Statistically, only about 9% of those who make New Years Resolutions actually complete them, with the vast majority of people failing within the first week and month. David Mathis refers to the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, and commitment to a local church as habits of grace and asserts that they are paramount for relationship with and enjoyment of Jesus. As we embark on a new year, resolve to know and enjoy Jesus through these habits of grace. In this episode Matt sits down with David Mathis to talk about leadership in the church (6:30 mark) and habits of grace (31:00 mark). ABOUT David Mathis serves as senior teacher and executive editor at desiringGod.org, a pastor at Cities Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and an adjunct professor at Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis. He and his wife, Megan, have four children. He is the author of several books, including the two talked about in this episode: Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines and Workers For Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders.

The nativity stories from the gospels of Matthew and Luke are familiar to everyone. Baby Jesus in a manger, Mary and Joseph, the little town of Bethlehem, the shepherds, and wise men. We’re less familiar with Revelation’s nativity story found in chapter 12 that includes a seven-headed dragon. But it is one of the Bible’s telling of the Christmas story nonetheless. In this brief episode Matt explains why this cosmic Christmas story is worth including in your nativity.

Today we’re told to be true to ourselves, look within for answers, and follow our hearts. But when we put our own happiness first, we experience record-breaking levels of aimlessness, loneliness, depression, and anxiety. In Don’t Follow Your Heart, Thaddeus Williams debunks the “ten commandments of self-worship” and points to a life beyond the self-defeating dogmas of self-worship to a more meaningful life centred on Someone infinitely more interesting, satisfying, and awesome than ourselves. Thaddeus Williams is back on the podcast, this time to tell us not to follow our hearts but to follow God’s heart!  ABOUT Thaddeus J. Williams (Ph.D., Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam) loves enlarging students’ understanding and enjoyment of Jesus at Biola University in La Mirada, CA, where he serves as associate professor of Systematic Theology for Talbot School of Theology. His previous appearance on Deep Thoughts, to talk about Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth (episode 36) is one of the podcast’s most popular episodes. He has also taught Philosophy and Literature at Saddleback College, Jurisprudence at Trinity Law School, and as a lecturer in Worldview Studies at L’Abri Fellowships in Switzerland and Holland, and Ethics for Blackstone Legal Fellowship the Federalist Society in Washington D.C. He resides in Orange County, CA with his wife and four kids.

Let’s face it: When people complain that masculinity is toxic, they often point to evangelical men as their prime example. But findings from the social sciences debunk those charges. Research shows that committed Christian men who attend church regularly test out as the most loving and engaged husbands and fathers. These facts show that Christianity has the power to overcome toxic behaviour in men and reconcile the sexes—an unexpected finding that has stood up to rigorous empirical testing. We should be bold in bringing it into the public square. In her new book, The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, Professor Pearcey explains how secularism has villainized the concept of masculinity and how Christian men shatter the negative stereotypes. ABOUT Nancy Pearcey is the author of The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, as well as Love Thy Body, The Soul of Science, Saving Leonardo, Finding Truth, and Total Truth. She is professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University. She has been quoted in The New Yorker and Newsweek, highlighted as one of the five top women apologists by Christianity Today, and hailed in The Economist as "America's pre-eminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual."

Evangelicals are known today for culture-wars, politics, conspiracy theories, and moral failures as much or more as the historic pillars of evangelical identity. In this brief episode Matt defines evangelicalism and explores how we might get that clear and compelling evangelical vision back. ABOUT Matt Shantz is the Lead Pastor of Central Community Church, a vibrant multi-generational church that meets across 5 campuses in the beautiful eastern Fraser Valley, BC Canada. Matt loves to introduce people to Jesus, teach the Bible, and raise up the whole church to be ministers of the gospel.

Unclear on God’s purpose for the family? This episode is for you! In 2012 Jefferson Bethke released a spoken word video to YouTube called, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” that went viral and changed his life forever. Viewed over 35 million times and followed up with New York Times bestseller, Jesus > Religion, now Jeff and his wife Alyssa have written a number of books and lead a number of ministries, including Family Teams, which they talk about with Matt in this episode. Alyssa and Matt are in a Western Seminary Global Masters Cohort together. Apparently Jeff was in the same cohort years ago but unlike Alyssa and Matt, he’s a quitter. Alyssa is the author of Satisfied, and together they’ve written, Love That Lasts and others. Jeff and Alyssa live in Maui, which was hit this summer with the deadliest wildfire in the US in over 100 years. For ways you can help right now and provide resources for those in need—go to hopechapelmaui.com  ABOUT Alyssa Bethke is a mother of three children, Kinsley, Kannon, and Lucy, and a dog named Aslan. She and her husband, Jeff Bethke, live in Maui, and are bloggers, YouTubers, and hosts of The Real-Life podcast. Alyssa is the author of  Satisfied and together with Jeff wrote, Love That Lasts. They are passionate about encouraging and strengthening families at familyteams.com, an online initiative equipping families to live as a multigenerational team on mission. They live in Maui with their daughters, Kinsley and Lucy, and son, Kannon.Jefferson Bethke is the New York Times bestselling author of Jesus > Religion and It’s Not What You Think. To say hi or to learn more, go to jeffandalyssa.com

What do we do with passages in the Bible that are strange or even troubling? Matt talks a bit about that while unpacking one of the weirdest stories in the Bible: A couple bears mauling a bunch of boys. This brief ‘A Deep Thought’ episode is a summary of a sermon he preached entitled, A Grizzly Scene, from 2 Kings 2.

Matt unpacks the parables of the treasure and pearl of great price and the astounding reality that Jesus treasures us. This brief ‘A Deep Thought’ episode is a summary of a sermon he preached entitled, Treasure Jesus, from Matthew 13:44-46.

You asked some seriously deep questions and Matt has tried his best to answer them in this Q&A episode. Do you think Abraham and Isaac had a conversation before he tied him up as an offering? [2:45] What is the stance on marijuana use as Christians? Many conversations about this lately. [7:05] What should we make of the Gift of Tongues in the church today? [10:00] What will the church look like in 10 years? [18:45] How do we know if feelings come from God or if we need freedom from that? [24:45] What does the Bible say about the souls of those who commit suicide? [27:50] (*a factor not interacted with directly in responding to the question is the dynamic that most suicides are related to psychiatric disease, with depression, substance use disorders and psychosis being the most relevant. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal ideations please call Talk Suicide Canada: 1.833.456.4566) What does it look like to respond like Jesus when a transgender person wants to join our life group? [32:00] How can we be truly happy in heaven if we know loved ones are in hell? Seems selfish. [39:00] What are we to make of John 7:53-8:11 and its Canonicity? [43:10] Is what we have today, splinters of faith traditions around the globe, really God’s intent? [50:30]

Matt shares 6 common excuses that he thinks keep many of us from participating in the Mission of Jesus — and shows how the commission Jesus has given us nullifies every last one of those excuses. This brief A Deep Thought episode is a summary of a sermon he preached entitled, Christians Make Disciples, Not Excuses. The 6 excuses that keep us from participating in the mission of Jesus: 1. The task is too great 2. I’m not qualified 3. I’m not the type 4. I don’t feel called 5. I don’t have the resources 6. What if they say “No”?