Resident Strangers

To kick off this week’s conversation, Sarah asks returning guest Trevor Schalow what first sparked his interest in studying topics like the Nephilim. Trevor shares how experiences his older brother had growing up in Show Low, Arizona revealed to him that many Christians don’t know how to process paranormal or supernatural experiences. Because these topics can feel unsettling or strange, believers often avoid engaging with them alto...

Special guest Trevor Schalow joins Steve and Sarah for a conversation you won’t want to miss as they dive into the mysterious topic of the Nephilim. This is a subject that’s been gaining a lot of traction in today’s culture. While the discussion is fascinating, Steve makes it clear from the start: this isn’t a “line in the sand” theological issue. Faithful believers have landed in different places on this, and the goal is to explor...

Was the apostle Paul the first to deal with something like cancel culture? The idea of “canceling” people has exploded, especially online over the last decade but it’s not entirely new. As Steve, Rich, and Sarah talk it through, Steve points to Paul addressing public correction, particularly when it comes to elders. But even that looked very different back then as the “public” was much smaller and more local. Today, things can spir...

Some things in Scripture are clear and non-negotiable. Others aren’t directly addressed and can feel more open-ended. Have you ever had a friend feel strongly about an issue that didn’t seem like a big deal to you, especially in your faith?

The Bible gives clear direction on many things, but some areas can be harder to sort through. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, we’re reminded: “whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for the g...

This week, we continue the conversation from our previous episode on Sodom and Gomorrah. Rich opens with a powerful reminder from 1 Corinthians: “Bad company corrupts good character.” The truth is, what we surround ourselves with shapes us, often more than we realize. That reality is clearly seen in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and becomes a key theme in today's discussion.

From there, we explore what it looks like to though...

Are there stories in the Bible that feel strange, unsettling, or even a little uncomfortable?

This week, Steve, Rich, and Sarah dive into one of the most infamous accounts in the Old Testament: Sodom and Gomorrah. Sarah jokingly notes that this story didn’t quite make it into her son’s storybook Bible and for those familiar with it, that probably comes as no surprise.

Rich walks through the narrative, carefully outlining the events f...

What would it take to convince your own siblings that you are God?

Robby Lashua is back in the studio with Sarah and Steve for a special Easter episode. With his background in apologetics, Robby brings a compelling and thoughtful perspective on the resurrection. From the empty tomb and the transformed lives of the disciples to the historical reality of the crucifixion and Paul’s dramatic conversion, the evidence points powerfully to...

This week, the conversation around missions continues as Steve, Rich, and Sarah take a deeper look at what mission work really looks like and what it truly requires. Sarah opens up about a decision she faced early in her college years, wrestling with whether she was called to commit to full-time missions. Steve reflects on how, in the past, becoming a missionary meant a complete surrender of your life, and how remarkable it is that...

The Resident Strangers crew is back from spring break and excited to jump back into conversations on topics that matter today! Over the next two weeks, Steve, Rich, and Sarah will be talking about missions.

Rich kicks things off with an important question: Why should followers of Christ engage in mission work at all? The answer becomes clear when we look at the Great Commission: Jesus’ final instruction to His followers to go into t...

Steve is back this week as the Resident Strangers crew wraps up their final conversation on Mormonism (for now 😉). They take time to respond to listener questions like: Why not host a debate with a practicing Mormon? And why can’t people just choose whatever they want to believe?

You’ll also hear Steve share his reflections on the series and offer practical ways believers can take what they’ve learned and live it out in everyday li...

You don’t have to travel across the world to encounter worldviews that challenge Christianity. You can find them right in your own community.

Sarah and Rich sit down again with special guest Robby Lashua, and he kicks things off by sharing why he’s so passionate about apologetics today. As a young boy, Robby wrestled deeply with questions about faith, and one truth shaped his journey: if God is real, He’s big enough to be examined a...

Are Christians and Mormons essentially the same? Robby Lashua joins Sarah and Rich for a focused and insightful conversation on Mormonism. Robby, a longtime friend with a background in apologetics and the Lead Pastor of Palmcroft Church in Phoenix, brings years of knowledge and firsthand experience from living in a region where interactions with Mormons are common.

As Mormonism becomes more visible in culture through media, politics...

Last week, Steve and Rich clarified which parts of Scripture are considered doctrine. This week, they explore what it looks like when a follower of Christ feels convicted to observe Old Hebrew practices. Steve introduces this as the Hebrew Roots Movement, which teaches that modern Christianity has drifted from Jesus’ original teachings and that the Torah should be restored to prominence. This can include rejecting Christian holiday...

Many Christians don’t have a parapet on their roof does that mean they aren’t following God’s leading for daily life? Questions like this highlight a larger conversation about how Scripture should be interpreted. One way this tension shows up is in how some people latch onto specific teachings, particularly from the Old Testament, and apply them directly to modern life. 

In this conversation, Rich and Steve explore how to discern wh...

This week’s episode continues last week’s conversation by asking how a God who shows wrath can also show such deep grace between the Old and New Testament. Steve challenges the idea that the Old and New Testaments present different versions of God, noting that both wrath and grace are found in each. One key difference is focus. The New Testament centers on individuals and how they are called to live like Christ, while the Old Testa...

It’s Tuesday again, which means a new episode of Resident Strangers is here! This week is exciting as the crew begins digging into listener-submitted questions and suggestions. Over the next two episodes, we’re diving into a big one: Is the God of the Old Testament different from the God of the New Testament? Some see stark differences between the two, while others believe God has always been the same.

Steve points out that this que...

Happy New Year and welcome back to Resident Strangers!

A new year naturally invites reflection and a longing for something new. Steve opens the conversation by emphasizing the importance of spiritual self-examination, reminding us how easy it is to let life simply happen to us rather than living with intention. He points to 1 Kings 19, where God asks Elijah, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” This is a question that can still challe...

Merry Christmas from Resident Strangers! This is our final episode of 2025, but don’t worry, Steve, Rich, and Sarah are already working on and planning great conversations for January and the start of 2026.

The crew kicks things off with Christmas excitement (and, of course, a little friendly teasing of Rich, longtime listeners know why! 🎄). In the middle of the laughter, Steve offers some timely pastoral wisdom: don’t miss the sea...

With Thanksgiving just days away, the Resident Strangers crew sat down to reflect on the themes of gratitude and thankfulness. After swapping their own Thanksgiving plans, the conversation shifted toward what it truly means to live with a thankful heart.

Rich shared that growing and maturing in Christ is deeply tied to learning contentment, that gratitude is, in many ways, the opposite of selfishness. Sometimes all it takes is stepp...