Theology Mom || All The Things

Krista shares some thoughts in response to a recent question we received: How do you obey the fifth commandment (see Eph. 6:1-3; Col. 3:20) when you are an adult, especially if your parents are difficult people or were abusive to you as a child?

A key theme on the podcast this year is justice for the pre-born. We are exploring the issue from a variety of different angles. This week, our friend Katy Faust (from Them Before Us), is coming back on the show to discuss recent developments in the public conversations about IVF and surrogacy. We are going to consider these technologies in light of the Christian worldview.

Last month, we did a show about the "woke right." And then our friend, Alisa Childers, re-released it on her podcast platform. Since then, we've received a lot of feedback about the show and continued to research the issues. Some people say the "woke right" isn't a thing. Others say, it's "absolutely a thing." It's a lot to process. We don't claim to have all the answers, but we are trying to have the public conversations to help the "regular people" make sense of what's emerging among Christian socio-political influencers. We have asked our friend, Neil Shenvi, to come on and help us continue the discussion. Link to Neil's article: https://shenviapologetics.com/what-is-the-woke-right/

Impromptu livestream: I shared my thoughts about Biola dissolving its DEI department. Do I think it’s good news? Maaaaaaaaybe?? At the end, I share some informal thoughts on Christian Nationalism and my attempt to understand it. Biola's Institutional Diversity Strategic Plan: https://www.biola.edu/diversity-inclusion/diversity-strategic-plan Biola's announcement about the Diversity Strategic Plan: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/biola-magazine/2021/biola-introduces-new-diversity-strategic-plan Viral clip of Biola's current Provost saying "I am a racist" in 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IiKCYSevDU Full video of Hall's interview (source of the viral clip): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwI82hKUTgI Hall's article from 2019 affirming "racial reconciliation" but rejecting Critical Race Theory: https://equip.sbts.edu/article/peace-centrality-gospel-christ-racial-reconciliation/ Biola's principles of academic freedom and diversity of perspectives: https://www.biola.edu/about/mission/principles-free-expression News report about Biola's public "lament" in 2020: https://chimesnewspaper.com/47803/news/president-corey-and-chief-diversity-officer-tamra-malone-begin-diversity-talks-in-lament-session/

There is so much confusion among Christians about the issue of counseling and mental illness. Some think that it undermines the authority of Scripture to even see a therapist. Others seem to lack discernment about how to prevent therapy becoming a gateway to unbiblical life choices. We've asked our friend, Dr. David King, professor in social work at Indiana Wesleyan University, to come on the show and share his perspectives about the intersection of therapy and the Christian worldview. FREE E-BOOK "The Essential Guide to Finding the Right Christian Counselor" by Dr. David King https://www.allthethingsshow.com/king

I've been sharing a little about my 3-decade journey of wrestling through my place in ministry. I asked my friend, Fr. Hayden Butler, to come on and lead us about the ancient faith approach to local church leadership, and where women fit into that picture. I have found the ancient faith dialogue to be an important piece of my personal journey, providing helpful boundaries.

How "pro-life" do you want to be? A key theme on the podcast this year is justice for the pre-born. We are exploring the issue from a variety of different angles. The overturning of Roe hasn't automatically increased safety for the pre-born. Chemical abortions are on the rise. We've asked our friend, OB-GYN Dr. Chris Cirucci to come back on the show and explain the dangers of chemical abortion, as well as the science behind birth control. How do various birth control methods actually work and which ones are compatible with the Christian worldview? Join us for this live discussion.

A couple months ago, I shared a bit about my journey wrestling through my place in ministry. I've asked my friend, Dr. Joe Miller, to come on and lead us through a survey of the New Testament's teaching about local church leadership, and where women fit into that picture. Browse Dr. MIller's book on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Elders-Lead-Healthy-Family-Leadership/dp/1532618018 For more about the Everyday Evangelism class: https://www.theologymom.com/classes Pre-order Walking in Unity: https://www.amazon.com/Walking-Unity-Biblical-Answers-Questions/dp/0736990895

Whenever we hear pastors talk about the "marginalized" or the "oppressed," we usually cringe a little inside. A deeply biblical idea has been co-opted by the culture and morphed to mean something completely different. We want to have a public conversation about this confusion and see if we help straighten out what has become a very crooked line by bringing the issues back to God's standards.

We have been watching the rise of some very....odd....posts on Twitter that sound an awful lot like BLM sounded a few years ago. Only they are on the right. We have been very confused about what to make of these posts. Kevin is coming back on the show to break it all down for us in a way that we (and you!) can understand.

All Christians are called to share the Gospel. But very few of us are naturally comfortable with doing it. In this teaching, I want to help you discover your unique style of sharing the faith, according to the way God has gifted you and your natural personality. This teaching is based on insights from the book, Contagious Faith, by Mark Mittelberg. See: https://www.amazon.com/Contagious-Faith-Discover-Natural-Sharing/dp/0310113288 Fundraiser link: https://www.customink.com/fundraising/cfbu2024 Register for the Everyday Evangelism class: https://centerforbiblicalunity.breezechms.com/form/1e55a7602712 Pre-order Walking in Unity: https://www.amazon.com/Walking-Unity-Biblical-Answers-Questions/dp/0736990895 Gifts test: https://form.jotform.com/61419055688161

I was interviewed recently on the Wintery Knight and Desert Rose show. We discussed the pros and cons of "diversity" from a Christian point of view. What is diversity? Should Christians try to redeem DEI, or should we just avoid it? We do a deep dive to help you understand the issue better. Also mentioned: • "Why Companies are Getting a Queer Makeover" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCrfCJl3hzw

If God is in control of everything, can Christians sit back and not bother to evangelize? Hardly! I clarify the roles and responsibilities when sharing the faith. What does God do? What should we do? We do a thorough study of Scripture and find out! This teaching is loosely based on the modern classic, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, by J.I. Packer.

What is happening in the Middle East right now? What are the implications of Israel's recent retaliation against Iran? We asked our friend, Kevin Briggins, to come on and help us understand the situation. His background in Middle East Studies helped us differentiate between facts and fear. In the second segment, Krista and Monique discuss recent changes to Title IX and its implications for the Christian worldview.

This week, I want to coach you through some of the tougher situations that can arise when you’re in the middle of a discussion about the faith. (Because let’s be honest, very, very few conversations are a straight line to conversion. Sometimes you have to know when to call a tow truck.) And again, these are strategies that I have used for many years, so there is a fair amount of road testing behind them.

Monique is joined by guest co-host, Elizabeth Urbanowicz, and together they will answer questions we have received from kids and teens about living as a Christian in today's culture.

Monique and Krista spill the tea about their unpopular opinions that they don't really talk about in public....until now.

I'm continuing the Everyday Evangelism teaching series. This week, I share five specific steps to help you navigate even tough discussions about the faith.

The annual meeting for the World Economic Forum was a few weeks ago. We want to catch you up about what the WEF is and what they are trying to accomplish. If you’ve heard the terms “the great reset,” or the “fourth Industrial Revolution” but don’t really know what that means be sure to tune in. It’s a globalist movement that is reshaping our everyday lives and redefining what constitutes as the public good.

This is a rebroadcast of a livestream that I did yesterday over at the Center for Biblical Unity. I explain an emerging position within the prolife movement called abolitionism. Come find out about why some Christians think that abortion should be criminalized. Read Sam Sey’s blog post: https://slowtowrite.com/why-i-am-not-an-abolitionist-on-abortion/ For more about the abolitionist position, see the Abolitionists Rising channel on YouTube.

We are answering the most frequent question we get on the road. For the first time, we are having a public conversation about Monique's backstory and how she came to be a missionary in South Africa, her emergency transition off the mission field in 2018 and why she went back, even though she thought she might die there for the sake of the Gospel.

Krista is filling into today again for Monique on the Family Meeting. She is building on last week's discussion about diversity and looking at another popular idea in the DEI conversation: representation. What does it mean and what is it supposed to accomplish?

I am continuing my extended teaching series on evangelism. We are changing gears a bit away from all the hard core theology to consider a practical strategy for sharing the faith with others.

We are getting more and more people writing into the ministry asking for help to think through where the line in the sand is for them when it comes to their jobs conflicting with their religious convictions. We will talk to our friend John Stonestreet, President of the Colson Center, to get his perspective on what Christians should do to prepare for costly conviction in the workplace.

I did an explainer video earlier today on the issue of "diversity" in hiring practices. I explain two major visions for diversity and unravel the confusion for regular people.

This is part 4 of the Everyday Evangelism teaching series. I summarize the big ideas of what we've covered so far and then suggest some practical ways that the kingdom of God ought to shape our Gospel presentations.

Christians generally agree that the Bible commands us to take care of orphans. But there is robust discussion about what qualifies as being in the child's best interest. In recent years, the principles of Critical Adoption Theory have shaped the policies and practices for many adoption agencies. There is a growing sentiment, even among Christian adoption agencies, that interethnic adoptions are often not in a child's best interest. We will hear about one couple's journey through the Christian adoption system and their encounters with Critical Adoption Theory. Guest: Dr. Bill Roach

Mike Winger dropped the final installment in his extended teaching series on women in ministry. Here are my thoughts on his research.

This is part 2 of a short 2-part discussion defining the good news. We need to get the gospel right before we get it out. Part 3 of an extended teaching series that I've entitled Everyday Evangelism.

The phrase “human flourishing” has become a weird buzz word that encompasses the idea of "whatever makes me happy." But true human flourishing can only come when we follow the Creator’s design for how humanity is supposed to work. Monique and Krista do a deep dive on what we call our "Creation Identity," things that are objectively true for all humans in all times in all places.

I am continuing to do a deep dive into evangelism. This week I attempt to lay out Jesus' definition of the "good news" and suggest some says that I think it ought to inform our own evangelistic efforts. We need to get the gospel right before we get it out. Production note: This version of the show has been edited.

Religious institutions are increasingly threatened with lawsuits, smear cam­paigns, hostile media coverage, adversarial legislation, aggressive government administrative action, and more. Our friends at the Religious Freedom Institute will share strategies to help churches, Christians schools and ministries to remain faithful to their core convictions, identity, and mission.

Every Bible-believing Christian has the same duty to share the gospel. We even believe that it should be a high priority in our lives. So, why do so many of us (myself included) put the task of “sharing the gospel” on the back-burner? I tackle this question in part 1 of an extended teaching series focusing on various aspects of evangelism. This will be a major focus on the podcast in 2024. I want to help you share your faith more effectively and consistently.

Should Christians support the existence of Jewish temples or Islamic mosques? What about the rise of displays by the Satanic Temple? How do we make sense of religious freedom in a pluralistic society? Guest: Dr. Mark David Hall, professor of political science at Regent University

The big story over the Christmas break was the announcement from the Vatican about "blessing same sex couples." Some traditionalists have hailed this as pastorally helpful and clarifying, while others call it confusing and potentially troubling. Meanwhile the mainstream news reported the Roman Catholic Church as moving toward gay affirming. I've asked my friend, Anthony Costello, back on the show to help us sort through the confusion and share his perspective as a thoughtful former Catholic about why Protestants ought to care about these developments. Research and Sources: - "Fiducia Supplicans"; https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20231218_fiducia-supplicans_en.html - Fr. Raymond de Souza, National Catholic Register article from 1/04/2024 "Fiducia Supplicans 2.0"; https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/fiducia-supplicans-2-0 - Archbishop Joseph Naumann (Archbishop of Kansas City) "The Leaven" article from 1/12/2024; https://theleaven.org/fiducia-supplicans-does-not-change-perennial-church-teaching/ - Cardinal Sarah (former Prefect for the Congregation on Divine Worship, Archbishop of Guinea), quoted in the "Catholic Herald" from 1/9/2024; https://catholicherald.co.uk/cardinal-sarah-gives-in-depth-interview-on-fiducia-supplicans/ - Michael Sean Winters (liberal Catholic) "How big a deal is the new Vatican document on Same-Sex Blessings" in "The National Catholic Reporter"; https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/ncr-voices/how-big-deal-new-vatican-document-same-sex-blessings - Anthony S. Layne, "Fiducia Supplicans, Infallibility, and a Reflection of Faith" in "The Catholic Stand" 1/15/2024; https://catholicstand.com/fiducia-supplicans-infallibility-reflection-faith/ Ian Paul on "Why No One wants the Prayers of Love and Faith" in the Church of England: https://www.psephizo.com/sexuality-2/why-no-one-wants-the-prayers-of-love-and-faith/ Ed Echeverria's 2019 2nd edition book on Pope Francis: https://www.amazon.com/Pope-Francis-Legacy-Vatican-II/dp/1943901112/

"Community Schools" are continuing to expand in 2024. However, we want to empower parents to know how to decode this movement. Parents deserve to know exactly what these are about. Guest: Kelly Ske

A couple weeks ago, I shared an IG slide sequence from the Raising Apologists account about Taylor Swift not being a role model for Christian girls. I was not prepared for the responses. The string had over 150 comments! Who knew that TS is a high interest topic among Christian mothers?! (Not me!) I’ve asked my friend Amy Davison (from Mama Bear Apologetics) to come on so we could talk the tricky question: Is Taylor Swift a witch and is she promoting witchcraft? You won't want to miss this! Research cited in the interview: https://pro.morningconsult.com/instant-intel/taylor-swift-fandom-demographic Receipts: 1. She’s been laying the “witch aesthetic” since 2017 as seen in her music video "Ready For It": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIft-t-MQuE -Burn all the witches written on the wall min 3:13 -Intro where she’s wearing the cloak and doing the empowered walk is the same in the witch scene of the willow music video and is said to be an Easter egg. https://ew.com/music/easter-eggs-taylor-swift-willow-music-video/ 2. Where Taylor shares that she believes in karma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnbCSboujF4 3. "I did something bad": Snakes and flames 2018 American Music Award https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3QfCeclslM -This is where she says “They’re burning witches even if you aren’t one and they’re doing it for fun,” -The is the video where it looks like it takes place in hell 4. "Look what you made me do": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tmd-ClpJxA - 2017 Loads of snakes in what looks like a Gothic church on a throne 5. Vlad Savchuk video evaluation the symbolism with Taylor Swift videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDmzNDrj2NI -This is also were it’s mentioned about her faith confession tied to political stance is referenced 6. Chants to be said at TS concerts from “Summon the Demons” to “Take me to Church," https://www.elitedaily.com/lifestyle/taylor-swift-fan-chants-eras-tour 7. Video explaining symbolism behind TS and Ice Spice “Karma” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seqPf05HKfE - Link to the actual “Karma” music video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzOvgu3GPwY -Also holds the scene were she’s dressed as satan/a demon 8. TS comment about training her fans to hunt for Easter eggs (symbolism) and how she uses numerology and forces it to work for it when it doesn’t happen organically. https://www.avclub.com/taylor-swift-numerology-swifties-obsession-1850729453 9. TS Christmas song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdX8LafiV3o 10. Moonlit Witch release tweet: https://www.reddit.com/r/TaylorSwift/comments/kdz9yv/taylor_releases_moonlit_witch_version_of_willow/ Lonely Witch release tweet: https://www.reddit.com/r/TaylorSwift/comments/kdftqy/taylor_releases_lonely_witch_remix_of_willow/ Dancing Witch release tweet: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/759541-taylor-swift-releases-two-more-remixes-of-her-latest-single-willow-following-dancing-witch -These have been referenced by some social media accounts as proof she’s dabbling in witchcraft -She’s romancing and promoting an aesthetic of witchcraft 11. TS encourages voting and gets 35k new voters: https://www.npr.org/2023/09/22/1201183160/taylor-swift-instagram-voter-registration 12. TS promotes LGBTQ+ to her fans: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-pride-month-eras-tour-chicago-1234746863/ 13. TS bases Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for their joke: https://www.businessinsider.com/tina-fey-subtly-slammed-taylor-swift-2014-1 14. TS performing in cage build like a giant snake: https://hellogiggles.com/taylor-swift-reputation-tour-review/

The on-going war in Israel has raised several questions for us. What involvement should Christians have with war? Is there a biblical case for Christians to participate in the military, given that it could mean bombing innocent civilians? After all, didn’t Jesus command us to love our enemies and “turn the other cheek”? We asked Dr. Eric Patterson, the President of the Religious Freedom Institute, to share about his research related to a Christian perspective on war and peace, and everything in between.

I asked my friend, Pastor Jeremy Bannister, to come one and talk about how to set spiritual priorities in your family. We also tackle the tricky topic of extra curricular activities, and overcoming teenage apathy.

LIVE SEASON 6 kickoff! We talked to our friend, Katy Faust, about practical strategies for raising conservative kids in the midst of "woke" ideology, even if they attend public school.

In this special New Year's livestream, I shared some thoughts about ways I've changed since 2020, as well as what I see on the horizon for 2024. This is more of an informal commentary than a Bible teaching.

***Answering a Popular Meme*** Last Christmas I saw a meme depicting Mary (the mother of Jesus) with her fist raised in the air. The artist reimagined Mary's poem in Luke 1 as a “call to economic justice.” I asked my friend, Father Hayden Butler from St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in Newport Beach, CA to come on and help us walk through the true meaning of this passage.

This is the final installment of a three-part teaching series that I am currently doing to try and put the war in Israel into its historical context. It's a complex journey, but there is simply no way to understand what is happening right now in the Middle East without taking the time to understand some key events.

This is part 2 of a three-part teaching series that I am currently doing to try and put the war in Israel into its historical context. It's a complex journey, but there is simply no way to understand what it happening right now in the Middle East without taking the time to understand some key events.

It has been almost two months since the Black Sabbath of October 7 in Israel. I have been on a personal journey to research the history of the state of Israel in an effort to put the current conflict into its historical context. This has proved very challenging. In this three-part teaching series, I attempt to share what I have learned and how it connects to the media propaganda that is coming out on both sides.

The Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) annual meeting is like Comicon for theology nerds. This is the place where evangelical scholars (the people who write the commentaries and study Bibles) present academic papers to each other. Many of these ideas are then taken back into seminaries, ministries, and local churches. In this special edition of the Theology Mom podcast, Krista is joined by Monique Duson to share their thoughts about some of the papers they heard last week at ETS and how they think these ideas will potentially influence your Christian circles.

While many archaeologists reject the spiritual authority of the Bible and even argue about the details of the history it presents, it is important to remember that even secular archaeologists use the Bible as a tool in their excavation work. Why? Because the Bible describes real events, people, and places. We will talk with filmmaker and biblical archaeologist, Joel Kramer about his unique work to explain the historical accuracy of the Bible to regular people. Check out Joel's book, Where God Came Down: https://www.christianbook.com/where-came-down-archaeological-evidence-hardcover/joel-kramer/9780998037417/pd/037417?event=ESRCG

Here is part 2 of my discussion with my Christian sister, Callie Mitchell, who lives in Israel. I ask for her to share her perspective as an American and Israeli citizen about the political conflicts in Israel. Questions we discussed: • Help us understand the claim that Gaza has been an "open air prison." Is this accurate? • Can you help us understand the saying, "From the River to the Sea Palestine will be Set Free"? • What can you tell us about the history of Hamas? Do they represent the Palestinian people?

When I woke up on October 7 and my daughter Emily texted me that Israel was at war, the very first person I messaged was my Christian sister, Callie Mitchell. You may recognize her name, as she was a guest on the show earlier this year sharing with us about Messianic Judaism. When she responded, she said her family were safe and that they had spent the day in a bomb shelter. Now that she's had some time to process the recent events in her country, I've asked her to come on and talk to us about what happened and how to best pray for our Christian family who live in Israel. Questions we discussed: • How did you come to love the Jewish people, and how did you, as an American, come to live in Jerusalem? • Tell us about the day of the invasion and what your family and your community has been going through? • How is the Messianic community responding to the crisis? • What is the difference between a Jew and a Zionist? And why do I keep seeing pictures on Twitter of Orthodox Jews saying that they aren’t Zionists and that they support Palestinians? • What can you tell us about the history of Hamas? Do they represent the Palestinian people?

The events in Israel have hit many of us very hard. One of the first things I did was reach out to my friend Laura Powell. Monique and I did a show with her a couple years ago about sharing our faith with Muslims. So I asked her if she could help me understand the truth whether Islam is a religion of violence or peace.