In this special Easter episode of the Denison Forum Podcast, Dr. Mark Turman joins Dr. Jim Denison and Dr. Ryan Denison to explore the powerful themes of identity, redemption, and the depth of God’s love.

Rooted in Colossians 4, their conversation weaves together biblical insight with historical reflection—from the stories of Mary and Pontius Pilate to the legacy of Winston Churchill. Together, they consider what Easter reveals about who God is and who we are in light of his grace.

They also introduce Denison Forum’s newest resource, Who Am I?, diving into how our true identity is found not in cultural affirmation, but in Christ alone. If you’ve ever wrestled with questions of self-worth or purpose, this conversation offers clarity, hope, and a call to live with courage and compassion.

Topics

(01:59): Exploring identity through Easter
(03:14): Winston Churchill and defining moments
(04:15): The cultural buzzword: Identity
(09:04): Geopolitical implications of identity
(10:43): Historical perspectives on identity
(15:11): Biblical insights on identity
(21:43): The gift of God-given identity
(26:36): Easter's revelation of God's identity
(31:44): Easter's message on human identity
(34:04): Jesus' sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane
(36:18): The depth of human sinfulness and need for redemption
(40:29): The Nicene Creed and its significance
(46:17): Understanding God's identity beyond 'God is love'
(54:37): Living out our Christian identity

Resources

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 Denison Forum 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 Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

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