The AC Podcast

If you've been a part of a church community for any length of time, you've likely experienced moments of hurt, disappointment, or even betrayal. These painful incidents often drive people away from their local congregation, their ministry, or, in the worst cases, the faith itself. But what if there's a way to address these wounds before they push us toward deconstructing our faith? What would it take for us to go from, the Church breaking our hearts, to our hearts breaking for the Church? Join us on this week's episode as we explore the power of empathy, forgiveness, and restoration within the body of Christ. Listen as Troy, Andy and Steve discuss how we can transform our church experiences into a movement of healing and unity for the whole body of Christ.

On this week's episode of the AC Podcast, Troy sits down with TWU students, Rea, Marko, and Jeremy to talk about peace. Recently, this trio of student body leaders were invited to the 3rd Global Peace Summit organized by Humanitarian Affairs Asia. "It is a conference designed to empower the next generation of peacebuilders from diverse corners of the world." In addition to representing TWU at the GP Summit, Rea, Marko, and Jeremy were selected to attend as leaders at the conference. Only 11 people worldwide were accepted for a leadership role from 350 applicants. Listen to this week's episode to hear a story of hope, prayer, and representing Jesus on the global stage.

In the realm of Christian figures, few have stirred as much controversy in recent years as Mark Driscoll. Amid the echoes of the podcast "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill," the rock-and-roll preacher once again finds himself at the epicenter of Christian discourse. Recently, as a guest speaker at one of the nation's largest Christian men's conferences, Driscoll sparked uproar by beginning his talk with a rebuke for opening the men's conference with a chest baring, male acrobat. This public disagreement led to a remarkable moment as Driscoll was escorted off stage by the event's host pastor, John Lindell. The fallout has left the Christian community divided, with opinions split on whether Driscoll or Pastor Lindell handled this correctly. Join us in this week's episode as Troy, Andy, and Wes delve into their perspectives on the incident.

Once known as the leading figure of the Four Horsemen of New Atheism, Richard Dawkins made a name for himself for his vitriol against religion in general and Christianity in particular. So, then, it surprised many people to hear him self-identify as a cultural Christian. While he rejects the truth claims of Christianity, he still seems to see value in the impact of Christianity, at least in comparison to some other worldviews. Is this new from Dawkins? What should we make of the comment itself? Steve and Wes sat down to discuss them in this week’s edition of the AC Podcast.

On this week's episode, Troy sits down for an in-person conversation with Trinity Western student, Rea and AC Adjunct speaker, Isaac Paul. The nature of their conversation revolves around the importance of interfaith dialogue. Listen as Rea unpacks her story of deconverting from Sikhism to Christianity and Isaac's insights as to how we can take a more relational approach to evangelism.

Rest: an event that often eludes the entrepreneur, parents, and ministry leaders, among many others. As we observe the remainder of the Holy Week on Good Friday and Easter, a person should naturally be reflecting on the finished work of the cross. However, the scriptures outline that there is still much work to be done for the sake of the gospel, while also instructing us to find rest in God. So what is the true sabbath, and how should it be observed? Join Troy and Steve on this week's episode of the AC Podcast to hear their thoughts.

Didn’t Jesus say that the Father is greater than he is? Didn’t he call the Father his God? Isn't he called the "firstborn" of God's creation? One of the core teachings of Christianity is the claim that Jesus is God. Yet, some verses seem to contradict this very claim. Andy, Steve, and Wes continue their discussion on the deity of Jesus this week by addressing some verses commonly brought up by those who reject this essential teaching of Christianity.

One thing that sets Christianity apart is our view of Jesus as God. This core teaching is connected to other core teachings of the Church such as the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. So, it’s no surprise that those who reject Christian orthodoxy often come at it by denying the deity of Jesus. How would you back up the claim that Jesus is God? If you're not sure, you’ve come to the right place. Andy, Steve, and Wes sat down to address this important topic in this week’s episode of the AC Podcast.

That's a wrap! The "Can I Trust the Bible" AC Conference in BC has come to another bittersweet end for 2024. From kicking off the weekend with the series premiere to packing out Northview Community Church, there's so much to be thankful for. On this week's episode of the AC Podcast, "The Quad" consisting of Troy, Andy, Steve, and Wes take the time to reflect and express their gratitude to all who made this year's BC Conference week a success.

The popularity of psychedelics in the West, particularly in the pursuit of spiritual experiences, is only becoming more and more popular. For this week’s podcast Wes interviews Will Do, who grew up in a Buddhist household in Toronto and ended up later in his life following several New Age practices – including the partaking of several psychedelic substances. Will’s desire to find truth ultimately led him out of the New Age and hallucinogenic substances and into following the one who is The Truth.

February is a month popularized by celebrating Black History Month. As such, we decided it would be appropriate to have an episode discussing the complexities of racism. From the portrayal of diversity in antiquity to modern jokes based on cultural identifiers, the need for gentleness can't be understated. In this week's episode the podcast team of Troy, Andy Steve and Wes seek to look at the biblical grounding for diversity while sharing their experiences with race.

It’s easy for us to let our immediate church context define what the Church (capital “C”) looks like around the world. This is particularly so for those of us who live in a country where being a Christian is relatively easy. Today, Apologetics Canada brings you an eye-opening interview. Listen in on the conversation Steve had with Rev. Gary Stagg, the Executive Director of Open Doors Canada. They discussed Open Door’s 2024 World Watchlist, an annual list produced by Open Doors to rank the top 50 most dangerous countries to be a Christian. They talk about several notable countries mentioned on the list, and what is going on for the churches in those countries.

Buried, burnt, and bygone. An entire library of ancient scrolls was buried under the ash and lava of Mt. Vesuvius in the city of Herculaneum, a Roman village less than 20km from the famous city of Pompei. But with some amazing new technology, these scrolls are being unrolled (digitally at least) and we can peer through the charred ash and carbon to read them for the first time in nearly 2000 years. Wes, Andy, and Troy get together on this week’s podcast to talk about the Herculaneum papyri and other advances in technology that have an impact on helping us have confidence in the historical evidence of the Bible.

Adulting is hard and at no point does it appear to get easier. Yet, it's human nature to desire a reprieve from what seems like the cyclical woes of growing up. On this week's episode, Troy sits down with AC intern, Lyzandria. They discuss whether or not the young people of our generation have a healthy understanding of struggle and whether or not life's challenges are something we can be better prepared for.

"We're going without, to go within!" On this week's episode of the AC Podcast Andy, Wes, and Troy are talking about a biblical view of fasting. While spoken about widely throughout scripture, why is it often a topic undervalued or even absent in the modern evangelical church? More than a diet or a trend, biblical fasting is a spiritual discipline that profoundly changes us to draw near to God.

Do theists have any good arguments at all? Not according to Richard Dawkins. He was recently interviewed by Alex O’Connor, aka the Cosmic Skeptic. When asked what good arguments he had encountered, Dawkins replied that theists (including Christians) have no good arguments. Zero. Zilch. Zip. If that seems like a pretty bold statement, you are not alone. Andy, Steve, and Wes came together this week to offer their reactions to both O’Connor and Dawkins, and to hash out some of the implications of such an extreme statement.

There will forever be a conversation about how the use of art and creativity can break down barriers and cross boundaries that otherwise may have seemed impossible. Yet, it can often be overlooked in theological circles as a tool for apologetics. On this week's episode, Troy talks with Premier Radio Director and Host, Ruth Jackson, about apologetics in art.

It's the New Year and the AC Podcast is back! We kick the year off introducing our newest addition to the AC team, Max Chadwick. Max join us as our official filmmaker who will be sure to help transform round table ideas into compelling visuals. Listen to this week's episode to learn about Max's journey to filmmaking and faith.

For the last podcast of the year, we figured what better way to end 2023 than to close it out with a podcast reflecting on the miraculous incarnation of Christ! While Christmas may be over, the significance is still worth the conversation and undoubtedly more. Troy and Steve continued their conversation with our friend, Dr. Raphael Samuel, to delve into Part Two of the year-end podcast, "The Miracle of Christ."

Christmas is just around the corner. ’Tis the time of the year when we take the time to reflect on God coming in the flesh. Our thinking often starts with the typical nativity scene, with Baby Jesus already lying in the manger in swaddling clothes. We rarely think about the pregnancy and the actual birthing process. Since we believe that Jesus is truly human as well as truly God, reflecting on the miracle of the human birth will help us appreciate the miracle of the divine birth. Troy and Steve sat down with our friend, Dr. Raphael Samuel, to delve into Part One of a two-part series titled "The Miracle of Birth.