In this special LIVE episode of The Alisa Childers Podcast, Dr. Travis Dickinson, Professor of Philosophy at Dallas Baptist University, joined us for another installment of our ask the Professor series. We covered questions such as: Why isn’t God more Obvious? Why did God kill David’s son when the Old Testament says children aren’t to be punished for the sins of their fathers? What does it mean to say Jesus is the word? How can I overcome the existential fear of living forever? What are some good resources to study the cultural background of the Bible? If Jesus is God, why does the Bible say he didn’t know the date of his return? 

A recent study concluded that many Evangelical Christians hold some pretty unbiblical beliefs. About half believe that God changes, half believe that God accepts worship from other religions, and over half believe that humans are born innocent. Dr. Jeremiah Johnston joins the podcast today to unpack these beliefs and several more, including Evangelical beliefs about church membership, the nature of Jesus, sexuality, and the Bible. We talk through what Americans actually believe, how these beliefs affect the gospel, and then we talk through some key Scriptures. Plus, Dr. Johnston gives us an update on the curse tablet found at Mt. Ebal!

Author Rachel Norman joins me to talk about how Christians can have a biblical and balanced view of putting others first while taking care of ourselves. Should we just practice more “self-care” and put our happiness first? Or should Christians take care of themselves so that they have the energy to help others?  Rachel has a popular blog for Christian moms but has so much wisdom to offer Christians in general. Her new book, If Mama Ain’t Happy comes out Oct. 18th.

From the invention of writing to the canon of the Old and New Testaments, the best-selling book of all time, the Bible, has a very interesting history. Who were the scribes who copied the manuscripts? How many manuscripts do we have? When was the Bible canonized? What are some misunderstandings people have about how we got the Bible? Today, Dr. John Mead and Dr. Peter Gurry of the Text and Canon Institute at Phoenix seminary join the podcast to share the amazing story of how we got the Bible and dispel some common rumors. 

Kyle Thompson from the Undaunted Life Podcast joins to talk about the concepts of masculinity and femininity. Are manhood and womanhood simply social constructs or are there innate differences between men and women that are God-ordained and good? Kyle discusses pornography, abortion, modern feminism, toxic masculinity, gender roles, and much more!

This is the episode I’ve wanted to record since starting my podcast in 2017! When we talk about “historic Christianity,” what do we mean? Was early Christianity so theologically diverse that we can’t know what the earliest Christians believed? Historian and New Testament scholar Dr. Gary Habermas joins me to talk about the earliest Christian creeds that predate the New Testament by decades. We discuss the gospel as understood in the first century, as well as the deity of Jesus’ being affirmed by the earliest followers of Christ. 

Greg Koukl joins the podcast live from the Cross Examined Instructor Academy to talk about Postmodernism, Relativism, and subjective truth claims. Greg explains how Relativism fails to explain reality, refutes itself, and wrecks lives. Living lives firmly planted on the truth of God's Word comes with a cost in today's culture, but will ultimately set us free. 

Christianity stands or falls based on the resurrection of Jesus being a real event in history. The Apostle Paul said that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is in vain. But 2,000 years later, do we have actual evidence for this event or is it something Christians simply have to take on faith? Historian and New Testament scholar Dr. Gary Habermas is considered one of the foremost scholars on the resurrection of Jesus and he joins me to talk about the facts surrounding the resurrection that virtually all scholars, from the most liberal to the most conservative, agree on. He shares his “minimal facts” approach, and gives every Christian practical ways to share this evidence with their friends. 

After years of partying, Bobby Conway got saved at a Greg Laurie crusade as a teenager. From there, he became an evangelist, telling virtually everyone he would meet about Jesus. After becoming a Pastor and pioneering a successful apologetics YouTube channel, he went through a dark time of doubt, only to end up in an alcohol relapse that would threaten his family and ministry. In today's episode, Bobby shares the intimate journey that led him to almost leave the faith, and the reasons he would not end up as another deconstruction story and could not turn his back on the Jesus who saved him.

Norm Geisler is one of the most prolific and influential scholars and apologists of our time. He went from not being able to read until he was seventeen years old to earning a PhD in Philosophy and founding two Seminaries. He authored, co-authored, or edited over 90 books, debated countless atheists, and became a force for defending the Christian worldview. He was also one of the most influential thinkers in my own life. In this special episode, I interview his son, David Geisler about the new documentary on Norm's life that showcases the heart, mind, and dedication of this fascinating man.