Thinking Out Loud with Alan Shlemon

A video was leaked showing leadership at Andy Stanley's church explaining how they minister to children who identify as transgender or experience gender dysphoria. Alan explains three concerns with their approach.

Alan explains why people don't like to argue, and then explains why it's essential that we learn to argue well.

Alan responds to the common claim that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.

Alan explains why the word, “Allah” is not a general term for God.

Alan responds to the claim that children should be required to consent to puberty.

Some skeptics of Christianity allege that the Bible, like Islam, commands Christians to kill apostates. Alan addresses this claim and explains the three steps he took to resolve this challenge.

Alan wrote two critical articles about the film, 1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture, prior to ever watching the film. Now that he's seen it, Alan evaluates whether his assessment was correct.

Alan offers two reasons why every Christian should study how to interpret the Bible.

Alan provides three tips for how to properly engage online.

Alan addresses the claim that because Eve was formed from a male rib, she represents the first transgender woman. Consequently, the Bible (and God) permits transgenderism.

Alan explains the importance of not speaking in Christianese when you're sharing your Christian convictions.

Alan points out how the interpretive mistakes made by pro-gay theology advocates today have been made in the past.

Alan offers eight tips to help someone who is interested in pursuing part-time or full-time apologetics ministry.

Should a Christian attend a same-sex wedding? Alan has attended a same-sex wedding in the past, but believes he made the wrong decision. In this episode, he unpacks his past reasoning, explains why he was mistaken, and offers a practical alternative.

Alan explains what would happen if someone was to go back in time to 1946 and stop the RSV Bible translation team from using the word “homosexuals.” He unpacks whether this would change the Bible's teaching on marriage, homosexuality, and sexual ethics today.

When a person rejects God, they're left to determine for themselves their own identity. Alan unpacks some problems with this approach.

Alan addresses whether it's reasonable to refuse to use a transgender person's preferred pronouns.

People who identify as LGBT routinely ask their Christian friends and family to accommodate various requests. Are you justified in declining to go along even if it might damage your relationship with them? Alan unpacks his thoughts on this thorny dilemma.

Alan attended Andy Stanley's Unconditional Conference, an event intended to equip parents and ministry leaders how to reach out to LGBTQ youth. In this episode, Alan provides his assessment of the conference, including three major concerns.

Why has it become so hard to define a woman? Alan looks at a few definitions that are offered, explains what's wrong with them, and then offers his own definition.

Alan addresses the objection that some people claim Christians are only kind to people so they can convert them.

Alan offers three steps to respond to the rhetorically powerful, yet flawed argument that women might get injured or killed through dangerous, back-alley abortions if abortion is made illegal.

Alan describes the inconsistency in current laws surrounding abortion and homicide and offers a simple solution.

Some Christians and many former Christians are promoting a trendy approach to doubting and questioning your faith called deconstruction. Is it the same as reforming your faith? Alan explains the one key element that distinguishes between the two.

A recent article in The Guardian displayed some misleading images of what is removed in an abortion from a 9-week pregnancy. Alan explains the problems with the article and the images.

When it comes to answering critical questions about how we humans should live, identify, and behave sexually, who should we listen to? Man or our Maker?

Alan addresses a progressive Christian who claims that Jesus wants LGBT people to “come out,” by explaining how he misuses a common literary device.

Some object to the idea that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins through his death on the cross, calling it "child sacrifice." Alan, however, offers three reasons why characterizing it that way is inappropriate.

Alan explains two reasons why abortion-choice advocates insist that pro-life arguments are religious.

Many biologists, doctors, and scientists tell us today that sex is on a spectrum or that there are more than two sexes. Alan addresses this claim by looking at the evidence from both Scripture and general principles of science.

A popular tweet claims that if someone can believe God became a man, then they can also believe that a man can become a woman. Alan unpacks this tweet, defines some key terms, and shows why the claim is misleading.

Alan responds to the claim by some gender theorists that God's pronouns should be they/them.

Alan looks at passage of Scripture that skeptics like to use to challenge Jesus' integrity. Then, he clarifies the meaning and application of the passage by using three key interpretive principles.

Alan responds to a tweet that suggests that transgender people are fixing God's mistakes.

If you've never adopted a child, does this disqualify you from speaking out against abortion? Alan offers five reasons why this challenge is mistaken.

Do abortion-choice advocates hold a morally superior view or is their position discriminatory? Alan unpacks this question in this month's episode.

Alan takes notice of a cultural trend to reject teleological language when describing human anatomy and shows how this explains modern thinking on sex and sexuality.

Alan responds to a trendy new argument that claims that a non-binary interpretation can be imposed on the Genesis account of creation.

You've heard of the Big Bang, but are you aware of the other two big bangs, each of which represents the beginning of a fundamentally new thing that didn't exist before? Alan explains what they are and their theistic implications.

If someone asked you how you know Christianity is true, how would you answer them? In this episode, Alan offers his response to that question by appealing to some powerful truths that people live by.

An upcoming film claims that Christian opposition to homosexuality is based on a 1946 mistranslation of a Greek word in the RSV Bible. Alan explains why their argument doesn’t change the Christian understanding of sexuality.

Alan received some harsh feedback from a recent event. He explains three steps he takes when he gets these kinds of critical comments.

When you realize your theology is in error, do you overcorrect by swinging wildly to the opposite position? Alan offers a biblical approach to correcting your view, one that looks more like using a plumb line than a pendulum.

Have you ever been called a "phobic" term like homophobic, Islamophobic, transphobic, or xenophobic? Alan discusses three reasons why you don’t have to fear the “phobic” label.

Does God require a certain amount of faith before he accepts it? Alan addresses this question by clarifying the nature of faith.

A worldview that denies God and embraces naturalism has serious repercussions, the most egregious being a logical slide to nihilism. Alan unpacks three reasons why nihilism flows logically from naturalism.

Alan sounds the alarm on a pop Christian culture habit called Coffee Cup Christianity. He unpacks three of its harms and explains how they are fueling biblical illiteracy.

Alan talks about how Christians were caught off guard by the current cultural revolution sweeping society today. He offers a two-step strategy to prepare for the next revolution and to protect believers from succumbing to its ideas.

Skeptics and atheists find the problem of evil so repugnant and our solutions so hollow because they refuse to accept a fundamental reality that every Christian believes. Alan explains what that reality is in this episode, thereby demonstrating why the problem of evil is still a problem for many non-Christians.

Alan explains why you’re likely feeling fatigued and frustrated with 2020. He quotes what he believes is the comment of the year because it provides valuable insight into how God made us and what we’re created to handle. This episode is from the STR broadcast when Alan was a guest host.

Believe it or not, there’s a valuable lesson that Christians can learn from the violent video game Mortal Kombat. Alan explains the lesson and how it should affect your conversations with people who don’t share your convictions.