Today we welcome Tim and Sam Blake, ministers in Hartford, Connecticut for a discussion that centers on the influence that the great lie can have in society and in the church and we hear from them how it impacts their ministry and presents challenges as ministers in a diverse congregation in addressing these issues.

The discussion with the Blakes begins at about 12:35. 

Dr. Jamila Michenerof Cornell University is our guest today. She shares her expertise and teaches us about the history of mindsets and structures set in place to help create and maintain the great lie in recent history and how those mindsets and structures continue to impact us today.

The interview with Dr. Michener begins at about 11:10. There was some unexplained static that we could not remove throughout her interview. We apologize for that but what she shares is more than worth the minor annoyance.

A transcript of the episode is attached and available with this episode. Please utilize it if the buzz is too annoying.

In this bonus episode, Michael, Otoma Edje, and author Matthew Bates talk about his books, "Saved by Allegiance Alone," "Gospel Allegiance," and "The Gospel Precisely." The conversation focuses on what biblical authors meant by the word "faith," what the gospel itself was in the proclamation of the early church, how modern Christianity often gets both of those concepts wrong, and why that can be such a dangerous problem for the church.

Kevin Holland, senior pastor at Turning Point Church in Los Angeles, California, joins Michael and Jason today for a discussion revolving around the genesis of the great lie of identity. They examine the role that the father of lies has in this ongoing distortion of identity that results in the belief that some people are superior and others are inferior, how people of Paul's day were victims of that lie, and how we have been infected with updated versions of that same lie. 

Kevin shares in a very personal and powerful way how this lie has impacted his own life and presented an ongoing challenge to his vocation as a pastor.

The discussion starts about 15:40 after "News of the Squatch."

Dana Perkins, evangelist in Tacoma, Washington joins Michael and Jason to talk about the important scriptural principle of clinging to what is good and rejecting what is evil. The discussion turns to the tendency that many in our culture have to paint everything in very black and white terms and demonize those that think or believe differently from them. This results in an "us" v. "them" mentality that feeds into the culture wars rather than being on the mission of gathering the nations.

But first, Michael, Jason, and special guest Elijah Burns (Michael's younger son), have some fun banter about how they would fare toe-to-toe against members of the animal kingdom. 

If you would prefer to skip the fun and get right to the interview, that starts at about 19:35.

James and Matina, biblical teachers from the Chicago Church of Christ join the podcast for an intriguing discussion about our place in the biblical story. Do we have an occasional tendency to read ourselves into the wrong places and identify with the wrong characters?

Michael welcomes Marty Solomon, the host of the Bema Podcast and director of Impact Campus Ministries, for a special conversation. Marty gives his thoughts on Michael's book, Escaping the Beast, shares what has surprised him about his own ministry, talks about how he responds to criticism, gives some exciting updates about what is next for his podcast and overall ministry, and much more.

Isaac's Bad Eyes Episode:
https://pca.st/episode/a3cc09c5-4429-4369-b442-5174da42dc28


Note: there was a small technical error on our end which caused the need to re-record one of Michael's questions later after the interview. In that price, Michael inadvertently repeated a few thoughts from an earlier comment. Please forgive us for the repetition.

Michael and Jason have a lively discussion about our need to balance materiality and spirituality and the negativity that results when we don't. They use this as springboard to kick off the focus of season 3 on the Great Lie and briefly explain what the great lie is.

And don't miss the new segment: News of the Squatch.

New theme music is the song Mt. Olympus from DeLaNoyz Productions.

Reggie and Gianna Hearn talk finding life in Christ, love in Christ, and the challenges of following Jesus and reflecting the kingdom while living a non-traditional lifestyle of a married couple involved in professional sports. Reggie is a veteran of the NBA, NBA G-League, Team USA and the 2018 USA Male Basketball Athlete of the Year. Gianna is an accomplished sports reporter and social media influencer. 

Professional Counselor, Conflict Resolution expert, and evangelist in Winnipeg, Canada, David Jung joins the podcast to uncover some of the things that cause conflict and simple, although not always easy, ways to work through and resolve conflicts when they do take place.