Worldview Legacy | The Think Institute

If, like me (Joel Settecase), you are someone who is in regular conversation with people who don’t believe the same things you do, you know that sometimes those conversations can get heated. In fact, they can become all-out, head-on collisions of worldviews—your Christian worldview vs. their non-Christian worldview. And of course this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Healthy, robust, respectful debate has been a hallmark of Christian evangelism for hundreds of years. However, it does bring up some needs. One, you need to have a strong confidence that God’s word is actually true. Two, you need to possess skills to express the truth of God’s word in a way that will “demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Co 10:4b-5). And three, you need to root your communication in biblical love—of God and your discussion partner. So then, wouldn’t it be great if there were an argument that allowed you do all three? In this episode of the ThinkPod, you’ll hear me interview noted apologist, Sye Ten Bruggencate, about exactly that kind of argument. If you’re already familiar with Presuppositional Apologetics, you will appreciate how he expresses the approach in a way you probably haven’t heard before. If you’re brand new to Presup, though, this may prove a great starting point to get into this way of defending the truth of the Christian message. Specifically, you’ll learn why “The fear of the Lord” is so important, and how it factors into not only epistemology (knowledge) but also apologetics (defense of the faith). Check out Sye Ten Bruggencate’s website here for more apologetics resources. I especially like the “Other Worldviews” section. Get the full show notes here: https://thethink.institute/podcast.

Feeling exhausted, perplexed, or just beat down by the events of 2020 and the first week of 2021? Here’s a (refreshed and remastered for 2021) conversation Joel had with Joe Thorn about the ever-important topic of how theology can restore your soul. In this episode from the archives, Joe Thorn, author of several books, host of the Doctrine and Devotion Podcast, and lead pastor of Redeemer Fellowship,  joins Joel Settecase to talk about theology, burn-out, and God’s word—and how they all tie together. You will really hear Joe’s pastoral heart come out, as well as his extensive knowledge of how the theology you know can impact your mental, spiritual and emotional state. You’re not going to want to miss this. SUBSCRIBE to get equipped to explain, share and defend the Christian message! http://tinyurl.com/thinknetwork. Have you heard of our newest podcast, “Answer Anyone with Sye Ten Bruggencate?” If not, you’re going to want to check that out right here—and consider supporting our work! Get the full show notes at http://thethink.institute/podcast

The Doctrine of the Virgin Birth is a doctrine held dearly by Christians and often ridiculed by skeptics. If you want to learn how to explain and defend the truth of the Virgin Birth, watch this conversation between the Reverend David Instone-Brewer and theologian Joel Settecase. In this episode of the Think Institute Podcast, you'll learn at least two strong reasons that support the Christian belief that Mary, Jesus' mother, was actually a virgin when she delivered him. Get the full show notes here: https://thethink.institute/articles/yes-mary-really-was-a-virgin-christmas-apologetics.

The Lord of the Rings is a timeless work. It's an absolutely classic that will be cherished for generations to come... but is it a Christian story? Can we learn anything about the Gospel by reading it? And just what does it mean for a story to be Christian, anyway? Joel's guest today is Michael Jahosky. Michael is assistant professor of Humanities at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, Florida. Michael, a Roman Catholic, also teaches apologetics classes in a local (Protestant) church and is involved in campus ministry. Michael's academic background is in classical (Greek/Roman) and biblical history, as well as philosophy, theology, and the arts. He earned his two bachelor degrees from university of Central Florida and holds a Master's from University of South Florida. Michael routinely includes the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis in his Humanities classes. He is the author of the brand new book, The Good News of the Return of the King: The Gospel in Middle Earth, and he joins us today to help us answer the question: Just How Christian Is the Lord of the Rings? Subscribe to the Think Update for tips and tools for your spiritual journey, delivered straight to your inbox: thethink.institute/think-updates Get the full show notes at https://thethink.institute/podcast.

Jordan Peterson says that the best men he knows are dangerous. And yet, for many, our conception of the archetypical Christian man is one who is gentle, even harmless. After all, wasn't even Jesus meek and mild while he was on earth?   In this episode, Joel and Pastor Raef will tackle the "impossible" question of whether it's better to be harmless or dangerous, whether we should learn to think like the enemy, and what exactly Jesus meant when he said "The meek shall inherit the earth." Given all that's going on in the world, is it time for Christians to become more dangerous? Tune in to this MUST-LISTEN Worldview Wednesday episode of the Think Institute Podcast to find out.  Catch Pastor Raef's podcast, "The Christian Optimist" at https://raefchenery.com/podcast. Get the full show notes at https://thethink.institute/podcast.

Should we consider the possibility that the novel coronavirus is somehow nature's revenge for the way we humans have been treating our environment? Recent remarks from Prince Harry would indicate so. Similarly, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has lamented that people have been waging a "suicidal war" on the planet. Could Covid-19 be nature's way of returning fire? Joel and Pastor Raef dig into these questions today and explain whether it makes sense to think of "Mother Nature" as a thing, and whether she/it can retaliate against us. This will be fun. Get the full show notes at https://thethink.institute/podcast.

Help us equip believers! Make a tax-deductible gift for Giving Tuesday to the Think Institute right here.  Did you hear the news? Pureflix has now been bought out by Sony, and with that news, people are talking about Christian movies and entertainment. When that happens, certain questions rise to the surface: What kind of entertainment should Christians enjoy? Why do so many Christian movies seem like cheaper knock-offs of secular films? Is it possible for the church to regain the artistic excellence of bygone eras? Welcome to the Think institute Podcast with Joel Settecase, I’m Joel Settecase. And today’s impossible question is, “What Should Be The Christian’s Approach to Movies and Entertainment? To help answer this question and more is Marcus Pittman, the film maker and show runner known for films like "Babies Are Murdered Here" and "How to Answer the Fool." He's also the Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of LOOR.TV, and he joins Joel to talk about culture, entertainment, and whether we're really ready for a new standard in Christian movies and entertainment. Get the full show notes at https://thethink.institute/podcast.

This episode is brought to you by Catakids. Get your copy from Amazon, or learn more (and get a free PDF version) here, and keep discipling your kids. As part of our desire to equip believers to make disciples, we talk on the podcast about how to have a good family worship time. Do you have a family Thanksgiving worship tradition? In this episode, Joel Settecase (with some help from a few of his kids) lays out a helpful, 4-step guide for getting started in establishing one. Lord willing this will be quick, easy, and helpful to you for years to come. Get the full show notes and a free 4-step guide to starting your own Christian Thanksgiving family worship order, here. 

Today Joel is joined by his own father, Jim "Pops" Settecase. Jim Settecase is the author of over 110 books(!) and the CEO of Beyond Carpet Cleaning. Today he drops by the Think Institute Podcast to tell his own story and reveal how a regular guy can share the hope of Jesus Christ with the people he meets every day. Do not miss this family affair, brought to you by the Think Institute. Get the full show notes at https://thethink.institute/articles/ayns7edb6sot82aho25j11rj60eiff.

Joel and Pastor Raef answer a few questions from the proverbial mailbag. Questions include matters related to abortion and imposing Christian morality on the state, and how to approach someone with biblical concepts, when they don't believe the Bible. Get the full show notes at https://thethink.institute/podcast.