Resident Strangers

"'He who has seen Me has seen the Father.'" John 14:9

Last week, the conversation centered on who Jesus is. This week, Steve, Rich, and Sarah explore some of the most common objections people have to Him. One of the biggest is the idea that Jesus was simply a good moral teacher, not God or anyone particularly special beyond His good works. He’s often grouped alongside other religious leaders and teachers, but Christianity makes a much bigger claim: Jesus is God.

Jesus faced criticism even during His time on earth, but His words and wo...

Who is Jesus? And perhaps more importantly, who is Jesus to you?

Sarah kicks off this episode with two questions that lead the crew into a rich conversation about the identity of Jesus. With the holidays approaching, people are often more open to spiritual conversations, making this the perfect time to ask one of the most important questions we can ever consider: Who is Jesus?

Rich takes us to the Gospel of John, where John makes his purpose clear: that we would know Jesus as the Christ, believe in Him, and receive eternal life through...

What is God's will for our lives? It's a big question, and one that many of us have wrestled with. But is it a question we can ever fully answer?

On this week's episode of Resident Strangers, the crew shares personal experiences with discerning God's will and digs into what Scripture has to say. While the Bible may not tell us which house to buy or which job to take, it does give us clear guidance for how to live. From the good works we're created for in Ephesians 2 to the call to purity in 1 Thessalonians 4, God...

This week's episode begins with an age-old question that continues to shape conversations today: Who is God?

The answer may seem straightforward, but what people believe about God can radically change how they understand Him. Many have created their own version of God based on personal experiences, cultural influences, or individual beliefs. But God is far more than a benevolent grandfather figure in the sky. In fact, that limited understanding can become especially dangerous when we face inevitable seasons of suffering.

So how do we know who God really is?

Scripture makes it...

Rich kicks off this week’s conversation by tying up a few loose ends from last week’s discussion on the Bible, specifically how Scripture was originally recorded and preserved.

When the Bible was first written, everything was recorded by hand. Moses wrote Genesis, John wrote the Gospel of John, Paul wrote Ephesians, and so on. Initially, these writings existed as individual manuscripts, but as people recognized them as God-inspired, they understood the importance of preserving and sharing them. That meant making copies by hand, a process that naturally introduced the possibility of small human errors.

So...

Why is the Bible so important? And what does it actually mean to say that Scripture is the Word of God?

This week, Steve, Rich, and Sarah dive into why Scripture is the foundation for theology and one of the most important ways we come to know God. Creation reveals incredible things about God’s character and greatness, but there is a limit to what we can learn from nature alone. Scripture gives us something more.

The Bible is a collection of 66 books, written by more than 40 authors over roughly 1,500 years and yet, it consistently re...

August marked three years of the Resident Strangers podcast! To kick things off, Steve, Rich, and Sarah take a little time to reminisce about how the podcast started, what they’ve learned along the way, and even how Sarah fumbled through the first few recordings after having quite a bit of dental work done. 😂

From there, we go back to one of the reasons this podcast exists in the first place: theology. What is it, and why should Christians care about it?

Theology is the study of God and the things of God. Rich makes the b...

What if your family was designed to be one of the primary places where your children learn what it looks like to follow Jesus?

This week, we continue our conversation on family by looking at the biblical role of parents as the first and primary disciplers of their children. Steve takes us to Deuteronomy 6 and explores how God intended faith to be woven into the everyday rhythms of family life, not simply something reserved for Sundays.

We talk about the idea that faith is often caught more than it is taught, why discipleship of children...

What is God’s design for family? And is there a purpose behind it?

Steve starts by making one thing clear: marriage and family are not human constructs; they are God’s intentional design. Genesis 1 gives us the overarching picture of creation, telling us that God created humanity, male and female, in His image. Then Genesis 2 zooms in, showing that men and women were created with distinct purposes and designed to work together.

Scripture is clear that marriage is one of the most significant relationships we have, and from marriage comes family. Sarah points out that...

What comes first: truth or feelings? This week’s conversation picks up where last week’s left off as Rich, Sarah, and Steve continue their discussion on transgenderism and gender confusion.

Rich begins by emphasizing the importance of truly listening when someone shares the feelings they are experiencing surrounding their gender. Listening and acknowledging that someone is struggling does not mean affirming every feeling they have, but it is an important part of having meaningful and compassionate conversations. Sarah echoes this point, sharing that if we focus too harshly on telling someone that their feelings are not trut...

Is sex purely biological? Is gender a feeling? Today begins a conversation on transgenderism. Steve, Rich, and Sarah reflect on when they first became aware of this issue and how dramatically the conversation has shifted in our culture.

In Genesis, we see that God created humanity in His image, intentionally creating humans as male and female. While biology and procreation are part of God’s design, Scripture also highlights the relational union between men and women. The roles of men and women may vary across cultures and throughout history, but that does not change the reality of ma...

There are seasons when you're one of the people carrying the stretcher, and there are seasons when you're the one on it. Both are a part of following Jesus.

So, what do we do when we're the one on the stretcher? It's something many of us don't like to think about, but needing help is an inevitable part of life. As Christians, it can often feel more natural to turn toward others and offer help than to humble ourselves and receive it.

That's what Steve, Rich, and Sarah are talking about this week. Steve candidly...

“Everything happens for a reason.” Is that actually true?

This week, the conversation on suffering continues as Steve, Rich, and Sarah share personal experiences of being comforted and supported in the midst of suffering. Rich emphatically reminds us that when we belong to Christ, we are designed to be in Christ together.

Steve points to 2 Corinthians 1, where Paul describes the cycle of experiencing affliction and then using what we’ve received from God to comfort others in their suffering. It all comes back to finding true comfort and healing in Christ. God’s grace is sufficie...

There’s a massive misunderstanding in America about what the Bible actually says about Christians and suffering. Over the next three weeks, Steve, Rich, and Sarah are diving into this difficult but important topic.

Steve begins by addressing a belief many Christians hold tightly to: that walking with Jesus means life will always, always, always be great and that hardship and suffering won't be part of the Christian experience. Much of this thinking is rooted in the prosperity gospel. While following Jesus is absolutely the best way to live, it doesn’t mean Christians are exempt from the...

Steve, Rich, and Sarah are back from their two-week summer break and ready to jump into the fall! 

Today, they’re tackling a topic that can feel a little murky, even for Christians: witchcraft and the occult. While it may seem like something from the fringes of culture, witchcraft and practices like astrology and tarot have become increasingly common, with some people even incorporating them into their personal identity.

The Bible is very clear in its warnings against witchcraft and the occult, describing these practices as something that can slowly draw people in. Steve points out...

This week on Resident Strangers, Sarah asks Steve and Rich to tackle the topic of modern-day prophecy.

Defining prophecy isn't always as straightforward as it seems, even in Scripture. Before diving in, the crew makes it clear that they are not cessationists; they believe the spiritual gifts did not cease after the New Testament.

Throughout the Bible, prophecy takes different forms. Sometimes it's the foretelling of future events, like the prophecies fulfilled in Christ's birth or the visions of Revelation. Other times, it involves God revealing something that was previously hidden. Today, many people also...

This episode wraps up our summer series, What Does the Bible Say About ___?, as we conclude our discussion on Christians and Israel.

Rich kicks things off with two important questions, one theological and one following up on something Steve mentioned: Is the modern nation-state of Israel the same Israel that God made promises to throughout Scripture? And is dispensationalism something Christians should hold to?

As the conversation unfolds, Sarah touches on our natural desire to belong and be part of something bigger than ourselves. While there's nothing inherently wrong with that, it becomes a problem...

Even more so than when we first covered this topic over a year ago, this week's conversation is a timely and weighty one. In the final topic of our What Does the Bible Say About ____? series, Steve, Rich, and Sarah discuss what the Bible says about Christians and Israel.

This is a complex topic because it touches theology, history, politics, and current events. One of the biggest challenges is that people often use the word Israel to mean very different things. Are they referring to the Jewish people? The modern nation of Israel? Its government? Or some...

Before continuing last week's conversation, Steve, Rich, and Sarah take a few minutes to share favorite Fourth of July memories and reflect on America's upcoming 250th anniversary.

Picking up where they left off, the team revisits the topic of Christian nationalism. Steve offers this definition: a political and ideological movement that seeks to closely fuse Christianity with national identity, government, and public life. The conversation explores why America's founders did not clearly establish the nation as officially Christian and how their desire for religious freedom may have shaped that decision.

The crew emphasizes that while...

Summer is in full swing, and this week’s episode of What Does the Bible Say About ___? tackles a timely and sensitive topic: Christian nationalism.

Steve notes that over the past decade, this issue has drawn some of the strongest criticism from all sides, and even the term itself tends to create division. Sarah shares that it’s especially personal for her, as her college experience at a Christian university was significantly shaped by this conversation.

As the discussion begins, Steve reminds us that Christianity must be able to speak across every culture, country, and era...

The word toxic has become a cultural buzzword, especially when conversations turn to masculinity and increasingly, femininity as well.

This week on Resident Strangers, the discussion continues as Steve, Rich, and Sarah explore what the Bible says about masculinity and femininity. Rich points out that even some of the men and women we encounter in Scripture aren't always intended to be models for us to follow. Understanding the difference between passages that are descriptive and those that are prescriptive is essential.

When the topic of "toxic" gender roles comes up, Steve suggests a more helpful...

The summer series What Does the Bible Say About ______? continues this week as the crew dives into the topic of masculinity and femininity. When Desert Springs chose this topic for a sermon series in January, Steve admitted he was unsure what people specifically wanted to know. There was just a strong sense that it needed to be discussed.

The conversation begins in Genesis 1 and 2, where God created humanity. Male and female were both made in God’s image, uniquely designed to reflect Him. Rich explains that while God is not biological, our maleness and femaleness are part of...

This week, Steve, Rich, and Sarah continue last week’s conversation on what the Bible says about suicide. Early in the discussion, they address a difficult and often-asked question: If a Christian dies by suicide, do they still go to heaven?

To explore this, Steve references several accounts in Scripture involving suicide and briefly touches on some Catholic perspectives that have historically viewed suicide as a mortal sin. Ultimately, though, he brings the conversation back to the central question of how someone enters heaven in the first place. As Rich reminds listeners, eternity is not determined by in...

This week, a new mini-series begins on Resident Strangers. Over the next eight weeks, Steve, Rich, and Sarah will explore some of the most searched and challenging topics people are asking about online, approaching each one through the lens of Scripture. Each topic will be covered over two weeks, and our hope is that this series will both encourage and challenge us as we head into the summer.

To begin, the team tackles a difficult and deeply sensitive subject: suicide. Steve, Rich, and Sarah approach this conversation with great care, recognizing the weight and complexity surrounding it...

To kick off this week’s conversation, Sarah asks returning guest Trevor Schalow what first sparked his interest in studying topics like the Nephilim. Trevor shares how experiences his older brother had growing up in Show Low, Arizona revealed to him that many Christians don’t know how to process paranormal or supernatural experiences. Because these topics can feel unsettling or strange, believers often avoid engaging with them altogether or overlook the supernatural depth woven throughout Scripture.

As the conversation continues, Steve reflects on his experience as a pastor and how hesitant many people are to wrestle with...

Special guest Trevor Schalow joins Steve and Sarah for a conversation you won’t want to miss as they dive into the mysterious topic of the Nephilim. This is a subject that’s been gaining a lot of traction in today’s culture. While the discussion is fascinating, Steve makes it clear from the start: this isn’t a “line in the sand” theological issue. Faithful believers have landed in different places on this, and the goal is to explore, not divide.

Before jumping in, Trevor shares his heart behind studying topics like this. Rather than being a distractio...

Was the apostle Paul the first to deal with something like cancel culture? The idea of “canceling” people has exploded, especially online over the last decade but it’s not entirely new. As Steve, Rich, and Sarah talk it through, Steve points to Paul addressing public correction, particularly when it comes to elders. But even that looked very different back then as the “public” was much smaller and more local. Today, things can spiral far beyond the local church, especially when well-known pastors or leaders are called out on a large scale.

Steve notes that applying biblical instructio...

Some things in Scripture are clear and non-negotiable. Others aren’t directly addressed and can feel more open-ended. Have you ever had a friend feel strongly about an issue that didn’t seem like a big deal to you, especially in your faith?

The Bible gives clear direction on many things, but some areas can be harder to sort through. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, we’re reminded: “whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.” Tension often comes when a personal conviction, something between someone and the Lord. gets applied to everyone e...

This week, we continue the conversation from our previous episode on Sodom and Gomorrah. Rich opens with a powerful reminder from 1 Corinthians: “Bad company corrupts good character.” The truth is, what we surround ourselves with shapes us, often more than we realize. That reality is clearly seen in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and becomes a key theme in today's discussion.

From there, we explore what it looks like to thoughtfully and faithfully engage with the world, even in its most broken places. Sarah reflects on something her high school teacher used to say: “There’s nothing...

Are there stories in the Bible that feel strange, unsettling, or even a little uncomfortable?

This week, Steve, Rich, and Sarah dive into one of the most infamous accounts in the Old Testament: Sodom and Gomorrah. Sarah jokingly notes that this story didn’t quite make it into her son’s storybook Bible and for those familiar with it, that probably comes as no surprise.

Rich walks through the narrative, carefully outlining the events found in Genesis 18–19, while Steve adds helpful historical and cultural context along the way. One key insight Rich highlights is that God wa...

What would it take to convince your own siblings that you are God?

Robby Lashua is back in the studio with Sarah and Steve for a special Easter episode. With his background in apologetics, Robby brings a compelling and thoughtful perspective on the resurrection. From the empty tomb and the transformed lives of the disciples to the historical reality of the crucifixion and Paul’s dramatic conversion, the evidence points powerfully to the risen Christ.

But one often-overlooked piece of the story is the conversion of Jesus’ own brothers. During His ministry, they didn’t believ...

This week, the conversation around missions continues as Steve, Rich, and Sarah take a deeper look at what mission work really looks like and what it truly requires. Sarah opens up about a decision she faced early in her college years, wrestling with whether she was called to commit to full-time missions. Steve reflects on how, in the past, becoming a missionary meant a complete surrender of your life, and how remarkable it is that so many made that decision at such a young age. Rich adds that today’s ease of travel has dramatically expanded opportunities for mission wo...

The Resident Strangers crew is back from spring break and excited to jump back into conversations on topics that matter today! Over the next two weeks, Steve, Rich, and Sarah will be talking about missions.

Rich kicks things off with an important question: Why should followers of Christ engage in mission work at all? The answer becomes clear when we look at the Great Commission: Jesus’ final instruction to His followers to go into the world and make disciples.

Steve quickly points out that missions isn’t limited to being “somewhere overseas.” Every follower of Christ i...

Steve is back this week as the Resident Strangers crew wraps up their final conversation on Mormonism (for now 😉). They take time to respond to listener questions like: Why not host a debate with a practicing Mormon? And why can’t people just choose whatever they want to believe?

You’ll also hear Steve share his reflections on the series and offer practical ways believers can take what they’ve learned and live it out in everyday life.

We hope this mini-series has been both insightful and encouraging as you think about how to engage with Morm...

You don’t have to travel across the world to encounter worldviews that challenge Christianity. You can find them right in your own community.

Sarah and Rich sit down again with special guest Robby Lashua, and he kicks things off by sharing why he’s so passionate about apologetics today. As a young boy, Robby wrestled deeply with questions about faith, and one truth shaped his journey: if God is real, He’s big enough to be examined and questioned.

This week, Robby helps unpack what Mormons believe about God and Jesus and why those belief...

Are Christians and Mormons essentially the same? Robby Lashua joins Sarah and Rich for a focused and insightful conversation on Mormonism. Robby, a longtime friend with a background in apologetics and the Lead Pastor of Palmcroft Church in Phoenix, brings years of knowledge and firsthand experience from living in a region where interactions with Mormons are common.

As Mormonism becomes more visible in culture through media, politics, and social platforms it can seem like Mormons and Christians believe the same things, especially since similar language is often used. But as Robby explains, while there may be moral...

Last week, Steve and Rich clarified which parts of Scripture are considered doctrine. This week, they explore what it looks like when a follower of Christ feels convicted to observe Old Hebrew practices. Steve introduces this as the Hebrew Roots Movement, which teaches that modern Christianity has drifted from Jesus’ original teachings and that the Torah should be restored to prominence. This can include rejecting Christian holidays, observing ceremonial laws, and using original Hebrew names for God.

They note that many drawn to this movement are seeking deeper meaning or “greater knowledge,” especially in response to areas where...

Many Christians don’t have a parapet on their roof does that mean they aren’t following God’s leading for daily life? Questions like this highlight a larger conversation about how Scripture should be interpreted. One way this tension shows up is in how some people latch onto specific teachings, particularly from the Old Testament, and apply them directly to modern life. 

In this conversation, Rich and Steve explore how to discern what should be considered binding doctrine within Scripture. Steve begins by affirming that the Bible is fully God’s Word; while also clarifying that not every...

This week’s episode continues last week’s conversation by asking how a God who shows wrath can also show such deep grace between the Old and New Testament. Steve challenges the idea that the Old and New Testaments present different versions of God, noting that both wrath and grace are found in each. One key difference is focus. The New Testament centers on individuals and how they are called to live like Christ, while the Old Testament often addresses nations as a whole. Comparing the two isn’t always fair, since God may call nations and individuals to very d...

It’s Tuesday again, which means a new episode of Resident Strangers is here! This week is exciting as the crew begins digging into listener-submitted questions and suggestions. Over the next two episodes, we’re diving into a big one: Is the God of the Old Testament different from the God of the New Testament? Some see stark differences between the two, while others believe God has always been the same.

Steve points out that this question isn’t new as it goes back centuries. Rich helps unpack the historical context, showing how these early debates emerged not lo...