Hi friend! Thank you so much for downloading this podcast of In the Market with Janet Parshall, and I sincerely hope you hear something that will encourage you, edify you, enlighten you, equip you, and then we'll get you out the door into the marketplace of ideas. But before you go, let me tell you a little bit about this month's truth tool. It's written by a man who is a chronic doubter. Doctor Bobby Conway was a Christian, and after years he began doubting his own faith. As a result of that, he's come out now stronger, fully committed to the validity and the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but keenly aware of the kinds of questions that chronic doubters ask. So in his book, Does Christianity Still Make sense? Doctor Conway does a superb job of telling us how we can answer 20 of the most difficult questions you and I will ever be asked about Christianity. Questions like why are there so many scandals in the church? And aren't Christians just a bunch of hypocrites? And why does God allow evil in the world? Is there really reliable evidence for the existence of God? This is a must read for everyone who wants to know how to contend for the faith when they get out there in the marketplace of ideas. This is this month's truth tool, and it's my way of saying thank you. When you give a gift of any amount to in the market with Janet Parshall, just call 877 Janet 58. That's 877 Janet 58 and ask for your copy of Does Christianity Still Make sense? And I'll gladly send it off to you as my way of saying thank you for financially supporting this program. You can also give online just go to in the market with Janet parshall.org. Scroll to the bottom of the page. There's the cover of the book. Click on Make Your Donation online. And likewise you'll also get a copy of Does Christianity Still make Sense? While you're there, consider becoming a partial partner. Those are my group of friends who give every single month at a level of their own choosing. They always get the truth tool of the month every month, as long as they're a partial partner. And they will also get a weekly newsletter from me that includes some of my writing and an audio piece just for my partial partners. So pray about it. Consider a one time gift or an ongoing contributor to the program by becoming a partial partner. 877 Janet 58. That's 877. Janet 58. Or online at In the Market with Janet parshall.org. Thanks so much. And now please enjoy the broadcast. Hi friends. This is Janet Parshall and I want to welcome you to the best of in the market. Today's program is prerecorded so our phone lines are not open. But I do hope you'll enjoy today's edition of the Best of In the Market with Janet Parshall.

Hi friend! Thank you so much for downloading this podcast of In the Market with Janet Parshall, and I sincerely hope you hear something that will encourage you, edify you, enlighten you, equip you, and then we'll get you out the door into the marketplace of ideas. But before you go, let me tell you a little bit about this month's truth tool. It's written by a man who is a chronic doubter. Doctor Bobby Conway was a Christian, and after years he began doubting his own faith. As a result of that, he's come out now stronger, fully committed to the validity and the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but keenly aware of the kinds of questions that chronic doubters ask. So in his book, Does Christianity Still Make sense? Doctor Conway does a superb job of telling us how we can answer 20 of the most difficult questions you and I will ever be asked about Christianity. Questions like why are there so many scandals in the church? And aren't Christians just a bunch of hypocrites? And why does God allow evil in the world? Is there really reliable evidence for the existence of God? This is a must read for everyone who wants to know how to contend for the faith when they get out there in the marketplace of ideas. This is this month's truth tool, and it's my way of saying thank you. When you give a gift of any amount to in the market with Janet Parshall, just call 877 Janet 58. That's 877 Janet 58 and ask for your copy of Does Christianity Still Make sense? And I'll gladly send it off to you as my way of saying thank you for financially supporting this program. You can also give online just go to in the market with Janet parshall.org. Scroll to the bottom of the page. There's the cover of the book. Click on Make Your Donation online. And likewise you'll also get a copy of Does Christianity Still make Sense? While you're there, consider becoming a partial partner. Those are my group of friends who give every single month at a level of their own choosing. They always get the truth tool of the month every month, as long as they're a partial partner. And they will also get a weekly newsletter from me that includes some of my writing and an audio piece just for my partial partners. So pray about it. Consider a one time gift or an ongoing contributor to the program by becoming a partial partner. 877 Janet 58. That's 877. Janet 58. Or online at In the Market with Janet parshall.org. Thanks so much. And now please enjoy the broadcast. Hi friends. This is Janet Parshall and I want to welcome you to the best of in the market. Today's program is prerecorded so our phone lines are not open. But I do hope you'll enjoy today's edition of the Best of In the Market with Janet Parshall.

Here are some of the news headlines we're watching.

Here are some of the news headlines we're watching.

The conference was over. The president won a pledge.

The conference was over. The president won a pledge.

Americans worshiping government over God.

Americans worshiping government over God.

My extremely.

My extremely.

Rare safety move.

Rare safety move.

By a major.

By a major.

17 years. The Palestinians and Israelis negotiated.

17 years. The Palestinians and Israelis negotiated.

This is not over.

This is not over.

Hi, friends. Welcome to In the Market with Janet Parshall. So good to have you with us this hour. We're going to talk about contending for the faith, that little word and that little book called Jude that's so very important. We start out every broadcast with our audio representation of the marketplace of ideas. Why? Because that's where we were told to go. Yeah, yeah. We don't get to skirt around it. Uh, there is no detour. There's no pass. There's no opt out clause. We're supposed to go into all the world, the world of the marketplace of ideas, and we are to contend for the faith. Oh, a whole bunch of other things. Influence and occupy. Let our light so shine. Uh, the list goes on and on and on. But, you know, one of the central questions that you and I are going to find when we're out there being ambassadors for Christ. And by the way, if that title doesn't take your breath away, you need to come to my town of Washington, DC. We got a whole section of this town called Ambassador Row. They're gorgeous houses, and outside of every building, the flag of that particular nation snaps in the wind. And the reason they're there is to advance the values of their kingdom. That's exactly what you and I are called to do. We don't represent a country. We represent a king. And we're going to get some pushback. Because not everything the world has heard about our king is right or true and good. And so sometimes we're going to have to grapple with the question of whether or not Christianity is right and good and true, and whether or not, come to think of it, it even makes any sense. So we're going to get pushback like, yeah, but it's what I call the yeah, but theology out there. Yeah, yeah I know, but there's so many scandals in the church. Yeah yeah I know, but aren't Christians homophobes? Yeah, yeah I know, but and the list goes on and on and on. Like, why is there evil and suffering and the list goes on. So how do we answer those kinds of questions? Because if you haven't left your little tent, this program is designed to gently, firmly, consistently nudge you out there to get out of your tent, but more importantly, to be prepared to give a reason for the hope that resides within you. So when I get a book on my desk for review, that's called Does Christianity Still Make Sense? Subtitle A former Skeptic Responds to Today's Toughest Objections to Christianity I didn't walk, I ran to see if Bobby Conway could join me once again. I loved our previous conversation and I'm thrilled he's back with me one more time. He serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He's well known for his YouTube ministry. Christianity still makes sense. That's a declarative statement, by the way. You may have seen it when it was called One Minute Apologist. The title may have changed. The content is still superb. He also serves as the co-host of Pastors Perspective, that is a nationally syndicated program that comes out of Southern California, and Bobby is the author of several books, including The Fifth Gospel. Not to be confused with The Fifth Element that was a movie doubting toward faith. He's got a PhD in philosophy of religion from the University of Birmingham in England, and again, his brand new book is called Does Christianity Still Make Sense? A former skeptic responds to today's toughest objections to Christianity. Bobby, the warmest of welcomes. Thank you for something that you're giving me. I can't give you back, which is the gift of one hour of your time. And I want to just kind of slay some dragons here, right out of the gate with a fellow who has a PhD in philosophy of religion and does a YouTube channel and has a co-host program that gets nationally syndicated across the country. The last thing that would come to people's mind when they get their impressions of Bobby Conway is going to be, oh yeah, this guy was once a skeptic. I want to get into that part of the subtitle right away. You knew a lot about Christianity. What turned you off?

Hi, friends. Welcome to In the Market with Janet Parshall. So good to have you with us this hour. We're going to talk about contending for the faith, that little word and that little book called Jude that's so very important. We start out every broadcast with our audio representation of the marketplace of ideas. Why? Because that's where we were told to go. Yeah, yeah. We don't get to skirt around it. Uh, there is no detour. There's no pass. There's no opt out clause. We're supposed to go into all the world, the world of the marketplace of ideas, and we are to contend for the faith. Oh, a whole bunch of other things. Influence and occupy. Let our light so shine. Uh, the list goes on and on and on. But, you know, one of the central questions that you and I are going to find when we're out there being ambassadors for Christ. And by the way, if that title doesn't take your breath away, you need to come to my town of Washington, DC. We got a whole section of this town called Ambassador Row. They're gorgeous houses, and outside of every building, the flag of that particular nation snaps in the wind. And the reason they're there is to advance the values of their kingdom. That's exactly what you and I are called to do. We don't represent a country. We represent a king. And we're going to get some pushback. Because not everything the world has heard about our king is right or true and good. And so sometimes we're going to have to grapple with the question of whether or not Christianity is right and good and true, and whether or not, come to think of it, it even makes any sense. So we're going to get pushback like, yeah, but it's what I call the yeah, but theology out there. Yeah, yeah I know, but there's so many scandals in the church. Yeah yeah I know, but aren't Christians homophobes? Yeah, yeah I know, but and the list goes on and on and on. Like, why is there evil and suffering and the list goes on. So how do we answer those kinds of questions? Because if you haven't left your little tent, this program is designed to gently, firmly, consistently nudge you out there to get out of your tent, but more importantly, to be prepared to give a reason for the hope that resides within you. So when I get a book on my desk for review, that's called Does Christianity Still Make Sense? Subtitle A former Skeptic Responds to Today's Toughest Objections to Christianity I didn't walk, I ran to see if Bobby Conway could join me once again. I loved our previous conversation and I'm thrilled he's back with me one more time. He serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He's well known for his YouTube ministry. Christianity still makes sense. That's a declarative statement, by the way. You may have seen it when it was called One Minute Apologist. The title may have changed. The content is still superb. He also serves as the co-host of Pastors Perspective, that is a nationally syndicated program that comes out of Southern California, and Bobby is the author of several books, including The Fifth Gospel. Not to be confused with The Fifth Element that was a movie doubting toward faith. He's got a PhD in philosophy of religion from the University of Birmingham in England, and again, his brand new book is called Does Christianity Still Make Sense? A former skeptic responds to today's toughest objections to Christianity. Bobby, the warmest of welcomes. Thank you for something that you're giving me. I can't give you back, which is the gift of one hour of your time. And I want to just kind of slay some dragons here, right out of the gate with a fellow who has a PhD in philosophy of religion and does a YouTube channel and has a co-host program that gets nationally syndicated across the country. The last thing that would come to people's mind when they get their impressions of Bobby Conway is going to be, oh yeah, this guy was once a skeptic. I want to get into that part of the subtitle right away. You knew a lot about Christianity. What turned you off?

Well, Janet, I have been so looking forward to this conversation with you. I so much enjoyed the one we had years back, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you and your audience. And as it relates to my journey. Yeah, I mean, I became a Christian at 19, but what happens a lot of times, I think, Janet, is when you're young, you don't even really know what questions to ask. And so, you know, for me, I wanted to off my guilt and find some purpose in life. And Christianity made sense for doing that. But somewhere along the line, when I took my attic personality, when I got clean, I did over 400 meetings of sobriety. In my first year as a youngster, I just took that addict brain and threw it into studies, and I would go on to get, you know, a four year master's degree and two doctorate degrees. And somewhere along the way, I started questioning whether I had been duped and what was causing some of that. Um, it was prematurely committing to theological positions without considering the alternative. So what can happen is if somebody becomes a believer at a midweek service, let's say if they have those anymore, and then if if they go to a membership class on Sunday, well, depending upon which denomination they're a part of, they might be signing off on some long doctrinal list in their read, you know, a simple statement, and then they sign on it and they've just committed to a bunch of theology that they've never even studied. And there are some denominations that don't even let people know the other alternative views that still fit within Orthodoxy. And so what can happen is, is when you commit to positions prematurely and then you start reading alternative viewpoints, then that process can start wearing you down and you start asking, well, does Christianity make sense? And this is what happened to me. Uh, I was, uh, it took me to a place, Janet, where I ended up on antidepressants. I was suicidal, I felt such pressure because I was a pastor and an apologist. I ended up in counseling. I mean, it was overwhelming. And the reason it hurt so bad is because Jesus meant so much to me. But I wasn't like some progressive Christian wanting to run away from it. I just wanted to know, how do I live with this snowball of questions that were hammering me with doubt?

Well, Janet, I have been so looking forward to this conversation with you. I so much enjoyed the one we had years back, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you and your audience. And as it relates to my journey. Yeah, I mean, I became a Christian at 19, but what happens a lot of times, I think, Janet, is when you're young, you don't even really know what questions to ask. And so, you know, for me, I wanted to off my guilt and find some purpose in life. And Christianity made sense for doing that. But somewhere along the line, when I took my attic personality, when I got clean, I did over 400 meetings of sobriety. In my first year as a youngster, I just took that addict brain and threw it into studies, and I would go on to get, you know, a four year master's degree and two doctorate degrees. And somewhere along the way, I started questioning whether I had been duped and what was causing some of that. Um, it was prematurely committing to theological positions without considering the alternative. So what can happen is if somebody becomes a believer at a midweek service, let's say if they have those anymore, and then if if they go to a membership class on Sunday, well, depending upon which denomination they're a part of, they might be signing off on some long doctrinal list in their read, you know, a simple statement, and then they sign on it and they've just committed to a bunch of theology that they've never even studied. And there are some denominations that don't even let people know the other alternative views that still fit within Orthodoxy. And so what can happen is, is when you commit to positions prematurely and then you start reading alternative viewpoints, then that process can start wearing you down and you start asking, well, does Christianity make sense? And this is what happened to me. Uh, I was, uh, it took me to a place, Janet, where I ended up on antidepressants. I was suicidal, I felt such pressure because I was a pastor and an apologist. I ended up in counseling. I mean, it was overwhelming. And the reason it hurt so bad is because Jesus meant so much to me. But I wasn't like some progressive Christian wanting to run away from it. I just wanted to know, how do I live with this snowball of questions that were hammering me with doubt?

Bobby, can I just say one sister in the Lord to a brother in the Lord? How much I appreciate your openness and your frankness about this, because I think one of the things that we've experienced in the church for far too long is the idea that if you're up there, if you're the fella in the front, you got it all together. And for you to be able to say boldly and humbly at the same time, not an oxymoron, that you've exemplified that beautifully, that you had questions that you didn't want to run away, but you had these questions, and the questions really made you go into kind of a spin, which is, okay, I might have the book learning, but it's not affecting my heart and I'm not sure how I apply it to my feet. So for you to say that gives the rest of us permission and the grace to say, it's okay, don't walk away. Let's roll up our sleeves and figure out how we're going to understand whether or not Christianity still makes sense. So I do think your book and your ministry is going to be even more impactful, because when we see the uptick in the numbers of people who call themselves nones, and I'm not talking about women who wear habits, I mean people who say I'm not affiliated with anything, I'm spiritual, but I'm not a Christian. I'm deconstructing. I'm evangelical. All of those trendy words right now are people, probably at its core, who had questions just like you did Bobby, but they didn't get them answered and so they walked away empty handed and empty hearted. That's why I think your book is so powerfully important. So when we come back, I want to continue on this, because what you do in the book beautifully is you didn't just talk about the questions you ask, and then you answer in the book the very questions that you struggled with. It's called Does Christianity still make sense? Powerfully important book for where we are. And so every saint can grow up in him back after this. What happens when a pastor starts questioning everything he believes? Our truth tool this month is a raw, honest journey through doubt to deeper faith in does Christianity still make sense? Doctor Bobby Conway addresses 20 of Christianity's toughest challenges. Ask for your copy of Does Christianity Still Make sense when you give a gift of any amount to in the market, call 877. Janet 58. That's 877 Janet 58 or go to in the market with Janet parshall.org. We spend the hour with Doctor Bobby Conway, who is the lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Also, he's got a YouTube ministry called Christianity Still Makes Sense, and he serves as the co-host of Pastors Perspective, which is a nationally syndicated program emanating out of California. He joins me today with his brand new book called Does Christianity Still Make Sense? And I will give you the full subtitle one more time. A former skeptic that would be Bobby responds to today's toughest objections to Christianity. So, Bobby, let me just linger here a little bit more before we roll up our sleeves and look at some of the questions. And you've categorized them into multiple categories, which is so useful. And I really appreciate that. Is it wrong? It's a philosophical question, but I think it might speak into the hearts of a lot of people listening right now. If I've professed with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God has raised him from the dead, if my name is now written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and nothing and no one can separate me from the love of God. But here's the ellipse. Dot, dot dot. I still have doubts. Does that make me a bad person or a bad Christian? Or does God get angry if I have doubts? I think I've lost Bobby. We have lost Bobby. So I'll tell you what. We're going to get Bobby back online right now. Wait for you to give me the thumbs up when he's comfortably back in his chair again. This is live radio. Doctor Bobby Conway is with us again. Very progressive. What would professional rather curriculum vitae? He got his PhD in the philosophy of religion from the University of Birmingham in England. But did you hear him say, I want to underscore this along the way? He didn't get one. He got two master's degree, a master of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and his doctorate of ministry in apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Put that all together. And you've got somebody who really knows the word of God inside out and upside down. And yet, as he said, he had some questions. So in the book, the first part is his journey. The second part really is taking a look at the questions and what Bobby does so beautifully is he breaks the book up into sections. So section one is scandals in the church, that idea of, oh, you know, you're all hypocrites, right? Number two, the church is not accepting your homophobes. I'm giving you just a quick little thumbnail of a representation of that category. The other one, the problems of evil and suffering. The fourth section, the one way to salvation, the exclusivity. Right? Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father but through him. And then the science problem. So that's how he categorizes these distinctions. So, Bobby, let me go back to what I was saying before and thank you for your patience. It's proof to anyone who's questioning this is live radio. My question was simply this you've made the profession of faith. You're his and nothing. And no one can separate you from the love of God. But you have doubts. And some people think because they listen to the accuser rather than the voice of God. That's still sweeter voice, the more powerful voice that, if you have a doubt, you're either a bad question question, you don't have enough faith, or you've made God angry. Is it okay for us as believers to have doubts? And I think we don't have Bobby again. Wow. Can you.

Bobby, can I just say one sister in the Lord to a brother in the Lord? How much I appreciate your openness and your frankness about this, because I think one of the things that we've experienced in the church for far too long is the idea that if you're up there, if you're the fella in the front, you got it all together. And for you to be able to say boldly and humbly at the same time, not an oxymoron, that you've exemplified that beautifully, that you had questions that you didn't want to run away, but you had these questions, and the questions really made you go into kind of a spin, which is, okay, I might have the book learning, but it's not affecting my heart and I'm not sure how I apply it to my feet. So for you to say that gives the rest of us permission and the grace to say, it's okay, don't walk away. Let's roll up our sleeves and figure out how we're going to understand whether or not Christianity still makes sense. So I do think your book and your ministry is going to be even more impactful, because when we see the uptick in the numbers of people who call themselves nones, and I'm not talking about women who wear habits, I mean people who say I'm not affiliated with anything, I'm spiritual, but I'm not a Christian. I'm deconstructing. I'm evangelical. All of those trendy words right now are people, probably at its core, who had questions just like you did Bobby, but they didn't get them answered and so they walked away empty handed and empty hearted. That's why I think your book is so powerfully important. So when we come back, I want to continue on this, because what you do in the book beautifully is you didn't just talk about the questions you ask, and then you answer in the book the very questions that you struggled with. It's called Does Christianity still make sense? Powerfully important book for where we are. And so every saint can grow up in him back after this. What happens when a pastor starts questioning everything he believes? Our truth tool this month is a raw, honest journey through doubt to deeper faith in does Christianity still make sense? Doctor Bobby Conway addresses 20 of Christianity's toughest challenges. Ask for your copy of Does Christianity Still Make sense when you give a gift of any amount to in the market, call 877. Janet 58. That's 877 Janet 58 or go to in the market with Janet parshall.org. We spend the hour with Doctor Bobby Conway, who is the lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Also, he's got a YouTube ministry called Christianity Still Makes Sense, and he serves as the co-host of Pastors Perspective, which is a nationally syndicated program emanating out of California. He joins me today with his brand new book called Does Christianity Still Make Sense? And I will give you the full subtitle one more time. A former skeptic that would be Bobby responds to today's toughest objections to Christianity. So, Bobby, let me just linger here a little bit more before we roll up our sleeves and look at some of the questions. And you've categorized them into multiple categories, which is so useful. And I really appreciate that. Is it wrong? It's a philosophical question, but I think it might speak into the hearts of a lot of people listening right now. If I've professed with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God has raised him from the dead, if my name is now written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and nothing and no one can separate me from the love of God. But here's the ellipse. Dot, dot dot. I still have doubts. Does that make me a bad person or a bad Christian? Or does God get angry if I have doubts? I think I've lost Bobby. We have lost Bobby. So I'll tell you what. We're going to get Bobby back online right now. Wait for you to give me the thumbs up when he's comfortably back in his chair again. This is live radio. Doctor Bobby Conway is with us again. Very progressive. What would professional rather curriculum vitae? He got his PhD in the philosophy of religion from the University of Birmingham in England. But did you hear him say, I want to underscore this along the way? He didn't get one. He got two master's degree, a master of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and his doctorate of ministry in apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Put that all together. And you've got somebody who really knows the word of God inside out and upside down. And yet, as he said, he had some questions. So in the book, the first part is his journey. The second part really is taking a look at the questions and what Bobby does so beautifully is he breaks the book up into sections. So section one is scandals in the church, that idea of, oh, you know, you're all hypocrites, right? Number two, the church is not accepting your homophobes. I'm giving you just a quick little thumbnail of a representation of that category. The other one, the problems of evil and suffering. The fourth section, the one way to salvation, the exclusivity. Right? Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father but through him. And then the science problem. So that's how he categorizes these distinctions. So, Bobby, let me go back to what I was saying before and thank you for your patience. It's proof to anyone who's questioning this is live radio. My question was simply this you've made the profession of faith. You're his and nothing. And no one can separate you from the love of God. But you have doubts. And some people think because they listen to the accuser rather than the voice of God. That's still sweeter voice, the more powerful voice that, if you have a doubt, you're either a bad question question, you don't have enough faith, or you've made God angry. Is it okay for us as believers to have doubts? And I think we don't have Bobby again. Wow. Can you.

Can you hear me? Okay.

Can you hear me? Okay.

Yes, I can now hear you loud and clear. Bobby, thank you for that. Did you get my question, friend?

Yes, I can now hear you loud and clear. Bobby, thank you for that. Did you get my question, friend?

Yeah. Did you just say, is it okay for believers to have doubts? I sure did. The last part of that.

Yeah. Did you just say, is it okay for believers to have doubts? I sure did. The last part of that.

Yep. That was it exactly.

Yep. That was it exactly.

Yeah. Well, you know, it is. It is painful when people have doubts. But one of the things I would say is Jesus can handle our doubts. So beautifully illustrated in his life. I mean, think about John the Baptist. John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus. He baptized Jesus. He said, behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And yet when he was on death row, he sent his disciples off with his doubts. Now, number one, that tells us that John was a vulnerable leader, because you can imagine him carrying John's doubts, going, wait, I thought, Mr. John, that you said that he was the Messiah, and now you want us to go ask if he is the Messiah? Yeah. Can you do that? Because I think I'm going to get my head chopped off. And I want to make sure. So the disciples, they go to Jesus, and Jesus just stops what he's doing in the middle of a message. And then he says, go tell John what you hear. The blind see the lame walk, the deaf hear. In other words, he's operating like an apologist, giving Old Testament evidence that he's the Messiah. And then he says to the crowd, in case they're wondering about John's confidence in Jesus, he says, behold, I tell you, no one has been born greater of a woman than John. And that just goes to show that Jesus can handle our doubts. He can distinguish between the skeptical doubter that just wants to celebrate doubt, to move beyond his faith, and the sincere doubter who presses into Jesus because he wants to go deeper into his faith. So I like to say, if Adam and Eve could doubt in the Garden of Eden, how much more are we susceptible in Paradise Lost? And John the Baptist could doubt. How much more are we susceptible? And the Bible says, be merciful to those who doubt, because doubt is not a Christian problem, it's a human problem. And the absence of certainty. There will always be room for doubt. Which worldview best closes the doubt gap?

Yeah. Well, you know, it is. It is painful when people have doubts. But one of the things I would say is Jesus can handle our doubts. So beautifully illustrated in his life. I mean, think about John the Baptist. John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus. He baptized Jesus. He said, behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And yet when he was on death row, he sent his disciples off with his doubts. Now, number one, that tells us that John was a vulnerable leader, because you can imagine him carrying John's doubts, going, wait, I thought, Mr. John, that you said that he was the Messiah, and now you want us to go ask if he is the Messiah? Yeah. Can you do that? Because I think I'm going to get my head chopped off. And I want to make sure. So the disciples, they go to Jesus, and Jesus just stops what he's doing in the middle of a message. And then he says, go tell John what you hear. The blind see the lame walk, the deaf hear. In other words, he's operating like an apologist, giving Old Testament evidence that he's the Messiah. And then he says to the crowd, in case they're wondering about John's confidence in Jesus, he says, behold, I tell you, no one has been born greater of a woman than John. And that just goes to show that Jesus can handle our doubts. He can distinguish between the skeptical doubter that just wants to celebrate doubt, to move beyond his faith, and the sincere doubter who presses into Jesus because he wants to go deeper into his faith. So I like to say, if Adam and Eve could doubt in the Garden of Eden, how much more are we susceptible in Paradise Lost? And John the Baptist could doubt. How much more are we susceptible? And the Bible says, be merciful to those who doubt, because doubt is not a Christian problem, it's a human problem. And the absence of certainty. There will always be room for doubt. Which worldview best closes the doubt gap?

Oh excellent response. So for you, Bobby, in your journey, how did that gap get closed for you?

Oh excellent response. So for you, Bobby, in your journey, how did that gap get closed for you?

You know, I had to end my quest for omniscience, Janet. I think that's what happened. Is that the Christian apologist. I was just trying to look for another book. And so the problem is, for every book I read, I collected another ten books that I needed to read. So I had to realize that while learning some good evidence is good, I had to figure out a way to live with unanswered questions. I had to not panic every time I came across a question that stumped me. And so learning to just simplify my faith again was really important. There really was no mystical experience. But I'll tell you the way it worked. It all wrapped up in the resurrection. So my thinking went like this. If Jesus really rose from the grave, and I believe we got great historical evidence for that, then he really did die. And if he really did die, he really did live. And when he lived, he said he was going to die and rise again. But he also confirmed his belief in the Old Testament. And then he even said that there's more Scripture to come. He talked about more truth, but the spirit, which obviously would lead us to more Scripture. So my thinking went like this. Well, all the problems that I can struggle with in the Old Testament that don't make sense to me. Well, if Jesus rose from the grave and Jesus died and Jesus lived, then Jesus was okay with the Old Testament, then it needs to be okay with me. And then I thought anything that I might struggle in the New Testament. I trusted that if Jesus validated the Old Testament in his first coming, I trust that in his second coming he'll validate the process, the New Testament, and out of the resurrection, I could go back and forth. And so basically it was having faith like a child and the gospel again, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus that helped me to quiet my doubts.

You know, I had to end my quest for omniscience, Janet. I think that's what happened. Is that the Christian apologist. I was just trying to look for another book. And so the problem is, for every book I read, I collected another ten books that I needed to read. So I had to realize that while learning some good evidence is good, I had to figure out a way to live with unanswered questions. I had to not panic every time I came across a question that stumped me. And so learning to just simplify my faith again was really important. There really was no mystical experience. But I'll tell you the way it worked. It all wrapped up in the resurrection. So my thinking went like this. If Jesus really rose from the grave, and I believe we got great historical evidence for that, then he really did die. And if he really did die, he really did live. And when he lived, he said he was going to die and rise again. But he also confirmed his belief in the Old Testament. And then he even said that there's more Scripture to come. He talked about more truth, but the spirit, which obviously would lead us to more Scripture. So my thinking went like this. Well, all the problems that I can struggle with in the Old Testament that don't make sense to me. Well, if Jesus rose from the grave and Jesus died and Jesus lived, then Jesus was okay with the Old Testament, then it needs to be okay with me. And then I thought anything that I might struggle in the New Testament. I trusted that if Jesus validated the Old Testament in his first coming, I trust that in his second coming he'll validate the process, the New Testament, and out of the resurrection, I could go back and forth. And so basically it was having faith like a child and the gospel again, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus that helped me to quiet my doubts.

Wow. Wow.

Wow. Wow.

Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating. When we come back, let me dive into some of the questions that you addressed Bobby and your brand new book. Does Christianity Still make sense? And as I was saying before, when we were getting reconnected with Doctor Bobby Conway, he breaks the book up into various sections of questions, and they're all they're they're questions. You know, you've heard from family and friends. We'll dive into some of them after this. This Christianity still makes sense. It's the brand new book from Doctor Bobby Conway, lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as the host on YouTube of the what? We used to be called the one minute apologist, but now it's called Christianity Still Makes Sense. And he is also the co-host of Pastors Perspective nationally syndicated program coming out of California. So as I noted before, the first part really is about your journey, and some of the things that you discuss are some of the questions that I asked you, but then you go into the categories. So just to fly over for this, it makes perfect sense to me reading this on the way in which you categorize these. But I want to know your heart. How did you decide or discover that you could put these into basically five categories? And if time allowed, would you have done more than five? Or do you think these are recurrent questions that doubters have?

Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating. When we come back, let me dive into some of the questions that you addressed Bobby and your brand new book. Does Christianity Still make sense? And as I was saying before, when we were getting reconnected with Doctor Bobby Conway, he breaks the book up into various sections of questions, and they're all they're they're questions. You know, you've heard from family and friends. We'll dive into some of them after this. This Christianity still makes sense. It's the brand new book from Doctor Bobby Conway, lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as the host on YouTube of the what? We used to be called the one minute apologist, but now it's called Christianity Still Makes Sense. And he is also the co-host of Pastors Perspective nationally syndicated program coming out of California. So as I noted before, the first part really is about your journey, and some of the things that you discuss are some of the questions that I asked you, but then you go into the categories. So just to fly over for this, it makes perfect sense to me reading this on the way in which you categorize these. But I want to know your heart. How did you decide or discover that you could put these into basically five categories? And if time allowed, would you have done more than five? Or do you think these are recurrent questions that doubters have?

So yeah, I don't think there's any perfect strategy for that. It could be a little bit challenging. I probably if I was really being logical, I would have started with like a truth objection to kind of establish that truth can be known because we kind of live in a culture that of relativism, and I'd want to deal with that. And then I would kind of go into the secular objection and then the pluralism objection and a moral objection. So I kind of would go that way and then do church objections last, but in working with publishers and stuff, sometimes, you know, they'll feel like, let's, let's kind of go into the deep waters slowly. So let's start with scandals and stuff that will kind of touch people on an emotional level. So I'm kind of taking people into the my story, which is easy to follow. And then it's very kind of much of a heart talk about scandals in the church and hypocrisy, things like that, that people use as objections as I make my way into deeper waters. So that was a bit of my approach. And then what I did is I created a study guide to go along with this as well. And then my son, who's a Gen X'er Tyndale, who published it, flew us up and we put together a video series to even go with the study guide so that you have a Gen X'er sharing about the problems with doubt and all that. And so the thought would be that, you know, moms and dads would help equip their kids with a worldview, and this would be a tool and a companion, and that churches would go through the small group study and, you know, just try to help create a culture for those who might be struggling, because I believe this is the biggest apologetic question of our day, whether people realize that or not. Anytime someone leaves the faith, Janet, they left because Christianity no longer made sense. And so I can imagine a lot of people know people that they. Christianity is just not making sense, or it might not be making sense to them. And I'm writing as a person who wants to walk them through a journey who is literally wrecked by it all. Like, I didn't know if I was going to become an apostate and walk away or take my life. I mean, it was agonizing for me, and it's just no joke. I mean, it messed my marriage up. Uh, it messed my parenting up. I was having to think, okay, how am I going to raise my kids now if I walk away? What am I going to tell the church? I mean, it was very, very I felt like I was hanging by a thread and I try to be vulnerable about that experience. But I also try to provide hope that don't throw in the towel. There is a way forward.

So yeah, I don't think there's any perfect strategy for that. It could be a little bit challenging. I probably if I was really being logical, I would have started with like a truth objection to kind of establish that truth can be known because we kind of live in a culture that of relativism, and I'd want to deal with that. And then I would kind of go into the secular objection and then the pluralism objection and a moral objection. So I kind of would go that way and then do church objections last, but in working with publishers and stuff, sometimes, you know, they'll feel like, let's, let's kind of go into the deep waters slowly. So let's start with scandals and stuff that will kind of touch people on an emotional level. So I'm kind of taking people into the my story, which is easy to follow. And then it's very kind of much of a heart talk about scandals in the church and hypocrisy, things like that, that people use as objections as I make my way into deeper waters. So that was a bit of my approach. And then what I did is I created a study guide to go along with this as well. And then my son, who's a Gen X'er Tyndale, who published it, flew us up and we put together a video series to even go with the study guide so that you have a Gen X'er sharing about the problems with doubt and all that. And so the thought would be that, you know, moms and dads would help equip their kids with a worldview, and this would be a tool and a companion, and that churches would go through the small group study and, you know, just try to help create a culture for those who might be struggling, because I believe this is the biggest apologetic question of our day, whether people realize that or not. Anytime someone leaves the faith, Janet, they left because Christianity no longer made sense. And so I can imagine a lot of people know people that they. Christianity is just not making sense, or it might not be making sense to them. And I'm writing as a person who wants to walk them through a journey who is literally wrecked by it all. Like, I didn't know if I was going to become an apostate and walk away or take my life. I mean, it was agonizing for me, and it's just no joke. I mean, it messed my marriage up. Uh, it messed my parenting up. I was having to think, okay, how am I going to raise my kids now if I walk away? What am I going to tell the church? I mean, it was very, very I felt like I was hanging by a thread and I try to be vulnerable about that experience. But I also try to provide hope that don't throw in the towel. There is a way forward.

Yeah. Amen and amen. There definitely is a way forward. So you start with scandals in the church, which is interesting because, you know, our propensity honestly and our mortal condition is to sweep that under the rug. But that's where you started. Tell me why. And number two, you know, this is not a 21st century problem. This has been around since the book was written. Okay. So tell me why you started first and then tell me how we respond to that. Because the world is going to say, yeah, well, you know what? You're walking, your talk doesn't match. And by the way, I've said it here in Washington, I've seen it again and again and again. When there is a scandal, it will absolutely trump whatever the producer on some network program wants to talk about. Boom! They'll get somebody to come in. You want to denigrate Jesus, I guarantee you you'll be on a national television show tonight. It happens that fast. So our scandals become the stuff of red meat and a culture that grows more hostile toward Christianity. So first. Why? Why is this an issue? Do you think? And why start with this one?

Yeah. Amen and amen. There definitely is a way forward. So you start with scandals in the church, which is interesting because, you know, our propensity honestly and our mortal condition is to sweep that under the rug. But that's where you started. Tell me why. And number two, you know, this is not a 21st century problem. This has been around since the book was written. Okay. So tell me why you started first and then tell me how we respond to that. Because the world is going to say, yeah, well, you know what? You're walking, your talk doesn't match. And by the way, I've said it here in Washington, I've seen it again and again and again. When there is a scandal, it will absolutely trump whatever the producer on some network program wants to talk about. Boom! They'll get somebody to come in. You want to denigrate Jesus, I guarantee you you'll be on a national television show tonight. It happens that fast. So our scandals become the stuff of red meat and a culture that grows more hostile toward Christianity. So first. Why? Why is this an issue? Do you think? And why start with this one?

So I like to say, first off, that scandals aren't exclusively a Christian problem, right? They're wherever you have people. Right. So you can have, you know, scandals are in the world of sports and businesses and other world religions. What makes it more difficult, I think, for us as Christians is because we have a standard that we are claiming that we believe it's good to live by, and so it really becomes glaring when we fall short in that way. But it doesn't discount the truthfulness of Christianity. It's like it's been said before. Somebody plays Beethoven badly. That doesn't reflect on Beethoven. That's just showing that that person needs to figure out how to play Beethoven. And so when we play Jesus badly, so to speak, that doesn't discount Christianity. It just goes to show the reason why we needed Jesus to die for us. And so when it comes to scandals in the church, I, I felt like that was an important area because we've seen so many public issues. And I think part of that is because of social media. Yes, there's a lot of exposure that's happening, but all the way from Hillsong to Bethel to Ravi Zacharias and Bill Hybels and James MacDonald and Mark Driscoll. I mean, it's just been constant. And so I think that that has created difficulties from Carl Lentz. I mean, it just feels like every time you turn around and I just wanted to say, look, leaders may fail you, but Jesus never will.

So I like to say, first off, that scandals aren't exclusively a Christian problem, right? They're wherever you have people. Right. So you can have, you know, scandals are in the world of sports and businesses and other world religions. What makes it more difficult, I think, for us as Christians is because we have a standard that we are claiming that we believe it's good to live by, and so it really becomes glaring when we fall short in that way. But it doesn't discount the truthfulness of Christianity. It's like it's been said before. Somebody plays Beethoven badly. That doesn't reflect on Beethoven. That's just showing that that person needs to figure out how to play Beethoven. And so when we play Jesus badly, so to speak, that doesn't discount Christianity. It just goes to show the reason why we needed Jesus to die for us. And so when it comes to scandals in the church, I, I felt like that was an important area because we've seen so many public issues. And I think part of that is because of social media. Yes, there's a lot of exposure that's happening, but all the way from Hillsong to Bethel to Ravi Zacharias and Bill Hybels and James MacDonald and Mark Driscoll. I mean, it's just been constant. And so I think that that has created difficulties from Carl Lentz. I mean, it just feels like every time you turn around and I just wanted to say, look, leaders may fail you, but Jesus never will.

Mhm mhm mhm.

Mhm mhm mhm.

So important. So very important. My mama used to say and she said it brilliantly. She said honey always keep your eyes on the shepherd not the other sheep. And I think that's been wise counsel when we come back. There's so much in this book by the way I love books like this. I love books that provide answers to questions that you and I are going to be asked when we're out in the marketplace of ideas or the other side of that coin. It's just as true is that these are questions that you yourself have been asking, and you're looking for some safe place to go to get an answer because you're not even sure that doubting is okay. Well, this is the book for you. Does Christianity still make sense? It starts out with Doctor Bobby Conway's struggle and his story, but then it goes into all of these categories of really the big questions that people are asking that pose objections to Christianity. Very, very useful book to have in that legacy library that I hope you're you're building. We're going to take a break. Come right back. Look at some more of the questions right after this.

So important. So very important. My mama used to say and she said it brilliantly. She said honey always keep your eyes on the shepherd not the other sheep. And I think that's been wise counsel when we come back. There's so much in this book by the way I love books like this. I love books that provide answers to questions that you and I are going to be asked when we're out in the marketplace of ideas or the other side of that coin. It's just as true is that these are questions that you yourself have been asking, and you're looking for some safe place to go to get an answer because you're not even sure that doubting is okay. Well, this is the book for you. Does Christianity still make sense? It starts out with Doctor Bobby Conway's struggle and his story, but then it goes into all of these categories of really the big questions that people are asking that pose objections to Christianity. Very, very useful book to have in that legacy library that I hope you're you're building. We're going to take a break. Come right back. Look at some more of the questions right after this.

My.

My.

Friends, this is Janet Parshall, and I want to take a moment to remind you that today's program is prerecorded so our phone lines aren't open. But I sure do appreciate your spending the hour with us. And thanks so much and enjoy the rest of the program. Sometimes people question Christianity when they see leaders fall in hypocrisy, overshadowing authentic Christian living. That's why I've chosen does Christianity still make sense? As this month's truth tool explore 20 common challenges to Christianity brought by those skeptical of biblical truth. As for your copy of Does Christianity still make sense when you give a gift of any amount to in the market, call 877 Janet 58. That's 877 Janet 58 or go to in the market with Janet parshall.org. We're visiting with Doctor Bobby Conway who has a brand new book out called Does Christianity Still Make Sense? Subtitled A Former skeptic. That's Bobby responds to Today's Toughest objections to Christianity. If you don't know, Doctor Conway serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also, by the way, is the host of Christianity Still Matters on YouTube. Used to be called the One Minute Manager, and he also serves as the co-host of Pastors Perspective, which is a nationally syndicated program that emanates out of California. I'm going to hop, skip, and jump over all of these because we're not giving you a page by page report. I want to get you friend curious enough to get this book and to really read it and apply it to your life as well. So I want to move to the next part. The section two is about, you know what, I've seen you all. The church is very unaccepting non accepting, more to the point. And so here I think is the deeper issue Bobby, which is I think in the post-modern world in which we find ourselves, we've really got this very sloppy definition of love. They'll know that we're Christians by our love. And so therefore we've juxtaposed the definition. And we think that love means acquiescence, not just acknowledgement, but affirmation and acceptance. Uh, and so we've really kind of abandoned what the Bible tells us is love. God so loved the world that he gave his son. Well, it doesn't look very loving. That's why I think Christopher Hitchens referred to the crucifixion as cosmic child abuse. How do you put a capital punishment of crucifixion in the same category as a God who loves? Is it because we really, at its core, don't understand the root meaning of the word love, let alone to know how to apply it 100%.

Friends, this is Janet Parshall, and I want to take a moment to remind you that today's program is prerecorded so our phone lines aren't open. But I sure do appreciate your spending the hour with us. And thanks so much and enjoy the rest of the program. Sometimes people question Christianity when they see leaders fall in hypocrisy, overshadowing authentic Christian living. That's why I've chosen does Christianity still make sense? As this month's truth tool explore 20 common challenges to Christianity brought by those skeptical of biblical truth. As for your copy of Does Christianity still make sense when you give a gift of any amount to in the market, call 877 Janet 58. That's 877 Janet 58 or go to in the market with Janet parshall.org. We're visiting with Doctor Bobby Conway who has a brand new book out called Does Christianity Still Make Sense? Subtitled A Former skeptic. That's Bobby responds to Today's Toughest objections to Christianity. If you don't know, Doctor Conway serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also, by the way, is the host of Christianity Still Matters on YouTube. Used to be called the One Minute Manager, and he also serves as the co-host of Pastors Perspective, which is a nationally syndicated program that emanates out of California. I'm going to hop, skip, and jump over all of these because we're not giving you a page by page report. I want to get you friend curious enough to get this book and to really read it and apply it to your life as well. So I want to move to the next part. The section two is about, you know what, I've seen you all. The church is very unaccepting non accepting, more to the point. And so here I think is the deeper issue Bobby, which is I think in the post-modern world in which we find ourselves, we've really got this very sloppy definition of love. They'll know that we're Christians by our love. And so therefore we've juxtaposed the definition. And we think that love means acquiescence, not just acknowledgement, but affirmation and acceptance. Uh, and so we've really kind of abandoned what the Bible tells us is love. God so loved the world that he gave his son. Well, it doesn't look very loving. That's why I think Christopher Hitchens referred to the crucifixion as cosmic child abuse. How do you put a capital punishment of crucifixion in the same category as a God who loves? Is it because we really, at its core, don't understand the root meaning of the word love, let alone to know how to apply it 100%.

And here's what's interesting. We live in a culture that loves to pride itself on tolerance and love. But in my lifetime, this is the most rigid cancel culture that I've ever lived in. This is it's crazy. And so we have to be careful that we listen carefully to the narrative that's being presented. I think we're being love shamed as Christians, and I think it's the perfect tool for Satan to get at us. And it's sort of the Achilles heel, because the world will know that we're his disciples by our love. Well, if you're Satan, what are you going to do? Well, I'm going to give a twisted definition of love, and then I'm going to paralyze the church to do what is true. And so I think we get love shamed with, like, all things LGBT. Um, we don't, um, love in a lot of people's opinion unless we agree. But true love would be I love you even when we don't agree. And not only that, we can turn around and say, well, do you not love me if I don't agree? So it's working both ways in this way. Um, so this is kind of a trick here that we need to make sure that when we're talking to people, that we're letting people know that, you know what, we're not trying to be unloving. I feel like we're almost apologizing for truth because we've been so love shamed that you have people that if they don't know their Bibles, they might think, okay, well, my gut tells me that this is wrong, but you don't feel loved by me. So, okay, I celebrate whatever. And that's unfortunate because we're compromising in the name of a false narrative, because we've been love shamed. And I've been a Christian for 30 years. I don't know if I can think of a Christian Janet, that wouldn't agree that we need to love the LGBTQ community. That's not to say that the church hasn't done anything wrong, but if anything, the church is going so far to show that it wants to love, that it's kind of compromising the gospel at this point.

And here's what's interesting. We live in a culture that loves to pride itself on tolerance and love. But in my lifetime, this is the most rigid cancel culture that I've ever lived in. This is it's crazy. And so we have to be careful that we listen carefully to the narrative that's being presented. I think we're being love shamed as Christians, and I think it's the perfect tool for Satan to get at us. And it's sort of the Achilles heel, because the world will know that we're his disciples by our love. Well, if you're Satan, what are you going to do? Well, I'm going to give a twisted definition of love, and then I'm going to paralyze the church to do what is true. And so I think we get love shamed with, like, all things LGBT. Um, we don't, um, love in a lot of people's opinion unless we agree. But true love would be I love you even when we don't agree. And not only that, we can turn around and say, well, do you not love me if I don't agree? So it's working both ways in this way. Um, so this is kind of a trick here that we need to make sure that when we're talking to people, that we're letting people know that, you know what, we're not trying to be unloving. I feel like we're almost apologizing for truth because we've been so love shamed that you have people that if they don't know their Bibles, they might think, okay, well, my gut tells me that this is wrong, but you don't feel loved by me. So, okay, I celebrate whatever. And that's unfortunate because we're compromising in the name of a false narrative, because we've been love shamed. And I've been a Christian for 30 years. I don't know if I can think of a Christian Janet, that wouldn't agree that we need to love the LGBTQ community. That's not to say that the church hasn't done anything wrong, but if anything, the church is going so far to show that it wants to love, that it's kind of compromising the gospel at this point.

You know, I think when you were talking, I was thinking about C.S. Lewis, who said, and I quote it often on this program, that Christians are the best argument for and against Christianity. And it goes back to what we were saying before about keeping our eyes on the shepherd and not the sheep. You know, we we are called to be ambassadors. We are his representatives. We're we're labeled as the sons and daughters of the Most High King. But that doesn't mean that sometimes we're not going to do a terrible job of representing him. Just like sometimes we're a lousy ambassador for our own family here on Earth as well. So we've got to remember that. But number two, let me go to this idea about all these sexual issues, and I appeal to you as a pastor in particular. If you would have asked me ten years ago whether or not sexuality and identity would be the tip of the spear in the frontal assault against the church, I would have said not in a gazillion years, not in a gazillion years. And yet, really, when you unpack that issue because you talk about gender identity and this as well. And homophobia. It really is how we see ourselves for the believer. We see ourselves in him, right? We we, we're designed in his image. He creates a wanderlust in our soul that makes us wander until we find our peace in him. But the culture right now is doing all of these externals for you to find your identity. When the church acquiesces or feeds into that idea that our identity is external as opposed to internal, I think we've really done a disservice to someone who doesn't know the Lord or who is struggling with who they are in the Lord.

You know, I think when you were talking, I was thinking about C.S. Lewis, who said, and I quote it often on this program, that Christians are the best argument for and against Christianity. And it goes back to what we were saying before about keeping our eyes on the shepherd and not the sheep. You know, we we are called to be ambassadors. We are his representatives. We're we're labeled as the sons and daughters of the Most High King. But that doesn't mean that sometimes we're not going to do a terrible job of representing him. Just like sometimes we're a lousy ambassador for our own family here on Earth as well. So we've got to remember that. But number two, let me go to this idea about all these sexual issues, and I appeal to you as a pastor in particular. If you would have asked me ten years ago whether or not sexuality and identity would be the tip of the spear in the frontal assault against the church, I would have said not in a gazillion years, not in a gazillion years. And yet, really, when you unpack that issue because you talk about gender identity and this as well. And homophobia. It really is how we see ourselves for the believer. We see ourselves in him, right? We we, we're designed in his image. He creates a wanderlust in our soul that makes us wander until we find our peace in him. But the culture right now is doing all of these externals for you to find your identity. When the church acquiesces or feeds into that idea that our identity is external as opposed to internal, I think we've really done a disservice to someone who doesn't know the Lord or who is struggling with who they are in the Lord.

Yeah, and when we reduce one's identity down to one's sexual preferences, then they're going to feel like you have to agree with them. Otherwise they don't know how to live because their identity is around their sexuality. Right. And we have a bigger identity to offer as Christians. But it was hard enough when I was a kid just trying to walk into my identity as a male. And so today, with the growing list of over 120 pronouns You can imagine there's no fixed identity that these kids feel because they're sitting around looking at dictionaries that are describing to them different pronouns and are trying to figure out which one they are. But then once they commit to that, they know that the list is always changing. And there's been a 4,000% increase in this sexual confusion amongst teenage girls. So this this is overwhelming. So I think in the church, we need to do a better job of answering the why behind the what. And that means we have to teach the Bible not from a place of assumption. We have to say, why would God care about our sexuality? And so we could say things like this. Imagine if we follow God's sexual ethic. There would never have been an STD. You wouldn't have broken relationships due to adultery. You wouldn't have people that are struggling with impulse control because their prefrontal cortex has been so jacked up with pornography, you would have spouses that feel secure together. You wouldn't have all this guilt as a result of cheating on your spouse. So what if God was saying, I'm pro-family and I want to help you to stay together, and I want you to feel secure in your love. I don't want you getting STDs. I want you to have self-control. So I'm offering you some boundaries to protect you, to give you life. So our culture, they're talking, they're thinking that we're getting free, but we're creating our own gallows that we're hanging from because we're holding out all of the promises of sexual freedom. But I when I was totally promiscuous before the Lord got Ahold of me and into drugs and alcohol, and I can say this, the consequences aren't going away just because our country is legalizing things. And now what's happening, Janet, is people no longer feel like they can even live up to the standard of marriage. So let's just get rid of marriage as a category, because I have no impulse control I can't even imagine being faithful. So let's be polyamorous. So this is what's happening in our culture. It's tragic.

Yeah, and when we reduce one's identity down to one's sexual preferences, then they're going to feel like you have to agree with them. Otherwise they don't know how to live because their identity is around their sexuality. Right. And we have a bigger identity to offer as Christians. But it was hard enough when I was a kid just trying to walk into my identity as a male. And so today, with the growing list of over 120 pronouns You can imagine there's no fixed identity that these kids feel because they're sitting around looking at dictionaries that are describing to them different pronouns and are trying to figure out which one they are. But then once they commit to that, they know that the list is always changing. And there's been a 4,000% increase in this sexual confusion amongst teenage girls. So this this is overwhelming. So I think in the church, we need to do a better job of answering the why behind the what. And that means we have to teach the Bible not from a place of assumption. We have to say, why would God care about our sexuality? And so we could say things like this. Imagine if we follow God's sexual ethic. There would never have been an STD. You wouldn't have broken relationships due to adultery. You wouldn't have people that are struggling with impulse control because their prefrontal cortex has been so jacked up with pornography, you would have spouses that feel secure together. You wouldn't have all this guilt as a result of cheating on your spouse. So what if God was saying, I'm pro-family and I want to help you to stay together, and I want you to feel secure in your love. I don't want you getting STDs. I want you to have self-control. So I'm offering you some boundaries to protect you, to give you life. So our culture, they're talking, they're thinking that we're getting free, but we're creating our own gallows that we're hanging from because we're holding out all of the promises of sexual freedom. But I when I was totally promiscuous before the Lord got Ahold of me and into drugs and alcohol, and I can say this, the consequences aren't going away just because our country is legalizing things. And now what's happening, Janet, is people no longer feel like they can even live up to the standard of marriage. So let's just get rid of marriage as a category, because I have no impulse control I can't even imagine being faithful. So let's be polyamorous. So this is what's happening in our culture. It's tragic.

Let me, in deference to time, just move to another biggie. And that's this whole idea of equating a good God with the evil that people see in the world around them. You know, I mentioned Christopher Hitchens before. This was the sticking point for him. One of the reasons why he was so vocally objecting to Christianity is he said, for example, why would God allow a five year old to come into the world to get leukemia and die? How can that possibly be a loving God? Well, we have been grappling with this issue of evil. If he's a good God comma, then fill in the blank. Since we walked out of the garden, how do we answer this? Because the question of human suffering has been ever before us in this fallen state, east of Eden.

Let me, in deference to time, just move to another biggie. And that's this whole idea of equating a good God with the evil that people see in the world around them. You know, I mentioned Christopher Hitchens before. This was the sticking point for him. One of the reasons why he was so vocally objecting to Christianity is he said, for example, why would God allow a five year old to come into the world to get leukemia and die? How can that possibly be a loving God? Well, we have been grappling with this issue of evil. If he's a good God comma, then fill in the blank. Since we walked out of the garden, how do we answer this? Because the question of human suffering has been ever before us in this fallen state, east of Eden.

So there is the emotional problem of evil and suffering, and that's very difficult for us. I mean, we feel that, like, God, why won't you intervene sooner? But then intellectually, when we think about it, it is the kind of world that we're going to live in where we have freedom, where we're going to rebel against God. And that's what you see. So maybe we can envision God could have created a world whereby we didn't have freedom. Uh, we we are robots. But then if we could complain, we complain. Well, why did you make me a robot? Okay, well, we have freedom. Well, in a world where we have freedom, we see that we rebel against God. Even the whole story of the Bible is one of God warning over and over again like, don't touch, don't do this. He's just trying to protect us from consequences. We ignore those warnings and then we get burned by the hot stove, and then we get mad at God because the stove was hot. And so I think that we have to realize that. That there is suffering, there is pain, there is evil in this world. But go over to Christopher Hitchens worldview on atheism and you think, okay, well, with Hitler, yeah, maybe God didn't intervene in the World War Two as quickly as we would have liked, but that doesn't mean that he won't intervene eventually, and it doesn't mean that there won't be ultimate justice for Hitler. On atheism, there is no justice for Hitler or Pol Pot or Mussolini. They just get away with it. So we might not like the timing of God's intervention, but we can know that in time everybody will be, you know, accountable for the evils that they have committed. And then we can also know that that God, in the person of Jesus, shares in our suffering by coming to die on a cross for our sins.

So there is the emotional problem of evil and suffering, and that's very difficult for us. I mean, we feel that, like, God, why won't you intervene sooner? But then intellectually, when we think about it, it is the kind of world that we're going to live in where we have freedom, where we're going to rebel against God. And that's what you see. So maybe we can envision God could have created a world whereby we didn't have freedom. Uh, we we are robots. But then if we could complain, we complain. Well, why did you make me a robot? Okay, well, we have freedom. Well, in a world where we have freedom, we see that we rebel against God. Even the whole story of the Bible is one of God warning over and over again like, don't touch, don't do this. He's just trying to protect us from consequences. We ignore those warnings and then we get burned by the hot stove, and then we get mad at God because the stove was hot. And so I think that we have to realize that. That there is suffering, there is pain, there is evil in this world. But go over to Christopher Hitchens worldview on atheism and you think, okay, well, with Hitler, yeah, maybe God didn't intervene in the World War Two as quickly as we would have liked, but that doesn't mean that he won't intervene eventually, and it doesn't mean that there won't be ultimate justice for Hitler. On atheism, there is no justice for Hitler or Pol Pot or Mussolini. They just get away with it. So we might not like the timing of God's intervention, but we can know that in time everybody will be, you know, accountable for the evils that they have committed. And then we can also know that that God, in the person of Jesus, shares in our suffering by coming to die on a cross for our sins.

Wow.

Wow.

So if someone looks around and sees evil, why is it that so often the default position is it's God's fault? Because that same person might be more slow, not equally, but even more slow in acknowledging the fact that the sun rose, that it's a beautiful day, that the seasons change, that the sky is blue and can change colors. In other words, we're quick to give God the blame, but very slow to give him the glory. Is that just part of our sin sick state?

So if someone looks around and sees evil, why is it that so often the default position is it's God's fault? Because that same person might be more slow, not equally, but even more slow in acknowledging the fact that the sun rose, that it's a beautiful day, that the seasons change, that the sky is blue and can change colors. In other words, we're quick to give God the blame, but very slow to give him the glory. Is that just part of our sin sick state?

I think it is, absolutely. I mean, you see that in the story of the Scripture all the time. And I think with God, there's some things we never would have known about him if it wasn't for the world that we live in. Like, how would we know that we were unconditionally love in a world where we always met the conditions? How would we know what forgiveness is if we never needed forgiveness? So when we show how bad we are, God shows attributes about himself grace, mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional love that we never would have known apart from this broken world we live in.

I think it is, absolutely. I mean, you see that in the story of the Scripture all the time. And I think with God, there's some things we never would have known about him if it wasn't for the world that we live in. Like, how would we know that we were unconditionally love in a world where we always met the conditions? How would we know what forgiveness is if we never needed forgiveness? So when we show how bad we are, God shows attributes about himself grace, mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional love that we never would have known apart from this broken world we live in.

Wow, what a great answer. And by the way, does Christianity still make sense? Is filled with excellent answers. That's why I really want to encourage you to get a copy. Put it in your library. It'll help you. So when you get asked these kinds of questions, and you will if you're out in the marketplace, you'll know how to answer Winsomely always through a grace narrative, but unashamedly with the truth. If you're struggling personally, I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts, as the saying goes, that you're going to find a question in there that you've been asking. Now you'll find the answer back after this. Does Christianity still makes sense? That is the newest book by Doctor Bobby Conway, lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. I'm so glad that you included a section on what I would call the exclusivity of the gospel. You know, you break down John 316, which is a whole lot more than a sign held up when it was allowable in the endzone of an NFL game that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever right. So it is at the same time the most exclusive and inclusive statement humankind has ever heard the whole world. And yet the narrative is the narrow way, one name under heaven whereby we will be saved. No man comes to the father, but by him. I have no problems with that. But there's a lot of people who do struggle with the the exclusivity of that way, that there's only one way in which you can come to God. So talk to me about that, because that is very much particularly in a post-truth world, which is where we live now. The same people who would categorize themselves as nones would be the same people who would advocate for the idea of my voice, my truth. And in your world, where you are the progenitor of truth, you're going to allow anybody who wants to improve themselves by any means possible, allowable. But God says something different. Talk to me about that.

Wow, what a great answer. And by the way, does Christianity still make sense? Is filled with excellent answers. That's why I really want to encourage you to get a copy. Put it in your library. It'll help you. So when you get asked these kinds of questions, and you will if you're out in the marketplace, you'll know how to answer Winsomely always through a grace narrative, but unashamedly with the truth. If you're struggling personally, I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts, as the saying goes, that you're going to find a question in there that you've been asking. Now you'll find the answer back after this. Does Christianity still makes sense? That is the newest book by Doctor Bobby Conway, lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. I'm so glad that you included a section on what I would call the exclusivity of the gospel. You know, you break down John 316, which is a whole lot more than a sign held up when it was allowable in the endzone of an NFL game that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever right. So it is at the same time the most exclusive and inclusive statement humankind has ever heard the whole world. And yet the narrative is the narrow way, one name under heaven whereby we will be saved. No man comes to the father, but by him. I have no problems with that. But there's a lot of people who do struggle with the the exclusivity of that way, that there's only one way in which you can come to God. So talk to me about that, because that is very much particularly in a post-truth world, which is where we live now. The same people who would categorize themselves as nones would be the same people who would advocate for the idea of my voice, my truth. And in your world, where you are the progenitor of truth, you're going to allow anybody who wants to improve themselves by any means possible, allowable. But God says something different. Talk to me about that.

So I do think, once again, we have this tendency to think that we're arriving on some great enlightenment as a humanity, and we're the ones that are finally the sophisticated ones. But really, when you look at history, we're kind of following in the tracks of what happens before a civilization crumbles. You take the Roman Empire. I mean, it was highly pluralistic. Um, you take ancient Babylon, highly pluralistic, but both cultures very moral, morally base. And so I think in many ways, cultures tend to think that they're being enlightened right before the fall. And we need to remember that in the Bible, for example, God wasn't, you know, too cozy on pluralism. It's what got his people sent into captivity, into Egypt, into Babylon, and into Assyria, because they wanted to be like the other nations and they wanted to adopt their gods. Well, then Jesus comes along and then, you know, people think that Jesus would, you know, be different about the matter. But he died on a cross believing he was the way, the truth, and the life. And he said, no one comes to the father but by me. He would have been a fool to die on the cross if there was another way. So then Jesus believed he was the only way. And then the apostles and disciples, they were getting, uh, martyred for their profession of Jesus. And the reason was because the culture did not like that. They were saying that Jesus is the only way, uh, they were a pluralistic culture. And so they paid a heavy price. So now all of a sudden, we forget that the church that was born in the first century was born into a culture a lot like ours, highly sexualized, very pluralistic. Uh, and you had faithful Christians that were bonding together. And so we have to resist the temptation to dilute the gospel, to make it more palatable for others. And not only that, Janet, everybody's exclusive. I mean, from the standpoint of truth is exclusive for the pluralist is exclusive. They believe there's many ways to heaven. And if you say there's one way or no way, they'll say you're wrong. Isn't that exclusive? The atheist is exclusive. He says there's no God. And if you say there is, he'll say you're wrong. Even the Hindu that believes in 300 million gods is exclusive. She'll say there's, you know, many gods, and if you say there's no god or one, she'll say you're wrong. Isn't that exclusive? So all that to say, we're looking for what is truth, and whatever ends up being true will exclude all non-truth by means of being true.