Upstream
304 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 days ago -There are no ordinary things. We can meet God in the most surprising places…if we only know how to look. Go Upstream, discover a world charged with the grandeur of God—and learn to live in that bigger world.
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Episodes
Adjectives or Honesty? - A Reflection on the Interview with Samuel James
June 19, 2021 15:38 - 5 minutes - 11.9 MBIn his diabolical masterpiece, “The Screwtape Letters,” C. S. Lewis reveals through the pen of his senior tempter how devils persuade humans to accept false beliefs by using jargon: “Your man,” explains Screwtape, “has been accustomed, ever since he was a boy, to have a dozen incompatible philosophies dancing about together inside his head. He doesn’t think of doctrines as primarily ‘true’ or ‘false,’ but as ‘academic,’ or ‘practical,’ or ‘outworn,’ or ‘contemporary,’ or ‘conventional,’ or...
Politics and Prophetic Witness: Samuel James On Criticizing Both Political Tribes - Episode 49
June 15, 2021 03:45 - 56 minutes - 77.3 MBA recent piece at The Gospel Coalition calls out evangelical elites for only “punching right.” In a response, writer and editor Samuel James argues that there’s plenty of nonpartisan Christian commentary—we’re just not listening.
Dunning-Kruger, Cultural Amnesia, and Tyrannosaurus rex - Reflection on the Interview with Carl Trueman
June 10, 2021 20:34 - 5 minutes - 8.18 MBThe Dunning-Kruger effect (famously described by social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger) is the idea that people who know little to nothing about a subject tend to wildly overestimate their competence in that subject. This is because their knowledge is so limited, they lack even the categories to recognize their own ignorance. We see the Dunning-Kruger effect at work in historian Tom Holland’s confession at the beginning of his book “Dominion.” Holland (whom I interviewed l...
How the Incomprehensible Became Unquestionable - Carl Trueman at Wilberforce Weekend - Episode 48
June 08, 2021 03:32 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBDr. Carl Trueman joins Shane and a live audience at the Wilberforce Weekend in Fort Worth, Texas to explore how a revolution in how we understand selfhood made the transgender revolution plausible.
Upstream Reflection: The Arcadian Wild and the Significance of Music
June 03, 2021 21:38 - 4 minutes - 6 MBThe late Rich Mullins wrote a lot of songs that changed people’s lives and shaped their faith. But one song in particular has a reputation for grabbing the attention of unwary listeners and has even been known to convert souls. In “If I Stand,” Rich sings: “There’s more that rises in the morning than the sun, and more that shines in the night than just the moon. There’s more than just this fire here that keeps me warm, in a shelter that is larger than this room. And there’s a loyalty that’s ...
Why Music Opens Hearts and Minds - The Arcadian Wild - Episode 47
June 01, 2021 03:12 - 1 hour - 161 MBShane welcomes Isaac Horn and Lincoln Mick of the bluegrass/folk band, “The Arcadian Wild” to explore the strange and wonderful power music has to convey truth and remind us who we are as image-bearers. This episode was recorded in-person at the 2021 Wilberforce Weekend in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Upstream Reflection: On the Gunlap Conversation with Robert Wolgemuth
May 27, 2021 12:13 - 4 minutes - 6.32 MBThe first few minutes of Pixar’s 2009 smash hit “Up” are unforgettable for a lot of reasons. We were enchanted and moved watching Carl and Ellie develop a friendship as children, which eventually blossomed into a love that led them to the altar and into the fixer-upper house where they met. We see flashes of their long years together, grieve with their unfulfilled desire f+or children, and watch as they grow older and closer. Then Ellie dies, leaving Carl by himself. The very next scene ma...
How Men Can Finish Life Well? - Robert Wolgemuth - Episode 45
May 25, 2021 03:41 - 51 minutes - 35.5 MBWhat if the home stretch of our race is the most important part? Former Thomas Nelson president and author Robert Wolgemuth joins Shane to talk about his new book, “The Gun Lap: Staying in the Race with Purpose.”
Can We Trust the Gospel of John? - Dr. Lydia McGrew - Episode 44
May 18, 2021 11:58 - 1 hour - 45.2 MBIt contains some of Jesus’ most beloved words and deeds, but the fourth gospel has long been dismissed by scholars as historically inaccurate. Dr. Lydia McGrew takes on this consensus with powerful arguments that John gives us the real Jesus.
“Is Science Turning Back to God?” - Stephen Meyer - Episode 43
May 11, 2021 11:03 - 56 minutes - 38.7 MBAtheists tells us science has no need for the “God hypothesis.” But three discoveries in the 20th century challenged materialism and revealed the Mind behind the universe. Dr. Stephen Meyer joins Shane to explore his new book, “The Return of the God Hypothesis.”
Why Did God Forbid the Fruit? - Alistair Roberts and Owen Anderson - Episode 42
May 04, 2021 03:37 - 1 hour - 147 MBWhat exactly was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and why did God place it off-limits? Would He eventually have allowed Adam and Eve to eat of it? Christian philosopher Owen Anderson and theology writer Alastair Roberts join Shane to debate the tree that wrecked the world.
The Deeper Problem with Darwin - Dr. Logan Gage - Episode 41
April 27, 2021 11:15 - 1 hour - 42.6 MBMany Christians have tried to harmonize evolution with the Bible, but there’s a deeper problem with Darwin’s theory: it denies the purpose and design in creation. Shane welcomes Aquinas expert Dr. Logan Gage to explain why Christians can’t embrace evolution as-is.
Defeating Poverty with the Trees In Scripture - Matthew Sleeth - Episode 40
April 20, 2021 08:11 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MBC.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and George McDonald use trees to overcome evil. These practices reflect teaching in the Bible, where God uses trees not only to teach but to provide images of brokenness and grace. Matthew Sleeth, MD, a former emergency room physician and chief of the hospital medical staff, resigned from his position to teach, preach, and write about the biblical call to be good stewards of God's creation. He joins Shane to share how pausing in Creation, considering trees, lead...
Mountaintop Wonder with High Pointer Branndon Bargo - Episode 39
April 13, 2021 12:18 - 51 minutes - 35.5 MBNature is a necessary nutrient, and PBS and Amazon Prime Host of HighPointers Branndon Bargo can attest to that. Bargo is a world traveler, a High Pointer, and a student in the Colson Fellows program. Branndon connects his love for the outdoors to a convinced apologetic that there really isn't a square inch man can venture to that God doesn't call His. Branndon has been through some of the most dangerous passes on earth, nearly dying numerous times, all in a wanderlust pursuit of seein...
Uncovering the Minimalist Facts for Jesus' Resurrection - Gary Habermas - Episode 38
April 06, 2021 04:22 - 39 minutes - 54.2 MBDr. Gary Habermas, Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy at Liberty University joins Shane Morris to discuss the historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection along with the grudging admissions of modern historians who grant that whether they believe that Jesus was raised from the dead or not, that the historical record is clear: The earliest Christians certainly believed it, and many of them claimed to have seen Him after His crucifixion.
Shaped by Story: A Deep Dive Into Aerwiar with Andrew Peterson - Andrew Peterson - Episode 37
March 30, 2021 04:17 - 57 minutes - 39.3 MBEntering the Easter season we acknowledge that God redeems humanity not through a list of doctrinal bullet points but through a powerful true story. We acknowledge the King, come to earth, connecting with humans in living, caring, healing, and telling stories. Jesus connected his message to story, and in stories we understand our need for a Savior in profound ways. Andrew Peterson is a singer-songwriter whose recent accomplishments as an author are making a profound impact on the litera...
Sex, Trauma, and My Truth: The Growing Trends in Ex-vangelicals - Samuel James - Episode 35
March 23, 2021 10:08 - 1 hour - 43.9 MBWe've heard it before. Someone says he or she grew up in the evangelical church. They speak to credentials they hold inside the church, an evangelical of evangelicals. But then they started asking questions. What they talk about is that they didn't find good answers. There are likely few specifics given, and after a while they say they start to doubt the faith they were taught. Often their church's sexual ethics factor prominently in their complaints. Eventually these followers of Chris...
Addictive Technology and Faith Formation - Trevin Wax - Episode 34
March 16, 2021 04:31 - 57 minutes - 39.5 MBFor nearly all of us the first thing we lay our eyes on every morning is our cell phone. In the course of listening to this podcast it's likely you'll check social media, respond to a text, and do some online shopping. Most of us are desperately aware of the addictive properties of the phone, but we struggle to adjust our life to greater faith formation. Trevin Wax is managing editor of The Gospel Project at LifeWay Christian Resources, a pastor, contributing editor to Christianity Today. ...
Prayer Isn't What We Think It Is: How Honesty With God Transforms Your Soul - Kyle Strobel - Episode 33
March 09, 2021 11:48 - 1 hour - 44.9 MBPrayer is one of the most basic disciplines of the Christian life. Yet, many Christians are struck with fears and uncertainties as they speak to God. A curious thing happens when we turn to the Bible and see Jesus praying. We find anguish and honesty, anger and anxiety. There are times of sharp and pungent expressions of the human condition and emotions. All of this directed to God, as if he could take it. Praying with honesty can feel irreverent, but what if this is the way God actuall...
The Kids Aren't OK: Experimenting on Children Produces Devastating Stories - Katy Faust - Episode 32
March 02, 2021 11:34 - 1 hour - 46.8 MBLove just isn't enough to make a family. Congress stands poised to pass the Equality Act which brings on the final stages of a Mrs. Doubtfire view of marriage, family, and childrearing. Adult, and adult desires, are all that seem to matter to us. Surrogacy, same-sex marriage, transgender parenting, divorce, donor conception, and intentional single parenting all illicit our self-centered view that is overlooking children. This highlights a lie; that children, not adults, need to accommodat...
Why Are Christians So Hung-up on Sex? - Sam Alberry - Episode 31
February 23, 2021 02:34 - 31 minutes - 21.9 MBWhy are Christians so hung-up on Sex? Why does God care who I sleep with? Sam Alberry is a speaker and author who explores this topic in a recently published book titled Why Does God Care Who I sleep With? Sam provides a biblical perspective on what sex is designed to be, to mean and to do for us. He answers one of the biggest barriers to belief, helping Christians reason through one of the more challenging aspects of following Jesus, where many are increasingly seeing followers of Jesus a...
Low-grade Discipleship: Building Followers of Christ in Daily Conversation - Natasha Crain - Episode 30
February 16, 2021 02:37 - 34 minutes - 23.7 MBIt's natural for Christians to pride ourselves talking about Christianity. For some there is a level of accomplishment when we can push someone in their thinking, to get them to question their doubts and consider Christ. But once a person has a child all the abilities to guide people in thought seem to dissipate. Natasha Crain's Keeping Your Kids on God's Side is a great tool to begin, continue, and process conversations with one's children. Natasha is a speaker, blogger, and author whose...
Living in Right Relationship with Neighbors and Earth - Michael Craven and Colson Fellows - Episode 29
February 09, 2021 05:25 - 58 minutes - 79.9 MBMichael Craven is the director of the Colson Fellows program. He communicates to Shane the importance of living upstream, understanding how Christianity shapes and gives us legitimate answers to how we shall live in this cultural moment. Michael is an accomplished executive, worldview expert, cultural apologist, and author.Ever since leaving his career as a corporate CEO in 2001, Michael has been working to equip the Church in America with a robust Christian life and worldview. In 2007, ...
Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth - Dr. Thaddeus Williams - Episode 28
February 02, 2021 11:49 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBSocial Justice is making claims that are turning America's streets into war zones. Some of these claims refer to a "color blind upbringing", where an individual raised in a community predominantly homogenous in ethnicity is an example of "white privilege" and therefore a form of racism. Thaddeus Williams has written an important book, "Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth". Dr. Williams is an Associate Professor of Theology at Biola University. Dr. Williams loves enlarging stu...
Music as Guide: Living Deeply with Lyric and Tune - Josh Bales - Episode 27
January 26, 2021 11:39 - 1 hour - 44.3 MBJosh is equal parts Singer-Songwriter, Anglican/Episcopal Priest, and Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Shane visits with him on music, guidance, and the way the Lord using lyric and tune to connect with us. Josh holds an M.Div. and M.A. in Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary, as well as a Certificate in Anglican Studies from Nashotah House Theological Seminary. He is the Senior Fellow for Music and Art at the Colson Center. Josh and Shane talk joy and beauty in music, and spe...
Adopt an Embryo - Creatively Caring for Forgotten Embryos | Dr. Jeffrey Keenan | Episode 26
January 19, 2021 03:27 - 34 minutes - 23.7 MBUntil recently couples who couldn't have children had only one godly option, to pray. That's what Sarah and Abraham did, recounted in the book of Genesis. But couples struggling with infertility today are offered a number of high-tech solutions. One of the most common is called In vitro fertilization (IVF), where sperm and eggs are harvested from either the couple who wants to become pregnant or sperm and/or egg donors. The sperm and egg are united outside of the body, in a lab. The result...
Assisted Suicide and Facing Suffering - Stephanie Gray Connors - Episode 24
January 12, 2021 12:26 - 1 hour - 45.2 MBStephanie Gray Connors is a pro-life activist who is taking her advocacy for the pre-born to a logical conclusion for those suffering at the end of life. She provides strong perspective about the dynamic of eliminating the sufferer vs. alleviating the suffering. She calls us to look at all humans as image bearers whose suffering calls us to participate in a Gospel perspective. Visit Stephanie's website to order Start With What: https://loveunleasheslife.com/love-unleashes-life
Assisted Suicide and Facing Suffering - Stephanie Gray Connors - Episode 25
January 12, 2021 12:26 - 1 hour - 45.2 MBStephanie Gray Connors is a pro-life activist who is taking her advocacy for the pre-born to a logical conclusion for those suffering at the end of life. She provides strong perspective about the dynamic of eliminating the sufferer vs. alleviating the suffering. She calls us to look at all humans as image bearers whose suffering calls us to participate in a Gospel perspective. Visit Stephanie's website to order Start With What: https://loveunleasheslife.com/love-unleashes-life
Further Up and Further In with Andrew Lazo
January 05, 2021 06:23 - 35 minutes - 64.2 MBAndrew Lazo is a C.S. Lewis scholar known for his expertise in Lewis' Till We Have Faces. Lazo delivers a strong apologetic that Lewis' chief aim was to explain love. Lazo carefully unpacks many Lewis books to reveal a push for humanity to love rightly. This love is bound in Christ's call for an ordered love of God and love of man.
The Glory of God’s Creation and America’s National Parks - Randy Smith - Episode 24
December 29, 2020 04:16 - 35 minutes - 49 MBWhen's the last time you and your family have experienced the beauty and majesty of God's creation together? Today on the BreakPoint Podcast, Shane Morris welcomes Pastor Randy Smith, host of the immensely popular YouTube Channnel "America's Parks." Pastor Smith discusses how he came to fall in love with America's national parks and how experiencing creation together has helped to shape his family's faith life and provided his children with memories for a lifetime.
Is Marriage a Modern Relic in Building Society - Mark Regnerus - Episode 23
December 22, 2020 00:35 - 50 minutes - 35 MB"To its many and vocal modern critics, marriage is legalized slavery, anti-feminist, and a receding institution whose dying grip on society can't come soon enough." Upstream host Shane Morris asks sociologist Mark Regnerus to give a picture on the state of modern marriage. Regnerus paints a picture of the future, where many see marriage going the way of the dinosaurs. Mark Regnerus is Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a senior fellow at the Austin Insti...
Not One Square Inch: Does God Really Rule? - Jordan Ballor - Episode 22
December 15, 2020 04:05 - 53 minutes - 36.5 MBThere's not one square inch in all of creation where God doesn't cry out, "mine". This was a rally cry of Chuck Colson, referencing Abraham Kuyper. But does the saying hold true in our culture? Dr. Jordan Ballor is a senior research fellow at the Acton Institute. He has figuratively written the book on Abraham Kuyper. He is the general editor for the Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology Series. He unravels the fascination that surrounds Kuyper, a statesman theologian. Ballo...
How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom Holland - Episode 20
December 08, 2020 04:19 - 46 minutes - 32 MB“This idea that a criminal tortured to death on a cross is in some way a part of the God of Israel who is also the God who created the entire cosmos and everything in it, is possibly the strangest idea that anyone has had to persuade people of.” But it’s also idea that changed the world forever—perhaps the most influential idea in human history. So says historian Tom Holland, author of Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World. Human rights, equality, forgiveness, caring fo...
Are Christmas Traditions Pagan? - Glenn Sunshine - Episode 19
December 01, 2020 05:05 - 54 minutes - 99.9 MBHistorian and author Glenn Sunshine helps guide us through the season of Advent with confidence. Dispelling challenges to common practices surrounding Christmas, Glenn provides strong historical why many of our practices aren't rooted in pagan traditions. Shane Morris pushes Glenn to engage in popular linking of Jesus to Horus and Mithra. Glenn dives into the Christmas tree debate, proving the practice has strong cultural context rather than pagan practice. Glenn closes the interview with ...
Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture - Sean McDowell - Episode 18
November 24, 2020 04:28 - 43 minutes - 29.6 MBSean McDowell was the first generation to live through the Christian purity culture of the 1980s and 90s. Now with teenagers of his own he is recasting a vision of sex, love, and relationships. Sean challenges the love that the world tells us to pursue. Guiding us from a "follow your heart's desire" path of the world to a Christian view of love, McDowell calls his readers in his newest book to give love to God and others. Shane interviews McDowell on his newest work, Chasing Love: Sex,...
Agnostic Pastor Doubts Doubt and Trusts Christ - Eric Huffman - Episode 017
November 17, 2020 04:40 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MBEric Huffman's upbringing was idyllic. He grew up in the church, had a loving family, and was set to pursue a calling to the pastorate. However, after a liberal seminary experience his heart moved from the Gospel of Jesus to the gospel of socialism. Eric served as an agnostic pastor. He challenged the Biblical norms he was raised under. His church was revolting against a Biblical framework and it was exhausting him. Eric shares his story with Shane Morris on Upstream. Christ transformed ...
Marriage Beats Covid, Divorce Rates Are Down - Brad Wilcox - Episode 16
November 10, 2020 04:59 - 45 minutes - 31.3 MBThis year has felt like a lost year. Tensions are high and stress levels are through the roof. It would make sense that Covid is having a negative impact on marriages, as well. That's not the case. Brad Wilcox wrote a piece in the Washington Post that sheds light on data revealing marriages are staying strong in the pandemic. Is this because people fear getting sick in filing for divorce? Is there a backlog of people waiting for the pandemic to clear before they break their vows? Or is it ...
Rethink Your Self - Trevin Wax - Episode 015
November 03, 2020 04:16 - 38 minutes - 26.1 MB91% of American believe that in order to find one's self they must look within. Trevin Wax has different perspective. Trevin Wax is the vice-president at LifeWay Resources. He is a renowned apologist for the Christian worldview and a prolific writer. His newest work, Rethink Your Self is a treatise on the popular notion that finding one's self requires them to look within. Trevin explains his perspective, that in order for a person to know who they are they must look to God and outside ...
Defining Demons, Are They Biblical? - Dr. Michael Heiser - Episode 015
October 27, 2020 06:01 - 1 hour - 41.6 MBAre the images that the writers of the Bible speak about the same as we picture today? When Paul talks about the forces of darkness is he talking about the same darkness we picture today? Dr. Michael Heiser is the author of The Unseen Realm, and his new work Demons, shed light on darkness to help us see clearly what we're facing.
Catching the Notion Someone Could Be Born in the Wrong Body - Carl Trueman - Episode 014
October 20, 2020 03:54 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MBI'm a woman trapped in a man's body. This statement would be laughable a few generations ago. Today this belief is dominant, even intuitive for many. Carl Trueman believes statements like the one above mark the culmination of a revolution in thought and self-understanding. Trueman purports that this revolution is caught more than taught, and his new book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self seeks to unveil the shroud that is draped over our concepts of sexuality.
The Science of Male and Female - Steven Wedgeworth - Episode 013
October 13, 2020 01:56 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MBBlogger and Pastor Steven Wedgeworth shares his article in Desiring God, helping us gain an understanding of the war on gender. He outlines general revelation, how logic and science reveal a need for a complimentarian view of gender. He then explains the foundation for general revelation inside the special revelation of the Bible's presentation of sex. He points to the function and purpose in gender, taking time to critique some church movements that exert authoritarian views of gender over ...
Sidestepping Progressive Teachers to Find the Gospel - Alisa Childers - Episode 012
October 06, 2020 02:07 - 33 minutes - 46 MBThere is a significant force that is working to redefine Christianity. Alisa Childers met that force head-on, finding herself under the leadership of a Pastor who questioned Christianity's validity. Alisa was raised in a Bible-believing family. Having witnessed the impact Christ has on a home, she never thought she would question her Christian faith. Following the Lord led Alisa to lead thousands in worship through her involvement in the band ZOE girl. However, after connecting with a pas...
Following God's Calling into Music - David Radford - Episode 011
September 29, 2020 04:29 - 41 minutes - 28.4 MBEvery musician travels a unique road to their profession. However, David Radford from The Gray Havens paints a picture of divine inspiration in finding our calling. Whether you're a musician or plumber, David's resolution to calling will direct you to a deeper appreciation for God's hand directing your life. Additionally, Radford unpacks a number of the deeply theological lyrics he and his wife weave as part of The Gray Havens. Radford references faith leaders like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. ...
Seed Theological Truths into Everyday life - Douglas McKelvey - Episode 010
September 22, 2020 00:54 - 34 minutes - 23.5 MBEvery Moment Holy is a prayer guide for the modern Christ-follower. Douglas McKelvey takes us on a tour to build rhythms to seed theological truths into everyday mundane tasks that surround us as believers.
The Best Stories Are An Escape Into Reality - S.D. Smith - Episode 009
September 15, 2020 01:45 - 31 minutes - 21.3 MBBest selling author S.D. Smith provides a holistic perspective of how the Christian worldview provides the best foundation for fiction. He reveals that the best stories aren't an escape from reality but an escape into it, shaping the reader in powerful ways.
Six Reasons You Shouldn't Base Your Faith On - James Warner Wallace - Episode 008
September 08, 2020 03:14 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBJames Warner Wallace explains the way God gave Him faith for belief in God. Wallace then undoes six common bases Christians will rest their assurance in Christ on, guiding listeners to consider the validity of the reasons we use to defend our faith.
David Curry - The Persecuted Church Has A Lot to Teach Us - Episode 007
September 01, 2020 02:24 - 32 minutes - 22.6 MBDavid Curry from Open Doors USA spells out why the biggest stories in the world aren't being told in the United States. He guides us through some murky waters to see the reality Christians face around the world and how their experience is being felt in startling ways inside the borders of the USA.
Episode 006 - Andrew Lazo - Seeing the Love of God in the Lewis Canon
August 25, 2020 01:46 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MBAndrew Lazo is a C.S. Lewis scholar known for his expertise in Lewis' Till We Have Faces. Lazo delivers a strong apologetic that Lewis' chief aim was to explain love. Lazo carefully unpacks many Lewis books to reveal a push for humanity to love rightly. This love is bound in Christ's call for an ordered love of God and love of man.
Episode 005 - Lila Rose - Understanding the Abortion Mindset
August 18, 2020 13:34 - 32 minutes - 22.5 MBThere are subliminal messages we adopt as Christians that need to be challenged against the word of God. This week on Upstream Lila Rose introduces a challenge to popular beliefs on contraception, and she walks us from issues of abortion upstream to fundamental beliefs on God's design and structure. Lila Rose is the founder and president of Live Action. Her work exposes the roots and results of Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry.
Episode 004 - Abby Johnson - The Prolife Movement has Changed
August 11, 2020 14:59 - 39 minutes - 27 MBAbby Johnson is a former abortion clinic director who is a leading voice in the pro-life community. Abby highlights the image of God in every person, born and unborn. She believes the movement has changed to be more supportive for abortive parents and abortion workers.