Think Deeper

Sure, everyone wants to pray and read their Bible more in 2025. But beyond those two things, what are other actionable steps we can take to make an impact this year? We discuss: Upgrading your Sunday morning habits Ways to grow closer with your church family Ideas for drawing closer to God with your spouse and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit focuspress.org for more

We review the biggest headlines from 2024, including: Luigi Mangione, Daniel Penny, and the online reaction to the two cases The wild Presidential election Hurricane Helene and the government's heartless response toward its own people, and what the church can learn from it Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s health push vs. the growing adoption of Ozempic/Wegovy/Mounjaro shots Diddy, Jay-Z, and the exposure of the entertainment industry's dark side and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com Donate at focuspress.org/donate

We get together to have some fun ahead of Christmas and New Year's Eve, playing a few games and rating hot takes submitted by YOU! Topics include: - Blind ranking Focus Press stuff and some of our, um, "favorite" controversies- Listener hot takes on issues like Bible Bowls and ministry roles- Underrated/overrated, Bible edition and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Donate at focuspress.org/donate Follow us at facebook.com/thinkdeeperpod

In part 2 in our look at the left and right edges of the church of Christ spectrum, we turn our attention to the right side. Topics include: - The strengths and weaknesses of Command, Example, and Necessary Inference Bible application - Was this the intended end of the "Restoration plea?" - The slippery slope of legalism - How hyperconservatism kills growth and more With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

There is a broad spectrum of doctrinal beliefs among the churches of Christ. This week we focus on the progressive end of the spectrum. Topics include: Defining our terms The strengths and weaknesses of the progressives The place for giving grace in doctrinal disagreements How academia and intellectualism often create a drift Are they the true continuation of the Restorationist Movement? Tune in for Pt 2 next week as we discuss hyperconservative churches of Christ! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Donate at focuspress.org/donate Check out our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com

Like it or not, many of the ideas we think we came to ourselves were placed there by some person or group of people. Ideas spread so rapidly and so subtly in our day that we can be influenced in ways we don't even realize. What does this mean for our Christian view of the world? Topics include: - The good and bad of the TradWife and Manosphere movements- Why (and how) secular people are finding truths that Christians have long been missing- Using online resources for inspiration without getting idealistic or discontent- A rapid-fire look at other popular corners of the internet including the Pet Parents/DINKS, high church, health and homesteadingand more With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out the holiday sales at focuspress.org/shop And, visit our new sponsor at cobbpublishing.com!

With each passing year, there's more discussion about the how difficult Thanksgiving and the holiday season are due to strained family relationships. Some even advocate skipping family gatherings entirely. We discuss:- What obligations do we have to our families?- How does the dysfunction of the American family parallel problems we're seeing in the church?- Are traditions really that important?- The impact of individualism and therapy cultureand more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Many members of the churches of Christ struggle to feel "good enough" and often lack understanding of God's grace. Is there something unique to the church's teaching that creates this uncertainty? We discuss: The benefits of our strong emphasis on doctrine and obedience Why the doctrinal precision in our fellowship's DNA can make members feel unsure of their salvation How much do we have to get right in order to be saved? How God's character can give us assurance even if we are falling short in our actions or our knowledge and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Dr. Brad Harrub joins the show to talk about 'Arrows in the Hands of a Warrior,' the new book on parenting he co-wrote with his wife, Melinda! Topics include: - The importance of parents admitting mistakes - Challenges previous generations of parents didn't have to face - Why discipline has grown so misunderstood - Navigating grandparent involvementand more!With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Pick up the book at Focus Press or Amazon today! Join us on Focus+ for the Deep End bonus episode - focuspress.org/plus And, subscribe to Think magazine - focuspress.org/think

Just because we're spiritual, it doesn't mean we don't have to be grounded in the reality of the physical here and now. So many of the platitudes uttered in Christianity today come off as tone-deaf, totally unconcerned with the world around us. We discuss: How heaven is over-emphasized in modern Christianity and makes us look cold and uncaring about people's problems here and now What it looks like to be "so heavenly minded we aren't any earthly good" The gross misunderstanding of what "Jesus is on His throne" means How Gnosticism has crept into the church's view of being salt and light Being realistic about the state of the world without being anxious or fearful With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Join us November 16 in Burns, TN for Think Deeper Live! Register free at thinkdeeperlive.com

We revisit a long-running Think Deeper debate and discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly surrounding Halloween and the Christian. Topics include: Where we draw the line on Halloween participation The pagan influences surrounding the day "All Saints Day" and the value of recognizing death Whether Christians should consume Harry Potter and other magical fiction Horror movies and haunted houses THINK FAST: The Harding University controversies With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Sometimes the Bible can be intimidating and you don't know where to start. Other times it can feel like we know all the relevant information already and don't have a lot left to explore. This week we look at how to study the Bible more deeply and share some nuggets we've found that have helped the Bible come alive and drawn us into further study. We discuss: - Why Bible reading is underrated- The joy of Bible study- The right and wrong way to study topically- How to get started in deeper exegetical study- Useful tools- How to exercise discernment in the resources you use, and which teachers to be wary of and more! Ads: - Check out the rest of our podcast network at focuspress.org/podcasts - Join us for Think Deeper Live on November 16! RSVP at thinkdeeperlive.com

We have some BIG announcements to share on this one to go along with this week's episode on the importance of grasping Bible terms. Topics include: - Sacrifice and offering and how the new system isn't as different from the old as we might think- Justification and sanctification- Faith and works and whether we're saved by "faith alone"- Why repentance isn't just a "step" of salvation and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Join us for Think Deeper Live on November 16! RSVP at thinkdeeperlive.com

The Christian's war is fought on the philosophical level, and modern day philosophy has done a great job slithering into churches today, often almost entirely undetected. We discuss what this philosophy is and how it undermines God's Word, including: - The dominant philosophical tool of our day, its history, and how it presents itself- How this philosophy uses Christian terms to seem Biblical while directly undermining God's authority- How the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture are casually discarded in the face of these ideas- Buzzwords and emphases that show how this philosophy has crept into a church's teaching and leadership style and more. With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

As young parents we don't claim to be experts in terms of how-to advice, but we do have goals for our families. Those are the focus of this week's discussion, and topics include: - Helping our kids learn to love the church - Differing goals for our boys and our girls - Lessons in self-discipline - How we want to break them of the individualism of today's world and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We examine what the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit and His work today. Topics include: - What the Spirit did in the Old and New Testaments- The charismatic, the indwelling, and the "only through the Word" camps- How indwelling works practically- Why this topic is so uncomfortable and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

This week we look at traditions in the church, including: - Why traditions are important and necessary - When traditionalism can become overbearing - Navigating generational preferences for changing vs. maintaining traditions - Debating traditional church practices With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Personal conflict and confronting others is one of those inevitable parts of life that none of us enjoy. But how we do it makes a big difference. This week we look at how confrontation and conflict can be handled well, including: - How personal conflict brings us closer - Knowing when to speak up and when to let it go - The difference between confronting someone over their sin against you vs. a general sin in their life - How church leadership sets the tone for healthier confrontation and more With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We pick up with part 2 of answering listener questions, including: - Should Christians decline cremation? - Does "leave and cleave" mean you shouldn't live near family when you get married? - Can men use Bible study material written by women? - Is rural life more conducive to faithfulness? - Is apostolic succession valid for church authority? and more!

We respond to questions from the Deep Thinkers! This week's edition includes questions on: When and when not to judge What kind of care do new Christians need to receive from the church, and who is responsible for it? Why do many people who have wrong beliefs still seem to have true joy and peace? and more! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We continue the discussion on worship in song with comments and questions from our Focus+ members. Topics include: Whether it's important to have technically proficient song leaders What to do if you attend a church with weak singing Why men especially need to take singing seriously How churches of Christ view those who use instruments in worship With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

This week's episode looks at the importance of music in our praise to God. Topics include: - How music combats Christian gnosticism- Why we don't use instruments- The proper and improper place of emotion in worship- Questions about praise teams, clapping, and touring chorus groups With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

The world's evil has been on overdrive lately. We discuss the latest headlines with an eye toward what Christians should do in the midst of the madness. Topics include: - Why being "above it all" or burying our heads in the sand is not holier- Whether we should just "let the world be the world"- The crowd-pleasing impulse to blame our fellow Christians- The importance of developing discernment and understanding the times- Effective ways to stand up With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

This week we discuss how NOT to use the Bible when trying to discuss the Scripture with others. Topics include: - Right and wrong ways to use the Scripture to make a point- "Tone policers" and "mic droppers"- The place of the Old Testament in our lives today- How to respect someone's argument even when you strongly disagree With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We discuss whether God expects physically able married couples to bear children, or if it's just a personal choice. Topics include: - Our culture's hatred of kids- Whether "Be fruitful and multiply" still applies today- The benefits of kids- Advice for those who want children but don't/can't have them With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Our resident licensed therapist, Joe Wilkie, leads a discussion of the pros and cons of therapy. Topics include: - Therapy vs "Therapy Culture" - How therapy terms get weaponized to excuse sinful behavior - The right way and wrong way to think about brokenness and weakness - A debate over whether society would be better or worse off without therapy With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We discuss the church's statistical decline and what it could mean for the future. Topics include: How the decline of Christendom in Europe gives us a glimpse of what may be headed our way What will happen if and when persecution ramps up Why the community church model reached so many people, and why we expect it to fail Why Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy are seeing a resurgence and what we can learn from them With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Every year, more men leave the pulpit. Churches struggle to replace them. Many smaller congregations can't afford to bring someone in even if they wanted. Among those who still preach, some are unqualified. In short, the church is in a tough spot when it comes to the future of preaching. Is our current system of selecting, training, and hiring to blame? We discuss: - Who should become a preacher?- Is there a better way to match preachers with vacant pulpits?- What are the pros and cons of preaching schools and Christian university Bible degrees programs?- What can be done about common preacher problems like low pay, the glass house, and constantly uprooting the family? We discuss these issues and more. Join us at Focus+ to submit your questions and get access to the exclusive Deep End show each Friday, plus hundreds of other pieces of content for your Christian walk! patreon.com/focuspressinc

The role of preacher is a central part of most churches today. But is it supposed to be? We discuss:- The Biblical concept of the preacher- Stereotypical preacher problems- Are sermons overrated?- The problem of members disrespecting their ministersand more!With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Not everyone is going to be a preacher, elder, teacher, or missionary... so how can they serve the church? What has God called them to do? We discuss: - How we've overrated ministry and church work and underrated other efforts- What is the end goal of "making disciples?"- What's true and untrue about "all of life is worship"- What "priesthood of all believers" means in practical terms- Is every Christian called to evangelize?- How the church has misunderstood kingdom work

Summer is usually a church's busiest time of year as VBS, camp, and other events start to fill the calendar. We discuss the pros and cons of these events for spiritual formation. Topics include: Have youth and family ministries been sincere but misdirected from the start? When camps help young Christians grow into spiritual adulthood, and when they hinder The danger of building a walk with God around scheduled spiritual highs Is it time to reconsider VBS? With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

As June begins and the rainbow flags start flying again, we revisit the origins of the LGBT movement and how the decline goes back much farther than we typically think. We discuss: - 90's propaganda- The sexual revolution- Abortion's role- The rise of pornography in the 1950s- How Christians opened the door to it all by forfeiting the family

People have long had cultural role models, but in today's world of social media there are more voices than ever before. Who are today's major voices, what are they teaching, and how do we navigate the positive and negative influences? We discuss: - Taylor Swift, Candace Owens, Andrew Tate, "Trad Wives," Joe Rogan, and more - Feminism on the left and the right - Powerless masculinity, powerful masculinity, and finding balance - How parents and church leaders can use cultural role models to teach lessons With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

"Pharisee" is a religious insult so broadly used that is often becomes almost meaningless. But the word does have a meaning, and it's important we understand it. We discuss: - The history of the Pharisees and why they weren't all bad- How progressives overuse the term- What Pharisaical Bible study looks like- What Pharisaism looks like in the church today- How to guard against a Pharisaical heart With Jack Wilkie and Joe Wilkie

Not everything is a black and white, thou shalt/thou shalt not issue. For some, this means we should not talk about such issues but rather leave everything up to individual interpretation. Phrases like "But is it a sin?" and "You can't bind that" are thrown around to shut down discussion. But discernment is at the heart of Christian maturity. This week, we discuss the difference between the two approaches and why God wants us to engage our brains. Topics include: - The importance of discerning Good/Better/Best on any issue- Is it legalistic to get into specifics like school choices, entertainment options, etc.?- Why a "broad brush" is a good and proper tool for Bible teaching- Why avoidance of the controversial kills unity

You won't find the words "place membership" in the New Testament. And, when you're baptized, you're added by God to His church. So do we need to publicly declare our membership with a local congregation? We discuss, including: - Defining "church" and "member" Biblically- Is church an "organism" or an "organization?"- Do baptized teens become members separate from their parents?- Individualism vs. Collectivism- The importance of elders (and other church leaders) in defining membership With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

The guys decided to have some fun this week and sat down to draft 22 Bible books apiece. Tune in to see where the books got taken and how their favorites line up with yours. And, tell us who's "team" of 22 books you would pick if you could only read and study one set. With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We continue the discussion on prayer by examining a number of specifics, including: - How should public prayers differ from private prayers?- "Abba Father" and reverence vs. closeness- How to know when an answer is from God- Does "Let the men pray in every place" extend to the home, including with one's wife and children? With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Prayer is one of the basics of the Christian faith, but it's also a remarkably deep concept that raises all kinds of questions. Topics include: - Why do we need to pray if God already knows our thoughts?- Does it make a difference to pray audibly vs. just in our heads?- Do we pray to all 3 members of the Godhead, or just the Father?- Does prayer change God's mind?- Does God hear everyone's prayers? and more. With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Join Focus+ to get access to our weekly Q&A show, The Deep End! patreon.com/focuspressinc

The majority of kids raised in Christian homes continue to leave the church in adulthood. In fixing the problem, the most logical place to start has to be the biggest external influence in their lives - namely, the public schools. We discuss: - Just how bad it's gotten (even in the "good" schools)- The Deuteronomy 6 mandate- Valid reasons vs. excuses- Ways churches can get creative to help families With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

The church will be driven by masculine sensibilities or by feminized sensibilities - it can't be driven by both. This week we explore how the church has become driven by feminized sensibilities, why that isn't God's design, and what the consequences have been. Topics include: - Why femininity and masculinity are both needed, and the only way they can coexist- What a feminized pulpit, eldership, and congregation look like- How political correctness and self-policing hinder the truth- Why weak men are at the heart of the problem With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

The church's task of confronting "sin in the camp" is clearly laid out in the Scriptures... and yet it almost never happens. Why not? What would it look like if we did practice it? We discuss: - The OT roots of the practice- What a lack of church discipline has caused- Why discipline is the only loving way- The danger of overreach- How church discipline might change the world With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

This week the guys each bring three lessons they've learned about marriage. Topics include: - Why self-esteem is so important to a marriage- A mindset both spouses need to bring to the relationship- How to get better at conflict Tune in to catch these and six more lessons. Got one to contribute? Comment on our Facebook page!

With millions of immigrants crossing the border into the US in recent years, and immigration becoming arguably the biggest concern of this year's election, what should Christians think about the issue? We discuss:- Why the issue can't be ignored by Christians- What the Bible has to say- How issues like this make us better Bible students- Whether Christians can have national interests, or if being "not of this world" prohibits us- What obligations we have on the matter Check out Focus+ to get access to the exclusive Deep End episodes and much more! patreon.com/focuspressinc With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

This week we discuss the age of accountability and how we should think about youth baptisms (including our own). - Why we reject infant baptism- Reasons for younger (10-13) baptisms- Reasons for older baptisms (16 and up)- The role of fear as a reason to get baptized- When, if ever, is rebaptism necessary? With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We look at the disastrous culture of individualism and following our hearts. "Do what makes you happy" and "I come to God in my own way" set people up for misery and separation from God. Yet, many churches are built on this ideology. Topics include: - How "Follow your heart" culture has infiltrated churches - Why the heart wrecks lives and marriages - What's wrong with the minimalist, libertarian view of the Bible - How to know when you're following your heart vs. following God With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Join us on Focus+ to get access to the weekly Deep End bonus episodes! focuspress.org/plus

Dr. Brad Harrub joins the show to talk about climate change! In this episode: - The history of climate alarmism- What the science really shows- Biblical environmentalism and caring for God's world- How news media manipulates through fear- The indoctrination and weaponization of young minds for the causeWith Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

We dive into the elder qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 and discuss the importance of getting them right while also looking at the controversies involved. Topics include:- How the qualifications have been downplayed, and the consequences we're seeing- What does "able to teach" mean?- Why "peaceable" is a more important qualification to get right than you might think- Does an elder have to be married?- Do an elder's children have to be baptized, faithful Christians? With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Christians were caught unaware by the rise of the internet, but we can't afford to make the same mistake with the newest booming technology. Almost overnight, artificial Intelligence has gone from a fringe technology to a feature of everyday life. While it comes with numerous useful features, it certainly has its dark side, too. We discuss what you need to know about the issue in this episode, including: - The history and where it stands today- The threats to relationships posed by AI- A dark turn in the porn addiction epidemic- AI's incentives toward laziness and plagiarism, including for those in ministry With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

The role of women in the church has long been a debated topic. This week we take on the big issues like women preachers and what prominent women in the Bible teach us, along with a number of practical questions, including: - Non-speaking roles in worship- "Children's minister" and other titles- Church internships- Ladies Days With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie See focuspress.org for more!