The Deep Thoughts Podcast with Matt Shantz

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 General Editor for New Churches. He is also pursuing his Ph.D. at Southern Seminary in biblical spirituality under the supervision of Dr. Donald S. Whitney. Jeff is a writer, a preacher, a podcaster, and an unashamed coffee snob. He is a native Houstonian and the author of several books including Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians; Gospel Formed: Living a Grace-Addicted, Truth-Filled, Jesus-Exalting Life; Humble Calvinism: And If I Know the Five Points, But Have Not Love; Risen King: 40 Devotions for Easter; and the main topic of the podcast conversation, The Soul-Winning Church: Six Keys to Fostering a Genuine Evangelistic Culture.

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. Resources referenced in the episode: Ten Dimensions of Belonging (Erik Carter) My Body Is Not A Prayer Request: Disability Justice In The Church (Amy Kenny) ABOUTBecause of the work that God did before, during, and after Cameron's injury, a ministry began as churches, schools, and other groups began asking him to come share his journey of faith and perseverance. Cameron has a unique take on suffering and desires for the church to grow in their understanding of how to relate to the pain that we all experience in life.Cameron also has a heart for helping churches with the topic of disability. He has experienced the good and the not so good when it comes to church tolerance, accessibility, messaging, etc., and is a resource for churches and other organizations as they desire to better understand how to minister to the disabled community.Cameron was recently married to Annie, who “sort of” met at the Exiles in Babylon Conference Matt was attending as well in 2023.You can watch Cameron's appearance at the Exiles In Babylon Conference and on The 700 Club. You can find him at cameronhornerministries.org and on Instagram.

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 Christianity is seen as outdated, bigoted and responsible for many of society's problems.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 message is not the enemy of our modern Western values, but the very thing that makes sense of them? Matt talks with Glen Scrivener, author of The Air We Breathe: How We All Came To Believe In Freedom, Kindness, Progress, & Equality. Those are distinctively Christian ideas. Christianity didn't just turn the ancient world upside down, but continues to underpin the way our society thinks about life, worth, and meaning In other words, Christianity has impacted our culture so profoundly that we don't notice it's in the very air we breathe.  ABOUT Glen Scrivener is an evangelist who is passionate about people meeting Christ and equipping Christians to share their faith. He's often found speaking at Churches and Universities, in the studio producing online media or in his office, writing books and other evangelistic material. He is an ordained Church Of England minister, author, speaker and filmmaker, and director of the charity Speak Life. In addition to The Air We Breathe, Glen has also written How To See Life; How To Speak Life; and Long Story Short: The Bible in 12 Phrases

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 our circumstances but rooted in our relationship with Jesus. The Matts sit down to talk about preaching (3:15); Multi-site churches (23:15); and the wildly encouraging Book of Revelation (33:45) that is the premise of his new book The Overcomers: God's Vision For You To Thrive In An Age Of Anxiety And Outrage. ABOUT Matt Chandler has served over 20 years as the Lead Pastor at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX which recently transitioned its 5 campuses into their own autonomous churches. He is also the Executive Chairman of the Acts 29 Network, a large church planting community that trains and equips church planters across the globe. Matt is known around the world for proclaiming the gospel in a powerful and down-to-earth way and enjoys traveling to share the message of Jesus whenever he can.His latest book draws on the Book of Revelation to remind us that in Christ, we are Overcomers.

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 questions” on the issues she's faced in her life like mental health challenges, suicidality, same-sex attraction, church hurt, miscarriage, and more. ABOUTBrenna Blain is a contemporary theologian from the Pacific Northwest and is most passionate about God's involvement in our pain and personal struggles, including mental illness, same-sex attraction, and abuse. In her book, Can I Say That? she brings her fresh voice to those who feel unsafe or unwelcome in the church, acknowledging the incongruity between the church's actions and believers' lived experiences. As a Bible teacher and an advocate for those who have experienced abuse, molestation, and mental health crises, she creates space for readers to be radically honest and ask tough questions—Am I safe here? Why does your presence feel so lonely, God?—while pointing them to biblical, foundational truth.

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 into a feedback loop of impatience, comparison, outrage, contempt, and algorithm-built echo chambers. Blind to the dangers, we enjoy its temporary pleasures, unaware of the damage to our minds, bodies, and souls.  In this episode, Matt talks with Jay Kim about the ways the digital age and its values affect the Christian life and church life. And as you can guess from the title, Jay advocates for analog faith in the midst of our digital world. ABOUT Jay Kim lives with his family in Silicon Valley, California and is Lead Pastor of WestGate Church. He's the host of IVP's Digital Examen Podcast and Barna's Making Space Podcast.He's the author of Analog Church; Analog Christian, and his most recent book, Listen, Listen, Speak — all of which we explore in this episode.

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 God let him? [15:30] How should I make school choices for my family? [22:30] If only Sheol existed in the Old Testament, how does hell suddenly appear in the New Testament? [29:30] As modern Christians do we believe that angels and demons constantly surround us? [32:00] How do we know if something is random chance, circumstances, or answered prayer in keeping with God's will? [39:25]

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 susceptibility to fall (10:00); church hurt (19:00); embodying the welcome and warmth of Christ (26:00); gospel culture (33:00); emotional intelligence (37:30); and the promise of Jesus for His Church (50:00). ABOUT Scott is the Director of Multiplication at Great Commission Collective and Lead Servant of Church Planting Partners. He served as Executive Pastor at Immanuel Church in Nashville, TN, Associate National Director of C2C Network, President of Acts 29, and Scott served as a lead pastor for 17 years. He is the author of a number of books including: The Gospel Shaped Leader; and Gospel Coach. Scott and his wife Jeannie live in Nashville, TN.

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 their lives who have left the church in recent years or you've left the church yourself. Jim Davis, co-author of The Great Dechurching, chats with Matt about the findings of their major research project that spawned the book, who's leaving, why they're going, and what it will take to bring them back. The findings and opportunities are more hopeful than you'd think!ABOUT Jim Davis (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is teaching pastor at Orlando Grace Church (Acts 29), and a Council member of The Gospel Coalition. He is the host of the As In Heaven podcast and coauthor with Michael Graham of The Great Dechurching: Who's Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? (Zondervan, August 2023). He and his wife, Angela, speak for Family Life's Weekend to Remember marriage getaways.

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 insightful, wise and timely. Abigail is an expert in areas of post-modernity, gender studies, and feminism and her radical re-conversion to Christianity has led her to take everything she has learned about gender and apply it through the lens of the Bible.  ABOUT Abigail is a writer and professor whose work lies at the intersection of Catholic theology, literature, and women's studies. Her abiding interest as a writer and scholar is the meaning and dignity of woman, and her work explores sexual difference and embodiment in the Catholic imagination. She holds a concurrent appointment in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, where she teaches on topics like Edith Stein's Theology of Woman and Religion & Literature. Abigail has a bachelor's degree in philosophy from George Fox University, as well as a master's degree in Women, Writing and Gender and a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She is the author of multiple books including, Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion (Cascade 2018) and The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory, which was published in 2022 and has already been translated into multiple languages. She lives with her husband, Michael, and their four children in South Bend, Indiana.

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.ABOUTAndrew Wilson (PhD, King's College London) is the teaching pastor at King's Church London and a columnist for Christianity Today. He's the author of several books, including the three they talk about in this episode: Remaking the World, Spirit and Sacrament, and The Life We Never Expected. He's a part of the Mere Fidelity podcast, co-hosts the “Post-Christianity?” podcast with Glen Scrivener, and regularly writes on the Think Theology website. Andrew is married to Rachel and they have three children: Zeke, Anna and Samuel. He is also a great follow on X/Twitter.

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 asserts that they are paramount for relationship with and enjoyment of Jesus. As we embark on a new year, resolve to know and enjoy Jesus through these habits of grace. In this episode Matt sits down with David Mathis to talk about leadership in the church (6:30 mark) and habits of grace (31:00 mark). ABOUTDavid Mathis serves as senior teacher and executive editor at desiringGod.org, a pastor at Cities Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and an adjunct professor at Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis. He and his wife, Megan, have four children. He is the author of several books, including the two talked about in this episode: Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines and Workers For Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders. 

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 it is one of the Bible's telling of the Christmas story nonetheless. In this brief episode Matt explains why this cosmic Christmas story is worth including in your nativity.

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 of self-worship” and points to a life beyond the self-defeating dogmas of self-worship to a more meaningful life centred on Someone infinitely more interesting, satisfying, and awesome than ourselves. Thaddeus Williams is back on the podcast, this time to tell us not to follow our hearts but to follow God's heart!  ABOUTThaddeus J. Williams (Ph.D., Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam) loves enlarging students' understanding and enjoyment of Jesus at Biola University in La Mirada, CA, where he serves as associate professor of Systematic Theology for Talbot School of Theology. His previous appearance on Deep Thoughts, to talk about Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth (episode 36) is one of the podcast's most popular episodes. He has also taught Philosophy and Literature at Saddleback College, Jurisprudence at Trinity Law School, and as a lecturer in Worldview Studies at L'Abri Fellowships in Switzerland and Holland, and Ethics for Blackstone Legal Fellowship the Federalist Society in Washington D.C. He resides in Orange County, CA with his wife and four kids.

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 husbands and fathers. These facts show that Christianity has the power to overcome toxic behaviour in men and reconcile the sexes—an unexpected finding that has stood up to rigorous empirical testing. We should be bold in bringing it into the public square. In her new book, The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, Professor Pearcey explains how secularism has villainized the concept of masculinity and how Christian men shatter the negative stereotypes. ABOUT Nancy Pearcey is the author of The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, as well as Love Thy Body, The Soul of Science, Saving Leonardo, Finding Truth, and Total Truth. She is professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University. She has been quoted in The New Yorker and Newsweek, highlighted as one of the five top women apologists by Christianity Today, and hailed in The Economist as "America's pre-eminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual."

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. ABOUT Matt Shantz is the Lead Pastor of Central Community Church, a vibrant multi-generational church that meets across 5 campuses in the beautiful eastern Fraser Valley, BC Canada. Matt loves to introduce people to Jesus, teach the Bible, and raise up the whole church to be ministers of the gospel.

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 bestseller, Jesus > Religion, now Jeff and his wife Alyssa have written a number of books and lead a number of ministries, including Family Teams, which they talk about with Matt in this episode. Alyssa and Matt are in a Western Seminary Global Masters Cohort together. Apparently Jeff was in the same cohort years ago but unlike Alyssa and Matt, he's a quitter. Alyssa is the author of Satisfied, and together they've written, Love That Lasts and others. Jeff and Alyssa live in Maui, which was hit this summer with the deadliest wildfire in the US in over 100 years. For ways you can help right now and provide resources for those in need—go to hopechapelmaui.com ABOUT Alyssa Bethke is a mother of three children, Kinsley, Kannon, and Lucy, and a dog named Aslan. She and her husband, Jeff Bethke, live in Maui, and are bloggers, YouTubers, and hosts of The Real-Life podcast. Alyssa is the author of  Satisfied and together with Jeff wrote, Love That Lasts. They are passionate about encouraging and strengthening families at familyteams.com, an online initiative equipping families to live as a multigenerational team on mission. They live in Maui with their daughters, Kinsley and Lucy, and son, Kannon.Jefferson Bethke is the New York Times bestselling author of Jesus > Religion and It's Not What You Think. To say hi or to learn more, go to jeffandalyssa.com 

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 Scene, from 2 Kings 2.

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.

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] What should we make of the Gift of Tongues in the church today? [10:00] What will the church look like in 10 years? [18:45] How do we know if feelings come from God or if we need freedom from that? [24:45] What does the Bible say about the souls of those who commit suicide? [27:50] (*a factor not interacted with directly in responding to the question is the dynamic that most suicides are related to psychiatric disease, with depression, substance use disorders and psychosis being the most relevant. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal ideations please call Talk Suicide Canada: 1.833.456.4566) What does it look like to respond like Jesus when a transgender person wants to join our life group? [32:00] How can we be truly happy in heaven if we know loved ones are in hell? Seems selfish. [39:00] What are we to make of John 7:53-8:11 and its Canonicity? [43:10] Is what we have today, splinters of faith traditions around the globe, really God's intent? [50:30]

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 Disciples, Not Excuses. The 6 excuses that keep us from participating in the mission of Jesus: 1. The task is too great 2. I'm not qualified 3. I'm not the type 4. I don't feel called 5. I don't have the resources 6. What if they say “No”?

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 in the West can do to support them. This conversation is humbling, inspiring, heavy, and will equip you to pray effectively for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. ABOUTOpen Doors Canada is a ministry that seeks to strengthen Christians where faith costs the most. As promised, here are links to the resources we referenced in the episode:  The World Watch List, Sahar's story on persecution and gender, and the Prayer resources.

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 removed). Pushback about Josh's unpacking of the biblical analogy between Christ and the Church came swift and strong, some calling it dangerous and others simply calling it gross. The uncharitable way in which people lambasted Josh aside, Matt believes that the evangelical church has a lot to learn from a more robust (and beautiful) theology of sex. So give it a listen and let us know what you think!ABOUTJoshua Ryan Butler is the author of Beautiful Union, The Pursuing God, The Skeletons in God's Closet, and co-author of the forthcoming The Party Crasher. He loves shifting paradigms, to help people who wrestle with tough topics of the Christian faith by confronting popular caricatures and replacing them with the real thing. He has served as a Lead Pastor of Redemption, Tempe for the last number of years. You can find out more about Josh and his ministry here. Matt refers to an episode of the Theology in the Raw podcast that can be found here.

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 conversation, Matt chats with Sam Allberry about the tenth anniversary edition of Is God-Anti Gay? and 7 Myths About Singleness. Is God Anti-Gay? is a sensitive exploration of the Bible's teaching on sexuality that's been written to help both Christians and non-Christians struggling with the Bible's teaching on this issue, and how the gospel is good news for everyone, whatever their sexual orientation. In 7 Myths About Singleness, Sam seeks to help Christians—married and unmarried alike—value singleness as a gift from God so that we can all encourage singles to take hold of the unique opportunities their singleness affords and see their role in the flourishing of the church as a whole. ABOUT Sam Allberry is a pastor, apologist, author and speaker. He speaks throughout the world at conferences, has recently transitioned from pastoring in the UK to a church in Nashville, TN, co-hosts a podcast with Ray Ortlund called, You're Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Young Pastors, is a Canon Theologian for the Anglican Church in North America, is a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and was named a Fellow at the recently launched Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He is the author of a number of books, including Is God Anti-Gay?; What God Has to Say About Our Bodies; Why Does God Care Who I Sleep With?; 7 Myths about Singleness; a commentary on the Book of James; and Why Bother With Church?

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 unhealthy obsession with it. While we need not spend much time thinking about Satan and the demonic (far better to fixate on Jesus than the devil), it is important to have a biblical understanding of Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare. So Matt gets Dr. Gerry Breshears on the line to fill us in. Links referenced in the episode: Live No Lies (John Mark Comer); 3 Crucial Questions About Spiritual Warfare (Clint Arnold); Gerry Breshears resources ABOUT Dr. Gerry Breshears has been Professor of Theology at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon for over 40 years, served on the board and as consultant for the Bible Project, trained and mentored countless Christian leaders, co-wrote Doctrine, Death By Love, and A Gracious Theology (forthcoming) and speaks at conferences such as Exiles in Babylon this March.

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 where those who struggle with mental health conditions are welcomed, understood, nurtured, and supported: a foretaste of the new creation. Matt interviews Helen Thorne, Director of Training and Resources at Biblical Counselling UK and co-author of the new book, Mental Health and Your Church. *If you are struggling in your mental health, please reach out to your local church, a loved one, or reach out to Talk Suicide Canada or CASP to speak with someone right away. ABOUT Helen Thorne is Director of Training and Resources at Biblical Counselling UK. She formerly worked with the London City Mission and has written Hope in an Anxious World: 6 Truths For When Things Feel Overwhelming; Purity is Possible: How To Live Free of the Fantasy Trap; Walking with Domestic Abuse Sufferers; and 5 Things to Pray for Your City: Prayers That Change Things For Your Church, Community, and Culture. Mental Health and Your Church: A Handbook for Biblical Care with co-author, Dr. Steve Midgley releases March 1, 2023.

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 helpful follow up and compliment to episode 72 and is something of "a theology of politics". It is not a partisan pitch but a vision for engaging politics Christianly.

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 while in Opposition from 1993 to 2006, including House Leader and Deputy Speaker. Upon Stephen Harper's Conservatives winning the election, he served in several senior roles including Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure. Chuck is a man of deep conviction and faith, resides in Chilliwack (where Matt lives & Pastor) and is an elder in his church. *Disclaimer: There is no partisan agenda here. While Chuck was a Conservative Party MP, his experience as a politician and man of faith is what makes him the ideal guest for this subject matter.

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 all of this while focusing on some of the most famous artists and pieces of art throughout history. Not only does Russ describe the work of Rembrandt, for example, but the faith of Rembrandt as well. Christians, especially in the Protestant (and more specifically, the evangelical tradition) would do well to wrap our minds and hearts around the place of art in life and faith. ABOUT Russ is a pastor and author living in Nashville, Tennessee. His books include Struck: One Christian's Reflections on Encountering Death, and the Retelling the Story Series. His personal mission is to communicate the truths of Scripture in accessible ways to people in process. Aside from his books, Russ has written for The Rabbit Room, She Reads Truth, The Gospel Coalition, Crossway, The Art House, Lifeway, Parenting Teens, Dec 2015, The Blazing Center, among others. Follow Russ on Twitter @russramsey or Instagram @russramsey1 to fill your timeline with beautiful works of art, which will be a nice change from what usually clogs our timelines! You can access his weekly Art Wednesday column by going to artwednesday.fathomcolumns.com.

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 history, nor the beauty in it. Matt also asks what we can learn from church history in our modern moment. ABOUT Dr John Dickson works as an author, academic, and media presenter. In 2007 he co-founded (with Dr Greg Clarke) the Centre for Public Christianity, and has published 18 books and three TV documentaries. He teaches ‘Historical Jesus' at the University of Sydney, and is a Visiting Academic (2016-2021) in the Faculty of Classics at the University of Oxford. In 2019 he was appointed Distinguished Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Public Christianity at Ridley College, Melbourne. In all that he does, whether in the media or the church, creative or academic, he strives to be a public advocate for the Christian faith. His podcast Undeceptions seeks to promote clarity about Christianity in doubting times.

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 process. That's why Jonathan Dodson's new book—and this conversation—are such a timely word and breath of fresh air. If you are a pastor or want a window into recent challenges in pastoral ministry or simply relate to all the tensions and divisions of the past two years, you'll love this conversation. ABOUT Jonathan Dodson is the founding pastor of City Life Church in Austin, TX and is also the founder of Gospel-Centered Discipleship, which produces resources to help make, mature, and multiply disciples of Jesus. He is author of a number of books including Here in Spirit; The Unbelievable Gospel; and the brand new book that is the focus of this episode, The Unwavering Pastor. Just about any week you can catch Jonathan listening to M. Ward, watching sci-fi, and going for walks.

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 Christianity with materialism, secularism, individualism, and pluralism.

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 instructs the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You know, some light summer listening.

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 loved in this episode and if you're desiring to make an impact in young peoples' lives, you'll find this episode super helpful. ABOUT Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an Associate Professor of Communication at Andrews University. She runs an online community called I'm That Wife which has over 200k followers. She is also a speaker and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group, and hosts a podcast with Christianity Today called Viral Jesus. Her writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show and has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and been featured in Forbes. She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches for young people and is the author of 7 books; including two that we get into a bit in this episode: It's Not Your Turn, and Confessions of a Christian Wife.

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 trust God's plan for me and live in the waiting of singleness? 6. What are we to make of “weird takes” people have regarding Covid and the Ukraine/Russia war? 7. What should Christians think about the prospect of Roe v. Wade being overturned by the Supreme Court? 8. What is the best way to study the end times? Keep your eye out on the Deep Thoughts instagram for future opportunities to submit a question. In the meantime, thank you for listening to deep thoughts. We hope it helps you in fostering deep faith.

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 With Me.” ABOUT Mark Vroegop is the Lead Pastor of College Park Church in Indianapolis and is the author of two books: "Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament" — which won the Christian Book of the Year award in 2020 — and "Weep With Me: How Lament Opens A Door For Racial Reconciliation”. Plus, Mark just released the “Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy Devotional Journal.”

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 Christian paradigm that you are not your own but belong to Christ actually incredibly freeing and comforting? ABOUT Dr. O. Alan Noble is assistant professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University and cofounder of Christ and Pop Culture. He has written for The Atlantic, Vox, BuzzFeed, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and First Things. He is also an advisor for the AND Campaign. Plus, the simple pleasure of dressing nicely gives him sense of order in a disordered world.

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 Raphael get into Christianity's scientific, moral, logical, and historical coherence. ABOUT Raphael Samuel is a Christian speaker, apologist and anesthesiologist. Born in Durban, South Africa, he obtained his medical degree and a Master's degree in Medicine there. He further obtained Fellowships in Anesthesiology from the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is currently completing his Master's degree in Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, Southern California. Having lived, worked and ministered in three different countries on three respective continents, he testifies to the transformative power of, and universal need for the Gospel of Jesus. By presenting evidence for the moral, logical, historical, and scientific coherence of the Christian worldview, he aims to help the fellow believer to love the Lord God with all his mind (Mk 12:30), as well as address barriers to belief faced by the skeptic.

Everybody dies and everybody loses people they love dearly. How does the gospel affect and inform the way we grieve as Christians?

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 Biggest Questions and RECLAIMED: How Jesus Restores Our Humanity In A Dehumanized World with Andy Steiger. Sheri is a freelance writer and homeschooling mother of three. Cecily Dickey wrote RAISING GIRLS: Devotional for Mom: 60 Days of Uplifting, Faith-Filled Wisdom. She is a wife and mom, worship leader, writer, and cohost of The Boom Clap Podcast.

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 Pastor, Central Community Church (1:07-mark) | Shaila Visser, National Director, Alpha Canada (15:40-mark) | Jeff Bucknam, Lead Teaching Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel (24:45-mark) | Brett Landry, Senior Pastor, Christ City Church South Vancouver (34:40-mark).

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.

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 couple of his latest books, The Gospel-Driven Church and Gospel-Driven Ministry but before getting there they talk about topics ranging from doppelgängers to depression; from book publishers to feeling “called"; from leading with a limp to what being “Gospel-Driven” actually means. ABOUT Jared Wilson is a former pastor and church planter whose now one of those guys with like 6 jobs. He serves at Midwestern Seminary as Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Author in Residence. He's the General Editor of For The Church (and host of the FTC Podcast — they produce a ton of great resources for those in ministry). He's the Director of The Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO. He also co-hosts The Art of Pastoring Podcast published by Christianity Today.

Matt gets Australian-born, NYC pastor and author Jon Tyson on the line to talk about a proven plan to raise sons of integrity, faith and consequence from his latest book, The Intentional Father. They also talk about what Jon refers to as the three key pillars of discipleship: Tangible Presence, Counter-Formation, and Sacrificial Mission; The three modes of communication (prophetic, pastoral, persuasion) and how the art of persuasion is the need of the hour; The difference between cultural apologetics and traditional apologetics; and how 2020-2021 has been America's first truly secular crisis. ABOUT Jon Tyson is lead pastor and church planter of Church of the City New York in Manhattan, NYC. Originally from Adelaide, Australia, Jon moved to the United States over two decades ago with a passion to seek and cultivate renewal in the Western Church. He is the author of Beautiful Resistance; A Creative Minority; The Burden is Light  and his latest, The Intentional Father.

In this brief episode Matt explains how Christian marriage serves as a picture of the gospel.

The release of this episode coincides with National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Canada's new statutory holiday on September 30. Matt sat down for interviews with Chief Andrew Victor and John Johnstone about their stories of faith, the 60's Scoop, Residential Schools, the Indian Act, and how Christians and churches can be a part of meaningful truth and reconciliation.  Andrew Victor has been on council at Cheam First Nation for the past six years and Chief for the past two. He is also a pastor of Chilliwack Native Pentecostal Church. John Johnstone serves as Ambassador to First Peoples in Western Canada for Multiply.  RESOURCES TRC: Calls to Action 215: Brian Doerksen The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America (T. King) Indian Horse (a movie that follows the life of Native Canadian Saul Indian Horse as he survives residential school & life amongst the racism of the 70s) We Were Children (a 2012 Canadian documentary film about experiences of First Nations children in the Indian residential school system) 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality; Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality (B. Joseph) Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (J. McDiarmid) One Church Many Tribes: Following Jesus the Way God Made You; Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys: A Native American Expression of the Jesus Way (R. Twiss) The Indian Residential School Survivors Society's crisis line is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress. 1-800-721-0066

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 making sense of Old Testament Law. What do we do with all the Old Testament Laws? Isn't it picking and choosing and inconsistent to continue to keep some to this day and then seemingly ignore others altogether? In this brief episode Matt describes the place of the Old Testament Law in the Christian life and supplies helpful rules for interpreting Old Testament Law.

Jorge Salazar spent 10 years planting a Church in Baja, Mexico, while training indigenous pastors and leaders throughout Latin America. He is now the Director for WorldServe Bible College which trains pastors in difficult access areas and persecuted countries of the world. This episode is about training pastors in hard places. ABOUT Jorge Salazar has his doctorate degree in Systematic Theology and is the Director for WorldServe Bible College which trains pastors and leaders of the church in difficult access areas and persecuted countries of the world. To support Jorge in his work training pastors in hard places go to worldserve.ca His wife Aimee is a Biblical Counselor, together they have three adult sons, and great accents.

In this episode Matt has a conversation with Rich Villodas, the Brooklyn-born lead pastor of New Life Fellowship in Queens. Rich gives Matt a lesson on all things New York, from sports teams to boroughs, where to get the best food, and how no one goes to Staten Island. Then they get into the subject matter of Rich's CT Award-winning book, The Deeply Formed Life, on five transformative values to root us in the way of Jesus. ABOUT Rich Villodas is the Brooklyn-born lead pastor of New Life Fellowship  a large multiracial church with more than seventy-five countries represented in Elmhurst, Queens. Rich holds a Master of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary  He enjoys reading widely, preaching and writing on contemplative spirituality, justice-related matters, and the art of preaching. He's been married to Rosie since 2006 and they have two beautiful children, Karis and Nathan. His first book, The Deeply Formed Life  is now available wherever books are sold.

What better way to celebrate our 50th episode than to get the show's very first contributor on for an opening segment: Emily Shantz. Matt and Emily talk about their favourite episodes and moments so far; Play a 'getting to know you' game they entitled “Seasons of Life”; Revisit some of Emily's least-favourite Christian jargon: “Doing Life”, “Coming Alongside”, “Brother" and her latest, “Seasons”. Plus Matt gives Emily's mom a call to get her honest opinion of the podcast in a new recurring segment every 50 episodes called “Lizzy's 2 Cents”…and frankly it was more filtered than he expected. The half-century mark episode ends with Matt answering the following questions submitted by listeners of the show: Is a hotdog a sandwich? With marijuana legalized in Canada, can Christians use CBD oils without THC? Would you counsel a couple in an unhealthy relationship to stay married? My friend lost her husband and has felt the most insensitive comments have come from Christians. What is biblical, nitty gritty, messy and God-honouring grief? How should I approach conversing and living with family and friends from different religions and atheism? If God is only God while being Trinitarian, then when the Father rejected Jesus, did God exist? *No deep thinkers were harmed in the making of this episode of the podcast because no deep thinking happened in this episode *Special thanks to Jordan Esau for sound editing episodes 1-45 and Andy Boldt for episodes 45-50.

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 sharing Jesus with others.