How to discern God's will, manifesting vs biblical faith, the reality of hell, and God's unconditional love

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman, Dr. Jim Denison, and Dr. Ryan Denison sit down to tackle some of the big questions on our listeners’ minds. Together, they explore how to seek God’s will in life’s major decisions, why “manifesting” has become popular among teenagers and how it differs from a biblical worldview, and what it means to deconstruct faith. 

They also talk through topics like the age of accountability, the reality of hell, polyamorous relationships, and how God’s unconditional love relates to his conditional blessings. This conversation offers honest, biblical insight and practical wisdom to help you live out your faith with clarity and confidence.

Topics

• (01:32): Discerning God's will for major life decisions
• (06:57): The concept of manifesting vs. biblical teachings
• (13:16): Deconstructing and reconstructing faith
• (17:52): Understanding the age of accountability
• (27:13): Understanding the nature of hell
• (29:39): The urgency of sharing the gospel
• (34:29): The importance of choices and faith
• (36:43): Defining God's agape love
• (40:22): God's conditional blessings and unconditional love
• (42:07): Biblical perspective on polyamorous relationships
• (46:44): Advocating for equal rights as Christians
• (51:22): Conclusion

Resources

• Ask Us Anything: info@denisonforum.org
• How has Denison Forum impacted your faith?
• The lost art of civility • Denison Forum
• "Couple to Throuple" normalizes polyamory: Responding with secular evidence for biblical morality
• Massachusetts city legalizes polyamory: J. I. Packer and the privilege of standing for biblical truth
• Polyamorous “weddings” and the claim that affairs can “strengthen a marriage”
• 'I have a fiancé, a girlfriend and two boyfriends'
• What is God's design for sex and relationships?
• Ariana Grande, "manifesting," and the path to a transformational Thanksgiving
• What is the New Thought movement?
• Dining with pandas: Reframing isolation as an opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus
• Is hell real? How could a loving God send anyone there? • Denison Forum
• Did Jesus go to hell? • Denison Forum
• Ask Jim: Jesus in hell, salvation after death, and “God made me this way”
• Pastor responds to columnist on reality of hell
• An Unconditional Love | First15
• What does the Bible say about love? • Denison Forum

About Dr. Jim Denison

Jim Denison, PhD, is a cultural theologian and the founder and CEO of Denison Ministries. He speaks biblically into significant cultural issues at Denison Forum. He is the chief author of The Daily Article and has written more than 30 books, including The Coming Tsunami, the Biblical Insight to Tough Questions series, and The Fifth Great Awakening.

About Dr. Ryan Denison

Ryan Denison, PhD, is the Senior Editor for Theology at Denison Forum. Ryan writes The Daily Article every Friday and contributes writing and research to many of the ministry’s productions. He holds a PhD in church history from BH Carroll Theological Institute after having earned his MDiv at Truett Seminary. He’s authored The Path to Purpose, What Are My Spiritual Gifts?, How to Bless God by Blessing Others, 7 Deadly Sins, and coauthored Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters and has contributed writing or research to every Denison Forum book.

About Dr. Mark Turman

Mark Turman, DMin, serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.

Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.

Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for 35 years, including 25 years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas.

Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.