All Things

89: Nationalism and Christian Nationalism with David Ritchie

Christian Nationalism has been something I wanted to dive into for a long time on All Things. But I knew I was ill equipped. I’m so glad to bring this conversation with David Ritchie to you. David is a pastor in Texas, as well the author of the new book, Why Do the Nations Rage?: The Demonic Origin of Nationalism. We talk about the definition of nationalism and Christian nationalism (as opposed to patriotism, for example), what happened on January 6 2021, the unique pitfalls and opportunitie...

88: Is the Bible Good for Women with Wendy Alsup

I regularly get questions from Christian women who quietly wonder if we have a skeleton in our closet. Does Christianity want to keep us down? Is the Bible good for women? Does God value women? On this episode of All Things we’re taking a deep dive into all these questions with theologian and author Wendy Alsup. We tackle such questions as what it means to be created a helper (ezer in the original Hebrew, in Genesis 2:20-21), the meaning of Genesis 3:16 (Your desire will be for your husband,...

Episode 87: Healing After Sexual Betrayal with Ellen Dykas

Recently on All Things we’ve been taking a deeper dive into themes that are covered in my new book Cultural Counterfeits. Sex is one of those themes, so I invited Ellen Dykas, who is a counselor, writer, and speaker with Harvest USA, which provides resources that address biblical sexuality for individuals and churches. Ellen helps us think through a number of issues related to sex and sexuality, marriage, the church, and hope and healing for wives who have endured a sexual betrayal. This epi...

Episode 86: The Mass Shooting in Buffalo and the Great Replacement Conspiracy Theory

You know by now about the horrific and racist mass shooting in Buffalo last weekend. Ten precious and irreplaceable souls were murdered by a young man who describes himself as a white supremacist and stated in a manifesto that white people have been subject to a genocide and are being replaced by people of color. He says the rampage was intended to terrorize all non-white, non-Christian people and get them to leave the country. While once very fringe, the Great Replacement Theory is becomi...

Episode 85: Fatherlessness and Our Father in Heaven with Blair Linne

Fatherlessness is a significant issue facing American children today. On this episode of All Things I explore the topic from a sociological and spiritual perspective with author and spoken word poet Blair Linne. We talk about her recent book Finding My Father: How the Gospel Heals the Pain of Fatherlessness. Blair shares her own story and journey to both her earthly father and heavenly Father, while at the same time highlighting America’s fatherlessness crisis. She tells us about the value a...

Episode 84: Food Insecurity in the United States and Starting Your Own Backyard Garden

Hunger feels like a problem elsewhere around the globe rather than right here in the United States. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that as many as 30 million adults and 12 million children are living in food-insecure households. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated an already existing problem and now supply chain issues and food shortages threaten to make it worse. On this episode of All Things, I share about a recent trip I took with Convoy of Hope to a couple far...

Episode 83: Receiving Wisdom from Chinese House Church Pastors

“To avoid walking the way of the cross is to avoid Christ himself,” says Hannah Nation, co-editor of a new book entitled Faith in the Wilderness: Words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church. On this episode of All Things, Hannah—who has been involved in ministry in China for over 20 years—shares stories and perspectives from Chinese house church pastors. Most striking for American Christian listeners will be perhaps the Chinese Christian perspective on suffering: following Jesus and growth ...

Episode 82: Did Jesus Rise from the Dead and Does it Matter?

Today is Good Friday and Sunday is Easter. For Christ followers this is the biggest weekend of our year and the most crucial event of our faith. Jesus claimed to be God and he and his followers say he rose from the dead. If that’s true, every human being should ponder this reality. Have you ever stopped to consider the veracity of that claim? What evidence do we have for the resurrection? On All Things today we are looking at the evidence for the resurrection and how—if it’s true—it changes ...

Episode 81: Obsessed with Our Bodies, Beauty, and Ability

What is the right way to live in a culture that is obsessed with our bodies? How can Christian women navigate a context that says our worth is wrapped in how we look or in what we can do? Both outward beauty and physical abilities are fleeting and neither one were meant to bear the weight of our identity. The body is good and made by God. Beauty and abilities are gifts. But these things are not ultimate. They are given to us to steward, that we may know God and make him known. Listen in as ...

Episode 80: Transgender Athletes, Inclusion, & the Price Biological Females Have to Pay

Lia Thomas was the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA D-I title last week in Atlanta when she took home the victory for the 500-yard freestyle race. Thomas, who is biologically male, began hormone replacement therapy 34 months ago and now swims on the women’s team at the University of Pennsylvania. Predictably, she began setting team and Ivy League records as soon as she switched teams, but her victories have come at the expense of her biologically female teammates and competitors. Pas...

Episode 79: Bringing Hope and Help into Ukraine

On this episode of All Things I am joined by the Director of International Disaster Services for Convoy of Hope (COH), an international relief organization, delivering relief to those who remain in Ukraine. Listen in to hear about what conditions are like on the ground in Ukraine, how COH partners with local churches and Christians to bring aid into the country, and how you can pray for and support this complicated work. Bringing water, food, and other supplies into an active war situation i...

Episode 78: The Sharp Rise in Alcohol Use and Misuse, Especially Amongst Women

Americans are drinking more than ever. When lockdown orders first went into effect, the United States saw a 54% increase in alcohol sales. Alcohol consumption rose among adults over age 30 by 14% during the pandemic, with a 41% increase in women heavily drinking. Why are we (especially women) drinking more? How have our views and habits as a nation changed over the last few decades? On this episode of All Things I’m hoping to a offer a springboard for further in-person conversations about Am...

Episode 77: Abortion and the Black Community: A Conversation with Pro-Black Pro-Life

Why is that the vast majority of abortion clinics are located in minority neighborhoods? Cherilyn Holloway, founder of Pro-Black Pro-Life says, “what many call access is in reality extermination.” Holloway’s love of neighbor and desire to see the members of her community thrive is what caused her to start asking why there are a disproportionate number of abortions and abortion clinics in the black community. Holloway says, “The human rights issue of our time is that we don’t value all lives...

Episode 76: A Christian Perspective on our Criminal Justice System

When it comes to criminal justice we have two opposite camps in this country: one side cries “defund the police” and the other side demands more "law and order.” How is it possible to have two very different perspectives on the same criminal justice system? And how should Christians be grappling with the way justice is currently carried out in our country? On this episode we hear from Matt Martens who is a criminal lawyer, a graduate of Dallas Theological seminary, was a federal prosecutor...

Episode 75: What's Really at the Root of our Political Polarization?

Episode 74: Will Roe be Overturned? Unpacking Yesterday's Oral Arguments at the Supreme Court

Episode 73: Navigating Social Media with our Teens: A Conversation Between Mark and Jen Oshman

Teens consume nine hours of entertainment media a day and tweens consume six (this does not include education-related content), according to Common Sense Media. As parents we don’t have a choice but to get in the game and help our kids navigate life online. But how do we do that? It can feel overwhelming and paralyzing. On this episode of All Things my husband joins me and we share a conversation about how we have been navigating social media with our teen daughters. We share the spiritual a...

Episode 72: Help! I've Been Diagnosed with a Mental Disorder with Christine Chappell

Have you or a loved one ever been diagnosed with a mental disorder? A diagnosis might not only feel chaotic and unsettling, but also final and paralyzing. In the church we wonder if the issue is spiritual or physical, if friends can offer support or if we need to call in the professionals, if all we need is the Bible or if we need to draw on other resources. It can feel like we have more questions than answers. On this episode of All Things we hear from Christine Chappell who just publishe...

Episode 71: Q&A: Specific Life Issues like Plan B, In Vitro Fertilization, Empowering Women & More

On this episode of All Things we are sharing a podcast from Fathom Church here in Colorado where Pastor Chris Martin interviews Jen Oshman on issues surrounding the abortion debate. Chris recently preached on abortion and then invited his congregants to submit specific questions. He and Jen then chatted through the questions and produced this episode. We cover all kinds of things like the Plan B pill, the ethics behind saving the life of a mother, life issues to consider with in vitro fertil...

Episode 70: Life in Afghanistan Then and Now from the Perspective of a Missionary

On this episode of All Things I am joined by my friend who served in Afghanistan along with her husband and two young children in the years following the 9/11 attack. She shares what it was like to be called to a war-torn country, what life was really like on the ground 20 years ago, and how it has evolved since then. This conversation is both convicting and enlightening. My friend challenges our views of missions, radical obedience, and God’s unconditional provision. She also helps us under...

Episode 69: Missions and Ministry and our Idols of Safety and Security

Our national conversation about Afghanistan has largely left out an acknowledgement of aid workers and Christians who have chosen to stay there, as well as in dangerous places around the globe, to offer help and hope in the midst of war, famine, and darkness. Even in the church we rarely acknowledge, support, and celebrate our brothers and sisters who lay down their lives here to go there, to serve and to stay. The truth is, though, our scriptures call us to forsake ourselves for the love of...

Episode 68: The Texas Heartbeat Law, The Flimsy Roots of Roe V. Wade, and Providing Real Help to Abortion-Minded Women

The Texas Heartbeat Bill went into effect on September 1, even after abortion proponents asked the Supreme Court to block it. On August 31, abortion providers raced to complete as many surgical abortions across the state as possible, and in the past ten days pregnancy centers have seen an influx in the women they serve. On this episode of All Things we look at the positives and negatives of this new law. Of course we rejoice that 80-90% of abortions in Texas have now been prevented. Babies...

Episode 67: Haiti and New Orleans: Why Recovering from Disasters is Harder For Some Than Others

While natural disasters do not discriminate, recovery efforts are much harder for certain populations than others. The recent earthquake in Haiti, followed immediately by a tropical storm—and with the backdrop of political instability caused by the President’s assassination and increased gang activity—reveal that poverty and disasters feed one another in a cycle of despair that is very difficult to break out of. A similar effect can be seen in New Orleans with Hurricane Ida. On this episode ...

Episode 66: Responding to the Devastation in Afghanistan

Episode 65: Homelessness: Myths, Reality, and how Christians can Help

It seems like homelessness in Denver is on the rise. It feels like a growing problem in big cities across the nation. To help us better understand this issue, this episode of All Things features an interview with Ben Sooy, a friend who is entrenched in work with people transitioning out of homeless in Denver at Joshua Station of Mile High Ministries.  Ben helps us unpack the complex issue of homelessness and the many myths surrounding it. He helps us discern the differences between visible ...

Episode 64: Navigating Life with a Disability in a Culture that Idolizes Ability

We in the wealthy west prize and even idolize our own abilities and productivity. When we meet new people for the first time we ask, “What do you do?” What we’re asking is, what’s your job? What are you capable of? How do you contribute to society? If we’re really honest we’re looking for how to assign that person value. If they do something important we see them as more valuable, more worthy of respect. We all fall into a trap of equating what we can do—our abilities, our productivity—with ...

Episode 63: Let's Gooo, Tokyo Olympic Games

Today is Opening Day for the much-awaited, much-anticipated, and first-ever postponed summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Having lived internationally, my family loves to engage the Games. On this episode we take a look at all things Olympics—from the trivial and entertaining, all the way to the controversial and concerning. We’re talking about Olympic fun facts, little known things about Tokyo, how Covid is impacting the games, the International Olympic Committee’s rush to inclusivity by allowin...

Episode 62: CRT and Education: Five Things for Parents to Consider

Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been in the news nonstop for a couple years now. The secular justice theory is making headlines most recently because of the wave of states introducing legislation to ban CRT in the classroom. How should parents navigate volatile school board meetings and contentious social media posts? On this episode of All Things we look at five things to consider. Here is just a glimpse of all five—tune in to hear each point in greater depth and detail. First, know that p...

Episode 61: Forgiveness, Justice, and Cancel Culture

Cancel culture is a pervasive cultural trend. We see it happening on both sides: conservatives are reluctant to extend grace because they think to do so compromises truth, and progressives are reluctant to extend grace because they think to do so permits injustice. Rather than seeking common ground and pursuing a compromise with dignity and care for the other side, we’d rather cancel each other, tune each other out, write one another off as demonic or crazy, or so foolish or harmful as to be...

Episode 60: Talking to Your Kids (And to Yourself) About LGBTQ Issues

Pride month just wrapped up. Favorite children’s shows are featuring LGBTQ content. School curricula, corporate policies, and legislation are swiftly changing. Many parents wonder how to navigate conversations about all of this with their children of all ages. Of course conversations with our kids begin with conversations with ourselves. We have to ask what we really believe, on what we base our convictions, and how to pass the truth on to our children. On this episode of All Things we talk...

Episode 59: Two Foster Moms Share How & Why They Started Foster Care and What Keeps Them Going

Many All Things listeners wonder if they are called to pursue foster care. Many believe it’s a worthwhile calling, but they wonder if they have what it takes, how it will affect their biological children, and if they can endure the potential loss that may come. On this episode my two good friends and members of my church, Jen Stef and Julie Stephens who are both foster moms, share authentically about what caused them to dive into foster care and what keeps them going. Jen and Julie share so ...

Episode 58: Foster Care from the Perspective of An Adult Foster to Adoptee

May is #FosterCareAwarenessMonth! My friend and colleague Jesse Hulling joins me on this episode to share his perspective on foster care. Jesse is a pastor with us at Redemption Parker and he has recently worked with Project 1.27, an organization that serves as a bridge between the foster care system and the Christian church. Jesse was in the foster care system himself, and was adopted by his parents along with his brother and sister. On this episode he generously and vulnerably shares his p...

Episode 57: The Biden Administration Raised the Refugee Ceiling, But Exactly Who Are Refugees?

Last week President Biden raised the number of refugees that the United States will allow in this fiscal year to 62,500 from the historically low number of 15,000 that President Trump declared last fall. There is so much confusion in the media, politics, and everyday rhetoric about exactly who refugees are. Is it risky to be admitting more into the US? Where are they coming from? How do we know they’re safe? Do they harm the economy? On this episode of All Things you will find answers to tho...

Episode 56: At Home Abortions via Telemedicine are Legal in the US: Here's What You Should Know

Earlier this month the Biden administration reversed a Trump-era policy that required abortion pills to be dispensed by providers to women in person. Previously, the FDA required women seeking a medical abortion to obtain the pills in person, but now they can be obtained via phone call or even text message and sent to the woman by mail. Medical abortion by mail is attractive to many women because it’s seen as effective, safe, and completed from the comfort and privacy of their own home. Howe...

Episode 55: The Covid Vaccines: An Interview with Two Pharmacists Who Are Also Christian Moms

On this episode of All Things I interview two friends who are my sisters in Christ, attend my church, and are also pharmacists (they both have a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)). One friend is currently a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist and the other has recently practiced in a community pharmacy and is now homeschooling her children. Their perspectives as Pharmacists and Christian moms have been a gift to me and I know they will be to you too. We talk about vaccine myths and misinformation, the ef...

Episode 54: How Should Christians Respond When Our Religious Liberties Are Taken Away?

The Equality Act easily passed in the House of Representatives in February 2021, and it now awaits a hearing in the Senate. People of faith are increasingly anxious as the bill represents the biggest threat to religious liberty to ever appear before Congress. In the face of eroding rights and status, fear and anger come easily. But how ought Christians respond? What is the way of Jesus when our rights are removed? On this episode of All Things I explore six truths that we must hold on to i...

Episode 53: The Rise in Anti-Asian Violence: An Interview With Friends

For months there has been a notable uptick in acts of violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the US. The recent mass shooting targeting women of Asian descent in Atlanta was horrific in and of itself, but it also came on the heals of a year rife with verbal and physical assaults against Asian Americans across the country. On this episode of All Things I invite two friends in my community and church to share their stories as Asian American women. We talk ...

Episode 52: How Should Christians Be Thinking About Immigration Reform?

Immigration is in the headlines again, as a record number of unaccompanied minor children are seeking entry at the US - Mexico border. As immigration reform is debated in the days and months ahead it’s imperative that Christians be informed by both the truth and the Scriptures. In this episode of All Things we’ll look at what’s true about immigrants in the US, especially undocumented immigrants. For example, did you know that the vast majority of undocumented immigrants pay taxes? They are n...

Episode 51: Common Sense Police Reform Happening in Denver

When most people call 911 they’re routed either to the criminal justice system or to the hospital emergency system. Realizing these two streams aren’t accurately meeting the needs of many Denver callers, the city instituted a pilot program called STAR in June of 2020. After a six month trial reports show that it was a huge success. Callers experiencing issues such as a mental health need, homelessness, or drug misuse received person-centered trauma-informed care, rather than a potential arre...

Episode 50: What's Going On Behind the Uighur Genocide?

The news is full of eye witness accounts and survivors’ testimonies of torture inside Uighur “reeducation” camps in Xinjiang, China. Last month the BBC released especially gruesome details of the extent of the human rights violations there. The US, Canada, and the Netherlands have called the actions “genocide.” On this episode of All Things I take a deep dive into understanding who the Uighurs are, the bigger picture behind why the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is committing such heinous act...

Episode 49: Traversing Today's Transgenderism

Yesterday the US House of Representatives voted to pass the Equality Act. It’s now heading to the Senate and President Biden wants to sign it into law in his first 100 days in office. Earlier this week Amazon and Target both censored books that discuss and critique our fast-moving and ever-changing societal values surrounding transgenderism. In addition to these two developments, parents and other concerned adults have been bearing witness to an unprecedented swell of girls and young women w...

Episode 48: Still Processing Ravi: Disbelieving Victims, King David, Family in Christ & More

Just over one week ago a report was released detailing the findings of an investigation into the abuse of world-renowned apologist Ravi Zacharias. Much has already been said and written. In this episode I am discussing five specific issues that I think deserve more attention inside the church: 1) Why are we so quick to disbelieve women when they come forward with abuse allegations, but equally quick to protect and believe the (usually) men in power? 2) Many have said about Zacharias’s beha...

Episode 47: The Election is in Two Weeks: How Should We Vote?

There are so many voices weighing in on this right now. And for good reason. It’s a contentious season, we are a divided nation, and Christians want to genuinely make the right choices. As the nation rages, there are some distinctly Christian ways for followers of Jesus to participate in the election. Spoiler alert: I won’t tell you who to vote for or who I’m voting for but I will remind you and me of some things that are eternally true and what’s required of us in the days ahead. The follo...

Episode 46: What is Biblical Justice?

On this episode of All Things we’re taking a deep dive into the five facets of Biblical Justice, which were outlined and described by pastor and author Tim Keller in an article recently published at the Life in the Gospel Website (link to article below). The five facets are: community, equity, corporate responsibility, individual responsibility, and advocacy. Biblical Justice is able to meet us in our cultural moment and help us navigate everything from covid, to racialized tension, to educa...

Episode 45: Happy 4th! Now Let's Apply the Declaration of Independence to Unborn, Disabled, and African Americans

This weekend we are celebrating the birth of our nation. Happy 4th! The Declaration of Independence, signed July 4, 1776, is a brilliant and powerful document. But just like 244 years ago, many marginalized populations in our nation do not enjoy the protections and provisions outlined in our founding documents. In 2020 I am particularly concerned about how life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are withheld from many unborn, disabled, and African Americans. On this episode we’ll look at...

Episode 44: All the Qs in My Inbox: BLM, CRT, Defunding the Police, the Gospel, and More

On this episode I share the top six questions I’ve gotten by email, text, What’sApp, social media, and more in the past couple weeks, as well as my answers to them. This episode was long in the making because these questions aren’t just from afar, but are being posed in my own community, family, and church and I have been spending my days in conversation, prayer, and action with people in real life. You all have been asking: 1) Given the beliefs of the organization, can Christians say Black...

Episode 43: Social Justice: Antithetical to the Gospel or the Inevitable Fruit of the Gospel?

Is social justice antithetical to the gospel or is it the inevitable fruit of the gospel? On this episode of All Things we take a look at that question, employing the words and wisdom of Pastor Brandon Washington. Additionally, we look at how the gospel requires that we engage with the racial division of our day. Greater objectivity and humility will serve us well as we seek to understand the perspective and lamentations of our friends of color. Our God is a reconciler and so must we be too....

Episode 43: Social Justice: Antithetical to the Gospel of the Inevitable Fruit of the Gospel?

Is social justice antithetical to the gospel or is it the inevitable fruit of the gospel? On this episode of All Things we take a look at that question, employing the words and wisdom of Pastor Brandon Washington. Additionally, we look at how the gospel requires that we engage with the racial division of our day. Greater objectivity and humility will serve us well as we seek to understand the perspective and lamentations of our friends of color. Our God is a reconciler and so must we be too....

Episode 42: What's Life Like Amongst Vulnerable Populations During the Pandemic?

We’re all starting to have Coronavirus fatigue. It’s so easy to be inward focused and discouraged abut our own circumstances. But what is life like for others? The entire globe is going through the same pandemic, and yet different populations are getting hit in very different ways. In this episode of All Things we look at weeks worth of headlines, statistics, and stories to understand how the pandemic is affecting the most vulnerable in the US and overseas—the homeless, African Americans, th...

Episode 41: Our Only Hope in Life, Death, and Covid: The Pandemic in Holy Week

Experiencing a global health crisis and Holy Week at the same time feels paradoxical. We are at once thinking on the resurrection of Jesus and the deaths of so many around our world. This episode of All Things explores our only hope in life, death, and Covid. Resources for further thought: The New City Catechism Redemption Parker Online Good Friday Service Redemption Parker Online Easter Morning Service Brand new book by John Piper (free download and audio) Coronavirus and Christ Etern...