Share Truth Apply Scripture

We are still in the midst of our Orange Letter Campaign. But Christians cannot speak of persecution without some really serious questions coming to our minds. If God is for us, why does He allow persecution to happen? Why doesn't He just have justice now by slaying those who slaughter His children?

Why do Christians have to suffer in this world at the hands of evil? And what does the existence of this suffering reveal about the heart of God?

Wesley, Jordan, and TJ freely admit they do not hold all the answers to these questions, but not having the answers doesn't mean we shy away from talking about them. Listen to the episode and chime in with you thoughts in the comments below.

Last year Engage partnered with e3 Partners with 8Thirty8 to send letters to family members of Christian martyrs in Egypt. Our supporters sent over 2,000 letters to these families.

This year we are doing the Orange Letter Campaign again, but with a new focus.

Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011. It is difficult for us to understand what is happening and we could quickly get into the weeds of who is doing what and who is on what side. But one thing that is not debatable is the persecution Christians are suffering across the war-torn nation.

To help us talk about what Christians are experiencing, why we chose Syria, and what is going to happen when you write your letter to Christians in Syria, Jordan and TJ talk with Tom Doyle, vice president of e3 Partners and founder of 8Thirty9.

Have you ever wondered what must go on in the mind of an artist? Have you ever wanted to think like an architect and be able to look at an empty plot of dirt and picture a skyscraper in its place? Have you ever wondered how an apologist thinks?

Alex McFarland joins Wesley and TJ in studio again to talk about this idea. He goes into what resources are trustworthy and worth investing your time in reading and studying.

Alex also boils down the vast majority of questions apologists face into six different categories. According to him, apologists present, defend, and explain the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every interaction is boiled down to those three actions.

In the second half of the segment, Alex tackles some of the hardest questions people routinely ask, specifically how a good God could call for the genocide of an entire people group in the Old Testament.

What is the discipline of apologetics? Wesley and TJ discuss the topic with Alex McFarland.

If you have ever listened to an apologist speak at a debate, it is amazing how many time they quote from the Bible, from Christian authors, and from secular authors. These men and women are some of the most studious people on the planet. But Alex cautions for believers to read and study one book above all: the Bible.

When you are studying Scripture and you want to wade into the waters of apologetics, where do you start? What questions should you ask yourself? What questions should you study and be prepared to answer? Alex talks about these ideas and gives you ideas you can start working on right now to become a defender of the faith.

Hannah Tybor may be young, but she doesn't let that stop her from filling a leadership role in a national ministry. Hannah is a junior ambassador for Eight Day of Hope. She has 10 of the 12 trips and makes time to serve even though she is a full-time college student. She also made time to come to the studio to talk with TJ and Jordan.

Hannah grew up doing 8DoH, and though she isn't sure she will be with it as a career, she definitely wants to be active in helping people. She talks about how that was developed in her worldview by her parents and how we can all seek out opportunities to serve people, whether they are across the street and need a light bulb replaced or if they are across the country and need their home rebuilt.

Things are shaken up on this episode of the Engage Podcast. Our trust cohost, Wesley Wildmon is out, but Jordan Chamblee steps up and fills the role.

And he helped out during a great interview with Steve and Hannah Tybor with Eight Days of Hope, a ministry that sweeps in after national disasters helping rebuild homes and lives.

Steve shares the story of how he started this ministry through a phone call with his dad and how God blessed it from there. He has led 12 8DoH trips and several rapid response trips.

Listen as Steve and Hannah share stories of how God has used this incredible ministry and how you can get involved for 8DoH 13.

Wesley, TJ, and Jordan talked about the theological and practical applications of being spiritually adopted in the last segment. That is a wonderful truth, but it is of no effect if it does not drive you to some real action.

To take the application to its most logical place, Wesley and TJ invite Magan Williams into studio. Magan works with Canopy Children's Services to recruit and train parents to work in the Mississippi foster system.

Not everyone is called to serve through the foster system or to adopt. But everyone is called to serve orphans and children without homes. Magan gives some practical ways you can serve whether it is by inviting children into your home, helping those who do, or being available to help care centers where children are in transit stay in between houses.

TJ felt like it was early Christmas when he finally got his hands on the new ESV Reader's Bible. In case you missed the video, Jordan was too tired to show much excitement.

Wesley and TJ talk to Jordan about this fascinating Bible, and their discussion quickly turns to a prominent theme in Scripture: adoption.

Why does God use the imagery of adoption when speaking of Christians? What is the theological significance? The three dive into this incredibly rich truth.

Operation Christmas Child is a great ministry but it is strong because so many people support it and send in their shoeboxes filled with socks, clothes, toys, but not bologna sandwiches.

Part of the strategy of OCC is making sure there are new people every year packing shoeboxes. Sarah McCullen works with OCC on the campus of the University of Mississippi. She talks about the response of students and faculty. You can find more information about Sarah and the effort taking place on the campus of Ole Miss on their Facebook and Instagram pages.

Sarah said, "This is your chance to change someone's eternity for $10-15. The hope packed into these boxes lasts forever."

Can you pack a bologna sandwich in your Operation Christmas Child shoebox?

That may be a bad idea, but packing a shoebox for a child somewhere in the world is a great idea! Wesley and TJ celebrate the national collection week of Operation Christmas Child with Kendra White who went to the Dominican Republic to help deliver shoeboxes.

Kendra talks about what OCC is and how impactful the ministry is. One of the most impressive methods of OCC is using local churches to hand out the boxes. This helps build relationships between people and their local churches.

If you haven't packed your shoebox yet, there is still time. Visit OCC to find collection centers near you and to get tips about what to pack.

We all know soldiers carry a lot of weight on their shoulders. While this is true in the physical sense with their equipment, body armor, etc. it is also true in the sense that they carry the reputation of America wherever they travel. This is difficult for anyone to carry, but consider it being carried by someone 18-25, a group much of culture believes to still be in adolescence.

Retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin joins Wesley and TJ on the program to discuss things active duty personnel cannot talk about, primarily the hidden struggles of policies that seek to make the military a social experiment. As in the previous episode, they also discuss practical ways civilians can help, encourage, and pray for soldiers.

With Veteran's Day coming this Friday, Wesley and TJ wanted to discuss veterans and how blessed America is to have so many heroes in our midst.

But there are specific challenges faced by soldiers and there are many ways civilians can pray, serve, and help them. However, neither of them have served. So they brought in TJ's favorite veteran: his dad.

TJ's dad is Command Sergeant Major Teddy James. He has led enlisted soldiers on two deployments and speaks to the challenges of young and old soldiers alike, and gives practical advice on how to encourage, pray for, and support soldiers and their families.

There are universal callings on the life of every believer. We discussed that in episode 69. But there are things we can be confused about when it comes to calling. One of those confusing issues can be whether we are called to be nice or kind.

What is the difference between kindness and nice-ness? Wesley and TJ invite Bryan Fischer, host of Focal Point on American Family Radio. Bryan wrote an article about the issue on AFA's blog The Stand. The trio talks about the article, the difference between cultural callings and biblical callings, and how to know the difference.

Some Christians become so focused on what their individual calling from God on their lives are that they become paralyzed. They aren't sure what do to with their career, relationships, life that they are unable to do the things God calls every believer to do.

Wesley and TJ know that feeling. But that have each individually found that focusing on the universal callings God places on every believer has helped them find the ways God prepared for them to glorify them.

Wesley and TJ discuss on a few universal calling for believers each. Wesley focused on discipleship, family, rest, and service. TJ lists worship, love, study, and work.

These callings apply to every believer in every age of every church. But how they are fulfilled may be unique and personal.

In the conclusion of the series on 10 Issues that Divide Christians, Wesley and TJ are joined once again by Alex McFarland to cover homosexuality, pornography, and others.

But what has the point of this four-part series been? It has not been to list things you have the freedom to fight over. It is to show how we can confront these disagreements in grace and humility and strengthen fellowship through it.

In case you missed it, you can find Part I where we talk about, among other issues, government; Part II focusing on abortion; and Part III when the trio talks about how you can know what issues are worth breaking fellowship over (and yes, there are some issues that important).

There are many ideas, concepts, and issues that can divide Christians. Wesley and TJ are joined again by Alex McFarland to continue their series on 10 Issues that Divide Christians. You can listen to Part 1 and Part 2 that were posted last week.

In this episode, in the midst of covering specific issues, the three start by discussing that some issues are so big they are worth splitting fellowship over. Alex says three big ideas are definitely deal breakers. They are the nature of God, the authority of Scripture and the view of God. These are the differences between convictions and preferences.

But how should we approach these issues when there is a disagreement? What principles can we follow to focus on the disagreement and not demonize the person we disagree with?

The final episode is next and wraps up the 10 issues. You can hear Part I, Part II, and Part IV by clicking the links.

There are several issues that can divide Christians. Some ideas are big enough to break fellowship over. Others are personal convictions and should be seen as such.

Wesley and TJ continue with Alex McFarland discussing his book 10 Issues that Divide Christians. In this second part of a four-part series, they continue covering government from part one, then move to social justice and abortion.

Can you continue worshipping with someone who disagrees with you on any of these issues? The answer may be more nuanced than you thought.

Other related podcasts: Ep. 65 Issues that Divide Christians (Part I), Ep. 17 Honoring Christ in Our Disagreements and Ep. 18 How to Disagreeing in Grace

Doubtful disputations. What ideas can Christians can disagree on in grace and humility but continue fellowship and what beliefs are big enough to break fellowship over? How can you know the difference?

There are things that are personal convictions and issues of conscience but then there are issues of dogma and absolute right and wrong. Wesley and TJ recognize to cover these topics with wisdom and humility, they need help so they invited Alex McFarland back to the program to discuss them.

Alex literally wrote the book on this topic in 10 Issues that Divide Christians. The three first talk about how to approach disagreements and then focus on one in particular: government.

Other related podcasts: Ep. 17 Honoring Christ in Our Disagreements and Ep. 18 How to Disagreeing in Grace

Parenting is more than just attending to a child's physical and mental needs. It is attending to their spiritual needs as well. Wesley and TJ are joined by pastor, author, and conference speaker Paul David Tripp to highlight his new book Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family, and discuss the heart of what parenting is in a Christ honoring home.

Expectant parents often don't exactly know what to expect. Jordan joins TJ and Wesley in this episode to hear their advice and warnings, as well as to discuss questions they still don't have the answers to.