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Just a Thinker
Just a Thinker episodes
- Episode 17: Just a Thinker | Episode 0017 | Illegal Immigration & the Church w/ Chad Goble
Join Just a Thinker and host Bryan Bootka as he speaks with Chad Goble and they discuss illegal immigration and the Church.
Illegal immigration is a highly debated issue, especially within the church. As believers, our challenge is to navigate the balance between respecting the law and extending grace to those in difficult circumstances. Should the church take an active role in assisting undocumented individuals? If so, what does that look like in a biblical framework?
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1 hr 38 min - Episode 16: Just a Thinker | Episode 0016 | Restoration of the Broken - Restoration Ranch, Texas w/ Dr. Jenifer Wakefield
Join Just a Thinker and host Bryan Bootka as he speaks with Dr. Jenifer Wakefield, Executive Director of Restoration Ranch, Texas.
Dr. Wakefield's journey into full-time ministry began in 2012 when she transitioned from the corporate world to working at her home church in Austin. Through this role, she encountered individuals in deep distress, including a woman who was suicidal. Realizing she lacked the resources and knowledge to truly help, she sought guidance through prayer, leading her to seminary.
#JustThinkAboutIt #JustAThinker #DreamBigDoGood JustAThinker.comGuest’s info:
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Scholarship Tea in April 2025
To become a student at Restoration Ranch, Texas
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37 min - Episode 15: Just a Thinker Episode 0015 | Discipleship with David Ross | Part I
Join host Bryan Bootka and guest David Ross as they discuss Stan O. Gleason's book Follow to Lead: The Journey of a Disciple Maker
Stan Gleason raises many good points and asks several questions we should all be considering today.
- What are some non-essential traditions we observe, and how can they hinder rather than help build the Kingdom of God?
- Can you think of an example of a ministry that happens outside the walls of your local congregation’s building?
- What are some things that stop us from taking ministry outside of the walls of the building we refer to as “the church?”
Questions we ask:- Are we more focused on conversions than making disciples?
- What traditions do we hold to that may be holding back the growth of the Kingdom?
- Are we modeling the early church in a way that would be recognizable to someone who has read the New Testament and visited our congregation for the first time?
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1 hr 15 min - Episode 14: Just a Thinker | Episode 0014 | Political Correctness or Christian Correctness: Do Our Words Matter? With Rodriquez Quartez "Rico" Smith
Are we thinking biblically or politically about our choice of words, especially those we use on social media? Does it matter?
1 hr 31 min - Episode 13: Episode 0013 | Why I #VoteGold
Libertarian political principles (it is an economic and political system, not a system of ethics) most closely align with Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount about loving our brother, loving our enemies, and treating others how we would like to be treated. In short, don’t hurt people, and don’t take their stuff.
Republican incumbents are the political equivalent of abusive spouses. They say they are the only ones who will give us the laws we want, so we must keep them around. They are, with few exceptions, liars. I cannot think of an honest elected Republican in the state of Texas.
I will vote for the principle over the party and leave the results in the hands of Jesus. To acknowledge that a third party would be good to have in the White House but not to do so and choose “the lesser of two evils” because of the fear of loss is to elevate our need to win over trusting The Lord. I stopped doing that years ago, I pray you do the same.
26 min - Episode 12: Just a Thinker | Episode 0012 | Does Congregation Size Help or Hinder the Gospel?
Does Congregation Size Help or Hinder the Gospel?
1 hr 18 min - Episode 11: Just a Thinker | Episode 0011 Rules for Dating Our Daughter
What expectations do you have for your daughter when it comes to dating or for your future son-in-law? I have a few. We intend to set our children up for success rather than heartache. Let me know how far off track you think I am.
13 min - Episode 10: Episode 0010 Unanswered Prayers or Not Answered How We Expect?
David Ross is a guest on the 10th episode of the Just a Thinker podcast. He shares his experience with unanswered prayers. We discuss whether or not they are unanswered or is it sometimes they are not answered in the way we want?
56 min - Episode 9: Episode 0009 | Patrick Bass & 20x Revival
Patrick and Bryan discuss what would happen if your congregation had 20 times the new converts this year that you had last year. Is it possible? Would you be able to disciple them? What will you do now?
43 min - Episode 8: Episode 0008 | What would happen if you had 20 times more new converts this year?
What would happen if your congregation had 20 times the new converts this year than it had last year? Could you disciple them?
21 min
About Just a Thinker
From the publisher's feed
Do we, Christians, support public policies that are incongruent with a biblical worldview? And if so, how would we know?
How should a biblical worldview inform our approach to…
Criminal Justice, Education, Immigration, Illegal Drugs, Taxes, and more from a public policy standpoint? We can all think critically about these subjects even if we are not experts in a specific area, but are we thinking biblically about them?
Or is it possible that, as believers with a biblical worldview, we still need to thoroughly consider our approach to these subjects in light of how Jesus handled the relevant situations of His day?
Should we not at least consider the possibility that our approach is influenced more by the world’s norms and ethics than by Jesus? Is it possible that what Jesus said then could still have a powerful impact on today’s politics in precisely the place where ethics meets public policy? I think so.
Consider what Jesus said to believers who were in a country occupied by a foreign superpower:
"Observe those who bring about harmonious relationships between opposing people; they assuredly are fortuned with the 'good life,' for they shall be called the sons and daughters of God."
The good life. You know, the kind of blessed life everybody desires to have.
Jesus says it is for the peacemakers.
Not the Machiavellian power colluders playing all the right angles, scheming for all the advantages, and securing whatever they can for themselves. No, not them.
And not the moral legalists, either, who are diligent about keeping themselves untarnished by the messiness of life. No, not them.
Nor the armed revolutionaries, confident in their just cause.
No, to Jesus, the good life, the blessed life, belongs to those who step into the messiness of life and attempt to bring about some harmony from the conflict.
Those folks, the risk takers, they’re living the ‘good life.’
Will they be successful in their attempts for peace? Perhaps.
That doesn’t diminish their flourishing because it is in the doing, not necessarily in the successful outcome.
Those in conflict may have reasons to want to keep the conflict alive. Consider the foreign military officer, the Roman commander, and the local revolutionary fighter, the Jewish Zealot. One or both of them may have seemingly rational reasons for not wanting peace.
Nevertheless, a peacemaker will try to bring these two opposing sides together in some harmonious relationship. This is no trivial matter.
Even if those two directly involved truly appreciate the peacemaker, many others within the broader sphere of political influence may not be so pleased.
Okay, so what’s the point?
Everyone has reasons to justify their strong positions of opposition against one another. Roman commander vs Jewish Zealot; Democrat vs. Republican. The list could go on and on and always will. Why?
Because divisiveness is easy.
“Staying out of it” is easy.
Apathy is easy.
But peacemaking is not.
It wasn’t then. It isn’t now.
But it does lead to the Good Life. Don’t we believers want as much of it as possible?
We must reconsider how our worldview shapes our approach to today's relevant, often contentious subjects, and how to engage those entrenched in political opposition, which sometimes includes ourselves.
#CultureQuestioning #KingdomBuilding #DiscipleMaking