Episodes
Counseling and the Church: How Pastors and Congregations Should Work Together (Dr. Steve Stuhlreyer)
Pastors are carrying more emotional and spiritual weight than most congregations realize—and many churches still treat counseling and discipleship as if they’re separate worlds. In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podca...
Rediscover Prayer: From Performance to Presence (Addison Bevere)
Why do so many Christians feel like they’re “bad at prayer”? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast , Dr. James Spencer sits down with Addison Bevere (President of Messenger International ) to talk about prayer as ...
The Holy Spirit and Discipleship: Why Growth Isn’t Just Human Effort (Roger Ross)
Is discipleship mainly about trying harder—or is it something God does in us? In this short, focused segment on the Thinking Christian Podcast , Roger Ross explains why the Holy Spirit is the prime mover in the entire work of...
Unmuted: From Silence to Testimony (Nick Sash) | Ordinary Faith, Discipleship & Finding Your Voice
What happens when God confronts the “two lives” we’re living—and calls us out of the background and into honest testimony? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast , Dr. James Spencer is joined by Nick Sash (a longti...
Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World with Lori Krieg | Parenting, Porn, Gender & Discipleship
How do Christian parents raise kids with wisdom in a culture shaped by pornography, confusion about gender, and broken ideas about relationships—without living in “hair-on-fire” panic? In this episode of the Thinking Christia...
Songs Before the Manger: Mary, Zechariah, and the Deep Theology of Christmas
Before angels sing over Bethlehem in Luke 2, two other voices break into song—Mary and Zechariah. In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer continues the “Thinking Christian about Christmas” series by walking ...
Dr. Christine Jeske | Learning to Hope Differently: Racial Justice for the Long Haul
What kind of hope can actually sustain racial justice work over decades—not just months? In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer is joined by anthropologist and author Dr. Christine Jeske to talk about her n...
Incarnation in a Disincarnate Age: Jesus, The Matrix, and Our Technological Self
As technology offers us endless ways to be “present” without actually being there, what does it mean for Christians to imitate the incarnation of Christ? In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer explores the ...
Do Evangelicals Still Believe Evangelical Things? Exploring the 2025 State of Theology
Every two years, Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research release The State of Theology —a massive survey that reveals what Americans (including evangelicals) actually believe about God, the Bible, Jesus, and culture. The 202...
Kickflips & the Great Commission: Varsity Skateboarding and Skate Church KC
James welcomes Dylan (founder of Varsity Skateboarding & leader of Skate Church KC ) and co-host Nate to unpack how skateparks have become mission fields. They cover why skating is exploding post-Olympics, what makes a skatep...
Recovering Wonder: A Fresh Reading of the Christmas Story
In a season filled with noise, outrage, and “cancel culture,” is there still room for real joy? In this Christmas episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer invites you to slow down, listen, and remember. He begins wit...
Why God Gave Ahaz a Baby, Not an Army: Isaiah 7:14 and the Virgin Birth
At Christmas, Christians often quote Isaiah 7:14—“the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son”—but few pause to ask what that verse meant for King Ahaz before it pointed to Christ. In this episode of Thinking Christian ,...
Tanita Maddox | What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God
In this episode of Thinking Christian , I sit down with Dr. Tanita Maddox—National Director of Generational Impact for Young Life and author of What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God . Drawing from years of research and on...
Danny Zacharias & Christopher Hoklotubbe | Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: Indigenous Christian Hermeneutics with
In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Daniel (Danny) Zacharias and Dr. Christopher Hoklotubbe, co-authors of Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American ...
Sayitha Sam | Finding Freedom From Porn: Deep Clean Coaching, Addiction Recovery & Christian Identity
In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer welcomes back Sathiya Sam—CEO and founder of Deep Clean Coaching—to talk about pornography addiction, sexual integrity, and the power of Christian community...
JR Briggs | The Art of Asking Better Questions- Christian Leadership, Loneliness & Deeper Discipleship
In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer talks with J.R. Briggs—founder of Kairos Partnerships and author of The Art of Asking Better Questions: Pursuing Stronger Relationships, Healthier Leadershi...
Pieter Valk | Singleness, Manhood, and Sexual Discipleship
In this episode of Thinking Christian , I sit down with Pieter Valk—founder and director of Equip and a founding brother of an ecumenical monastery in Nashville—to talk about what it really means to follow Jesus as single men...
Denise Lester | From Outreach to Exit: How Rended Heart Walks With Survivors of Sexual Exploitation
James sits down with Denise Lester , founder of Rended Heart (Kansas City, MO), to explore what sexual exploitation looks like today—and how her ministry stands in the 30-day gap between crisis and long-term recovery. Denise ...
David Green (Hobby Lobby) & Bill High | Building a Legacy Life: Faith, Family, and Eternal Purpose
In this episode of Thinking Christian , James Spencer talks with David Green , CEO of Hobby Lobby, and Bill High , CEO of Legacy Stone, about their new book Legacy Life: Leading Your Family to Make a Difference for Eternity ....
Carmen Joy Imes | Becoming God's Family: The Importance of Community
In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer engages with Dr. Carmen Imes about her book 'Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters.' They explore the themes of identity, vocation, and belonging within t...
Beth Felker Jones | Why I’m Protestant: Scripture, Catholicity, and a Church That’s Still Being Reformed
Dr. James Spencer sits down with Beth Felker Jones (Professor of Theology, Northern Seminary) to talk about her new IVP book Why I Am Protestant . Beth lays out how Protestant distinctives—especially Scripture as the norming ...
The Authority of the Septuagint: What the Apostles Quoted—and Why It Matters
Dr. James Spencer welcomes Gregory R. Lanier (RTS Orlando, NT) and William A. Ross (RTS Charlotte, OT), co-editors of The Authority of the Septuagint: Biblical, Historical & Theological Approaches (IVP Academic). What is the ...
Gregg Quiggle and Jerry Root | The English Reformation and C. S. Lewis
In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer engages with Dr. Greg Quiggle and Dr. Jerry Root to discuss an upcoming study tour focused on the English Reformation and the works of C.S. Lewis. The conversation delv...
Georgette Beck | Junk to Jewels: Beauty from Ashes
Dr. James Spencer welcomes Georgette Beck —author of Junk to Jewels: A Journey from Brokenness and Despair to Beauty and Delight and founder of the Bella Healing Hearts Foundation . Georgette shares her path from low self-wor...