Bible Study Podcast

This week’s guest is Dean Meadows, the Executive Director of The Daily Apologist. Dean is incredibly passionate about helping young Christians defend their faith. It is important for every Christian to be able to defend what we believe, but it is especially important for young people who are facing a barrage of arguments from secular friends and professors. When most of us think of “Christian apologetics,” we probably think of the old earth, new earth, dinosaurs, and evolution. However, Dean and The Daily Apologist team focus on some other areas of apologetics. They are addressing some of the philosophical questions being raised in academia, for which many of our young people are not prepared. I hope you enjoy this conversation!           Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

This week’s guest is Pamela Maxwell (one of my three younger sisters), who was a missionary in both France and Scotland. In this conversation, we visit about why she became a missionary, what she experienced on the mission field, some of the unique challenges she faced when she was a single woman working as a missionary, and more. I hope you are encouraged by this conversation. Currently, Pamela and her family live in Waurika, Oklahoma. Her husband, Tommy Maxwell, is the preacher for the Waurika Church of Christ. Though they are now back in the United States, they are still very much missionaries.           Resources: * Adventures in Missions (Sunset International Bible Institute) Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

What will happen when Jesus returns? Will the earth, and all material things, cease to exist? That’s what I grew up believing. However, I began to realize the Bible speaks of the meek inheriting the earth (Matthew 5:5) and the saved receiving “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13; Isaiah 66:22; Revelation 21:1). I didn’t know what to do with these passages: will there be a new earth to inherit or no earth to inherit? As I have studied the Scriptures and found biblical answers to these questions, I have found others who also embrace the biblical teaching that God’s people will inherit the earth, just as Jesus (and the prophets promised). One such brother is my friend, Josh Pappas, who preaches for the LaVergne Church of Christ. I want to invite you to listen to a very in-depth conversation we had about the new heavens and new earth.           Resources Mentioned in This Episode: * James Burton Coffman’s commentary on Isaiah 65-66 * Moses Lard’s commentary on Romans (PDF may be slow to load) Additional Resources: * You might also be interested in this video: “Do we go to Heaven, Paradise, or Something Else?” from the Broadway Church of Christ. Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

I don’t say this lightly, but this will probably be the best thing you listen to all day. In this episode, Iraqi-born Wissam Al-Aethawi shares the story of how he converted from Islam to Christ. He now preaches the gospel to Muslims in Michigan and travels extensively helping Christians understand, love, and share the gospel with their Muslim neighbors. Wissam shares that hate drove him away from Islam and love brought him to Christ. He also shares how much it bothers him to hear hate and fear (which he says are very closely related) coming from his brothers and sisters in Christ. If we are going to bring our neighbors to Christ, it must begin with loving them.           Resources Mentioned in this Episode: * Arab Christian Ministry on Facebook * Wissam Al-Aethawi’s materials from Sunset Extension School * A Railroad in Dearborn (fiction) Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

CrossTalk season 4 is finally here! I am so excited to release some of these great conversations I have, so you can be blessed by them as much as I have been! Today’s conversation is one I recorded with my friend Scott Elliott, who preaches in La Grange, Texas. I’ve entitled this episode, “Movies Christians Watch.” Scott wrote a blog post entitled, “Should Christians Watch R-rated Movies,” which I found very interesting. I invited Scott on the podcast to discuss whether or not movies have any redeeming value for Christians, whether or not adults should watch movies not suitable for children, and more. I hope you find this conversation helpful. Resources: In addition to Scott’s blog, I also recommend these resources: * ClearPlay (DVD filtering) * VidAngel (Streaming filtering) * PluggedIn (Focus on the Family’s Movie Reviews) Did You Enjoy the Podcast? If you enjoy this show, you can help others discover it by sharing it on social media and by leaving a rating and review on iTunes. You can also help by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

On today’s episode I had the opportunity to visit over the phone with two members of the Appian Media team. Appian Media is a non-profit organization for which I am incredibly thankful. They are Christians who create amazing documentary-style videos that help viewers experience various places in Israel, and the biblical accounts that happened there. They make these videos available for free on their website, AppianMedia.org. The Appian Media team consists of several members, but this conversation was with two brothers, Jeremy and Craig Dehut. I think you’re really going to enjoy this conversation, and make sure you listen to the end because Jeremy and Craig will share a coupon code that will allow you to get a DVD from their website for free. Be sure to use the coupon code: “crosstalk” when you order that DVD from AppianMedia.org. That offer will last until 3/31/19. If you enjoy this show, you can help others discover it by sharing it on social media and by leaving a rating and review on iTunes. You can also help by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

With the recent passing of a new abortion law in New York, my Facebook feed has been full of discussions about abortion. I’m always thankful when I see Christians stand up in defense of human life. However, I am often saddened by some of the angry and almost hateful ways I see Christians lashing out against pro-choice supporters and law-makers. So I posted a plea for Christians to voice the truth lovingly and reasonably. Soon after, I saw that my good friend Jacob Rutledge posted something which made me realize, while we are both very much pro-life, we may not totally agree on how Christians should voice their pro-life convictions online (see both posts below). But instead of arguing with my friend and brother, I invited him to join me in the following discussion, so that all of you can hear how brothers who don’t see eye to eye on something should discuss their agreements and their disagreements. I hope you find this conversation encouraging and helpful. For context, here are the two Facebook posts which prompted this conversation. Obviously, neither of us would disagree with the other, but we certainly approached the issue from different angles: Wes McAdams: Here is the question that interests me: What sort of dialogue is actually going to lead to fewer abortions? What if we really tried to understand the motivations of people with whom we disagree? What if we committed to only posting things on social media which might lead to someone reconsidering their position; or might help a desperate woman, considering abortion, feel like she has another viable option? Let’s not see who can shout the loudest, but see who can be the most loving and the most reasonable. Let’s “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Jacob Rutledge: We need to be careful of creating an environment in the church where zeal and righteous indignation are scorned. If God’s people follow him, they will be righteously angry over evil and iniquity in society (like the recent events surrounding the abortion laws in New York). Following our Lord we “Love righteousness and hate iniquity” (Heb. 1:9); as the Psalmist says “O you who love the Lord, hate evil!” (Psa. 97:10). The righteous are to be bold (Prov. 28:1)—not rude or callous, but also not timid and insipid. Every time some new evil is propagated in our society, and faithful Christians react in a godly way, I know what’s coming next: posts declaring we need to settle down and temper our response. No doubt, we should be reasonable and loving in all that we do. But if we can’t get righteously angry about the slaughter and dismembering of innocent children, then what can we get upset about? A holy hatred for abortion, and speaking out against those who sign laws enshrining such evil, is at the very heart of the church. To speak truth to power with boldness, being firm in our conviction, and loving in our articulation of those principles. I’m more concerned about creating a church that doesn’t speak out against such. A church who’s moral vigor and passion for truth and goodness has so been doused by guilt and shame that their timidity keeps them from speaking out boldly against such evil. We speak the truth on abortion BECAUSE we love women. We passionately reveal the horror of it BECAUSE so many women are victims to the agenda propagated by the pro-choice movement. Many are unaware of the advancements in technology and the development of their child within the womb. We cry out for all the baby girls that have been lost because they were an inconvenience or unwanted. Our battles against this evil in our society is the very fulfillment of Paul’s command to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:5). If we don’t speak out—if we allow guilt and shame and timidity to keep us from crying out for these innocent children—then their blood is on our hands.

Today’s guest is Sam Dominguez, my former co-host. Today you’ll get a chance to hear Sam and I discuss the concept of eternity. What is eternity like? Can we wrap our minds around it? Should we even try to think of “eternity” as a really long time? Should we think of it as a time when “time” no longer exists. Is this even something the Bible discusses? What does the Bible mean when it says “eternal.” Those are some of the questions we explore? If you enjoy this show, you can help others discover it by sharing it on social media and by leaving a rating and review on iTunes. You can also help by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

Today I would like to invite you to listen to a conversation I had with my friend, Bill Adkins. Bill and his wife Linda have a wonderful story about how they chose to help a young single mom and her 4-year-old daughter. That was nearly 15 years ago and both mother and daughter are still an important part of their life. Not only is this story worth sharing in its own right, but it led to a great conversation about how Christians can think outside the box when reaching out to help people in our community. I hope this story encourages and inspires you as much as it did me. If you enjoy this show, you can help others discover it by sharing it on social media and by leaving a rating and review on iTunes. You can also help by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

Today I would like to invite you to listen to a conversation I had with my friend, Caleb Cochran. This is a conversation about suffering with various types of anxiety. Caleb isn’t a psychiatrist or medical professional, he’s an evangelist for the church in Rockville, Maryland and he has personally suffered with anxiety, so he has a heart for ministering to others who suffer in this way. Whether or not you personally deal with anxiety, you likely know someone who does. So this is a relevant discussion for us all. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

Today I would like to invite you to listen to a conversation I recently had with two of my friends and co-workers, Rosalyn Miller and Mikie Kindsfather. These wonderful Christian ladies work as the children’s education coordinators here at the church of Christ on McDermott Road. They have so many wonderful thoughts to share about the importance of children’s Bible classes, some practical thoughts on how to make Bible classes what they should be, and even what kids can gain from being in the worship assembly with adults. I hope you find this conversation helpful and encouraging. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

Let me say before I introduce today’s conversation that the subject matter is for mature audiences only and may not be suitable for children. My guest today is my new friend, Clint. He and I began corresponding recently via email about how the church should minister to those who identify as LGBTQ. Because Clint also struggles with same sex attraction and because in the past he lived a gay lifestyle, he has a unique perspective. In this conversation, we discussed whether or not Christians should embrace an LGBTQ identity, what churches can do to minister to those in the LGBTQ community, his thoughts on how parents should respond if their children reveal they experience same sex attraction, and his encouragement to young Christians who are themselves dealing with this struggle. This is a sensitive subject with which every Christian needs to be familiar. I hope this conversation leads to other healthy conversations about this topic. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

My guest today is my friend, Brandon Edwards, who just helped launch the first private social network for churches of Christ. It is called, “Aggos.” Regardless of your religious background, I think you will find this conversation interesting. Brandon is a brilliant guy and he is constantly trying to find new ways to bring Christians together and reach the lost with the Good News. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Be sure to check out Aggos.com. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

My guest today is my my very good friend, Michael Monday. In this conversation we discussed our identity as Christians and building real relationships with our church family. What does it mean to be part of the family of God and are we really enjoying the blessings of being part of that family? I think you will be challenged and encouraged by this discussion. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

My guest today is my friend and co-worker, Barrett Bingham. He is a high school minister, a podcaster, and an occasional stand-up comedian. He co-hosts a podcast with another member at McDermott Road called, “Off the Rails.” Barrett is a lot of fun and during this conversation, we talked about why we should make room for a sense of humor in the church. There are quite a few laughs along the way, but Barrett also has a lot of very insightful things to share about faith and emotion. I believe you will really be blessed by this conversation. Instructions for Subscribing to the Podcast: For very simple instructions on subscribing to the podcast (on an iPhone) – Click Here Connect: If you enjoyed this CrossTalk podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams