Thinking Christian: Bible, Theology, and Culture

In this episode, James considers Deuteronomy 8. He discusses the dynamics of obeidence and the way that it aligns us with God's order. He also distinguishes God's promised blessing and the prosperity gospel highlighting the dangers of prosperity and the necessity of remembering God.

To connect with James and to find additional content, like the 30-Days in the Gospels Reading Plan or the Walk Through the Gospels course, visit, usefultogod.com.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, James welcomes Ed Uszynski, author of Untangling Critical Race Theory: What Christians Need to Know and Why It Matters. James and Ed discuss Marxism, critical theory, and critical race theory, as well as the biblical idea of partiality.

Go deeper: Christians & Politics

Thinking Christian is hosted by Dr. James Spencer, president of the D. L. Moody Center and author of Digital Discernment (InterVarsity Press). Each conversation reads the Bible as the final authority for life and faith, questioning the assumptions of our culture, even our Christian culture, so that we don't settle for a narrower vision than God's word offers.

Unsettling convention. Cultivating conviction.
Episodes, articles, and questions: thinkingchristian.org
About James Spencer: thinkingchristian.org/james
The Thinking Christian Framework: thinkingchristian.org/framework
Order Digital Discernment: amazon.com

Subscribe: YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Advertising and partnership inquiries: [email protected]

You can purchase Ed's book at ivpress.com (use IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount).

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, James welcomes Mark Matlock, author of Faith for the Curious: How an Era of Spiritual Openness Shapes the Way We Live and Help Others Follow Jesus. James and Mark discuss Mark's research about the spiritual curious in the United States, the relative lack of curiosity in the church, and how Christians might think about evangelism and discipleship differently.

Thinking Christian is hosted by Dr. James Spencer, president of the D. L. Moody Center and author of Digital Discernment (InterVarsity Press). Each conversation reads the Bible as the final authority for life and faith, questioning the assumptions of our culture, even our Christian culture, so that we don't settle for a narrower vision than God's word offers.

Unsettling convention. Cultivating conviction.
Episodes, articles, and questions: thinkingchristian.org
About James Spencer: thinkingchristian.org/james
The Thinking Christian Framework: thinkingchristian.org/framework
Order Digital Discernment: amazon.com

Subscribe: YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Advertising and partnership inquiries: [email protected]

You can purchase Mark's book at amazon.com.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, James discussed Genesis 15-22 (the life of Abraham). He focuses on Abraham's legitimate concerns and the way he learns to trust God rather than chart his own course. Abraham is, in this sense, a model of discipleship becasue God allows Abraham the time to learn how to truth in Him and, ultimately, to become "one who fears the Lord." 

Go deeper: Trajectories

Thinking Christian is hosted by Dr. James Spencer, president of the D. L. Moody Center and author of Digital Discernment (InterVarsity Press). Each conversation reads the Bible as the final authority for life and faith, questioning the assumptions of our culture, even our Christian culture, so that we don't settle for a narrower vision than God's word offers.

Unsettling convention. Cultivating conviction.
Episodes, articles, and questions: thinkingchristian.org
About James Spencer: thinkingchristian.org/james
The Thinking Christian Framework: thinkingchristian.org/framework
Order Digital Discernment: amazon.com

Subscribe: YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Advertising and partnership inquiries: [email protected]

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, James speaks with Dr. May Young who authored a chapter in a book James co-edited titled A Praying People. Dr. Young is an expert on the topic of lament and the book of Lamentations. James and Dr. Young discuss lament more generally and how it can build community in the Church.

Go deeper: Trajectories

Thinking Christian is hosted by Dr. James Spencer, president of the D. L. Moody Center and author of Digital Discernment (InterVarsity Press). Each conversation reads the Bible as the final authority for life and faith, questioning the assumptions of our culture, even our Christian culture, so that we don't settle for a narrower vision than God's word offers.

Unsettling convention. Cultivating conviction.
Episodes, articles, and questions: thinkingchristian.org
About James Spencer: thinkingchristian.org/james
The Thinking Christian Framework: thinkingchristian.org/framework
Order Digital Discernment: amazon.com

Subscribe: YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Advertising and partnership inquiries: [email protected]

Get A Praying People on amazon.com 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode James welcomes Carl Amari. Carl hosts Hollywood360, a nationally syndicated radio show, as well as serving as a producer on a variety of audio projects and movies. James and Carl discuss his early interest in radio dramas and how that led him to create dramatized audio versions of the Bible. 

Go deeper: Technology & Media

Thinking Christian is hosted by Dr. James Spencer, president of the D. L. Moody Center and author of Digital Discernment (InterVarsity Press). Each conversation reads the Bible as the final authority for life and faith, questioning the assumptions of our culture, even our Christian culture, so that we don't settle for a narrower vision than God's word offers.

Unsettling convention. Cultivating conviction.
Episodes, articles, and questions: thinkingchristian.org
About James Spencer: thinkingchristian.org/james
The Thinking Christian Framework: thinkingchristian.org/framework
Order Digital Discernment: amazon.com

Subscribe: YouTube · Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Advertising and partnership inquiries: [email protected]

You can find Carl's audio Bibles and other projets on his amazon.com author page. Check out his radio program here. 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, James hosts Amy Williams. Amy is a "hope dealer" working with teens involved in gangs in the Chicagoland area. Here book titled Worth Seeing: Viewing Others Through God's Eyes offers stories of her time in ministry and encourages Christians to see ourselves and others as Christ see us. James and Amy discuss some of the challenges of working between gangs and churches, as well as the promise Amy sees in young men and women who learn to look with eyes that see and listen with ears that hear.

To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here.

You can purchase Amy's book at ivpress.com (use IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount).

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode James and Nate sit down with Michael Tait and Adam Agee from the Newsboys to disucss the latest movie in the God's Not Dead series, God's Not Dead: In God We Trust. They talk about how God's Not Dead got started, their latest album, and their current tour, as well as diving into their creative process as songwriters and performers. 

To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here.

You can find out more about the movie at https://godsnotdead.com/. You can find out more about the Newboys' latest album (Worldwide Revival) and tour at newsboys.com.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, Nate and James discuss the distinction between the right, the left, and Chrisitans. Along the way, they place a strong emphasis on the need for discipleship and offer some practical considerations for Christians seeking to participate in politics. 

To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, James discusses the latest moving in the God's Not Dead series with David A. R. White and Scott Baio. They talk about the movie, the state of the nation, and the ways Christians can get invovled in the political realm. You can catch the movie in theaters beginning on September 12th.

To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here.

You can find out more about the movie at https://godsnotdead.com/. 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.