Radically Christian

<p>Can a Christian actually watch a movie to the glory of God? Play a video game in the name of Jesus? It sounds almost absurd until you realize Paul's command in 1 Corinthians 10:31 doesn't stop at the church door, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." That means entertainment too. But what does that actually look like in practice? And how do you avoid the two traps: writing off all entertainment as spiritually dangerous, or treating it as a completely neutral zone where faith has no say? Wes and Marcus have both wrestled with this personally. They bring their own stories, their own failures, and a surprisingly deep theological case for why how and why you consume entertainment matters just as much as what you choose to consume.</p><p><strong>Links and Resources</strong></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vidangel.com/?promo_code=radically">VidAngel</a> - Skip & mute offensive content you don’t want to see or hear in thousands of movies & TV shows, including profanity, nudity, violence & more.</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://amzn.to/3Rolry8"><em>When I Relax I Feel Guilty</em></a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/When-Relax-Feel-Guilty-Hansel/dp/0781440033"> by Tim Hansel</a> — Wes mentioned this book sat on his shelf for years, unread — which, he noted, proved its point perfectly.</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://logos.com/radicallychristian">Logos Bible Study Software</a> - Extended Free Trial</p><p><em>This description contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend resources we genuinely believe in.</em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.radicallychristian.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">www.radicallychristian.com</a>

<p>"Count it all joy when you face trials," you've probably heard James 1:2 before. However, if we're being honest, it sounds offensive. Maybe even cruel. When life is falling apart, the last thing most of us want is a command to be joyful about it. Our instinct is to escape, to find someone or something that will rescue us from the pain as fast as possible.But what if that instinct — that desperate need to avoid suffering at all cost — is actually leading us somewhere dangerous? What if James, Peter, Paul, and even Job are all pointing to something we're not sure we really want? Wes and Marcus dig into James 1:2-4 and a surprising thread through Scripture: that suffering isn't just something God permits — it may be exactly what you need to become who you're meant to be.</p><p><strong>Links and Resources</strong></p><p>* Sponsor: Freed Hardeman University - fhu.edu/graduate</p><p>* Pre-Order Wes’ New Book: <a target="_blank" href="https://amzn.to/3OPaipn"><em>Empowered by the Spirit: God’s Gift to Strengthen His People and Transform the World</em></a></p><p>* Free Trial of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.logos.com/radicallychristian">Logos Bible Study Software</a></p><p><em>This description contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend resources we genuinely believe in.</em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.radicallychristian.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">www.radicallychristian.com</a>

<p>Most of us have been taught to make peace with death: The circle of life. A natural part of things. Even well-meaning Christians sometimes shrug at the grave, "They're in a better place, so I shouldn't be sad." But what if this instinct to soften death actually robs us of something important? Scripture calls death an enemy, one that God himself wept over, one that steals not just a final breath, but everything that was supposed to flourish before that moment. </p><p>And yet Scripture also speaks of God wielding death, of the angel of death in Exodus, of death being cast into the lake of fire. How do we hold those things together? Wes and Marcus wrestle with one of the most heart-wrenching tensions in all of Scripture and what it means for how we grieve, hope, and live.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.radicallychristian.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">www.radicallychristian.com</a>

<p>You’ve heard it your whole life, <em>“Do not be anxious about anything.”</em> But what happens when that verse makes your anxiety worse? When the command to stop worrying just adds guilt on top of the worry you already can’t shake?</p><p>Wes and Marcus get honest about the tension so many Christians feel around anxiety: caught between preachers who call it a sin and a culture that treats it as simply unavoidable. What does the Bible <em>actually</em> say? And is there a way out that doesn’t feel impossible or fake?</p><p>This conversation might change the way you read Philippians 4:6, and the way you talk to yourself when anxiety hits.</p><p><strong>Links and Resources</strong></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://amzn.to/4todtDe"><em>The Gospel of Being Human</em></a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-Being-Human-Lost-Eden/dp/0593193210"> by Marty Solomon</a> — Referenced at the top of the episode; Wes and Marcus discuss their recent conversation with Marty and how his framework undergirds this topic.</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://amzn.to/3Qjd32z"><em>The Anxious Generation</em></a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036"> by Jonathan Haidt</a> — Wes borrows Haidt’s language to describe the cultural moment we’re living in.</p><p><em>This description contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend resources we genuinely believe in.</em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.radicallychristian.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">www.radicallychristian.com</a>

<p><strong>What if being human isn’t the problem, but the point?</strong></p><p>Wes and co-host Marcus Stenson sit down with Marty Solomon, host of the BEMA Discipleship Podcast, campus minister, and author, to explore his newly released book, <em>The Gospel of Being Human</em> (co-authored with Reed Dent). The conversation digs into one of the most transformative questions in theology: What if the gospel story actually <em>begins</em> in Genesis 1 (with humanity’s creation), not Genesis 3 (with our fall)? Marty challenges the assumption that being human is fundamentally bad news. When we recapture the biblical vision of humanity as image-bearers, it changes how we see ourselves, treat our enemies, and participate in God’s redemptive work in the world. If you’ve ever felt like Christianity teaches you to hate yourself before you can be saved, this conversation will be a breath of fresh air.</p><p><strong>Links and Resources</strong></p><p><strong>Books:</strong></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.martysolomon.com/books"><strong><em>The Gospel of Being Human</em></strong></a><a target="_blank" href="https://amzn.to/4mDmpC3"><strong> by Marty Solomon & Reed Dent (NavPress, 2026)</strong></a></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.martysolomon.com/books"><strong><em>Asking Better Questions of the Bible</em></strong></a><a target="_blank" href="https://amzn.to/41LCWdI"><strong> by Marty Solomon (NavPress, 2023)</strong></a></p><p><strong>Podcast:</strong></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/"><strong>The BEMA Discipleship Podcast</strong></a> </p><p><strong>Marty Solomon:</strong></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.martysolomon.com/"><strong>MartySolomon.com</strong></a></p><p><strong>Affiliate Link Disclaimer</strong></p><p><em>If you click on a product link and make a purchase, Radically Christian may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We only recommend resources we genuinely believe in. Thank you for supporting Radically Christian.</em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.radicallychristian.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">www.radicallychristian.com</a>