Impact 360 Institute

How do we have honest, respectful, and Bible-centered conversations on race and unity? What do we do with our fears of saying or doing the wrong thing, or not saying or doing the right thing? How do we bring together empathy, care, and appropriate action on one hand, and careful thinking using biblical categories and goals on the other? In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes this: “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4:1-6). Paul's message here is one that urges the Ephesians to pursue unity with God and one another. In our current cultural moment, this timeless message of unity is one that we desperately need. The conversations going on in our world right now in regard to race and unity are crucial. But how do we have these conversations in a way that is both helpful and biblical? You may be running into this problem of wanting to help, but being afraid to say or do the wrong thing. That's why this week on the podcast Jonathan sits down with our new friend Monique Duson, the president and founder of The Center for Biblical Unity. Join us this week as we discuss why it's important to start with the idea that God gives us our identity, how to think carefully about race using biblical categories, the differences between the gospel and critical race theory, how to move forward in biblical unity, and much more! Monique Duson is the founder and president of The Center for Biblical Unity, which aims to use Scripture to define humanity, race, racism, and justice. Monique's vision is to promote a vision for racial healing based on the historic Christian worldview. She has a BA in Sociology from Biola University and is currently pursuing an MA in Theology from Talbot School of Theology. Monique contributed to the upcoming book Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth, and is hosting the first annual UP conference with Women in Apologetics. You can connect with Monique and CFBU at centerforbiblicalunity.com. For more resources listed on today's podcast, check out: The Third Option by Miles McPherson and Oneness Embraced by Tony Evans.

How should Christians respond to the killing of George Floyd? Like us, you may have watched the video of George Floyd’s death and were horrified by it. And like us, you may be asking questions like “What can be said that will help?” and “What can be done?” It’s clear that not saying anything is absolutely not an option. But how can Christians respond in a way that is helpful? This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a message from Dr. Tony Evans that is challenging, helpful, and timely. Dr. Evans’ book Oneness Embraced: Reconciliation, The Kingdom, and How We Are Stronger Together is a fantastic resource for building a biblically-centered and kingdom-minded approach to racial reconciliation, and we are so thankful to get to learn from Dr. Evans this week. Join us as we learn about how we as the church can respond to this injustice in a way that is both helpful and effective. Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX. He is the founder and president of The Urban Alternative, the chaplain of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, and author of over 100 books, booklets, and Bible studies. He is the first African American to earn a Doctorate of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and has been named one of the 12 most effective speakers in the English speaking world by Baylor University. Dr. Evans holds the honor of writing and publishing the first full Bible commentary and study Bible by an African American. His radio broadcast can be heard on more than 1300 U.S. outlets daily, and in more than 130 countries. He is also the founder of The Tony Evans Training Center, an online learning platform for seminary quality courses at a fraction of the cost for any person in any place. For more information, you can visit TonyEvans.org.

What is the good life? Is it all about being happy? Should Christians pursue happiness in their daily lives? What did Jesus teach about happiness? 51% of Gen Z say that their goal in life is to be happy. Everyone wants to be happy, and we spend our time, energy, and money to get it. It can be exhausting! But what if the happiness that we’re striving for isn’t the happiness that we were created for? The truth is that there is a path to true happiness, and it’s found in Jesus. This week on the podcast Jonathan sits down with Dr. Derwin Gray to discuss his new book, The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches About Finding True Happiness. Join us this week as we talk about living life as God intended, true happiness as defined in the Beatitudes, how happiness and holiness are two sides of the same coin, and much more. Dr. Derwin L. Gray is the founding and lead Pastor of Transformation Church, a multiethnic, multigenerational, mission-shaped community in Indian Land, South Carolina, located just south of Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to his role at Transformation Church, Derwin speaks at conferences nationwide. He is the author of several books including Hero: Unleashing God’s Power in a Man’s Heart, Limitless Life: You Are More Than Your Past When God Holds Your Future, Crazy Grace for Crazy Times Bible Study, The High-Definition Leader, and the book we talked about today, The Good Life. You can find Dr. Gray online at derwingray.com. For more information about life-changing programs from Impact 360 Institute, visit impact360.org.

How do we as Christians navigate ideas like intersectionality and critical theory? How do we navigate issues like sex, race, and gender in this current moment? How can parents and students have good conversations about sex and gender with their friends? What does discipleship look like for those with same-sex attraction? What does biblical friendship and family look like? This week on the podcast we've got part 2 of our conversation with our friend Christopher Yuan. Join us this week as we answer these questions and talk about the value of asking good questions and being a good listener, a biblical view of singleness, how to engage with others in a gospel-centered way, and more! Dr. Christopher Yuan has taught the Bible at Moody Bible Institute for over ten years and his speaking ministry on faith and sexuality has reached five continents. He speaks at conferences, on college campuses, and in churches. He has co-authored with his mother their memoir, Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God, A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope (100,000 copies sold and now in seven languages). He is also the author of Giving a Voice to the Voiceless. Christopher graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2005, Wheaton College Graduate School in 2007 with a Master of Arts in Biblical Exegesis and received his doctorate of ministry in 2014 from Bethel Seminary. Dr. Yuan’s newest book is Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story. Find out more about Impact 360 Institute's programs and resources, visit impact360.org.

What is God’s design for sexuality? What is “holiness”? And is there such thing as “holy” sexuality? Can you be a gay Christian? In our world and culture, there's a lot of confusion around the topic of sex. But what is God's design for sexuality? In this episode of the podcast, Jonathan sits down for part 1 of a two-part conversation with our friend Christopher Yuan. In part 1, Jonathan and Christopher talk about understanding humanity through the lens of Scripture, the difference between temptation and desire, why it's important to read Jesus' teachings in context, and whether or not the biblical view of sexuality leads to "bad fruit." Join us this week and learn about how to understand sexuality in light of the gospel, and how God's design is good news for everyone. Dr. Christopher Yuan has taught the Bible at Moody Bible Institute for over ten years and his speaking ministry on faith and sexuality has reached five continents. He speaks at conferences, on college campuses, and in churches. He has co-authored with his mother their memoir, Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God, A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope (100,000 copies sold and now in seven languages). He is also the author of Giving a Voice to the Voiceless. Christopher graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2005, Wheaton College Graduate School in 2007 with a Master of Arts in Biblical Exegesis and received his doctorate of ministry in 2014 from Bethel Seminary. Dr. Yuan’s newest book is Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story. Join us again next time for part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Yuan!

Everything that's seen is a result of the unseen. What does it mean to lead with "A Quiet Strength"? Today on a very special episode of the podcast, we're talking with Impact 360 Institute cofounder Trudy Cathy White about her new book, A Quiet Strength: The Life and Legacy of Jeanette M. Cathy. In her new book, Trudy tells the story of the real heart and soul of the Cathy family, her mother Jeanette. Join us as we talk about the amazing legacy of Jeanette Cathy, how to leverage your influence from behind the scenes, the importance of building your foundation on biblical principles, why you need to understand your "why", passing down values to your children, what it means to lead with a quiet strength, and more. Trudy Cathy White is a native Georgian and the only daughter of Jeanette and S. Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A. She’s an ambassador for the family business and has held various roles within Chick-fil-A, including that of a restaurant operator at just 19 years-old. She and her husband John served as missionaries in Brazil and co-founded Lifeshape and Impact 360 Institute. She served as Director of Winshape Camps for Girls from 2003-2017. She’s a speaker and the author of several books, including Climb Every Mountain and the one we’re talking about today, A Quiet Strength. She’s a dedicated wife, mother of 4, and grandmother of 15. She is fueled by her passion to be intentional with her influence. You can buy the new book and connect with Trudy online at trudycathywhite.com. To help your family grow in their faith, visit impact360.org to find out more about our experiences and online resources.

Do you ever get nervous to talk about your faith with friends or family members? Does the thought of talking about different views of morality, sexuality, religion, or the Bible make you nervous? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Many Christians have trouble sharing their faith. But it’s actually much easier than you might think! Today on the podcast, Jonathan sits down with Greg Koukl, the author of the newly released Tactics, 10th Anniversary Edition to talk about building a game plan for sharing your faith and having spiritual conversations. Join us this week as Jonathan and Greg talk about how to answer tough challenges to the Christian faith, how to ask good questions in spiritual conversations, how to disagree with someone while still respecting them, and how to use practical tactics to talk about your faith. Greg Koukl is the founder and president of Stand to Reason, and the author of several books including The Story of Reality, Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air, and the new Tactics, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Faith. Greg holds M.A. degrees in both apologetics and philosophy, and has spoken on more than 80 university campuses. He is an adjunct professor in the graduate program of Christian apologetics at Biola University and has hosted his own radio talk show for over 30 years. You can listen to Greg’s show and find more of his resources online at str.org.

What can science teach us about God? How can Christians have better conversations about faith and science, and what are the things that we need to be aware of in the faith and science conversation? Is there powerful evidence for a Creator in the natural sciences? It's been said that God has two books: the Bible, and nature (or, special revelation, and general revelation). Today on the podcast, we're talking about what that second "book" can teach us about God. What has God revealed to us through the world around us? Jonathan talked to Melissa Cain Travis, professor and author of the book Science and the Mind of the Maker: What the Conversation Between Faith and Science Reveals About God. Join us this week as we answer these questions and discuss the fine tuning of the universe, powerful evidence that points to a Creator, how Christians can talk well about faith and science, and even how mathematics fits into the equation (get it?). Melissa Cain Travis is a professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University, a contributing writer for Christian Research Journal, and a homeschooling mom. She is dedicated to exploring the science, theology, and philosophy behind the origins debate, and is the author of several books including the Young Defenders Apologetics Storybook series, and the book we’re discussing today, Science and the Mind of the Maker. You can visit Melissa online at melissatravis.com and follow her on Twitter @MCainTravis.

Why do we need to defend our faith? How do we go about defending our faith in the culture that we live in? And when we do, how do we do apologetics "at the cross"? How do we make much of Jesus when defending our faith? On this episode of the podcast, Jonathan sits down with Dr. Josh Chatraw to discuss his excellent book Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness. Josh and Jonathan talk about these important questions and more as they discuss the importance of apologetics, why apologetics is sometimes misunderstood, how to strike the balance between humility and telling the truth, what we can learn about apologetics from the church fathers, the toughest question for Christians to answer today, encouraging trends in the church, and more. Dr. Josh Chatraw is executive director of the Center for Public Christianity, lead teacher for New City Fellows, and theologian-in-residence at Holy Trinity Anglican Church – all based in Raleigh, NC. His writing and speaking focuses on public theology, apologetics, and culture. He has written and edited several books including, Apologetics at the Cross, Cultural Engagement,  Truth Matters, Truth in a Culture of Doubt, and the forthcoming Telling a Better Story and The History of Apologetics. You can find out more about Josh and his ministry at newcityfellows.org. Learn more about the work of Impact 360 Institute at impact360.org.

How does the idea of "scientism" undermine a biblical worldview? Can science and faith actually work together? Is the church anti-science? What is the difference between "science" and "scientism"? And how should Christians respond when bad ideas take root in our culture? Dallas Willard wrote that "the idea that knowledge, and of course reality, is limited to the world of the natural sciences is the single most destructive idea on the stage of life today." There's no question that science is king in our culture. But many have moved past a healthy respect for the natural sciences to a rigid adherence to scientism, a worldview that actually undermines real science and marginalizes faith and morality. In this episode of the podcast, Jonathan sits down with Dr. J.P. Moreland, author of Scientism and Secularism: Learning to Respond to a Dangerous Ideology. Dr. Moreland talks with Jonathan about these questions and discuss why it's important to understand the worldview of scientism, how scientism is self-refuting, how scientism has allowed bad ideas about tolerance to take root in our culture, and how the church can respond in a non-defensive and winsome way. Dr. JP Moreland is a distinguished professor of philosophy at Biola University and director of the Eidos Christian Center. With degrees in philosophy, theology, and chemistry, Dr. Moreland has taught theology and philosophy at several schools across the US, and authored numerous books including The Soul: How We Know It's Real and Why It Matters, Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique , Love Your God with All Your Mind, and the book we talked about today, Scientism and Secularism: Learning to Respond to a Dangerous Ideology. You can find Dr. Moreland online at jpmoreland.com.