Think Deeper

We gathered for a wide-ranging roundtable chat, focusing largely on thinking toward the future with how we equip the next generation.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro, and when boys become men
11:02 - When girls become women
19:47 - Passing the baton from generation to generation
25:23 - Thinking of your family strategically
32:05 - How parenting can sharpen you
37:06 - Making a content home life without becoming complacent
42:28 - Think Fast: The Odyssey, DEI casting, and revisiting our boycott takes

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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The Bible gives ideals for us to pursue in the husband and wife roles... but life isn't always ideal.

What's a woman to do if her husband won't lead? What can a man do if his wife fights his leadership? In this highly practical episode, we examine what recourse Christians have in difficult marriage situations.

CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro, and whether marriage is hard or easy
11:50 - Dealing with a passive, lazy husband
21:53 - The Bible's counter-cultural advice
27:11 - What a husband can do with an unsubmissive wife
38:17 - Catching these...

The Bible gives us a great description of a Godly woman in Proverbs 31. But what about men? Is there a parallel text? What are characteristics a man should pursue?

CHAPTERS
00:00 - Piecing together a list from around the Scriptures
05:51 - Proverbs' focus on the wise son
11:33 - "Men don't ask for directions"
15:55 - Laziness is unacceptable
22:06 - Physical health: the most accepted way to lack self-discipline
25:00 - The many practical effects of this shortcoming
38:38 - A brief discussion on GLP-1s
43:33 - Attacking lust
48:55 - Gentle and peaceful...

The Proverbs 31 woman is the subject of a lot of drive-by analysis, often cited as part of an agenda that she doesn't really fit. But what does this text tell us about what a real Godly woman looks like?

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro, and why discuss this
06:26 - "An excellent wife"
15:09 - The division of labor
23:34 - The work of the home
35:28 - The challenges added by the modern family structure
46:26 - Was she a career woman?
58:24 - Her role as teacher
1:01:59 - The glory of motherhood

With...

We take on a roundup of some major headlines from the last two weeks, touching on Christians and self-defense, a Biblical view of divorce, birthright citizenship, and whether children should stay in the worship assembly.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - The importance of following the news with a Christian eye
04:20 - Tony Spell, the fighting pastor
15:09 - The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship decision: a major turning point?
31:06 - Frankie Muniz, Jelly Roll, and celebrating divorce
48:43 - A controversial post about children's church
1:00:47 - A few leftover news items

With Will Harrub, Jack...

With America's 250th anniversary coming up this weekend, we take a look at the Christian's place in celebrating our country.

CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro and why 250 matters
08:23 - Is America a "Christian Nation?" Is there such a thing?
15:41 - Should churches celebrate America 250?
27:40 - Extremes in both directions in the church
32:13 - Should sins of the past dampen our celebration?
40:49 - What we love about our country
49:46 - Blind rankings! Joe ranks American landmarks
55:22 - Jack ranks 10 US states
58:16 - Will ranks historical US achievements

With Will...

We take turns picking 7 of the Bible's great chapters apiece. Once a chapter is taken, it's off the board. Give it a listen and tell us who picked the best list, and tell us what Bible chapters you think we missed!

SECTIONS:
00:00 - Explaining the draft
03:37 - A Romans-heavy Round 1
12:23 - Matthew-centric Round 2
23:26 - Looking to the OT in Round 3
33:48 - Ephesians gets the spotlight in Round 4
43:19 - Two Psalms in Round 5
50:52 - Luke takes over Round 6
54:25 - Final picks!

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe...

This week the guys take a look at their own walks and discuss ways in which they want to grow in their walks as Christians. Listen in and see if you can relate!

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro and the idea behind the episode
02:27 - The challenge of building relationships
11:32 - Finding opportunities to do good
20:00 - Maintaining spirituality in a busy, balanced life
31:04 - Being realistic without becoming cynical
34:58 - Finding peace and joy
41:04 - Receiving feedback and criticism without taking offense
48:00 - Specific, consistent prayers
50:42 - Becoming an...

Dr. Brad Harrub joins the show to discuss recent research on generational views about spanking, including a lively debate on the "village" approach to parenting.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and reviewing recent headlines on discipline
07:22 - The proper context for spanking
13:02 - The cultural shift and the disappearance of the parenting "village"
24:43 - Navigating a culture in which you can't trust the village
36:25 - Biblical wisdom on discipline
40:11 - The need for parents to be open to constructive criticism from elders and peers
44:04 - Discipline by age: can toddlers understand...

Special guest Jacob Hudgins joins the show to discuss the Non-Institutional Churches of Christ.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro
03:21 - What does "Non-Institutional" (NI) mean, and what is the history of the division?
14:32 - Kitchens, classes, cups—what does and does not fall under the NI banner?
18:58 - Is there a progressive to conservative spectrum within the NI churches?
23:44 - How church treasuries play a central part in the disagreement
33:49 - The Scriptural case made by the NI churches
43:58 - Exploring objections
54:29 - How are Institutional churches of Christ viewed in...

America is not the modern version of Old Testament Israel, but there is still much we can learn from God's people in those days. We discuss:

- Their lack of multigenerational success
- How they set the stage for their own moral declines
- What those days teach us about God's dealings in the world

and more!

With Jack Wilkie and Joe Wilkie

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As graduation month is upon us, we look at the plight of high school and college graduates today and discuss what advice is helpful, and what is unhelpful.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro, and whether this generation's age is more "uncertain" than the past
11:59 - The pros and cons of the "go into the trades" advice for young men
19:09 - Why "follow your passion" is terrible advice
25:36 - The importance of differing advice for young men and young women
35:24 - The women's college question
40:28 - It's time to give women the tough...

We examine the Bible's view of crime and punishment, considering the principles established in the Old Law, whether the New Testament changes those principles, and how modern criminal justice has gone astray from God's way.

CHAPTERS: 

00:00 - Intro and two reasons for tackling this subject
06:21 - Principles of Biblical justice
13:13 - It's not just restorative
21:43 - Statistics that prove our departure from Biblical justice has failed
28:00 - The consequences of untethered empathy and feminization
38:20 - Arguments for and against capital punishment
47:06 - Did Jesus change the standard in the Se...

This week's episode is a bit on the lighter side as we share hot takes about Bible characters, and review listener submissions!

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and explaining the idea
03:31 - Quick Hits: Best person in the Bible? Worst person in the Bible?
12:15 - Quick Hits: Best hang, most annoying?
17:28 - Jack and Will's hot takes on Peter
24:39 - Joe's hot take on Jonah
30:43 - Will goes against the grain on Paul's marital status
37:25 - Jack and Joe disagree on Jacob
45:26 - Joe stirs up controversy about David
50:26...

In this episode, we examine some of the common phrases you hear in Christian circles that don't often get explained.

CHAPTERS
00:00 - Overview of clichés and introducing "Christ-like"
07:26 - Is there a difference between being Biblical and being "Christ-like?"
18:07 - What all is meant by "doctrine?"
27:01 - What elements make up doctrinal "soundness?"
41:21 - Should we find our "identity in Christ?"
53:58 - Debating where identity comes from

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We've covered pornography addiction before, but this time we take a look at some specific questions surrounding the issue.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and defining "lust" for men and women
11:05 - Is porn addiction grounds for divorce?
17:28 - Examining the arguments in favor
24:29 - Does unwillingness to repent change the decision?
28:55 - A message to those caught in addiction, or married to someone who is
32:06 - The growing problem of women's erotic fiction
38:49 - How both visual and textual forms affect your relationship
50:13 - Evaluating when literature crosses the...

NBA player Jaden Ivey recently lost his job, seemingly for derogatory comments made about the NBA participating in what he called the "unrighteousness" of Pride Month. Is this a type of persecution? If not, what is? Do American Christians deal with persecution? We discuss...

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro and recapping the Ivey story
08:25 - Do American Christians face persecution?
13:28 - Should we avoid backlash for the Gospel, or pursue it head on?
25:57 - Are nations better off with rulers who are favorable to the Gospel?
33:29 - How and when is persecution a blessing?<...

Dr. Brad Harrub joins the show to discuss recent controversies in the churches of Christ and the back-room politicking that breaks unity.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Why discuss this?
09:04 - Why we must handle public division publicly
15:36 - The tactics of the brotherhoodpolice
23:55 - The need for love of the brethren
32:40 - Does discussing this hurt the church's reputation?
40:06 - How "I am of Christ" has been lost to institutional loyalty
49:38 - How church autonomy helps, but doesn't completely solve the problem

With Brad Harrub, Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and...

Recent viral posts raised an interesting question: does conversion to Christianity remove the consequences of past sexual sin once you go looking for a spouse?

We discussed the many issues surrounding this debate that set the internet on fire for a few days.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and reading the tweets
07:18 - Why did this debate go so viral?
12:27 - What should we teach our kids about who they marry? What "baggage" is there and what can it do?
23:54 - The right way and wrong way to use testimony
33:29...

We discuss the latest sordid headline about the Duggar family, including

- The big family question
- Why sin has to be dealt with COMPLETELY
- How this will be twisted against Bible believers

and more

Tune into the full episode Monday: Does A Future Spouse’s Past Matter?

We apologize for the lack of our usually scheduled Monday episode, but we waited a day to go live and recap Jack's debate on baptism!

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and initial thoughts
07:13 - Getting denominations to defend their "home court"
14:32 - Debating like a Christian vs. taking pot-shots
17:09 - Strongest and weakest points of the debate?
26:36 - Jake Hisaw joins to talk the value of debates and the church of Christ's growing influence
41:25 - Debate tactics and rhetorical posturing
48:23 - The value and limitations of using Greek
1:03:53 - Reformation...

Youth faithfulness remains one of the biggest challenges facing the church. As we strive to boost our percentages in this generation of young people, we examine some of the biggest obstacles that can shipwreck their faith, and discuss how to avoid those obstacles.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and explaining our approach
04:58 - Uninvolved parents
12:15 - "Diversifying your family's portfolio"
25:19 - Can they look "stupid" or "uncool?"
31:23 - The hard work it takes
37:17 - The social media pitfall
44:24 - The pull of worldly pleasures starts really early
48:41 - Dad and...

We discuss the viral post about bringing "loud kids" to church.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Reading and reacting to the viral post from Mt. Washington Church
05:15 - Are loud kids a distraction?
11:06 - Different policies for members and visitors?
14:57 - Leadership's role in setting standards
20:54 - How can churches help parents train kids in worship?
25:46 - Can churches give parenting critiques?
29:16 - The importance of approachability
36:35 - This isn't just on the moms
45:43 - Is children's church a reasonable solution?
53:55 - What about the church's response to children...

The command to observe a Sabbath day of rest as established in Exodus is not found in the New Testament... but can it still be a useful part of our spiritual lives today?
What forms might that take?

Join us for a discussion on the place of "Sabbath" in the Christian life.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - What do we mean by "Sabbath?"
07:59 - Why discuss an idea that can't be bound?
13:38 - The goodness of rest
24:46 - The power of the Chick-fil-a approach
31:55 - Bringing back the concept of "The...

We discuss a report that links mens and women's wages to fertility rates and how the study correlates to Biblical gender roles

Catch the full episode on Monday, where we discuss, "Can Christians Observe a 'Sabbath?' Should They?"

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We continue our study on some of the Bible's difficult teachings with a look at Old Testament polygamy and the charge that the Word is unfair to women.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro and recapping Bible controversies
03:52 - Polygamy in the Bible
12:01 - Reality of the time vs. God's ideal
17:35 - The precedent of Jesus in Matt. 19, and hermeneutical tactics
28:17 - How do we judge people of the past?
38:17 - Did the Bible establish the mistreatment of women?
46:52 - What non-religious charges of misogyny miss
50:46 - When Christians are embarrassed by...

There have been a number of controversies in the headlines recently, with Bad Bunny's halftime performance vs. TPUSA's, President Trump's video mishap, and the competing interpretations of the Epstein files.

What's a Christian to make of it all? Are each week's headlines worth our time? If so, why, and what guidelines should we observe?

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and a survey of the events that prompted the episode
04:00 - Finding balance in how much we consume
12:49 - Principles for choosing what outlets to follow
15:10 - The differing struggles for men and...

We begin a look at some of the Bible's more controversial topics, focusing this week on genocide like the flood and the Canaanite conquest, and slavery in the Old and New Testaments

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro, and the importance of wrestling with difficult questions
04:46 - Genocide and God's character
15:19 - Was it solely about the Nephilim?
23:55 - Slavery - chattel, indentured servitude, or both?
34:15 - How cultural contexts impact the discussion
38:16 - Why isn't this situation ethics?
45:38 - Christ's impact on the world
51:45 - Is it a sin? When...

We continue our list of the biggest challenges facing the church this year!

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and the Rising Threat of AI
10:28 - A looming confrontation over gender roles
21:55 - Political division in the church
37:08 - We're correcting errors of the past, but...
47:14 - The biggest problem continues to be...
01:03:41 - Recapping our Top 10 list

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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4 years ago we listed what we considered to be the biggest threats facing the churches of Christ in 2022. With so much happening since then, we thought it would be a good time to revisit our lists and update them for 2026.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and the need to get serious
08:27 - Are we impacting the culture?
24:40 - Uniting the highly divided generations
37:08 - Plugged-in leadership
47:47 - The lack of decisive leadership
54:21 - Honorable mentions and previewing part 2

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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We discuss perhaps the one facet of Sunday church life we have yet to cover: the Bible class.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
04:04 - The history of Sunday School
10:03 - The pros and cons of age-segregated classes
18:21 - When do youths need to graduate? Can women teach a baptized boy?
26:16 - How can we maximize the usefulness of kids' classes?
33:38 - What is the best format for adult Bible classes?
43:12 - How can you get more out of a class as a listener - even if it's dry?
50:19 - Should any...

Old friends Titus Anderson and Daniel Mayfield join Jack for a discussion on 6 different interpretive approaches you can use when studying your Bible!

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro, and reading vs. studying
05:41 - The Bible as storybook
13:48 - The Bible as "true myth"
20:16 - "Love letter" vs. Rule book
42:46 - Zooming in (exegesis) vs. zooming out (typology)
55:40 - Practical tips for using these approaches in your Bible time

With Jack Wilkie, Titus Anderson, and Daniel Mayfield

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We begin 2026 with a look at an issue that is rapidly becoming one of the most important of the decade.

Across religious, political, and generational lines, views on Israel and the Jewish faith and people are wildly misaligned. We discuss the lay of the land, what is out of bounds, and how to entertain these difficult conversations.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and statistics
05:44 - Kanye, October 7, and how we got here
09:34 - Generational and religious differences
15:03 - The complicated relationship between Judaism and Christianity
27:38 - 5 major views within churches
40:58...

We discuss the allegations of mass fraud perpetrated by Somalians running government-funded day cares in Minnesota and other states.

Tune in Monday for the full episode of Think Deeper: Israel, Judaism, and "Jewish Influence"

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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We recap the year that was and count down our top 10 storylines, touching on topics such as Charlie Kirk, Israel, the new pope, youth culture (6-7!), sports betting, and more.

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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We discuss the hot controversy regarding whether parents should tell their kids about Santa Claus.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro, and why we're doing an episode on the topic
05:30 - History of St. Nicholas and Santa Claus
08:52 - Is it a lie?
27:32 - Taking it too far: making Santa God, and manipulating behavior
37:40 - Taking it too far: parents overdoing it
49:16 - Romans 14 and disagreeing charitably

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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"We don't go to church, we ARE the church."

Well, kind of. On this episode, the crew discusses whether the church is the people who go there, the institution, or something in between.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Introducing the question
06:58 - Is the church just the people?
11:32 - "It's not an organization, it's an organism" - true or false?
16:25 - The church requires purpose
31:25 - The community church to Catholic church pendulum
36:54 - The house church question
42:22 - When church leadership goes wrong, and when to leave a church<...

It's suddenly a hot debate as to whether it's wrong for parents to tell their kids Santa Claus is real. In this Think Fast, we give our takes and discuss why it's a controversy when it seemingly wasn't before.

Tune in on Monday for the full episode, 'What is the Church?'

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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Joe and Will interview Jack about his new book, You Are Saved: The Christian's Assurance.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and announcing Jack's book
05:05 - Why write a book on assurance of salvation?
13:00 - The problem of legalism
20:24 - How lacking assurance keeps us from spiritual maturity
26:10 - Why focusing on doctrinal differences keeps us insecure
35:32 - The problem of overreacting to "faith alone" and cheap grace
41:34 - Do we have a "personal relationship" with God? Does the Holy Spirit indwell us?
45:28 - How can we avoid having a false...

It's our 200th episode! We got together for a wide-ranging discussion across the spectrum of personal, spiritual, work, and more.

Topics include:

- Best marriage improvement books
- Most impactful books
- Christians and Harry Potter
- Where the feminist movement stands today
- Avoiding hypocrisy in leadership
- The proper place of sports, movies, and other hobbies
- Finding time for silence
- The importance of financial discipline
- What Joe would change about therapy world
- Navigating family boundaries, holiday edition
- Dealing...