Questions That Matter with 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.

• Articles by Aaron Welty
• The Belfast Oxford Tour
• Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis.

The challenges of proclaiming the gospel in our doubt-filled times continue to grow. But we can incorporate numerous strategies for reaching people who are far from belief. This episode explores three.

Resources:

• Questioning Faith by Randy Newman (2024)
• Strategies for Pre-Evangelism video lecture series with Randy Newman

Christians know they should read the Bible. And they’re convinced that it would be good for them. But sometimes our motivation sags. Kristen Wetherell encourages us for those times when our hunger of God’s word dips down.

Resources:

• Kristen’s website
• Help for the Hungry Soul by Kristen Wetherell
• Kristen’s other books
• Bible Reading Plan
  How to Read the Bible Podcast

We live in hurried and distracted times. “Fear of Missing Out” actually makes us miss more and more of what’s right in front of us. Adam Ramsey has some great wisdom for how to live faithfully and embrace the limits God has placed on us.

Resources:

• Faithfully Present: Embracing the Limits of Where and When God Has You by Adam Ramsey (Book)
• Liberti Church (the church where Adam pastors)
• Faithful Presence Where Your Feet Are by Adam Ramsey (Article)

God could have made us all the same. But he didn’t! Trillia Newbell writes about this very good idea for children and adults with depth, clarity, and winsomeness.

Resources:

• God's Very Good Idea by Trillia Newbell
• Creative God, Colorful Us by Trillia Newbell
• 52 Weeks in the Word by Trillia Newbell
• Keeping The Faith

For a while, people have been told that there’s no such thing as truth. You “create your own truth” and “find your own meaning” within yourself. Many are finding that unsatisfying and are beginning to wonder if there really is truth somewhere. We Christians have a great opportunity to tell them yes, there is truth. I explore this and suggest ways to engage in fruitful evangelistic conversations.

Resources:

• Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner (2023)
• Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain (2023)
• The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin (2023)
• Miracles by C.S. Lewis
• The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis
• Questioning Faith: Indirect Journeys of Belief through Terrains of Doubt by Randy Newman (2024)