The Holy Post

Phil starts off the podcast by recounting his recent trip to a children's ministry conference, and singing a song he wrote for the occasion. The crew talks about a viral news story featuring Pat Robertson, before bringing in this week's guest - Phil's mom! Scottie May has her Ph.D in Christian Education, and teaches in the Christian formation ministry department at Wheaton College where she specializes in children's ministry. They discuss VBS, how to creatively engage children, attention spans, and how to be more reflective in worship. Scottie May is an associate professor of Christian Formation and Ministry at Wheaton College. She has her Ph.D in Christian Education from Trinitey Evangelical Divinity School. Scottie's area of interest and expertise is children's ministry, and she has co-authored 3 books.

Phil announces the launch of the all new JellyTelly, and the crew discusses the Golden Globes, euthanasia and gun control. They talk about Louie Giglio's invitation to pray at President Obama's inauguration, why he withdrew from the event, and then the gay rights movement. Are Christians becoming an oppressed minority?

In this week's Phil Vischer Podcast, Skye introduces his new book Futureville. They discuss the current conflict between Hobby Lobby and the new contraception mandate, which leads to a conversation about the role of government and civil disobedience. They talk about the "controversy" around the Neil Patrick Harris ad for the Super Bowl, and then a petition to designate the Roman Catholic Church a hate group. The podcast ends with a discussion about whether or not our churches, Christian radio, and Christian entertainment have become too "family friendly" and paint an unrealistic portrait of faith.

In this week's Phil Vischer Podcast, Phil, Skye and Christian discuss the fiscal cliff and the current political environment in the US. This leads to a conversation about the end times and interpreting the Scriptures based on our cultural context. Everyone gives their predictions for what will happen in 2013 - some of which are more serious than others! They end with a conversation on the Gospel and how we can engage with it more.

In the first Phil Vischer Podcast of 2013, Rob Vischer joins the crew to discuss Catholicism, the new "Queen James Bible" and the Boy Scouts. They also discuss the political tensions within the Catholic Church, and the changing tones of some Catholic and some Evangelical groups toward homosexuality.

In a special episode, Phil discusses the events in Connecticut last week in the light of Christmas next week, and explains how the tragedy illuminates what even Christians have lost from the Christian narrative, and from Christmas itself.

The product placement bell gets a name on this week’s Phil Vischer Podcast, and Phil, Skye and Christian explain how they all know each other! Plus: atheist comic strips and a new Christian “sexy” t-shirt company?! AND Phil debuts a new segment called “Phil has a bone to pick!” ...all of this and more on the podcast!

**SPOILER: This podcast contains a discussion of Santa Claus, and therefore may not be appropriate for children.** This week’s podcast opens up with a discussion of pink legos, and whether or not churches should encourage belief in Santa Claus. Then Phil and the gang talk about consumerism vs. consuming, and how many churches have a tendency to commodify the Gospel.

Phil, Skye and Christian discuss the latest from Pat Robertson and recent lashback about his show from Two and a Half Men star Angus T. Jones (who became a Seventh-Day Adventist!). Plus Phil reviews of Rise of the Guardians and the gang talks about criticism surrounding VeggieTales teaching morality more than Christianity.

The phenomenon of Black Friday! Has Thanksgiving been "erased" by modern media? And why has Santa Claus become the spokesman for Christmas? Phil, Skye and Christian answer these questions AND discuss a TED talk entitled "The Demise of Guys" about media's effect on the development of men.

Happy Anniversary! James Bond is 50, and so are the Rolling Stones! A conversation about whether or not the gang should address politics on the podcast turns into a thoughtful discussion about the relationship between Christians and democracy surrounding abortion and other issues. This week on the podcast!

A throwback podcast! Recorded over the summer with filmmaker Darren Wilson, founder of Wanderlust Productions, the gang discusses old news items - from a Lady Gaga incident to Skye's interview with President Obama’s spiritual advisor! PLUS Darren shares some of his supernatural experiences that have inspired his documentary films.

Phil and Skye discuss the perils of career sports, Phil reveals his choice to direct Star Wars 7, and after a conversation about Hurricane Sandy, Phil and Skye debunk the idea that natural disasters are God’s punishment on mankind. PLUS Billy Graham removes Mormonism from his list of cults?!

This week's podcast kicks off with a discussion on dragons, followed by Skye's take on Halloween! Can it be used for good? AND other news predicts satellite-driven mega-churches are the future of the church... Can it be true? Listen to find out!

Skye shares his thoughts after returning from the Global Church Forum and then the guys answer listener questions - ranging from religion vs. relationship to science vs. creation! PLUS a discussion around a recent Pew study that says America is less than 50% Protestant Christian for the first time in history. This week on the podcast!

Phil hosts the podcast by himself this week with special guest singer-songwriter Andrew Peterson! They discuss the path of Andrew's career, as well as his latest album, Light for the Lost Boy, his novels, and his online storytelling community The Rabbit Room.

BusinessWeek names the 50 best cities in the America! How does a city garner the title? And what's all the fuss about stay-at-home dads? The crew discusses this and more before Phil interviews film producer Todd Komarnicki of acclaimed Elf fame about his experience as a Christian in Hollywood. This week on the podcast!

Phil and Skye share conference experiences, singer-songwriters wear spacesuits, and What's in the Bible becomes a best-seller! AND the latest photos from the Hubble Telescope set off another discussion on faith, science, and atheism! Whoopee!

Free Speech + Faith = Riots? Will Science eliminate God? These questions PLUS a conversation about the portrayal Christians in Hollywood and the history of Christian art... this week on the podcast!

Phil and Skye invite author Amy Black on the show to discuss her new book, Honoring God in Red or Blue! Before diving into the history of Christianity and Politics in the US, the crew shares their thoughts on Paranorman, the Real Life of Timothy Green, and more! This week on the podcast!

Phil and the gang discuss a new book that suggests finding “the one thing” you are meant to do or “the one person” you are supposed to marry! Then they move on to the historical belief some Christians hold that America has a special covenant with God! After discussing "the one" and American History, Dr. John Walton, an Old Testament scholar and professor at Wheaton College, joins the crew to talk about his books The Bible Story Handbook and The Lost World of Genesis One.

The show gets off to a Reggae-tastic start with a special appearance. Then the crew discusses a follow up question to the podcast with Rob Vischer – do we live in a country with freedom from religion rather than freedom of religion? This leads into a conversation about the often antagonistic relationships between atheists and Christians, and why Christians often don’t show grace to those who do not share their beliefs. Phil asks Skye about Heaven and whether or not we will “go to Heaven” or if Heaven will come to Earth.

Can worship be addicting? The gang discusses why we need both corporate worship and individual communion. How do different cultures define vices and virtues? Brandon O'Brien joins the show to talk about our contextual biases in reading scripture - the subject of his upcoming book Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes.

This week’s podcast opens up with a special guest – Sunday School Lady from What’s in the Bible? – talking about the end of the Olympics. Phil, Skye and Christian talk about Bill Gates’ initiative to invent the toilet of the future, the search for other intelligent life in space, and about the new billboards from the American Atheists for the upcoming political conventions.

Live this week from Arnold’s Park, Iowa! Phil’s brother, Rob, joins the crew at the Bible conference their grandfather founded. Rob and the gang discuss Chick-Fil-A, Wheaton College's lawsuit against the federal government, and anti-Sharia laws being debated across the country.

How does our society associate brands with personal identity? After discussing Chick-Fil-A and dreaming about Epcot, guest Scott Olson, CEO of International Teams, joins the crew to talk about the changing face of world missions and social justice.

After Phil’s trip to the International Christian Retail Show, the gang discusses the current state of Christian retail. Moving on to current events, they touch on the tragic shooting in Aurora, Colorado and NCAA punishments for Penn State. Lastly, the crew responds to listeners' questions about dreams and calling!

Listen to Phil’s first solo podcast – a monologue on the origins of the universe. Phil explains his lifelong interest in the interpretation Genesis 1 and creation.

What is the difference between following our dreams and God's dreams? Why do so many Christians fear insignificance? And how does that affect our idolatry of dreams? The gang discusses these questions and Phil responds to criticism about his ukulele in this episode of podcast! Don't miss it!

Phil and Skye talk about drive-in movies and young America’s fading love affair with cars. Phil is perplexed with PETA and they have a rich conversation around science and faith. This one is not to be missed!

Phil Vischer, Skye Jethani and Christian Taylor talk about Christian tomatoes, TV theme songs and gender roles in movies.

This week's special guest on the Phil Vischer Podcast is Os Guinness! Os Guinness is an author, a social critic, and Senior Fellow of the EastWest Institute in New York. Great-great grandson of Arthur Guinness, the Dublin brewer, he was born in China in World War Two where his parents were medical missionaries. A witness to the climax of the Chinese revolution in 1949, he was expelled with many other foreigners in 1951 and returned to Europe where he was educated in England. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of London and his D.Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College, Oxford. Os has written or edited more than twenty five books, including The American Hour, Time for Truth, The Call, Invitation to the Classics, Long Journey Home, and Unspeakable: Facing up to the challenge of evil. His latest book The Case for Civility – and why our future depends on it was published by Harper One in January 2008. Previously, Os was a freelance reporter with the BBC. Since coming to the United States in 1984, he has been a Guest Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies and a Guest Scholar and Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution. From 1986 to 1989, Os served as Executive Director of the Williamsburg Charter Foundation, a bicentennial celebration of the First Amendment. In this position he helped to draft the Williamsburg Charter and co-authored the public school curriculum Living With Our Deepest Differences. From 1991 to 2004 he was a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, and a frequent speaker and seminar leader at political and business conferences in both the United States and Europe. As a European visitor to this country and a great admirer but detached observer of American culture today, he stands in the long tradition of outside voices who have contributed so much to America’s ongoing discussion about the state of the union. He lives with his wife Jenny in McLean, Virginia.

Join The Phil Vischer Podcast crew as they spend the afternoon with NY Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas (Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy). Eric Metaxas is the author of the New York Times #1 bestseller, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, which was named “Book of the Year” by the ECPA. Bonhoeffer also won the 2011 John C. Pollock Award for Biography awarded by Beeson Divinity School and a 2011 Christopher Award in the Non-fiction category. Called a “biography of uncommon power,” Bonhoeffer appeared on numerous 2010 “Best of the Year” lists and was featured in the Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, The New Republic, Harper’s, Kirkus (starred review), NPR, FoxNews, C-SPAN’s Book TV, Christianity Today, The Weekly Standard, and First Things. Metaxas was the keynote speaker at the 2012 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC, an event attended by the President and First Lady, the Vice President, members of Congress, and other U.S. and world leaders. Previous keynote speakers have included Mother Theresa, Bono, and Tony Blair. Metaxas is currently the voice of Breakpoint, a radio commentary that is broadcast on 400 stations with an audience of eight million. In 2011, Metaxas was the 17th recipient of the Canterbury Medal awarded by the Becket Fund for Religious Freedom. Previous medalists include Mitt Romney and Elie Wiesel. You can follow Eric on twitter @ericmetaxas

In Episode 3 of The Phil Vischer Podcast, the crew discusses pop culture and Lady Gaga before interviewing Wake Forest biophysicist Jed Macosko. Listen here or download from iTunes. Jed Macosko is a leading physicist at Wake Forest University whose dedication to making science more appealing to middle-schoolers and masters’ candidates alike has been celebrated by other scholars and the White House. With research interests spanning biophysics, thermodynamics and drug discovery, Macosko helped develop a video game that teaches middle school students advanced cellular science, and more importantly, how to love it.

Phil Vischer and Skye Jethani talk about The Avengers and movie making, discuss religious protest art and how to relate to atheists, and why it is important to read the Bible as more than just a guide for morality.

The inaugural episode of The Phil Vischer Podcast! Phil Vischer and Skye Jethani are your hosts for a fast-paced and often funny conversation about pop culture, media, theology and the fun, fun, fun of living a thoughtful Christian life in an increasingly post-Christian culture. The podcast is also available on iTunes. Let us know what you think!