Greg Koukl - Podcast Details

Shows

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Should I Attend an Unmarried Woman’s Baby Shower?Greg answers questions about attending an unmarried woman’s baby shower, whether God causes mutations, implications of God being temporal, splitting prayers between Jesus and the Father, anomalies in worldviews, and advice for someone who doesn’t like church. Topics: Should I attend my unmarried niece’s baby shower? (01:00) Does God cause mutations, or does he allow them to happen? (11:00) Can you explain to me your understanding of the relationship between the beginning of time and God being a temporal being? (18:00) Are we supposed to split our prayers between Jesus and the Father? (32:00) Can you speak to the concept of anomalie...

2025-11-1958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Even Christians Are Becoming Culturally VelocitizedGreg talks about how even Christians are getting used to radical things in the culture, then he answers questions about annihilationism, people who appeal to emotion in response to arguments, and what to do when someone is telling you about a dialogue they had with God. Topics: Commentary: Even Christians are becoming culturally velocitized. (00:00) What are your thoughts on annihilationism? (22:00) What’s a good way to respond to people who appeal to emotion in response to my arguments? (39:00) What’s a good response or posture to have when someone is telling me about a dialogue they had with God? (47:00) Mentioned on the S...

2025-11-1458 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast What Did Jesus Think About Homosexuality?Greg talks about what Jesus thought about homosexuality, reads a parable written by a listener describing the panel discussion on The Diary of a CEO, then answers a question about whether God had to try a few times to get Samuel’s attention before he was able to. Topics: Commentary: What did Jesus think about homosexuality? (00:00) A parable a listener wrote about Greg’s The Diary of a CEO panel discussion (30:00) How should I respond to someone who says in response to the idea that “God doesn’t try” that God tried a few times to get Samuel’s attention before he was...

2025-11-1258 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Thoughts on a Podcast Discussion with Former ChristiansGreg talks about a discussion he had on a podcast with former Christians, then he answers questions from callers about Christians using an artificial-sounding voice in church, recognizing demonic influence, praying to Jesus, and what “forsaking all others” includes. Topics: Commentary: Thoughts on a podcast discussion with former Christians (00:00) Why do Christians use an artificial-sounding voice in church? (22:00) What advice would you give parents who think there might be a demonic influence in their child’s life? (28:00) If all authority in Heaven has been given to Jesus, should we pray to him now? (43:00) Is adultery the only grounds for separation, or does th...

2025-11-0758 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: Alisa Childers – Another Gospel for StudentsGreg talks to Alisa Childers about helping students respond to progressive Christianity in a discussion about her new book, a student edition of Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity. Topics: Interview: Alisa Childers, author of Another Gospel? Student Edition: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: Alisa Childers Another Gospel? Student Edition: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers The Legend of the Social Justice Jesus by Greg Koukl

2025-11-0558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast What Does It Mean to Be Made in God’s Image?Greg answers questions from callers about what it means to be made in God’s image, whether Jesus was omniscient while he was on earth, how to best disciple your kids, whether Jeremiah 29:11 applies to us because all promises are yes in Christ, and recognizing a calling to ministry. Topics: What does it mean to be made in God’s image? (03:00) Was Jesus omniscient while he was on earth? (19:00) How can I best disciple my kids? (29:00) Do verses like 2 Corinthians 1:20 that say that all the promises of God are yes in Christ mean that we can claim Jeremiah 29:11 for ourselves? (40:00) How d...

2025-10-3158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Do We Know Objective Values Aren’t a Delusion?Greg chats with callers about how we know objective values exist and aren’t a delusion, how to redirect someone who’s on the wrong theological road, and how to navigate bringing apologetics to a church in a denomination that doesn’t allow outside speakers. Topics: How do we know that objective moral values actually exist and we’re not deluded by culture or evolution? (05:00) How can I stop someone from going down a wrong theological road and redirect them towards the right path? (32:00) As I bring apologetics to my church, how can I navigate the exclusivity of my denomination, which doesn...

2025-10-2958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast What If a Darwinist Denies There’s Something Wrong with the World?Greg answers questions about Darwinists who deny there’s something wrong with the world, attending a baptism at an LGBTQ-affirming church, why Christians have pets instead of giving the money to orphans, the name “Lord of Hosts,” and singing worship songs about our feelings. Topics: You say everyone acknowledges there’s something wrong with the world, but how would you respond to a Darwinist who says that’s simply survival of the fittest, the dog-eat-dog nature of this place? (02:00) What are your thoughts on attending a baptism at a church that affirms LGBTQ lifestyles? (13:00) If humans are more valuable than animals, why...

2025-10-2458 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Christianity Can Anchor Your Life Because It’s TrueGreg and Tim finish their conversation about The Diary of a CEO, discussing anchoring one’s life in Christianity, the existence of evidence for Christianity, why the world is broken, pre-human animal suffering, evolving morality, advice for someone searching for meaning, and more. Topics: Christianity can anchor your life because it’s true. (00:00) There is evidence that Christianity is true. (09:00) Spiritual thinker Dr. K’s response to why children get cancer. (13:00) Atheist Alex O’Connor challenges Greg’s explanation for why the world is broken. (20:00) What about pre-human animal suffering? (32:00) Does morality evolve over time? (41:00) Do people in every religion all over the...

2025-10-171h 02

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Can Evolution Explain Our Sense of Meaning?Greg and Tim continue evaluating clips from The Diary of a CEO, discussing the need for meaning to inform purpose, whether evolution can explain our sense of meaning, whether subjective experience can be evidential, atheist Alex O’Connor’s advice for finding meaning, and more. Topics: Meaning comes first, then purpose flows from meaning. (00:00) It’s not just a matter of finding “something” to give you purpose. (07:00) Is purpose found in working on a task you believe will fulfill you when you finish? (15:00) Can our sense of meaning be explained by evolution? (22:00) Is technology destroying our sense of meaning by exposing us to...

2025-10-1558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Which Worldview Best Explains Meaning and Purpose?Greg and Tim review clips from a conversation between Greg, atheist Alex O’Connor, and Hindu Alok Kanojia, discussing why human beings flourish in a particular way, the foundation of meaning and purpose, the meaning crisis, Alex’s paperclip analogy, and more. Topics: Greg was on The Diary of a CEO with host Steven Bartlett, atheist Alex O’Connor, and Hindu Alok Kanojia. (00:00) The biblical take on reality is the best explanation for the way things are. (06:00) Is “death denial” behind our attempts to make meaning in our lives? (17:00) Why is there a meaning crisis? (26:00) Does the paperclip analogy disprove Greg’s claim t...

2025-10-1049 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Are These My Thoughts, or Is God Speaking to Me?Greg answers questions about how to tell the difference between your own thoughts and God speaking to you, near death experiences, cremation vs. the regular burial process, leaving a church without feeling a calling from God, and dealing with burnout in ministry. Topics: How can I tell the difference between my thoughts and God speaking to me? (02:00) What do you think about the near death experiences where Jesus gives people a second chance at life? (19:00) What are your thoughts on cremation vs. the regular burial process? (37:00) What advice do you have for someone who is going through burnout, and would you...

2025-10-0858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Why an Emotivist Can’t Use Suffering to Argue Against the Existence of GodGreg talks about atheist Alex O’Connor’s use of suffering as an argument against God, then he answers a caller’s question about how God could create people with autism—something that adds such difficulties to a person’s life and makes it harder for people to connect with God. Topics: Commentary: Why an emotivist can’t use suffering to argue against the existence of God (00:00) How could God create people with autism? (31:00) Mentioned on the Show: Greg on The Diary of a CEO Get a free copy of a chapter from The Story of Reality How God Destroyed My Atheism – Dav...

2025-10-0358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Greg’s Experience on The Diary of a CEO PodcastGreg talks about his experience on The Diary of a CEO podcast talking about meaning and purpose with Alex O’Connor and Alok Kanojia, then he answers questions about whether the term “innocent” can be applied to a fetal human being and whether Cain went to Heaven. Topics: Commentary: Greg’s experience on The Diary of a CEO podcast (00:00) How would you respond to a pro-choice meme that says the term “innocent” applies only to a being that can do wrong but chooses not to, and since fetuses can’t do anything, the concept of innocence can’t be applied to them? (44:00) ...

2025-10-0158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Would You Make a Case for the Christian God?Greg gives advice to students starting college and responds to a question about being aware of what’s being taught that might go against Christianity, then he gives advice to callers on making a case for the Christian God at a local university and apologetics topics to cover in a youth group. Topics: Commentary: Advice for students starting college (00:00) Do you have any advice on how to approach my opportunity to speak on the topic “Why My God Is Right” at a local university? (21:00) Do you have advice on apologetics topics to talk about in a youth group? (50:00) Mentioned on the Show: ...

2025-09-2458 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast The Assassination of Charlie KirkGreg reflects on the assassination of Charlie Kirk and a question he received about why God would let something like this happen, then he talks to a caller about what it means to be a biblically faithful Christian in politics right now. Topics: Commentary: The assassination of Charlie Kirk (00:00) What does it mean to be a biblically faithful Christian in politics right now? (28:00) Mentioned on the Show: Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity by Nabeel Qureshi Reality Student Apologetics Conference – October 17–18 in Seattle, WA; November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; M...

2025-09-1958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: John Stonestreet – Truth RisingGreg talks to John Stonestreet about the Truth Rising documentary, the civilizational moment we’re in, what we’re called to do in light of this, and stories of some who are currently standing for Christ and the truth, then he answers a question about how to communicate the gospel. Topics: Interview: John Stonestreet on the Truth Rising documentary, the state of the West, and how we can be a voice for truth and courage (00:00) Do you have a systematic approach to helping people understand the gospel of Christ? (39:00) Mentioned on the Show: Reality Student Apologetics Conference – October 17–18 in Seattle, WA; November...

2025-09-1758 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast It’s Okay to Quote a Single Verse...If You Understand the ContextGreg answers questions about whether it’s okay to quote a single verse, why Jesus didn’t heal everyone, recommended study Bibles and commentaries, persevering with someone who isn’t responding well, and whether couples should agree on secondary and tertiary issues. Topics: Commentary: It’s okay to quote a single verse...if you understand the context. (00:00) How many lepers and blind people did Jesus not heal, and why? (16:00) Which study Bible and commentary would you most recommend? (25:00) Should I keep trying to talk to someone who isn’t responding well? (38:00) Should a couple agree on every secondary and tertiary theological is...

2025-09-1058 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Man’s Free Will Doesn’t Determine the Course of the UniverseGreg adds another thought to the objection he addressed in the last episode, then he answers questions about possible proof Proverbs 21:30 is objectively true, drawing lots to get a message from God, grace for sanctification, and blaming God for bad things that happen. Topics: Commentary: Man’s free will doesn’t determine the course of the universe. (00:00) Does the fact that reason, logic, and deduction seem to be irreducibly complex prove that Proverbs 21:30 is objectively true and not just religious jargon? (06:00) How should we take the Acts 1:23–26 passage, where they drew lots to get a message from God about who should re...

2025-09-0558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Why Does God Limit Our Opportunity to Repent and Believe to This Lifetime?Greg responds to the challenge that it’s arbitrary for God to limit our opportunity to repent and believe to this lifetime, then he talks to callers about a contradiction in Genesis, the lack of spiritual growth in babies who are never born, and whether God or parents create souls. Topics: Commentary: Why does God limit our opportunity to repent and believe to this lifetime? (00:00) How would you respond to an atheist who claims Genesis 1:11–12 and 1:26–27 conflict with Genesis 2:4–9? (28:00) If our spiritual growth happens here, what does that mean for babies who die in the womb? (47:00) Does God create souls and set them...

2025-09-0358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Challenges to Greg’s View That God’s Voice Can’t Be MissedGreg responds to objections to his view that God’s voice can’t be missed, then he answers questions about thanking God for his goodness when something bad doesn’t happen, defending penal substitutionary atonement, Iran and the Ezekiel 38 prophecy, and the nature of identity. Topics: Commentary: Challenges to Greg’s view that God’s voice can’t be missed (00:00) Am I wrong to object when people say God is good when something bad almost happens but doesn’t? (19:00) How should I respond to my deconstructing friend’s objections to penal substitutionary atonement? (32:00) What are your thoughts on the theory that the Iran bombin...

2025-08-2958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast We Have a Relationship with God on His Terms, Not on OursGreg explains that a relationship with God doesn’t look the same as one with a human being, then he talks to callers about an apologetics approach, why Jesus seems to downplay being called the Son of God, and why God doesn’t always answer prayers for someone’s salvation. Topics: Commentary: We have a relationship with God on his terms, not on ours. (00:00) Am I committing any logical fallacies in the approach I’m using with skeptics? (25:00) Why does Jesus seem to downplay being called the Son of God in John 10:33–36? (38:00) In light of Ezekiel 18:32, 2 Peter 3:9, and Luke 18:1, why doesn’t God a...

2025-08-2758 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Can I Believe in God or Anything Supernatural?Greg talks to callers about a challenge to what he said about the transcendental argument last week, how someone can find his way to believing in God or anything supernatural, and a suggestion about how the life of Christ in us might relate to how God speaks to us. Topics: Contrary to what you said last week, doesn’t the existence of a microphone require the existence of God? (04:00) How would I find my way to believing in God or anything supernatural? (28:00) What do you think about my understanding of how the life of Christ in us relates to how God s...

2025-08-2258 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Alan Shlemon on the Topics of Jesus’ Deity in the Gospels and TransgenderismGreg chats with Alan Shlemon about transgenderism and intersex conditions, then they talk about why the popular idea that Jesus’ identity was embellished over time and evolved in the Gospels is incorrect. Topics: Greg talks to Alan Shlemon about transgenderism and intersex conditions. (00:00) Alan Shlemon explains why the popular idea that the Gospel writers embellished Jesus’ identity over time is incorrect. (42:00) Mentioned on the Show: Be One of the 100 – Become a strategic partner Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 12–13 in Atlanta, GA; October 17–18 in Seattle, WA; November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA Red Pen Logi...

2025-08-2058 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Thoughts on the Transcendental ArgumentGreg answers questions from callers on the transcendental argument, the scapegoat theory of the atonement that’s popular in progressive circles, and an objection an atheist would make to Greg’s “blind beach-writer” argument for intelligent design. Topics: What’s your opinion on the transcendental argument? (03:00) What response can I give to the scapegoat theory of the atonement that’s popular in progressive circles, which is against penal substitution and is more political in how it frames the implications of the atonement? (30:00) What objection would an atheist make to the comparison between Dawkins’s blind watchmaker and Koukl’s blind beach-writer, and h...

2025-08-1558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Objections to Greg’s View on Hearing the Voice of GodGreg responds to objections to his view on hearing the voice of God, then he talks to a caller about Columbo #3 questions he can use in conversations with a family member about whether or not it’s wrong to be angry at politicians. Topics: Commentary: Objections to Greg’s view on hearing the voice of God (00:00) Can you help me with Columbo #3 questions to use in conversations with a family member about whether or not it’s wrong to be angry at politicians? (49:00) Mentioned on the Show: Be One of the 100 – Become a strategic partner When God Speaks by Greg Koukl Does...

2025-08-1358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast What Miracles Have You Witnessed?Greg answers questions from callers about what makes being gay or lesbian harmful, whether apologists are unwilling to give straight answers to certain questions for tactical reasons, and miracles Greg has witnessed. Topics: What makes being gay or lesbian harmful? (04:00) Is there a tactical reason why so many apologists seem unwilling to give straight answers to certain questions? (15:00) What are some of the coolest miracles you’ve witnessed? (35:00) Mentioned on the Show: Be One of the 100 – Become a strategic partner Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 12–13 in Atlanta, GA; October 17–18 in Seattle, WA; November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026...

2025-08-0858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How AI and Social Media are Making Us DumberTim Barnett joins Greg to talk about the need to learn how to be good thinkers, the danger of ending up in an echo chamber, how AI and social media are making us dumber, and more. Topics: Commentary: How AI and social media are making us dumber. (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: Be One of the 100 – Become a strategic partner Red Pen Logic – YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond by Tim Barnett and Alisa Childers Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay...

2025-08-0658 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Is It Normal for a Believer to Struggle with Doubt?Greg answers questions about whether it’s normal for a believer to struggle with doubt, resolving alleged contradictions in the Gospels, why Greg thinks Paul isn’t the author of Hebrews, people’s old ages in Genesis, and reasons to think all sentient beings have a soul. Topics: Is it normal for a believer to struggle with doubt? (01:00) How do you resolve the alleged contradictions in the Gospels about how many Marys and angels were at the tomb? (11:00) What are your reasons for thinking Paul didn’t write Hebrews? (31:00) It’s a logical fallacy to say God created time without time already...

2025-08-0158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Do Demons Still Have a Chance to Be Saved?Greg answers questions about whether demons still have a chance to be saved, whether evolution can give us a belief in morality, how to define Christian suffering, and whether justification is a one-time thing or it happens in stages. Topics: Commentary: Do demons still have a chance to be saved? (00:00) Can evolution give us a belief in a morality? (18:00) How should we define Christian suffering? (35:00) Is justification a one-time thing, or does it happen in stages? (47:00) Mentioned on the Show: STR U Online Training Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 12–13 in Atlanta, GA; October 17–18 in Seattle, WA; November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21...

2025-07-3058 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Can We Say God Fulfilled His Promise to Abraham?Greg answers questions on whether God fulfilled his promise to Abraham, Jesus’ knowledge of germs, whether the story of Job debunks the “T” in “TULIP,” and whether we could say the universe has always existed since there was never a “time” when it did not exist. Topics: How can we say God fulfilled his promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:18 since Israel has never had that whole area of land? (02:00) Why didn’t the all-knowing, all-powerful Jesus know about germs? (24:00) Does the story of Job debunk the “T” in “TULIP” since God said Job was righteous? (36:00) Could we say the universe has always existed since the...

2025-07-2358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast God Doesn’t TryGreg explains why we don’t need to learn to hear the voice of God, then he talks to callers about how to deal with going against the majority of scientists, the best argument for God, a loving God allowing suffering, profanity, and preparing children to encounter transgenderism. Topics: Commentary: God doesn’t try. (00:00) Do you have any advice for how to deal with going against the majority opinion of scientists when it comes to evolution? (11:00) Why do you think the moral argument is the best argument for God’s existence? (25:00) How can I help a non-Christian answer his question about wh...

2025-07-1858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Thankful for John MacArthur’s LegacyGreg talks about being thankful for John MacArthur’s legacy, then he answers questions about the difference between covenant theology and dispensationalism and how to interpret NDEs where people claim to have met Jesus. Topics: Commentary: Thankful for John MacArthur’s Legacy (00:00) What’s the difference between covenant theology and dispensationalism? (25:00) How should we interpret NDEs where people claim to have met Jesus? (46:00) Mentioned on the Show: Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 12–13 in Atlanta, GA; October 17–18 in Seattle, WA; November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers Syste...

2025-07-1658 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Spirituality Is Measured by Spiritual Fruit, Not Spiritual GiftsGreg explains that spirituality is measured by spiritual fruit, not spiritual gifts, then he answers questions about preterism, evidence for a beginning of the universe, the law requiring rapists to marry their victim, and whether or not Genesis 1 indicates God created chaos. Topics: Commentary: Spirituality is measured by spiritual fruit, not spiritual gifts. (00:00) What are your thoughts on preterism? (05:00) Isn’t the universe eternal? Can you provide any evidence for a beginning of the universe or a God? (23:00) How can you explain God forcing rape victims to marry their rapist in Deuteronomy 22:28–29? (44:00) If God subdued and controlled chaos in the creation...

2025-07-0958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Would You Determine Which Religion Is True?Greg answers questions about how to determine which religion is true, why God wouldn’t just write his own book, how we know the Christian God is the real God, and whether there’s an objective moral system or we’re simply acting to avoid pain. Topics: How would you determine which religion is true and which is not? What’s more likely: that God doesn’t exist and men invented religion to control people, or that God depended on men to write a book with ridiculous laws? (02:00) How should I answer my friend who is asking, “How do I know the Chri...

2025-07-0258 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Dan Day: Greg Answers an AtheistGreg answers questions from an atheist about why Jesus couldn’t write his own book, what God has been doing all of this time, why Christians don’t read the Bible if it’s the Word of God, God existing “before” time, and whether pastors use fear tactics to get people to tithe. Topics: Tell us why Jesus, the God of the universe, couldn’t write his own book. (07:00) Would you care to explain what the all-knowing, all-powerful God of the universe has been doing all of this time? (13:00) If the Bible is the Word of God, then why do 99% of Christians s...

2025-06-2558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Is It Okay for Pastors to Ask the Holy Spirit to Come Down?Greg answers questions about pastors asking the Holy Spirit to come down, the treatment of slaves in Israel versus in other cultures, whether there should be women pastors, and how Christians can claim they have a relationship with Jesus if they’ve never seen him. Topics: What are your thoughts on pastors saying, “Holy Spirit, come down and move through your people”? (04:00) Do you know who made the point that we should compare the way the Israelites treated their slaves to the way other cultures treated theirs in order to understand the protections God was giving them? (26:00) Should there be women pas...

2025-06-2058 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Greg Reflects on the Passage of Time on His 75th BirthdayGreg reflects on the passage of time on his 75th birthday, then he answers questions about the SRY gene making someone male, his opinion on music in the church today, and whether the Old Testament stories are allegory or history. Topics: Commentary: Greg reflects on the passage of time on his 75th birthday. (00:00) Could the presence of an SRY gene make someone with XX chromosomes male? (14:00) What’s your opinion on the music that’s creeping into the church? (30:00) Is it the case that many stories in the Old Testament are allegory or parables rather than history, that it doesn’t matter i...

2025-06-1858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Jesus’ Yoke Is Easy and His Burden Is LightGreg reflects on the destruction from the Malibu fire, then he answers questions about the sense in which Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden light, how to respond to someone who uses Romans 7 to defend his homosexuality, and how to let God lead when making big decisions. Topics: Commentary: Greg reflects on the destruction from the Malibu fires. (00:00) In what sense is Jesus’ yoke easy and his burden light? (11:00) What do you think of someone who uses Romans 7 to defend living a homosexual lifestyle? (31:00) How do I let God lead my life when making big decisions? (45:00) Mentioned on the Show: ...

2025-06-1358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Tripp and Megan Almon Are Joining Stand to ReasonGreg chats with Tripp and Megan Almon, who are joining the Stand to Reason team as the head of STR Outposts (Tripp) and a speaker (Megan), about their backgrounds, spiritual and intellectual journeys, and new roles at STR. Topics: Interview: Tripp and Megan Almon are joining Stand to Reason. (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: Tripp and Megan Almon STR Outposts Summit Ministries Life Training Institute Biola’s apologetics program Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 12–13 in Atlanta, GA; October 17–18 in Seattle, WA; November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA Related Links: Clarifying the Abortion Issue –...

2025-06-1158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Gardening Someone Who Doesn’t Seem Open to the TruthGreg answers questions about what Revelation 21:8 means when it says the cowardly will be judged, gardening someone who isn’t open to the truth, officiating the wedding of people remarrying each other, other life in the universe, and the rapture. Topics: Given that Revelation 21:8 says the cowardly will be judged, what dangers are we required to face courageously or be judged? (03:00) How do I garden somebody who doesn’t seem open to the truth? (15:00) What would you say while officiating the wedding of two people who divorced, reconciled, and are remarrying? (29:00) Do you think the universe is ever-expanding, and do you thi...

2025-06-0658 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Not Every Religion Is TrueGreg talks about losing his voice at a recent event, then he answers questions about how to graciously communicate the idea that not every religion is true even though there are similarities, and whether or not the challenge in Malachi to test God by tithing is still in effect. Topics: Commentary: Update from Greg (00:00) In discussions about the texts of other religions in a book club, how can I graciously communicate the idea that not every religion is true even though there are some similarities? (10:00) Is the challenge in Malachi to test God by tithing still in effect? (37:00) Related Links: Shou...

2025-06-0458 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Clearing Up Some Confusion About Limited AtonementGreg clears up some confusion about limited atonement then answers questions about young people getting into the fantasy genre, Jewish beliefs about Satan, the phrase “In Jesus’ name,” and why New Testament promises apply today if Old Testament promises don’t. Topics: Commentary: Clearing up some confusion about limited atonement (00:00) Do you have any concerns about young people getting into the fantasy genre today? (14:00) What do you think about attending or even participating in a wedding that contains elements from other religions? (26:00) Is it true that Jewish people don’t believe the same things about Satan that Christians believe? (33:00) Can you elaborate...

2025-05-2858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Our Complex Bodies Didn’t Happen by AccidentGreg talks about a conversation he had with his cardiologist about intelligent design, then he answers questions about using Psalm 139 in a pro-life defense, why God sends people to Hell, whether it’s ever okay to lie, and what to say to a Catholic friend. Topics: Commentary: Our complex bodies didn’t happen by accident. (00:00) Is Psalm 139 really a good passage to use in a pro-life defense? (16:00) What questions should I ask a friend who says he wouldn’t want to worship the God of the Bible because he’s cruel for sending people to Hell for not believing in him? (33:00...

2025-05-2158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Could a Good God Let My Husband Suffer?Greg answers questions about how to respond to someone who’s struggling with how a good God could let her husband suffer, how to know if something is objectively a sin, particularly when it comes to polygamy, and how to pray when asked at a family dinner where nobody is a believer. Topics: How should I respond to someone who is struggling with the question of how a good God could let her husband suffer? (00:00) How can we know if something is objectively a sin or not, particularly when it comes to polygamy? (25:00) What should I say in my prayer when...

2025-05-1458 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Is the Second Law of Thermodynamics a Good Argument Against Evolution?Greg answers questions about whether the second law of thermodynamics is a good argument against evolution, pebbles to put in the shoe of a progressive Christian, whether he’s getting the Bible and science wrong, and how to explain the credibility of the resurrection. Topics: Why is the second law of thermodynamics not a good argument against evolution? (05:00) How can I gently put pebbles in the shoe of a progressive-Christian friend who’s open to having conversations but who mocks historic Christianity? (22:00) You’re getting the Bible and science wrong when you say God created everything out of nothing. (41:00) How would you...

2025-05-0758 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: Jimmy and J. Warner Wallace – Case FilesGreg chats with J. Warner Wallace and his son Jimmy about their new graphic novel, Case Files: Murder and Meaning. Topics: Interview: Jimmy and J. Warner Wallace, co-authors of Case Files: Murder and Meaning. (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: Case Files Vol. I: Murder and Meaning by Jimmy Wallace and J. Warner Wallace Cold-Case Christianity website

2025-05-0258 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast The Danger of Basing Your Identity on Anything That Can ChangeGreg talks about the danger of basing your identity on anything that can change, then he answers questions about speaking against a transgender bill in Colorado, the idea that we shouldn’t judge, disagreeing well with people, and having better recall in conversations. Topics: Commentary: The danger of basing your identity on anything that can change (07:00) How do I craft a compelling testimony that speaks the truth in love in opposition to the transgender protections bill in Colorado? (21:00) How should I respond to someone in my church who says we “shouldn’t judge” someone who was in a longtime same-sex relationshi...

2025-04-3058 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Naturalism of the GapsGreg talks to callers about the rebellion of angels in Genesis 6, how to respond to a naturalism-of-the-gaps argument, how to use Shedd’s Dogmatics, whether an abandoned spouse can remarry, and whether human beings are responsible for the salvation of others. Topics: What is your view on the rebellion of the angels referred to in Genesis 6, Jude, and 2 Peter? (01:00) What would you say to someone who responded to an argument for intelligent design by saying, “We just need to wait for science to give us the answer”? (11:00) I purchased Shedd’s Dogmatics. Can you tell me how to use it? (29:00) My husband l...

2025-04-2558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Be Mindful of Your Character When Making Your CaseGreg reminds Christians to be mindful of their character when making their case, then he answers questions about Jesus’ prayer to “forgive them, for they know not what they do” and how we know the Protestant canon is the correct canon. Topics: Commentary: Be mindful of your character when making your case. (00:00) Should I apply Jesus’ prayer to “forgive them, for they know not what they do” to everyone? (16:00) How can we know the Protestant canon is the correct canon? (30:00) Mentioned on the Show: Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 25–26 in Dayton, OH STR U Online Training The New Testament Canon: Which Books and Why?

2025-04-2358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Thoughts on the House of David SeriesGreg talks about the House of David series, then he answers questions about why someone should read the Bible rather than the Quran or the Book of Mormon, how God stirs our hearts to do things, and whether or not one category of the Old Testament Law still applies to us. Topics: Commentary: Thoughts on the House of David series (00:00) Why should I read the Bible rather than the Quran or the Book of Mormon? (20:00) How does God stir our hearts to do things? (36:00) What do you think of the idea that we can divide the Old Testament Law into thre...

2025-04-1858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: Rod Dreher – Live Not by LiesGreg talks to author Rod Dreher about the soft totalitarianism he describes in Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents, the Christians who resisted that totalitarianism, and the new documentary series based on the book. Topics: Interview: Rod Dreher – Live Not by Lies documentary series (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: Live Not by Lies – Documentary series Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher Freedom Fading by Greg Koukl Brave New World by Aldous Huxley The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William Shirer The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hann...

2025-04-1658 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Do We Know People Didn’t Take Things Out of the Bible?Greg talks to callers about how we know people didn’t take things out of the Bible, whether people who die young can earn eternal rewards, whether Jesus appeared to Mary after his resurrection, dealing with an abusive parent, and why more pastors don’t believe in an old earth. Topics: With all the translations of the Bible, how do we know people didn’t take things out of it that they didn’t want us to know about? (03:00) Is it the case that people who die young can’t earn any eternal rewards? (08:00) Is there any indication in the Bible that J...

2025-04-1158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast The Futility of Man-Based IdealismGreg reflects on the futility of man-based idealism, then he answers questions about why he isn’t Eastern Orthodox and how to show that philosophical materialism isn’t supported by materialism itself. Topics: Commentary: The futility of man-based idealism (00:00) What are your arguments against Eastern Orthodox Christianity? (26:00) How do I show that philosophical materialism isn’t supported by materialism itself? (50:00) Mentioned on the Show: Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 25–26 in Dayton, OH A Complete Unknown – Film

2025-04-0958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Are We Living in a Simulation?Greg answers questions from callers about the likelihood that we’re living in a simulation, using the laws of nature to argue against evolution, and recommendations for a young man starting out in apologetics. Topics: What do you think about the fact that, when asked about the origins of the universe, one of the smartest AI computers in the world said it’s more likely that we’re living in a simulation? (01:00) How can I spread my idea of using the laws of nature to argue against evolution? (10:00) What would you recommend for a young man starting out in apologetics? (32:00) Mentione...

2025-04-0458 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Moral Insanity in California and EnglandGreg talks about recent examples of moral insanity in California and England, then he answers questions about whether apostasy can happen unknowingly and how Greg comes up with his Street-Smarts-style questions. Topics: Commentary: Moral insanity in California and England (00:00) Can apostasy happen unknowingly? (27:00) How do you come up your Street-Smarts-style questions? (47:00) Mentioned on the Show: California ballot measure named after Luigi Mangione would make it illegal to ‘delay, deny’ healthcare coverage: ‘Crazy’ by Isabel Keane Toddler is kicked out of nursery ‘for being transphobic’ - as families blast school’s ‘insanity’ by Noor Qurashi STR U Online Training Reality Student Apologetics Conference...

2025-04-0258 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Why Are There So Many Different Denominations?Greg answers questions about why there are so many different denominations, how to help someone who prayed a prayer as a child but doesn’t seem to be following Jesus, people saying, “Oh my God,” and knowledge of Jesus through existential experience. Topics: Why are there so many different denominations? (05:00) How can I help people who are counting on a prayer they prayed as a child—but have no evidence of sanctification in their lives—understand that they have a need for Jesus? (23:00) Can you explain why you don’t have a problem with people saying, “Oh my God”? (40:00) My fundamental existe...

2025-03-2858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast The “Word of God” in ActsGreg talks about the meaning of the “Word of God” in Acts, then he warns against holding grudges and answers questions about requiring repentance before forgiveness, whether Jesus will have the only scars in Heaven, and making sense of the origin of evil as a Calvinist. Topics: Commentary: The “Word of God” in Acts (00:00) Is repentance required for believers to grant forgiveness to others? (12:00) Commentary: If you hold grudges, you will destroy your soul. (38:00) Is Jesus the only one with scars in Heaven? (47:00) How do you make sense of the origin of evil? (51:00) Mentioned on the Show: Dogmatic Theology by William G.T...

2025-03-2658 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: Sean McDowell – New Information on the Fate of the ApostlesGreg talks to Sean McDowell about new information included in the second edition of his book, The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus. Topics: Interview: Sean McDowell, author of The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus (Second Edition) (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus (Second Edition) by Sean McDowell Sean McDowell’s website Related Links: Problems for Hallucination Theories of the Resurrection by Gary Habermas

2025-03-2158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast The First Rule of Prayer and Bible ReadingGreg explains that the first rule of prayer is to pray and the first rule of Bible reading is to read, then he answers questions about what it means to “pray about it,” overcoming a tendency to freeze up when asked a question, mistakenly claiming a promise, and finding fellowship. Topics: Commentary: The first rule of prayer and Bible reading (00:00) What should “pray about it” look like in practice? (22:00) What can I do to overcome my tendency to freeze up when someone asks me a question? (34:00) If Old Testament promises don’t apply to us, why is it that when people mistak...

2025-03-1958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Some Thoughts on ProvisionismGreg answers a question about why Provisionists tend to be so venomous towards Calvinism and gives some of his thoughts on Provisionism, then he talks to a caller about reasons why he rejects evolution. Topics: Why do you think Provisionists tend to be so venomous towards Calvinism? (00:00) Do you reject evolution, and if so, why? (33:00) Mentioned on the Show: Desert Apologetics Conference – March 14–15 Grace Defined and Defended: What a 400-Year-Old Confession Teaches Us about Sin, Salvation, and the Sovereignty of God by Kevin DeYoung Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe by Stephen M...

2025-03-1458 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: Jonathan Morrow – Navigating Screen Time and Social MediaGreg talks to Jonathan Morrow, creator of the Refresh Roadmap online course, about strategies to help parents navigate screen time and social media with their kids. Topics: Interview: Jonathan Morrow, creator of the Refresh Roadmap course, on navigating screen time and social media with your kids (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: Jonathan Morrow’s website Refresh Roadmap: A Practical Guide for Parents to Navigate Screen Time and Social Media with Confidence – This link automatically includes the 20% discount. 20% off code for listeners at refreshcourse.net: STR Impact 360 The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness...

2025-03-1258 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Four Simple Skills to Help Your Kids Soar Above the CrowdGreg talks about four skills to instill in your kids to increase their maturity, then he answers questions about God being in A-theory time, identifying as sinners vs. saints, responding to someone who attributes everything to “the universe,” and disagreement in the early church. Topics: Commentary: Four simple skills to help your kids soar above the crowd (00:00) Why can’t we exist under an A-theory of time while God exists under a B-theory of time, and if God exists in A-theory time, don’t we have an infinite regression issue? (20:00) What are your thoughts on simultaneously being sinners and saints, and which s...

2025-03-0558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Are Prayers Pointless If God Knows What Will Happen?Greg answers questions about whether prayers are pointless if God knows what will happen, why we would be held responsible for Adam and Eve’s decisions, how John 3:13 could say no one has ascended into Heaven, and interactions between non-physical things and physical things. Topics: If God knows what will happen tomorrow, then God cannot change tomorrow, which means all prayers are null and void and cannot change anything. (00:00) Why would anyone be responsible for Adam and Eve’s decisions? The idea that we’re born sick and in need of a savior is simply immoral and unjust Christian dogma meant to...

2025-02-2658 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast What Would You Say to an Apathetic Person?Greg answers questions about what Deuteronomy 13:11 means when it says that “all Israel will hear and be afraid,” whether we should “leave our offering at the altar” to reconcile with a bully, apathetic people, leading an Outpost as a woman, and accepting vs. resisting difficult situations. Topics: Does the phrase “All Israel will hear and be afraid” in Deuteronomy 13:11 refer to being afraid after hearing the punishment was carried out or being afraid after hearing what the prescribed punishment is for the crime? (02:00) How does Jesus telling us to “leave our offering at the altar” to go reconcile with someone and to “take the...

2025-02-1958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Isn’t Animal Death a Result of the Fall?Greg answers questions about animal death before the fall, reaching adult children who are caught up in the culture’s political movements, whether Greg illegitimately dismisses claims of supernatural intervention, and advice for finding a Bible-believing, traditional church. Topics: When it comes to animal death, should we really think everything has been the same since the beginning when it seems like God fundamentally changed things after the fall? (02:00) What are your thoughts on reaching adult children and grandchildren who are caught up in the culture’s political movements? (22:00) Are you asking us to dismiss the idea of any supernatural intervention unless...

2025-02-1258 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast What Things in Heaven Were Reconciled to God on the Cross?Greg answers questions about what “things in Heaven” were reconciled to God through Jesus’ blood, numbers in the Bible, pro-choicers who won’t acknowledge the unborn is human, what approach to take with people who don’t think they need God, and a fallacy. Topics: Commentary: More on inerrancy vs. infallibility (00:00) What “things in Heaven” were reconciled to God through Jesus’ blood on the cross, per Colossians 1:20? (07:00) Is it biblical to study the meaning of numbers in the Bible? (19:00) Since it’s an irrefutable fact that the unborn is a human being, if an individual is unwilling to acknowledge this fact, can we assume it...

2025-02-0758 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: Natasha Crain – When Culture Hates YouGreg chats with Natasha Crain, author of When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square, about navigating conflicts with the culture, where our differences lie, Christian Nationalism, critical theory, and more. Topics: Interview: Natasha Crain, author of When Culture Hates You (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square by Natasha Crain Natasha Crain’s website Natasha Crain’s books Wesley Huff on Joe Rogan

2025-02-0558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Infallibility vs. InerrancyGreg talks about infallibility vs. inerrancy, then he answers callers’ questions about using more Bible in pro-life argumentation, what happened to Old Testament saints when they died, and how to know when to witness and when to use tactics. Topics: Commentary: Infallibility vs. inerrancy (00:00) How would you respond to the objection that we need more Bible in pro-life argumentation since God’s Word will not return void? (22:00) What happened to the Old Testament saints when they died? (31:00) When do we witness, and when do we use tactics? (40:00) Mentioned on the Show: STR U Online Training Is the Bible Authoritative? by Greg Kou...

2025-01-3158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast A Little Knowledge Can Get You in TroubleGreg responds to a TikTok star’s confusion about Jesus and the woman caught in adultery, then he answers questions about praying for God’s will, counseling a Christian who has same-sex attractions, and whether one can use “Jesus” and “God” interchangeably. Topics: Commentary: A little knowledge can get you in trouble. (00:00) Is it ever necessary to pray for God’s will in someone else’s life? (23:00) How would you counsel someone who believes in the biblical sexual ethic but has same-sex attractions? (37:00) Is it okay to use “Jesus” and “God” interchangeably when making a point from a passage of Scripture? (48:00) Mention...

2025-01-2958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: Melissa Dougherty – Happy LiesGreg talks to Melissa Dougherty, author of Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World, about how the 19th-century New Thought movement is still affecting the church today. Topics: Interview: Melissa Dougherty, author of Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World by Melissa Dougherty Melissa Dougherty’s YouTube channel Melissa Dougherty’s website Greg’s previous interview with Melissa Dougherty Strange New World by Carl Trueman Related Links: “The Secret”: A...

2025-01-2458 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Jesus Feeds the DogsGreg talks about how to understand what Jesus says to the Syrophoenician woman in Mark 7, answers a question about when to shake the dust off your feet when it comes to sharing the gospel with family, and responds to a request for clarity on the second coming of Christ. Topics: Commentary: Jesus feeds the dogs. (00:00) Is it ever appropriate to shake the dust off your feet when it comes to sharing the gospel with family? (25:00) Can you help me clarify my understanding of the second coming of Christ? (35:00) Mentioned on the Show: Reality Student Apologetics Conference – February 21–22 in Dallas, TX; March 21–2...

2025-01-2258 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast The Size of the Universe Doesn’t Mean We’re InsignificantGreg talks about the assumption people make that we’re insignificant because we’re small compared to the universe, then he answers questions about whether Hebrews 6:4–6 means we can lose our salvation and how to deal with a situation where a pastor won’t submit to leadership. Topics: Commentary: The size of the universe doesn’t mean we’re insignificant. (00:00) Does Hebrews 6:4–6 mean you can lose your salvation? (13:00) After leaving a church because the pastor wouldn’t submit to church leadership, how should I discuss this issue with a friend who is still at the church? (33:00) Mentioned on the Show: Why the Universe Is th...

2025-01-1758 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Wesley Huff’s Interactions Are a Tutorial on Being a Good AmbassadorGreg briefly discusses the Southern California fires, has more to say about Wesley Huff’s conversations with Billy Carson and Joe Rogan, then talks to callers about how God could have been merciful before mankind existed and whether there’s a biblical way to worship God. Topics: Commentary: Wesley Huff’s interactions are a tutorial on being a good ambassador. (00:00) How did God have the attribute of mercy before he created mankind? (37:00) Is there a biblical way to worship God? (47:00) Mentioned on the Show: Wesley Huff’s website Wesley Huff’s YouTube channel Wesley Huff’s debate with Billy Carson Wesley Huff on Joe...

2025-01-1558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Create a Habit of Bible Reading This YearGreg recommends creating a habit of Bible reading this year, then he answers questions about attending a mandatory equity training, practices for doing a deep dive into a smaller portion of Scripture, and the Christian view of rewards versus the Mormon view of levels of Heaven. Topics: Commentary: Create a habit of Bible reading this year. (00:00) Do you think it’s a good idea to go ahead and attend an employer’s mandatory equity training as an educational experience? (13:00) Can you recommend any practices for doing a deep dive into a smaller portion of Scripture? (30:00) How does the Christian view of rewar...

2025-01-1058 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast We Have Got the GoodsTim joins Greg to talk about Wesley Huff’s debate with Billy Carson and appearance on Joe Rogan, reminding us we have good reasons for what we believe, then Greg answers a question about reconciling Ephesians 2:14–15 and Matthew 5:17 regarding Jesus abolishing the Law. Topics: Commentary: We have got the goods. (00:00) How can I reconcile Ephesians 2:14–15, which talks about Jesus abolishing the Law, and Matthew 5:17, which says Jesus did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it? (39:00) Mentioned on the Show: Wesley Huff’s debate with Billy Carson Wesley Huff on Joe Rogan Stephen Meyer on Joe Rogan Wesley Huff’s YouTub...

2025-01-0858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Is God Not Partly Responsible for Our Sin?Greg answers questions about why John always refers to himself as the beloved disciple, why God isn’t partly responsible for our sin if he’s sovereign and we didn’t choose our desires, and whether John 15:22–24 contradicts the idea that “no one is without excuse.” Topics: Why does John always refer to himself as the beloved? (02:00) How is God not also in some measure responsible for our sin if he’s sovereign and we didn’t choose our desires? (16:00) How does John 15:22–24 not contradict Paul’s claim that “no one is without excuse” in Romans 1? (37:00) Mentioned on the Show: Submit a question on the Open

2025-01-0358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast You Can Learn from Christians with Whom You Don’t Agree on EverythingGreg answers questions about a church leader entering a physique show, learning from Christians with whom we don’t agree on everything, attending a baptism for a different religion, and how to respond to an argument for the importance of “Pride.” Topics: Would entering a physique show be considered worshiping the body and something a church leader shouldn’t be participating in? (11:00) I appreciate that you don’t distance yourself from apologists who differ from you on soteriology. What is a good way to approach learning from other Christians with whom we don’t agree on everything? (28:00) What is your stance on wheth...

2024-12-2758 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Christmas SpoilersGreg chats about some Christmas myths, recommends two films that capture the nativity well, then answers questions about whether day trading is a form of gambling, being a gardener vs. a harvester, and reconciling Greg’s view on decision making with Romans 12:2. Topics: Commentary: Christmas spoilers (00:00) Commentary: Films that capture the nativity well (15:00) Is day trading a form of gambling? (24:00) Is it okay to not evangelize like Ray Comfort? (39:00) How can I reconcile your view on decision making with Romans 12:2, which talks about God’s perfect will? (44:00) Mentioned on the Show: The Nativity Story – Film The Christ Child: A Nativity Story – Fi...

2024-12-2058 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Should I Feel Guilty for Not Having the Joy of the Lord During a Dark Time?Greg answers questions from callers about old earth vs. young earth and feeling guilty about not having the joy of the Lord during a long, difficult, dark time. Topics: What’s your opinion on old earth vs. young earth? (06:00) Should I feel guilty for not having the joy of the Lord during a long, difficult, dark time? (37:00) Mentioned on the Show: Donate to Stand to Reason by the 28th of this month and receive The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again by Justin Brierley Seven Days that Divide the Wo...

2024-12-1858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Will There Be a Rapture?Greg answers questions about his views on the rapture and whether there’s any middle ground between Reformed and Arminian theology. Topics: Can you elaborate on your views on the rapture? (02:00) When it comes to salvation, is there any middle ground between Reformed and Arminian theology? (31:00) Mentioned on the Show: The Blessed Hope: A Biblical Study of the Second Advent and the Rapture by George Eldon Ladd The Church and the Tribulation: A Biblical Examination of Posttribulationism by Robert Gundry The Rap on the Rapture by Greg Koukl

2024-12-1358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Science Can’t Disprove the Virgin BirthGreg talks about the claim that the virgin birth is disproved by science, then he talks to callers about when the New Covenant started, how Jesus could have paid the penalty of being separated from God, Bonhoeffer’s views on the Bible, and pragmatism. Topics: Commentary: Science can’t disprove the virgin birth. (00:00) When did the New Covenant start? (14:00) If the wages of sin is separation from God, how could Jesus pay that? (26:00) What are your thoughts on Bonhoeffer’s views on the Bible? (43:00) Is it ever okay to be pragmatic, or is it always wrong to say the ends justify th...

2024-12-1158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Why Does God Allow Evil?Greg answers questions about why God allows evil, whether denominations really matter, whether Matthew 16 says Peter was the first pope, and how Greg’s view on decision making and the will of God fits with passages in James, Ruth, and Esther. Topics: Why does God allow evil? (00:00) Does the denomination of a church really matter, and should Matthew 16 be interpreted as saying that whoever says Jesus is the Christ is part of the church, or is it saying Peter was the first pope? (24:00) Can you explain how your view on decision making and the will of God fits with passages in Ja...

2024-12-0658 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast What We Can Learn from the Account of David and GoliathGreg talks about what we can learn from the account of David and Goliath, then he answers questions about the divide between men and women, whether a contractor should turn down work on a Buddhist temple, and determining if a passage is descriptive or prescriptive. Topics: Commentary: What we can learn from the account of David and Goliath (08:00) Why does it seem like there’s such a divide between men and women today? (19:00) Do you think I was right to turn down a request to build a large water feature for a Buddhist temple, in which there will be a Buddh...

2024-12-0458 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Are the Things We Claim Are Complex Really Complex?Greg talks to callers about how, when it comes to the teleological argument, we know the things we claim are complex are really complex, how to witness to someone who has consulted a spiritualist, and whether God values results or growth more. Topics: When it comes to the teleological argument, how do we know the things we say are complex are really complex? (01:00) How can I witness to someone at work who consulted a spiritualist? (27:00) Does God value results or growth more? (36:00) Mentioned on the Show: Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl Related Links: ...

2024-11-2958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Can You Say God Is Pro-Life if He Kills Babies?Greg talks to Robby Lashua about an announcement and discusses the value of saying “thank you” to everyone who does something for you, then he responds to a caller’s question about how God can be pro-life if he kills babies. Topics: Interview: An announcement from Robby Lashua (00:00) Commentary: Say “thank you” to everyone who does something for you. (27:00) Are Christians pro-life, and do they believe God is pro-life even though he kills babies? (46:00) Mentioned on the Show: STR Outposts Reality Student Apologetics Conference – February 21–22 in Dallas, TX; March 21–22, in Philadelphia, PA; April 25–26 in Dayton, OH New Testament Prayer Related Links: Was God Pro-Life...

2024-11-2758 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Will God Be in Pain for Eternity as He Watches People Suffer in Hell?Greg answers questions about the “He Gets Us” campaign from earlier this year, whether a property in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil gave Adam and Eve knowledge, the historicity of Job, and whether God will spend eternity in pain as he watches people suffer in Hell. Topics: What did you think of the “He Gets Us” foot washing ads earlier this year? (00:00) Could the tree of the knowledge of good and evil have had some property that gave them this knowledge since the related tree of life seems to have had a property that would cause them to li...

2024-11-2058 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Am I Giving What Is Holy to Dogs?Greg talks to callers about online interactions, entropy as evidence for a beginning of the universe, whether someone could make up a story that sounds like eyewitness testimony, creating interactions that aren’t awkward, and the claim that the unborn is only a ”potential life.” Topics: Considering Jesus said, “Do not give what is holy to dogs,” should I not engage people online over and over again? (00:00) A follow-up on a previous conversation about dealing with a problematic pastor. (12:00) How could entropy be evidence for the beginning of the universe if the first law of thermodynamics says energy can’t be destroyed...

2024-11-1358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Can Jesus Be God?Greg answers questions about how Jesus can be God if God is in Heaven and Jesus was on earth, whether disordered desires are sinful and Satan puts thoughts in Christians’ minds, baptism of the Holy Spirit by laying on hands, and a challenge to Greg’s view on John 16:13. Topics: How can Jesus be God if God is in Heaven and Jesus was on earth? (04:00) Are disordered desires sinful, and does Satan put sinful thoughts in Christians’ minds? (15:00) Do Acts 8 and 19 teach that we only receive the Holy Spirit if someone lays hands on us? (30:00) Does the fact that the apostles d...

2024-11-0858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Craig Hazen Joins Stand to ReasonGreg talks to Craig Hazen, STR’s new chief strategy officer, then he answers a question about the implications that follow from the idea that we don’t have to figure out special instructions from God. Topics: Interview: Craig Hazen joins Stand to Reason. (00:00) Does the fact that we don’t have to figure out what God is telling us to do mean that God doesn’t really care what we do and doesn’t ordain what he wants us to do? (34:00) Mentioned on the Show: Reality Student Apologetics Conference – November 8–9 in Minneapolis, MN; February 21–22, 2025 in Dallas, TX; March 21–22, 2025 in Philadelphia, PA; April...

2024-11-0658 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: Sean McDowell – End the StalemateGreg talks to Sean McDowell, author of End the Stalemate, about how cancel culture developed, communicating ideas well to others, dealing with your own biases, being charitable, steelmanning your opponent’s arguments, and more. Topics: Interview: Sean McDowell, author of End the Stalemate: Move Past Cancel Culture to Meaningful Conversations (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: End the Stalemate: Move Past Cancel Culture to Meaningful Conversations by Sean McDowell Greg Koukl and Michael Shermer at the End of the Decade of the New Atheists – Debate transcript Sean McDowell and Matthew Vines on the Bible and Homosexuality – Video of the debate Philosophical Foundations for a Chris...

2024-11-0158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast The Problems with Prop 3Greg talks to Jonathan Keller of California Family Council about the problematic “marriage equality” Prop 3 in California, then he discusses using our vote to do the most good we can, whether God takes sides, getting educated about what will actually do good, and more. Topics: Interview: Jonathan Keller, president and CEO of California Family Council, about the problems with California’s Prop 3 (00:00) Thoughts on politics and voting (31:00) Mentioned on the Show: Jonathan Keller Proposition 3 for “marriage equality” Polyamorous families are recognized and protected in Oakland, CA – NPR Related Links: Getting “Political”—Vice or Christian Virtue? by Greg Koukl Politics Is a Moral Enterprise by G...

2024-10-3058 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Can I Help Trauma Survivors See Things from God’s Perspective?Greg answers questions about helping trauma survivors think through their trauma biblically, giving to the point where your family has to go without things they need, passages about God loving individuals, and assumptions about communication to bring to the study of language. Topics: In light of the existence of the soul, do you have any advice on how to help trauma survivors think through what they’ve experienced biblically and see things from God’s perspective? (03:00) What are your thoughts on people giving above and beyond a tithe to the church to the point where the family has to go withou...

2024-10-2558 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Spot the Shell Game in This Article on Abortion BansGreg discusses the claim that abortion bans increase infant death rates, then he talks to callers about using probability numbers in teleological arguments and whether it’s worth trying to convince a church member who’s a former Jehovah’s Witness that Jesus is uncreated. Topics: Commentary: Spot the shell game in this article on abortion bans. (00:00) When it comes to the teleological argument, are apologists conceding it’s possible it could have happened on its own when they give a small probability number? (26:00) Is it worth trying to convince a former Jehovah’s Witness in my church that Jesus is uncreated...

2024-10-2358 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Is the A-Theory vs. B-Theory of Time a False Dichotomy?Greg answers questions about whether the A-theory vs. B-theory of time is a false dichotomy, why Jesus had to suffer before dying for our sin, gender dysphoria, and how we know we haven’t simply deluded ourselves into thinking we have good evidence for our faith. Topics: Is the A-theory vs. B-theory of time a false dichotomy when it comes to God and his nature? (04:00) If death was the penalty for sin, why did Jesus have to suffer before dying for our sin? What’s the biblical basis for suffering for sin? (20:00) Toleration of gender dysphoria doesn’t make sense on three...

2024-10-1858 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Does God Hear the Prayer of the Unbeliever?Greg talks about whether or not God hears the prayer of the unbeliever, then he answers questions about what Matthew 21:21 means when it says you can make things happen if you have faith and do not doubt and how to know if you should leave a church or you’re being too critical. Topics: Commentary: Does God hear the prayer of the unbeliever? (00:00) What does Matthew 21:21 mean when it says that if you have faith and do not doubt, you can make things happen and receive things? (33:00) Should I leave this church, or am I being too critical? (46:00)

2024-10-1658 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast You Need to Understand the Notion of EntailmentGreg talks about the notion of entailment, then he talks to callers about how to respond to someone who says Christianity took ideas from older religions, whether or not there are still descendants of Abraham, and how to respond to someone who says God is transgender. Topics: Commentary: You need to understand the notion of entailment. (00:00) How would you answer people who say Christianity isn’t original, that it took ideas from other religions, and that other religions are older? (18:00) Are there still descendants of Abraham? (37:00) How would you respond to the claim that God is transgender? (50:00) Mentioned on the Show: ...

2024-10-1158 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast Interview: Bobby Conway – Does Christianity Still Make Sense?Greg talks to Bobby Conway, author of Does Christianity Still Make Sense? about his past before he was a Christian, apologetics as a way of loving people, how to respond to various popular objections to Christianity, and more. Topics: Interview: Bobby Conway, author of Does Christianity Still Make Sense?: A Former Skeptic Responds to Today’s Toughest Objections to Christianity (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: Does Christianity Still Make Sense?: A Former Skeptic Responds to Today’s Toughest Objections to Christianity by Bobby Conway Christianity Still makes Sense – Bobby Conway’s website Doubting Toward Faith: The Journey to Confident Christianity by Bobby Conwa...

2024-10-0958 min

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast How Do We Know God Is Real?Greg answers questions about how we know God is real, when seeking God intellectually becomes a hindrance, what the Bible means when it says Jesus is “begotten,” whether the testing of Abraham was capricious and cruel, and the need for God to ground our rights. Topics: In light of Greek mythology and evolution, how do we know the God of the Bible is real?(02:00) When do you think seeking to know God intellectually becomes more of a hindrance than a help? (13:00) What does the Bible mean when it says Jesus is the “firstborn” or “begotten”? (29:00) Can you explain the testing of Abraham in G...

2024-10-0458 min

Priority Talk Greg Koukl's "Street Smarts"Nate Williams talks with Greg Koukl, President of Stand to Reason, about his new apologetics book "Street Smarts."

2023-10-2626 min