The dichotomy of science/reason/logic/proof and faith/religion/belief/God is too much for many to overcome. How can people of faith share the Word with those who oppose faith altogether? Paul gives us two compelling answers in Romans 1-2.

Few things are more disturbing to modern skeptics than the idea of eternal torture for a sincere Buddhist or a run-of-the-mill sinner. How can a Christian scoundrel be saved while an upright atheist is condemned? What would God say in the face of such questions? Isaiah gives us God’s answer, stressing what is truly evil in God’s eyes and how anyone can find forgiveness in his sight.

According to a survey published in unChristian, one of the most common objections to Christianity is the hypocrisy of Christians who don’t practice what they preach. Why follow Jesus if so many of his followers are self-righteous pretenders? Given the public scandals of so many church leaders, why wouldn’t we all throw organized religion on the trash pile and become independently spiritual? Jesus himself answers such questions in one of his hardest sermons.

(Due to a power outage during the weekend, we were unable to record a podcast or video of this week's message.)

Dr. D.A. Carson, a prolific Christian author and frequent college campus speaker, has said that the biggest pushback to his presentations is a belief in sin itself. More than ever, people believe they are inherently good and only the environment around them is bad. What people need is therapy and coping mechanisms but repentance and trust in God’s salvation. What would Jesus say to this heart-affirming objection? His words in Matthew 12 give a clear answer, one that drives us back to the gospel for our hope.

What makes the Bible believable? How do we know it is unique among all the beliefs, books, and religions of the world? Dr. Luke, a 1st century physician and author, has powerful answers. His introduction to the Gospel of Luke reminds us that Christianity is based not on blind faith but on historical facts.

If God created us male and female, why have so many of God’s sons questioned if he actually created them to be his daughters? And why have so many Christian women wondered if they were really made to be God’s sons? Paul indirectly answered these questions when he wrote about the struggles of life in this broken world. This message intends to explain the transgender temptation and offer hope and encouragement to those facing it.

Perhaps now more than ever, Americans find the idea of distinct gender roles as outdated, offensive, and oppressive. Much more preferable, many believe, is to recognize God-given gifts, regardless of gender. How does such thinking fit into the biblical view that Paul lays out in Ephesians 5 where husbands are the “heads” of their wives and wives are called to submit to their husbands? How do biblically-committed Christians winsomely explain these verses in our modern age?

1 Timothy 2 is a chapter many Christians wish was not written. The Apostle’s Paul’s words seem patriarchal and downright impossible. No braided hair? Or expensive clothes? Or women in church who are not “silent”? Really? This message seeks to faithfully explore Paul’s provocative words in context and the issue of men and women working together in the church.

In the beginning, when everything was perfect, God created people. Not only did he create Adam and Eve “in his image,” he also “created them male and female.” This message lays the foundation for our faith when it comes to gender, a faith in the Father who loves everyone of the children he has created.

When a “bad Samaritan” met Jesus, she was shocked by his behavior. He engaged her, confused her, and then saved her, turning her into the Bible’s most unlikely missionary. This message reminds us that Jesus is still offering the water of life to the most unlikely people in the most unlikely places.