The Rooted Podcast

As Braydee and Steve wrap up the season, they recap some of the latest topics discussed on the podcast including free will, heaven, and the notion of how our theologyContinue readingDeep Dive: Free Will, Heaven, Worship, and Lots More – RP 28

Steve recaps some of the highlights of this past season of the podcast and gives a few announcements for the upcoming fourth season.

Today, Steve discusses some of the more prominent objections to the Molinist position on heavenly freedom and clarifies his position on the topic further.

Is being in the overwhelming and holy presence of God enough to guarantee that we will never sin in Heaven? Considering that the devil, Adam, and Eve all fell whileContinue readingWhat Else Would Heavenly Free Will Require? – FS 223

In this devotional episode, Steve looks at how David appeals to four key attributes of God in the midst of his trials and the injustice he is experiencing. Can weContinue readingPsalm 17 – FS 222

As we wrap up Season 3 of the podcast this week, Steve looks to a final view that can answer how free will and eternal sinlessness in heaven could beContinue readingFree Will in Heaven? A Molinist View – FS 221

Continuing on with yesterday's episode, Steve dives a little deeper into this “impeccable character” view of how we could reconcile a heaven without sin and a heaven with real creaturelyContinue readingFree Will in Heaven? A Critique of The “Impeccable Character” View – FS 220

Today, Steve outlines another view that attempts to reconcile eternal sinlessness with heavenly freedom. Unlike the so-called evictionist view we looked at yesterday, this view staunchly protects the biblical teachingContinue readingFree Will in Heaven? The “Impeccable Character” View – FS 219

Today, we'll look at one solution that's been offered to reconcile eternal sinlessness and heavenly freedom. But does it swing the pendulum too far in the direction of human freedom?Continue readingFree Will in Heaven? The “Evictionist” View (and Critique) – FS 218

What a great Proverb! Today, we'll dive into the blessings that come with humility, the foolishness of pride, and a biblical understanding of what it means to have God's blessingContinue readingProverbs 16 – FS 217

Kicking off this addendum to our Problem of Evil series, Steve frames the discussion of free will in heaven by defining some terms and laying out a basic overview ofContinue readingFree Will in Heaven? An Overview

Closing out our main series in this season on the Problem of Evil, Steve summarizes the big questions we've covered thus far to answer the ultimate question: Why does GodContinue readingWhy Does God Allow Evil? – FS 215

Is it possible to balance the ideas of free will in Heaven and eternal sinlessness? Or are they mutually exclusive concepts? If God wanted both, what would be required? WeContinue readingFree Will in Heaven? – FS 214

Today, Steve continues to look at biblical passages that teach us about what Heaven will be like and how Heaven and the life to come will properly frame our viewContinue readingHow Will Heaven Mitigate our Earthly Suffering ? (Part 2) – FS 213

In this Psalm, we find a great number of characteristics modeled by David that are worth examining and emulating in our own lives. Additionally, we find in this passage ofContinue readingPsalm 16 – FS 212

As we wrap up our final week on the main topic of the Problem of Evil, we turn our attention to one of the last remaining “big” questions: How willContinue readingHow Will Heaven Mitigate Our Earthly Suffering? (Part 1) – FS 211

In this episode of the Rooted Podcast, Steve and Braydee recap some of the issues raised by the Fruit Snacks episodes on the value of free will. We also coverContinue readingDeep Dive: Free Will & Everything Else

The conclusion of the interview with Mike Turturice on being a Christian teacher in a public school and thinking about education from a Christian perspective.

Part 4 of the interview with Mike Turturice on being a Christian teacher in a public school and thinking about education from a Christian perspective.

Part 3 of the interview with Mike Turturice on being a Christian teacher in a public school and thinking about education from a Christian perspective.

Part 2 of the interview with Mike Turturice on being a Christian teacher in a public school and thinking about education from a Christian perspective.

This week, we're taking time to chat with another special guest, Mike Turturice. Mike is one of the elders at the Oasis Church in Gilbert, AZ and is also aContinue readingInterview with Mike Turturice (Part 1) – FS 206

In this episode, we conclude our look at the purposes of suffering according to the Bible and wrap up the question, “What good is the suffering you and I endure?”Continue readingWhat Good is My Suffering? (Part 4) – FS 205

Over the next two episodes, we look at what the Bible has to say about the various intended purposes of suffering and trials in our lives as Christians. God doesContinue readingWhat Good is My Suffering? (Part 3) – FS 204

We continue to answer the question, “What good is the suffering we face?” on today's episode, focusing primarily on the question of so-called gratuitous or unjustified suffering in the world.Continue readingWhat Good is My Suffering? (Part 2) – FS 203

Just how important our your words? In today's episode out of Proverbs 15, Steve discusses the Bible's perspective on how, as followers of God, our relationship ought to be properlyContinue readingProverbs 15 – FS 202

This week, Steve turns to another big question as part of our overarching focus on the Problem of Evil: What possible good is the suffering you and I endure inContinue readingWhat Good is My Suffering? (Part 1) – FS 201

Steve and Braydee discuss more issues associated with the death of children, the Canaanite conquest in the Old Testament, and how the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus provides theContinue readingDeep Dive: Why Does God Let Children Die? – RP 26

On this episode of Fruit Snacks we wrap up the discussion on the value of free will and look at the only real logical alternatives feasible to God other thanContinue readingIs Free Will Really That Valuable? (Part 4) – FS 200

This is a bit of a lengthier episode, but in it we cover all kinds of common objections to the notion that free will as we experience it really isContinue readingIs Free Will Really That Valuable? (Part 3) – FS 199

Continuing in our discussion on the value of free will, this episode focuses on the very real paradox that free will creates. If it's so valuable, then why do weContinue readingIs Free Will Really That Valuable? (Part 2) – FS 198

What a jam-packed short Psalm this is! Join Steve for a devotional into Psalm 15 and the picture it paints of someone in true fellowship with God. This passage willContinue readingPsalm 15 – FS 197

This week on Fruit Snacks, Steve examines the nature of free will and if it could possibly be so valuable as to be worth all the evil and suffering itContinue readingIs Free Will Really That Valuable? (Part 1) – FS 196

To wrap up this difficult question, Steve brings this week's discussion full-circle to the issue of free will and how we really can't answer a question about the death ofContinue readingWhy Does God Let a Child Die? (Part 4) – FS 195

While this episode is among the longest Fruit Snacks we've done, we cover a very important apologetic topic related to the death of children: the so-called “Canaanite Genocide” described inContinue readingWhy Does God Let a Child Die? (Part 3) – FS 194

As we seek to answer this week's big question, we should first step back and realize just how ill-equipped we are to answer it. Steve demonstrates with several hypothetical scenariosContinue readingWhy Does God Let a Child Die? (Part 2) – FS 193

This time on Fruit Snacks, Steve looks at Proverbs 14 and the connection between our heart attitude, thoughts, words, and actions. There are lots of important introspective questions we shouldContinue readingProverbs 14 – FS 192

This week begins a new difficult question as we seek to address the Problem of Evil this season on the podcast. The death of a child is always a tragedyContinue readingWhy Does God Let a Child Die? (Part 1) – FS 191

Catching up on several weeks of Fruit Snacks, Steve and Braydee cover a wide gamut of topics and questions from the current Problem of Evil series.

Part 5 of our interview with Pastor Jeff Royce on the impact of 2020 on the church and how Christians can maintain their witness and unity in the shifting landscapeContinue readingInterview with Pastor Jeff Royce (Part 5) – FS 190

Part 4 of our interview with Pastor Jeff Royce on the impact of 2020 on the church and how Christians can maintain their witness and unity in the shifting landscapeContinue readingInterview with Pastor Jeff Royce (Part 4) – FS 189

Part 3 of our interview with Pastor Jeff Royce on the impact of 2020 on the church and how Christians can maintain their witness and unity in the shifting landscapeContinue readingInterview with Pastor Jeff Royce (Part 3) – FS 188

Part 2 of our interview with Pastor Jeff Royce on the impact of 2020 on the church and how Christians can maintain their witness and unity in the shifting landscapeContinue readingInterview with Pastor Jeff Royce (Part 2) – FS 187

This week we take a short break from the Problem of Evil series to interview Jeff Royce, pastor of the Oasis Church in Gilbert Arizona, about the unique challenges ofContinue readingInterview with Pastor Jeff Royce (Part 1) – FS 186

Wrapping up this big question, Steve turns to a more emotionally-charged question we must consider as part of the doctrine of hell: what about my family and friends who don'tContinue readingHow is Eternal Punishment Fair? (Part 4) – FS 185

In this episode of Fruit Snacks, we turn our attention from answering the question of the fairness of hell and look at some fascinating sociology to help us consider anotherContinue readingHow is Eternal Punishment Fair? (Part 3) – FS 184

Continuing our discussion of the doctrine of hell and the fairness of eternal punishment, Steve looks at numerous examples to illustrate that, perhaps, lack of information about God, the gospelContinue readingHow is Eternal Punishment Fair? (Part 2) – FS 183

This psalm fits right into a season focused on the problem of evil. Lamenting the seemingly endless wickedness of man, the psalmist finds himself looking to God as just judgeContinue readingPsalm 14 – FS 182

As we begin another big question this week, Steve discusses the doctrine of hell and why it's so important to start from a biblical perspective. So much harm has comeContinue readingHow is Eternal Punishment Fair? (Part 1) – FS 181

This time on Fruit Snacks, we'll conclude our discussion on “what about those who never hear the gospel?” and take a look at a significant number of scriptures to helpContinue readingThe Fate of the Unevangelized (Part 4) – FS 180

In this continuation of yesterday's episode, Steve looks at a list of other supposed “unreached” people groups including Japan, India, Islamic countries, and Pacific islanders. Are they all “unevangelized” orContinue readingThe Fate of the Unevangelized (Part 3) – FS 179