Stay Free with Russell Brand

chevron_right

The Undeniable Evidence for Christ… | Dr Jeremiah Johnston — SF715

May 12, 2026

Guest

Jeremiah Johnston

Dr Jeremiah J. Johnston, Christian apologist and author of The Jesus Discoveries, brings scholarship and artifacts to the table. He discusses historical evidence for Jesus, the Shroud of Turin, nails and thorns, and how archaeology can ground belief. Conversations also touch on doubt, healing, spiritual warfare, resurrection light, and what minimal faith looks like in an uncertain world.

01:20:59

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Russell Brand's Thames Baptism Moment

Russell describes his recent baptism in the Thames and the personal scrutiny he faced after publicizing his faith.
Jeremiah recalls praying for Russell at that baptism and calls it a surreal, inspirational rebirth moment.

insights

INSIGHT

Criticism Can Signal Faithful Impact

Authentic Christian witness often faces hostility similar to early apostles; being questioned can be a sign of faithful impact.
Johnston compares modern critics of Russell to those who opposed Paul, citing 2 Corinthians and Paul's hardships as precedent.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Use Short Evidence Clips To Reach Young People

Reach the next generation with short, evidence-focused content and bold voices rather than relying on pastors alone.
Johnston says to use nine-second increments and leverage influencers like Russell to pass on faith to his children and peers.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Johnston Welcomes Russell and Baptism Memory

01:50 • 53sec

chevron_right

Doubt, Faith, and the Value of Historical Evidence

02:43 • 3min

chevron_right

John the Baptist's Doubt and Jesus' Response

Why Evidence Matters for the Next Generation

09:13 • 13min

chevron_right

Artifacts: Nails, Thorns, and the Cross

22:15 • 4min

chevron_right

Paul, Romans, and the Demonstration of Love

26:01 • 4min

chevron_right

First-Century Dice and the Gospels' Details

Russell's Struggle Accepting Love

32:43 • 3min

chevron_right

Evidence-Based Faith and Thomas's Request

35:30 • 2min

chevron_right

James, the Brother of Jesus, and Archaeology

37:46 • 3min

chevron_right

Faith: 'Lord, I Believe, Help My Unbelief'

40:38 • 3min

chevron_right

Healing, Personal Testimony, and Hope

43:20 • 2min

chevron_right

What Faith Requires and Its Object

45:31 • 5min

chevron_right

The Shroud of Turin and Resurrection Light

Resurrected Body: Physical Yet Transformed

57:12 • 2min

chevron_right

New Creation Light and Cosmic Redemption

59:28 • 4min

chevron_right

Fixing Eyes on Jesus and Prayer Practice

Spiritual Warfare: Experiences and Responses

01:07:38 • 6min

chevron_right

Practical Tools Against Darkness

01:14:06 • 4min

chevron_right

Final Encouragement and Invitation to Continue

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language

Eugene Peterson

The Message is a paraphrase of the Bible created by Eugene H. Peterson to convey the emotional and cultural impact of the original texts to modern readers using conversational American English. It combines the authority of Scripture with vibrant, dynamic language, reviewed by twenty biblical scholars, and is designed for reading rather than deep doctrinal study. Published in segments from 1993 to 2002, it emphasizes accessibility and the vibrancy of passages like the Psalms and New Testament.

#1035

• Mentioned in 38 episodes

Miracles

C.S. Lewis

In 'Miracles', C.S. Lewis argues that miracles are not statistically anomalous events but rather 'an interference with Nature by supernatural power'. He challenges rationalists and naturalists by presenting a case for the possibility of miracles, defining them as events that do not break the laws of nature but rather operate outside of them. Lewis does not attempt to prove the historical accuracy of Christian miracles but instead lays a philosophical foundation for understanding and accepting the possibility of miracles. The book is a significant work in Christian apologetics, using lucid exposition and illuminating metaphors to make its case.

#3923

• Mentioned in 13 episodes

How to Become a Christian in Seven Days*

How to Become a Christian in 7 Days

Russell Brand

In this book, New York Times bestselling author Russell Brand shares his dramatic journey from hedonistic fame, addiction, and personal crises—including false allegations and his son's heart surgery—to an instantaneous encounter with Christ. Structured around a seven-day framework mirroring Genesis creation and the 12 Steps of recovery, each day explores themes like honesty, hope, faith, courage, perseverance, spirituality, and service, offering readers a grounded yet psychedelic path to faith amid cultural collapse.

#1154

• Mentioned in 36 episodes

The Jesus Discoveries

Dr. Jeremiah Johnston

Dr. Jeremiah Johnston's 'The Jesus Discoveries' examines archaeological and historical evidence related to Jesus, including artifacts and scholarly findings that affirm the New Testament accounts. The book aims to strengthen Christian faith by presenting tangible discoveries—such as burial sites and ancient manuscripts—that point to Jesus' historical reality. Johnston writes for a general audience, connecting scholarly research to practical apologetics useful for evangelism. The work seeks to bridge academic scholarship and everyday faith, offering readers reasons to trust the gospel narrative. It is presented as a resource both for personal encouragement and for equipping Christians to share their faith.

#484

• Mentioned in 66 episodes

The case for Christ

a journalist's personal investigation of the evidence for Jesus

Lee Strobel

In 'The Case for Christ,' Lee Strobel, a former atheist and investigative journalist, conducts a comprehensive investigation into the claims of Jesus Christ. Using his background in law and journalism, Strobel interviews over a dozen experts with doctorates from prestigious institutions like Cambridge, Princeton, and Brandeis. He delves into questions such as the reliability of the New Testament, the existence of evidence for Jesus outside the Bible, and the validity of Jesus' resurrection. The book is a detailed and readable exploration of the evidence for Christ's divinity, making it a compelling resource for apologetics and those seeking to understand the Christian faith.

I'm sitting down with Dr. Jeremiah J. Johnston, Christian apologist, author of The Jesus Discoveries, to explore some of the biggest questions at the heart of faith: doubt, evidence, suffering and what it really means to believe in a world that feels increasingly unstable. Themes include the historical case for Jesus, the Shroud of Turin, spiritual warfare, miracles, anxiety, institutional power and whether Christianity can still offer something solid in an age of confusion and distrust. Beneath it all sits a deeper conversation about faith and uncertainty, what sustains belief under pressure, and whether truth is something we feel, discover or are transformed by.

Order my new book 'How to Become Christian in 7 Days' at TuckerCarlsonbooks.com Get Jeremiah's new book 'The Jesus Discoveries' at https://bit.ly/JesusDiscoveries

If you want to support the show and take care of yourself properly—without turning your bathroom into a laboratory—go to tryreborn.com.

It's the Reborn store: supplements, skincare, daily essentials… simple, effective, and made for people who are trying to stay strong while the world does whatever this is.

Go check out tryreborn.com and grab what you need

Home Top podcasts Popular guests Top books