Unfeigned Christianity

Latest Episodes:

The Bible Is Not about You - It's about God and His Partnership with Humanity Feb 08, 2024

Show notes

Sometimes we mistakenly center ourselves in the story of the Bible, as though the Bible is all about answering our questions and giving us direction for life. But the Bible is not simply about helping us navigate through life successfully.

It could be said the Bible is about God—who he is, what he has done, and what he is doing. More specifically, the Bible is Messianic literature. It’s about the Messiah: the God who became human. Therefore, it’s about US—God and Man. Following Jesus is about becoming him, becoming a part of His body.

Why might it be important for us to see the Bible as a story of humanity becoming the body of Christ as we read it? You can send your feedback to podcast@asherwitmer.com.

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What Does Asher Actually Believe about Gender?? (Responding to Questions) Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

I recently published an article, Is It Sinful to Use “Transgender Pronouns”? In the article, I explored how Rosaria Butterfield recently “repented” from using what she calls, “transgender pronouns.” Why is she doing that? Should you feel the same way? A few people responded with some questions that I thought were worth responding to in a specific episode. So that's what we dive into today.

How do you think we can best build bridges with folks choosing to identify as transgender? You can send your feedback to podcast@asherwitmer.com.

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#100 - Jesus Sees Himself As Embedded within a Large Story Jan 24, 2024

Show notes

How does the rest of the world view the Christianity that comes from the West? David Swartz does a wonderful job giving us reminding us that evangelical networks not only go out to, but also come from, the ends of the earth as he shares stories of resistance, accommodation, and cooperation in his book Facing West.

Then we dive into the third paradigm shift that helps us better understand the story of the Bible. That is that Jesus saw himself embedded within a large story.

Why is it important to understand that the Old and New Testaments are not separate messages but one continuous message climaxing in Jesus? You can send your feedback to podcast@asherwitmer.com.

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#099 - The Bible Is a Collection of Writings by Various Authors Jan 18, 2024

Show notes

God Doesn't Waste a Thing! That's the book I talk about at the beginning of this episode. Even when life has changed in inconvenient ways, God will use it to further his purposes, as Luke Chance shares in his beautiful testimony of redemption.

After the blurb about the book, we dive into the second paradigm shift that helps us better understand the story of the Bible: it's made up of many pieces of writings written by many different authors.

Since the Bible was written by many different people, what implications does this have for how we read and study the Bible? You can send your feedback to podcast@asherwitmer.com.

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#098 - The Bible Is a Story: Everything That Does and Doesn't Mean Jan 10, 2024

Show notes

This week I discuss two books I've been reading, Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar Dillard and Becoming Free Indeed by Jinger Duggar Vuolo, and an important lesson I was reminded of as I've read them. Then, we dive into everything it does and doesn't mean that the Bible is a story. Does the fact that the Bible is a story mean we don't have follow any of its rules? We get into all that and more in this week's episode.

What is your biggest question about the Bible being a story? You can send your feedback to podcast@asherwitmer.com.

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#097 - God Gave Us His Word Through Story -- A Paradigm Shift Jan 04, 2024

Show notes

Hey friends! Welcome to 2024!

To kick things off, I'm going to be sharing a series of episodes with you that addresses how we ought to interact with scripture. It'll be a paradigm shift for many of us: the Bible is a story, not a reference book. Today's episode introduces it all. Enjoy!

How does viewing the Bible as story instead of as a reference book change the way you approach it? You can send your feedback to podcast@asherwitmer.com.

Be sure to rate and review the podcast to let us know what you think.

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Twitter | AsherWitmer

Email | podcast@asherwitmer.com

#096 - End of Year Reflections + My Five Favorite Reads Dec 30, 2023

Show notes

As an end of year roundup, I discuss the interviews I did in 2023 that were highlights to me plus share my top 5 reads of the year. Here are some time-stamps for the episode:

The birth of our daughter (0:32). My three favorite conversations from the last year (1:56). Quarterly guided studies coming up in 2024 (24:42). WAP in 2024 (27:43). My five favorite reads (29:33).

What are your favorite reads of this past year? You can send your feedback to podcast@asherwitmer.com.

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#095 - Three Lessons about Spiritual Abuse I Learned the Hard Way Dec 08, 2023

Show notes

This episode is exclusively for our valued patrons on Patreon.

In this episode, I dive into three valuable lessons I've learned the hard way about spiritual abuse. These lessons aren't just "failures vs. successes," but rather insights gained through challenging experiences that can benefit us all.

Access the episode here.

Here's what you can expect:

Raw discussion: I've gone through some experiences that were pretty tough to sort through and I share about the disillusionment that comes with that.
Practical lessons: As a result of those experiences however, I've learned a lot about having greater self-awareness when it comes to spiritual leadership, church dynamics, and disciple-making.
Three key lessons and responses: We're not just going to look at the negative side but offer a healthier way forward as well.

If you're interested in this episode and haven't already joined the Unfeigned Christianity Patreon community, I invite you to explore the benefits of membership:

Access exclusive member-only content like this episode.
Support the work of Unfeigned Christianity.
Join a community of like-minded Christians seeking deeper understanding.

Try out our membership for free for seven days! This allows you to access this episode and experience the benefits firsthand.

Thank you for being a part of Unfeigned Christianity. Together, we can continue exploring what it means to live faithfully in our current cultural moment.

Please note: This episode is only accessible to members of Unfeigned Christianity on Patreon.

#094 - The Church Is Not As Bad Off As We May Think Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, I share some reflections on being a part of the Christian community, particularly relating to my experiences with the challenges of maintaining faith within flawed institutions. I opened up about my previous experiences with panic attacks, depression, and dealing with some personal and systemic issues in church communities, which sometimes led me to ask raw questions about faith and the role of the church. What I've discovered, however, is that despite the faults and failings, the church is not as terrible as it might seem.

It is filled with people who are on their own complex faith journey and who are also striving to live a more Jesus-embodying life. Contrary to my assumptions coming out of some really difficult experiences, there are people willing to have open-minded conversations about differing perspectives and issues within Christian communities.

While our experiences may cause us to doubt, it is important to remember our experiences are just a small part of the larger picture. There is hope for healthier Christian communities.

What makes you the most hesitant to open to people? You can send your feedback to podcast@asherwitmer.com.

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