
Thinking Christian: Clear Theology for a Confusing World
Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.
Find more from James at https://usefultogod.com/.
Latest episodes

Sep 13, 2024 • 44min
From Pain to Praise: Thinking about Lament with Dr. May Young
In this episode, James speaks with Dr. May Young who authored a chapter in a book James co-edited titled A Praying People. Dr. Young is an expert on the topic of lament and the book of Lamentations. James and Dr. Young discuss lament more generally and how it can build community in the Church. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. Get A Praying People on amazon.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sep 12, 2024 • 50min
Carl Amari
In this episode James welcomes Carl Amari. Carl hosts Hollywood360, a nationally syndicated radio show, as well as serving as a producer on a variety of audio projects and movies. James and Carl discuss his early interest in radio dramas and how that led him to create dramatized audio versions of the Bible. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. You can find Carl's audio Bibles and other projets on his amazon.com author page. Check out his radio program here. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sep 10, 2024 • 51min
A Conversation with a Hope Dealer (Amy Williams): Thinking about How We See Ourselves and Others
In this episode, James hosts Amy Williams. Amy is a "hope dealer" working with teens involved in gangs in the Chicagoland area. Here book titled Worth Seeing: Viewing Others Through God's Eyes offers stories of her time in ministry and encourages Christians to see ourselves and others as Christ see us. James and Amy discuss some of the challenges of working between gangs and churches, as well as the promise Amy sees in young men and women who learn to look with eyes that see and listen with ears that hear. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. You can purchase Amy's book at ivpress.com (use IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sep 9, 2024 • 30min
God's Not Dead: A Conversation with Michael Tait and Adam Agee from the Newsboys
In this episode James and Nate sit down with Michael Tait and Adam Agee from the Newsboys to disucss the latest movie in the God's Not Dead series, God's Not Dead: In God We Trust. They talk about how God's Not Dead got started, their latest album, and their current tour, as well as diving into their creative process as songwriters and performers. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. You can find out more about the movie at https://godsnotdead.com/. You can find out more about the Newboys' latest album (Worldwide Revival) and tour at newsboys.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sep 4, 2024 • 56min
Thinking Christian about Politics: Neither Left nor Right in Jesus Christ
In this episode, Nate and James discuss the distinction between the right, the left, and Chrisitans. Along the way, they place a strong emphasis on the need for discipleship and offer some practical considerations for Christians seeking to participate in politics. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sep 2, 2024 • 31min
God's Not Dead with Scott Baio and David A. R. White
In this episode, James discusses the latest moving in the God's Not Dead series with David A. R. White and Scott Baio. They talk about the movie, the state of the nation, and the ways Christians can get invovled in the political realm. You can catch the movie in theaters beginning on September 12th. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. You can find out more about the movie at https://godsnotdead.com/. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Aug 29, 2024 • 1h 3min
Thinking Christian about Slavery: A Conversation with Sean McGever
In this episode, James welcomes Dr. Sean McGever. Sean is the author of numerous books including Ownership: The Evangelical Legacy of Slavery in Edwards, Wesley, and Whitefield. James nad Sean discuss early views of slavery, the way that the bible was (at times) used to justify the practice, and the distinction between the institution of slavery and individual practice of that institution. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. You can purchase Sean's book at ivpress.com (use IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Aug 28, 2024 • 1h
The Trinity, the Spirit, and the Old Testament
In this episode, James and Nate begin and end with a discussion of the Old Testament's treatment of the Trinity. Along the way, they also discuss the Holy Spirit, obeidence, and a variety of other related topics. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Aug 28, 2024 • 54min
Has Trump Changed the Church: Thinking about David French's Analysis in the New York Times
In this episode, James and Nate consider David French's New York Times peice in which he argues that to save conservatism, he is voting for Kamala Harris. In the piece, he claims that Trump is changing the church. James and Nate discuss whether this is true and offer thoughts on how the church needs to be approaching this year's election. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Aug 27, 2024 • 58min
Thinking about Transgenderism, Social Contagion, and the Need for a Big Gospel: A Conversation with Dr. Ben Matthew
In this episode, James is joined by Dr. Ben Matthew, Professor of Clinical Counseling at Columbia International University. James and Ben discuss transgenderism, the influence of social contagion, and the need for a theology of the body. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. For more on Dr. Ben Matthew, see his faculty page at Columbia International University. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
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