Provoke & Inspire Podcast-logo

Provoke & Inspire Podcast

Religion & Spirituality Podcas

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.

Location:

United States

Description:

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.

Language:

English


Episodes
Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 516: What Will it Take to Reach Gen-Z for Jesus? W/ Gabrielle McCullough (Harris Creek Baptist Church)

5/9/2024
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 episode Ben and Chad talk with evangelist, disciple-maker, and bible-teacher Gabrielle McCullough who works closely with JP Pokluda of Harris Creek Baptist Church. They learn from her story how powerful the life of a young person transformed for Jesus can be and the impact they can have for the gospel on the world around them through simple obedience. Check out more about Gabrielle's ministry here: https://gabriellemccullough.com/ ------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:51:10

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 515: Smartphone Addiction, Mark Driscoll, and Phantom Leg Vibrations

5/2/2024
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 Stronger Men's conference? In this episode the regulars cover these questions, amid the broader topic of our current smartphone addiction and epidemic, in light of author Jonathan Haidt's new book, The Anxious Generation. David also shares about his disdain for a phone's Airplane Mode function, and an ominous occurrence of phantom vibration syndrome. ------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:01:02:46

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 514: Reaching People for Jesus in the Inner City of Chicago W/ Esteban Shedd

4/25/2024
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 parking lot, to a studio, to a non-profit, to the road, to the globe - contextualizing the word of God has effectively reached millions who might never walk into a church. To learn more about the Streetlights Bible ministry, click here! ------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:46:47

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 513: What If God Doesn't Want to Heal Me?

4/18/2024
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 is just not the reality to be expected. David and Ben ask the question of whether or not healing is a guaranteed part of being a Christian, or if God might sometimes have greater plans for redeeming our suffering. ------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:33:30

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 512: Does Prayer Really Make A Difference? W/ Pete Greig of 24-7 Prayer

4/11/2024
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 the founder of the 24-7 Prayer movement, Pete Greig, and discuss how a life of prayer is the only hope we have in making a difference as Christians. ------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:43:30

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 511: Bad Therapy, the Mental Health Crisis, and the Solution No One Is Talking About!

4/4/2024
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 ways it seems we've forgotten the healing power of the gospel, and the restorative power of the Holy Spirit. In this episode the regulars weigh in on this controversial subject, after reading through popular journalist Abigail Shrier's new book, "Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up." ------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:42:48

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 510: The Toxic War on Masculinity W/ Nancy Pearcey

3/28/2024
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 Nancy Pearcey sits down with Ben and Chad to discuss this topic in light of her new book, "The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes" ------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:50:56

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 509: Without THESE Changes We Will Never Reach the World! W/ Dr. Lisa Pak (Finishing The Task)

3/21/2024
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 exists to see every people group in the world engaged with an indigenously led church planting movement. Jesus said in Matthew 24:14 that, "...this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." How do we practically set out to complete the great commission, especially when people groups continue to emerge such as the global youth culture? -------------------------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:46:25

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

How Do I Avoid Burnout?

3/15/2024
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 significance of our lives depends on us getting this right. ---------------------------------------------------- Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE! Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow Ben on Instagram! Ben Pierce

Duration:00:06:04

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 508: Two Reasons Why We Quit When It Matters Most

3/14/2024
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 Jesus, how can we practically set out to accomplish this? Ben, David, and Chad wrestle through the topic of perseverance in the life of a Christian, and how we can do so in a world that quits nearly everything it begins. -------------------------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:43:02

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 507: What Should Christians Think About Marijuana? W/ Dr. Todd Miles

3/7/2024
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 this episode, Ben and Chad are joined by Dr. Todd Miles, author of "Cannabis and The Christian". When it comes to marijuana, what do we make of its use recreationally, medically, the addictive properties, and its taboo nature in the Church? Is a Christian ever permitted to use this drug, and has this substance been wrongfully deemed as forbidden? -------------------------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:42:51

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Why Am I Spiritually Stagnant?

3/1/2024
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 Ben discusses what truly changes us, and how anything less than a shift in identity will simply not work. ---------------------------------------------------- Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE! Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow Ben on Instagram! Ben Pierce

Duration:00:07:01

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 506: Why Can't I Change?

2/29/2024
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 episode the regulars discuss whether or not there really is something distinct about the way in which Jesus changes us. ---------------------------------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:46:07

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 505: Polyamory, Lust, and the End of Marriage

2/22/2024
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 news articles, and widespread across the secular world: Polyamory. Ben, David, and Chad discuss what followers of Jesus should do in the wake of this devastating assault on traditional marriage and relationships. ---------------------------------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:46:53

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 504: Is Wokeism and Liberal Ideology Pushing People Toward Jesus?

2/15/2024
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 experience the hopelessness of the secular worldview? Comedian, actor, YouTuber, and political activist Russell Brand is the latest to begin expressing a growing conviction in Christianity, namely, Jesus Christ as the answer to his own quest for truth. In this episode the regulars weigh in on Russell's recently posted video clip on Instagram titled, "Why I Wear A Cross." ---------------------------------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:48:06

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 503: Does God Predestine People for Hell, or Do We Have A Choice? W/ Dr. Leighton Flowers

2/8/2024
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 are even born? In this episode Ben is joined by Soteriology 101's Dr. Leighton Flowers discuss these questions, among others as they dive into the mysterious and controversial doctrine of salvation. Check out more from Dr. Leighton Flowers here: https://soteriology101.com/ Check out Soteriology 101 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Soteriology101 Buy Leighton's book The Potter's Promise: http://tinyurl.com/yn3b8rxy ---------------------------------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:41:47

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Things Are More Desperate Than You Think.

2/7/2024
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 and hopelessness? In this quick hit episode, Ben shares a personal story of actions taken during an emergency, and contemplating what they reveal about the spiritual reality around us. ---------------------------------------------------- Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE! Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Community! Click below to follow Ben on Instagram! Ben Pierce

Duration:00:03:32

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 502: Talking Sex, Violence, Profanity, and the Death of Christian Art W/ Josh Porter (Showbread)!

2/1/2024
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? What IS the purpose of art? In this episode Ben talks with author and artist, Josh Porter, about his new book, "With All Its Teeth: Sex, Violence, Profanity, and the Death of Christian Art." Check out more from Josh Porter here: joshuasporter.com Order Josh's new book here: With All Its Teeth ---------------------------------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:01:12:06

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

You Should KILL Your Dreams!

1/30/2024
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 walking out our faith. We miss out on what God has for us; following our own dreams instead of following Jesus. In this quick hit episode, Ben dives into how we were designed to make a difference, drawing from the scriptures as well as his own life experience. ---------------------------------------------------- Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE! Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Community! Click below to follow Ben on Instagram! Ben Pierce

Duration:00:05:02

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Episode 501: Talking Matters of Life, Death, and Icy Rivers w/ Brian ‘Head’ Welch (Korn)

1/30/2024
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 just gone off of the road. How do we parallel this story with our urgency for the gospel, for those in our lives who are heading toward an eternity without God? Why are we not more vigilant, like the man who went into the river, without hesitation? Join us on Tuesday, January 30th at 12 PM CST for our Provoke & Inspire Community Zoom call! Here's the link, see you there! https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81289458902 ---------------------------------------------------------- Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram. Join the Provoke & Inspire Community! Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram! Ben Pierce David Pierce Chad Johnson Luke Greenwood

Duration:00:41:53