Can Christians Use Sarcasm, Satire, and Strong Speech?

Many have attempted to pit Jesus and Paul against each other. Did the apostle co-opt the Savior's movement? Did the two disagree with each other? This week's episode examines the foolishness of such claims. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and who's saying this 11:59 - The problems this view creates 18:25 - How atheists and Muslims team up with progressives on this 23:43 - Debunking the claims 30:18 - What do they supposedly disagree about? Grace, women, kingdom, and more 55:36 - The Chosen's latest goof With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com Visit us at jackwilkie.co and focuspress.org

We talk a lot about ways to improve the church... but what should Christians do in the meantime?What if you're in a tough church situation and it seems it's not getting better any time soon? How do we examine what we want to see in the church while being okay with what it actually is? We discuss these questions in this week's episode. Chapters:00:00 - Intro, a message to the disgruntled06:30 - Three bad options when church is frustrating13:25 - The pride in constant criticism22:31 - Loving criticism vs. detached criticism33:44 - The myth of the ideal church41:55 - The place of patience in building up a better church45:37 - Practical issues: weak preaching, uncertain leadership, lackluster fellowship56:43 - Think Fast: disagreeing about the Red Baron Pizza man With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co Join us for the weekly Deep End bonus episode for supporters at focuspress.org/plus

This week we discuss gluttony, weight issues, and self-control. CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro and outline06:43 - The question, and defining our terms14:46 - The steel man argument: navigating a tricky situation18:29 - The visible fruits of poor eating27:54 - Biblical considerations35:15 - Is it a sin to be overweight?41:52 - Why does the church avoid this subject?51:43 - Poor metabolism, insulin resistance, and avoiding excuses55:27 - Avoiding Gnosticism, and practical tips With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.comVisit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Become a supporter on our Patreon at www.focuspress.org/plus  Jack's article - https://jackwilkie.co/p/what-is-the-sin-of-gluttony  Our Godly Young Men episode on practical tips - https://youtu.be/anxVvUmHxTw?si=EEfIbGzfozryONpb 

It's the second edition of our Bible debates series! Last time we considered the Nephilim, the author of Hebrews, and a few other hotly debated topics. This time we add five more entries to the list. CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro and ground rules02:48 - Baptism for the dead (1 Cor. 15:29)14:24 - What happened between Ham and Noah (Genesis 9:20ff)37:46 - Do people have personal guardian angels? (Matthew 18:10)46:02 - What is the purpose of Song of Solomon?53:23 - Did the Father truly forsake Jesus while on the cross? We'd love to hear your takes on Focus+, our YouTube channel, or the Focus Press Facebook page! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.comVisit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  You can support us and get the weekly Deep End episode and a huge library of Bible study material at www.focuspress.org/plus 

This week we talk spiritual burnout, and when to take a step back from involvement for a season of rest. CHAPTERS:00:00 - Introduction and the ups and downs of life09:17 - Is there a time to step back from church work?16:21 - Historic practices of rest24:46 - What changed during the COVID years33:13 - When the church calendar gets to be too much38:08 - Why church work is often the first thing to get cut from the schedule51:35 - Does the Bible tell us not to take these seasons of rest? With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.comVisit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co Join Focus+ and get our huge library of content by going to www.focuspress.org/plus 

This week, we discuss a viral tweet that claimed that the strongest of Christians are people who watch Disney, celebrate Halloween, drink alcohol, and wear bikinis, and what it says about an all-too-common view of freedom in Christ. CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro, and the tweet that inspired the episode08:27 - Pitting Jesus against discernment16:28 - Why heaven isn't all that matters26:12 - The attitude problem behind "you can't bind that"33:40 - The issues: boycotts, Halloween, swimwear, etc.58:01 - How can churches discuss these issues? With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com Check us out at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Join us for the weekly Deep End segment by supporting our Patreon - www.focuspress.org/plus 

Marco Arroyo from In Between Sundays join's Jack to discuss why we haven't joined in the trends to convert to Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro and the current religious landscape04:37 - Our issues with Roman Catholicism10:47 - Our issues with Eastern Orthodoxy17:47 - Sola Scriptura vs. church tradition27:17 - Do church councils solve doctrinal division?39:51 - Infant baptism 43:53 - Do "household baptisms" in Scripture inidicate infant baptism?53:01 - The fruits of RC and EO: mass production of nominal members Marco's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IBSMarco Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com  Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Join our Patreon and get a huge library of Christian content by going to www.focuspress.org/plus 

CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and the time and place for tougher talk06:21 - Starting with the cautions and limitations10:27 - Friendly teasing, thicker skin, and how men and women differ in their communication19:32 - Sarcasm and mockery in the Bible30:29 - Principles for properly using humor with an edge38:20 - The time and place for sharp words44:20 - Are we allowed to speak like Jesus, Paul, and Elijah did?48:43 - When does it go too far? When is an apology necessary?53:39 - Think Fast: Ed Sheeran and Macklemore's Israel/Palestine fiasco With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com Join us for the weekly Deep End episode and hundreds of hours of audio and video Bible studies and sermons at www.focuspress.org/plus 

Last week at the Engage Conference, Dr. Brad Harrub joined us for our first ever episode in front a live audience! We discussed the problem of apathy in the church, including:- How leadership can cause it, and what they can do to fix it- The "good enough" mindset that leads people to give minimum effort- Dealing with the busyness that keeps us from doing more- Ways the church can do a better job of engaging the men in the pews With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com  Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Join us for the Deep End and more at www.focuspress.org/plus  

Deacons are one of the most misunderstood roles in the church. We discuss the differences between deacons and elders, the qualifications for the role, and how deacons can help oversee practical responsibilities such as budgets, maintenance, education, and logistics. The conversation also addresses questions like whether deacons are elders in training, who should appoint them, whether churches can have deacons without elders, and whether Romans 16:1 justifies deaconesses. CHAPTERS:00:00 - What is a deacon, and what are the qualifications?10:59 - Differences between elder and deacon qualifications, and what that tells us about the roles18:20 - Is the deacon role a stepping stone to eldership?23:24 - What kind of work is deacon work vs. elder work, and how much should the elders exercise oversight?38:24 - Is it an ongoing role, or task-based?43:09 - How are they to be appointed?48:59 - Can you have deacons if you don't have elders?56:09 - Why Phoebe wasn't a "deaconess"  With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Come hear us at the Engage Conference in Waxahachie, TX September 11-13! cocbrownstreet.org/engage Visit our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com Check us out at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.coJoin us for the Deep End and more at focuspress.org/plus