theCHURCH Sermon Podcast

🎃 Is Halloween the devil's holiday? 🎄 Did Christians steal Christmas from pagans? 🐰 And what exactly do Easter eggs have to do with Jesus?

In this episode of The Deep End, Ron, Justin, and Megan investigate the surprising history behind three of Christianity's most controversial holidays. They separate historical evidence from popular myths, explore what Scripture actually says about participating in cultural traditions, and tackle a question that might make your next family gathering a little awkward: Can something have questionable origins without being sinful today?

Along the way, Justin makes a passionate case for taking back Halloween, Megan challenges some familiar assumptions, and Ron tries to figure out whether his Christmas tree needs to repent.

Real Questions. Deeper Answers.

We exist to know Jesus more and more and to make Jesus known to everyone we come across. That means the more you get to know Jesus the harder it should be to know you and not know Jesus. So be a good Jesus.

Same Bible. Different Answers. Who's Right?

Two Christians can read the exact same Bible passage and walk away with completely different conclusions. So who's right? And how are the rest of us supposed to know?

In Episode 10 of The Deep End, Ron, Justin, and Megan pull back the curtain on biblical interpretation. Should we trust our pastors, biblical scholars, church traditions, or our own understanding? What happens when people who genuinely love Jesus disagree about what Scripture means?

We're challenging assumptions, questioning our own certainty, and exploring how to pursue biblical truth without turning every disagreement into a church fight.

Because there's a big difference between believing the Bible is right and believing we're always right about the Bible.

The Deep End — Real Questions. Deeper Answers.

Come with questions. Leave with better ones.

Can Christians be demon possessed? Can you catch a demon at Walmart? Are generational curses real? And is that headache spiritual warfare—or do you just need a nap?

In this episode of The Deep End, we're bringing Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare into everyday life. From demon clingers and exorcisms gone terribly wrong to inherited family struggles and the armor of God, we're asking what the Bible actually tells Christians to do when spiritual evil is real.

Plot twist: The most powerful spiritual warfare might not involve casting out demons at all. It might just look like faithfully following Jesus on an ordinary Tuesday.

Was Satan really named Lucifer? Did he take a third of heaven's angels with him? Where did demons come from? And is Satan actually running things down in hell?

What if some of what we've always believed isn't actually in the Bible?

In this episode of The Deep End, we're separating Scripture from tradition as we explore Satan, demons, and spiritual rebellion. We even manage to drag Taylor Swift into the conversation. 😂

But the biggest question isn't where Satan came from. It's what Jesus has already done to defeat him.

🎙️ The Deep End — Real Questions. Deeper Answers.

Warning: Listening does not qualify you to become a demon hunter.

God’s faithfulness calls His people to faithfulness.

When God is revealed to anyone through His word people will primarily do one of three things: they will run from God convincing themselves there is no truth to be found there; or they will fake it—pretending to follow God while trying to put on the outside what needs to come from the inside; or they will proclaim He is God and live a life of true spiritual worship.

What do naked baby angels, The Matrix, the Witch of Endor, the gods of Egypt, a heavenly courtroom, and your grandma getting her wings have in common?

Apparently, they’re all part of trying to understand the spiritual realm.

In this episode of The Deep End, we ask what sounds like a pretty simple question:

What does the Bible actually say is out there?

And then things get weird.

Because the biblical picture of the unseen world is a lot bigger than God upstairs, humans downstairs, and a few angels and demons floating around in between.

Why does the Bible talk about Elohim—sometimes translated “gods”? What are cherubim and seraphim? Does God have a heavenly council? What exactly is happening when Daniel describes spiritual rulers connected to Persia and Greece? What in the world are we supposed to do with Samuel and the Witch of Endor? And are angels even a type of being—or is “angel” actually more like a job description?

At some point, we realize someone listening while driving may have just gone off the road.

Please focus on the road.

But this isn't just an episode about collecting strange Bible passages.

Because if the Bible really describes an unseen conflict involving rulers, authorities, powers, and spiritual forces, then suddenly what Jesus accomplished through His life, death, and resurrection gets a whole lot bigger.

Maybe Jesus didn't come merely to forgive sinners.

Maybe He came to defeat something.

So buckle up. Keep an open Bible nearby. And prepare to reconsider a few greeting cards.

The spiritual world may be much bigger—and much stranger—than you've imagined.

Welcome to The Deep End.

Real Questions. Deeper Answers.

What do Pharaoh, Jonah, Spider-Man, VeggieTales, a near-death “fart,” and being a floor mopper in the Kingdom of God have in common?

Somehow, they all made it into Part 2 of our conversation about hell.

But this time, we may have started at the wrong end of the story.

Before asking “What is hell?” maybe we need to ask: What is God actually doing when He judges?

Because the Bible sometimes describes judgment as something creation actually celebrates. It says both believers and unbelievers will be resurrected. It suggests people may be accountable for what they actually knew. And it leaves surprisingly little detail about the thing Christians seem most curious about: what happens immediately after we die.

So what happens to the person who never heard about Jesus? Does God judge everyone exactly the same? Does the opportunity to repent explicitly end at death? How can God be completely just and extravagantly merciful at the same time? And what happens when the person whose eternal destiny you’re wondering about isn’t hypothetical anymore?

What if it’s someone you love?

To constantly expose yourself to, be surrounded by, and filled with God’s word helps you not only recognize but be totally sure of God’s presence in any and all situations.