Episodes

The Southern Baptist Convention just passed a constitutional amendment restricting women in ministry — and the implications reach far beyond the SBC. In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer and co-host Ashish Varma sit down with Dr. Beth Allison Barr, historian, Baylor professor, and author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood and Becoming the Pastor's Wife , to break down what happened, why it matters, and where evangelical Christianity may be heading. Beth traces the amendment'...

What does it actually mean to be a male disciple of Jesus? And why does so much of what gets called "biblical masculinity" look more like cultural bravado than anything Jesus modeled or taught? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Kutter Callaway, associate professor of theology and psychology at Fuller Seminary and author of Theology for Psychology and Counseling , to dig into those questions. We talk through how we got here, because this didn't just appear out of nowhere. There's a history, a re...

🤔 What if Old Testament laws aren’t outdated rules to follow, but a deep, tangible story we are invited to practice? 🎙️ In this episode of Thinking Christian , host James Spencer is joined once again by Rebecca Josberger and Renee Duffy from the Bible Unbranded podcast to tackle one of the most debated topics in biblical study: how to interpret Old Testament law through a theological framework. 🗺️ Using the command of the Sabbath as their core anchor ⚓, the team unpacks how the ancient laws in D...

s the Old Testament Law a heavy burden to be avoided, or a guide to the heart of the Lawgiver? 📜🤔 In this installment of our crossover series with the Bible Unbranded podcast, Dr. James Spencer, Renee Duffy, and Dr. Rebekah Josberger tackle the common misconceptions surrounding Biblical Law. Far from being an obsolete set of rules, the law—and specifically the Sabbath command—reveals deep theological truths about who God is and how He cares for His creation. In this episode, we discuss: Rehabili...

For many Christians, the Book of Deuteronomy feels like a dense wilderness of repetitive laws and ancient regulations that seem disconnected from a vibrant relationship with Jesus. 📜📉 In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer sits down with Renee Duffy and Dr. Rebekah Josberger from the Bible Unbranded podcast to flip the script. They reveal that Deuteronomy isn't a burden—it’s the "backbone" of the Bible. By exploring the specific "if-then" commands and Moses' final heartfelt se...

Is there a "secret recipe" for biblical fatherhood, or have we been looking at the wrong map? 🗺️🧔 In this special Father's Day episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ashish Varma sit down to discuss the weight and wonder of Christian fatherhood. Moving beyond cultural stereotypes, they dive into Ephesians 5 and 6 to explore how a father’s role is rooted not in dominance, but in the wisdom of the Spirit and the mutual submission of the household. In this episode, we discuss: Wa...

Is our modern definition of "toughness" actually biblical, or is it just a shadow of the ancient world? 🏛️💭 In this intellectually stimulating episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ashish Varma explore the intersection of virtue ethics and theology. They look back at how the ancient world understood masculinity and femininity in relation to the virtues and ask: How did the early church transform these ideas into a call for all disciples? In this episode, we discuss: Virtue Ep...

Is 1 Timothy 3 a list of "manly" traits, or a calling for the entire Body of Christ? 📋🤔 In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ashish Varma dive into one of the most cited texts in the "biblical manhood" debate: 1 Timothy 3. They challenge the common assumption that the characteristics of overseers and deacons are exclusively masculine, demonstrating how these same virtues are applied to women and the broader community throughout the New Testament. In this episode, we ...

If we move past the confusing labels of "biblical manhood," what are we actually left with? 🗺️❓ In the final visionary installment of this series on Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ashish Varma address the "void" left behind when we deconstruct faulty masculinity frameworks. If "biblical manhood" as a standalone category is unclear and often unhelpful, what is the concrete path forward for men in the church? In this episode, we discuss: The "Void" Problem: Why taking away a flawed...

Are we following Jesus, or just a "masculine" version of ourselves? 🗺️🤔 In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ashish Varma dismantle the common "mapping" errors in the biblical manhood conversation. They argue that many modern frameworks for masculinity are actually "second-order" cultural reactions rather than "first-order" biblical truths. In this episode, we discuss: How to Lie with Maps: Understanding how the "abbreviations" we use to define manhood can lead to un...

Does being a "Biblical Man" mean fitting into a specific cultural mold? 🗺️🤨 In this installment of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ashish Varma tackle the "methodological problem" that often distorts our view of masculinity. They argue that we’ve spent too much time trying to define "manhood" through cultural reactions and not enough time following Jesus as disciples. In this episode, we discuss: The "Lying Map": How we allow cultural abbreviations to simplify our understanding of...

If we throw away the old, distorted maps of manhood, what do we use to navigate instead? 🗺️📍 In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ashish Varma move into the constructive phase of their series. They explore how to redraw the "map" of male discipleship by centering it on the authority of Christ rather than cultural reactions. In this episode, we discuss: The Problem with Over-Correction: Why reacting to a "crisis in masculinity" often leads to a distorted, machismo-foc...

What happens when the "old maps" of masculinity fail us? 🗺️📉 In this follow-up episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ashish Varma move from critique to construction. If the cultural and traditional "maps" of biblical manhood are distorted, how do we redraw them without falling back into the same traps? They explore how to approach male discipleship when the old frameworks have failed, focusing on the character of Christ rather than cultural caricatures. In this episode, we di...

Is the current conversation around "Biblical Manhood" giving us a clear path, or just a distorted map? 🗺️🤔 In the season premiere of our new series on Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ashish Varma dive deep into the "methodological problem" at the heart of the modern masculinity debate. Drawing inspiration from the classic book How to Lie with Maps , they explore how abbreviations and cultural shortcuts can lead us away from reality and toward a "machismo" caricature of Jesus. In t...

How did we get here? From the Enlightenment to the rise of Postmodernism, the landscape of what we believe about God has shifted beneath our feet. In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer sits down with renowned theologian Dr. Roger E. Olson (Emeritus Professor at Baylor University) to map out the fascinating—and often turbulent—history of modern theology. They explore the tension between tradition and the "modern mind," discussing how giants like Schleiermacher, Barth, and Bonh...

In a world that demands instant results, we’ve found a thousand new ways to numb the pain of existence. Join Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ben Mathew for the final installment of our series as they tackle the normalization of "quick-fix" drugs—from anabolic steroids and TRT in the fitness world to the rise of GLP-1s like Ozempic. We explore the dangerous trade-offs of modern biohacking and why the Christian life calls us to lean into the "friction" of reality rather than anesthetizing ourselves agai...

Are we asking therapy to do something it was never designed to do? In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ben Mathew take a provocative look at the "Counseling Industry" and its role in a collapsed culture. While therapy is a vital tool for clinical challenges, Dr. Mathew shares the growing trend of counselors feeling like "paid friends" for people who are simply missing the basic structures of a healthy life. We dive into why the clinical office is a great place to me...

Loneliness isn't just a "feeling"—it’s a structural crisis. In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ben Mathew take a hard look at the "Epidemic of Loneliness" and why our modern way of life is practically designed to keep us isolated. Building on the "Embodied Leg" of our mental health stool, we explore how the transition from a "physical" world to a "convenience" world has stripped away the natural friction that used to bring us together. It’s time to move past the "o...

In an era of digital convenience and "on-demand" spirituality, have we lost something vital by staying home? Join Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ben Mathew as they explore the "Embodied Leg" of the mental health stool. This episode dives into the "Deaths of Despair" phenomenon and how the simple act of being physically present in a local church community serves as a powerful buffer against anxiety and isolation. We’re moving beyond abstract beliefs and looking at the tangible, physical habits that gr...

Hundreds of churches once bombed and burned to the ground are not only standing again but thriving in Sudan and South Sudan. Hear stories of pastors who experienced intense persecution and how their faith sustained them. Resources: Learn more about the Church Reconstruction Program in South Sudan https://www.samaritanspurse.org/construction/celebrating-over-500-new-churches-in-south-sudan/ To hear more about Ryan’s time in Sudan listen to Serving in Uncertainty: The War in Sudan https://onthegro...

In a culture obsessed with "happiness hacks" and immediate emotional relief, what if our sadness isn't a glitch, but a proper response to reality? In this follow-up episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ben Mathew (Professor of Counselor Education at CIU) tackle the heart of the existential crisis. They move beyond the "social leg" of mental health to explore the "existential leg"—the shared process of meaning-making in a world that often feels like running into the wind. In ...

Have you ever been in the middle of a busy, successful season only to be hit by a sudden, creeping feeling that none of it matters? You aren’t alone. In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ben Mathew (Professor of Counselor Education at CIU) dive deep into the "existential leg" of the mental health stool. Dr. Mathew joins us from the middle of a literal storm to discuss the figurative storms of the soul—those moments when we feel like we are "running into the wind" wit...

Are we living in a "Truman Show" world? 🎬 In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Dr. Ben Mathew (Professor of Counselor Education) dive into the "Social Leg" of their three-legged stool model for mental health. Together, they explore how our modern, technology-driven society has distorted our sense of community and identity. They discuss the "Causal Link" between the rise of smartphones and the most anxious generation in history, citing the research of Jonathan Haidt. In t...

Is mental health just "all in your head," or is there something deeper happening within our physical design? In the premiere of this series, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Dr. Ben Mathew, Professor of Counselor Education, to introduce a revolutionary way of looking at well-being: The Three-Legged Stool of Mental Health. We’re moving past the "quick-fix" culture to explore how our bodies, our stories, and our faith are inextricably linked. If you've ever felt like your spiritual life and your p...