Impact 360 Institute

How can Christians teach and talk about sexual purity in a way that's relevant today? What does the Bible say about love and sex? What does it say about marriage and singleness? The world has a lot to say about love, sex, and relationships. The love that the world tells us to pursue is all about self and about following your heart’s desires. But what is the Christian worldview on love? This week on the podcast Jonathan sits down with our friend Sean McDowell to talk about his new book Chasing Love: Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture. Join us as we talk about God's design for sex, why we desire to be loved, what Jesus says about singleness, recovering from sexual brokenness, what sexual purity looks like in 2020, and tons more! Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He connects with audiences in a tangible way through humor and stories while imparting hard evidence and logical supp

How do you grow in discernment in a culture of confusion, and many times outright deception? There are tons and tons of messages that we are inundated with every single day. Between social media, entertainment, news outlets, and lots more, we're constantly hearing different stories. So how do we as Christians grow in discernment in a culture that is so confused? This week on the podcast, Jonathan gives us some really timely advice on how to do just that. Join us this week as we talk about the importance of defining our terms, renewing our minds with the Scriptures, reading and evaluating messages in context, and more! Learn more at impact360.org

In 2020, COVID-19 has given people an unexpected opportunity to think about what it means to be human and valuable, and how to protect the vulnerable. And yet, people are as divided as ever about the issue of abortion. As Christians, how should we think about and articulate the pro-life conversation in our current cultural moment? Morally speaking, the pro-life issue is simple. The unborn are human, and abortion ends that human life. But abortion is also an issue that touches many others. In our current landscape, abortion touches so many different ideas that it can be difficult and complex to navigate. This week on the podcast, Jonathan sits down with Megan Almon of Life Training Institute to discuss how to articulate and defend the pro-life view in 2020. Join us as we discuss how to avoid an "us vs. them" mentality, the importance of framing things well in conversation, understanding the issue of abortion from a legal and judicial point of view, and how to move forward in a loving way. You can al

Why is it important for the next generation to share their faith? How can faith leaders train Gen Z to evangelize and share the Gospel? How can we help teens see sharing their faith as "normal"? According to our recent study, only about 4% of Gen Z students have a biblical worldview, and more than half of teens (58%) believe that many religions can lead to God, and there is not "one true religion". Because of this, it can sometimes be scary for the next generation to share their faith, which has led to a lack of evangelism within the next generation. Many of us can relate! But Jesus has called us to share our faith and make disciples. How do we train next generation Christians to share their faith with their peers? This week on the podcast Jonathan sits down with Greg Stier, Founder and CEO of Dare 2 Share, a ministry that equips teens to share their faith and builds youth ministries that advance the Gospel. Jonathan and Greg talk about a framework for helping teens to share the Gospel, ho

How do we keep a clear mind with a big picture perspective when circumstances are constantly changing? How do we remain faithful to God in the midst of our current difficult circumstances? This week on the podcast, we're reflecting on the life and lessons of Dr. J.I. Packer, the author of Knowing God and many other Christian classics. Earlier this summer, one of our heroes in the faith, Dr. J.I. Packer went to be with the Lord at the age of 93. Dr. Packer was truly a gift to the Church, and some of his best lessons are found in his excellent work, Knowing God. This week on the podcast we're talking through some lessons from that book about how to keep a kingdom perspective, the difference between optimism and biblical hope, and how we can trust God in the midst of difficult circumstances. When things get hard, we can sometimes lose sight of what's really important. At Impact 360 Institute, we're here to be an ally for you as we grow in knowing God together, even in the midst of uncertainty. For more informati

How do we have honest, respectful, and Bible-centered conversations on race and unity? What do we do with our fears of saying or doing the wrong thing, or not saying or doing the right thing? How do we bring together empathy, care, and appropriate action on one hand, and careful thinking using biblical categories and goals on the other? In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes this: “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4:1-6). Paul's message here is one that urges the Ephesians to pursue unity with God and one another. In our current cultural moment, this timeless me

How should Christians respond to the killing of George Floyd? Like us, you may have watched the video of George Floyd’s death and were horrified by it. And like us, you may be asking questions like “What can be said that will help?” and “What can be done?” It’s clear that not saying anything is absolutely not an option. But how can Christians respond in a way that is helpful? This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a message from Dr. Tony Evans that is challenging, helpful, and timely. Dr. Evans’ book Oneness Embraced: Reconciliation, The Kingdom, and How We Are Stronger Together is a fantastic resource for building a biblically-centered and kingdom-minded approach to racial reconciliation, and we are so thankful to get to learn from Dr. Evans this week. Join us as we learn about how we as the church can respond to this injustice in a way that is both helpful and effective. Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX. He is the founder and president of The Urban

What is the good life? Is it all about being happy? Should Christians pursue happiness in their daily lives? What did Jesus teach about happiness? 51% of Gen Z say that their goal in life is to be happy. Everyone wants to be happy, and we spend our time, energy, and money to get it. It can be exhausting! But what if the happiness that we’re striving for isn’t the happiness that we were created for? The truth is that there is a path to true happiness, and it’s found in Jesus. This week on the podcast Jonathan sits down with Dr. Derwin Gray to discuss his new book, The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches About Finding True Happiness. Join us this week as we talk about living life as God intended, true happiness as defined in the Beatitudes, how happiness and holiness are two sides of the same coin, and much more. Dr. Derwin L. Gray is the founding and lead Pastor of Transformation Church, a multiethnic, multigenerational, mission-shaped community in Indian Land, South Carolina, located just south of Charlotte, North

How do we as Christians navigate ideas like intersectionality and critical theory? How do we navigate issues like sex, race, and gender in this current moment? How can parents and students have good conversations about sex and gender with their friends? What does discipleship look like for those with same-sex attraction? What does biblical friendship and family look like? This week on the podcast we've got part 2 of our conversation with our friend Christopher Yuan. Join us this week as we answer these questions and talk about the value of asking good questions and being a good listener, a biblical view of singleness, how to engage with others in a gospel-centered way, and more! Dr. Christopher Yuan has taught the Bible at Moody Bible Institute for over ten years and his speaking ministry on faith and sexuality has reached five continents. He speaks at conferences, on college campuses, and in churches. He has co-authored with his mother their memoir, Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God, A Broken

What is God’s design for sexuality? What is “holiness”? And is there such thing as “holy” sexuality? Can you be a gay Christian? In our world and culture, there's a lot of confusion around the topic of sex. But what is God's design for sexuality? In this episode of the podcast, Jonathan sits down for part 1 of a two-part conversation with our friend Christopher Yuan. In part 1, Jonathan and Christopher talk about understanding humanity through the lens of Scripture, the difference between temptation and desire, why it's important to read Jesus' teachings in context, and whether or not the biblical view of sexuality leads to "bad fruit." Join us this week and learn about how to understand sexuality in light of the gospel, and how God's design is good news for everyone. Dr. Christopher Yuan has taught the Bible at Moody Bible Institute for over ten years and his speaking ministry on faith and sexuality has reached five continents. He speaks at conferences, on college campuses, and in churches. He has

Everything that's seen is a result of the unseen. What does it mean to lead with "A Quiet Strength"? Today on a very special episode of the podcast, we're talking with Impact 360 Institute cofounder Trudy Cathy White about her new book, A Quiet Strength: The Life and Legacy of Jeanette M. Cathy. In her new book, Trudy tells the story of the real heart and soul of the Cathy family, her mother Jeanette. Join us as we talk about the amazing legacy of Jeanette Cathy, how to leverage your influence from behind the scenes, the importance of building your foundation on biblical principles, why you need to understand your "why", passing down values to your children, what it means to lead with a quiet strength, and more. Trudy Cathy White is a native Georgian and the only daughter of Jeanette and S. Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A. She’s an ambassador for the family business and has held various roles within Chick-fil-A, including that of a restaurant operator at just 19 years-old. She and

Do you ever get nervous to talk about your faith with friends or family members? Does the thought of talking about different views of morality, sexuality, religion, or the Bible make you nervous? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Many Christians have trouble sharing their faith. But it’s actually much easier than you might think! Today on the podcast, Jonathan sits down with Greg Koukl, the author of the newly released Tactics, 10th Anniversary Edition to talk about building a game plan for sharing your faith and having spiritual conversations. Join us this week as Jonathan and Greg talk about how to answer tough challenges to the Christian faith, how to ask good questions in spiritual conversations, how to disagree with someone while still respecting them, and how to use practical tactics to talk about your faith. Greg Koukl is the founder and president of Stand to Reason, and the author of several books including The Story of Reality, Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air, and the new Tactics, 10t

What can science teach us about God? How can Christians have better conversations about faith and science, and what are the things that we need to be aware of in the faith and science conversation? Is there powerful evidence for a Creator in the natural sciences? It's been said that God has two books: the Bible, and nature (or, special revelation, and general revelation). Today on the podcast, we're talking about what that second "book" can teach us about God. What has God revealed to us through the world around us? Jonathan talked to Melissa Cain Travis, professor and author of the book Science and the Mind of the Maker: What the Conversation Between Faith and Science Reveals About God. Join us this week as we answer these questions and discuss the fine tuning of the universe, powerful evidence that points to a Creator, how Christians can talk well about faith and science, and even how mathematics fits into the equation (get it?). Melissa Cain Travis is a professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist

Why do we need to defend our faith? How do we go about defending our faith in the culture that we live in? And when we do, how do we do apologetics "at the cross"? How do we make much of Jesus when defending our faith? On this episode of the podcast, Jonathan sits down with Dr. Josh Chatraw to discuss his excellent book Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness. Josh and Jonathan talk about these important questions and more as they discuss the importance of apologetics, why apologetics is sometimes misunderstood, how to strike the balance between humility and telling the truth, what we can learn about apologetics from the church fathers, the toughest question for Christians to answer today, encouraging trends in the church, and more. Dr. Josh Chatraw is executive director of the Center for Public Christianity, lead teacher for New City Fellows, and theologian-in-residence at Holy Trinity Anglican Church – all based in Raleigh, NC. His writing and speaking focuses on public the

How does the idea of "scientism" undermine a biblical worldview? Can science and faith actually work together? Is the church anti-science? What is the difference between "science" and "scientism"? And how should Christians respond when bad ideas take root in our culture? Dallas Willard wrote that "the idea that knowledge, and of course reality, is limited to the world of the natural sciences is the single most destructive idea on the stage of life today." There's no question that science is king in our culture. But many have moved past a healthy respect for the natural sciences to a rigid adherence to scientism, a worldview that actually undermines real science and marginalizes faith and morality. In this episode of the podcast, Jonathan sits down with Dr. J.P. Moreland, author of Scientism and Secularism: Learning to Respond to a Dangerous Ideology. Dr. Moreland talks with Jonathan about these questions and discuss why it's important to understand the worldview of scie

What does it mean to be an "American Christian"? How does Christianity relate to politics? In an age where public discourse is so toxic, should Christians avoid politics altogether? Should Christians just preach the gospel and leave politics alone? In the United States, we're just months away from an election year. There's no question that in 2019 our public discourse can be really toxic, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to be faithfully Christian in the political realm in a secular age. It's likely that in a topic that's loaded with hot-button issues, you've had some of the same questions listed above. So what do we do about this? In this episode of the podcast, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Bruce Ashford, author of the new book Letters to an American Christian. They'll answers these questions, as well as discuss how Christianity speaks to various hot-button issues, whether some issues are more important than others, what it means to balance patriotism with the fact that we are Kingdom citizens

How should Christians think about near-death experiences? What is a near-death experience, and is there any evidence that people actually experience them? Are near-death experience evidence for the afterlife? How are the questions of the afterlife informed by what we believe about the biggest questions of life? In this episode of the podcast, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Gary Habermas to discuss near-death experiences and why it's important for Christians to think clearly about them. Jonathan and Dr. Habermas answer these questions and discuss topics like the "intermediate state", how near-death experiences aren't simply secondhand stories, why near-death experiences can give us confidence in the afterlife, and Dr. Habermas' compelling evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. Dr. Gary Habermas is the Distinguished Research Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy at Liberty University School of Divinity. Dr. Habermas has written or edited over 43 books, including Beyond Death: Exploring the Evidence for

Why should Christians care about ethics? What are the proper roles of ethics and moral reasoning in the Christian life? Is there a "common morality" that everyone shares? Can we use the Bible as a source for moral reasoning? And even if we can, was Jesus just a product of His time? Has morality "evolved"? Today on the podcast, Jonathan is joined by professor and ethicist Dr. C. Ben Mitchell to discuss the role of ethics in the Christian life. Join us as we answer these questions and discuss the state of ethics and moral reasoning in our culture today, foundational truths from the Bible that inform our morality, why Christians appeal to Jesus as the ultimate authority on ethics, and speak to ethical issues such as immigration and end of life issues. Dr. C. Ben Mitchell is the Graves Chair of moral philosophy at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He is the editor of Ethics & Medicine: an International Journal of Bioethics, a Senior Fellow at The Center for Bioethics & Human Dig

What is "adulting"? How do we help young adults navigate faith, finances, and the future? What is the biggest problem facing young adults entering the workplace? In a “follow your heart” culture, how do we encourage young adults to make wise choices about their future? Today on the podcast, Jonathan sits down with Jonathan "JP" Pokluda to talk about his new book, Welcome to Adulting: Navigating Faith, Friendship, Finances, and the Future. Join Jonathan and JP as they answer these questions and discuss bad ideas about freedom, how authority can actually be a good thing, the importance of building good friendships, how to resolve conflict well, and more. JP Pokluda is the teaching pastor at Harris Creek Baptist Church, a former teaching pastor at Watermark Church, and former leader of The Porch, an influential gathering of thousands of young adults who come to hear the gospel and get equipped for Kingdom purposes. You can follow JP on Twitter here, and find the book and the new “survival gui

How do you navigate anxiety and depression? How do you walk through that well in a redemptive and hopeful way? How widespread are anxiety and depression? How do you encourage someone who feels guilty or ashamed of their anxiety or depression? Why is it important to have a holistic approach to anxiety and depression, and how do we do that? Today on the podcast, Jonathan sits down with our good friend, Dr. J.P. Moreland to answer these questions and more as we discuss his new book Finding Quiet: My Story of Overcoming Anxiety and the Practices That Brought Peace. Join us this week to hear Dr. Moreland share his personal story of overcoming seasons of anxiety and depression, learn how to develop a holistic approach to addressing it, hear about the importance of forming good habits, and more. Dr. JP Moreland is a distinguished professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and director of the Eidos Christian Center. With degrees in philosophy, theology, and chemistry, Dr. Moreland has taught theology and p