Refined in the Badlands

We're kicking off season 2 with a controversial but fun question! All Christians believe they will be caught up in the air to meet Jesus, but will they have to go through an intense period of trouble on earth first? Though many hermeneutical items are at play here, we believe that meditating on what Scripture says will not inspire fear, but hope.

Prayer is so crucial to the Christian life, but many times we don't know where to begin. What is prayer, really? How should we pray? What difference does it make? In this episode, we look at all these questions and more to close out the first season of Refined in the Badlands.

We're familiar with some popular verses, like "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," but do we understand what this fear actually is? Sometimes we dismiss it, sometimes we soften it, and sometimes we just misunderstand it. In this episode, we look at how the Bible speaks of both a good and a bad fear of God, and how we can live in light of this.

The church is essential to the Christian life. Maybe you already believe that, but have you wondered what difference it makes whether you regularly attend or are a member? In this episode we make the case for why membership is critical for both a functioning church and a healthy spiritual life.

Music is essential in the life in the church, but does it really matter who wrote the lyrics? It's easily agreed upon that we should only sing truth, but how does association play into our song selection? In this episode, we grapple with a question our own church has begun to tackle: what does the Bible have to say about who we partner with, including in our singing? We work out an answer to this along with exposing the deceptiveness of prolific worship ministries like Elevation, Hillsong, and Bethel.

It's a new year, but the same questions are burning in people's hearts, and Hell is one topic that never stops causing a stir. Though emotionally, this can be a difficult topic, it is one the Bible doesn't shy away from. So what are we to make of things like universalism or annihilation? Is eternal punishment fair? How important is this to the Gospel? We answer all these questions and more in our first episode of 2026.

Along with the snow, eggnog, and music that begins this time of year, there also comes an uptick in claims that Christmas is pagan and that we should not celebrate it. How should we navigate such concerns or rumours? In this episode, we briefly look at the background of various Christmas traditions and discuss a Christian way to approach this holiday.

As Christians, we believe in miracles, but do we believe in them for today? Or is that even the right question? In the popular and passionate discussion around spiritual gifts, one might think we're arguing over whether the Holy Spirit still does anything these days, but that is not the case. In this episode, we dive into the debate between cessationism and continuationism, and aim to demonstrate God's glorious purpose in both the distribution of gifts and the temporal nature of signs.

Any worthwhile pursuit takes discipline, and godliness is no different. As Christians, we know that we are supposed to live like Jesus, but how do we get there? Through the training grounds of spiritual disciplines. In this episode, we broach this often neglected and misunderstood topic to bring clarity and encouragement.

Few issues are as contested among Christians as women in ministry. But why is this so hotly debated in our day? Is it in fact something we can just agree to disagree on? In this episode, we examine the critical arguments and dangerous trajectories of getting this matter wrong. But more than that, our hope is that you would see the beauty and joy that comes when we live according to God's design.