Thinking Christian: Clear Theology for a Confusing World
Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ. Find more from James at https://usefultogod.com/.
Episodes
In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Greg Quiggle to continue the German Reformation series—this time focusing on Martin Luther’s years in Erfurt and the startling turn that led him into the Augustinian monastery.
Luther wasn’t headed toward ministry. He was a brilliant student on track for law, positioned to become his father’s “golden ticket&rd...
In this first episode of a new Thinking Christian series on the German Reformation, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Greg Quiggle—a historian, former Moody Bible Institute professor, and leader of Tours for Ten—to set the stage for the world that produced Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformation.
Before you can understand Luther, you have to understand the world Luther lived in: a ...
What does it look like for Christians to pursue multicultural unity without flattening real differences—or turning ethnicity into an ultimate identity? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by recurring guest
Counseling and the Church: How Pastors and Congregations Should Work Together (Dr. Steve Stuhlreyer)
Pastors are carrying more emotional and spiritual weight than most congregations realize—and many churches still treat counseling and discipleship as if they’re separate worlds. In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Read more
Why do so many Christians feel like they’re “bad at prayer”? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Addison Bevere (President of Messenger International) to talk about prayer as...
Is discipleship mainly about trying harder—or is it something God does in us?
In this short, focused segment on the Thinking Christian Podcast, Roger Ross explains why the Holy Spirit is the prime mover in the entire work of Christian disc...
How do Christian parents raise kids with wisdom in a culture shaped by pornography, confusion about gender, and broken ideas about relationships—without living in “hair-on-fire” panic?
In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, James Spencer sits down with L...
Before angels sing over Bethlehem in Luke 2, two other voices break into song—Mary and Zechariah. In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer continues the “Thinking Christian about Christmas” series by walking through Luke 1:39–79, where Mary visits Elizabeth, John the Baptist leaps in the womb, and two rich, Scripture-satur...
What kind of hope can actually sustain racial justice work over decades—not just months? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer is joined by anthropologist and author Dr. Christine Jeske to talk about her new book, Racial Justice for the Long ...
As technology offers us endless ways to be “present” without actually being there, what does it mean for Christians to imitate the incarnation of Christ? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer explores the often-overlooked ethical and theological dimensions of the incarnation—not just that “the Word became flesh,” ...
Every two years, Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research release The State of Theology—a massive survey that reveals what Americans (including evangelicals) actually believe about God, the Bible, Jesus, and culture. The 2025 report is out, and some of the numbers are… surprising.
In this episode of
James welcomes Dylan (founder of Varsity Skateboarding & leader of Skate Church KC) and co-host Nate to unpack how skateparks have become mission fields. They cover why skating is exploding post-Olympics, what makes a skatepark a “safe space,” and a practical...
In a season filled with noise, outrage, and “cancel culture,” is there still room for real joy? In this Christmas episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer invites you to slow down, listen, and remember. He begins with a personal memory of reading the Christmas story in church as a teenager, then simply does the same for you—reading Luke ...
At Christmas, Christians often quote Isaiah 7:14—“the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son”—but few pause to ask what that verse meant for King Ahaz before it pointed to Christ. In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer walks through the political and spiritual crisis facing Judah, the rising Assyrian threat, and Aha...
In this episode of Thinking Christian, I sit down with Dr. Tanita Maddox—National Director of Generational Impact for Young Life and author of What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God. Drawing from years of research and on-the-ground ministry, Tanita helps untangle the unique worldview of Gen Z and why many of our &ldqu...
In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Daniel (Danny) Zacharias and Dr. Christopher Hoklotubbe, co-authors of Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation. Together they explore how Indigenous perspectives can help Christians read Scr...
In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer welcomes back Sathiya Sam—CEO and founder of Deep Clean Coaching—to talk about pornography addiction, sexual integrity, and the power of Christian community in lasting recovery. Sathiya shares his own story of breaking free from pornography after years of struggle as a pastor&...
In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer talks with J.R. Briggs—founder of Kairos Partnerships and author of The Art of Asking Better Questions: Pursuing Stronger Relationships, Healthier Leadership, and Deeper Faith. Together they explore why the questions we ask of God, ourselves, and others s...
In this episode of Thinking Christian, I sit down with Pieter Valk—founder and director of Equip and a founding brother of an ecumenical monastery in Nashville—to talk about what it really means to follow Jesus as single men and women in the church. Pieter shares how his ministry equips churches and parents to care well for people who experience...
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