Onward in the Faith

The Toxic Desire for "Yes Men" (Reflecting on Fallen Leaders)

 

When we want to pursue sin, one of the first things we'll do is remove things and people that tell us "no" and replace them with things that let us do what we want. As we think about public figures falling into sin, this pattern is something we'll see over and over again.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: Proverbs 27:6, John 3:19, Ephesians 5:8-13

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

The Danger of Celebrity Culture (Reflecting on Fallen Leaders)

The devastation left when a Christian celebrity falls into sin may be a sign that we give them too much power in our lives. In this episode I discuss the scandal that inspired this new series, and why we need to be very careful with how highly we regard a human being (no matter how good their content may be).

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: 1 Corinthians 3:4-8

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

So You Failed Your Bible Reading Plan...

 

If you or a friend are struggling to stick to your Bible reading plan this year, this episode will give you some encouragement along with 3 ways to get back in God's word every day.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Article on why you shouldn't read your Bible in a year

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Thinking Through What Happened at the Capitol Protest

 

What happened at the capitol is the result of months, even years, of choices and conditioning. When we see the things people were regularly hearing, it shouldn't surprise us that the natural conclusion was violence and anger. In this lengthy episode, I look at the various factors that may have led to a small number of President Trump's supporters to do something so extreme.

 

Timestamps:

Echo Chambers: 21:08

 

Personality Cults: 43:00

 

Gaslighting: 1:07:47

 

Conclusion: 1:19:08

 

Articles:

Christians and Psychology series

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

Link to the video of the capitol prayer and other events: https://www.newyorker.com/news/video-dept/a-reporters-footage-from-inside-the-capitol-siege?utm_medium=social&utm_brand=tny&mbid=social_twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_social-type=owned

 

Scripture used: Galatians 2:20, Romans 14:7-9

 

More Notes:

• Why were people there?
  • Confident there was fraud
  • Country compromised
  • See themselves as revolutionaries
  • Last chance to change what was seen as a crime
  • Felt the need to fight
  • Felt ordained by God
• Echo Chambers are when we surround ourselves with likeminded people who will positively reinforce us believing what the group believes
  • Shapes our reality by drowning out opposing views
  • Defines and becomes our identity
  • Promotes Us vs. Them mentality
  • Makes us fear thinking differently
  • Extreme beliefs (cults, terrorist groups) rely on echo chambers
• Echo Chamber and the Capitol: Participants often consume news from a single viewpoint; no need to fact-check extreme claims; saw opposing views as "the enemy"; wound itself up into hostility over months of repeatedly consuming angry media
• Personality Cults: An obsessive devotion to an individual
  • Truth based on what the individual says
  • Enemies are those who speak against the individual
  • Individual is a savior-like figure meant to prevent something terrible or restore people to something good
  • Propaganda and other media builds up their accomplishments and excuses/deflects their failures
  • Appealing because it gives us s savior; sense of belonging to a group; removes responsibility for our own beliefs
• Personality Cults and the Capitol: People were there to fight for Trump; they assumed there was evil happening because of what the President had been saying; saw him as our last line of defense against the wickedness of the other political party (especially within Qanon); meant to return us to an idealized version of America's golden age
• Gaslighting
  • Someone controls your understanding of reality by either telling you what did/didn't happen, or telling how you should/shouldn't feel
  • A method of control and manipulation that separates a person from what they understand to be true and makes them dependent on the "gaslighter" to tell them what is real
• Gaslighting and the Capitol: Spent months being told the election was unfair; told there was fraud and theft; told to be angry; told they needed to be patriots and fight for their country like the Revolutionaries
• Commonalities: isolation, defining truth and reality, identity is based on other people, always an external enemy that needs to be fought against
• Takeaway: all Trump supporters can't be lumped together; need humility and honesty to call out what's wrong; see that how we shape our reality has necessary consequences and destinations
• Sin issues: Pride, Fear, and Idolatry
• Gospel response: Remember our lives aren't our own; our identity is in Christ; use wisdom to identify our weakness and how those affect our worldview; make sure our responses and actions are bringing glory to God above all and not just boosting up our political agenda
• Remember that our highest priority is to bring God glory!

 

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

The "amen and a-woman" Prayer - A Biblical Response

Is a congressional prayer ending in "amen and a-woman" an attack on Christianity? No, but there's still something blasphemous we need to discuss.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: Isaiah 59:2, John 14:6

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

How the News Warps Our Understanding of Reality

Our beliefs are shaped by the sources we choose to listen to. In this episode, I discuss things like why the news is primarily an entertainment business, what contributes to what we believe is true, how to use wisdom when we think about what's happening in the world, and what it means to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ.

Advice for shaping our reality towards a biblical worldview:

1. Listen to both sides with equal skepticism and understanding to get a bigger picture of what  happened
2. Avoid tribalism
3. Value truth, not what we want to be true
4. Remember that we're citizens of Heaven above all else

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

Scripture used: Proverbs 18:17-19, Christ came to divide families, Romans 10:14, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 1:28

 

Episodes mentioned:

-Why a Biblical Worldview Is Necessary for Christians

-How Q-Anon Conspiracies Prey On Christians

-Understanding Conspiracy Theories Through a Biblical Worldview

 

Articles mentioned:

-Let Christ Be Offensive, Not You

-Stand with Christ, not your political party

-Understanding Conspiracy Theories Through a Biblical Worldview

-Please Remember Christ Before Talking About the Election

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Why Is Legalism So Appealing?

What is legalism? Why do so many Christians fall into it? In this episode, I look at 4 reasons why we want to add extra rules and works to our life in Christ, and what to do to fix it.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: Romans 3:19, Hebrews 10:4, Ephesians 2:8–9, Romans 6:23, Luke 18:9-14, Romans 14:5, Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 23:27, 1 Corinthians 10:31, James 2:17, Galatians 5:22-23, John 15:4

 

3 part series on abortion: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

 

Why I Don't Drink Alcohol

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Looking back at 2020 and glimpsing what's to come

A look back at 2020 as well as what's to come!

 

Link to the survey: click here

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro and a survey

2:27 My most popular article ever and everything God did with it

16:57 I started a podcast!

20:26 Your support now pays all this ministry's expenses

22:27 How Covid impacted Onward in the Faith

26:00 A surprising amount of current event and controversial topics

28:37 My Advent series and final thoughts on the year

 35:52 What's next for Onward in the Faith?

36:14 Making the website a better tool for you

37:59 Setting up a studio for podcast recording and…

38:32 Potentially starting a YouTube channel

43:03 Creating workbooks and other tools you can use

42:34 Writing a book one chapter at a time

43:25 Gaining more support and outreach

48:10 A bad pun, a summary of my goals, and a final thanks for a great 2020

 

Scripture used: Colossians 1:28

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Does the Bible Really Forbid Christmas Trees?

I start by discussing some verses that seem to forbid Christmas trees, but the majority of the episode is just discussing what the passage is really talking about and what it means for our lives. Even if you don't care about the Christmas tree part, give it a listen!

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: Jeremiah 10:1-25, James 4:4

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

4 Reasons My Family Doesn't Do Santa Claus

Santa Claus can seem totally harmless or completely against Christ. In this episode, I give 4 reasons we choose not to do Santa Claus. Whatever your own thoughts on Santa Claus, check it out and see what you think!

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Episodes worth checking out:

Why You Can't Make God Love You Less

My Best Advice to Any Parent

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.