On this episode, I am glad to welcome pastor and author Mike McKinley to discuss his newest book Friendship with God: A Path to Deeper Fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Mike’s book presents a simple, practical guide to pursuing a stronger relationship with God. He does this by reflecting on the classic book Communion with God by John Owen and sharing those insights in an accessible way.

Mike McKinley (MDiv, Westminster Theological Seminary) is the senior pastor of Sterling Park Baptist Church in Sterling, Virginia. He is the author of a number of books, including Am I Really a Christian? and Church Planting Is for Wimps. He and his wife, Karen, have five children and live in Northern Virginia.

Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming back historian and professor Glenn Sunshine, who specializes in the Reformation era and has authored several books on Christianity and culture. He's here to talk to us about his latest book, 32 Christians Who Changed Their World, which highlights the lives of lesser-known individuals who made a significant impact for the kingdom of God. From Vikings to queens to founding fathers, Glenn shares with us why he chose to focus on these individuals and what we can learn from their stories. This conversation was a blast and I am sure you will enjoy it.

In this episode, I’m glad to welcome Bill Myers, an award-winning author, filmmaker, and creator of the hit TV series McGee & Me. Bill shares his journey as a writer, from his early days of submitting scripts to television networks to his current book series, The Magnificent Mulligans.

We explore the genesis of McGee & Me, the beloved show that blended live-action with animation to teach kids about faith and morals. We also delve into Bill's thoughts on the state of modern media, from the lack of creativity to the need for discernment with what our children watch. He shares his views on the importance of creating meaningful content that engages audiences and inspires them to think deeply about the world around them. Whether you're a fan of Bill's work or simply interested in the art of storytelling, this episode is sure to provide plenty of insights and inspiration.

I’m thrilled to have Melissa Cain Travis as our guest on today’s episode. Melissa's work explores how science and faith can intersect, and how this intersection can lead to a deeper understanding of both. In today's episode, we will be discussing the life and work of Johannes Kepler, and how his faith influenced his scientific discoveries. We'll also be exploring the ways in which science and faith can converge, and how this convergence can deepen our understanding of the world around us.

The real story of Saint Patrick is a fascinating tale of the gospel’s power and a missionary’s faithfulness. Sadly, many people today don’t know anything more about St. Patrick than shamrocks and green beer. I’m glad to welcome Ned Bustard to the podcast to discuss his new book Saint Patrick the Forgiver and what we can learn from the real story.

Os Guinness returns to the show to share about his newest book Signals of Transcendence. We discussed the idea of a signal of transcendence and look at the lives of several notable figures to see how the signals played a role in their conversion. Os tells us about the stories of C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, W. H. Auden, and others. We also talked about what the signals mean and how to recognize them in your life.

In June of 2022, we saw the momentous Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Abortion has been a hotly contested issue ever since the Roe decision, but many people don’t realize that there is a history of abortion that goes beyond 1973. On this episode of Filter I am glad to welcome Leah Savas to discuss this history from her recent book co-authored with Marvin Olasky titled The Story of Abortion in America.

I’m excited to welcome Timothy Pickavance to the show. We discussed his new book Knowledge for the Love of God. We talked about the meaning of faith and why it is not contrary to knowledge. Tim also shows us how knowledge is necessary for the Christian life and growing in our relationship with God.

In Mark 11:22-24 Jesus said, “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for ​— ​believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” This passage speaks to an uncommon faith that leads to great prayer. I have often wrestled with these verses, as it challenges my own weakness in prayer. What does it mean to have faith in God in prayer as Jesus speaks of here?

Today’s episode is a recent sermon that I preached that attempts to answer this question. I explain what faith in prayer does not mean and how verses such as these have been misused by false teachers. After we look at the negative examples, I defined what it means to have faith in God in prayer. I also share how you can grow in your faith in prayer. My study and preparation for this message have been incredibly beneficial to my prayer life and I hope it is to yours as well.

In John 3, Jesus told Nicodemus that in order to enter the Kingdom of God one must be born of water and of the Spirit. Later in the book of Acts, we read about Christians being baptized and receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Baptism in the Spirit is a theological topic many believers are unaware of or unclear on. Depending on your church background, the issue might be accompanied by baggage from bad teaching. My guest on today’s show is here to help us have clarity and understanding on this conversation. His name is Joe Miller and we discussed his latest book One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: Spirit Baptism and Christian Unity.

On today’s episode, I’m glad to welcome Paul Gould. Paul and I discussed his latest book A Good and True Story: Eleven Clues to Understanding Our Universe and Your Place In It. He shares with us how we all inhabit a story and that within the story we inhabit there are signs that point us to the meaning of our story. Paul walks us through the implications of the various stories we might believe about our lives and the signs that point us to the good and true story.

Every Christian should endeavor to be the best steward of his life that he can be. We ought to honor God with our souls, worship, possessions, and our body. Stewardship of our body includes not just resisting sinful temptations but also treating it well with healthy habits. I’ve discovered that one of the best ways to learn about caring for our bodies well is by learning it from the people who do it the best. That’s why I’m glad to welcome Brandon Luckett to the show to discuss fitness, health, and how caring for our bodies aids our walk with God.

How should Christians understand and apply the Old Testament law? Many Christians are bewildered by the law sections of the Old Testament and sadly tend to ignore them. My guest on today’s show wants to help us to understand the law and its applications to us today. His name is Richard E. Averbeck and we discussed his new book The Old Testament Law for the Life of the Church: Reading the Torah in the Light of Christ.

In the summer of 2020, we saw chaos, riots, and violence on American streets. The fire in the streets was paired with the message that Western culture is fundamentally divided into “oppressed” and “oppressor.” Ever since, we have been hearing leaders in government, media, medicine, higher education, and even the church tell us how we ought to right these wrongs through radical programs of antiracism, gender theory, and equity.

Dr. Groothuis’s latest book Fire In The Streets is his response to these ideologies. What can we do amidst all the controversies over race and gender in society today? Do we have anything constructive to offer the world? As Jesus’ followers, we do, and this book shows the way.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and do a live interview with Dr. Douglas Groothuis on his latest book Fire In The Streets. We had a great conversation covering a wide range of topics including conservatism, Marxism, critical race theory, Christian political engagement, and more.

For decades, Christians in China have been oppressed the persecuted by a communist state. In spite of this opposition, the underground church there has continued to grow and thrive. We frequently hear the stories of their persecutions and courage, but it is a rare privilege to get to learn from the leaders of the Chinese church. That’s why I am so excited about a new book called Faithful Disobedience and the opportunity to talk with the editor of this new book Hannah Nation. In this conversation, we learn about some of the leaders of the Chinese house church movement and what they believe.

For many people, their job merely feels like a daily grind. But what if our vocations are a primary means of experiencing God’s purpose in our lives? On today’s show, I welcome Bryan Chapell to discuss his new book Grace at Work. We talk about how work is a vital way that we fulfill God’s purpose for us, as well as show his grace to those around us. Bryan shows us how we bear God’s image in our work and express the kingdom.

We have recently seen a number of once-prominent Christian leaders—as well as a number of believers online—announce that they are “deconstructing” their faith. Sadly, this deconstruction is often succeeded by a de-conversion. They embrace the position that orthodox, biblical Christianity is outdated, boring, or repressive. My guest on today’s show argues against the deconstructionist position and those who would substitute historic, biblical orthodoxy for modern heresy. His name is Trevin Wax and we discussed his latest book The Thrill of Orthodoxy.

Os Guinness returns to the show to discuss his latest book Zero Hour America: History's Ultimatum over Freedom and the Answer We Must Give. We discussed the crisis of freedom in Western society, the nature of freedom, and what freedom requires.

The calling of parenthood is to raise our children in the fear of the Lord. Yet, as all Christian parents know, this calling is easily lost in the chaos of life. We are juggling the various responsibilities of our households and the shifting challenges of raising our kids. In the midst of all this, how are we to teach our children to love God? My guest on today’s show is Sarah Cowan Johnson, the author of Teach Your Children Well, and she helps us to accept the calling of parenthood with wisdom and faith.

Doubt is an experience in every person’s life—including the life of Christians. Yet, many of us are unwilling to acknowledge our doubts, or we are afraid of seeking help for our doubts because we fear that it reflects poorly on our faith. Therefore, too many believers will suppress their doubts with denial or eventually surrender to them in hopelessness. My guest on today’s show argues that doubt is not necessarily bad. He says that it is a common experience to us all and that if we lean into it, then we might actually find our faith strengthened on the other side of doubt. His name is Travis Dickinson and we discussed his latest book Wandering Towards God: Finding Faith Amid Doubts and Big Questions.