In this episode, we explore how Christians can respond to claims that Christianity is “anti-intellectual.” The trustworthiness of the Gospels and the “surprising genius” found in the teaching of Jesus in the Gospels show that any such claims are unwarranted. This episode is intended to equip you to have confidence in the scriptures and in how to respond to skepticisms and challenges that come your way.

Listen in as Josh Preston, George Robertson, and special guest Dr. Peter Williams, Bible Researcher and CEO of Tyndale House Cambridge (the world’s foremost evangelical bible research institute) discuss ideas from two of Dr. Williams' most recent books: The Surprising Genius of Jesus and Can We Trust the Gospels?

In the fourth episode of our Equipping the Saints series, titled “Living within God’s Story,” we’ll hear from Pastor Josh Preston and special guest Dr. Chris Wright as they step back to look at the bigger story of Scripture and help us see how doing so can shape and transform what we believe about politics. Dr. Wright is the Global Ambassador for Langham Partnership and Honorary Curate at All Souls Church in London as well as the author of"Here Are Your Gods" and "The Mission of God’s People".

Books: Here Are Your Gods, The Mission of God’s People
Website: langham.org
Podcast: On Mission with Chris Wright

On this episode of Second Look, our Growing Place Library staff member, Merrill Skipworth, along with 2PC members, Jennifer Wilson and Lacey Moody, sit down for the sixth annual book talk! The list below features books recommended and mentioned in this episode.

Middle Grade:
Clara Poole and the Long Way Round by Taylor Tyng
21 Balloons by William Pene de Bois
Wish Tree by Katherine Applegate
Key Player by Kelly Yang (Series) 
Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt 

Young Adult Fiction:
American Royals by Katharine McGee (Series)
The Royal We by Heather Cocks
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
The Do Over by Lynn Painter
Unequal Affections by Lara S. Ormiston 

Rom-Com:
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon
The Good Part by Sophie Cousens 

Memoir:
Finding Me by Viola Davis
How to Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key
All My Knotted-Up Life by Beth Moore
Taste by Stanley Tucci
You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin 

Non-fiction:
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
Good Apple by Elizabeth Passarella 

Historical Fiction: 
The Women by Kristen Hannah
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Philippa Williams
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 

Science Fiction:
The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis

General Fiction: 
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
Summer Stage by Meg Mitchell Moore
Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman
Talking at Night by Claire Daverley
The Last Love Note by Emma Grey

Thriller/Mystery:
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
The Fury by Alex Michaelides
The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Going Zero by Anthony McCarten 

Spiritual Growth:
Mostly What God Does by Savannah Guthrie
Real by Catherine Parks
Made to Belong by David Kim
Made for People by Justin Whittle Earley

See Christian Book Recommendations from Staff

In the second episode of our Equipping the Saints series, titled “Faithfully Following Jesus in an Election Year,” we’ll hear from Pastor Josh Preston and Senior Pastor George Robertson where they will discuss what it looks like to have a biblical mindset going into election season. Listen in for a conversation about the difficulties and importance of seeking justice, mercy, and faithfulness in the political enterprise of our country.

On this episode of Second Look, our Growing Place Library staff members, Jennifer Wilson and Merrill Skipworth, along with 2PC member and avid reader, Lacey Moody, sit down for the fifth annual book talk! The list below features books recommended and mentioned in this episode as well as links to the Instagram accounts for the Library and Lacey Moody.

Fiction

Authentically Izzy- Pepper Basham

Carrie Soto is Back- Taylor Jenkins Reid

Cartographers- Peng Shepherd

Daisy Jones and the Six- Taylor Jenkins Reid (audiobook is excellent)

Flight- Lynn Steger Strong

Hello Beautiful- Ann Napolitano

Lessons in Chemistry- Bonnie Garmus

Lord Peter Mysteries- Dorothy Sayers

Nora Goes Off Script-  Annabel Monaghan

Remarkably Bright Creatures- Shelby Van Pelt

Signal Fires- Dani Shapiro

The Exiles- Christina Baker Cline

The Golden Spoon- Jessa Maxwell

The Record Keeper-Charles Martin (Book 3 of Murphy Shepherd Trilogy)

The Red Notebook-  Antoine Laurain

The River- Peter Heller

The White Lady- Jacqueline Winspear                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Thursday Murder Club Series- Richard Osman

Tobacco Wives- Adele Myers 

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow- Gabrielle Zevin

Non-fiction

A Meal With Jesus- Tim Chester

Becoming Duchess Goldblatt- Anonymous

Confronting Christianity- Rebecca McLaughlin

Find Your People- Jennie Allen

Good Apple- Elizabeth Passarella

Gospelbound- Collin Hansen and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra

Habits of the Household- Justin Whitmel Earley

It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway- Elizabeth Passarella

Joyful-  Ingrid Fetell Lee 

Left on Tenth- Delia Ephron

Made to Belong- David Kim

One More Croissant for the Road- Felicity Cloake

Redemption Accomplished and Applied- John Murray

Secular Creed- Rebecca McLaughlin

Surprised by Oxford- Carolyn Weber

Taste- Stanley Tucci

The Anthropocene Reviewed- John Green

This is Where You Belong- Melody Warnick

When Thoughts and Prayers Aren't Enough- Taylor Schumann

Middle Grade

Serpent Slayer and the Scroll of Riddles- Champ Thornton

The Dragon and The Stone- Kathryn Butler

The Secret Lake-  Karen Inglis

The Shoe Books (Ballet Shoes, Theatre Shoes…)- Noel Streatfeild 

The Westing Game- Ellen Raskin

Tuesdays at the Castle, series- Jessica Day George

Wolves of Willoughby Chase- Joan Aiken

Other Books and Authors Mentioned…

Chanel Cleeton- Perez Family Series

Drowning- T. J. Newman

Falling- T.J. Newman

Habits of Grace- David Mathis

Happy Place- Emily Henry

Jesus Through the Eyes of Women- Rebecca McLaughlin

Mhairi McFarlane, author

My Life in France- Julia Child

Paris by the Book- Liam Callanan

Today we’ll hear a roundtable discussion from Pastor Josh Preston, Director of Shepherding resources Laurin Maddux, and Senior Pastor George Robertson where they discuss the tension of seeking the peace and prosperity of a city that is sometimes dangerous. Listen in for an honest conversation about loving our neighbors in turbulent times.

On this episode of Second Look, Associate Pastor Dan Burns sits down to chat with former 2PC members Deanna and Adam Hoyt and current 2PC member Meghan Rintoul about their plans to move to the U.K. this Summer, where they’ll work with Campus Outreach building relationships and sharing the gospel with Muslim students in Birmingham, England.

In July of 2022, our church enjoyed a special Sunday School series called, “Everyone Within My Reach: From Strangers to Neighbors to Friends.” Tune in as we share each Sunday’s audio on the podcast. 

On today’s episode, Todd Erickson teaches on prioritizing time to live missionally in our neighborhoods, and Lizy Wegener and Susan and Mark Warner discuss how they’ve sought to make time for their neighbor.  

The series title is adapted from Rosaria Butterfield’s book, The Gospel Comes With a House Key.