Episodios

  • #66: How Reformed University Fellowship Ministers to Students

    #66: How Reformed University Fellowship Ministers to Students
    Mar 1 2026

    In this episode I continue my sporadic series on various campus ministries. I am joined by Charles Askew and Caysie Ashton, campus ministers with Reformed University Fellowship (RUF). Charles and Caysie bring their unique perspectives to help us better understand the ministry of RUF and whether it might be right for you.

    In this podcast we discuss:

    • What “Reformed” means
    • How Casey and Chuck got involved in RUF
    • How RUF got started
    • The core mission of RUF
    • How to find a RUF chapter
    • What to expect at a RUF chapter
    • How chapters differ campus-to-campus
    • What is required to be involved in RUF
    • What makes RUF distinct from other campus ministries
    • Why RUF doesn’t have a curriculum that students go through
    • How RUF helps students build deep relationships
    • RUF’s weekly activities for students
    • RUF’s strengths and weaknesses
    • Why students should look into joining a RUF chapter
    • The importance of just showing up
    • Why we shouldn’t fear the “secular” university

    Resources mentioned during our conversation:

    • RUF website & various RUF chapter’s Instagram accounts
    • C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity and The Great Divorce
    • Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters
    • John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (especially “The Golden Book of the Christian Life” section)
    • Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will
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    1 h y 6 m
  • 65: Discussing Jesus with Your Muslim Friends

    65: Discussing Jesus with Your Muslim Friends
    Feb 1 2026

    There are an estimated 2 billion Muslims worldwide, including your classmates, neighbors, and friends. Many are interested in discussing spiritual topics, including the person of Jesus. But how do we have these conversations–and share the good news about who Jesus really is–without the conversation turning into an argument? Alan Shlemon has an answer that he and many others have found to be very helpful: beginning with the Koran instead of the Bible to break down barriers. Alan is a staff apologist with Stand To Reason, a sought-after speaker on this topic, and my guest on this episode of College Faith.

    In this podcast we discuss:

    • How Alan got interested in this topic
    • Why we should care about sharing Jesus with Muslims
    • Why Muslims are open to discussing Jesus
    • What our attitude toward Muslims should be
    • Essential Muslim beliefs and practices
    • How to discuss the accuracy of the Gospels
    • What to avoid in conversations with Muslims
    • Alan’s overall strategy to get to Gospel conversations with a Muslim
    • Why the Gospel is “good news” for the Muslim

    Resources mentioned during our conversation:

    • Stand To Reason website
    • Get to the Gospel with Muslims, Stand to Reason
    • The Cost Muslims Pay for Missing Jesus, Stand to Reason
    • The Quran Gets Crucifixion Wrong, Stand to Reason
    • Is “Allah” Just Another Word for God?, Stand to Reason
    • STR U, Stand to Reason’s free online training program (includes his course on “Engaging Muslims”)
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    Menos de 1 minuto
  • #64: A Guide to Majoring in Pre-Law

    #64: A Guide to Majoring in Pre-Law
    Jan 1 2026

    Are you or someone you know considering going to law school (and majoring in pre-law to prepare)? In this episode, I continue my sporadic series on various college majors students may choose. To discuss the field of Law, I’ve invited Mike Schutt, J.D., who has wide experience and vast knowledge in this field.

    In this podcast we discuss:

    • How Mike got interested in studying Law
    • Some of the career options for those who study Law
    • Undergraduate majors to prepare for law school
    • Where he discovered some of the connections between the Christian worldview and law, and how that shaped him
    • What helped him grow in his faith during law school
    • Some challenges he faced as a believer in law school
    • Things you must understand to pick the right law school and flourish there
    • Some ways Christians in law can have a redemptive influence for Christ
    • The importance of joining the Christian Legal Society for the journey through law school
    • The proper role of the Lord in the discernment process when considering law school

    Resources mentioned during our conversation:

    • Mike Schutt, Redeeming Law: Christian Calling and the Legal Profession
    • Christian Legal Society
    • CLS Law Student Ministries
    • Cross and Gavel podcast
    • Robert F. Cochran, Jr. and John Inazu, The Servant Lawyer: Facing the Challenges of Christian Faith in Everyday Law Practice
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    52 m
  • #63: Why Studying Hard is Good for Your Soul as Well as Your GPA

    #63: Why Studying Hard is Good for Your Soul as Well as Your GPA
    Dec 1 2025

    In this episode, we challenge the idea that studying as a student (and throughout the rest of our lives) is a necessary evil. Rather, we discuss why study is to be embraced and how it plays an important role in forming us into Christ’s image as we increasingly learn to love God with our minds. My guest is Dr. Richard Smith, who has just written Such a Mind as This, a study of the role of thinking well in the Old Testament.

    In this podcast we discuss:

    • The role the mind plays in our flourishing
    • What the Old Testament has to say about the role of thinking in spiritual formation
    • Why so many churches and ministries see the mind as the enemy of growth in Christ
    • How the shift in worship music can be harmful to our spiritual life
    • How the belief that deeper study is harmful to our spiritual life negatively affects students
    • Examples of students who have flourished by asking good questions and finding good answers

    Resources mentioned during our conversation:

    • Richard Smith, Such a Mind as This
    • John Frame, The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God
    • Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism
    • Daniel Strange, Making Faith Magnetic
    • Richard Smith, The Heart Thinks
    • Getty Music
    • Sovereign Grace Music
    • L’Abri
    • Suggested book list (left side of home page)
    • Such a Mind as This YouTube
    • Lester R. Juarez YouTube
    • Centro de Estudios Cristianos Kuyper
    • Cosmovisión Bíblica
    • College Faith #20: How Christian Study Centers Minister to University Students
    • College Faith #49: Why Are Students Required to Take General Education (or “Core Curriculum”) Courses?
    • College Faith Podcast #61: Redeeming Philosophy: How Christian Scholars Changed The Conversation
    • College Faith Podcast #38: The Pop-Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for Christ
    • College Faith #1: How University Students Can Love God with Their Minds – Dr. JP Moreland
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    42 m
  • #62: Losing Your Faith and Finding It Again

    #62: Losing Your Faith and Finding It Again
    Nov 1 2025
    This episode’s conversation is especially important if you’ve ever felt like your faith was unraveling—or if you’ve watched someone you care about go through that. I’m joined by Dr. Peter Schuurman, a sociologist, pastor, and co-author of Blessed Are the Undone: Testimonies of the Quiet Deconstruction of Faith in Canada. It’s a book full of real-life stories from people who have struggled with their faith — and it addresses themes well beyond the Canadian context. Whether you’re deconstructing, reconstructing, or just trying to hang on to your faith—this conversation is for you. In this podcast we discuss: Why Peter wrote Blessed Are The Undone for this momentWhat surprised him most when interviewing believers who are “deconstructing” their faithWhy it is so important to know why Christianity is true before going to collegeThe role parents, pastors, and Christian communities can have in helping students doubting their faithDiscerning the difference between healthy doubt and losing one’s faithWhy “inerrancy” and LGBTQ are often stumbling blocks leading students (and others) to deconstruct their faithHow to rebuild a sustainable faith after deconstructionAdvice on finding a healthy churchThe importance of also deconstructing our atheistic, hedonistic culture and universitiesThe value of listening to others’ stories of their journey to faith Resources mentioned during our conversation: Peter Schuurman and Angela Reitsma Bick, Blessed Are The Undone: Testimonies of the Quiet Deconstruction of Faith in CanadaKeith Campbell, “Filter-Free Praying When Things Get Tough,” College Faith Podcast #57Stan Wallace and J.P. Moreland, “An Introduction to Have We Lost Our Minds?,” Thinking Christianly Podcast #33Stan Wallace, Have We Lost Our Minds? Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human FlourishingGordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How To Read the Bible For All Its WorthRick Mattson, “Finding the ‘Middle Way’ in the LGBTQ+ Conversation,” College Faith Podcast #40Ross Douthat, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be ReligiousJustin Brierly, The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old And Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity AgainLarry Sanger, “How a Skeptical Philosopher Becomes a Christian”(see also The Gospel Coalition’s “Wikipedia Founder Embraces Christianity: Larry Sanger’s Testimony Highlights”)Joseph A. Scimecca, The Not So Outrageous Idea of a Christian Sociology
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    59 m
  • #61: Redeeming Philosophy: How Christian Scholars Changed The Conversation

    #61: Redeeming Philosophy: How Christian Scholars Changed The Conversation
    Oct 1 2025
    In the mid-20th century, many in academia assumed that serious philosophy had little room for Christian belief. But in the past fifty-plus years, something remarkable has happened—a quiet revolution in the philosophy departments of leading universities. Christian philosophers have not only entered the conversation; they’ve shaped it, challenged prevailing assumptions, and earned a respected place in scholarly dialogue. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Greg Ganssle, author, philosopher, and Department Chair of Talbot School of Theology’s Philosophy Department. We explore how the revival of Christian philosophy began, the thinkers who helped spark it, and what it means for students of faith navigating the intellectual climate of today’s colleges in all academic departments. In this podcast we discuss: Why conversations about what is really real (including God) were off the table in the early 20th CenturyWhat happened in the 1960s to change this climate in our universitiesHow these changes opened the door for Christian philosophy to re-enter the academic conversationThe importance of intentionally uniting biblical truth and philosophical truth, and of forming community among Christian philosophersThe methodology and strategy of Christian philosophers to renew their discipline for God’s gloryHow Christian philosophers earned respect for their perspectivesThe state of apologetics (applied philosophy) today and in the futureHow students in other majors can apply what we learn from the renaissance of Christian thought in philosophyWhat insight from philosophy has been most helpful to him personally in his walk with Christ Resources mentioned during our conversation: The Society of Christian Philosophers (Journal: Faith and Philosophy)The Evangelical Philosophical Society (Journal: Philosophia Christi)Alvin Plantinga, God and Other Minds: A Study of the Rational Justification of Belief in GodRivendell Institute at Yale UniversityGreg Ganssle, A Reasonable God: Engaging the New Face of AtheismPaul Gould, Cultural Apologetics: Renewing the Christian Voice, Conscience, and Imagination in a Disenchanted WorldGreg Ganssle, Our Deepest Desires: How the Christian Story Fulfills Human AspirationsClifford Williams, Existential Reasons for Belief in God: A Defense of Desires and Emotions for FaithWayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical DoctrineCollege Faith podcasts on CommunityJP Moreland, The Recalcitrant Imago Dei: Human Persons and the Failure of NaturalismStan Wallace, Have We Lost Our Minds? Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human FlourishingArthur Holmes, Contours of a World ViewMark Noll, Jesus Christ and the Life of the MindCloser To Truth (YouTube channel) – short interviews with Christian philosophers and others Tom Morris, ed., God And The Philosophers: The Reconciliation of Faith and ReasonKelly James Clark, ed., Philosophers who Believe: The Spiritual Journeys of 11 Leading Thinkers
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    1 h y 12 m
  • #60: Ratio Christi: An Apologetics Ministry (Most Likely) Near You

    #60: Ratio Christi: An Apologetics Ministry (Most Likely) Near You
    Sep 1 2025
    In this episode, my guest is Dr. Corey Miler, the President and CEO of Ratio Christi, an apologetics ministry on over 100 campuses in the U.S. I’ve invited him to join me to discuss the ministry of Ratio Christi. In this podcast we discuss: What “ratio Christi” means and how that relates to doing “apologetics evangelism”How Ratio Christi differs from other apologetics ministries and from other campus ministriesHow Ratio Christi overlaps with other apologetics ministries and with other campus ministriesHow Ratio Christi connects with the local churchWhat a student can expect at a Ratio Christi chapter meetingHow Ratio Christi campus leaders are selectedResources provided to those in Ratio Christi chaptersThe path to joining Ratio Christi’s staff How students can find a Ratio Christi chapterRatio Christi resources for church and community groupsStories of how Ratio Christi chapters have made a real difference in students’ livesThe importance of the local church caring about the state of higher education and equipping believers to defend the Faith Resources mentioned during our conversation: RatioChristi.orgRatio Christi PressCollege Faith Podcast #59: “Learning With Others to Defend the Faith: Joining a Reasonable Faith Chapter”Stand To Reason Outposts (small groups)Reasons to BelieveVeritas ForumJ.P. Moreland, Love Your God With All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the SoulStan W. Wallace, Have We Lost Our Minds? Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell, More Than A CarpenterNorman Geisler and Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an AtheistMark A. Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind
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    46 m
  • #59: Learning With Others To Defend The Faith: Joining a Reasonable Faith Chapter

    #59: Learning With Others To Defend The Faith: Joining a Reasonable Faith Chapter
    Aug 1 2025

    Do you want to find and share answers to skeptics’ questions about the Christian faith? Would you enjoy being around other thoughtful Christians also interested in answering these questions? Then consider joining or beginning a Reasonable Faith chapter on your campus or in your city. My guest in this episode is Tyson James, Reasonable Faith’s National Chapter Director. We discuss why being a part of a Reasonable Faith chapter on your campus or in your community can make a big difference.

    In this podcast we discuss:

    • Why it is so important to understand apologetics while in college
    • What a Reasonable Faith chapter on campus is all about
    • How you can be involved in both a Reasonable Faith chapter and another campus ministry
    • How to find a Reasonable Faith chapter on your campus
    • How you can become a Chapter Director to start and lead a Reasonable Faith chapter if there isn’t yet one on your campus (or in your city)
    • How Reasonable Faith helps you launch a chapter
    • How much time is involved in being a Chapter Director
    • What is distinctive about the Reasonable Faith chapter program
    • A few stories of how God has used Reasonable Faith chapters

    Resources mentioned during our conversation:

    • Reasonable Faith
    • Reasonable Faith Chapters
    • Tyson’s email: chapters@reasonablefaith.org
    • Ratio Christi
    • William Lane Craig
    • Dr. Craig’s Defender’s Class
    • William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics
    • William Lane Craig and J.P. Moreland, eds., The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology
    • J.P. Moreland and William Lane Craig, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview
    • William Lane Craig, On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision
    • Greg Koukl, Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions
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    46 m