The Natasha Crain Podcast

In an opinion piece for The New York Times titled, “Progressive Christians Arise! Hallelujah!” Nicholas Kristof made the case this week that “with a churchgoing Democrat in the White House, faith becomes more complicated in America”…and that that’s a good thing. In this episode, I explain why that's NOT the case, and break down Kristof's article point by point. This is an audio version of my blog post, "No, The Growth of Progressive Christian Politicians is Not a Good Thing for America [A Response to the New York Times Opinion Piece by Nicholas Kristof]."

There are a lot of competing ideas in today's culture, and it's important that Christians understand how to think critically about the nature of these ideas from a worldview perspective. In this episode, I explain THE most important thing that separates a biblical worldview from a secular worldview and give several examples of how to respond to common secular sentiments accordingly (for example, "Don't you want to be on the right side of history?"). 

The idea that Christians need to fix a growing reputation problem in our society is becoming increasingly common in conversations on social media and even in articles by well known Christian leaders. The assumption is that we’ve collectively gone wrong in recent months (or years), and now we’ve got to quickly do something about it…before the world thinks even worse of us. In this episode, I explain why I think this is wrong-headed and dangerous.This is the audio version of my blog post found here.

Most people would spot a problem immediately if a Christian influencer said they didn’t believe in the Trinity. But it’s just as important to be able to identify when less obvious warning signs are present. In this episode, I share 10 subtler things to watch for.[Episode based on my viral blog post, "10 Signs the Christian Authors You're Following are (Subtly) Teaching Unbiblical Ideas."]Articles mentioned in the show:Girl, Wash Your Face? What Rachel Hollis Gets Right...and WrongIs How We Live More Important Than What We Believe?

More parents than ever are considering alternatives to public school. In particular, many are weighing the relative benefits of Christian private school and homeschool. In this episode, I share about our family's six years of experience in Christian private school and what it's like to transition from a traditional school setting to homeschool (which we did this fall). If you're considering one or both options, this show will help you think through key questions before making a decision. Additional resource mentioned in the podcast: 8 Things Christian Parents Should Consider Before Sending Kids Back to Public or Private School This Fall

Skeptics often claim that the miracles in the Bible defy common sense--that any reasonable person should see that such claims are unreasonable in nature. Christians must understand how to think critically about the nature of and evidence for miracles, but this is rarely something addressed in church. In this episode, I walk through a 10-point framework for both adults and kids to better understand how to approach this important subject.

Teaching kids about non-Christian worldviews is mission critical for giving them a deeper and richer understanding of their own faith. In this episode, I explain three key things kids should know about the nature of studying world religions before you even start discussing, and three “best practices” from my own experience for how to discuss the particulars of other religions.

America is in a moral, spiritual, and political decline.  How do you share what's going on so your kids are informed and understand what's happening from a biblical perspective, but in a way that won't overwhelm them? In this episode, I share key tips for talking about issues in each area--moral, spiritual, and political.