"Conversion therapy" is one of the most controversial—and misunderstood—terms in today's culture.

The media portrays it as inherently harmful, while lawmakers increasingly use the term to justify restrictions on counseling related to sexuality and gender identity. But what exactly qualifies as conversion therapy? Are all forms of counseling in this category abusive? And what are the implications for religious liberty when governments begin regulating conversations about biblical sexuality?

In this episode, I talk with counselor, author, and speaker Joe Dallas, who has spent nearly 40 years helping individuals and families navigate questions related to same-sex attraction and Christian faith. 

Topics include:

• Joe's personal journey with homosexuality
• Five things parents can do right when a child says, "I'm gay"
• What "conversion therapy" actually means—and why definitions matter
• Harmful practices Christians should reject
• What legitimate biblical counseling looks like
• Why 23 states have banned forms of counseling for minors
• The recent Supreme Court case involving Colorado's conversion therapy ban
• The difference between changing behavior and changing attractions
• How Christians can balance conviction, compassion, truth, and freedom

In a culture that often reduces complex issues to slogans, this conversation brings much-needed nuance, clarity, and biblical perspective.

Learn more about Joe, his work, and his many resources at joedallas.com.

If you found this episode helpful, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share.

My guest today, Dr. Jonathan Morrow, says college usually doesn’t create a faith crisis; it reveals one that was already happening beneath the surface. But when students set foot on campus, the worldview pressures are everywhere, and most students simply aren't prepared for what they're about to encounter at every level of campus life.

Jonathan is the Director of Cultural Engagement and Student Discipleship at Impact 360 Institute and the author of Welcome to College. In this episode, we discuss: 

Why students often drift from faith before college
How screens and social media quietly disciple young people
The “death by a thousand nudges” effect on worldview
Warning signs parents should watch for
The hidden worldview assumptions in general education classes
Which majors tend to create the biggest worldview challenges
Why Christian colleges present their own challenges
What parents should prioritize when choosing a college
How to help students build a faith they truly own

Whether your child is heading to college this fall or is still years away, this conversation will help you think more carefully about preparing the next generation for what they'll encounter on the college campus. 

Learn more about Jonathan Morrow and Welcome to College:
https://www.jonathanmorrow.org/
https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-College-3rd-Centered-Changing/dp/0825452511

Follow and donate to Equipping the Persecuted:
https://equippingthepersecuted.org/

Learn more about Cross Examined Instructor Academy:
https://cia.crossexamined.org/

More and more people are talking about Christian persecution in Nigeria, but reports are often conflicting. Some Nigerians--even Nigerian Christians--claim the reports are entirely false. Others claim it's only an ethnic dispute, not a religious one. Some say U.S. leaders are blowing the story out of proportion in order to work our way in and take mineral rights. Still others say it's just a sad story of "bandits" taking advantage of people for financial gain...not anything resembling a Christian-targeted genocide. What's actually going on?

In this episode, I sort all of this out with Judd Saul, Executive Director of Equipping the Persecuted. Judd has been on the ground in Nigeria over a period of 10 years and shares his firsthand knowledge of what the reality is. 

Mentioned in the Show:

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xcmibUjT2s8

Equipping the Persecuted site: www.equippingthepersecuted.org
Truth Nigeria: www.truthnigeria.com
Follow Judd Saul on X: www.x.com/juddsaul
Follow Equipping the Persecuted on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EquippingThePersecuted

There are many competing ideas for how to solve the homelessness crisis in America, and they're often a product of competing worldviews. Today, I'm joined by Bryan Crain (yes, he's my husband!), president of Orange County Rescue Mission, to talk about the homelessness crisis from a biblical worldview and the Trump administration's recent Executive Order on "Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets." If you've ever wondered what can and should be done to help the homeless AND make the streets safer for everyone else, you don't want to miss this episode.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

My first episode with Bryan: www.natashacrain.com/the-homelessness-crisis-from-a-biblical-perspective-with-bryan-crain/

Conversations on a Bench (OCRM): www.rescuemission.org/conversations

Conversations on a Bench (all locations): conversationsonabench.org/

Orange County Rescue Mission: www.rescuemission.org

City Gate Network: www.citygatenetwork.org

My book, Faithfully Different: www.amazon.com/dp/0736984291

Michael Shellenberger's book, San Fransicko: www.amazon.com/San-Fransicko-Progressives-Ruin-Cities/dp/0063093626

How did we get to a point in America where Christians often believe that the most godly thing they can do is stay out of politics? How did we get to a point where we've accepted the lie that separation of church and state is a guiding rule keeping our faith out of the public square? History gives us a lot of the answers. 

My guest today is Bill Federer, a nationally known speaker, best-selling author, and president of Amerisearch, Inc., a publishing company dedicated to researching America's noble heritage. In this episode, Bill gives us a fascinating flyover of the history we need to know to understand how we got to this moment.

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Bill's website and resources: https://americanminute.com/

Bill's book Silence Equals Consent: https://www.amazon.com/Silence-Equals-Consent-omission-Forever/dp/1736959077

Unshaken Conference tickets: www.unshakenconference.com

Charlie wasn’t killed just because he was a Christian. Charlie was hated and targeted because he was attempting to influence the public square in a way that would shape society according to biblical views that run contrary to the popular moral consensus. As Christians, we need to understand the difference...and why biblical Christianity is, indeed, a public faith. I break it down biblically in this episode.

SHOW NOTES

1. Read my social media posts from the following week here:

On X: https://x.com/Natasha_Crain

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashacrainauthor/ 

2. The following are the recommended ways shared by Turning Point USA to support, donate, and get involved:

To support the Kirk family, visit: http://givesendgo.com/kirkfamily

To make a contribution to TPUSA to further Charlie Kirk’s legacy, visit: http://TPUSA.com/donate

To get involved with TPUSA, visit: http://TPUSA.com/getinvolved

To start a TPUSA chapter at your college or Club America at your high school, visit: http://TPUSA.com/startachapter

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Original article source: https://natashacrain.com/the-one-big-beautiful-bill-isnt-as-unchristian-as-everyone-seems-to-think/

My latest book, When Culture Hates You: https://www.amazon.com/When-Culture-Hates-You-Persevering/dp/0736984313

Article from The Center for Biblical Unity on "8 Things Christians Can Say and Do Concerning the Illegal Immigration and Deportation Situation": https://www.centerforbiblicalunity.com/post/8-things-christians-can-say-and-do-concerning-the-illegal-immigration-and-deportation-situation

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 1 in 4 Americans over eighteen years old suffer from a mental illness. By nearly all accounts, mental illness is surging in this country, with it now being called an epidemic. With so many people seeking mental help today, it's crucial Christians understand the nature of therapy (including counseling, psychology, and psychiatry) and why secular therapy is problematic from a biblical perspective. Spoiler alert: All therapy involves worldview assumptions. In today's episode, I explain why and discuss some points from Greg Gifford's new book, Lies My Therapist Told Me.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

Dr. Greg Gifford's book, Lies My Therapist Told Me: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063416735/

My latest book, When Culture Hates You: https://www.amazon.com/When-Culture-Hates-You-Persevering/dp/0736984313

The latest worldview research from the Cultural Research Center, led by renowned researcher Dr. George Barna, are shockingly disappointing from a Christian perspective. Most self-identified Christians don’t understand even the basics of biblical Christianity. In this eye-opening episode, George and I dig into some of the key findings on Americans' understanding of God and the implications for the church today.

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW (in order of mention):

My first interview with George Barna (Sep 2022): https://natashacrain.com/what-is-a-biblical-worldview-with-george-barna/  

Cross Examined Instructor Academy: https://crossexamined.org/what-is-cia/

Take the Worldview Assessment yourself: http://www.acuworldview.com/ 

Coupon Code for 30% off: 79NJEQXW

Dr. Len Munsil is president of Arizona Christian University, which seeks to be America's premier biblical worldview university. While the vast majority of Christian colleges today are significantly compromising their biblical foundations, Arizona Christian is a great example of one that isn't. So what does that look like in practice? How are many Christian colleges compromising, and what are the keys to changing that? Dr. Munsil shares excellent insights on those questions in this episode.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

Arizona Christian University: https://www.arizonachristian.edu/

My interview with Dr. Everett Piper on the state of Christian colleges: https://natashacrain.com/the-state-of-christian-colleges-with-dr-everett-piper/

My newest book, When Culture Hates You: https://www.amazon.com/When-Culture-Hates-You-Persevering/dp/0736984313

The website and X account protestia.com got ahold of a training video from Andy Stanley's hugely influential North Point Church on how middle school leaders should respond to trans-identifying kids and their families. The video features Britt Kitchen, the middle school ministry director at North Point, effectively encouraging leaders to affirm trans identities (I say effectively because he doesn't explicitly say that, but it's the implication of all he's presenting). In this episode, I play and respond to 6 brief clips from the video. It's a tragic case study of how unbiblical ideas are being pushed from within the church.

Watch the original 6-minute video the clips are pulled from here: https://x.com/Protestia/status/1905574394732118425

Today I’m responding to an X post from author and speaker Preston Sprinkle:

“My political theology has allowed me to be so hopeful in this political season. I reject the empire, yet submit to it, because Jesus is king. I embrace and celebrate Christ’s multiethnic kingdom and the many ways we are spreading good in the world. Christians should not be captivated by the binary political playing field that’s been handed to us by Babylon.”

I evaluate his frequent political claim that Christians are like exiles in Babylon (an analogy that fails greatly) and address why this quote represents an unbiblical view of politics.

Get my new book When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square here: https://www.amazon.com/When-Culture-Hates-You-Persevering/dp/0736984313

Today I’m joined by author, speaker, and former US congressional candidate Heidi St. John to discuss the growing and destructive influence of progressivism, socialism, and communism in America...and why Christians should care about saving this country. We connect the dots between leftist ideologies and their unbiblical worldview foundations by considering their assumptions about human nature, moral authority, societal goals, the role of government, the nature of the family, the definition of justice, and more.

Leftist ideologies aren't merely political. They are profoundly theological. This conversation will challenge you to think more deeply about why America’s founding principles still matter and how they intersect with biblical teachings on the nature of reality.

Learn more about Heidi St. John and check out her podcast and resources at: https://www.heidistjohn.net/

Learn more about how Christians should advocate for righteousness in society with my latest book, When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square https://www.amazon.com/When-Culture-Hates-You-Persevering/dp/0736984313 

Learn more about Summit Ministries and save $500 when you register for a session in Colorado or South Carolina by March 31 with code NATASHA26: https://www.summit.org/natasha

Sean and I discuss some fascinating subjects from a new book he edited called Apologetics for an Ever-Changing Culture: A Biblical and Culturally Relevant Approach to Talking about God. 

Sean is a professor of Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is the author, editor, or co-author of more than 20 books and has one of the top apologetics YouTube channels. 

Check out the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0736989277/

Sean's website: https://seanmcdowell.org/

Get Unshaken Conference Tickets: https://unshakenconference.com/

In today’s episode, I talk with Melissa Dougherty about her groundbreaking new book, Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World. As I said in my endorsement of the book, "Happy Lies is the most important book that Christians don't know they need. Melissa connects dots that give readers a wealth of aha moments and provides invaluable insights that bring clarity to some of the most pervasive errors in the church. As a bonus, she does it all in a writing style that makes it fun and engaging to read."

Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Lies-Movement-Probably-Self-Obsessed/dp/0310368863

Subscribe to Melissa's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MelissaDougherty

My new book, When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square, is out TODAY! In this brief episode, I tell you a bit about the book and answer the question some are asking: Does the culture actually hate Christians?

GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Culture-Hates-You-Persevering/dp/0736984313

ChristianBook.com: https://www.christianbook.com/culture-persevering-christians-hostile-public-square/9780736984317/pd/984311?event=BRSRCG|PSEN

Today I’m addressing the following tweet from someone who is troubled by Christians and others who are concerned about public policy related to transgender issues: “For all those who are terrified of trans people and believe this is more important than any other issue, can you please let me know just once when a trans person harmed you? One personal, specific story please.”

Welcome to my first quick response episode, in which I respond briefly to popular claims I see online that sound good and draw in a lot of Christians, but fail from a biblical and/or logical perspective.

Today, I respond to a Tweet from Rev. Benjamin Cremer, a progressive Christian on X who has quickly been gaining influence with a lot of people. Here’s the post:

“Dear Christian, If your religion is really about 'saving souls' then you wouldn’t demand for it to be legislated. Because making someone follow your religion by force of law against their will is an extremely effective way to ensure they reject your God in their hearts."

Before you listen, see if you can identify three types of errors: logical, civic, and biblical.

Today I’m talking with my good friends from the Center for Biblical Unity, Monique Duson and Krista Bontrager, about their new book, Walking in Unity: Biblical Answers to Questions on Race and Racism. Ever since 2020, there have been all kinds of discussions about race in the church, and unfortunately a lot of those discussions have included some very unbiblical ways of thinking. I’m so grateful that Krista and Monique have written this excellent and accessible book that counteracts culture's problematic ideas. In this conversation, we cover all kinds of topics, like:

• What is the difference between anti-racism, racial reconciliation, and biblical unity?
• Should the church see disparities between races as evidence of racism?
• Why haven’t churches been better at biblical discernment with respect to identifying unbiblical ideas about race and racism?
• How much should the church be addressing racial justice? Is it mostly a “progressive” issue?
• Is a “colorblind” approach the best solution? 
• Should all churches be multiethnic?
• And much more.

Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Walking-Unity-Biblical-Answers-Questions/dp/0736990895

Learn more about the Center for Biblical Unity here: https://www.centerforbiblicalunity.com/

Today I talk with Seth Gruber about his new documentary that exposes the "hidden history of the secular moral revolution and the architects of our current culture of death." Seth's documentary and corresponding book are called The 1916 Project and reveal the long, devastating trajectory of how we got to where we are today as a culture that celebrates the choice to kill preborn babies. The film and book are both amazing, and I highly recommend them.

Seth and I also discuss the importance of Christians voting in this election and why, even with Trump's weakened stance on abortion, there's no moral equivalence between his and Harris's platforms. 

You can watch The 1916 Project documentary for FREE now until the election on X! Go here: https://x.com/1916projectfilm

Learn more about The 1916 Project and how you can screen it at your church: https://the1916project.com/

Get The 1916 Project book: https://www.amazon.com/1916-Project-Lyin-Witch-Were/dp/B0D79VN7VM

Connect with Seth:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sethdgruber/
• X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/sgruber91
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethgruberofficial/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SethGruberShow

What is the state of Christian colleges today? Is a Christian college education worth the money? How should parents evaluate a given Christian college to determine if it’s biblically sound? What are some signs that a school is going progressive? These are just a few of the questions I discuss with my guest today, Dr. Everett Piper.

Dr. Piper was president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University for 17 years, during which time he led his school from relative obscurity to a position of national recognition and influence. He presently serves as a contributing columnist for The Washington Times and his commentary on religion, education, leadership and politics is featured in local and national media outlets coast to coast. Dr. Piper is also the author of the national best-selling book, Not a Daycare: The Devastating Consequences of Abandoning Truth.

Website: dreverettpiper.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dreverettpiper

Cold-case homicide detective, popular national speaker, and best-selling author J. Warner Wallace joins me to talk about his new book, The Truth in True Crime: What Investigating Death Teaches Us About the Meaning of Life. Jim has incredibly unique and valuable insights about life from his many years working homicide cases. In this episode, he shares some of his greatest learnings from "investigating death." 

GET THE BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Truth-True-Crime-Investigating-Teaches/dp/0310111374

My guest today is Dr. Erwin Lutzer. Dr. Lutzer is pastor emeritus of The Moody Church, where he served as the senior pastor for 36 years. He is an award-winning author of many books, including We Will Not Be Silenced, and the featured speaker on two radio programs heard on more than 750 outlets worldwide. 

In this episode, we talk about Dr. Lutzer's brand new book (just released today!), called The Eclipse of God: Our Nation's Disastrous Search for a More Inclusive Deity (and What We Must Do About It). I had the honor of reading an early copy and endorsing it, and I highly recommend it. As I said in my endorsement, “I can't think of a better book to quickly bring Christians up to speed on the key forces that have led to our culture's disastrous attempt to redefine and abandon God.” We had a fantastic conversation in this episode about how America's gotten to the point of worshipping a self-made deity rather than the one true God. Don't miss this! Dr. Lutzer will give you insights into our current cultural moment that you won't forget.

In today’s Christian culture, it often feels like the biggest offense isn’t unbiblical teaching—it’s pointing it out. But if the New Testament is clear that Christians are to divide truth from error, why are so many Christians uncomfortable with public discernment?

Today I offer 10 reasons why, using backlash to my recent Unshaken Faith episode with Alisa Childers and Melissa Dougherty as a case study. In that episode, we reviewed the New York Times bestselling book Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer. Almost immediately we starting hearing the familiar responses:

"Christians shouldn't criticize each other so much." 
"Content like this destroys unity in the church."
"You should have gone to him first."
"If you took the time to dig into his other resources,  you would understand what he meant."
"But it's been helpful to me."

Here I explain why these critiques and several others don't hold up to biblical scrutiny. Check out our full episode on Practicing the Way here:

https://youtu.be/YcaRbsDiJEQ?si=YDHjeXFACPFbcLaM

Subscribe to my new YouTube channel (and watch this episode) here: https://www.youtube.com/@Natasha_Crain

The After Party is a small group curriculum and corresponding book that's being heavily promoted this election year to individuals, churches, and Christian institutions. The marketing is designed to attract churches who would like to simply encourage charitable communication around politics, but the execution is designed to convince Christians that they shouldn’t be so conservative. In this episode, I do a deep dive on the book to make the case that it's not what it's marketed to be and that it should absolutely be avoided by the church.

This podcast is available in article form at https://natashacrain.com/how-the-after-party-curriculum-is-sowing-political-confusion-in-the-church/. 

Megan Basham's new book, Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda, has become the source of much discussion and controversy in the few days it's been out. In this episode, Megan and I talk about the central thesis of her book, the evidence for it, and why Christians should be concerned. She also responds to many of the objections people have had to it over the last few days.

Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Sale-Evangelical-Leaders-Leftist/dp/0063413442

Deception of many different kinds is a pervasive problem in the church today. The problem with deception, of course, is that people rarely know when they're being deceived. In this episode, I talk about some of the most pressing examples of deception in the church with pastor Jack Hibbs based on his new book, Living in the Daze of Deception: How to Discern Truth from Culture's Lies.

Pastor Jack is the founding pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, which is a community of 10,000 members in southern California. His podcast attracts 250,000 listeners monthly, and he broadcasts to 800 radio stations daily. 

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Unshaken Conference tickets and information: https://unshakenconference.com/

Register for a Summit Summer Conference and get $200 off with code NATASHA200 at summit.org/natasha

Pastor Jack's newest book, Living in the Daze of Deception: How to Discern Truth from Culture's Lies https://www.amazon.com/Living-Daze-Deception-Discern-Cultures/dp/073698738X

Pastor Jack Hibbs' website: https://jackhibbs.com/

Culture has gone through an enormous shift in the last few years, and raising kids with a confident faith is more challenging than ever. Today I talk with Dr. Jeff Myers about the biggest faith challenges today and how parents (and grandparents!) should respond. Dr. Jeff is the president of Summit Ministries and is one of America’s most respected authorities on youth leadership development. This is a conversation that every Christian concerned about the next generation needs to hear (and that should be all of us!).

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Register for a Summit Summer Conference and get $200 off with code NATASHA200 at summit.org/natasha (and an additional $100 off if you do so before March 31!)

Unshaken Conference https://unshakenconference.com/

My apologetics books for parents:

• Keeping Your Kids on God's Side https://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Your-Kids-Gods-Side/dp/0736965084 
• Talking with Your Kids about God https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Kids-about-Conversations/dp/0801075521
• Talking with Your Kids about Jesus https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Kids-about-Jesus/dp/080107553X/

Parenting Gen Z by Jason Jimenez https://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Gen-Guiding-through-Hostile/dp/1646070070

Legacy Coalition https://legacycoalition.com/

Today I'm featuring the work of a very important organization that every Christian should know about: Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). ADF is one of the leading Christian law firms committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, marriage and family, parental rights, and the sanctity of life. Ryan Bangert, Senior VP at ADF, joins me to talk specifically about parental rights in this episode. He offers a wealth of information on this subject that is vital for parents to understand.

SHOW NOTES:

ADF's website: https://adflegal.org/

Sign up for ADF email updates here: https://adflegal.org/email-sign-up

ADF Ministry Alliance (affordable religious freedom legal help for ministries): https://www.adfministryalliance.org/

Financially support ADF here: https://adflegal.org/support/grants-funding

Super Bowl Sunday is in a few days, and He Gets Us will once again be running ads as part of their $100 million advertising campaign intended to "rescue Jesus's reputation." Last year, I wrote a viral article on 7 key problems with it. Since people will be talking about it all over again this week, I've done an updated evaluation of the campaign, including reviewing all 43 days of their Bible reading plans. Today I walk through my case that the campaign continues to be very problematic.

Mentioned in the show:

A written version of this podcast is available here: https://natashacrain.com/here-comes-the-he-gets-us-campaign-again-why-its-portrayal-of-jesus-is-still-a-problem/

Last year's article is here: https://natashacrain.com/7-problems-with-the-he-gets-us-campaign/

My Unshaken Faith episode with Alisa Childers on how Jesus never claimed that it was bad to be "religious": https://blubrry.com/1470671/96136650/17-myth-of-the-modern-day-pharisee/

Seth Gruber is a bold and passionate pro-life speaker and the founder of The White Rose Resistance. His mission is to be a voice for unborn children and to educate and expose culture to the evil of abortion until every person has the right to be born. In today's episode, Seth and I talk about the state of the pro-life movement post-Roe, the history of evil that led to where we are today with the killing of babies, the softness of today’s church on cultural issues, and much more.

SHOW NOTES:

Seth’s website

Seth’s ministry: The White Rose Resistance (Get Involved!)

Seth’s talk that I called the “Most Powerful Talk I’ve Ever Heard”

Seth’s podcast

Seth with Jack Hibbs on “Happening Now” at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills

In this part 2 on public schools (see episode 34 for part 1), my guest Andy White explains seven things Christian parents can and should be doing to know what's going on in their child's school and classroom. In the second hour, Andy answers a dozen questions from listeners.


MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Gateways https://gogateways.org/
Rise Up Christian Educators https://riseupchristianeducators.com/
Prepare the Way https://www.preparetheway.us/
Association of Christian Schools International https://www.acsi.org/
Christopher Rufo https://christopherrufo.com/
Daily Signal from the Heritage Foundation https://www.dailysignal.com/
Critical Dilemma by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Dilemma-Theories-Justice-Ideology_Implications/dp/073698870X/ 

This is the third part of my series on educational choices for Christian families. In today's episode, I interview Andy White, a Christian who has been a public high school principal for the last 19 years. Our purpose is NOT to tell every Christian parent to leave public schools; we know that every family has different considerations and opportunities. Rather, our purpose is to educate Christian parents who do continue to have their kids in public schools on what concerns they should watch out for. A subsequent episode will address what parents can do in response.

Many Christians are finding that it's getting harder and harder to engage in faith conversations with nonbelievers. With culture becoming increasingly hostile to Christian beliefs (particularly on morality), it's natural to want to just slink away...but that's not what we're called to do. The good news is, it can be easier than you think to have fruitful conversations. Today I talk with Greg Koukl, president of Stand to Reason, about how Christians can learn to engage more effectively simply by asking good questions. We'll show you how.

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Greg's newest book, Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity's Toughest Challenges: https://www.amazon.com/Street-Smarts-Questions-Christianitys-Challenges/dp/0310139139

Greg's organization, Stand to Reason: www.str.org

Greg's recent podcast episode, "Decision Making and the Will of God": https://www.str.org/w/decision-making-and-the-will-of-god-the-biblical-model

After Trump’s election, many believers assumed cultural hostility toward biblical values in the public square was fading. But subsequent events—from the public celebrations of Charlie Kirk’s murder to backlash tied to Christian support for Trump—have shattered what was always an illusion.

On this one year anniversary of the release of my book When Culture Hates You, Frank Turek and I discuss what Jesus said about culture’s perennial hatred of Christians, why the anger hasn’t gone (and won’t go) away, why Christians are increasingly blamed for cultural and political unrest (most recently with ICE), and why this moment cannot be explained by politics alone. 

SHOW NOTES:

Get my book, When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square www.amazon.com/When-Culture-Hates-You-Persevering/dp/0736984313

Frank's website, CrossExamined: crossexamined.org/

Donate to CrossExamined: donor.crossexamined.org/

Frank's new kid's book with Brave Books, Milo's Mission: www.bravebooks.com/frank

We're raising kids in an increasingly challenging world--which means we have to be intentional in raising them in a counter cultural way. But if we’re not careful in how we do it, it can lead to our kids’ resentment of Christianity over time. In today's short episode, I talk about four ways that can happen and how to avoid it.

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Talking with Your Kids about God: https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Kids-about-Conversations/dp/0801075521

Even Christians struggle with believing what the Bible says sometimes. We want to believe it's God's Word, but there can be doubts that nag at us. Can miracles really happen? If they can, why should we believe some of the stranger miracles in the Bible like a talking donkey? Why would God leave enough uncertainty around what the Bible says that people can come to such different conclusions about it? Even if we believe that the Gospels report some true things about Jesus, how can we be confident that we should believe everything  the Gospels say?  Today, cold-case homicide detective, national speaker, and bestselling author J. Warner Wallace joins me to discuss these questions and more, in honor of the release of the updated and expanded version of his modern classic, Cold-Case Christianity. 

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Cold-Case Christianity (Updated & Expanded Edition)

J. Warner Wallace's website: www.coldcasechristianity.com

Investigating the evidence for Mormonism: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/investigating-the-evidence-for-mormonism-in-six-steps/

Social media has been a popular place to share deconversion stories over the last few years, and sometimes so many people resonate with those posts that they go viral to some extent (being liked and shared by thousands of people).

There’s one that’s being shared all over Facebook right now, written this week by a lady named Myndee Mack. At the time of this writing, it has 8,000+ likes/loves, 7,000+ comments, and over 3,000+ shares. Clearly, Myndee’s post is compelling to many.

Here is my response to the reasoning and theological clarity/accuracy of what she wrote.

NOTE: This is an audio version of a written blog post--many people requested I do a recording. You can find the original post here: https://natashacrain.com/a-christian-response-to-a-viral-deconversion-post/

This is part 2 of my episode, "Public, Private, or Homeschool: Thinking Through Your Child's Education (Part 1)." In this part, I talk about the widely varied types of Christian private school options available to parents, breaking them into four general categories: progressive Christian schools, nominally Christian schools, committed Christian schools with a mainstream educational philosophy, and committed Christian schools with an alternative educational philosophy. Additionally, I answer questions listeners submitted online, such as:
--How do you prevent your kids from being in "Christian bubble" if they aren't in public school?
--How do you discern if a "Christian" school is really Christian?
--How do you prevent your kids from being jaded by the nominal Christianity they are likely to encounter with classmates at a Christian school?
--What should you do if the administration and/or teachers at your current Christian school are leaning leftward?
--How much does a school's denomination matter?
...and more.

Note that I was originally going to discuss public school as well in part 2, but due to length, I've made this a stand alone episode. Part 3 will discuss public school and is forthcoming.

Mentioned in this episode:

Episode 9 of the Unshaken Faith podcast: "How to Discern a Church Website" https://blubrry.com/1470671/94556853/9-how-to-discern-a-church-website/

Battle for the American Mind book by Pete Hegseth: https://www.amazon.com/Battle-American-Mind-Uprooting-Miseducation/dp/0063215047

You’ve probably noticed that it seems everything is about transgender issues today. Why, exactly, is that? Why is everyone talking about transgenderism in particular? Why are we seeing an explosion of people identifying as trans? What’s even involved in the transition process, in particular for the growing number of teens who are pursuing a gender change? What about the popular claim that if we don’t support transitions, people will commit suicide? How, as Christians, do we respond to all of this in truth and love?

Author, speaker, and radio show host Dr. Frank Turek is joining me today to talk about all of these questions and many more—including a bunch of personal questions about transgender issues that were submitted by people who follow my Facebook author page (https://www.facebook.com/natashacrainauthor).

Mentioned in the show:

Frank’s latest book: Correct, Not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism (Expanded Third Edition) https://www.amazon.com/Correct-Not-Politically-Same-Sex-Transgenderism/dp/1607087073 OR order from Impact Apologetics (Amazon has been out of stock): https://impactapologetics.com/correct-not-politically-correct-about-same-sex-marriage-and-transgenderism-2023-edition/

Frank’s ministry, Cross Examined: https://crossexamined.org/ 

Cross Examined Instructor Academy: https://crossexamined.org/what-is-cia/ 

Abigail Shrier’s book, Irreversible Damage: https://www.amazon.com/Irreversible-Damage-Transgender-Seducing-Daughters/dp/168451228X/ 

Jordan Peterson’s YouTube interview with detransitioner Chloe Cole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O3MzPeomqs 

Article on research censorship: “My Research on Gender Dysphoria Was Censored. But I Won’t Be.” https://www.thefp.com/p/trans-activists-killed-my-scientific-paper 

Frank’s book, Legislating Morality: Is It Wise? Is It Legal? Is It Possible?: https://www.amazon.com/Legislating-Morality-Wise-Legal-Possible/dp/1592441521/ 

Frank’s article, “Sex at Work”: https://crossexamined.org/sex-at-work/

In her newest book, The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, bestselling author and speaker Nancy Pearcey explains how secularism has villainized the concept of masculinity. For example,  one media researcher analyzed more than 2,000 mass media portrayals of men and found that more than 75 percent of all media representations of men portrayed them as “villains, aggressors, perverts, and philanderers.” How did we get here? How did we get to the point where men are seen so negatively that they’re literally considered by many to be “toxic”? And what does the Bible say about what it means to be a man? Nancy and I dig into these critically important questions in today's episode.

• Learn more about Nancy's work: https://www.nancypearcey.com/
• Purchase The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes: https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-War-Masculinity-Christianity-Reconciles/dp/0801075734
• Follow Nancy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyRPearceyAuthor

How you educate your child should be a very intentional choice--certainly not something you default into just because you haven't considered the various options available. But how is that decision best made from a Christian worldview perspective? In Part 1 of this episode, I walk through 6 key principles to keep in mind, followed by my thoughts on and experiences with homeschool in particular. In the next episode (Part 2), I'll go on to talk about Christian private school and then public school. 

Today I have the honor of talking with someone who I think is one of the best, if not the best, Christian models of navigating this tough culture with grace AND truth. Dr. Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and especially young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. In this episode, we go deep into the question of how we can better balance grace and truth in our interactions with a hostile culture--and also in our interactions with fellow believers.

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

• Unshaken Conference info and tickets: https://unshakenconference.com/
• Unshaken Faith Podcast with Alisa Childers: https://blubrry.com/1470671/
• Sean's website: https://seanmcdowell.org/
• Sean's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SeanMcDowell
• Sean's interview with progressive pastor Brandan Robertson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOTjzVZihfM
• Sean's interview with progressive pastor Colby Martin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXjWhEHpxP0
• Sean's latest book, "A Rebel's Manifesto: Choosing Truth, Real Justice, and Love amid the Noise of Today's World": https://www.amazon.com/Rebels-Manifesto-Choosing-Justice-Todays/dp/1496443926

Cultural Marxism. Equity. Socialism. DEI. CRT. Anti-Racism. Collective Guilt. Christians can no longer stay silent about the divide between the Bible's truth and the world's lies. In today's episode, I talk with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, pastor emeritus of The Moody Church, where he served as senior pastor for 36 years. Dr. Lutzer clearly explains the most prevalent lies today and walks through the reasons we should have the courage to proclaim truth.

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Get Dr. Lutzer's book, No Reason to Hide, here: https://www.amazon.com/No-Reason-Hide-Standing-Collapsing/dp/0736986871

More information and tickets for the Unshaken Conference: https://unshakenconference.com/

Subscribe to my Unshaken Faith Podcast with Alisa Childers: https://blubrry.com/1470671/

Jesus wants us to be humble, but we can misunderstand the nature of that humility and start to believe the world’s claims that we’re being arrogant about things that we’re not being arrogant about. In this episode, I walk you through how to respond to charges of moral arrogance ("Who are you to judge?"), epistemic arrogance ("Who are you to be so confident that you know what’s true better than others?"), and biblical arrogance (“Who are you to think your biblical interpretation is better than mine…or anyone else's?”).

Mentioned in the episode:

Unshaken Conference: https://unshakenconference.com/
Unshaken Faith Podcast with Alisa Childers: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unshaken-faith/id1657921515
My apologetics books: https://natashacrain.com/books/
My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashacrainauthor
My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasharcrain/

Are today’s kids ministries actually helping—or unintentionally hurting—the faith of the next generation?

Today I’m joined by family ministry veteran Dr. Josh Mulvihill for a candid, biblically grounded conversation about seven key problems in modern kids and youth ministry and why Christians can no longer afford to ignore them.

Drawing from Scripture, church history, and current research, Josh challenges some of the most unquestioned assumptions in evangelical churches today, such as age-segregated worship, attractional entertainment models, and the growing confusion between the church’s role and parents’ God-given responsibility to disciple their children.

This conversation is not a hit piece on kids ministry. Both of us love and support children’s and youth ministry when they’re aligned with Scripture. Instead, we hope this episode will be a wake-up call for parents, pastors, grandparents, and church leaders to evaluate how their churches can better reach the next generation.

SHOW NOTES:

Go to summit.org/natasha to learn about Summit Ministries' conferences for kids ages 13-22 and use code NATASHA26 to get $500 off an in-person conference when you register by March 31.

Josh's website and podcast: https://gospelshapedfamily.com/

Josh is the Executive Director of Church and Family Ministry at  Renewanation: https://www.renewanation.org/

Josh is a board member of Awana: https://www.awana.org/

Get Josh's book, "Family Ministry: How Your Church Can Shepherd Parents and Grandparents to Make Disciples": https://www.amazon.com/Family-Ministry-Shepherd-Grandparents-Disciples/dp/1951042093

For more on how Dr. George Barna assesses the worldview of survey respondents, see: https://natashacrain.com/what-is-a-biblical-worldview-with-george-barna/.

Learn more about my three apologetics books for parents and teachers: https://natashacrain.com/books/

Curricula recommended by Josh:
Bright https://britecurriculum.com/
Gospel Story https://martymachowski.com/book/gospel-story-curriculum/

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a popular and fast-growing new movement of Christians who emphasize signs and wonders and teach that God is giving new revelation through new apostles and prophets today. Some churches associated with those teachings have even become household names—you’ve probably heard of the widely influential Bethel Church, for example. But are NAR teachings consistent with the historic Christian faith? That's the question my guest today, Holly Pivec, seeks to answer in her new book, Counterfeit Kingdom: The Dangers of New Revelation, New Prophets, and New Age Practices in the Church, which she co-authored with Biola professor Douglas Geivett.

Holly is a blogger, author, and speaker, as well as a pastor’s wife and homeschooling mom. She has a master’s degree in Christian apologetics from Biola University. She has coauthored three books about the New Apostolic Reformation and writes a popular blog, which you can read at hollypivec.com.

Connect with Holly:  www.hollypivec.com

Order Counterfeit Kingdom: https://www.amazon.com/Counterfeit-Kingdom-Revelation-Prophets-Practices/dp/1087757495

My books:

• Faithfully Different: https://www.amazon.com/Faithfully-Different-Regaining-Biblical-Clarity/dp/0736984291/
• Talking with Your Kids about Jesus: https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Kids-about-Jesus/dp/080107553X
• Talking with Your Kids about God: https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Kids-about-Conversations/dp/0801075521
• Keeping Your Kids on God's Side: https://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Your-Kids-Gods-Side/dp/0736965084 

Connect with me:

• Website and Blog: https://www.natashacrain.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashacrainauthor/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasharcrain/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NatashaCrainAuthor

In today’s secular culture, there is a lot of popular-level wisdom that passes as self-evident truth we should all just accept--statements like live your truth; you are enough; authenticity is everything; God just wants you to be happy; you shouldn’t judge. These are claims about reality that sound good…but are they really good when we define good by the standard of God’s Word?

In today’s show, I’m welcoming back my friend Alisa Childers to talk about the lies we hear in culture and how secular wisdom so often fails. That’s the subject of her brand new book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed.

Connect with Alisa at https://alisachilders.com/.
Grab her new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Live-Your-Truth-Other-Lies/dp/1496455665

My books:

• Faithfully Different: https://www.amazon.com/Faithfully-Different-Regaining-Biblical-Clarity/dp/0736984291/
• Talking with Your Kids about Jesus: https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Kids-about-Jesus/dp/080107553X
• Talking with Your Kids about God: https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Kids-about-Conversations/dp/0801075521
• Keeping Your Kids on God's Side: https://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Your-Kids-Gods-Side/dp/0736965084 

Connect with me on social media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashacrainauthor/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasharcrain/

If you have followed my content for any amount of time in the last year, you have heard me talk repeatedly about the jarring statistics related to the shrinking percent of Americans who have a biblical worldview. I’ve written and talked about a lot of different studies and numbers, but two of the most pertinent data points are these: 65% of Americans self identify as Christians, but research on people’s actual beliefs and behavior shows that only about 6% have a biblical worldview. This huge gap has numerous implications for the church today. 

But how exactly do researchers define a biblical worldview? How do they get to that 6% estimate? In this episode, I get into all the details with Dr. George Barna, who is the Director of Research for Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Research Center.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

2017 Worldview study conducted by the Barna Group and Summit Ministries: https://www.barna.com/research/competing-worldviews-influence-todays-christians/

Research on "syncretism" as top worldview in America:
https://www.arizonachristian.edu/2021/04/13/vast-majority-of-americans-stitch-together-patchwork-worldview-of-conflicting-beliefs-making-syncretism-top-worldview-among-u-s-adults/

Newest research data on the worldview of pastors:
https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CRC_AWVIRelease_07_Digital.pdf

Sign up for research updates from the Cultural Research Center:
https://www.arizonachristian.edu/culturalresearchcenter/latest-research/

There is a crisis of homelessness happening across the country, and many Christians wonder what can and should be done. This is an important question because not all attempts at helping the homeless are equally beneficial nor are they equally consistent with a biblical worldview. Bryan Crain, Chief Operating Officer of the Orange County Rescue Mission, joins me to discuss what helping the homeless looks like from a biblical worldview perspective, how that compares to secular homeless program models (such as "housing first"), and takes a variety of questions about homelessness submitted by my podcast listeners online. (Bryan also happens to be my husband!) If you've ever wondered how to help the homeless you pass by on the streets, this is an episode not to miss.

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

• Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM): https://www.rescuemission.org/
• Video from OCRM graduation (includes several stories of graduates): https://www.rescuemission.org/video/2021-fall-graduation-orange-county-rescue-mission/
• Directory of Gospel Rescue Missions nationwide: https://www.citygatenetwork.org/agrm/Locate_a_Mission.asp
• Donate to OCRM: https://www.rescuemission.org/give-now/

Recommended books: 

• When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
• Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton