In this episode of Thinking Christian, I sit down with Dr. Tanita Maddox—National Director of Generational Impact for Young Life and author of What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God. Drawing from years of research and on-the-ground ministry, Tanita helps untangle the unique worldview of Gen Z and why many of our “classic” Christian explanations fall flat with today’s young people.

We explore how Gen Z understands concepts like truth, goodness, safety, and identity, and why shared vocabulary often hides radically different assumptions. Tanita explains how Gen Z’s hyper-personalized world shapes their beliefs, why many of their deepest questions begin with, “Is God good?”, and how shifting cultural definitions of safety and justice impact their view of the gospel.

Together, we talk through:

• Why Gen Z sees truth as potentially harmful rather than stabilizing

• How to share the gospel with a generation that starts their theology with experience

• Why Gen Z is deeply communal—often more than previous generations

• How to reframe sin, freedom, and human dignity in ways that make sense to them

• Why listening—real, patient, non-defensive listening—is the most powerful apologetic tool we have

• Practical steps for parents, pastors, and mentors who want to meaningfully engage the next generation

If you have Gen Z kids, work with youth, teach in a church, or simply want to understand the cultural moment shaping the next generation, this conversation offers insight, clarity, and a hopeful path forward.

You can purchase What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com

To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Daniel (Danny) Zacharias and Dr. Christopher Hoklotubbe, co-authors of Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation. Together they explore how Indigenous perspectives can help Christians read Scripture more faithfully on this land we often call North America—but which many Indigenous peoples know as “Turtle Island.”

Danny and Chris explain the story of Turtle Island and why naming the land this way matters for Christian theology, discipleship, and biblical interpretation. They introduce “Turtle Island hermeneutics,” a way of reading the Bible that takes land, place, people, and history seriously—built on asset-based theology and the conviction that God was already present and active among Indigenous peoples long before European missionaries arrived.

The conversation dives into:

• What “Turtle Island hermeneutics” is and how the medicine wheel shapes their approach

• Why it’s theologically flawed to act as if God was absent from North America before colonization

• How Indigenous creation stories and traditions can sit alongside Scripture without replacing it

• Reading Naboth’s vineyard as a lens on land theft, treaties, and the Doctrine of Discovery

• Parallels between the Trail of Tears, Babylonian exile, and Psalm 137

• Babylon and boarding schools: how forced assimilation tried to erase Indigenous identity and memory

• How songs, stories, and ceremony preserve hope, faith, and cultural resilience

• Why discipleship must focus not only on doctrine, but on practices, place, and how we actually live

This episode is for pastors, Bible teachers, seminary students, and everyday Christians who want to understand Indigenous theology, Native North American perspectives, and contextual Bible interpretation without abandoning a high view of Scripture.

Reading the Bible on Turtle Island is published by IVP; check the show notes for a discount link and more information about NAITS, Acadia Divinity College, and the work Danny and Chris are doing to serve the church on Turtle Island.

You can purchase Reading the Bible on Turtle Island at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com

To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer welcomes back Sathiya Sam—CEO and founder of Deep Clean Coaching—to talk about pornography addiction, sexual integrity, and the power of Christian community in lasting recovery. Sathiya shares his own story of breaking free from pornography after years of struggle as a pastor’s kid, ministry leader, and researcher—and how that journey led to the creation of Deep Clean, a ministry now helping thousands of men pursue freedom and wholeness.

Sathiya introduces Deep Clean’s newest resource: the Deep Clean Inner Circle, a structured, community-centered program designed to help men overcome pornography through biblically grounded principles, expert coaching, and a safe, supportive network.

In this candid and practical conversation, James and Sathiya explore:

• Why porn is uniquely addictive: the “3 A’s” — affordable, accessible, anonymous

• How early exposure, social dynamics, and tech use fuel addiction

• Why freedom is possible—and why streak counting doesn’t work

• The Deep Clean system: self-awareness, heart healing, and identity transformation

• How tracking trends (not just streaks) helps build real, lasting change

• The powerful role of community, accountability, and coaching

• Real stories of men finding hope, rebuilding marriages, and restoring integrity

• What relapse can reveal, and how to “leverage” it rather than spiral in shame

• Why pornography addiction is deeply tied to distorted identity—and how Scripture reframes it

• How biblical wisdom and Christian discipleship principles can help people break any destructive pattern

Whether you're a pastor, parent, college student, or simply someone wanting to understand addiction from a Christian perspective, this episode offers clear insight and genuine hope.

Learn more about Deep Clean Coaching, the Inner Circle program, and Sathiya’s podcast The Man Within at https://www.sathiyasam.com/ or https://deepcleancoaching.com/.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com

To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.