Shows
2019-09-111h 07
Reconnect106. Sharing the Gospel with 21st Century TechnologyAndy interviews his pastor, Arthur Andrews from Hephatha Lutheran Church. Andy finds out why Pastor Andrews wants to start a podcast and explores other means by which Pastor Andrews has shared the Gospel using 21st century technology.
2018-03-1456 min
Reconnect105. Lutheran Theology Part 6Andy and Wes close the series on Lutheran Theology discussing worship, the Church, and ministry. Topics: Liturgy Contemporary Worship Invisible Church Visible Church Marks of the Church Luther's Two Kingdom Theory Priesthood of All Believers Office of the Public Ministry Office of the Keys
2017-11-2858 min
Reconnect104. Thanksgiving Special 2017First Reconnect Thanksgiving Special. Andy reads an article by Eric Metaxes that was published in 2015 in the Wall Street Journal entitled, "The Miracle of Squanto's Path to Plymouth". He also shares the top 7 Bible verses for Thanksgiving which are compiled and explained by Kristi Winkler of ShareFaith.
2017-11-2228 min
Reconnect103. Luther's 95 Theses (Reaction!)Andy is a Lutheran, meaning that he believes the Book of Concord (The Lutheran Confessions) accurately represent the teachings of Scripture. However, he has never read Martin Luther's 95 Theses that he posted on the church door in Wittenberg on Oct. 31st, 1517. In this episode, he reads them for the first time, start to finish on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Many of these have some historical particularity that fully escapes him. Much is still to be learned.
2017-10-3151 min
Reconnect102. Lutheran Theology Part 5Andy continues the series on Lutheran Theology. This time Wes is back and together they discuss the formal principle of Lutheran theology and the nature of Law and Gospel.
2017-10-1056 min
Reconnect101. Are Scripture and Darwinian Evolution Compatible?Sean Pino interviews Andy to see if he thinks Scripture and Darwinian Evolution are compatible. The literary nature of Genesis is discussed, the source and origin of physical death in creation, the interplay between scientific discovery and theory with Biblical interpretation, and why some Christians are adamant in their refusal to adapt Darwinian teaching into Christian Doctrine.
2017-10-0352 min
Reconnect100. Songs of Protest and ApocalypseFor episode 100 of Reconnect, Andy interviews Joe Joe Bongiorno, about his illustrated rock lyric book, Black Sabbath The Illustrated Lyrics, Vo1. 2: Songs of Protest and Apocalypse. Bongiorno’s book explains the lyrics of Black Sabbaths’ 2nd album, Paranoid. Some listeners might be shocked to hear about a Black Sabbath themed episode of a podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, and if that is the case, please go back to episode 68 where Andy interviewed Joe about Volume 1. Bongiorno explains how Paranoid is a collection of songs that are “ultimately polemics infused in the discourse of apocal...
2017-09-261h 16
Reconnect99. Lutheran Theology Part 4Andy is joined by Wes, Jonathan, and Robby to continue the series on Lutheran Theology. This time the focus is on the means of grace, a term that is particularly Lutheran, and is used to describe the Gospel, baptism, and communion. You'll learn why Lutherans call baptism and communion a means of grace. Not all Christians would do this, and many would deny that they are ways in which God delievers his grace to individuals. Most Christians won't deny the Gospel being a means of grace, so the bulk of the episode is focused on baptism and comm...
2017-06-271h 05
Reconnect98. Sharing the Gospel with KidsDave, Tim, and Andy sit down to discuss how to go about sharing the Gospel with kids.
2017-06-131h 14
Reconnect97. Lutheran Theology Part 3Wes is back to continue the Lutheran Theology series with Andy. This episode of Reconnect covers the Material Principle of Lutheran Theology (Justification), The Work of the Holy Spirit (Sanctification), Good Works, and the Doctrine of Election.
2017-05-241h 01
Reconnect96. Christians Talking The Walking DeadAndy sits down with one of the campus pastor's at Concordia University Irvine, Jonathan Ruehs, to discuss a show they both really love, The Walking Dead!
2017-05-1658 min
Reconnect95. Lutheran Theology Part 2Andy answers some listener questions about Lutheran theology that really are about the the divisions of Lutheranism in America. Also a question about Lutherans and their lack of focus on end time teachings was addressed. He then closes with more points on the Teachings of the Lutheran Church he created to be recognized as being qualified to teach Theology in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod: Christian Identity, The Bondage of the Will, and The Doctrine of Christ.
2017-05-101h 09
Reconnect94. Lutheran Theology Part 1The Nature of God The doctrine of the Trinity states that there is only one God, yet God exists in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; Matthew 28:19; and 2 Corinthians 13:14) All three persons of the Trinity are eternal, not created, nor made. The Father begets the Son. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father. The Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son who send him. In addition to being eternal (Psalm 90:2; Exodus 3:14; John 1:1; Romans 1:20; and Revelation 22:13), all three person of the Trinity are each omnipresent (Psalm...
2017-05-0257 min
Reconnect93. Why Don't Christians Care More About Their Sins?Andy received a Facebook message from a follower of his Contradict - They Can't All Be True page that asked his thoughts on how to respond to the question, "Why Don't Christians Care More About their Sins?" This episode of Reconnect gives a lengthy response to this question, weaving in various Youtube videos that feature Alistair Begg, R.C. Sproul, and Paul Washer.
2017-04-2559 min
Reconnect92. Presuppositions and Evidence in Christian ApologeticsDavid Pratt is back on Reconnect to further discuss his love of Presuppositional Apologetics. His brother, Jonathan Pratt, and Andy Wrasman have lots of questions for him, especially Andy, who prefers to lead with the Gospel and defend the message of the Gospel using historical evidence for the historicity of the New Testament. The following questions are discussed (not in the particular order of the video): Did the Apostles ever try to convince someone that God exists? Did the Apostles ever use presuppositional apologetics? Did the Apostles ever use evidential...
2017-04-181h 29
Reconnect91. Holy Week 2017Segments: Intro The Jews Expected Rambo Jesus What Romans Said About Crucifixion Has the Cross Lost Its Punch? The Crucifixion - A Medical Perspective Bit of Christology Talk Did Jesus Die on the Cross? Closing
2017-04-101h 02
Reconnect90. Contradictions in the Bible Quiz ShowFirst Segment: Andy responds to a reader's email about his use of Contradict for evangelism. Second Segment: Andy responds to a video an atheist sent him that entertainly uses a game show setting to demonstrate what the video maker claims are contradictions in the Bible.
2017-04-0651 min
Reconnect89. Re: You Are CONTRADICTing JesusAndy responds to an email he received from a lady claiming that he is CONTRADICTing Jesus by saying other religions are wrong. Here's the email: "Hello! My name is Summer; I'm a woman from Oregon. After reading about the Contradict movement, I do have a couple comments/questions for you. I do believe that you are CONTRADICTing the teachings of Jesus; it seems that you are saying Christianity should be the only religion on planet earth. Thing is, Jesus taught that we need to coexist with everyone on the planet. Matthew 22:39 says to love your...
2017-03-2955 min
Reconnect88. Was the Church Totally Wrong in the CrusadesAndy speaks with high school senior Morgan Lunsford about the Church's involvement in the Crusades. Does the Church need to get off its high horse when addressing Islamic invasions, Islamic terrorism, and the many Islamic nations that treat women far from equal because of the Church's involvement in the Crusades? What are the Crusades? Why did they start? Were there any good reasons that the Church was involved in the Crusades? Why does the Church get such a bad wrap about the Crusades? Did leaders in the Church condemn any of the evil actions done by mem...
2017-03-2152 min
Reconnect87. Surfing Sye Ten Bruggencate's WebsiteBen Fisher’s back from his Reconnect sabbatical and he guides three high school seniors through Sye Ten Bruggencate’s website, “Proof That God Exists.” The website has an interactive questionnaire that uses presuppositional apologetics to guide visitors to the conclusion that God exists based on the visitor’s admission that absolute truth exists, that you know things to be true, that logic exists and that it is universal, not made of matter, and does not change. If visitors don’t come to the conclusion that truth, knowledge, and logic exist in absolute, unchangeable, immaterial terms, then they are eventually red...
2017-03-071h 01
Reconnect85. Christianity in Five VersesAaron Puls shares the Doctrine of Justification with Andy Wrasman and Jonathan Rutherford, using Dr. Rod Rosenbladt’s sermon “Christianity in Five Verses” as a guide. Justification is God’s declaration that sinners are innocent on account of Christ’s death on the cross that atones for all of our sins. This is pure gift! We are declared innocent, though we are guilty. Justice is still served, since the penalty for our sins were paid in full by Jesus of Nazareth. Objective Justification is a doctrine that states that Jesus died for all sins, past, present, and fu...
2017-02-211h 07
Reconnect84. Muslims in America and One Nation Under Which God?Part I – The Majority of Muslims in America are Concerned (Fearful?) about Islamic Extremism I read a recent article by Ken Chitwood, a guest on episode 16 of Reconnect, entitled, “What Does God Require of Us Amid Rising Islamophobia?” that exhorts us to defend the rights of Muslims, reach out to Muslims with compassionate friendship, and to be humble knowing that we cannot rebuild the brokenness of the world on our own (namely, we need God to wholly fix the world). These points are very good reminders to us for what we need to do and I affir...
2017-02-141h 09
Reconnect83. Evaluating the Best Evangelism Conversation StartersIn Episode 83 of Reconnect, Wes and Andy kick around some thoughts on a list of spiritual conversation starters compiled by Southern Nazarene University. To frame the discussion of this list of questions, they use three evaluation points for evangelism conversation starters as laid out and described by J. Warner Wallace in his article, “The Best Question To Ask When Starting A Conversation About God?”: Diagnostic, Disarming, and Directed. In other words, does the question let us know what the other person believes when he answers the question (Diagnostic), is the question easily received and doesn’t cause the person to put h...
2017-02-071h 00
Reconnect82. Keep the Kids in the Church Service?Andy has David Rueter, the Director of the Director of Christian Education Program at Concordia University Irvine, and Jonathan Pratt as guest on this episode of Reconnect to share their thoughts on why it's beneficial to the Body of Christ to have kids in church services, no matter how young, or how noisy they might be, and why it's detrimental if we keep them separated. Anna Mussmann’s article, “Four Reasons It Is Good Your Kids Are Being Too Noisy In Church,” provides a framework for their conversation, as well as research data from David’s Concordia Publishin...
2017-01-311h 09
Reconnect81. Eclectic Bullet #2Andy brings another eclectic bullet episode that touches on public prayer with mixed religious adherents and how Christians should respond when put such a situation, the Women’s March, the March for Life, the messages of the movie Boyhood, and the reality of La La Land. First Topic: Trump's Inauguration – Praying with Adherents of Other Religions in Public Second Topic: The Women’s March Compared to the March for Life in the Media Third Topic: Boyhood – A Very Real Depiction of How Broken Families Impact Children and the Need we all have for God’s Des...
2017-01-241h 18
Reconnect80. Common English Sayings From The BibleEllie, Robby, and Andy discuss some common English sayings that originate from the Bible! They were all shocked to see many of these phrases to be from the Bible. Andy for instance thought, “Can a leopard change its spots?” came from a Dr. Seuss book and that “how the mighty have fallen” was somehow a reference to “Mighty Casey at Bat”. They discuss which ones they hear most often, which ones they use the most personally, and how we could take advantage of the Biblical origin of these common sayings for the purpose of evangelism, or at least take advantage of th...
2017-01-1754 min
Reconnect79. Stop the Hateful Contradict Movement!Andy has a website called Contradict Movement, where he sells stickers that spell Contradict using various religious symbols. He also sells Contradict Gospel tracts to accompany these stickers and his book, Contradict - They Can't All Be True. Links are also given to his blog, Youtube channel, and Reconnect Podcast. All of these resources are purposed to equip Christians to defend the good news of Jesus Christ in a pluralistic age. Periodically, Andy receives messages that call for him to stop Contradict Movement, because it is a distortion of what Coexist actually is and that Contradict is a ha...
2016-12-261h 07
Reconnect78. The Evidence for the Christmas Star“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2) This star is often depicted as a bright, roaming globe that shines a spotlight directly on the house of Mary and Joseph for the magi to follow. If this star actually appeared in this fashion, wouldn’t it be obvious to everyone, not just wise men from the east...
2016-12-2054 min
Reconnect77. Seeing Christ In Your ChristmasIn the first segment, Andy shares his article, "Seeing Christ In Your Christmas," and in the second segment, John Campbell discusses why Christians shouldn't worry about celebrating Christmas out of fear that they are somehow endorsing paganism! “Seeing Christ in Your Christmas” by Andy Wrasman There are many simple ways to see Christ in Christmas. One way to accomplish this goal is by drawing Biblical parallels with the traditional Christmas tree décor. As long as Christians are not glorifying pagan beliefs and practices, or bowing at the altar of gluttonous consumerism through our American Christmas tree traditions, then there is...
2016-12-1240 min
Reconnect76. To Sing or Not To Sing?Should some Christian worship songs and hymns not be song in corporate, public worship? Are some songs good or at least OK songs, for personal worship in your car driving to work, but not for congregational singing? Jonathan Pratt says, “Yes!” He has compiled and edited a list of criteria for discernment in hymn selection. If you have never asked yourself, “What types of songs are sung in your church’s services and gatherings and why?” this episode of Reconnect is a must listen for you. If you are a pastor or worship leader in charge of selecting your...
2016-11-291h 48
Reconnect75. A Different Kind of BaptismScripture mentions John’s baptism, Jesus’ baptism, baptism of water, baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, baptism by fire, and baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some of these descriptions are just different ways of describing the same type of baptism, and certainly most Christians would agree with this. One particular denomination, the Assemblies of God, hold specific teachings about Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Their denomination confesses that Baptism in the Holy Spirit is distinct and separate for water baptism and the new birth of a believer. This baptism...
2016-11-231h 27
Reconnect74. A Different Kind of ElectionThe presidential election for 2016 is over! So it’s time to talk about a different kind of election, the election of sinners by God to salvation. Andy shares the five points of Calvinism and Arminianism, the two common theological systems that are debated and compared when discussing God’s role in salvation. But then the curveball comes, the Lutheran position on election is presented, a position which rarely discussed in the predestination debate among Christians. The Lutheran understanding of single-predestination is by far a different election from Calvin’s double-predestination. Some show notes: Five Point...
2016-11-1648 min
Reconnect73. Veterans Day - Eclectic BulletAndy is flying ranting solo for this episode of Reconnect. This episode was released on Sunday, earlier than the typical Tuesday release. The Friday of the release week is Veterans Day, so Andy shares some thoughts on Christian vocation and quotes from Martin Luther to illustrate how soldiers are loving God and their neighbors through their calling in the military. The rest of the episode is an eclectic bullet that covers the following topics, fit for Election Week: 10 questions Andy received that are to be answered by a pro-life candidate running for federal off...
2016-11-071h 18
Reconnect72. Jesus is Pro-LifeJesus said that he came to give life and to give it the full. He also said that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) It should be pretty obvious which side of the abortion debate Jesus stands and which side the devil hides. In this episode, James Conrad shares his family's personal experiences with multiple abortions and the tragic aftermath that these murders have left for the survivors in his family. The good that has arisen from these horrendous loses of lives is that James' mother started a pro-life activism group who has fought re...
2016-11-011h 18
Reconnect71. Christians Voting for TrumpAndy and Tony discuss an article written by Sara Benincase entitled, "A Gentile Reminder That Jesus Was A Brown Skinned Middle Eastern Refugee Who Would Not Have Voted For Trump." Sticking the Reconnect dedication of sharing and defending the Good News of Jesus Christ, Andy and Tony do share the Gospel in this episode, but there is a large focus on a broadened use of the term Gospel that refers to the Gospel biographies, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The article they are discussing claims that Jesus was a refugee, that he started free healthcare, t...
2016-10-251h 29
Reconnect70. Does Baptism Save You?All Christian church congregations and denominations read God’s Word and have baptism and communion. However, baptism and communion are both divisive within God’s Church. In this episode, Wes and Andy discuss what Scripture says about baptism. In particular, they address the questions: Does Baptism save you? Does a person have to be baptized to be saved? The answers to these questions are important since they involve salvation and they have divided the Church for centuries. Please look up the Bible verses they share as you listen. Ask yourself if the verses convey promises of forgiv...
2016-10-1855 min
Reconnect69. Jesus vs. Marvel vs. DCScripture reveals that Jesus, from the time of his incarnation, is both fully God and fully man. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD produced the Chalcedonian Creed to counter the false explanations of the union of the two natures of Christ and the down-right heretical teachings concerning the incarnation of Christ. Four key statements can be drawn from this creed: 1. Christ is fully (perfectly) God. 2. Christ is fully (perfectly) human. 3. The divine nature and human nature are united in the person of Jesus Christ. 4. Jesus Christ is one person. These four statements...
2016-10-1158 min
Reconnect68. Supernatural Horror in MusicJoe Bongiorno is the owner and operator of The Royal Publisher of Oz. He serves as the guest for the 2016 Reconnect Halloween Special to discuss Supernatural Horror in Music, the subtitle for his book, Black Sabbath The Illustrated Lyrics Volume 1. For many Reconnect listeners, it might come as a shock that a podcast dedicated to sharing and defending the Good News of Jesus Christ has an entire episode devoted to the lyrics of Black Sabbath, much less a Halloween special episode, however, Bongiorno took a surprising approach on how to start his eight volume anthology. Even before th...
2016-10-041h 06
Reconnect67. Francis Chan's Crazy LoveAndy again takes a look at Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love. Chan, like many Christians, desires to see Christians living godly lives that demonstrate a radical transformation, lives that should be drastically distinct from those of everyone else’s who is not Christian by demonstration of crazy generosity, crazy humanitarian aid, crazy devotion to the Lord and to all people, crazy abstinence from all forms of sinful desires, short Christians should love crazily, just as God has crazily loved us. But how often and consistently do Christians truly and sincerely exhibit such crazy love? If such love is...
2016-09-271h 20
Reconnect66. Francis Chan's Crazy Love - Chapter 4Andy listens to Chapter 4 of Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love. Chan teaches that a crazy love from God demands a crazy response from us. But... too many people who claim to be Christian are responding in lukewarm ways. In Chapter 4 of Crazy Love, Chan details the profile of a lukewarm person. The lukewarm person is not the good soil of Jesus' "Parable of the Sower and Soils." The lukewarm person is not a lukewarm Christian, since lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron. The kicker though is that we all have elements of lukewarmness in our li...
2016-09-201h 04
Reconnect65. Adam4d's "Jesus is David"Adam Ford is the man behind the prolific and often viral producing online comic-strip Adam4D. He’s a Christian, a husband, and father of three young boys. Back in 2014, he quit his job to create comic strips full-time. Since launching the Contradict – They Can’t All Be True Facebook page to help promote my book by that title, I have regularly found myself sharing Ford’s work. Those posts generally draw many likes and shares. His strips are often times found on many other Christian social media pages, typically groups or individuals who accept that the Bible is the...
2016-09-131h 00
Reconnect64. Should Churches Have a Choir?Andy, Conni, and Jonathan discuss the importance of church choirs from their Biblical support and historical role in the Church. Jonathan Aigner's blog post, "9 Reasons to Keep the Church Choir Alive" serves as a guide for the discussion topic too. As always on Reconnect, the church choir theme is tied to sharing the Gospel. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/ponderanew/2014/09/23/9-reasons-to-keep-the-church-choir-alive/
2016-09-0658 min
Reconnect63. Fear Knot Radio - Contradict MovementAndy was a guest on Fear Knot Radio, where he got to share Contradict Movement with Vincent and Cynthia Hill, the hosts of Fear Knot Radio.
2016-07-262h 01
Reconnect62. Shortest Episode Ever!This episode is short. It's an update for the state of the podcast. Andy's taking two months off from releasing any new episodes. In the meantime, he hopes to finish a process of being a called Theology teacher in the LC-MS and get some Sunday School curriculum made that will be available on the Contradict Movement website.
2016-07-1510 min
Reconnect60. Of Apes and MenA gorilla was recently killed at the Cincinnati Zoo to save the life of a toddler that had fallen into the gorilla's cage. The result was a social media uproar! There was immense outrage that the gorilla was shot. Many suggested that the child should be the one to have died or that the parents should be charged with the death of the gorilla. At stake in such backlash to the zoo's decision to kill the gorilla to save the child is the value of human life in comparison to that of animals. Is all life equally valua...
2016-06-0759 minReconnect59. Contradictions in the BibleAndy received the following email in response to a Contradict tract a man was handed: Hey Andy Wrasman, Someone handed me a pamphlet about your movement! I read through it and I noticed a few problems. You say, "In light of these contradictions, all religions simply can't be true. They could all potentially be false, but they can't all be true" and I'm inclined to agree! However, if this statement about contradictions is true, how do you reconcile all of the contradictions among the Gospels like Joseph having different genealogies in Matthew and Luke, the...
2016-05-3145 minReconnect58. Crash Course - The Problem of EvilAndy watches an episode of CrashCourse, an educational channel on Youtube, that answered "The Problem of Evil". The answers from the show focus on a Theistic response to evil and the existence of God, which utterly fail to present the answer to the problem from a Christian worldview. Enjoy!
2016-05-2448 min
Reconnect57. Evil and God QuizHow can all-good and all-powerful God allow evil to exist? Listen along as Jon takes a quiz that Andy created to help facilitate a conversation to answer this common and difficult question against the consistency of the Christian worldview. Visit www.andywrasman.com and see the post for Episode 57 to access show links.
2016-05-101h 13
Reconnect56. Building Bridges Part 2Episode 16 of Reconnect featuredguest, Ken Chitwood, sharing an article he wrote entitled,“Building Bridges: Toward Constructing a ChristianFoundation for Inter-Religious Relationships in the Shift fromReligious Privilege to Spiritual Plurality”. Thekey points for inter-religious dialog that Ken suggests are: payattention, find, and form, friendships, listen and learn, dine,dialog, and do together, discern, and witness to the worldview.While I agree with many of Ken’s points to approachinginter-religious dialog, I have a different application of the term“building bridges”. I explain this approach in an articlethat I wrote for Reformation 21: “Embracing Religious Contradictions to ProclaimChrist Crucified: Tolerance andCoexistence...
2016-05-0343 min
Reconnect55. David Pratt on ApologeticsDavid Pratt has been a Lutheran high school teacher for twelve years. In his theology classes, no matter the course title, he constantly sprinkles apologetics into the lesson plans. After listening to episodes 22 and 29 of Reconnect, which both explained and critiqued the use of various approaches to Apologetics, he had a lot of feedback to provide. In this episode, David shares his commentary on those episodes, correcting what he thought was not always an accurate depiction of presupositional apologetics in those episodes. Hopefully, you’ll learn as much from his feedback as I did. His explanation and use of presupp...
2016-04-261h 00Reconnect54. Christianity Has Pagan DNA!Andy likes to surf the New Age shops to see the new lingo and directions of the oneist, pagan lefties. He discovered a sticker that read, “Christianity Has Pagan DNA.” Andy snatched one (after purchasing it) and used it as a centerpiece for a small group church discussion guide. Ben and Jonathan join Andy for this episode of Reconnect to discuss this sticker. Hopefully you like the conversation that ensues and if so be sure to go to Episode 54 at www.andywrasman.com to access the guide Andy created so you can have this same discussion with your local small gr...
2016-04-191h 02
Reconnect53. Jesus' Plagiarized Resurrection MythChristians believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Eyewitness testimonies attest to the truth of this belief, testimonies that are reliable on account of the witnesses’ willingness to die for their claims, as well as the solid physical evidence of the empty tomb with a corpse that was never found. However, many non-Christian skeptics assert that it is more likely these eyewitnesses were lying, or that we have no eyewitness testimonies at all, but instead the New Testament is simply plagiarized by the apostles or imposters in the second century who applied resurrection narratives of other gods to the...
2016-04-1252 min
Reconnect52. The Lost Tomb of JesusThe central claim of Christianity is that Jesus died for sins, was buried, and rose from the dead for our salvation. Episodes 50 and 51 of Reconnect shared 14 evidences that indicate that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead confirming his claims to be God in the flesh, the savior of all men. When faced with these evidences, not everyone comes to the conclusion that Jesus did rise bodily from the dead. Alternative theories are thus offered to naturally explain the evidences. Sometimes these theories offer evidence also. This episode looks at an elaborate explanation for the empty tomb...
2016-04-0650 min
Reconnect51. 7 More Evidences for Jesus' ResurrectionIf Jesus rose from the grave, Christianity is true. If Jesus did not rise from the grave, Christianity is false.To make a case that the resurrection of Christ occurred, it needs to be shown that Jesus died, was buried, his tomb was found empty, and people interacted with him alive again.Robert Bowman of Credo House made a list of fourteen evidences to support the resurrection claim of the apostles and early Christian Church. This episode of reconnect focuses on the last seven evidences Bowman listed. With the help of Ben Fisher, Andy Wrasman...
2016-03-2244 min
Reconnect50. 7 Evidences for the Resurrection of JesusIf Jesus rose from the grave, Christianity is true. If Jesus did not rise from the grave, Christianity is false. To make a case that the resurrection of Christ occurred, it needs to be shown that Jesus died, was buried, his tomb was found empty, and people interacted with him alive again. Robert Bowman of Credo House made a list of fourteen evidences to support the resurrection claim of the apostles and early Christian Church. This episode of reconnect focuses on the first seven evidences Bowman listed. With the help of Ben Fisher, Andy Wrasman...
2016-03-151h 02
Reconnect49. Is Total Depravity in Scripture Alone?Total depravity is a divisive doctrine within the Christian Church. This doctrine teaches that since the Fall of Man, all of mankind is in a state of complete corruption by sin. Our minds, bodies, spirit, emotions, desires, will, relationships – OUR EVERYTHING – is ruined by sin. The wreckage is so great that we can do nothing whatsoever to please God, draw near to him, or to please him. We are truly dead in our sin. If we can do nothing to accept God, then that must mean our salvation is purely a gift. Scripture teaches that we are save...
2016-03-0858 min
Reconnect48. Overcoming Depression and Anxiety1 out of 6 adults will experience depression at some point in their life. Depression affects about 16 million Americans every year. Christians are not immune. For those who haven't suffered with depression, the many devastating symptoms aren't known or even understood when they are.
Adam Cumpston shares his bouts with depression and anxiety and how out of desperation, after trying all other options, he turned to God for healing, and he was healed.
Adam does a good job of taking his experience and making it applicable to everyone, since we all will face some sort of "storms"...
2016-03-0155 min
Reconnect47. Are Religions Falsifiable?Are religions falsifiable? How would you go about testing a religious truth claim? They typically aren't observable or repeatable? So the scientific method is out. In fact, most of life's important realities aren't subjectable to the scientific method. However, we aren't limited to the scientific method for gleaning knowledge and discerning truth. We also have historiographic testing. Andy reads Chapter 4 of his book, Contradict - They Can't All Be True, to explain the historiographic method and it's three tests. Andy closes by sharing listener feedback for the past four episodes.
2016-02-231h 01
Reconnect46. 12 Arguments Evolutionists Should AvoidBen Fisher riffs on "12 Arguments Evolutionists Should Avoid" that he shares with his high school class. Answers in Genesis created the list of bad arguments. Do you agree? Are these bad arguments that evolutionists should avoid? Show Links:12 Arguments Evolutionists Should Avoid
"Busting a Myth about Columbus and the flat Earth" by The Washington Post
2016-02-161h 00
Reconnect45. Government Redistribution of WealthIs government redistribution of wealth stealing? Show Links:"A Fork to Feed, a Scapel to Heal, or a Sword to Protect?" by Wes BarefordMartin Luther's Large Catechism - "The Seventh Commandment"
"A Voter's Guide to the Ten Commandments" by Bryan WolfmuellerVirtue in the Wasteland - a podcast co-hosted by Wes' professor for Theology 565, Jeff Mallinson. "How Do I Know I am a Christian?" - Reconnect Episode 19 with Wes and George
2016-02-091h 13
Reconnect44. God is not a ________!Maybe when you see a fill-in the blank about God not being something, or someone, your mind runs to fill it in with something akin to the title of the 2007 Christopher Hitchens’ book, God is not Good. Maybe you’d fill in the blank by saying something like “God is not a merciful, forgiving God.” This is certainly what Richard Dawkins thinks, as he wrote in his bestselling book, The God Delusion: “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindicti...
2016-02-0258 min
Reconnect43. Is Smoking Sinful?Wil Hunemuller wrote a blog post entitled, “Smoking to the Glory of God”. I shared it to my Facebook page, Contradict – They Can’t All Be True. The comment section exploded! Many Christians on my page argued that smoking is a sin. The arguments that smoking is addictive and harmful to one’s health were the two most recurring arguments to support the sinfulness of smoking. The verse that was often cited for smoking being a sin due to the bodily harm it is known to cause was 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spi...
2016-01-261h 01
Reconnect42. Farming by Intelligent DesignThe Bible teaches that God created all things. The Bible also teaches that his existence is known by everyone from what he has made, but men have exchanged this truth for a lie. (Romans 1) The beauty and design evident within nature screams for there to be a Creator. Looking beyond intelligent design, observation tells us that life does not come from non-life. There must be a God. Primal Pastures is a family run farm in Murrieta, CA. They are one of many farms that are growing crops and raising livestock following God’s plan for farming. Andy’s gu...
2016-01-1957 min
Reconnect41. Is Belief in Theistic Evolution a Salvation Issue?Articles Against Theistic Evolution:
Theistic Evolution Articles (answersingenesis.org)
"Is it Necessary to Believe in a Literal Adam and a Literal Fall?" (blog.answersingenesis.org)
"Couldn't have God Used Evolution?" (answersingenesis.org)
"Why Shouldn't Christians Accept Millions of Years?" (answersingenesis.org)
Articles For Theistic Evolution:
"Is Evolution a 'Salvation Issue'? The Bible is Clear, Despite Young Earth Creationist's (YEC's) Attempt to Muddy its Message"(godofevolution.com)
"Is Evolution Unworthy of the God of the Bible and the Christian Faith?" (godofevolution.com)
Analysis Questions:
What is theistic evolution?
Can you be saved and...
2016-01-121h 11
Reconnect40. The Twelve Days of ChristmasThere are in fact twelve days of Christmas. In the Western Church calendar, the twelve days of Christmas start on Dec. 25th and end on January 5th. A break down of the days are as follows:Dec. 25 - ChristmasDec. 26 - The Feast of StephenDec. 27 - John the Baptist’s martyrdomDec. 28 - Feast of the Holy InnocentsJan. 1 - Feast of the Name and Circumcision of JesusJan. 5 - Day of the MagiThis means that the famous song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is connected to the Church c...
2015-12-2236 min
Reconnect39. Star WarsThe Force Awakens this Friday, December 18th. Star Wars will likely dominate many families' Christmas gatherings. With this in mind, Andy sought advice from Pastor Rob Mrosko, who has been a fan of Star Wars since seeing Episode 4 in 1977 when he was six years old. Pastor Rob shares why he thinks the Star Wars franchise has been so popular before sharing ways that the series connects with Biblical themes that Christians can use in conversations to share the Gospel. Pastor Rob also addresses two approaches Christians often times take when approaching secular films like Star Wars...
2015-12-1544 min
Reconnect38. Christmas Time Evangelism and StarbucksGeorge and Andy apply the Reconnect theme of sharing and defending the Gospel and apply it to the Christmas season. Together they answer the following three questions:1. Do you have any ideas for sharing the Gospel during the Christmas season? 2. Any particular Christmas movies that you think do a good job of sharing the Gospel message?3. What's your response to this year's Starbucks red cup and the "movement" that was attempted by Joshua Feuerstein?Show LinksLinus Explains the Meaning of ChristmasBad Religion's Christmas Son...
2015-12-081h 02
Reconnect37. What Denomination Are You QuizAndy, Wes, and Jesse take an online quiz to find out what Christian denomination they should be. This is all the more fun because Jesse doesn't have a denomination! Take the quiz for yourself here: http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=christiandenom
2015-12-011h 06
Reconnect36. Who do you say Jesus Is?For this episode of Reconnect, Andy is sharing an episode of Cross Defense, in which he joined host Rev. Rod Zwonitzer as they discuss the different opinions people have of Jesus… A Myth? A Liar? A Lunatic? A Pantheist? From The Future? A Prophet, but Not God? A Demon? or the Messiah?For more Cross Defense episodes, click here.
2015-11-2559 min
Reconnect35. What Kind of Christian Are You?Andy and Wes take a quiz to find out what Christian denomination they should join, but Andy mistakenly had a quiz that asked "What Kind of Christian are You?" instead, so they don't hear what denomination they should be, but they hope you still get some good doctrinal insights from this episode. Sticking with the Reconnect theme of sharing and defending the Gospel, they share how they think different answers could affect what the Gospel message really is. Enjoy. Take the quiz if you dare:What Kind of Christian Are You?
2015-11-171h 09
Reconnect34. Storytelling EvangelismGeorge interviews Andy about his MA research project, THE USE OF CHINESE LITERATURE AS A CULTURAL STARTING POINT TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.AbstractCommon methods of Christian evangelism present a list of facts about man’s depravity and God’s act of salvation for mankind. These methods are problematic in today’s mostly postmodern world that does not accept absolute truths. These methods also use terminology and concepts unknown outside of the Christian faith, furthering the difficulty of communicating the Gospel. This research project then seeks to find a well-known piece of Chinese l...
2015-11-1054 min
Reconnect33. Resurrection or Reincarnation?Many religions teach that the soul is eternal and that it passes on from one life to the next, being incarnate in a new body each time. This teaching is called reincarnation. It contradicts the teaching of resurrection that says this life is the only life humans have before a bodily resurrection of all the dead at the final judgment of the Lord. Mike Shreve of Shreve Ministries shares why he used to believe in reincarnation, how he used to teach others about reincarnation, how the Lord saved him and brought him to embrace the resurrection of Chr...
2015-11-0354 min
Reconnect32: Halloween Special: Christian Paranormal InvestigatorA 2005 Gallup poll revealed that 37% of Americans believe houses can be haunted and 21% believe they can personally communicate with the dead. In a 2009 Pew Research Center survey, it was discovered that 29% of the American population believes they have been in touch with the dead. Among those who identify as Christians, the percentage was the exact same! 18% of Americans claim to have had a ghostly experience (17% among Christians).
In light of such results, is the Church ready to respond to an increasing population that embraces a paranormal worldview? This is a drastic shift from countering the...
2015-10-2759 min
Reconnect31. Tattooing and Flying Drones for JesusJake Wells is a Flesh Pilot. He's a tattoo artist and a DIY RC POV Helocopter enthusiast. Tattoos are taboo in most Christian circles. Jake is covered in them and he covers others with them too. Remote controlled helicopters are a booming hobby, though a controversial one due to the fact that most people call them drones and some pilots fly them in illegal spaces or over private property while filming from them! Despite the controversy, Jake uses his job as a tattoo artist to share the Gospel and he has been dubbed the "...
2015-10-201h 04
Reconnect30. Who is Serving in your Service?We can approach a church service as our opportunity to serve the Lord through what we are doing during our gathering, or we can go to a church service with the expectation that we are going to be served by the Lord. We usually hold one approach as our predominant understanding of what is occurring when we gather. There is a church service order called the Divine Service. This is an order of service typically used within Lutheran traditions. Its name was mentioned in Episode 28, but not much was shared about what actually transpires in a Divine Service. So...
2015-10-1357 min
Reconnect29. What's up with Presup?Andy and Ben take a look at a video God or Absurdity posted that demonstrates what they call" an excellent summary of presuppositional apologetics".The video is a splice of two episodes of "On the Box" featuring Mark Spence answering the question: "What is presuppositional apologetics and how is it used?" In the process of answering this question, Mark discredits the use of evidential apologetics. He does this because he says the nonbeliever will discredit all evidence that is presented for the existence of God.Andy and Ben disagree with Mark Spence on some of his...
2015-10-0653 min
Reconnect28. "Jesus is my Girlfriend" SongsGeorge and Andy take a quiz from ChurchPop that makes them decipher if a selection of lyrics are from a secular love song or a contemporary worship song.
This quiz leads them to ask if it’s a problem if the lyrics to a song intended to be sung to Jesus could just as easily be sung to your girlfriend.
Other questions are also addressed: Why is there music and singing in worship services? Is there a Scriptural reason to support singing when Christians gather for worship? What should we expect to...
2015-09-2958 min
Reconnect27. Law and GospelAndy and Wes discuss Law and Gospel. 0:30 – Law and Gospel Intro2:35 – What is God’s Law?5:20 – What is the Gospel?6:40 – When does a person need to hear Law? When does a person need to hear the Gospel?10:00 – Public preaching of God’s Word needs both Law and Gospel. 14:20 – Don’t weaken the Law of God. 18:30 – The Law found in the Sermon on the Mount20:55 – Can we meet God’s standard in this life?25:00 – God’s Law is written on all men’s hearts. 27:00 – K...
2015-09-2256 min
Reconnect26. The Raging Sea Turned To GlassPsalms 32:6-7, 89-8-11, and 74:12-17 are some examples of raging sea images within Scripture. The raging sea is depicted as being chaotic becuase of a great sea monster! Andy connects this imagery and understanding of the sea with the Gospel of Mark's repeated references to the sea that contains multiple sea crossings that were marked with chaotic storms that were stilled by Christ. What occurred before and after these crossings is also significant. This episode's sermon is meant to encourage you as we are called to be fishers of men, entering into the chaotic sea of this...
2015-09-1643 min
Reconnect25. A Christian Response to YogaAndy interviews Mary Eady, author of Letter to a Friend: Yoga, and staff member of TruthXchange. Mary takes a strong stance that Christians should not partake in Yoga. Listen to find out why! Will you be persuaded?
2015-09-0851 min
Reconnect24. The State of PluralismAndy is in the process of turning his book, Contradict - They Can't All Be True, into an audio version. Here's a sampling of the work in progress as he reads the first chapter. The influence of Hinduism in the West with its connections to religious pluralism is addressed, which leads perfectly into next week's episode asking the question, "Is it OK for Christians to do yoga?"
2015-09-0140 min
Reconnect23. Law and Gospel on FacebookI (Andy) have recently noticed, on the Contradict Facebook page I administer and on other pages, that most posts on homosexuality speak just the Law of God ( i.e. his standards, commands, and expectations). The Gospel is typically missing. I took a photo of a gay wedding cake and then added the text, "Jesus died for this sin too!" off to the side of the image. With this single statement the Gospel is proclaimed, and at the same time homosexuality is still shown to be sinful.Jesus is the Savior of all adulterers. I am o...
2015-08-2559 min
2015-08-1859 min
Reconnect21. Qoheleth: The Search for Meaning in LifeGeorge shares his paper, "Qoheleth: The Search for Meaning in Life", with Andy. Solomon's method for searching for meaning in life is one to consider. His conclusion is one we should all the more consider. With such an endearing topic, Solomon truly is a preacher for our day. George and Andy make some connections to how we can take Solomon's search for the meaning in life and use it as a tool to share the Gospel with those who are searching. Read George's paper at www.andywrasman.com in the show notes for this episode.
2015-08-1155 min
Reconnect20. Answering Listeners' QuestionsAndy brings Reconnect listener and Contradict Movement members’ questions to the show to answer them with George and Wes. 1:53 – Responding to the claim that the Gospel of Barnabus is the true Bible that prophesies that Muhammad will be the Messiah. 16:47 – Does Contradict Movement espouse the doctrines of “Lordship Salvation”? 24:07 – Responding to a post made by Mena Lee Grebin of Faithful Walk Healing Ministry. She advocates that we must work to maintain our relationship with Jesus. A Contradict follower, Nick, thinks Mena’s post is inserting our works into our salvation by her post. In particular Nick wa...
2015-08-0456 min
Reconnect19. How Do I Know I'm A Christian?Who is a Christian? How do you become a Christian? And how do you know for sure that you are a Christian? If one is really a Christian, that person is really saved! But how would you know for sure that you really are a Christian and that you really are saved? In other words, where do you look for assurance that you are a Christian, that you are saved from eternal death? Kevin DeYoung wrote an article for The Gospel Coalition entitled, "How Do I Know That I'm A Christian?" He gave...
2015-07-281h 01
Reconnect18. Evangelism through Publishing a Christian NewspaperFew places have a local Christian newspaper. Starting a Christian newspaper can be a very challenging yet rewarding ministry and hobby that can bring glory to the Lord in your local area. Chris Thompson started Life in His Hands Christian Newspaper from scratch. He shares why he did it and how he did it. He shares two things he recommends everyone to do if starting a paper and two things not to do. He shares the price of printing his paper, distribution tips, and so much more. Potentially, you could even use Chris' layout for his paper and just up...
2015-07-211h 03
Reconnect17. Sharing the Gospel when Defending the FaithWe should be evangelists first and apologists second. When defending the Christian faith, we should always strive to incorporate the Gospel into our defense. Why should we do this? How can we do this? Andy gives a brief explanation at the start of this episode, before reading an excerpt from his book Contradict - They Can't All be True to answer these questions, before running these concepts through in practice on Cross Defense, a radio show hosted by Rod Zwonitzer on KFUO out of St. Louis, Missouri! Enjoy.
2015-07-141h 14
Reconnect16. Building BridgesAndy interviews Ken Chitwood about his article, "Building Bridges: Toward Constructing a Christian Foundation for Inter-Religious Relationships in the Shift from Religious Privilege to Spiritual Plurality" The key points for inter-religious dialog that Ken suggests are: pay attention, find, and form, friendships, listen and learn, dine, dialog, and do together, discern, and witness to the worldview. The article can be found linked within this episode's page at andywrasman.com.
2015-07-071h 02
Reconnect15. Christian Freedom, Eucatastrophes, and Rock 'N' RollFirst Reconnect July Fourth Special! Andy discusses the concept of "Christian Freedom" with Pastor Samwise Praetorius (Samuel Schuldheisz) by addressing the eucatastrophes of fairy stories and the Gospel connections that can be made with rock songs. They both share their top three favorite rock songs to use to share the Gospel. To see all the show links be sure to visit Episode 15 on the Reconnect Podcast feed at andywrasman.com.
2015-06-3054 min
Reconnect14. Hinduism and Christianity - Compare and ContrastTwo high school students discuss the similarities and differences between Hinduism and Christianity with Andy. A slew of links are available on Episode 14's blog post at andywrasman.com.
2015-06-2353 min
Reconnect13. God Is Too Big To Fit Into One Religion!God is big! But is God too big to fit into one religion? Andy discusses a bumper sticker that makes this claim with two colleagues, Theology teacher, Wes Bareford, and, Biology teacher, Ben Fisher. Get a copy of the discussion guide we used for this episode at the andywrasman.com's Reconnect Episode 13 blog post.
2015-06-1656 min
Reconnect12. Faith, Hope, Love, and the ClubAndy found a bumper sticker at a New Age trinket shop in Ashville, NC. The sticker reads, "In the end, there are three things that shall last, faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love." This statement comes from the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:13 to be precise. However, the sticker has no citation to the Bible verse, and faith, hope, and love are spelled using various religious symbols. What do the makers of this sticker intend to convey stripping the Bible citation and incorporating all of these religious symbols? Andy has created a dicussion guide for this episode, acces...
2015-06-0950 min
Reconnect11. How to Dress for ChurchAndy saw a Morpheus meme that read, "What if I told you, you didn't have to dress a certain way to go to church." With a slew of Facebook comments on this image, Andy brings the feedback to Reconnect to discuss church attire with George. There were way too many topics, stories, and scenarios pertaining to church attire that were critiqued, questioned, and addressed to be able to give a brief summary description for this episode. Just press PLAY.Go to andywrasman.com and look up Reconnect Episode 11 to see a replica of the meme t...
2015-06-021h 01
Reconnect10. Religions, Atheism, and WarsAll too often religions are said to cause evil and to cause wars. The Crusades are often times mentioned to support this claim. Andy interviews Stephen Puls, a Lutheran high school history teacher, who explains what the Crusades were, why they started, and what went wrong. In the second segment, they turn towards looking at the role of Atheism in connection with wars! By the end of this episode, you'll have some great talking points whenever such an argument against religion arises. And of course, the goal is to use these talking points to present the...
2015-05-2651 min
Reconnect9. Christian Stereotypes: The Good, the Bad, and the UglyHave you seen the movie Footloose? It's about a youth who just moved into a very strict Christian community where he is signaled out as a troublemaker, almost instantly because he didn't adhere to the "Christian" principles of the town. He was essentially "shunned" because of it. That movie is based on real scenarioes that have occured for some poeple, becuase there are certainly Christian communities that stress certain rules and regulations amongst their members, such as don't drink, don't gamble, don't dance, don't be associated with known sinners, and etc.These religious expectations amongst some Christian ci...
2015-05-2058 min
Reconnect8: Three Things Christians Say to Hurt Their Credibility
George and Andy, discuss a series of articles from Credo House entitled: 21 Things Christians Say to Hurt Their Credibility. In this episode they have time to discuss three of these statements:
1. "You can't use the Bible to prove the Bible."
2. "Good question. I'll find the answer and get back to you."
3. "One white lie will send you to hell for all eternity."
Andy and George agree that some of these statements really do hurt the credibility of our Christian witness and should be avoided, but they come to disagree with...
2015-05-1356 min
Reconnect7: Jews Claim that Jesus did not Fulfill Messianic ProphesyAndy Wrasman received an email from an angry man who had encountered someone wearing a Contradict T-Shirt. This gentlemen lets Andy know that the Messiah is prophesied to:A. Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).B. Gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).C. Usher in an era of world peace, and end all hatred, oppression, suffering and disease. As it says: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall man learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)D. Spread universal knowledge of the God o...
2015-05-0650 min
Reconnect6: Contradict - Campus EvangelismAndy Wrasman, George Allen III, and Adam Stetson discuss how they came to use a Contradict poster for evangelism at University California Irvine. What were their previous evangelism efforts? Why did they decide the Contradict evangelism table method was their favorite? How do they use the poster to spring into sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ? What tips do they have to share from their outings? What are their most memorable encounters and relationships formed via their Contradict outings? What do they appreciate the most about each others' personality and approach to sharing the Gospel? Answering all of these quest...
2015-04-291h 08