Friday funnies! There was a wealth of funny viral stories today, so we start off with some Friday funnies.

Frank Ahrens breaks down what is happening in South Korea.  The President, Park Guen-hye, has been impeached. What’s next? Why does this matter for the US?

Then, we talk with David Kinnaman of Barna Research unpacks the results of a very large study on the state of pastors today called The State of Pastors: How Today’s Faith Leaders are Navigating Life and Leadership in an Age of Complexity. A key takeaway we explore: “Christian community in North America doesn’t need stronger leaders; we need more resilient leaders.”

Related articles and resources:

Barna.com

Seoul Man: A Memoir of Cars, Culture, Crisis, and Unexpected Hilarity Inside a Korean Corporate Titan

 

 

We look at the big news stories of the week. Republicans unveil their health care plan. Organizers hold “a day without women” strike for International Women’s Day.

Michael Wear did faith outreach for President Obama’s 2008 campaign and administration. He looks back on what he learned in the White House and assesses the future of political engagement in this country.

Related articles and resources:

A “Day without Women” is reality every day as millions of women are “missing”

Reclaiming Hope

 

REAIR- Our faith gives us the responsibility to care not just for our personal life, for our common life. So what does it look like to have “public” faith?  Miroslav Volf joins us to discuss his recent book Public Faith in Action and what it means to steward our responsibility of our public life.

REAIR- Author and VP of Communications for Focus on the Family, our guest Paul Batura is an adoptive father. He set out to identify some of the most amazing, life and world changing adoption stories. Did you know Gerald Ford and Nancy Reagan were adopted? What about Steve Jobs and Faith Hill? Adoption changes not just the child. It is a life-changing, humbling experience for the parents as well.

Chosen for Greatness: How Adoption Changes the World

We look at the big news items of the week, including the GOP’s new health care plan,  International Women’s Day (which is tomorrow), and the Supreme Court’s decision not to take up a case on transgender rights.

Then, we explore the question: is all faith actually the same? A new CNN original series “Believer” with Reza Aslan debuted on Sunday, which looks at different faiths around the world and seems to promote the answer to this question is yes. Cameron McAllister of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries joins us for a conversation on the show and why this approach to the diverse religions of the globe actually disrespects them and ignores the exclusive truth claims made by each.

Related articles and resources:

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Major Case on Transgender Rights

Reza Aslan: Why I am a Muslim

Survey of headlines including: President Trump signs a new executive order on refugees. Allegations about wiretapping of the Trump campaign swirl. Islam is growing in the West, and what does that mean for the public square.

Then we explore the question, why is The Reformation relevant to us today? Dr. Karin Maag Director is H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies at Calvin College, one of the world’s foremost collections of works on or by John Calvin. She provides a primer on the reformers of the faith and why they matter for us today.

 

Related articles and resources:

Must read Monday: Unlikely friends

 

With the release of The Shack movie Friday, we have the opportunity to talk with the author of the book, Wm. Paul Young. Catch the full, extended interview here.

Then, in our second half we talk with Trevin Wax about his new book, This is our Time. What is a “lie detector Christian”? Or a “complimentary Christian”? We explore these terms to gain a better understanding of how to engage culture and why Christianity cannot just be “private” part of life.

Related articles and resources:

Reconnect Resource: How to use The Shack to talk with others

 

Today is our last day broadcasting live from NRB Convention in Orlando. John Morgan is known as “The Definitive President George W. Bush Impersonator.” He’s our guest today, so we ask him!

FOX News religion correspondent Lauren Green knows what it is like to live life on a literal stage. We have the chance to talk with her about how we need a mindset change. God is a living reality, not an accessory we adjust to our lives.

Related articles and resources.

Lighthouse Faith: God As A Living Reality In A World Immersed In Fog

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) has served in Congress for 19 years. He was in the House Chamber for President Trump’s first address to Congress and joins us to discuss the speech and upcoming agenda for the nation. We look at important topics such as religious liberty on both the international and national level as well as potential pro-life legislation. Finally, we find out how we can be praying for our elected officials during this tumultuous time.

We are broadcasting live from NRB Conference in Orlando, FL this week. If you are in the area, please come visit us. We would love to see you.

Ash Wednesday is tomorrow, and we look at preparing for the season of Lent. Then, our guest today is Dr. Tony Evans, pastor, author and teacher. We can’t plan out our lives, but many of us try to do just that. Dr. Evans shares with us how Christians can respond to “life detours.”

 

Related articles and resources:

Detours: The Unpredictable Path to Your Destiny

June Hunt founded Hope for the Heart in 1986 and a is well-known Bible teacher, author and counselor. She joins us to talk about one thing we all need to do well, but many of us avoid: conflict resolution.

In our second half, Steve Arterburn shares with us about his latest book: Take Your Life Back: How to Stop Letting the Past and Other People Control You.

Related articles and resources:

CONFLICT RESOLUTION: Solving Your People Problems

Hopefortheheart.org

Free resource: How to use The Shack to talk with others about God