Episodes
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Aging Wisely in an Anti-Aging World (Jen Wilkin)
Simply put, we live in an anti-aging world. Aging is seen as something to fight against, slow the signs of, and even live in total denial about. On the other hand, Christianity has always held an alternate vision that embraces aging, and the character and wisdom that come with it. Jen Wilkin…
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The Most Common Lies Tempting Believers Today (Aaron Graham)
One day Aaron sat down with a notebook and started writing down the names of people he knew who had deconstructed their faith. He filled two pages. Can you relate to this gradual drift from the church, drift from core doctrines, and drift from Christianity itself — either from personal experience...
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Discipleship According to Matthew’s Gospel (Jonathan Pennington)
What is the path to the good life? What does it look like to be a disciple of Jesus? New Testament scholar, Jonathan Pennington, has written extensively on the Gospel of Matthew and we explore it’s emphasis on discipleship as well as Jesus’ vision for human flourishing outlined in the Sermon on…
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Preaching the Gospel & Raising Up Preachers (Matt Shantz & Mike Neglia)
This is a special crossover episode from Expositor’s Collective, where Matt was interviewed by Mike Neglia on preaching the gospel and raising up preachers. Together they discuss the ethics of quoting voices outside our theological tradition (8:30), the sermon critique that pushed Matt toward...
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ANY AND EVERY (Emilie & Brian McCormack)
Over the last few decades a phenomenon has been taking place on Tuesday nights at Texas A&M University; thousands of students fill the basketball arena to worship Jesus and receive Bible teaching. Brian McCormack serves as the Executive Director and together with his wife Emilie they steward this...
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Good News at Rock Bottom (Ray Ortlund)
We all long for a life worth living. So when we receive news of a frightening diagnosis, suffer heartbreaking loss in our family life, or get trapped in a cycle of our own sin, we might wonder about God. Where is He when we need Him most? In this episode Ray explains that Jesus can be hard to…
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The 100th Episode!
To celebrate 100 episodes worth of deep thoughts, Matt is joined by original producer of the podcast, Jordan Esau, for a trip down memory lane as they talk about the humble beginnings of the podcast, some favourite episodes and guests, and more.Then Matt tackles some of the deepest...
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Episode 99. The Evangelistic Church (J.A. Medders)
For many of us, despite having the best intentions, we struggle to reach out effectively with the gospel. Jeff Medders joins Matt to talk about fostering a genuine evangelistic culture in our lives and churches. ABOUT Jeff Medders is the Director of Theology and Content for Send Network and the...
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Episode 98. Disability and the Church (Cameron Horner)
In August of 2011, Cameron Horner had a diving accident that resulted in a spinal injury and immediate paralysis. His story is one of faith and perseverance. In this episode, we talk about a theology of suffering and the topics of disability and the church and disability and eschatology.…
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Episode 97. The Air We Breathe (Glen Scrivener)
Today in the west, many consider the church to be dead or dying. Christianity is seen as outdated, bigoted and responsible for many of society’s problems. This leaves many believers embarrassed about their faith and many outsiders wary of Christians and their movement. But what if the Christian...
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Episode 96. The Overcomers (Matt Chandler)
Matt Chandler is convinced that you were made for this exact moment in human history. Things may look gloomy, and you may feel discouraged, but because of the promise and hope found in Scripture, you can be brave, confident, and victorious today. We’re built to overcome, to find joy not tied to…
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Episode 95. Can I Say That? (Brenna Blain)
Many Christians are deconstructing their faith because of unvoiced questions—questions that, when not voiced, can feel like they’re too much for God. In this episode — and her new book Can I Say That? — Brenna Blain addresses questions about her own wrestlings with what felt like “unsafe…
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Episode 94. Analog Faith In A Digital Age (Jay Kim)
The promise of technological advancement seemed to be that work and life would be simplified. The promise of social media was limitless possibilities of connection and deep friendship. In reality, the technologies of our day seem determined to keep us scrolling and swiping at all costs, plugged...
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Episode 93. Q+A 4.0
This is the fourth Q+A episode where Matt attempts to answer some of your deepest listener-submitted questions. Why don’t we all get the same thing out of God’s Word? [2:05] What if I’m not actually saved? [9:55] Does God love Satan? And if Satan changed his mind and wanted to go to heaven would...
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Episode 92. The Beauty & Brokenness of the Local Church (Scott Thomas)
Scott Thomas talks about the beauty and brokenness of the local church by speaking transparently about his own challenging experiences with the church and why he still loves it so much.Topics include planting and replanting churches (5:30); the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill and our own…
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Episode 91. The Great Dechurching (Jim Davis)
We are experiencing the largest and fastest religious shift in North American history. It is faster than the First and Second Great Awakenings and revivals combined, but in the opposite direction. It wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that everyone listening to this episode either has people in…
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Episode 90. The One About Gender (Abigail Favale)
The issue of gender has roared onto the scene so quickly, the concept has evolved so rapidly, the level of importance deemed so integral, that you would be hard-pressed to find a more pressing, confusing and divisive subject. Enter Dr. Abigail Favale. Her book, The Genesis of Gender is…
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Episode 89. Eucharismatic Worship (Andrew Wilson)
Andrew Wilson joins the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about special needs, the case for eucharistic and charismatic worship in the life of the church, and why the year 1776 was such a big deal and how the West is now post-Christian because of it. ABOUT Andrew Wilson (PhD, King’s College...
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Episode 88. Habits of Grace (David Mathis)
Statistically, only about 9% of those who make New Years Resolutions actually complete them, with the vast majority of people failing within the first week and month. David Mathis refers to the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, and commitment to a local church as habits of grace and...
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Episode 87. Revelation: The (Other) Christmas Story
The nativity stories from the gospels of Matthew and Luke are familiar to everyone. Baby Jesus in a manger, Mary and Joseph, the little town of Bethlehem, the shepherds, and wise men. We’re less familiar with Revelation’s nativity story found in chapter 12 that includes a seven-headed dragon. But...
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Episode 86. Don’t Follow Your Heart (Thaddeus Williams)
Today we’re told to be true to ourselves, look within for answers, and follow our hearts. But when we put our own happiness first, we experience record-breaking levels of aimlessness, loneliness, depression, and anxiety. In Don’t Follow Your Heart, Thaddeus Williams debunks the “ten commandments…
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Episode 85. (The) Toxic (War On) Masculinity (Nancy Pearcey)
Let’s face it: When people complain that masculinity is toxic, they often point to evangelical men as their prime example. But findings from the social sciences debunk those charges. Research shows that committed Christian men who attend church regularly test out as the most loving and engaged...
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Episode 84. Are You A (gasp!) Evangelical?
Evangelicals are known today for culture-wars, politics, conspiracy theories, and moral failures as much or more as the historic pillars of evangelical identity. In this brief episode Matt defines evangelicalism and explores how we might get that clear and compelling evangelical vision back.…
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Episode 83. Family: A Team On Mission (Jeff & Alyssa Bethke)
Unclear on God’s purpose for the family? This episode is for you! In 2012 Jefferson Bethke released a spoken word video to YouTube called, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” that went viral and changed his life forever. Viewed over 35 million times and followed up with New York Times…
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Episode 82. A Deep Thought: Making Sense of Bears Mauling Boys
What do we do with passages in the Bible that are strange or even troubling? Matt talks a bit about that while unpacking one of the weirdest stories in the Bible: A couple bears mauling a bunch of boys. This brief ‘A Deep Thought’ episode is a summary of a sermon he preached entitled, A Grizzly...
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Episode 81. A Deep Thought: Jesus Treasures You
Matt unpacks the parables of the treasure and pearl of great price and the astounding reality that Jesus treasures us. This brief ‘A Deep Thought’ episode is a summary of a sermon he preached entitled, Treasure Jesus, from Matthew 13:44-46.
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Episode 80. Q+A 3.0
You asked some seriously deep questions and Matt has tried his best to answer them in this Q&A episode. Do you think Abraham and Isaac had a conversation before he tied him up as an offering? [2:45] What is the stance on marijuana use as Christians? Many conversations about this lately. [7:05]…
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Episode 79. A Deep Thought: 6 Excuses That Keep Us From Mission
Matt shares 6 common excuses that he thinks keep many of us from participating in the Mission of Jesus — and shows how the commission Jesus has given us nullifies every last one of those excuses. This brief A Deep Thought episode is a summary of a sermon he preached entitled, Christians Make...
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Episode 78. Persecuted Christians & How To Help (Jared Vander Meulen)
More than 360 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith in Jesus. Jared Vander Meulen from Open Doors Canada joins Matt to talk about what severe persecution looks like in the most difficult countries in the world to be a Christian and what Christians…
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Episode 77. Beautiful Union: God’s Vision For Sex (Joshua Ryan Butler)
Matt had Joshua Ryan Butler back on the podcast to talk about his latest book, Beautiful Union. About 48 hours after Matt’s interview with Josh in early March, a social media firestorm erupted when an excerpt of Beautiful Union was released on The Gospel Coalition website (that has since been...
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Episode 76. Myths About Singleness (Sam Allberry)
Conversations around human sexuality are some of the most sensitive and complex in our culture today and around the church more specifically. Sam Allberry is a celibate, same-sex-attracted pastor/theologian who has written extensively and spoken all over the world on these topics. In this...
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Episode 75. Satan, Demons, & Spiritual Warfare (Gerry Breshears)
Here we go! We’re fascinated by the supernatural. Ghost stories, shows like Stranger Things, super hero movies with villains of cosmic proportions all intrigue us. But when it comes to the spiritual realm that the Bible describes we tend to either ignore that reality completely or have an…
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Episode 74. Mental Health & The Church (with Helen Thorne)
In any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians experiences a mental illness. By the time Canadians reach 40 years of age, 1 in 2 have – or have had – a mental illness (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2022). What does God and the Bible say about mental illness and how can we make churches places…
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Episode 73. A Deep Thought: Faith & Politics
A Deep Thought is a concise episode on a particular aspect of the Christian faith that we sprinkle in between full-length episodes. This one's on Faith & Politics and is a sermon Matt did at Central Community Church in the summer of 2021, entitled “Shaped By The Gospel: Politics". It serves as a...
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Episode 72. Faith & Politics (with Chuck Strahl)
In this episode Matt sits down with former Member of Parliament Chuck Strahl to talk about Faith & Politics. ABOUT Chuck Strahl was elected to the House of Commons in 1993 and was re-elected in 6 consecutive elections before retiring from Parliament. He filled a number of Parliamentary roles…
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Episode 71. Art Through the Eyes of Faith (with Russ Ramsey)
Matt gets Russ Ramsey on the line to talk about art and faith. What is the role of art in the world? In other words, what’s the point of being creative and why is beauty itself important? Russ’s new book, Rembrandt Is In The Wind: Learning to Love Art Through the Eyes of Faith, helps us explore…
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Episode 70. The Good & Evil of Christian History (with John Dickson)
Matt gets Australia’s sweetheart—John Dickson—on the line to talk primarily about his book, Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History. Host of the Undeceptions podcast and professor of ancient history, John does not shy away from the blemishes in Christian...
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Episode 69. The Unwavering Pastor (w/ Jonathan Dodson)
Recent Barna research reveals that 38% of Protestant Pastors (51% of Mainline Pastors) thought about quitting full-time ministry this past year. Tensions over politics, race, and covid have caused enormous divisions in society and have seemed to ramp up the discouragement of pastors in the…
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Episode 68. A Deep Thought: Christianity & the Isms
A Deep Thought is a concise episode on a particular aspect of the Christian faith that we sprinkle in between full-length episodes. This deep thought is on Christianity and the ‘isms — you know — like universalism, polytheism, and deism. This episode focuses on comparing and contrasting...
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Episode 67. A Deep Thought: Making Sense of the Israelite Conquest
A Deep Thought is a “concise” episode on a particular aspect of the Christian faith that we sprinkle in between full-length episodes. This deep thought is on Israelite Conquest of Canaan. More specifically, Matt aims to help our listeners to make sense of the passages of Scripture where God...
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Episode 66 Standing In The Gap For Our Young People (with Heather Thompson Day)
In this episode Matt chats with Heather Thompson Day, a passionate advocate for women and young adults. She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches for young people. This conversation was a ton of fun and really insightful. If you’re a young adult I hope you feel seen and…
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Episode 65. Q&A 2.0.
Matt answers listener submitted questions on all sorts of topics: 1. Can Christians play the lottery? 2. Has the Church been built or is it being built? 3. How do we know what God’s will is when making decisions? 4. How can Christians help fellow believers turn from sin to truth? 5. How can I…
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Episode 64. The Grace of Lament (with Mark Vroegop)
Whether he likes it or not, Mark Vroegop has become known as “The Lament Guy.” Matt chats with Mark primarily about the place of prayers of lament in the Christian life and how utilizing this biblical prayer language is a gracious gift. Mark is the author of “Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy” and “Weep…
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Episode 63. You Are Not Your Own (with O. Alan Noble)
Matt chats with tweed aficionado and Oklahoma’s finest, O. Alan Noble about his two books, Disruptive Witness and You Are Not Your Own. How can we be a disruptive witness to a distracted, secular culture? In a society that tells us that you are your own and belong to your self, how is the…
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Episode 62. Presenting the Christian Worldview (with Raphael Samuel)
Dr. Raphael Samuel’s story begins with his upbringing during Apartheid in South Africa. For his day job he works as an anesthesiologist but he’s also passionate about explaining the coherence of the Christian faith and does itinerant work as an Apologetics Canada speaker. In this episode Matt and...
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Episode 61. A Deep Thought: Grief & The Gospel
Everybody dies and everybody loses people they love dearly. How does the gospel affect and inform the way we grieve as Christians?
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Episode 60. The One With The Book-Writing, Home-Schooling Moms (with Sheri Hiebert & Cecily Dickey)
Matt sits down with two members of Central Community Church for a roundtable conversation about the intersection of reading, writing, and the Christian faith. Sheri and Cecily both happen to be book-writing, home-schooling moms. ABOUT Sheri Hiebert co-wrote THINKING?: Answering Life’s Five…
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Episode 59. It’s 2022. Now What?!
It’s a new year and we already need a fresh dose of hope! So Matt called up some pastor and ministry leader friends and asked them two questions: "What’s a word of caution you would give the church for 2022?" and "What’s an opportunity before the church in 2022?”. Guests: Chris Ross, Family…
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Episode 58. A Deep Thought: The One About Christmas
A Deep Thought is a concise episode on a particular aspect of the Christian faith that we sprinkle in between full-length episodes. This deep thought is on Christmas.
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Episode 57. Gospel-Driven Ministry (with Jared C. Wilson)
In this episode Matt interviews Jared C. Wilson, who has been a pastor and church planter and now trains them at Midwestern Seminary. He’s also authored over 20 books including The Imperfect Disciple; Your Jesus Is Too Safe; and his personal favourite, Gospel Deeps. They focus primarily on a…
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About this show
Every episode explores one aspect of the Christian faith a little more deeply. This podcast exists to help you foster deep faith.
Hosted by
Matt Shantz
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