Are we doing enough to protect our children from abuse in the church? What about preventing and handling harassment among adults? On this week's Think Deeper, we discuss the alarming statistics surrounding sexual abuse and the crucial steps we must take to safeguard our congregations.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Introductory thoughts and the reason for this episode
08:27 - Statistics and the scope of the problem
14:25 - Dealing with repentant offenders
21:50 - The responsibilities of church leaders
27:31 - Generational differences in approaches
34:22 - Youth ministry issues
44:58 - Taking precautions without viewing everyone as a threat
49:13 - Thoughts for victims

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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"Hellfire and Brimstone" preaching is often thought of as a relic of Sundays gone by... but should it be? Have we overcorrected and begun to under-emphasize hell? We discuss

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Introductory thoughts
05:40 - Biblical terms for afterlife (Hades, Sheol) and punishment (Gehenna, Tartarus)
13:48 - Jesus' words on hell
20:28 - God's nature and punishment
29:40 - Hell in the epistles
35:39 - Consequences of over-emphasizing hell
45:47 - Consequences of under-emphasizing hell
55:09 - Does God send people to hell, or just let them choose it?

Episodes mentioned:

• What Happens When We Die? (October 16, 2023)

• Are There Degrees of Heaven and Hell? (May 29, 2025)

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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With the government shut down set to leave federal SNAP benefits for groceries unfunded, we discuss this issue from a Biblical lens and discuss the church's duty in times like these.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and covering the problem
05:33 - Problems with the program
12:28 - Compassion and its guidelines
17:00 - Biblical principles from Leviticus and 2 Thessalonians
23:30 - Guidelines for churches
34:00 - The "Fudge Rounds" problem and what charitable money should buy
48:19 - Think Fast: Nick Fuentes and the 'Platforming Problem'

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In the wake of leading conservative commentator Tucker Carlson's interview with controversial figure Nick Fuentes, a great debate has been waged online about the matter of "platforming."

Should we have public dialogue with objectionable people? What are the limits? When it comes to the church, where do we draw the line of those we can speak with even if we disagree, and those whom we must mark and avoid?

We discuss, on this week's Think Fast.

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In this episodes we examine 5 common challenges in the churches of Christ, and what can be done about them.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and an overview of the church's reputation
05:00 - What is the proper place of emotion in the church?
15:57 - Do we pray enough? Do we know how?
27:50 - Where are we falling short in our Bible study?
36:42 - Why do so many people fail to feel God's grace?
45:58 - How do we avoid becoming legalistic without compromising doctrine?
55:32 - THINK FAST: Is Halloween fading?

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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As C.S. Lewis wrote, "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."

Every virtue we have to possess as Christians is only as good as the courage we have to stand behind it. Yet, we live in a time when courage is in short supply.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of having a backbone.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro and opening thoughts
06:11 - Hegseth's example
12:15 - How your backbone reveals your purpose
20:51 - The cost of lacking a backbone
24:50 - What do your decisions incentivize?
36:20 - Jesus' example of taking stands
46:02 - Beware the pretend backbone

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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In a world that shoves sexuality in our face every day, the church must not fail to rise to the challenge. We discuss where the Christian response often goes wrong in the church and the home, and what can be done about it.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and announcement
01:48 - The church's shortcomings on this topic
14:13 - How to start an accountability program
19:28 - Teaching beyond just abstinence
29:10 - What about purity culture?
34:36 - Where parents can go wrong
41:12 - Why you need to talk about it with your kids
50:18 - Helping teens navigate male-female relationships
1:01:15 - Addressing boys and girls differently

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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Support us at focuspress.org/plus to get access to the weekly Deep End episode!

Marco Arroyo of 'In Between Sundays' joins the show! We discuss:

00:00 - Intro and the church's "YouTuber Mt Rushmore"
02:28 - Getting the CoC to talk to each other
10:36 - How to stay plugged in to the conversations that matter
19:00 - Is the church of Christ an echo chamber?
30:10 - Evangelizing in the digital public square
35:44 - An appeal to get involved
52:03 - Think Fast: Erika Kirk's Act of Forgiveness

With Jack Wilkie and Joe Wilkie

You can follow Marco at his YouTube channel

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