eX-skeptic

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Chapters

00:00 From Skepticism to Freedom 00:06 Meet Dr. Lisa Stanton 03:03 Taking Her Faith Public 04:02 Growing Up Confused About God 08:25 When Suffering Made God Seem Impossible 15:47 Driven by Fear and Achievement 17:51 Faith, College, and the “God of Rationality” 21:42 How Academia Reinforced Her Secular Worldview 26:35 Anxiety, OCD, and Eating Disorders 29:00 Addiction and the Cycle She Couldn't Break 33:25 Desperation Becomes the Turning Point 35:44 COVID and Drinking Around the Clock 38:32 The First Step Toward Sobriety 39:55 Trying to Get Sober Without God 42:24 The Recovery Meeting That Changed Everything 44:00 “I Need to Know Your Secret” 45:45 The Day She Surrendered to God 48:00 What Changed After Surrender 50:37 Finding Freedom Through Faith and Forgiveness 58:25 Is Christianity Actually True?

eX-skeptic transcript

From Skepticism to Freedom

Meet Dr. Lisa Stanton

Taking Her Faith Public

Growing Up Confused About God

When Suffering Made God Seem Impossible

Driven by Fear and Achievement

Faith, College, and the “God of Rationality”

How Academia Reinforced Her Secular Worldview

Anxiety, OCD, and Eating Disorders

Addiction and the Cycle She Couldn't Break

Desperation Becomes the Turning Point

COVID and Drinking Around the Clock

The First Step Toward Sobriety

The Recovery Meeting That Changed Everything

“I Need to Know Your Secret”

The Day She Surrendered to God

What Changed After Surrender

Finding Freedom Through Faith and Forgiveness

Jana Harmon

Is Christianity Actually True?

How to Begin the Journey Toward Truth

Advice for Christians

Closing

An Atheist Finds Truth - Luke Thornton's Story | Ep. 143 Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

What happens when atheism is taken seriously all the way to its logical conclusions?

For Luke Thornton, raised in a deeply secular culture in the UK, honesty about those implications led not to certainty but to discomfort and eventually to an argument he couldn’t ignore.

Luke Thornton grew up in northern England in a culture where belief in God felt irrelevant at best and irrational at worst. An intellectually curious student, Luke embraced atheism not out of apathy but out of a commitment to truth. Science, progress, and reason seemed to leave no room for God.

But as Luke followed atheism to its logical conclusions questions about morality, free will, meaning, and human value began to press in. When a philosophical argument for God’s existence challenged assumptions he’d long held, Luke was forced to reconsider whether disbelief was as intellectually satisfying as he once thought.

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Guest Bio:

Luke Thornton is a Christian creative entrepreneur and evangelist.

Raised in Yorkshire, England, in a non-Christian home, Luke was an atheist until he embraced Christianity as an adult.

He runs a marketing agency full-time while dedicating his spare time to studying apologetics and enjoying life with friends in London.

Resources Mentioned:

Luke’s Recommended Resources:

The Bible Society Study Course: The Bible Course is an eight-session small-group resource designed to help people explore the whole Bible’s story from Genesis to Revelation. For more information, go to: https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/
The Alpha Course: The Alpha Course is a multi-week, conversational introduction to the basics of the Christian faith designed for anyone who is curious about life, meaning, and God.
William Lane Craig. Reasonable Faith is the official ministry and resource hub of Christian philosopher and apologist Dr. William Lane Craig, dedicated to providing articulate, intelligent, and gracious support for the truth of the Christian faith. See: https://www.reasonablefaith.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukethornton___/

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A Skeptic Reconsiders God - Chris Wright's Story (a/k/a Courageous Chris) | Ep. 142 Apr 10, 2026

Show notes

What if the worldview you trusted most began to crumble under its own weight?Chris Wright grew up in a deeply Christian home, surrounded by Scripture, church life, and belief. But as he moved into adolescence, competing ideas like evolutionary theory, cultural pressure, and hidden personal struggles pulled him steadily away from the faith he knew.

By the time he reached college, Chris was confronted by bold professors, each insisting that Christianity was intellectually weak, morally suspect, or simply outdated. But instead of convincing him, their hostility toward Scripture and the dismissal of the faith of his childhood awakened something unexpected: a desire to test everything for himself.

Guest Bio:

Chris Wright is a writer, apologist, and creator of the Allegiant Faith Network Substack, where he focuses on apologetics, theology, biblical studies, and worldview formation. After a season of deep doubt fueled by cultural pressures, academic skepticism, and personal struggles, Chris set out on a rigorous search for truth that led him back to Christianity through evidence and reason.

He holds a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary and writes to help skeptics, seekers, and believers think clearly, question well, and understand why Christianity offers a coherent, intellectually grounded view of reality. Chris is active on Substack and X, where he engages thoughtfully with skeptics and equips Christians for meaningful conversations about faith.

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Resources Mentioned:

C.S. Lewis Institute: https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/

Chris’s recommended resources:

Book: Reasons for God, Tim Keller
Book: Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell
Author/Website: Frank Turek, www.crossexamined.org
Book: The Big Book of Christian Apologetics – an A to Z Guide, Norm Geisler

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Not Interested in God - Dr. Grenville Kent's Story | Ep. 141 Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

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What if denying Christianity felt like freedom—but that path slowly revealed itself to be hollow?

In this episode of eX-skeptic, Jana Harmon sits down with Grenville Kent, an Australian theologian, filmmaker, and former skeptic who once believed Christian faith would restrict his joy rather than enrich it.

Grenville shares how a hedonistic, achievement-driven worldview eventually collapsed under its own weight, and how unexpected conversations, honest doubt, atheist thinkers, and a simple prayer cracked the door open to something more. Come and hear how Grenville began to experience the personal, loving God who was already pursuing him.

Guest Bio:

Grenville Kent, PhD, is an Australian theologian, filmmaker, and storyteller who blends rigorous scholarship with creative, accessible communication. He holds a PhD in Old Testament from the University of Manchester, a Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics, and several additional degrees across film, commerce, and education. He is the author of God Walks Into a Bar, a lively and engaging exploration of evidence for belief, and the creator of the internationally broadcast documentary series Big Questions. Grenville has taught Old Testament and apologetics and continues to speak and write in ways that resonate deeply with skeptics, seekers, and Christians alike.

Resources Mentioned:

Grenville’s Resources:

• Book: God Walks Into a Bar…

• Film documentary series: Big Questions https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Grenville+Kent+Big+Questions

• Academic research: https://morlingcollege.academia.edu/GrenvilleKent

Grenville’s recommended resources:

• Apologists: C.S. Lewis, Frances Schaeffer, William Lane Craig, John Lennox,

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A Curious Mind - Matt Schmidt's Story Mar 13, 2026

Show notes

What if the questions that once pulled you away from faith could be the very questions that lead you back?

That’s exactly what happened to Matt Schmidt. As a naturally inquisitive kid, Matt felt the weight of questions that no one around him could answer — questions about science, origins, morality, and whether the Bible could be trusted. With no guidance or satisfying explanations, he walked away from Christianity and embraced atheism.

But the same relentless curiosity that distanced him from belief slowly began to unravel the foundations of his atheism. How do you get something from nothing? Where does morality come from? Why do humans care about meaning at all? Listen to what Matt discovered through his journey.

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Guest Bio:

Matt Schmidt is the co-founder and CEO of Engage 360, a ministry dedicated to helping everyday Christians share their faith with clarity, confidence, and compassion in everyday conversations. Matt holds a master’s degree in philosophy with studies in theology, apologetics, and biblical studies from Southern Evangelical Seminary.

Resources Mentioned:

Matt’s Resources:

• Website: Engage 360 www.e360m.org. Engage 360 Core Training online courses and community: www.e360m.org/reset . A course track designed to help people learn to lead an investigative Bible study in their home or church: www.e360m.org/bible

Matt’s recommended resources:

• Alistair Begg, www.truthforlife.org

• R.C. Sproul on the reliability of scripture: https://www.truthnetwork.com/show/renewing-your-mind-rc-sproul/44894/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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Finding Truth - Nancy Pearcey's Story Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

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Before she became one of today’s leading Christian thinkers, Nancy Pearcey walked away from Christianity. Disillusioned by shallow answers and a painful home life, she turned instead to atheism, relativism, and Eastern spirituality in search of something she could truly believe. After studying at Francis Schaeffer’s L’Abri in Switzerland, her search led her back to the exploration of a robust, intellectually grounded faith.

Listen and hear Nancy share how rigorous thinking, honest doubt, and lived experience converged to reveal Christianity as not only true, but as the most coherent explanation of reality.

Guest Bio:

Nancy Pearcey is a professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University and a former fellow at the Discovery Institute. Once a skeptic who abandoned her childhood faith, she became convinced through careful study that Christianity offers the most rational account of reality.

She is the award-winning author of Total Truth, Finding Truth, Love Thy Body, and The Toxic War on Masculinity. Her work has been described as “C. S. Lewis for the modern age,” helping believers think clearly and helping skeptics see the intellectual and moral depth of the Christian worldview.

Resources Mentioned:

Website: www.nancypearcey.com

Mentioned Books:

Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity
Finding Truth: 5 Principles for Unmasking Atheism, Secularism, and Other God Substitutes

Nancy’s recommended resources:

Mere Christianity, Miracles, C.S. Lewis
Escape from Reason, The God Who is There, Francis Schaeffer
The Dust of Death, Os Guinness

America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU): https://americaschristiancu.com/Jana/

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Avoiding God - Erika Diaz-Castro's story Feb 13, 2026

Show notes

What happens when faith feels like pretending, and you can’t live with the disconnect anymore?

Erika Diaz-Castro, a wife, mom, and Bible teacher who once lived a double life—publicly religious but privately wrestling with doubt, shame, and the pull of self-fulfillment. Her story traces a winding path through skepticism, identity confusion, new-age spirituality, and even spiritual darkness, until a powerful encounter with God changed everything.

Guest Bio:

Erika Diaz-Castro is a wife, homeschooling mother, Bible teacher, and founder of Her Renewed Strength, a ministry equipping women to know God’s Word and grow in confidence through it. Once a skeptic, Erika now helps others cultivate daily spiritual discipline and find freedom in surrendering to Christ. She also hosts Her Renewed Strength Podcast and is pursuing a Master of Theology with a concentration in Apologetics and Philosophy.

Resources Mentioned:

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Her Renewed Strength –herrenewedstrength.com
Her Renewed Strength Podcast – https://herrenewedstrength.com/podcast
Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves
Bible in a Year reading plan (YouVersion App)
Through the Word & Word for Today with Chuck Smith
America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU): https://americaschristiancu.com/Jana/

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Leave Me Alone - Heather Sewell's story Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever tried to find peace by walking away from God or from the judgment and expectations that once made faith feel heavy?

Heather Sewell shares her story of running from faith and searching for peace. Raised as a pastor’s daughter, Heather learned early how to wear masks and manage secrets. As her family’s struggles deepened, so did her confusion about God and truth. Searching for meaning, she embraced Eastern religions and the “Coexist” movement, calling herself a “Christian Hindu” while trying to find peace through self-discovery. But when the illusion of freedom gave way to pain and numbness, Heather encountered God in an unexpected way—a voice that simply asked, “Are you done?”

Guest Bio:

Heather Sewell is a ministry leader, speaker, and storyteller whose faith journey began with basic questions concerning God’s goodness in reaching secular religions. She started her ministry work at Orphan Care Alliance in Kentucky and now works at Summit Ministries in Colorado Springs. She now has the opportunity to equip parents and teens nationwide through the Summit Student Conferences and Ambassador Program, empowering families to help their teens grow in faith with clarity and confidence. With more than 10 years of experience working with children and youth, Heather has seen firsthand the questions and cultural pressures that can shake a young person’s beliefs. Her journey, rooted in her own story of God’s redemption and her passion for guiding the next generation, has shaped her calling to walk alongside families so that truth and relationship come together in everyday life.

Resources Mentioned:

America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU): https://americaschristiancu.com/Jana/

Summit Ministries: https://www.summit.org/

Registration for Summer 2026 is now open, with two-week sessions in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and Anderson University, South Carolina. Visit summit.org/exskeptic to learn more. And when you register before March 31st, use code EXSKEPTIC26 to save $500 off your student’s registration.

Cold-Case Christianity by J. Warner Wallace
The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson
The Gospel of John — For those wanting to rediscover the person of Jesus

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Curious about God - Dr. Jim Small's Story Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

What if you’re content with life, confident in science, and still quietly curious?

Dr. Jim Small, MD, PhD, pathologist, professor, and lifelong scientist was raised without faith and felt no need for God. Science explained the world well enough. But through marriage, community, and simply showing up at church, curiosity began to stir, not from crisis or doubt, but from an openness to questions he’d never felt compelled to explore. In this episode of eX-skeptic, Jim reflects on a quiet, surprising journey from confidence in science alone to faith in Christ and how curiosity slowly reshaped how he understands life, death, and truth.

Guest Bio:

Dr. James Small, MD, PhD, is a retired pathologist and current Professor of Microbiology at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. His career spans Duke, the University of Utah, and service as Medical Director of Laboratories at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver, with research published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Raised in an atheist home, Jim was surprised to discover faith in God and Jesus during his medical training. He’s now active in the Christian Medical and Dental Associations and has served on medical mission trips abroad. Jim and his wife of 44 years have three daughters and five grandsons.

Resources Mentioned:

America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU): https://americaschristiancu.com/Jana/

C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

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Researching God - Dr. Lee Holcombe's Story Jan 02, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a brilliant researcher, once convinced God was nothing more than a cultural artifact, decides to take a second look?

In this episode of eX-skeptic, Dr. Lee Holcombe shares his remarkable journey from faith in childhood, through skepticism and intellectual dismissal of Christianity, to a surprising return to Christ. With a career spanning electrical engineering, education policy, and high-level research, Lee applied his analytical skills to life’s biggest questions. His pursuit of truth took him from Alaska to Morocco, Harvard to Texas, and ultimately to unexpected encounters with God through both reason and experience.

In this conversation, we explore:

How childhood faith gave way to skepticism and intellectual rejection of God
The role of the Peace Corps, education, and tragedy in shaping his worldview
Why near-death experiences, philosophy, and cosmology opened him to the possibility of God
Powerful dreams that challenged his materialism and drew him to Christ
How God is now using his expertise in education and data-driven strategy in global missions

If you’ve ever wondered whether faith can hold up under the weight of tough questions—or whether God still meets skeptics on the path of truth—Lee’s story will encourage and challenge you.

Visit exskeptic.org for curated playlists on science, suffering, meaning, and God’s reality, along with resources from past guests.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Lee Holcombe is a researcher, educator, and missionary whose career spans engineering, education policy, and international missions. After earning his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Rice University, he worked on advanced defense technology before serving in the Peace Corps in Morocco. He went on to earn a doctorate in education from Harvard and served in leadership and research roles at the University of Texas and Texas Higher Education Agency, bridging the worlds of research and policy.

Resources Mentioned:

America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU): https://americaschristiancu.com/Jana/

Gary Habermas – Minimal Facts Argument for the Resurrection

C.S. Lewis Institute – cslewisinstitute.org

Research on near-death experiences (University of Virginia Division of Perceptual Studies)

Lee’s recommended resources:

• William Lane Craig on the Kalam Cosmological Argument

• Thomas Nagel, Mind and Cosmos

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