This bonus episode of the Starting Point Podcast is a recording of a live interview between Andy Stanley and Dr. John Dickson, a world-renowned author, speaker, and professor of ancient history. In this engaging conversation, Dr. Dickson offers a helpful perspective on the confusing and often conflicting history of the church.

This bonus episode of the Starting Point Podcast is a recording of a live interview between Andy Stanley and Dr. John Dickson, a world-renowned author, speaker, and professor of ancient history. In this engaging conversation, Dr. Dickson offers a helpful perspective on the confusing and often conflicting history of the church.

BONUS–Has Christianity done more harm than good?

Jesus predicted he would start a movement—the church—that would change the world. Here we are, two thousand years later, and Jesus’s church gathering is still going strong. So, what exactly is this movement called “the church”? And what could it mean for you?

Jesus predicted he would start a movement—the church—that would change the world. Here we are, two thousand years later, and Jesus’s church gathering is still going strong. So, what exactly is this movement called “the church”? And what could it mean for you?

What exactly is this movement called “the church”? And what could it mean for you?

Invitation

For many of us, our religious beliefs were not so much chosen as they were inherited—passed down to us when we were children by trusted adults. We take our beliefs about faith, on faith. But, is that all faith is? Can faith—specifically the Christian faith—stand up to investigation?

For many of us, our religious beliefs were not so much chosen as they were inherited—passed down to us when we were children by trusted adults. We take our beliefs about faith, on faith. But, is that all faith is? Can faith—specifically the Christian faith—stand up to investigation?

Can faith—specifically the Christian faith—stand up to investigation? Or are we forced to take all of our beliefs about faith, on faith.

Faith

We often settle into a bargaining posture with God: “God, if you will... I promise I will…” We all do it. But is that really the kind of relationship God wants to have with us?

We often settle into a bargaining posture with God: “God, if you will... I promise I will…” We all do it. But is that really the kind of relationship God wants to have with us?

Grace

Guilt is powerful and shame can be crippling. If we're honest, all of us have had experiences—or even entire seasons of life—that we wish we could go back and relive… times when we failed to live up to what others expected of us or even our own expectations. So, how does the Christian faith help us with our pasts?

Guilt is powerful and shame can be crippling. If we're honest, all of us have had experiences—or even entire seasons of life—that we wish we could go back and relive… times when we failed to live up to what others expected of us or even our own expectations. So, how does the Christian faith help us with our pasts?

All of us have had experiences—or even entire seasons of life—that we wish we could go back and relive. So, how does the Christian faith help us with our pasts?

Jesus

The perception many people have of the Christian faith is that it is primarily a code of conduct that you must adhere to if you want to be on good terms with God. If you can do it, you’re in. If you can’t… you’re out. This leaves people with a picture of God that looks more like a cosmic police officer than a loving father. So, what role does our behavior play in our relationship with God?

The perception many people have of the Christian faith is that it is primarily a code of conduct that you must adhere to if you want to be on good terms with God. If you can do it, you’re in. If you can’t… you’re out. This leaves people with a picture of God that looks more like a cosmic police officer than a loving father. So, what role does our behavior play in our relationship with God?

What role does our behavior play in our relationship with God?

Rules

Conversations about faith often end up circling around a common question: If God is good and he loves the world, why isn’t he doing anything about all of this suffering and evil? For thousands of years, followers of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have claimed that God HAS done something, or at least that he has begun something. And they all trace it back to the same man—Abraham. So, how did God begin to pick up the pieces of his broken creation?

Conversations about faith often end up circling around a common question: If God is good and he loves the world, why isn’t he doing anything about all of this suffering and evil? For thousands of years, followers of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have claimed that God HAS done something, or at least that he has begun something. And they all trace it back to the same man—Abraham. So, how did God begin to pick up the pieces of his broken creation?

If God is good and he loves the world, why isn’t he doing anything about all of this suffering? For thousands of years followers of major faith traditions have claimed that God HAS done something, or at least that he has begun something.

Trust

Any conversation about faith will eventually have to face one very important question: What’s wrong with the world? And every faith tradition has some kind of explanation to offer. Even people who don’t claim any sort of religious belief would usually agree that the world is not as good as we would want it to be. And, if we’re honest, we are not as good as we want to be. So, what do we do about the tension we feel when there’s a gap between our behavior and our standards? And how does God respond when we fail to meet his standards?

Any conversation about faith will eventually have to face one very important question: What’s wrong with the world? And every faith tradition has some kind of explanation to offer. Even people who don’t claim any sort of religious belief would usually agree that the world is not as good as we would want it to be. And, if we’re honest, we are not as good as we want to be. So, what do we do about the tension we feel when there’s a gap between our behavior and our standards? And how does God respond when we fail to meet his standards?

Any conversation about faith will eventually have to face one very important question: What’s wrong with the world?

Problem

During childhood, you may have been handed a faith framework through which you began to view the world. For many of us, that childhood faith didn't survive the challenges and pressures of adulthood. So, if we’re going to begin the process of discovering or rediscovering our faith, where do we start?

During childhood, you may have been handed a faith framework through which you began to view the world. For many of us, that childhood faith didn't survive the challenges and pressures of adulthood. So, if we’re going to begin the process of discovering or rediscovering our faith, where do we start?

For many of us, childhood faith didn't survive the challenges and pressures of adulthood. So, if we’re going to begin the process of discovering or rediscovering our faith, where do we start?

Start

Everything has a starting point, but sometimes we forget that faith has a starting point as well. Some of our faith journeys began in childhood while others may have no faith at all. Too often, our faith isn’t strong enough to withstand the pressures of adult life.



This podcast is intended to accompany the Starting Point group experience. For more information and to see how you can get connected to a Starting Point group, visit startingpoint.com

Everything has a starting point, but sometimes we forget that faith has a starting point as well. Some of our faith journeys began in childhood while others may have no faith at all. Too often, our faith isn’t strong enough to withstand the pressures of adult life.
 
This podcast is intended to accompany the Starting Point group experience. For more information and to see how you can get connected to a Starting Point group, visit startingpoint.com

Everything has a starting point, but sometimes we forget that faith has a starting point as well. Some of our faith journeys began in childhood while others may have no faith at all. Too often, our faith isn’t strong enough to withstand the pressures of adult life.

The Starting Point Podcast

Everything has a starting point, including faith. Some of us began our faith journeys in childhood but found that our faith could not withstand the pressures of adult life, while others may have no faith background at all. So, whether you're discovering faith for the first time or hoping to rediscover something you've lost sight of, this is the right place for you.

This podcast is intended to accompany the Starting Point group experience. For more information and to see how you can get connected to a Starting Point group, visit startingpoint.com

Everything has a starting point, including faith. Some of us began our faith journeys in childhood but found that our faith could not withstand the pressures of adult life, while others may have no faith background at all. So, whether you're discovering faith for the first time or hoping to rediscover something you've lost sight of, this is the right place for you.
This podcast is intended to accompany the Starting Point group experience. For more information and to see how you can get connected to a Starting Point group, visit startingpoint.com

The Starting Point Podcast

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