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
577 episodes
Episode 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 people outside of the church, and how we can love God's glory more than our comfort.<...
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46:34
Episode 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 ...
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42:47
Episode 534: Deconstructing Faith and Finding Jesus W/ Philip Yancey! (Classic Replay)
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 through Philip's story and his new book, "
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51:46
Episode 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.-------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to h...
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17:33
Episode 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 spiritually but unwilling to commit to anything.-------------------------------...
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30:23
Episode 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 has kept him going through the difficulties of what God has called him to do.<...
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51:50
Episode 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 like in terms of ministry, everyday life, and simply put - survival, in light o...
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29:11
Episode 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 should biblically respond as followers of Jesus.----------------------------...
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18:24
Episode 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 (albeit realistic) depiction of a moment in Greek mythology? Whether it was bla...
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51:02
Episode 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 depth than the person of Christ. Why is this?In this episode Ben and David ex...
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29:26
Episode 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 the home, and most prominently, how we can see what a biblical definition of success...
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39:52
Episode 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. Whether it's friends, co-workers which we choose to overlook the suffering of, or somethin...
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38:03
Episode 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."Alicia discusses how to navigate spiritual darkness, and how we can run into p...
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57:20
Episode 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. In this episode, Chad and Ben discuss whether openly discussing issues of th...
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41:16
Episode 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 about what God has been doing in Germany, Poland, Sweden, and Norway. The two also t...
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37:29
Episode 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 to God?Ben sits down with longtime friend Justin Brierley, formerly of ...
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49:28
Episode 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.Are they on to something? Is this a sign of the collapse of the church? Ben is j...
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57:41
Episode 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 and more on this week's episode of P&I!-------------------------------
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42:57
Episode 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 champion Harrison Butker (Kansas City Chiefs).-------------------------------
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31:44
Episode 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 ourselves? How do we deal with the fact that so many people who seem to have it all, e...
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43:19
Episode 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 episode Ben and Chad talk with evangelist, disciple-maker, and bible-teacher Gabrie...
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51:10
Episode 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 Stronger Men's conference? In this episode the regulars cover these question...
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1:02:46
Episode 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 parking lot, to a studio, to a non-profit, to the road, to the globe - contextualizi...
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46:47