youth ministry ideas and will be embarking on #dadlife here in the next week or two.

@Terrakfree with @WorldReliefFox is back this week! She’s teaching us some Swahili tonight. #HakunaMatata #HNR100 #HNRTB — HopeNet Radio (@hopenetradio) October 5, 2015

October 8 is Bring Your Bible to School Day.

Don’t forget about Fields of Faith on October 14.

What’s your favorite episode or topic we’ve discussed on HopeNet Radio? #HNR100 #HNRTB

— HopeNet Radio (@hopenetradio) October 5, 2015