Lead Defend

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted a ton of different people in different ways. One of those being seniors across the board, whether it was high school students or college students. Being a senior in 2020 did not play out as you thought it would a year ago. In this episode, Ryan and Seth sat down with a local high school senior to talk about their unusual senior year.  

James McCormick is from Harmony Grove high school and a fellow senior in the class of 2020. Like many, he’s had a lot of things canceled including his final high school baseball season. However, he talks to the guys about how this pandemic has not only affected him but encouraged him in ways he never thought it would. 

Questions They Discuss:

What are some things you, or your peers, have really missed out on?

What’s it like preparing for that next chapter of your life, when you really didn’t get closure on the previous one?

What was the day like when you found out school was going to be postponed? Canceled? 

In this season, what has been the most encouraging thing for you?

What does sharing your spiritual life/daily walk look like? 

What advice would you give other high school seniors who are going through this season too? 

What are some things you’re looking forward to in the next season of life? 

LINKS:

https://www.leaddefend.org/

SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/

In the last, but certainly not least, episode of our Lead > Defend LIVE series, the guys sat down with Andy Jennings. Andy is the Young Adult Pastor at Cross Church in Springdale, Arkansas.

Apologetics. Its part of what Lead > Defend is all about, but why is it so important? How can we build it up? Seth, Ryan, and Andy talk about all that and discuss some fundamental truths that are useful in building upon your faith. 

Questions They Discussed:

Are young adults actively involved in the church still?

How would you define ‘Apologetics’? 

Are these questions of apologetics something people are asking? 

Why do you think it’s possible for someone, who’s grown up in church, etc. to still not know what they really believe?

If someone doesn’t have a firm foundation but wants one, where can they start?

What are the fundamental elements that we need? 

If you had one word of encouragement that you could give to young adults, what would it be? 

LINKS:

https://www.leaddefend.org/

SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/

Abdu Murray joins the guys this week as our LIVE episodes continue from the Lead > Defend Conference in February. Murray, born in Detroit and raised a devout Muslim, came to know Christ in 2000 after a 9-year search. He is now the Senior Vice President for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and speaks and writes on their behalf. 

We live in a world of confusion and contradictions. However, the Gospel provides all the answers we truly need. Murray and the guys talk about this confusion, and how young adults can use the Gospel to defend their faith and beat the confusion this world tries to bring into their life. 

Questions They Discussed: 

What are your books about? 

How can confusion be detrimental? 

How does the Gospel interact with a confused culture? Does it bring clarity, or allow us to sit in our confusion? 

Is it wise to put boundaries around our confusion? 

What is the hope we can have in this? 

LINKS:

https://www.leaddefend.org/

Saving Truth Book

Grand Central Question Book

https://www.rzim.org/speakers/abdu-murray

SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/

In the third episode of our LIVE series that we recorded at the Lead > Defend 2020 Conference in February. Ryan and Seth talk to Mary Jo Sharp, assistant professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University. She’s also the founder and director of Confident Christianity Apologetics. 

Mary Jo discusses her journey to faith, after growing up in the Pacific Northwest as an atheist. She talks about the importance of apologetics and discerning the truth for yourself. A lot of us grow up in church, around important people that share their faith journey with us. It’s important, however, for college students and young adults to grow into their faith as their own so they can effectively discern the truth from the lies that the world tends to throw at them. 

Questions They Discussed: 

We’ve heard a lot of deconversion stories lately, tell us why that’s not your story? 

How did you find a resolution to that tension you had for the church? 

What do you think inspires certain people to walk away from the faith?

What is the danger of having it both ways?

What are some resources for young adults and students to find and seek out the truth for themselves? (links below) 

If you had one word to give, of encouragement, to college students and young adults, what would it be at this phase in their life?

Do you have more hope for the generation to come, in light of those things?

What is your word to the church today? 

LINKS:

https://www.leaddefend.org/

Why I Still Believe Book

https://www.str.org/

https://maryjosharp.com/

https://www.bethinking.org/

SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/

In this episode, we continue with live recordings from the Lead > Defend 2020 Conference. The guys talk to Bill Newton, Generations Pastor at First Baptist Hot Springs in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Newton has been with the conference since the very beginning.

The abortion debate has been a topic of discussion for many years now. With recent laws being challenged or even changed, it’s more important than ever that we as Christians discern what’s right and wrong about the topic in order to have an informed opinion and be able to point people toward the Gospel. Newton, an apologist, goes into depth with Seth and Ryan about how to properly argue against abortion with grace and biblical facts. 

Questions They Discussed: 

Where does the conversation on abortion start?

Where does Bill land on this topic?

What are some logical thoughts to consider in this argument?

How would you speak into a moment of crisis like this, if someone was having to choose between life or abortion? 

Wahre some other arguments you can use against abortion?  

How can students be advocates for life? 

Is there ever a time in which getting an abortion is okay? 

LINKS:

Tactics Book

Case for Life Book

https://www.leaddefend.org/

SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/

In the first of five LIVE episodes we recorded at Lead > Defend 2020 conference, we bring you, Ricky Chelette. Ricky is the Executive Director of Living Hope Ministries in Arlington, Texas. He was one of several breakout session speakers. In his session, he discussed ‘Understanding Gender Development in Males & Females.’ 

In this episode, the guys talk to Ricky about today’s culture surrounding gender identity and sexuality, and what the Bible says about all of it. They also discuss what the Living Hope Ministry does for those who are questioning their identity and faith.

LINKS:

https://www.leaddefend.org/

https://www.livehope.org 

SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/

In this episode, Ryan is joined by Adam Venters again to discuss the topic of alcohol. It’s something that’s advertised everywhere, on social media, our tv shows, etc. You can’t escape it. So how can we as Christians discern the right and wrongs? Ryan and Adam dive into that and share some personal stories and wisdom on what to do, and how to deal with it. 

Why is there so much discussion around the controversy of alcohol? 

What are some scriptures that stood out to how we should handle alcohol?

How do you discern justifying those actions?  

What are the differences in legalism and just a personal commitment that people make in their life? 

What has been your personal commitment to alcohol, and how has that shaded the fact that you work with college students if any? 

Why is the excuse that ‘Jesus turned water into wine, so drinking alcohol must be okay’ so dumb? 

LINKS:

https://www.leaddefend.org/

SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/

In this episode, Seth is gone and Ryan is joined by Adam Venters, Metro BCM minister for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the surrounding areas. Together they dive into the Old Testament to prove that it doesn’t actually suck. There are things you can learn from it and apply to your life. They're here to prove that even while living in a New Testament world, the Old Testament can still be relevant and used in your life. 

What was your first interaction with the Old Testament that you remember?

People look at the Old Testament as not directly practical so, if I’m looking to be formed by God, why wouldn’t I just stick to the New Testament? 

Where do we start? 

How do we digest all this information? 

What are some quick resources that are incredibly helpful in reading the Old Testament? 

https://www.leaddefend.org/

https://bibleproject.com/other-resources/

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/

In this episode, Seth and Ryan talk about some mentors in their life, and the things they’ve learned from them. They also talk about how to find a mentor in your own life. Mentorship is something younger generations have grown to encompass into their own lives. They cherish the wisdom and truths they can learn from older generations and their own peers. 

Have you had a time in your life that you didn’t have a mentor?

What are the qualifications for a mentor? 

What are some things you’ve learned from mentors? 

What are ways to identify a mentor? 

LINKS:

https://www.leaddefend.org/

SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/

Discouragement is something we all deal with. It’s unavoidable. In this episode of the Lead > Defend Podcast, Marissa joins Ryan and Seth to talk about how you can deal with seasons of discouragement. They’ll leave you with some tips, as well as encouragement. 

Discouragement is normal, and as Christians we can use that season to dig deeper into God’s word and shine His light not only for us, but for others in times of discouragement as well. 

Questions They Discuss:

What do you do when discouraging situations arise? 

How do you deal with discouragement?

How is it possible to focus on the ‘bigger picture’ in moments of discouragement? 

How can your heart be in the ‘right spot’ even when everything around you is bad? 

How can you let Christ shephard you in seasons of discouragement? 

LINKS:

https://www.leaddefend.org/

SOCIAL:

https://www.facebook.com/leaddefend/

https://www.instagram.com/leaddefend/