Jamie talks with Brett McCracken from The Gospel Coalition about navigating movies as a Christian. Brett shares his framework for deciding what to watch: does this move me toward loving God and neighbor, or away from it?

They discuss why secular art often wrestles with deeply theological questions about meaning, suffering, and what it means to be human; even when filmmakers don't realize it. For Christians wondering how to think critically about culture without either withdrawing completely or consuming indiscriminately, this offers a path forward.

Resources Mentioned:

• IMDB Parents Guide (for checking content warnings)
• Plugged In (Christian media review site)

Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship.

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What should we be certain about, and where can we disagree? Dr. Cole Huffman guides listeners through the landscape of theological tensions, distinguishing between essential gospel truths, denominational distinctives, secondary matters, and issues of Christian liberty. Avoid the extremes of fighting over everything or caring about nothing.

Resources Mentioned:

Finding the Right Hills to Die On by Gavin Ortlund

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Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship.

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Jamie talks with Dr. Todd Korpi, author of "AI Goes to Church," about navigating AI as Christians. Beyond questions like whether pastors should use ChatGPT for sermons, they discuss what it means to be human when AI shapes our world.

They explore how to find biblical wisdom for questions Scripture doesn't directly address, the tension between efficiency and genuine human connection, and why slowing down might be the most important thing we can do in an increasingly automated age.

Resources Mentioned:

• "AI Goes to Church" by Todd Korpi

Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship.

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Ever feel like Revelation is written in a different language? Jen Wilkin thinks the problem isn't the book; it's that we've lost our Old Testament literacy. The early church heard it once and got it. We've got charts, timelines, and still can't agree on what it means. Jen unpacks why our confusion reveals more about our Bible literacy than we'd like to admit, and how reading Revelation the way it was meant to be read changes the whole thing.

Scripture References:

• Revelation 1:1-2
• Revelation 4 (throne room scene)
• Genesis 1 (creation narrative)
• Genesis 9:8-17 (Noah's covenant)
• Exodus 19 (Sinai - lightning, thunder, peals)
• Isaiah 6 (throne room scene)
• John 1 (creation language)
• 1 John (recapitulation structure)
• 1 & 2 Thessalonians (rapture references)
• Olivet Discourse (end times teaching)

Resources:

• Jen Wilkin's Bible Study on Revelation
• Buy Jamie's book From Couch To Couch

Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship.

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How do you hold grace and truth together when algorithms are designed to make you outraged and culture demands you pick a political tribe? J.D. Greear and Jamie tackle the false choice between compromise and combat, exploring why Jesus was so truthful they wanted to kill him yet so graceful that sinners loved being around him. They discuss why faithfulness is less about which lever you pull every four years and more about your worldview the other 1,459 days, what it means that Christ's crucifixion united unlikely allies, and how disciples can avoid the ditches on both sides of the road.

Buy Jamie's book From Couch To Couch

Scriptures Referenced:

• Jeremiah 29:4-7 (Seek the prosperity of Babylon)
• Luke 12 (The younger brother's inheritance complaint)
• 1 Peter 3:15 (Give a reason for the hope within you)
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (Live quietly)
• Proverbs 22:29 (Skillful in work, stand before kings)

Resources Mentioned:

• Everyday Revolutionary by JD Greer
• JD Greer's website: https://jdgreer.com
• Article: "Faithfulness Amid the Culture War"

Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship.

To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

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The rules around sex were never meant to be a list of don'ts; they're a roadmap to something far more beautiful. But an entire generation has been discipled by pornography, and the church is playing catch-up. In this episode, Dr. Juli Slattery (clinical psychologist and founder of Authentic Intimacy) joins Jamie to explore what's really happening beneath the surface. Here's what most people miss: sexuality was never about expressing what's inside you; it's about celebrating covenant love.

The path to healing isn't what you'd expect: it's not about trying harder or performing better. It's about inviting Jesus into the places you've kept hidden and letting covenant love do what rules never could.

Scripture Referenced:

• Joel 2 (years the locust ate)
• Genesis (God created male and female)
• Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel (covenant language and Israel's unfaithfulness)
• Hosea (metaphor of God's covenant love)

Resources:

•  Authentic Intimacy 
•  Java with Juli Podcast

Purchase Downline's Core Curriculum here

Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship.

To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

To advertise with The Downline Podcast, email [email protected]

We're taking a two-week break, but while we're away, enjoy a few of our top-rated episodes. We'll be back with brand new content in the New Year!

The culture war narrative says faith is dying. The data says something completely different. In this episode, Jamie and Justin Brierley reveal the spiritual comeback that's rewriting the rules of belief in America. Hear the stories behind the statistics and find out why even hardened atheists are starting to ask bigger questions about God.

Purchase Jamie Book here

Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship.

To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

To advertise with The Downline Podcast, email [email protected]

We're taking a two-week break, but while we're away, enjoy a few of our top-rated episodes. We'll be back with brand new content in the New Year!

Join Jamie as he sits down with renowned Bible teacher and author Jen Wilkin to explore the book of First John. In this conversation, Jen breaks down the three crucial tests John gives believers: the test of truth (doctrine), the test of love, and the test of obedience.

Find Jen's resources at jenwilkin.net, including her study "Abide" covering First, Second, and Third John.

Purchase Downline's Core Curriculum here

Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship.

To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

To advertise with The Downline Podcast, email [email protected]

Parenting often swings between sacred and chaotic, but Justin Earley believes those everyday moments are shaping us far more than we realize. In this episode, Jamie and Justin explore how the unnoticed rhythms of a household—bedtime routines, rushed mornings, shared meals, even the way we handle phones—form the spiritual life of both parents and children.

Purchase Downline's Core Curriculum here

Resources:

• Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley - Amazon
• The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley - Amazon
• The Common Rule: Teen Edition by Justin Whitmel Earley - Amazon
• Made for People by Justin Whitmel Earley - Amazon
• The Body Teaches the Soul by Justin Whitmel Earley - Amazon
• Hang 10 Movement - Free resource for parents: hang10movement.com
• Justin's Website: justinwhitmearley.com
• Follow Justin on Instagram: @justinwhitmearley

Scripture References:

• Romans 12:1 - "In view of God's mercies, offer your bodies as living sacrifices"
• The Book of James - Faith without works

Is the 10% tithe (the practice of giving 10% of one's income) a biblical command today? Dr. Tom Schreiner makes the case that it's not; and shares his understanding of what the New Testament teaches about giving.

Tom also tackles tough practical questions: Should you give to parachurch organizations over your local church? What if you don't trust how your church uses money? Can you face church discipline for not giving?

Dr. Tom Schreiner is Professor of New Testament at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of numerous commentaries and books on biblical theology.

Resources:

• Key Scripture passages: 2 Corinthians 8-9, Philippians 4, Matthew 23, Acts 10-11
• 7 Reasons Christians Are Not Required to Tithe - Tom Schreiner's article at The Gospel Coalition
• Schreiner's commentaries on Hebrews and Revelation

Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship.

To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

To advertise with The Downline Podcast, email [email protected]