It's our 200th episode! We got together for a wide-ranging discussion across the spectrum of personal, spiritual, work, and more.

Topics include:

- Best marriage improvement books
- Most impactful books
- Christians and Harry Potter
- Where the feminist movement stands today
- Avoiding hypocrisy in leadership
- The proper place of sports, movies, and other hobbies
- Finding time for silence
- The importance of financial discipline
- What Joe would change about therapy world
- Navigating family boundaries, holiday edition
- Dealing with church hurt without becoming bitter
- Trying to impact the church for good
- Avoiding workaholism

Questions for you:
- Which holiday is the best?
- What are your thoughts on Christians and Harry Potter?
- Who is the face of feminism today?
- Any tips for families and in-laws to navigate the holidays?

With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie

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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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Check us out at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.com
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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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Jack and Joe continue the discussion of having a backbone, with a practical look at what it takes to stand for truth in life's different situations.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro and recap
11:04 - Principles for taking a stand: Have a Biblical moral compass
13:15 - Principles: fear God and not man
18:10 - Principles: love people
22:04 - Principles: prepare to be hated
26:49 - Standing for truth in the church
37:09 - Standing for truth in your marriage
51:20 - Standing for truth in your parenting
56:00 - Standing for truth in your friendships
59:00 - Standing for truth in evangelism

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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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