Think Deeper

We begin 2026 with a look at an issue that is rapidly becoming one of the most important of the decade.

Across religious, political, and generational lines, views on Israel and the Jewish faith and people are wildly misaligned. We discuss the lay of the land, what is out of bounds, and how to entertain these difficult conversations.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and statistics
05:44 - Kanye, Oc...

We recap the year that was and count down our top 10 storylines, touching on topics such as Charlie Kirk, Israel, the new pope, youth culture (6-7!), sports betting, and more.

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

Join us at focuspress.org/plus to catch the exclusive Deep End episode each week.

Check out our sponsors at cobbpublishing.com

And, join our mailing lists at focuspress...

We discuss the hot controversy regarding whether parents should tell their kids about Santa Claus.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro, and why we're doing an episode on the topic
05:30 - History of St. Nicholas and Santa Claus
08:52 - Is it a lie?
27:32 - Taking it too far: making Santa God, and manipulating behavior
37:40 - Taking it too far: parents overdoing it
49:16 - Romans 14 and disagreeing chari...

"We don't go to church, we ARE the church."

Well, kind of. On this episode, the crew discusses whether the church is the people who go there, the institution, or something in between.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Introducing the question
06:58 - Is the church just the people?
11:32 - "It's not an organization, it's an organism" - true or false?
16:25 - The church requires purpose
31:25 - The community ...

Joe and Will interview Jack about his new book, You Are Saved: The Christian's Assurance.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and announcing Jack's book
05:05 - Why write a book on assurance of salvation?
13:00 - The problem of legalism
20:24 - How lacking assurance keeps us from spiritual maturity
26:10 - Why focusing on doctrinal differences keeps us insecure
35:32 - The problem of overreacting to "fai...

It's our 200th episode! We got together for a wide-ranging discussion across the spectrum of personal, spiritual, work, and more.

Topics include:

- Best marriage improvement books
- Most impactful books
- Christians and Harry Potter
- Where the feminist movement stands today
- Avoiding hypocrisy in leadership
- The proper place of sports, movies, and other hobbies
- Finding time for silence
- T...

Are we doing enough to protect our children from abuse in the church? What about preventing and handling harassment among adults? On this week's Think Deeper, we discuss the alarming statistics surrounding sexual abuse and the crucial steps we must take to safeguard our congregations.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Introductory thoughts and the reason for this episode
08:27 - Statistics and the scope o...

"Hellfire and Brimstone" preaching is often thought of as a relic of Sundays gone by... but should it be? Have we overcorrected and begun to under-emphasize hell? We discuss

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Introductory thoughts
05:40 - Biblical terms for afterlife (Hades, Sheol) and punishment (Gehenna, Tartarus)
13:48 - Jesus' words on hell
20:28 - God's nature and punishment
29:40 - Hell in the epistles
...

With the government shut down set to leave federal SNAP benefits for groceries unfunded, we discuss this issue from a Biblical lens and discuss the church's duty in times like these.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and covering the problem
05:33 - Problems with the program
12:28 - Compassion and its guidelines
17:00 - Biblical principles from Leviticus and 2 Thessalonians
23:30 - Guidelines for chur...

In the wake of leading conservative commentator Tucker Carlson's interview with controversial figure Nick Fuentes, a great debate has been waged online about the matter of "platforming."

Should we have public dialogue with objectionable people? What are the limits? When it comes to the church, where do we draw the line of those we can speak with even if we disagree, and those whom we mus...

In this episodes we examine 5 common challenges in the churches of Christ, and what can be done about them.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and an overview of the church's reputation
05:00 - What is the proper place of emotion in the church?
15:57 - Do we pray enough? Do we know how?
27:50 - Where are we falling short in our Bible study?
36:42 - Why do so many people fail to feel God's grace?
45:58 -...

Jack and Joe continue the discussion of having a backbone, with a practical look at what it takes to stand for truth in life's different situations.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and recap
11:04 - Principles for taking a stand: Have a Biblical moral compass
13:15 - Principles: fear God and not man
18:10 - Principles: love people
22:04 - Principles: prepare to be hated
26:49 - Standing for truth in ...

As C.S. Lewis wrote, "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."

Every virtue we have to possess as Christians is only as good as the courage we have to stand behind it. Yet, we live in a time when courage is in short supply.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of having a backbone.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro and opening thoughts
06:11...

In a world that shoves sexuality in our face every day, the church must not fail to rise to the challenge. We discuss where the Christian response often goes wrong in the church and the home, and what can be done about it.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and announcement
01:48 - The church's shortcomings on this topic
14:13 - How to start an accountability program
19:28 - Teaching beyond just absti...

Marco Arroyo of 'In Between Sundays' joins the show! We discuss:

00:00 - Intro and the church's "YouTuber Mt Rushmore"
02:28 - Getting the CoC to talk to each other
10:36 - How to stay plugged in to the conversations that matter
19:00 - Is the church of Christ an echo chamber?
30:10 - Evangelizing in the digital public square
35:44 - An appeal to get involved
52:03 - Think Fast: Erika Kirk's A...

Charlie Kirk's tragic death has sparked a renewed interest in Christianity in many who were previously indifferent. This week, the crew discusses what the church can do to make this stick and not just be a temporary bounce.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro and reason for optimism
04:20 - Should churches preach on current events?
23:45 - A frank look at the churches of Christ
38:00 - Getting outside o...

The TD crew discusses the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Kirk's work, and the church's response

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro and why this event felt different
09:32 - Rejecting Bothsidesism
18:46 - The courage to point out what's really happening
22:55 - Rejecting Aboveitallism
35:32 - The place of righteous anger
44:50 - Can we stomach difficult realities?
52:00 - What must be done