The Natasha Crain Podcast

Welcome to my first quick response episode, in which I respond briefly to popular claims I see online that sound good and draw in a lot of Christians, but fail from a biblical and/or logical perspective.Today, I respond to a Tweet from Rev. Benjamin Cremer, a progressive Christian on X who has quickly been gaining influence with a lot of people. Here’s the post:“Dear Christian, If your religion is really about 'saving souls' then you wouldn’t demand for it to be legislated. Because making someone follow your religion by force of law against their will is an extremely effective way to ensure they reject your God in their hearts."Before you listen, see if you can identify three types of errors: logical, civic, and biblical.

Today I’m talking with my good friends from the Center for Biblical Unity, Monique Duson and Krista Bontrager, about their new book, Walking in Unity: Biblical Answers to Questions on Race and Racism. Ever since 2020, there have been all kinds of discussions about race in the church, and unfortunately a lot of those discussions have included some very unbiblical ways of thinking. I’m so grateful that Krista and Monique have written this excellent and accessible book that counteracts culture's problematic ideas. In this conversation, we cover all kinds of topics, like:What is the difference between anti-racism, racial reconciliation, and biblical unity?Should the church see disparities between races as evidence of racism?Why haven’t churches been better at biblical discernment with respect to identifying unbiblical ideas about race and racism?How much should the church be addressing racial justice? Is it mostly a “progressive” issue?Is a “colorblind” approach the best solution? Should all churches be multiethnic?And much more.Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Walking-Unity-Biblical-Answers-Questions/dp/0736990895Learn more about the Center for Biblical Unity here: https://www.centerforbiblicalunity.com/

Today I talk with Seth Gruber about his new documentary that exposes the "hidden history of the secular moral revolution and the architects of our current culture of death." Seth's documentary and corresponding book are called The 1916 Project and reveal the long, devastating trajectory of how we got to where we are today as a culture that celebrates the choice to kill preborn babies. The film and book are both amazing, and I highly recommend them.Seth and I also discuss the importance of Christians voting in this election and why, even with Trump's weakened stance on abortion, there's no moral equivalence between his and Harris's platforms. You can watch The 1916 Project documentary for FREE now until the election on X! Go here: https://x.com/1916projectfilmLearn more about The 1916 Project and how you can screen it at your church: https://the1916project.com/Get The 1916 Project book: https://www.amazon.com/1916-Project-Lyin-Witch-Were/dp/B0D79VN7VMConnect with Seth:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sethdgruber/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/sgruber91Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethgruberofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SethGruberShow

What is the state of Christian colleges today? Is a Christian college education worth the money? How should parents evaluate a given Christian college to determine if it’s biblically sound? What are some signs that a school is going progressive? These are just a few of the questions I discuss with my guest today, Dr. Everett Piper. Dr. Piper was president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University for 17 years, during which time he led his school from relative obscurity to a position of national recognition and influence. He presently serves as a contributing columnist for The Washington Times and his commentary on religion, education, leadership and politics is featured in local and national media outlets coast to coast. Dr. Piper is also the author of the national best-selling book, Not a Daycare: The Devastating Consequences of Abandoning Truth.Website: dreverettpiper.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/dreverettpiper

J. Warner Wallace, a cold-case homicide detective and best-selling author, dives into unique insights on life from his experiences investigating death. He discusses how relationship choices shape life trajectories, emphasizing intentionality in partnerships. Wallace also explores finding meaning in suffering and the importance of personal growth through trauma. Additionally, he highlights the balance between compassion and wisdom in helping others, along with the transformative role of prison ministry in fostering faith and change.

Erwin Lutzer, pastor emeritus of The Moody Church and award-winning author, dives deep into America's shifting spiritual landscape. He explores how cultural Marxism and Darwinism have distorted our understanding of God and morality. Lutzer critiques the trend of equating personal identity with sexual freedom, drawing attention to Freud's views on religion. He emphasizes the dangers of a self-made deity and advocates for a return to biblical teachings as a compass for navigating today’s confusing cultural terrain.

The After Party is a small group curriculum and corresponding book that's being heavily promoted this election year to individuals, churches, and Christian institutions. The marketing is designed to attract churches who would like to simply encourage charitable communication around politics, but the execution is designed to convince Christians that they shouldn’t be so conservative. In this episode, I do a deep dive on the book to make the case that it's not what it's marketed to be and that it should absolutely be avoided by the church. This podcast is available in article form at https://natashacrain.com/how-the-after-party-curriculum-is-sowing-political-confusion-in-the-church/. 

Megan Basham's new book, Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda, has become the source of much discussion and controversy in the few days it's been out. In this episode, Megan and I talk about the central thesis of her book, the evidence for it, and why Christians should be concerned. She also responds to many of the objections people have had to it over the last few days. Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Sale-Evangelical-Leaders-Leftist/dp/0063413442

Pastor Jack Hibbs, founding pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, discusses recognizing deception in Christianity, distinguishing biblical unity, navigating disagreement fatigue, questioning authority, and emphasizing self-care for ministries in a culture of deception.

Culture has gone through an enormous shift in the last few years, and raising kids with a confident faith is more challenging than ever. Today I talk with Dr. Jeff Myers about the biggest faith challenges today and how parents (and grandparents!) should respond. Dr. Jeff is the president of Summit Ministries and is one of America’s most respected authorities on youth leadership development. This is a conversation that every Christian concerned about the next generation needs to hear (and that should be all of us!). MENTIONED ON THE SHOWRegister for a Summit Summer Conference and get $200 off with code NATASHA200 at summit.org/natasha (and an additional $100 off if you do so before March 31!)Unshaken Conference https://unshakenconference.com/My apologetics books for parents:Keeping Your Kids on God's Side https://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Your-Kids-Gods-Side/dp/0736965084 Talking with Your Kids about God https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Kids-about-Conversations/dp/0801075521Talking with Your Kids about Jesus https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Kids-about-Jesus/dp/080107553X/Parenting Gen Z by Jason Jimenez https://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Gen-Guiding-through-Hostile/dp/1646070070Legacy Coalition https://legacycoalition.com/