PODCAST · religion
Think Deeper
by Focus Press
The Think Deeper Podcast is a weekly show created to explore the challenges facing Christians today and address current issues from a distinctly Christian view.
Episodes
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Rest for the Spiritual Workaholic
This week we talk spiritual burnout, and when to take a step back from involvement for a season of rest. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction and the ups and downs of life 09:17 - Is there a time to step back from church work? 16:21 - Historic practices of rest 24:46 - What changed during the COVID…
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What Freedom In Christ Is NOT: On Halloween, Modesty, and More
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...
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Not Catholic, Not Orthodox: The Case for the Churches of Christ
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…
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Can Christians Use Sarcasm, Satire, and Strong Speech?
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...
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Apathy in the Church: What Causes It, What to Do About It, and More
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…
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What are Deacons for?
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…
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Same Team! Loving The Brotherhood In The Churches of Christ
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…
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The Many Difficult Angles of the Lindsay Clancy Story
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...
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Image vs. Reality: The Challenge of Being Authentic
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...
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How Christians Build Toward the Future
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...
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Difficult Husbands, Unsubmissive Wives: Marriage Case Studies
The Bible gives ideals for us to pursue in the husband and wife roles... but life isn't always ideal. What's a woman to do if her husband won't lead? What can a man do if his wife fights his leadership? In this highly practical episode, we examine what recourse Christians have in difficult…
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The Proverbs 31... Man?
The Bible gives us a great description of a Godly woman in Proverbs 31. But what about men? Is there a parallel text? What are characteristics a man should pursue? CHAPTERS 00:00 - Piecing together a list from around the Scriptures 05:51 - Proverbs' focus on the wise son 11:33 - "Men don't ask…
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Getting the Proverbs 31 Woman Right
The Proverbs 31 woman is the subject of a lot of drive-by analysis, often cited as part of an agenda that she doesn't really fit. But what does this text tell us about what a real Godly woman looks like? CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and why discuss this 06:26 - "An excellent wife" 15:09 - The…
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In the News: Fighting Pastor, Children’s Church, Divorce Celebrations, and More
We take on a roundup of some major headlines from the last two weeks, touching on Christians and self-defense, a Biblical view of divorce, birthright citizenship, and whether children should stay in the worship assembly. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - The importance of following the news with a Christian eye...
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Should Churches Acknowledge America 250?
With America's 250th anniversary coming up this weekend, we take a look at the Christian's place in celebrating our country. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro and why 250 matters 08:23 - Is America a "Christian Nation?" Is there such a thing? 15:41 - Should churches celebrate America 250? 27:40 - Extremes…
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Best Bible Chapters Draft!
We take turns picking 7 of the Bible's great chapters apiece. Once a chapter is taken, it's off the board. Give it a listen and tell us who picked the best list, and tell us what Bible chapters you think we missed! SECTIONS: 00:00 - Explaining the draft 03:37 - A Romans-heavy Round 1 12:23 -...
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Grappling with Our Shortcomings
This week the guys take a look at their own walks and discuss ways in which they want to grow in their walks as Christians. Listen in and see if you can relate! CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and the idea behind the episode 02:27 - The challenge of building relationships 11:32 - Finding opportunities to...
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Spanking and the Child Discipline Debate, with Brad Harrub
Dr. Brad Harrub joins the show to discuss recent research on generational views about spanking, including a lively debate on the "village" approach to parenting. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and reviewing recent headlines on discipline 07:22 - The proper context for spanking 13:02 - The cultural shift...
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The Non-Institutional Churches of Christ
Special guest Jacob Hudgins joins the show to discuss the Non-Institutional Churches of Christ. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 03:21 - What does "Non-Institutional" (NI) mean, and what is the history of the division? 14:32 - Kitchens, classes, cups—what does and does not fall under the NI banner? 18:58…
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Old Testament Israel and Modern America
America is not the modern version of Old Testament Israel, but there is still much we can learn from God's people in those days. We discuss: - Their lack of multigenerational success - How they set the stage for their own moral declines - What those days teach us about God's dealings in the world...
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The Youth's Uncertain Future
As graduation month is upon us, we look at the plight of high school and college graduates today and discuss what advice is helpful, and what is unhelpful. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and whether this generation's age is more "uncertain" than the past 11:59 - The pros and cons of the "go into the...
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Capital Punishment and Biblical Justice
We examine the Bible's view of crime and punishment, considering the principles established in the Old Law, whether the New Testament changes those principles, and how modern criminal justice has gone astray from God's way. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and two reasons for tackling this subject 06:21 -...
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Hot Takes: Bible Characters Edition
This week's episode is a bit on the lighter side as we share hot takes about Bible characters, and review listener submissions! CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and explaining the idea 03:31 - Quick Hits: Best person in the Bible? Worst person in the Bible? 12:15 - Quick Hits: Best hang, most annoying?...
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What Does "Christ-Like Mean?" Examining Christian Clichés
In this episode, we examine some of the common phrases you hear in Christian circles that don't often get explained. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Overview of clichés and introducing "Christ-like" 07:26 - Is there a difference between being Biblical and being "Christ-like?" 18:07 - What all is meant by...
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Is Porn Addiction Grounds for Divorce?
We've covered pornography addiction before, but this time we take a look at some specific questions surrounding the issue. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and defining "lust" for men and women 11:05 - Is porn addiction grounds for divorce? 17:28 - Examining the arguments in favor 24:29 - Does…
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Has Persecution Reached America?
NBA player Jaden Ivey recently lost his job, seemingly for derogatory comments made about the NBA participating in what he called the "unrighteousness" of Pride Month. Is this a type of persecution? If not, what is? Do American Christians deal with persecution? We discuss... CHAPTERS: 00:00…
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Do the Churches of Christ Have "Popes?"
Dr. Brad Harrub joins the show to discuss recent controversies in the churches of Christ and the back-room politicking that breaks unity. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Why discuss this? 09:04 - Why we must handle public division publicly 15:36 - The tactics of the brotherhoodpolice 23:55 - The need for love…
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Does A Future Spouse’s Past Matter?
Recent viral posts raised an interesting question: does conversion to Christianity remove the consequences of past sexual sin once you go looking for a spouse? We discussed the many issues surrounding this debate that set the internet on fire for a few days. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and reading…
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Think Fast: Another Dugger Downfall
We discuss the latest sordid headline about the Duggar family, including - The big family question - Why sin has to be dealt with COMPLETELY - How this will be twisted against Bible believers and more Tune into the full episode Monday: Does A Future Spouse’s Past Matter?
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Wilkie/Nortier Baptism Debate Recap!
We apologize for the lack of our usually scheduled Monday episode, but we waited a day to go live and recap Jack's debate on baptism! Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and initial thoughts 07:13 - Getting denominations to defend their "home court" 14:32 - Debating like a Christian vs. taking…
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9 Obstacles to Youth Faithfulness
Youth faithfulness remains one of the biggest challenges facing the church. As we strive to boost our percentages in this generation of young people, we examine some of the biggest obstacles that can shipwreck their faith, and discuss how to avoid those obstacles. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and...
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The "Loud Kids In Church" Issue
We discuss the viral post about bringing "loud kids" to church. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Reading and reacting to the viral post from Mt. Washington Church 05:15 - Are loud kids a distraction? 11:06 - Different policies for members and visitors? 14:57 - Leadership's role in setting standards 20:54 - How...
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Can Christians Observe a 'Sabbath?' Should They?
The command to observe a Sabbath day of rest as established in Exodus is not found in the New Testament... but can it still be a useful part of our spiritual lives today? What forms might that take? Join us for a discussion on the place of "Sabbath" in the Christian life. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - What…
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An Alarming Stat On Men’s and Women’s Wages
We discuss a report that links mens and women's wages to fertility rates and how the study correlates to Biblical gender roles Catch the full episode on Monday, where we discuss, "Can Christians Observe a 'Sabbath?' Should They?" focuspress.org jackwilkie.co
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The Bible, Polygamy and Misogyny
We continue our study on some of the Bible's difficult teachings with a look at Old Testament polygamy and the charge that the Word is unfair to women. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and recapping Bible controversies 03:52 - Polygamy in the Bible 12:01 - Reality of the time vs. God's ideal 17:35 - The...
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Epstein, Bad Bunny, and the Outrage Cycle
There have been a number of controversies in the headlines recently, with Bad Bunny's halftime performance vs. TPUSA's, President Trump's video mishap, and the competing interpretations of the Epstein files. What's a Christian to make of it all? Are each week's headlines worth our time? If so…
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Genocide and Slavery in the Bible
We begin a look at some of the Bible's more controversial topics, focusing this week on genocide like the flood and the Canaanite conquest, and slavery in the Old and New Testaments CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and the importance of wrestling with difficult questions 04:46 - Genocide and God's...
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The Biggest Challenges Facing the Church in 2026, Pt. 2
We continue our list of the biggest challenges facing the church this year! CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and the Rising Threat of AI 10:28 - A looming confrontation over gender roles 21:55 - Political division in the church 37:08 - We're correcting errors of the past, but... 47:14 - The biggest…
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The Biggest Challenges Facing the Church in 2026, Pt. 1
4 years ago we listed what we considered to be the biggest threats facing the churches of Christ in 2022. With so much happening since then, we thought it would be a good time to revisit our lists and update them for 2026. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and the need to get serious 08:27 - Are we…
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Rethinking Bible Class
We discuss perhaps the one facet of Sunday church life we have yet to cover: the Bible class. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 04:04 - The history of Sunday School 10:03 - The pros and cons of age-segregated classes 18:21 - When do youths need to graduate? Can women teach a baptized boy? 26:16 - How can…
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6 Different Ways to Read Your Bible
Old friends Titus Anderson and Daniel Mayfield join Jack for a discussion on 6 different interpretive approaches you can use when studying your Bible! CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and reading vs. studying 05:41 - The Bible as storybook 13:48 - The Bible as "true myth" 20:16 - "Love letter" vs. Rule...
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Israel, Judaism, and "Jewish Influence"
We begin 2026 with a look at an issue that is rapidly becoming one of the most important of the decade. Across religious, political, and generational lines, views on Israel and the Jewish faith and people are wildly misaligned. We discuss the lay of the land, what is out of bounds, and how to...
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Think Fast: The Somali Daycare Scandal
We discuss the allegations of mass fraud perpetrated by Somalians running government-funded day cares in Minnesota and other states. Tune in Monday for the full episode of Think Deeper: Israel, Judaism, and "Jewish Influence" With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit us at…
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2025 in Review: AI, Trump, Charlie, the Pope, and more
We recap the year that was and count down our top 10 storylines, touching on topics such as Charlie Kirk, Israel, the new pope, youth culture (6-7!), sports betting, and more. With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Join us at focuspress.org/plus to catch the exclusive Deep End episode each...
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Santa Claus: Fun Myth, or Dangerous Lie?
We discuss the hot controversy regarding whether parents should tell their kids about Santa Claus. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and why we're doing an episode on the topic 05:30 - History of St. Nicholas and Santa Claus 08:52 - Is it a lie? 27:32 - Taking it too far: making Santa God, and…
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What is the Church?
"We don't go to church, we ARE the church." Well, kind of. On this episode, the crew discusses whether the church is the people who go there, the institution, or something in between. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introducing the question 06:58 - Is the church just the people? 11:32 - "It's not an...
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Think Fast: Is it a Lie to Tell Kids Santa Claus is Real?
It's suddenly a hot debate as to whether it's wrong for parents to tell their kids Santa Claus is real. In this Think Fast, we give our takes and discuss why it's a controversy when it seemingly wasn't before. Tune in on Monday for the full episode, 'What is the Church?' With Will Harrub, Jack...
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How You Can KNOW You're Saved
Joe and Will interview Jack about his new book, You Are Saved: The Christian's Assurance. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and announcing Jack's book 05:05 - Why write a book on assurance of salvation? 13:00 - The problem of legalism 20:24 - How lacking assurance keeps us from spiritual maturity 26:10…
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Episode 200!
It's our 200th episode! We got together for a wide-ranging discussion across the spectrum of personal, spiritual, work, and more. Topics include: - Best marriage improvement books - Most impactful books - Christians and Harry Potter - Where the feminist movement stands today - Avoiding hypocrisy…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Think Deeper Podcast is a weekly show created to explore the challenges facing Christians today and address current issues from a distinctly Christian view.
HOSTED BY
Focus Press
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Think Deeper have?
Think Deeper currently has 268 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Think Deeper about?
The Think Deeper Podcast is a weekly show created to explore the challenges facing Christians today and address current issues from a distinctly Christian view.
How often does Think Deeper release new episodes?
Think Deeper publishes regularly with 268 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Think Deeper?
You can listen to Think Deeper on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Think Deeper?
Think Deeper is created and hosted by Focus Press.
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