The Russell Moore Show

As parents, some of the most difficult conversations we can have with children is about evil. It can often be challenging to know how to explain the reality of evil to children in a gospel-centered way. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on why it’s important to talk honestly to children about pain and death in the world, and to do this in a way that exalts Christ as the final answer to all evil in the world. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and get new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How to Talk About Evil With Your Children appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The odds are that, sooner or later, you will find yourself disagreeing with the leadership of your local church. The issue may seem small or it may seem very significant; you may be a lay member, or you may be on staff. Regardless of the circumstances, what are the most important things to remember when you don’t agree with the leadership of your church? In this episode of Signposts I talk about what healthy disagreement within a church can look like, and what marks the difference between handling it well and damaging the fellowship. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and download new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: How Should You Handle Disagreement With Church Leadership? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At our recent ERLC national conference, I had the opportunity to sit down with pastor Andy Stanley. Andy and I have a lot of significant disagreements about ministry, but our conversation was fascinating and helped me and everyone at the conference think through some important issues. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on my time with Andy Stanley, and how our dialogue about ministry and theology sharpened my own thinking about Scripture and the church. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and get new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: Reflections On My Conversation With Andy Stanley appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How does the gospel address our deepest fears? How can we be confident, while facing an uncertain future? In this episode of Signposts, I offer some thoughts from Scripture on why the gospel disarms our fear, and allows us to walk confidently toward the kingdom. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and get new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: How to Be Free From Fear appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christianity isn’t normal anymore, and that’s good news. The Book of Acts, like the Gospels before it, shows us that the Christianity thrives when it is, as Kierkegaard put it, a sign of contradiction. Only a strange gospel can differentiate itself from the culture around us. But the strange, freakish, foolish old gospel is what God uses to save sinners and to build the Church. The post Signposts: Why Christians Must Keep Christianity Strange appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The illusion of being a Christian majority in this country has not been good for our understanding of what it means to be the people of God. As we enter the public arena, we don’t come with a Christless form of religion that is satisfied with mere behavior modification rather than new birth. We need to remember that we are sent with consciences that are shaped and formed by the Word of God, for the purpose of reconciliation. The post Signposts: How to Engage the Culture as the Church appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Each and every one of us is tempted to shelter ourselves from the prophetic edge of Scripture. We don’t want to hear that we’re wrong, and we don’t want to hear the diagnosis of our sinfulness. But we need to understand the way our own hearts often seek to evade Scripture’s call on our lives. In this episode of Signposts, I talk about the need for the Word of God to confront us and challenge us in areas that we are not choosing so that we can be equipped to engage in the warfare of the Christian life. The post Signposts: How to Be Changed by the Word of God appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recently I read that sales of e-readers like the Kindle had slowed, and that sales of physical books had risen. This made sense to me, since over the past couple of years I’ve realized that I almost totally prefer bound books to digital versions. In this episode of Signposts I talk about why physical books are so important to me in my life and ministry, and what e-readers, though helpful, miss about the written word. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts to automatically receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: Why I Prefer Books to E-Readers appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recently I was asked by a younger man, “How can I make sure to end my ministry well?” In my own life I’ve seen many ministers end their service poorly, not only through moral failure but also through anger, bitterness, and disillusionment. In this episode of Signposts I talk about what ministers, young and old, should remember in order to end their ministries well, and how the gospel helps us see ourselves the way God sees us. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How to Plan Now to End Your Ministry Well appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One question I am asked frequently is, “Should Christians boycott?” Over the past few years there have been several calls within evangelical communities for boycotts of corporations like Starbucks and Target. Is this kind of activism effective and wise? In this episode of Signposts I talk about evangelical conscience and boycotts, and what the Scriptures can teach us about human nature and real change. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and get new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: Should Christians Boycott? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the most important things that we as Christians can know is what fathers need to say to their children. The Scriptures give us wisdom on this, and help us to see what it is that every human yearns to hear from their earthly, and heavenly, father. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on what the Bible says about fathers and children, and how the gospel leads and forms Dads to model the fatherhood of God. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes automatically. The post Signposts: What Fathers Need to Tell Their Children appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not long ago I received an email from a new Christian. This person wanted to know how she could help a friend realize that her lifestyle was sinful and destructive, without being too harsh, judgmental, or overbearing. This is a question that all Christians have to wrestle with if we seek to live faithfully as believers. In this episode of Signposts I talk about how Christians can help those close to them who are struggling in the fight for purity, and why this struggle matters for the church. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How Can You Help a Friend Struggling With Sexual Immorality? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the Department of Education’s recent decree on transgender restrooms and public schools, many families are wondering how they are going to help their children navigate through these questions. In this episode of Signposts I discuss what Christian parents need to do when discipling their children to think about gender identity questions, and why hard conversations about controversial topics are essential. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: How Should You Talk to Your Children About Transgender Issues? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summer means vacation, cook outs, and late nights. For many families, it also means an often intense schedule of summer sports leagues. These activities can be rewarding and helpful, but what about when they collide with other priorities–like church attendance? In this episode of Signposts I talk with my friend, pastor David Prince, about what Christian families can do to maintain healthy priorities when it comes to church and sports. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and get new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: What If Your Kids’ Sports Teams Interfere With the Church Schedule? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christians talk a lot about sexual purity. In many ways, I think the discussion amongst evangelicals is better than it has been in years past. But what are the “blind spots” of our teaching on purity, how do we bring the conversation back to the gospel? In this episode of Signposts I talk about what evangelicals should remember in discipling one another in sexual purity, and how we can correct the areas where we’ve unintentionally mimicked the culture. Listen below and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and automatically download episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: What We Miss in Our Sexual Purity Teaching appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the past few years, many of us have watched as well-known, respected ministers have fallen morally. This can lead us to ask: If these men didn’t resist temptation, how can I? In this episode of Signposts I talk about why it matters to think strategically about how you will fight temptation in your life and ministry, and what practical things can help. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and download new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: How Can You Guard Yourself Against Moral Failure? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A daily personal devotion time is something that most Christians would say is vital to their walk with Christ. But often it’s a spiritual discipline wrapped in frustration and confusion. In this episode of Signposts I talk about my own personal methods for private devotions, and reflect on what I’ve learned about the priority of spending time in meditation and prayer. Listen below and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How I Do My Personal Devotions appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One question I get asked frequently is, “How can our local church promote adoption and orphan care?” The reality is that the answer to this question will look different from congregation to congregation. But regardless, there are a handful of principles that every church can build their adoption and orphan care ministry around. In this episode of Signposts I talk about the main things that every church should keep in mind in promoting an adoption culture, and the importance of involving everyone–from 17 to 90–in the church’s ministry. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: How Should You Build an Adoption Culture In Your Church? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One question I get frequently is, “How can I know that I’m called to ministry?” Years ago I grappled with this very question, and it’s one that’s important for the life of the church. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on the lessons I’ve learned in my own life about discerning a call to ministry, and what the biblical principles are that can help potential ministers and churches understand clearly what God is doing. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How to Know If You’re Called to Ministry appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many churches have families with special needs children. Even as these congregations want to help and bless these families, there is often confusion about the best way to do that. In this episode of Signposts I consider what the church’s attitude towards special needs children should be, and practically, how the body can best serve these families in a helpful way. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: The Church’s Mission to Special Needs Children appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recently I was thinking back to my ordination for ministry. In the years since, I’ve realized that my ordination and early ministry years were formative for me in ways I couldn’t imagine at the time. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on the lessons I learned from my ordination, and how my earliest days of ministry gave me some of the most important wisdom I’ve ever gained. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes when they publish. _________ Photo credit (resized), licensed under CC 2.0. The post Signposts: What I Learned About Ministry At My Ordination appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the blockbuster release Batman vs Superman, to the upcoming Captain America movie, it seems that a lot of our favorite superheroes are fighting each other. This can make for an exciting film, but I actually think this motif has something profound to teach Christians about how we relate to one another. In this episode of Signposts I discuss the problem with assuming the worst motivations of those we disagree with, and how the “civil war” of superheroes can help us see our church tensions in light of the gospel. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: What Can Fighting Superheroes Teach the Church? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Man in the High Castle is a science fiction tale that presents us with a startling question: What would the world be like if Nazi Germany had won World War II? The story by Philip K. Dick, and its recent adaptation into a popular TV show, is an insightful look at how events of history shape not just the present, but the way we think about ourselves. In this episode of Signposts I talk about what we can learn from The Man in the High Castle, and how its lessons about past and history can help us better understand the gospel. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and automatically receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: What “The Man In the High Castle” Can Teach Us About the Past appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I would never want to choose between the time I spent in Sunday School and my time at seminary. But if I had to choose, I know which one I’d pick. In this episode of Signposts I reflect on the lessons I’ve learned from both Sunday School and seminary, and why my years learning through the Bible inside the local church were more formative than my formal ministry education years later. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and automatically download new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: Why I Learned More From Sunday School Than Seminary appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In election seasons like the one we’re in right now, many Christians wonder what exactly makes a candidate worthy–or unworthy–of their vote. When the political climate gets as crazy as it is right now, this can be an especially urgent question. In this episode of Signposts I talk about what Christians ought to look for, and look out for, in a political candidate, and how Christians can best weigh a candidate’s positions against their character. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and receive new episodes automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: What Christians Should Look For in a Political Candidate appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve often been asked for guidance on how families can have group devotions. This can be challenging, especially as families with children can be pulled in many directions throughout the day. In this episode of Signposts I talk about what the Moore family does for dinner time devotions, and how each family needs to look for a method that works for them, rather than an unbending principle. Listen below, and use the links to subscribe to Signposts and automatically download new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: How Our Home Does Family Devotions appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 2016 presidential election cycle has been a bizarre and at times infuriating spectacle. Particularly for conservatives, it feels like this election has featured at least as much of the vulgar showmanship of reality TV as a principled conservative worldview. How did we ever get to this point? In this episode of Signposts I talk to Matt K. Lewis, author of the new book Too Dumb to Fail. Lewis discusses why conservative political discourse has sunk to the lows we see now, and what we can do about it. Use the links below to listen, and subscribe to get new episodes of Signposts automatically when they publish. The post Signposts: “Too Dumb to Fail: A Conversation with Matt K. Lewis On Election 2016” appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here in America, a lot of people think Valentine’s Day is a big deal. So it might be tempting to think that we really love love. But do we? Is there a danger to popular culture’s idea of what love should look like? In this episode of Signposts I think about how Christianity defines love, and how that might differ from the images and feelings of Valentine’s Day. Listen to the episode below, and use the links to subscribe and automatically get new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: The Danger of Valentine’s Day appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When TV preachers tell us that they need private jets to communicate with God, what should that tell us about their theology? In this episode of Signposts we consider what’s broken about the prosperity gospel, and why it matters. Listen to the episode below, and use the links to subscribe and automatically download the latest Signposts episode when it publishes. The post Signposts: The Poverty of the Prosperity Gospel appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can the biggest movie of all time teach us about memory, the past, and the gospel? In this episode of Signposts I talk about the reasons we love Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and what that says about us and our mission as Christians. Listen here, and subscribe to the podcast using the links below to automatically receive new episodes when they publish. The post Signposts: “Star Wars: The Memories Awaken” appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today is the first episode of my new podcast, Signposts. This is a brand new, biweekly podcast that features conversation about the gospel, politics, books, and much more. In this introductory episode, I explain the name “Signposts,” and talk about why I’m doing this new podcast and what you can expect from it. I hope you’ll join me in this new opportunity to talk about where the culture points us toward the kingdom. The post Introducing My New Podcast appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should parents give their preteen and teenage children electronic devices, like smartphones and tablets, that have unrestricted internet access? In this episode I think through the wisdom of not giving our children over to the cyber wilderness. The post Questions & Ethics: Should I Get My 12 Year Old a Smartphone? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A pastor discovers that a member of his church is vocally pro-choice when it comes to abortion. What should the church do? Is there a biblical basis for disciplining such a member? In this podcast I think through what the Bible tells us about this question. The post Questions & Ethics: Should My Church Discipline a Pro-Choice Member? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recently I received a letter from a young man who suspects that his ministry calling lies outside his current position as a student pastor. In this episode of “Questions & Ethics” I consider what the Scripture tells us about ministry, desire, and faithfulness. The post Questions & Ethics: What If I Feel Called Away From My Current Ministry? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why didn’t the clients of the Ashley Madison website think they would be exposed? What is it about sin that makes us think illogically? In this episode of Questions and Ethics I explain what the Bible tells us about the power of our desires. The post Questions & Ethics: Ashley Madison and the Absurdity of Sin appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What should be the response of a Christian parent whose child is having a same-sex wedding? Here’s my explanation of what the Bible teaches about separating from sin and loving sinners. The post Questions & Ethics: My Daughter Is Having a Same-Sex Wedding–Now What? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Explaining death to a child can be an emotional conversation. Russell Moore discusses how to talk to a child about suicide. Read the full transcript here. The post Questions & Ethics: How Should I Explain Suicide to a Child? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The post Questions & Ethics: How Should Christians Respond When Animals are Viewed as Children? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell Moore discusses what the Bible says about interracial marriage. Read the full transcript here. The post Questions & Ethics: What if my parents don’t support my interracial marriage? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell Moore discusses Bill Cosby and whether we should continue watching reruns of his show. The post Questions & Ethics: How should Christians think about Bill Cosby? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell Moore discusses IVF treatment and how the church should respond to women who have had this procedure. Read the full transcript here. The post Questions & Ethics: How should local church leaders respond to a single woman who had a child through IVF? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Moore interviews David Oyelowo, the actor who plays Martin Luther King, Jr. in the new Oscar-nominated film, Selma. The post Questions and Ethics: Discussing ‘Selma’ with Actor David Oyelowo appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell Moore discusses religious liberty and the firing of the Atlanta Fire Chief with Erick Erickson. Read the full transcript here. The post Questions and Ethics: A Conversation with Erick Erickson on Religious Liberty and the Atlanta Fire Chief appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell Moore discusses the phrase “Happy Holiday” and how Christians should respond. Read the full transcript here. Music is performed by Andrea Thomas. You can download her album A Christmas to Remember here. The post Questions and Ethics: Christmas and the Culture appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell Moore, Dan Darling, Mike Cosper, and Joe Carter discuss the finale of the Serial podcast and how the series affects our views of America’s criminal justice system. The post Questions & Ethics: A follow up on the Serial Podcast series appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell Moore and Dan Darling discuss the ethics of the Serial podcast and whether Christians should listen to it or not. Read the full transcript here. The post Should Christians listen to the Serial podcast? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell Moore discusses how to handle family tensions during the holidays. Read the full transcript here. Music is performed by Andrea Thomas. You can download her album A Christmas to Remember here. The post Questions & Ethics: How should I handle family tensions during the holidays? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We recorded a special edition of Questions and Ethics with Dr. Moore, addressing the Eric Garner case. You can listen below or read this transcript. The post Eric Garner and the Call for Justice appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Audio from the Live Q&E Event with Russell Moore, at the ERLC 2014 National Conference. The post Questions & Ethics: Live from National Conference 2014 appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A concerned father asks if his son should participate in his high school’s band raffle. “I don’t see,” he says, “how this is any different than gambling or a lottery, and how should I as a Christian respond to forms of gambling like this that are for a good cause?” Read the full transcript here. The post Questions and Ethics: Should my son participate in a high school band raffle? appeared first on Russell Moore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices