The Holy Post

Evangelical Pastor/Researcher/Commentator Ed Stetzer drops in for a very lively discussion of the impact of the recent election on the church, what we've learned about evangelical values, and whether the term "evangelical" has - or hasn't - outlived its usefulness. Fun, fun, fun on the podcast!!

Popular author and preacher Francis Chan walked away from his megachurch to try something completely different - a series of tiny house churches in inner city San Francisco. Why the change? And what can we learn from his big experiment in going "small?" This week on the podcast with Francis Chan - is the future of the church tiny??

We're giving everyone access to the live streaming Q&A the gang did recently to discuss the election and other Patreon subscriber questions. These events happen every month, so sign up at www.Patreon.com/PhilVischer and join in live next month!

Currently 1 out of 5 human beings revere a certain religious book, and it isn't the Bible. Religious scholar and author Mark Robert Anderson talks us through the Qur'an… what is it? How do Christian approach it, and why does it matter? Plus Christian has gone crazy for the Cubbies and everyone is sweating the upcoming election!

Jesus had to "die for our sins," right? But what does that actually mean? We mess up, God gets mad, so someone needs to pay for our sin or we can't go to heaven when we die? But what if our ultimate problem isn't sin, and what if our ultimate goal isn't heaven?? Egads!! World-renowned theologian N.T. Wright joins Phil and Skye to talk about his new book - The Day the Revolution Began: Reconsidering the Meaning of Jesus's Crucifixion. No biggie… just the absolute heart and soul of the Christian faith!!

Christian Taylor joins for a captivating exploration of the religious right's history. They discuss how black and white Christians have shifted political allegiances over the decades. The conversation highlights pivotal moments like the Scopes Monkey Trial and the implications of desegregation, revealing the complex evolution of evangelical identities. Listeners will be intrigued by the contrasting approaches of influential figures, as well as the younger generation's more compassionate and less partisan perspective on politics.

Why are young people leaving the church and what are some churches doing that is helping them stay? Is it all about "hipping up" our churches with coffee bars and skinny jeans, or is it something deeper? Fuller Youth Institute director Kara Powell returns to the podcast to discuss her new book, Growing Young, and the surprising answers to one of our thorniest problems.

Is the church in America obsessed with success? Do we sacrifice genuine growth to avoid failure? Pastor/author J.R. Briggs joins Phil and Skye to discuss the idolatry of success and his own journey in learning how to "fail well."

Does the way we do church effectively make disciples? New research says "not so much." So what do we do? Speaker, author, and theologian Preston Sprinkle is back on the show to talk about new models for church and why we need them. What could church be? What SHOULD church be? This week on the podcast!

A Bible translation is frozen in time. Modern technology unlocks a scroll. Christian media is more popular than you might think. And a new survey shows Christians are bad at guessing which behaviors make our neighbors uncomfortable. This week on the podcast!