Questions That Matter with Randy Newman

Our world has been shaped by reductionism, the view that everything can be reduced to something - matter, molecules, or motives. So nothing is sacred. Our Christian faith says the exact opposite. And the arts can fight against reductionism.

Many people grew up singing Christian hymns - but they don’t know what they’re singing about. What a great opportunity to tell them what these famous words mean. Pippa Cramer has built an entire outreach ministry around that premise. And God is blessing it immensely.

We live in a conversation-starved time when loneliness is at epidemic levels. One way we can love people in the midst of this difficult age is to develop good conversation skills. Heather Holleman’s book The Six Conversations shows us how and, perhaps more importantly, why. 

It’s important that we proclaim a clear and accurate message when we share the gospel. It’s also important that our tone matches the grace of our message. Paul tells us that our speech needs to be done with grace and salt. (See Col. 4:2-6). We need to know what he meant. Recommended Resources: Questioning Faith by Randy Newman (2024) Fool's Talk by Os Guinness A Welcome Change in Apologetics by Randy Newman

After writing many books on apologetics, Lee Strobel took a slightly different approach in his newest book to help people find the answer to this most important question, Is God Real? Resources: Is God Real? by Lee Strobel (2023) Lee Strobel's website The Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics Contagious Faith: Discover Your Natural Style for Sharing Jesus with Others by Mark Mittelberg, forward by Lee Strobel. Becoming a Contagious Church: Increasing Your Church's Evangelistic Temperature by Mark Mittelberg. The Case for Christ movie  

Most Christians know of Jonathan Edwards and may have heard a quote or two of his. And they’ve been encouraged to read his writings. But he’s really hard to read. So getting help from George Marsden a great historian and biographer is key. This podcast digs into Edwards and what Marsden helps us see clearly. Resources: Marsden's long biography of Edwards: Jonathan Edwards: A Life Marsden's shorter biography of Edwards: A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards An Infinite Fountain of Light: Jonathan Edwards for the Twenty-First Century by George Marsden, 2023 The Complete Sermons of Jonathan Edwards The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards Religious Affections: A Christian's Character Before God by Jonathan Edwards featuring notes from James Houston. The Essential Edwards Collection: Set of Five Books A Biography of Mere Christianity by George Marsden  

Digital technologies, the internet, Facebook, and many other means of connection are having their effects on us. They don’t just tell us what we should believe. (And that’s bad enough!) They also shape how we view ourselves, our world, and our God! Resources: Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age by Samuel D. James Digital Liturgies Newsletter

We hate to admit it (and that’s part of the problem) but, sometimes, we get tired - tired of serving God, tired of reading our Bible, tired of going to church. Dai Hankey has experienced all that kind of spiritual fatigue and has good lessons for those who need hope in the midst of exhaustion. Resources: Hopeward by Dai Hankey Red Community: combatting modern slavery in Wales Other books by Dai Hankey

The Bible tells us a lot about weakness and how God uses the weak to display his greatness and his strength. But we don’t like this theme very much. Aaron Welty explores this important idea and how he sees it play out in movies, stories, comic books and his life. Resources: Articles by Aaron Welty The Belfast Oxford Tour Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis.