Episodes

  • A Parental Primer on AI: A Conversation with Emily Harrison
    Jul 16 2025

    Emily Harrison, author of the Substack newsletter Dear Christian Parent, sits down with Dr. Keith Plummer to explore the impact of technology on children and teens. They discuss a four-part series she wrote on what parents need to know about Artificial Intelligence (AI) that covers its pervasive presence in daily life, its implications for education, the dangers of AI-created deep fakes, and its impact on artistic creativity. They also discuss the importance of fostering real-world skills and the need for collective action within the church to help families navigate the challenges of the digital age.

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • The Thrill of Orthodoxy: A Conversation with Trevin Wax [Re-Release]
    Jul 2 2025

    We are most vulnerable to drifting from the core teachings of the Christian faith when we find them boring, irrelevant, or embarrassing. Dr. Trevin Wax wrote his book The Thrill of Orthodoxy: Rediscovering the Adventure of Christian Faith to counteract the familiarity with Christian teaching that he says is “the enemy of wonder.” He joins Dr. Keith Plummer to discuss a wide array of topics including the subtle yet often imperceptible ways that we drift from the gospel; how ancient summaries of scriptural teaching like the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian creeds serve as valuable maps and grammars; why doctrinal details matter; and how Christian orthodoxy, contrary to its detractors, is actually broader, richer, and more satisfying than its heretical contenders.

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    43 mins
  • Walking Through Deconstruction: A Conversation with Ian Harber
    Jun 18 2025
    Episode Notes

    Drawing from his own journey of deconstructing and reconstructing his Christian faith, Ian Harber describes deconstruction as an existential crisis of faith that consists of much more than intellectual questioning. In this episode, he joins Dr. Keith Plummer to offer insights about how we are to understand and accompany loved ones in the midst of such crises. Among the topics they discuss are contributing factors to deconstruction, the importance of a theology of suffering, and the vital roles that sound biblical truth and genuine Christian community play in healing and reconstruction.

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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Questioning Evangelism: A Conversation with Randy Newman [Re-Release]
    May 28 2025
    Episode Notes

    Two years ago, Dr. Randy Newman joined Dr. Keith Plummer on Defragmenting to discuss the third edition of his book, Questioning Evangelism: Engaging Peoples’ Hearts the Way that Jesus Did. Dr. Newman went to be with the Lord a year ago this month. To honor his legacy, we have re-released his conversation with Dr. Plummer, which still holds just as much relevance and application as it did when it was first released. In this episode, they discuss why asking questions and listening well are so important, some of the top questions non-Christians ask about Christians, why the new edition of his book includes a new chapter on science and Christianity, the difference between evangelism and pre-evangelism, and more.

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    52 mins
  • Divine Incomprehensibility: A Conversation with Ronni Kurtz
    May 21 2025
    Episode Notes

    Because the triune God has graciously revealed himself, he is knowable. But because he is infinite, there is always more to him than finite creatures can comprehend. Dr. Ronni Kurtz explains and explores the profound and often overlooked doctrine of incomprehensibility in his book Light Unapproachable: Divine Incomprehensibility and the Task of Theology. In this episode, he and Dr. Keith Plummer discuss the biblical basis of the doctrine; its historical development; and why its contemplation should elicit worship, foster humility, and produce joy-filled hope.

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    53 mins
  • Mere Christian Hermeneutics: A Conversation with Kevin Vanhoozer
    Apr 9 2025
    Episode Notes

    Reading and interpreting the Bible is more, never less, than applying the correct principles. That's because the Scriptures are unlike any other writing in that they are God's words to his people. In his book Mere Christian Hermeneutics: Transfiguring What it Means to Read the Bible Theologically, Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer writes, “Biblical interpreters are answerable not only for the ‘correctness’ of their reading but for the way they respond to what they read, and to the one who is saying it.” In this episode, he joins Dr. Keith Plummer to discuss his book and what truly faithful biblical integration looks like.

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    52 mins
  • Scrolling Ourselves to Death: A Conversation with Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa
    Mar 19 2025
    Episode Notes

    What could a book written about television forty years ago possibly have to teach us about living well and wisely in our world of smartphones, social media, and high-speed connectivity? According to the editors of Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age, a lot! In this episode, Brett McCracken and Dr. Ivan Mesa join Dr. Keith Plummer to discuss why Neil Postman's classic volume Amusing Ourselves to Death is still amazingly relevant and how they hope their project will help the body of Christ.

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    1 hr
  • Moving Past Cancel Culture to Meaningful Conversations: A Conversation with Sean McDowell
    Feb 19 2025
    Episode Notes

    When it comes to controversial topics, it’s tempting to go to one of two extremes—to engage people with vitriol, anger, and contentiousness in our determination to make them see things our way or to totally avoid talking about important yet potentially controversial subjects altogether in an attempt to “keep the peace.” Neither is a viable option for followers of Jesus. In this episode, Dr. Sean McDowell joins Dr. Keith Plummer to talk about having meaningful and respectful conversations with those with whom we have strong disagreements.

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    51 mins