Shows / Provoke & Inspire Podcast
Provoke & Inspire Podcast
Provoke & Inspire is a weekly podcast featuring four artists, ministry leaders, and passionate followers of Jesus (Ben, David, Luke, and Chad) with decades of front-line experience and the stories to back it up! Every week they discuss how Jesus might respond to current events and issues facing the church today.
Episodes
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 553: Wes Huff, Billy Carson, and Why Defending the Truth Matters.
Back in October, Theologian Wes Huff and ancient civilizations researcher Billy Carson recently had a debate on the Mark Minard podcast. Billy argues that…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 552: Why New Year's Resolutions DON'T Work
New year, new resolutions! But how do we avoid making resolutions that are the desires of a spiritualized hustle culture? "I want this, this, and this (for…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 551: Can I Argue Someone Into Believing?
Ben and David come to you from a hotel in Pereira, Colombia, on the final No Longer Music tour of 2024. Ben shares how nearly every single concert has been a…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 550: Am I Wasting My Life?
“Carpe diem, seize the day”… At the end of the year, Ben goes solo to address a question that haunts many people: “how do I make my life count?”…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 549: Do I Get to Decide When I Die? Euthanasia, Anti-humanism, and the Image of God.
No one can choose when they are born, should they be able to decide when they die? Canada’s MAID program (medical assistance in dying) is one of many…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 548: What Is the Life We’re All Looking For? W/ Andy Crouch (Tech-Wise Family)
Ben is joined by Andy Crouch, author of The Tech-Wise Family, as well as his latest, The Life We're Looking For. Andy Crouch (MDiv, Boston University School of…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 547: Am I Willing to Look Foolish for Jesus + Am I Unlikeable?
Are you willing to look foolish to reach people for Jesus? What does that look like in everyday life? Can't we just be cool and faithful at the same time? The…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 546: Why Does My Birthday Suck?
Birthdays are a special occasion, yet they can be hard to enjoy. Why do we feel lonely, anxious, or disappointed on a day that is supposed to be joyful and…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 545: Is AI Coming for My Soul?
Artificial Intelligence has long been seen as an inevitable threat to mankind, but in what way? Is it possible that it's more subtle than something like James…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 544: Finding Hope and Truth in the Hardest Times + a Big Change Is Coming!
We all go through hard times, but how do we respond in a Godly way? What does it practically look like to trust God in situations we can’t control? For this…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 543: Is This Really the Solution Secular Culture Has to Our Depression, Anxiety, and Addiction?
Why is Gen-Z the most depressed, anxious, and overly medicated generation in America? PragerU attempts to answer this question in their new mini-documentary…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 542: How Do I Stay Sensitive to the Holy Spirit? W/ Brian Head Welch (Korn) and Ryan Ries (Whosoevers)
On October 27th, Korn wrapped up the North American leg of their 30th anniversary tour in St. Paul, Minnesota. But before the show, guitarist Brian Head Welch…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 541: Jesus, the Transgender Movement, and Will Ferrell
"Will & Harper" is a new Netflix documentary that follows Will Ferrell as he finds out his close friend of 30 years, Harper Steele, is coming out as a trans…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 540: Cancel Culture, Porn, and Going Viral for Jesus w/ Alexizz Rodriguez (Bloodlines)
As followers of Jesus, how can we practically take a stand for our faith and the truth of the Gospel in the midst of a world that contradicts and opposes it…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 539: Engaging Politics as a Jesus Follower (Without Being a Jerk)!
It's that time of year again, and in the United States, things are tense as we get closer to the presidential elections. How can we be politically active…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 538: Without THIS Your Faith Will Die + Japanese Lavatories
Does your faith feel dull? What if the key to bring your walk with Jesus to life was doing the ONE thing that most frightened you? Without risk, does faith…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 537: Is Jesus the Answer to the Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide Epidemic? W/ Jacob Coyne
Ben is joined by Jacob Coyne - author, preacher, Christian content creator, and founder of Stay Here: a mental health organization and movement dedicated to…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 536: What Are We Getting Wrong About Evangelism? W/ Preston Perry
Ben is joined by evangelist, poet, author, and speaker Preston Perry for a discussion on how we can refine and discern our God-given gifts to better reach…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 535: Why Is God So Hidden? W/ Lee Strobel! (Classic Replay)
Ben and Aaron are joined by best-selling author of the book The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel! Together, they talk about Strobel's book Is God Real: Exploring…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 534: Deconstructing Faith and Finding Jesus W/ Philip Yancey!
Ben is joined by American author, Philip Yancey, who explores the most basic questions and the deepest mysteries of the Christian faith. Together, they talk…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 533: A Crucial Strategy For Making the Most of Your Life!
As Ben returns from another amazing tour, he comes to you solo to share an invaluable strategy for helping to make the most of the life that we have…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 532: How to Talk to a Spiritually Open Skeptic
Ben and David come to you from a hotel room in eastern Poland to talk about the shifting spiritual culture and how to talk to people who may be open…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 531: Christian Education and YouTube Evangelism w/ Jon McCray (Whaddoyoumeme)
In this episode, Ben meets YouTube personality Jon McCray of Whaddoyoumeme. Jon shares his story of coming to know Jesus, how he started his channel, and what…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 530: Staying Faithful to Jesus While Surrounded By War W/ Valery Riabokonenko
In this episode Ben, Luke and David are joined by longtime friend and missionary, Valera of Steiger Ukraine. Valery updates the guys on what Ukraine has been…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 529: Imane Khelif, Wokeism, and NOT Being a Fool
Ben goes solo for a thoughtful examination of another 2024 Olympic controversy involving an Algerian boxer named Imane Khelif as he asks the question of how we…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 528: Drag Queens, the Olympic Opening Ceremony, and the Christian Response
What in the world happened during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris? Was it a blatant attack on Christianity, or simply a highly sexualized…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 527: When Was the Last Time I Wept?
John 11:35 says, "Jesus wept." So many depictions of Jesus are of a stoic, unfeeling guru or mystic, when in reality there is no person with greater emotional…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 526: Rats, Trump, and How Jesus Defines Success
Ben and David once again go on the record to discuss the recent assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump, David's history in dealing with rats in…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 525: How Do I Keep My Heart from Growing Cold?
In this episode, Ben is joined by Chad and David, where they attempt to address the issue of how often we get used to the suffering we see all around us…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 524: Finding Intimacy With Jesus in Dark Times W/ Alicia Britt Chole
In this episode Ben sits down with author and speaker Alicia Britt Chole to talk about her newest book, "The Night is Normal: A Guide Through Spiritual Pain."…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 523: Carl Lentz and the Power and Pitfalls of Public Vulnerability
Carl Lentz recently sat down with his wife for an excruciatingly honest conversation about his moral failings, and how his family has managed to navigate them…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 522: What About Those Who DON’T Respond?
In this week's episode, David and Ben come to you from the mountains of Norway with a special road report from No Longer Music's first tour of 2024. They share…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 521: Atheism Is on the Decline, but Is That a Good Thing? W/ Justin Brierley!
Did the rise of New Atheism end up doing more damage to it's own cause than good? Can we ever truly escape our need for religion, and is the West turning back…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 520: Is Taylor Swift the Key to Reaching Gen Z?
A church in Germany hosts a service based around Taylor Swift, her music, and its themes of justice, love, tolerance, and more - packing out their building…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 519: Are Sports a Hobby, an Idol, or Evidence of God’s Existence?
Is there a deeper existential reality that sports, and our relationship to them, portray? Can David and Ben survive an expert-level Swiss ski hill? All of this…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 518: Harrison Butker, Cancel Culture, and How to Share Jesus Effectively Today.
In this episode, Ben goes solo to weigh in on the controversial commencement speech given last week at Benedictine College by NFL kicker and Super Bowl…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 517: I’m a Christian - Shouldn’t I Feel Satisfied?
Is a purpose-filled life only reserved for a select few who happen to have found their dream job and God-given calling? Is it something we have to create for…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 516: What Will It Take to Reach Gen-Z for Jesus? W/ Gabrielle McCullough (Harris Creek Baptist Church)
How do we effectively reach Gen-Z for Jesus? Is there a common denominator between Gen-Z'ers that fall away from the faith, and those that don't? In this…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 515: Smartphone Addiction, Mark Driscoll, and Phantom Leg Vibrations
Are our smartphones killing our faith? Do we need to take drastic steps to protect ourselves from their misuse? Were Mark Driscoll's actions out of line at the…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 514: Reaching People for Jesus in the Inner City of Chicago W/ Esteban Shedd
Ben and David sit down with rap and hip hop artist Esteban Shedd, as he shares about the beginnings of Streetlights audio bible, and how from a basement to a…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 513: What If God Doesn't Want to Heal Me?
So often our culture in the church sets people up for failure with expectations of prosperity, healing, and after coming to Jesus, when the truth is that this…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 512: Does Prayer Really Make A Difference? W/ Pete Greig of 24-7 Prayer
Is prayer something inevitably dull and boring? How can we faithfully engage in prayer to change the world for Jesus? In this episode Ben and Luke talk with…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 511: Bad Therapy, the Mental Health Crisis, and the Solution No One Is Talking About!
Is modern therapy making us all worse? Has the church adopted the secular mindset of medicating its way through the normal hardships of everyday life? In many…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 510: The Toxic War on Masculinity W/ Nancy Pearcey
Is the current war on men justified? How do we as Christians aim to address and remedy the toxic masculinity in our culture as followers of Jesus? Professor…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 509: Without THESE Changes We Will Never Reach the World! W/ Dr. Lisa Pak (Finishing The Task)
In this episode, Ben and Aaron sit down with Reverend and Dr. Lisa Pak, who works alongside Pastor Rick Warren at Finishing The Task, an organization that…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastHow Do I Avoid Burnout?
Why do we quit? What is it that is making the average American change jobs every four years? In this quick hit Ben talks about perseverance, and how the…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 508: Two Reasons Why We Quit When It Matters Most
The Bible instructs us to run the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). As followers of…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 507: What Should Christians Think About Marijuana? W/ Dr. Todd Miles
Is marijuana prohibited by scripture? Is it encouraged? As the drug increases in legalization and cultural prevalence, how do we as Christians approach it? In…
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Why Am I Spiritually Stagnant?
Can we actually change, or are we stuck with what we've got? What is it that keeps us stagnant, often held in the same spiritual patterns? In this quick hit…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 506: Why Can't I Change?
Is changing our minds and our hearts simply about discipline, more knowledge, or other things that might be considered self-help? Is it something else? In this…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 505: Polyamory, Lust, and the End of Marriage
Predictably, a lifestyle that once seemed to be confined to only the fringes of society is now being found in reality TV shows, on the covers of mainstream…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 504: Is Wokeism and Liberal Ideology Pushing People Toward Jesus?
Is our society seeing a spiritual awakening as more and more of it's leading podcasters, thinkers, and social media influencers begin to confront and…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 503: Does God Predestine People for Hell, or Do We Have A Choice? W/ Dr. Leighton Flowers
Does our theology actually make a difference in how we live our lives as followers of Jesus? Does God determine the eternal destiny of each person before they…
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Things Are More Desperate Than You Think.
Why is it that we can be so casual in dire circumstances; so slow to share our faith, even when the lives of the people around us are being destroyed by lies…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 502: Talking Sex, Violence, Profanity, and the Death of Christian Art W/ Josh Porter (Showbread)!
Should Christians watch R-rated movies? Does the Bible contain offensive art? Have we applied arbitrary moral standards to art and killed it in the process?…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 501: Talking Matters of Life, Death, and Icy Rivers w/ Brian ‘Head’ Welch (Korn)
In this episode Ben, David, Chad, and a special guest respond to a story of a Minnesota man who dove into an icy river to save the driver of a vehicle that had…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastYou Should KILL Your Dreams!
We can often get so caught up in doing things for God and wondering what he might want us to be doing, that we miss some very simple, yet critical aspects of…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 500: Do Christians NEED To Follow Trends To Be Effective Witnesses? AND Lessons Learned From Recording 500 Episodes!
It's the 500th episode of Provoke & Inspire! Whether you've been here from the beginning or this is your first episode, thank you for listening and for your…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastShould Christians Care About the Trends, or Just Focus On the Gospel? Sharing Jesus in a Lil Nas X World.
Late last week, rapper Lil Nas X released his new song "J Christ." The music video features a depiction of Noah's flood and a scene where Lil Nas X is being…
Provoke & Inspire PodcastEpisode 499: THE Reason We Aren’t Sharing The Gospel Today w/ Greg Stier (Dare 2 Share)
Is there something specific that is actively keeping us, the Church, from sharing the gospel? If so, what is it? How can we overcome this epidemic? In this…