The Alisa Childers Podcast

Holly Pivec and Dr. Doug Geivett join the podcast to talk about their provocative new book outlining the teachings of Bethel Redding, the existence of the New Apostolic Reformation movement, and the influence the movement has on the broader church through its wildly popular worship music. In this episode, Alisa publicly changes her position on singing Bethel songs in church.

In a social media landscape filled with deconstruction stories, here are two encouraging stories of people coming to faith in Christ. Michael Ray Lewis was an atheist who came to faith in Christ after investigating the evidence. He’s now making a documentary about it! Eliza did not grow up Christian, but heard the gospel after a campus ministry reached out to her. Listen as they share their faith journeys.

Natasha Crain joins the podcast today to discuss some common values and beliefs that unite progressive Christians. We use the popular book, If God is Love, Don’t be a Jerk, by John Pavlovitz, a progressive Christian blogger, author, and speaker. This episode is not a book review, but rather, a case study in popular ways progressive Christians define words, identify their key beliefs, and live out their values. We walk through how to apply critical thinking and biblical truth to respond to these ideas.

Dr. Jeff Myers of Summit Ministries joins the podcast to talk about his new book, Truth Changes Everything. He shares examples of how quirky and determined Christian figures throughout history led the way in human dignity, science, art, medicine, education, politics, justice, and even the idea of meaningful work. He also discusses practical examples of how to engage a post-truth culture with the truth of the gospel.

In this special LIVE episode of The Alisa Childers Podcast, Dr. Travis Dickinson, Professor of Philosophy at Dallas Baptist University, joined us for another installment of our ask the Professor series. We covered questions such as: Why isn’t God more Obvious? Why did God kill David’s son when the Old Testament says children aren’t to be punished for the sins of their fathers? What does it mean to say Jesus is the word? How can I overcome the existential fear of living forever? What are some good resources to study the cultural background of the Bible? If Jesus is God, why does the Bible say he didn’t know the date of his return?

A recent study concluded that many Evangelical Christians hold some pretty unbiblical beliefs. About half believe that God changes, half believe that God accepts worship from other religions, and over half believe that humans are born innocent. Dr. Jeremiah Johnston joins the podcast today to unpack these beliefs and several more, including Evangelical beliefs about church membership, the nature of Jesus, sexuality, and the Bible. We talk through what Americans actually believe, how these beliefs affect the gospel, and then we talk through some key Scriptures. Plus, Dr. Johnston gives us an update on the curse tablet found at Mt. Ebal!

Author Rachel Norman joins me to talk about how Christians can have a biblical and balanced view of putting others first while taking care of ourselves. Should we just practice more “self-care” and put our happiness first? Or should Christians take care of themselves so that they have the energy to help others? Rachel has a popular blog for Christian moms but has so much wisdom to offer Christians in general. Her new book, If Mama Ain’t Happy comes out Oct. 18th.

From the invention of writing to the canon of the Old and New Testaments, the best-selling book of all time, the Bible, has a very interesting history. Who were the scribes who copied the manuscripts? How many manuscripts do we have? When was the Bible canonized? What are some misunderstandings people have about how we got the Bible? Today, Dr. John Mead and Dr. Peter Gurry of the Text and Canon Institute at Phoenix seminary join the podcast to share the amazing story of how we got the Bible and dispel some common rumors.

Kyle Thompson from the Undaunted Life Podcast joins to talk about the concepts of masculinity and femininity. Are manhood and womanhood simply social constructs or are there innate differences between men and women that are God-ordained and good? Kyle discusses pornography, abortion, modern feminism, toxic masculinity, gender roles, and much more!

This is the episode I’ve wanted to record since starting my podcast in 2017! When we talk about “historic Christianity,” what do we mean? Was early Christianity so theologically diverse that we can’t know what the earliest Christians believed? Historian and New Testament scholar Dr. Gary Habermas joins me to talk about the earliest Christian creeds that predate the New Testament by decades. We discuss the gospel as understood in the first century, as well as the deity of Jesus’ being affirmed by the earliest followers of Christ.

Greg Koukl joins the podcast live from the Cross Examined Instructor Academy to talk about Postmodernism, Relativism, and subjective truth claims. Greg explains how Relativism fails to explain reality, refutes itself, and wrecks lives. Living lives firmly planted on the truth of God's Word comes with a cost in today's culture, but will ultimately set us free.

Christianity stands or falls based on the resurrection of Jesus being a real event in history. The Apostle Paul said that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is in vain. But 2,000 years later, do we have actual evidence for this event or is it something Christians simply have to take on faith? Historian and New Testament scholar Dr. Gary Habermas is considered one of the foremost scholars on the resurrection of Jesus and he joins me to talk about the facts surrounding the resurrection that virtually all scholars, from the most liberal to the most conservative, agree on. He shares his “minimal facts” approach, and gives every Christian practical ways to share this evidence with their friends.

After years of partying, Bobby Conway got saved at a Greg Laurie crusade as a teenager. From there, he became an evangelist, telling virtually everyone he would meet about Jesus. After becoming a Pastor and pioneering a successful apologetics YouTube channel, he went through a dark time of doubt, only to end up in an alcohol relapse that would threaten his family and ministry. In today's episode, Bobby shares the intimate journey that led him to almost leave the faith, and the reasons he would not end up as another deconstruction story and could not turn his back on the Jesus who saved him.

Norm Geisler is one of the most prolific and influential scholars and apologists of our time. He went from not being able to read until he was seventeen years old to earning a PhD in Philosophy and founding two Seminaries. He authored, co-authored, or edited over 90 books, debated countless atheists, and became a force for defending the Christian worldview. He was also one of the most influential thinkers in my own life. In this special episode, I interview his son, David Geisler about the new documentary on Norm's life that showcases the heart, mind, and dedication of this fascinating man.

Many Christian parents feel overwhelmed by the constant messages of our culture which are telling our kids to follow their hearts, live their truth, and redefine sexuality and gender. In this episode, I’m joined by Brett and Erin Kunkle of Maven Ministries to help equip parents to train up their kids with a Christian worldview. They give practical tips on what to do if you feel like you’ve already blown it and it’s too late to start passing on the faith to your children. They also answer a question from a mom who brought her kids up in progressive Christianity but has now repented and trusted in Jesus as her Savior. How can she begin to undo the false ideas she taught her kids now that they are teenagers? Brett and Erin’s answer is so encouraging and will be such a blessing to every Christian parent who feels like they’ve it might be too late to begin laying a foundation of truth in their homes.

#162 Should Christians Rethink Original Sin? With Clay Jones by Alisa Childers

What we think about God affects what we think about everything else. Phylicia Masonheimer joins me to discuss how theology informs how we think about everything from politics to sex to sin struggles.

Beth Allison Barr's book "The Making of Biblical Womanhood" has become a best-seller in Christian circles and argues that complementarianism is linked with abuse. I invited my friend Dianna Williams from Southern Evangelical Seminary to review the book and talk about the difference between complementarianism and egalitarianism, and to share some agreements and disagreements with this popular book.

In 2019, an ancient curse tablet was found by archaeologists in Israel that is likely at least 3,200 years old. Scholars believe it may show the earliest Hebrew name for God. This calls into question the Documentary Hypothesis, which speculates that the first five books of the Bible were not written by Moses, but by various editors and authors. Dr. Jeremiah Johnston joins me to talk about what he thinks is the archaeological find of our lifetime.

On todays episode, I am joined by Dr. H.C. Felder, author of The African American’s Guide to the Bible, to discuss these questions and other hot-button topics as they relate to race and Christianity.

Can we trust the Old Testament? Is it an accurate record of history or simply a book written by people trying to understand God from their cultural perspectives? Kristen Davis joins me to talk about the reliability of the Old Testament, its archaeological support and historical accuracy.

Do Christians care about women? Do pro-lifers only care about making sure babies get born? Ginna Cross is a nurse sonographer and the Executive Director of 2 Pregnancy Medical Clinics in SE Wisconsin. Ginna and her husband Steve are the parents of 5 children and are licensed foster parents. They are passionate about caring for the most vulnerable and bringing the Kingdom of God to a broken and desperate world. If you have any questions about the pro-life position, join us for this special Q&A. Questions from all points of view are welcome!

Have you ever shared your pro-life view, only to be told something like: "pro-lifers are really just pro-birth!" Or "pro-lifers don't care about women, they just want to keep them from aborting their babies." Or "Christians don't care what happens to babies after they are born!"Recently, on the Cooper Stuff podcast, John Cooper interviewed Ginna Cross, the director of a pregnancy resource center in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She addressed these misconceptions with hard facts and data. I was so blown away by the insightful discussion that I reached out to John to ask if I could publish the episode to my podcast and he graciously gave permission.

Is it possible to start with Wonder Woman and end with the gospel? My guest, Frank Turek says yes— popular superhero movies point to the real superhero, Jesus. Frank and I had a fun conversation about his new book, Hollywood Heroes, and how popular movies can help start gospel conversations.

How do we engage pro-abortion arguments? How can Christians interact with pro-choice advocates on social media? Pro-life apologetics expert Scott Klusendorf joins me to answer the 6 most common objections to pro-life arguments.

In the second video of our 2 part series on politics, Os Guinness talks about how having a biblical worldview should make Christians actively engaged in politics.

Should Christians get involved in politics? In the first of a two-part series, Dr. Jeff Myers of Summit Ministries joins me to talk about how Christians should think biblically about public policy.

Over twenty years ago, Rosaria Butterfield was a tenured professor of English literature and women's studies at Syracuse University. Her primary academic field was critical theory specializing in queer theory. She lobbied for LGBT aims alongside her lesbian partner until she encountered Christ in what she described as a "train wreck" in 1999. She joins me on the podcast to share her razor sharp insights when it comes to biblical sexuality, identity, and repentance. Her academic background with a historical focus on 19th century literature informed my Marx, Darwin, and Freud has given her a unique understanding of how our culture has been influenced by these historical figures when it comes to sexuality and identity.

In the first installment of our 2 part series on biblical sexuality, Christopher Yuan joins me to talk about the controversy surrounding Side A Christianity vs. Side B Christianity, the Revoice Conference.

Frank Turek, author of the popular book, I Don\'t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist joined me via YouTube livestream to talk about the book, and take reader questions.

Is Universalism the opiate of the Theologians? Dr. Michael McClymond has written a two volume work on the history of Universalism and joins me to talk about why he believes this doctrine fails from a historical, theological, and philosophical perspective.

Is it possible to find meaning in suffering? This was a question philosopher Doug Groothuis had to grapple with not just from an intellectual standpoint as a seminary professor and author of a respected apologetics textbook. He had to wrestle through this question emotionally when his wife Becky was diagnosed with a rare form of dementia that would take her life. His insights are powerful and profound and ultimately put the goodness and sovereignty of God on display.

On November 18th, 1978, where over 900 men, women, and children were poisoned in a mass murder/suicide in South America under the prompting of cult leader Jim Jones. Jeremiah Roberts and Andrew Soncrant of the Cultish podcast join me to reveal some facts about Jonestown you may not have heard before, and talk about why Christians need to be aware of cults, and what we can learn from Jonestown.