Welcome to the Thinking Chrisitan Podcast

Season 3

Oct. 20, 2025

David Green (Hobby Lobby) & Bill High | Building a Legacy Life: Faith…

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 ....

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Oct. 16, 2025

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...

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Oct. 13, 2025

Beth Felker Jones | Why I’m Protestant: Scripture, Catholicity, and a…

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 ...

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Oct. 9, 2025

The Authority of the Septuagint: What the Apostles Quoted—and Why It …

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 ...

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Oct. 7, 2025

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...

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Oct. 6, 2025

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...

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Oct. 3, 2025

Debbie D'Souza | The Dragon’s Prophecy Film

James talks with Debbie D’Souza (co-writer/co-director) about the new film The Dragon’s Prophecy —why the project accelerated after Oct 7th, how Revelation 12’s “dragon” frames Israel’s story, what recent archaeology (City of...

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Oct. 2, 2025

Peter Y. Hong | True Globalization: Reconciling Humanity in Christ

Dr. James Spencer sits down with Dr. Peter Y. Hong —federal prison chaplain and author of The Reconciliation of Humanity in Christ —to explore how a prison chapel became his living parable for our “shrinking” world. Peter des...

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Sept. 29, 2025

Jonathan P. Walton | Beauty & Resistance: Practicing a Life That Form…

Dr. James Spencer talks with Jonathan P. Walton —author of Beauty and Resistance and 12 Lies That Hold America Captive —about moving beyond “thinking Christian” to living as a Christian. Jonathan shares how grief, burnout, an...

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Sept. 25, 2025

Peter Greer | How Leaders Lose Their Way—and Finish Well Instead

Dr. James Spencer talks with Peter Greer —CEO/President of HOPE International and author of How Leaders Lose Their Way (and How to Make Sure It Doesn’t Happen to You) —about why organizations drift when leaders first drift pe...

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Sept. 22, 2025

Mikel Del Rosario | Did Jesus Really Say He Was God? Claims, “Blasphe…

Dr. James Spencer welcomes Dr. Mikel Del Rosario —theology professor at Moody Bible Institute , host of The Apologetics Guy podcast, and author of Did Jesus Really Say He Was God? —to explore Jesus’ divine self-understanding ...

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Sept. 18, 2025

Eun K. Strawser | You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone: Shared Power, a…

Dr. James Spencer welcomes Eun Strawser —author of You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone and co-vocational lead pastor of Ma Ke Ali o —to rethink church leadership through the lens of Ephesians 4–5 . Instead of celebrity or soli...

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Sept. 12, 2025

Capitalism, Socialism, and the Christian’s Hope: Reading the Gallup P…

James and Nate unpack a recent Gallup poll on Americans’ views of capitalism —down from 60% (2021) to 54% (2025) favorable—and why that headline can mislead. Beneath it: strong support for free enterprise and small business ,...

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Sept. 11, 2025

Ryan Skoog | Lead with Prayer: Lessons from the Global Church

Dr. James Spencer welcomes Ryan Skoog —author of Lead with Prayer and president of Venture —for a wide-ranging conversation on prayer, discipleship, and the explosive growth of the global church. Ryan shares powerful stories ...

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Sept. 8, 2025

Will Acuff | No Elevator to Everest: Spirit-Led Self-Awareness, Joyfu…

Dr. James Spencer sits down with Will Acuff —author of No Elevator to Everest: Shift from Survive to Thrive through Spirit-Led Self-Awareness and cofounder of Corner to Corner (Nashville)—to explore how Christians can move fr...

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Sept. 4, 2025

Soundbites and Slogans: Thinking Christian in a World of Half-Truths

In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast , Dr. James Spencer is joined by Nate Giarratano reflect on recent political commentary surrounding the Israel–Gaza conflict. Instead of offering hot takes on a complex war, t...

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Aug. 11, 2025

How to Die: Punk Rock, Monasteries, and the Scandal of Discipleship

In a culture obsessed with self-optimization and curated spirituality, Joshua S. Porter offers a counterintuitive call: come and die . In this episode, James Spencer sits down with the punk-rocker-turned-pastor to discuss Por...

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Aug. 4, 2025

David Greene |Legacy that Lasts: On Purpose, Family, and the Gospel.

In this powerful episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Hobby Lobby CEO David Green and Legacy Stone CEO Bill High to discuss their upcoming book, Legacy Life: Leading Your Family to Make ...

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Aug. 4, 2025

Jeremy Stalnecker|Identity Beyond the Uniform: Faith, Trauma & Leader…

In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer explores what it means to live faithfully in increasingly secular spaces—from youth sports and public education to workplace dynamics and political culture. Drawing fr...

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Aug. 4, 2025

Christian Nationalism and the Church-State Divide: A Theological Refl…

In this episode of Thinking Christian , Dr. James Spencer and Nate dive into the recent Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) vote addressing Christian nationalism. They explore what makes Christian nationalism problematic fro...

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July 17, 2025

Away game

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July 14, 2025

Losing the Signal: What the Death of AM Radio Means for Christian Wit…

What happens when a culture unplugs from the constraints that once helped us listen well? In this episode of Thinking Christian , James Spencer and Nate reflect on the slow disappearance of AM radio from new vehicles—a shift ...

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July 10, 2025

Zach W. Lambert | A Better Way to Read the Bible: Escaping Weaponized…

Can we read the Bible without reducing it to a rulebook, a road map, or a political weapon? In this episode of Thinking Christian , James Spencer sits down with pastor and author Zach Lambert to explore his new book Better Wa...

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July 7, 2025

Jenn Suen Chen | Dim Sum, Identity, and the Table of God: How Our Sto…

What does dim sum have to do with discipleship? In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, James Spencer talks with author and spiritual formation leader Jen Suen Chin about her book Dim Sum and Faith: How Our Sto...

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