Think Deeper

This week, we discuss a viral tweet that claimed that the strongest of Christians are people who watch Disney, celebrate Halloween, drink alcohol, and wear bikinis, and what it says about an all-too-common view of freedom in Christ.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro, and the tweet that inspired the episode
08:27 - Pitting Jesus against discernment
16:28 - Why heaven isn't all that matters
26:12 - The attitude problem behind "you can't bind that"
33:40 - The issues: boycotts, Halloween, swimwear, etc.
58:01 - How can churches discuss these issues?

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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Marco Arroyo from In Between Sundays join's Jack to discuss why we haven't joined in the trends to convert to Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro and the current religious landscape
04:37 - Our issues with Roman Catholicism
10:47 - Our issues with Eastern Orthodoxy
17:47 - Sola Scriptura vs. church tradition
27:17 - Do church councils solve doctrinal division?
39:51 - Infant baptism 
43:53 - Do "household baptisms" in Scripture inidicate infant baptism?
53:01 - The fruits of RC and EO: mass production of nominal members

Marco's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IBSMarco

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CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro, and the time and place for tougher talk
06:21 - Starting with the cautions and limitations
10:27 - Friendly teasing, thicker skin, and how men and women differ in their communication
19:32 - Sarcasm and mockery in the Bible
30:29 - Principles for properly using humor with an edge
38:20 - The time and place for sharp words
44:20 - Are we allowed to speak like Jesus, Paul, and Elijah did?
48:43 - When does it go too far? When is an apology necessary?
53:39 - Think Fast: Ed Sheeran and Macklemore's Israel/Palestine fiasco

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com

Join us for the weekly Deep End episode and hundreds of hours of audio and video Bible studies and sermons at www.focuspress.org/plus 

Last week at the Engage Conference, Dr. Brad Harrub joined us for our first ever episode in front a live audience!

We discussed the problem of apathy in the church, including:
- How leadership can cause it, and what they can do to fix it
- The "good enough" mindset that leads people to give minimum effort
- Dealing with the busyness that keeps us from doing more
- Ways the church can do a better job of engaging the men in the pews

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co 

Join us for the Deep End and more at www.focuspress.org/plus  

Deacons are one of the most misunderstood roles in the church. We discuss the differences between deacons and elders, the qualifications for the role, and how deacons can help oversee practical responsibilities such as budgets, maintenance, education, and logistics.

The conversation also addresses questions like whether deacons are elders in training, who should appoint them, whether churches can have deacons without elders, and whether Romans 16:1 justifies deaconesses.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - What is a deacon, and what are the qualifications?
10:59 - Differences between elder and deacon qualifications, and what that tells us about the roles
18:20 - Is the deacon role a stepping stone to eldership?
23:24 - What kind of work is deacon work vs. elder work, and how much should the elders exercise oversight?
38:24 - Is it an ongoing role, or task-based?
43:09 - How are they to be appointed?
48:59 - Can you have deacons if you don't have elders?
56:09 - Why Phoebe wasn't a "deaconess" 

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Come hear us at the Engage Conference in Waxahachie, TX September 11-13! cocbrownstreet.org/engage

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In Christ, Christians form what Peter called a "brotherhood"—but that doesn't mean we always see eye to eye.

On this episode, we look at the issues that complicate our relationship with the brotherhood at large, including sectarianism, differences in perspectives, and the command to love each other through it all. 

CHAPTERS
00:00 - How a simple command becomes complicated
09:12 - Surveying some of the different camps and views in the broader church
14:15 - Recognizing value in each other even when we disagree
24:48 - Learning from Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark
29:53 - Fighting viewpoints, not people
40:42 - How do you know who's right?
46:12 - How social media helps and hurts our love for each other
52:51 - The challenge of loving people we don't really know in person

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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Jack's article referenced - https://jackwilkie.co/p/but-which-side-is-biblical

A tragic case involving the death of three small children has gripped the internet, with debates raging about postpartum depression and psychosis, what justice looks like, women's issues, and more.
We discuss a number of the angles to the story.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Introducing the case
06:41 - Joe gives a therapist's view on postpartum depression and psychosis
15:48 - The danger of glamorizing struggles
20:26 - The "Victim mindset" of Critical Theory's intersectionality
27:57 - Women's resistance to accountability in cases like these
37:12 - The cost of the church downplaying sin
42:05 - The problems with the current fixation with "true crime" and internet sleuthing
52:40 - The importance of being there for each other

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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Everybody wants "authentic" relationships from the church. But how do we build them? What can we do to keep authenticity from being an end in itself? We discuss what it looks like to be authentic, and the obstacles that get in the way.

CHAPTERS
00:00 - Navigating a world of fake, cultivated personas
08:16 - When genuineness becomes a commodity
17:17 - Dealing with shallow relationships in the church
25:14 - Authenticity and openness in our worship
32:14 - Hospitality helps, but it's hard
38:07 - Evangelizing with authenticity, vs. brokenness culture and fake authenticity
49:29 - Sharing our struggles without wallowing or shutting down
1:02:12 - Think Fast: The WNBA's wokeness implosion

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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Visit us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co

We gathered for a wide-ranging roundtable chat, focusing largely on thinking toward the future with how we equip the next generation.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro, and when boys become men
11:02 - When girls become women
19:47 - Passing the baton from generation to generation
25:23 - Thinking of your family strategically
32:05 - How parenting can sharpen you
37:06 - Making a content home life without becoming complacent
42:28 - Think Fast: The Odyssey, DEI casting, and revisiting our boycott takes

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Visit our sponsors at cobbpublishing.com

Follow us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co

Join us on Focus+ for the weekly Deep End episode and a huge library of content for your daily walk! focuspress.org/plus