Some stories in the Bible are hard to understand, let alone approve. For those who are questioning and finding it difficult to trust the God of the Bible and certain historical events as recorded in the Scriptures, it helps to hear stories from people who have worked through their own questions and doubts to arrive at healthy, more firmly held beliefs and convictions. On today’s episode, History scholar Susan Lim (Ph.D.) speaks with Tim and Rick about her own journey of coming to love the Bible, and they speak about her book, Light of the World: How Knowing the History of the Bible Illuminates Our Faith.  Show notes and a full transcript are available.

Susan Lim (Ph.D.) is a history scholar and writer who decided to follow Jesus in her teenage years after having grown up in a Buddhist family. Susan joins today’s episode to share her story from Buddha to Jesus, and it’s a powerful story that has reverberated through her family. She also speaks with Tim and Rick on the similarities and differences between Buddhism and Christianity. They discuss what Buddhists get right that Christians can learn from, differing views on suffering, and what happened when Susan told her mom she had become a Christian. If you’re interested in learning how to communicate with your Buddhist family and friends, you're sure to gain insight by listening to today's episode.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

Exploring communication spirals and de-escalation skills in conflict resolution. Understanding triggers for negative communication and techniques to prevent escalation. Impact of mindset on communication dynamics and strategies for maintaining composure. Using breathing techniques and empathy in tense situations. Importance of equitable communication in resolving conflicts and preventing escalation.

Earlier this year, a convictional firestorm ensued over advice Alistair Begg, a prominent North American pastor and radio host of Truth for Life, gave to a woman about attending her grandchild's gay wedding. Bob Lepine, the on-air announcer for Truth for Life, joins today’s episode to speak with Tim and Rick about how this situation provides us with an opportunity to clarify our thinking around convictions and guidelines for faithful conduct. Bob provides a quick summary of what happened before they discuss some ideas to help foster biblically-based convictions around attending a gay wedding.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

Legal professor John Inazu discusses the value of legal education in navigating disagreements with empathy. Topics include the importance of fairness, empathy, and occupying the middle ground in disagreements, as well as being mindful of labeling others with whom we disagree.

Isaac Adams and Austin Suter are back on the podcast to recount a significant disagreement they experienced in their friendship. They go back into the disagreement with Tim and Rick and discuss issues of contempt, interpersonal differences, complexities and wounds, and spiritual battle. They caution against a bulldozer mentality and highlight how to press into hard conversations with gentleness in order to save and deepen a relationship rather than to abandon it.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

Artist and Connecticut state representative Treneé McGee discusses her experience as a pro-life Democrat, challenges faced in engaging the black community on pro-life issues, importance of local politics, and promoting independent decision-making in politics.

Isaac Adams and Austin Suter join today’s episode to discuss the challenges and camaraderie they’ve experienced in their interracial friendship. They speak with Tim and Rick about the beginnings of their friendship and the importance of having an established relationship when the difficulties and disagreements hit, which inevitably occur. They discuss the relational elbow grease that is required for friendships to make it through the hard times, and some great insights are provided on how we can get better with disagreements in our own friendships. And Isaac wrote an article, “Before You Ask Your Black Friend About Race," which they reference in this episode. Show notes and a full transcript are available.

On this segment of Reports From The Front, two of Tim’s students, Helena and Carson, who are studying Communications at Biola University, discuss their recent experience on Unify America. They seized the opportunity to speak with their political opposites on contested issues, including abortion, and they speak with Tim and Rick about what it was like. Over the course of the conversation they also consider why it would be good for churches to take part in these Unify America discussions. If this episode generates interest in Unify America, visit www.unifyamerica.org, and check out episode 90 where we speak with Abby Ferguson of Unify America.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

Today on the podcast we have another segment of Reports From The Front, a positive story of someone who is doing things right. Tim and Rick speak with Abby Ferguson, Director of Partnerships with Unify America, on the challenges of communicating personal convictions to people we disagree with as well as progress Unify America is seeing with students who participate in the Unify Challenge College Bowl. They discuss how Unify America brings people together to replace political fighting with collaborative problem-solving, and Tim and Rick share examples of using some of the methods and practices in the classroom with their students.Show notes and a full transcript are available.