In this episode of the Church Anywhere Podcast, we dive into a conversation about the relationship between faith and reason. We acknowledge that faith can sometimes be misunderstood by those outside of the church, and we aim to explore what faith truly means. We establish that faith is not completely opposed to logical thinking and that it can be defended and supported by reasoning and evidence. However, we also recognize that some Christians discourage reason and research, creating a gap between faith and reason. We strive to find a balance between the two and emphasize that faith and reason can coexist.

We continue the conversation by discussing the role of faith in our beliefs. We acknowledge that while faith often involves believing in something without concrete evidence, there is also a logical version of faith based on reasoning and evidence. We stress the importance of not closing ourselves off to new evidence and discoveries that may align with God's plan and truth. Rather than immediately dismissing new information, we advocate for balance and open-mindedness. We also acknowledge that truth is subjective but believe that absolute truth exists and originates from God. We emphasize that our faith journey involves collecting evidence and growing our faith over time, instead of relying solely on blind faith or reasoning alone. Each person's faith journey is unique, and we all start from different places.

We then share personal experiences and perspectives on faith and reason. One speaker recalls questioning everything as a child and being told to "just have faith." However, they found this response unhelpful and believed that faith should not be blindly accepting something without answers. Their perspective shifted when they experienced saving faith, which required humility and trust in God. This experience allowed them to have faith in other things that they couldn't necessarily experience.

Moving on, we touch on the controversial phrase "faith over fear" that gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss how this phrase was often used to resist government control but sometimes resulted in a lack of love and disregard for the well-being of others. We share personal experiences in a Bible college with strict rules and how the phrase wasn't frequently discussed there. Despite the difficult circumstances, we found that faith and reason can coexist and that it's not a matter of choosing one over the other. We argue that advancements in society, such as scientific discoveries, should not be seen as moving away from God but rather as a result of God-given minds understanding the world. We emphasize the importance of embracing all knowledge, including science and reasoning, as they all come from God.

In conclusion, we encourage open dialogue, discussion, and feedback from listeners. We believe that faith and reason can coexist, and exploring relevant topics in society is important. We remind listeners that the issues that cause polarization are often peripheral and do not impact the grand story of the gospel.