In this episode, Lex Lutheran and Flame respond to Christine Caine’s teaching that the quality of your faith can move God’s hand and unlock miracles.

But is faith meant to impress God?

From a biblical perspective, we argue that when faith turns inward—measuring its strength, intensity, or effectiveness—it stops resting in Christ and begins trusting itself. That subtle shift corrupts biblical faith.

Scripture teaches that faith does not move God. Faith receives what God freely gives in Christ. The power is not in the quality of faith, but in the object of faith: Jesus.

When Christians are told that miracles hinge on how impressive their faith is, the result is not freedom—but pressure, anxiety, and often spiritual disillusionment.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your faith just “wasn’t strong enough,” this conversation is for you.

Jackie Hill Perry and Preston Perry are absolutely right to call believers into deeper intimacy with the Lord. We need prayer and fasting. We need communion with God. We need hearts awakened to Christ.

But there is one thing missing.

When they speak about intimacy, you can hear healthy reflexes toward something objective something real something happening outside of us. Yet they stop short of the place where Christ has promised to meet us bodily and concretely.

The Lord’s Supper.

In this episode of The Study Boys, Lex Lutheran and I pick up where they leave off. We move from the language of intimacy to the language of gift. From spiritual closeness to Christ actually giving Himself to us. From internal experience to external promise.

Not just emotion.
Not just devotion.
But forgiveness of sins.
Renewing strength.
Christ for you.

Extra nos.
Outside of us.
Given.

Let’s go deeper.

In this episode, The Study Boys unpack true biblical spiritual warfare and contrast it with the superstitious, pop-Christian versions often passed around today. We identify the real threat to the Church—the false prophet, a tool Satan uses to deceive Christians—and explain why sound doctrine is essential in recognizing that danger.

We confront these things by reacting to an episode from Chris Rosebrough on spiritual warfare.

Watch the full episode here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/BfXRqgWlB8U?si=L9pVaPSHyiW8Pxrv

Has music—and intense worship experiences—quietly taken the place of the Sacraments?

In this episode, Lex Lutheran and I talk honestly about how powerful music and emotional worship environments can compete with and even distort where Christians are taught to look for God’s presence.

God has not left us guessing.

He has promised where He will be for us—delivering the forgiveness of sins through His Word and Sacraments. When experience begins to replace promise, assurance shifts from Christ’s work to our feelings.

This conversation isn’t anti-music.
It’s pro-promise.

Watch or listen to the full episode of The Study Boys and let’s talk about where faith is meant to rest.

We react to another Dr. Eric Phillips video. Here it is: https://youtu.be/y6Bm8abr1XQ

#TheStudyBoys #LexLutheran #ExtraNosAcademy #ConfessionalLutheran #LawAndGospel #WordAndSacrament #MeansOfGrace #SacramentalTheology #WorshipCulture #ChristianPodcast #TheologyMatters #ObjectiveGrace #ForgivenessOfSins #LutheranTheology

What does it actually mean to “keep the law”?
In this episode, Lex Lutheran and I react to popular Christian takes that blur law and gospel—turning commands into promises and promises into pressure. We walk through why the law must remain law, why the gospel must remain gospel, and how confusing the two burdens consciences rather than freeing them. This distinction isn’t academic—it’s pastoral, biblical, and necessary for faith.

Here is the video by Dr. Eric Phillips that we react to at the end of the episode: https://youtu.be/mul1J9EcBh8

#LawAndGospel #LutheranTheology #ConfessionalLutheran #ChristianDoctrine #JustificationByFaith #TheologyPodcast #Preaching #TheStudyBoys #LexLutheran #Flame #BiblicalTheology

In this episode of The Study Boys, Lex Lutheran and I dive into Druski's latest satirical take on megachurch culture and prosperity gospel trends. We're not here to defend bad theology—quite the opposite. We believe that humor can be a wake-up call. It's a healthy challenge for the Church to discern, to mark and avoid what's harmful, and to guide people toward healthier, Christ-centered communities. Tune in and let’s talk about why a little satire might just be what we need.

#TheStudyBoys #Druski #Megachurches #ProsperityGospel #ChristianSatire #ConfessionalChristianity #LexLutheran #FLAME #FaithAndHumor #CallOutCulture #Romans16 #Revelation

In this episode of The Study Boys, Lex Lutheran and FLAME respectfully disagree with Dr. Anthony Bradley’s claim that Reformed Christian Hip Hop “failed” in Black communities due to a supposed mismatch in atonement emphasis.

Bradley argues that the traditional Black church has always centered Christus Victor and the Resurrection, while Reformed movements brought doctrine-driven shame instead of victory.

Lex and FLAME contend the opposite: Christian Hip Hop overwhelmingly reached—and continues to reach—the Black church and the broader Black community. The movement was not a failure, but a meaningful point of contact where gospel proclamation, cultural engagement, and theological formation converged.

🎙️ New episode of The Study Boys available now.

Why do Christians go to church?

Is it for community? Routine? Tradition? A good message? Or something else?

In this episode of The Study Boys, Lex Lutheran and FLAME walk through the most common reasons people give for going to church—and then contrast them with the biblical reasons Scripture actually gives. From consumer-driven answers to Christ-centered truth, we make the case that church is not about what we bring, but about what God gives: His Word and Sacraments, His forgiveness, His gifts for sinner/saints.

If you’ve ever asked “Do I really need to go to church?”—this one’s for you.

#TheStudyBoys #WhyGoToChurch #ChurchMatters #BiblicalChristianity #ConfessionalChristianity #WordAndSacrament #LawAndGospel #ChristianPodcast #TheologyMatters #ChristForYou

Is Christmas pagan?
Is it man-made?
Or is it something far better?

On this installment of The Study Boys, Lex Lutheran and I engage the claims often made about Christmas—especially the accusation that it’s pagan or merely a human tradition. We respond negatively by showing what Christmas is not, and positively by confessing what Christmas is.

We interact with a video by R. L. Solberg, author, theologian, and professor based in Nashville, who addresses and debunks common myths surrounding Christmas.

We also engage a clip from Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, on the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is not about syncretism, cultural compromise, or vague spirituality.
Christmas is about God in the flesh—Jesus Christ—coming to forgive sins, rescue sinners, and dwell with His people (Matt. 1:21; John 1:14; Gal. 4:4–5).

This is not sentimentality.
This is confession.

🎄 Christ for you.
Here are the two videos we reacted to in full:

R. L. Solberg's video: https://youtu.be/gri0qGHLgh4

President Matt. Harrison's video: https://youtu.be/8m9RCbNTv3A

#TheStudyBoys #ChristmasIsChristian #ChristForYou #Incarnation #JesusForgivesSins #NotPagan #BiblicalChristianity #HistoricChristianity #TheologyMatters #ConfessionalChristianity #LCMS #WordAndSacrament #Advent #ChristCentered 

In this episode of our podcast, Lex Lutheran and I (FLAME) are joined by Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller to dive into the controversial topic of generational curses. We tackle the question: has Jesus truly broken every curse, or do some still linger? We're reacting to a video by Abednego Lufile and Kevin L.A. Ewing, who argue that while Jesus has indeed granted us forgiveness of sins, certain temporal curses—like sickness or generational struggles—remain because of "open spiritual doors" from ancestral sins. We confront this claim from a Confessional Lutheran perspective, clarifying the difference between law and gospel and reaffirming the historic Christian teaching on sanctification. Tune in for a thoughtful, gospel-centered discussion!

#GenerationalCurses #LawAndGospel #ConfessionalLutheran #LutheranTheology #BryanWolfmueller #LexLutheran #FLAME314 #FalseTeaching #Sanctification #ChristianFormation #SpiritualWarfare #AbednegoLufile #KevinLAEwing #TheStudyBoys #ExtraNosAcademy #HistoricChristianity #JesusBreaksEveryCurse #BiblicalTruth #GospelCentered #ChristianPodcast