Thinking Christian: Clear Theology for a Confusing World

Can we still spot the truth in a world that specializes in counterfeits? In this episode of Thinking Christian, James Spencer and Nate unpack the unsettling implications of the internet’s influence on our minds, our trust, and our discipleship. Sparked by a recent conversation between Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris, this discussion explores digital phoniness, the collapse of institutional gatekeepers, and what it means to be spiritually discerning in an era of deepfakes, dopamine loops, and constant distraction. From TikTok’s "time to take a break" alerts to the moral hazards of algorithmic influence, James and Nate reflect on personal habits, cultural decay, and the need for sufficient constraints—not to restrict, but to preserve wisdom, sanity, and faithfulness. They also draw provocative comparisons between digital chaos and the clarity of Christian doctrine, challenging listeners to anchor themselves in truth that isn’t memeable. 🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this thought-provoking episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer welcomes Alex Kocman—missions leader and co-host of the Missions Podcast—for a wide-ranging conversation on immigration, national identity, and how Christians should engage politically without losing sight of Christ’s lordship. Together, they explore Augustine’s ordo amoris (order of loves), the biblical significance of borders and sovereignty, and the tension between compassion for the nations and faithfulness to one's own. Can Christians love both neighbor and nation rightly? Should the Church be silent on political issues—or speak with prophetic clarity? And what does the Great Commission demand of us in an age of global mobility and moral confusion? This episode doesn’t offer sound bites—it offers rooted reflection. Listen to the Missions Podcast here. Find out more about Alex at alexkocman.com 🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What if the sacred-secular divide is more imagined than real? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer sits down with sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund (Rice University) and business professor Denise Daniels (Wheaton College) to unpack insights from their groundbreaking book Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work. Drawing on the largest-ever study on faith in the U.S. workplace, they explore why so few Christians view their work as a calling, how churches may be failing to equip their congregants, and what systemic structures shape (or stifle) a sense of spiritual vocation. From strip clubs to CEO suites, gig workers to mission-minded healthcare, this is a conversation that will challenge you to see your work—and the work of others—through a new theological lens. Explore the book: Working for Better at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What if our dating struggles, friendship breakdowns, and even church conflicts trace back not to technique—but to theology? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Erin Moniz—Anglican deacon, Baylor chaplain, and author of Knowing and Being Known—to rethink Christian relationships from the ground up. They tackle purity culture’s lingering effects, the idolization of marriage, the crisis of friendship in the local church, and how consumerism has crept into everything from dating to discipleship. At the heart of the conversation is a bold, refreshing claim: intimacy isn’t a bonus feature of the Christian life. It’s central to knowing God. Explore the book: Knowing and Being Known at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What if the crushing weight of modern life isn't a bug in the system but a feature of a false belief? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Alan Noble to explore his compelling book, You Are Not Your Own. Together, they unpack why our culture's demand to “define yourself” leads to despair, and how belonging to Christ—not ourselves—is the good news we’ve been trained to forget. Drawing from the Heidelberg Catechism, zoocosis, and Sylvia Plath, this conversation dives deep into anthropology, social pressure, identity, and the role of the Church in resisting cultural formation. A quietly radical episode that reminds us that true freedom isn’t found in self-expression, but in surrender. Explore the book: You Are Not Your Own at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What do a detective novelist, a WWII radio drama, and a blockbuster film have in common? According to Dr. Crystal Downing — everything. In this episode of Thinking Christian, I’m joined by Dr. Crystal Downing, former co-director of the Marion E. Wade Center and author of The Wages of Cinema, to explore what it means to see Christianly. Drawing on the often-overlooked theology of Dorothy L. Sayers, we challenge the idea that film is just a vehicle for a message. Instead, we unpack how film — like the Incarnation — is about form, flesh, and the fullness of expression. We talk about why reducing movies to “good messages” is a kind of cinematic Docetism, how Sayers’ Trinitarian model of creativity reframes Christian art, and why Christians should stop watching movies passively and start engaging them as embodied works of meaning. Expect commentary on Birdman, Bridge on the River Kwai, The Matrix, and yes… even Dodgeball. This conversation is a deep dive into media, theology, and why Christians need to become more attentive critics — not just consumers — of the stories that shape us. 🎬 Explore the book: The Wages of Cinema at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Is artificial intelligence just a tool — or are we slowly making it a partner in how we think, relate, and even worship? In this episode of Thinking Christian, I sit down with Dr. Paul Hoffman — pastor, theologian, and co-author of AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep — to talk about what it means to be human in an age of accelerating technology. We explore the Imago Dei through the lens of AI, the theology of embodiment, and the very real dangers of offloading our spiritual and intellectual efforts to machines. We also talk about how hearth habits, practical theology, and the intentional formation of Christian communities can help counteract the disintegration of relational and spiritual life in the digital age. This is not a dystopian tech rant or a techno-optimist’s dream. It’s a pastoral, theological, and deeply human conversation about what we’re becoming — and how we might recover a more grounded, God-centered way of living. Links: AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep book Follow Dr. Hoffman: @pastorhoffman77 (X), @pastorhoffman (Instagram/Facebook) 👀 Subscribe, review, and share this one — it’s a conversation for anyone wondering how to follow Christ in the age of ChatGPT. 🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Nate Giarratano to unpack the rapid advance of artificial intelligence, a controversial 10-year moratorium on state regulation, and what it means for Christians navigating a tech-saturated world. From government policy and adolescent mental health to AI-generated “biblical” influencers and enhanced Olympic hopefuls, they explore what’s at stake when human identity, discernment, and spiritual formation intersect with emerging technology. Can Christians embrace innovation without outsourcing their souls? Should we fear the end—or just be faithful in the middle of it? Tune in for a nuanced, grounded, and theologically rich conversation that pulls no punches and offers a steady compass in a disoriented world. For some of the stories and other materials referenced in the podcast, see below: Federal and State Disagreements on Policy (click here) APA Health Advisory (click here) Honest AI (click here)  🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What does it look like to lead not just with strategy, but with soul? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer speaks with Laura Richter, executive advisor to various healthcare systems, about the quiet revolution happening in Catholic healthcare—mission integration. From executive formation rooted in Catholic social teaching to navigating ethical quandaries with theologians on call, this conversation explores how identity, tradition, and spiritual formation shape some of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S. It's a masterclass in aligning vocation with organization, purpose with practice. Protestant listeners may come away inspired—and maybe a little envious. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What if the next revival didn’t start in a church... but in a prison? In this episode of Thinking Christian, I sit down with Romney Ruder, President of Lifeline Global Ministries, to explore how God is transforming lives behind bars. From the darkest corners of Angola State Prison to vibrant spiritual communities formed behind cell walls, this conversation uncovers the raw power of the gospel among incarcerated men and women. We talk about how Lifeline’s programs — Malachi Dads and Hannah’s Gift — are breaking the cycle of generational incarceration, what real discipleship looks like under extreme conditions, and how the local church can move beyond hesitation to become a bridge between prison and family restoration. Romney also shares jaw-dropping stories of courage, healing, and faith — including an impromptu prison choir that might just be the spark of the next spiritual awakening in America. 👊 Prepare to be convicted, inspired, and maybe even undone. Explore more or get involved at: lifelineglobal.orgSupport the show, share with a friend, and leave a review if this episode challenges your perspective. 🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com 📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation! For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.