Believing Thomas

Encounter Henley Welcomes Pastor: Ashlee Littleford This week, Pastor Ashlee Littleford explores the tension between intellectual defense mechanisms and deep-seated heartbreak. Drawing from her own background in mathematics and coding, Ashlee challenges the idea that doubt is a moral failure. Instead, she looks at the story of "Doubting Thomas" to show that Jesus doesn't meet our skepticism with a physics lecture—He meets it with His wounds. In this episode, we discuss: Why "weaponizing" ourselves with facts often keeps us barricaded in our own corners. The psychological reality of cynicism as a defense mechanism against emotional overload. The staggering statistics on why people leave the church when they experience doubt. Why Jesus retained His scars in His resurrected body specifically to comfort the doubter. How to move from seeking evidence to experiencing an encounter. Whether you’re holding up a shield of intellectualism or faking a certainty you don’t feel, this message is an invitation to drop the walls and bring the "absolute mess of your story" to a Savior who isn't afraid of your questions. Scripture Reference: John 20:24-29 "Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.'"