REALigion: Recent Episodes
Adam Hawkins / Blake Hannon
Co-hosts Adam Hawkins and Blake Hannon conduct conversations about the Christian faith rooted in openness and authenticity. Touching on theology, scripture, church and the secular culture, REALigion gets real about the joys and struggles of following Christ.
Two widows travelling through the wilderness; vulnerable, afraid, hungry. They are strangers in a different country and are forced to gather grain from the fields just to get enough to eat. They are completely at the mercy of strangers and distant relatives. How will they survive? Will anyone show them grace? Was this entire journey a giant mistake? Find out all these answers and more as we read "what in the word" God has for us today in Ruth Chapter 2.
As a species, we have been talking about UFOs and extraterrestrial life for almost as long as we have existed and have built everything from popular entertainment to conspiracy theories on the topics in the present day. So, to quote the TV show The X-Files, if “The Truth is Out There,” does that affect the truth of our faith?
In this episode, we will talk about what not being the only intelligent life in the universe would mean for the Christian and if, theologically, alien life and Jesus’ life, death and resurrection can occupy the same universe in the heart of a believer.
The book of Ruth is one that is familiar to many, is full of excitement, sorrow, love and redemption. In today’s episode we read through Chapter 1 of this book and discover how the story told centuries ago still applies to us, today. What can a story about three widows show us about being better fathers, parents, friends? How important is it to leave a lasting legacy for our families that leaves them with a clear next step that points them onward in the direction of God? All that and more as we see what in the word God has for us today in Ruth Chapter 1.
Adam and Blake celebrate 4:20 in their own way, by discussing how weed should be viewed by Christians, and if it has any place in the Christian life. We discuss our past experiences with marijuana and our views of it now that we are adults, parents, and Christians. Where do we stand on the legalization of marijuana; what about for medicinal purposes? How can we stand in a world that seems determined to legalize everything and feed the beast that is our sinful flesh?
Have you ever wondered why so many passages in the Bible seem to hit all the hot button issues in our society but yet we still ignore the advice it gives us in the context in which it was written? Why are children disobedient, unruly, dishonoring to their parents and disrespectful of authority? Could it be because parents, especially fathers are not following God as they lead their children? And speaking of obeying, who should we obey and when should we resist? Obviously God would never approve of some of us being servants or slaves while others are considered our masters…but doesn’t the Bible say something about “servants obey your masters…”? What’s up with that? And what about spiritual warfare? Are there really angels and demons in a supernatural battle for our soul? Is Satan really seeking to destroy me? If he is, how can I possibly defeat him, or even withstand the damage he would like to do to me? All these questions and more will be answered in the final chapter of Paul’s letter to the churches written while he is chained up in prison for preaching the gospel. So if he had the time and passion to write that letter, the least we can do is listen to what he has to say, so stick with us as Realigion reads Ephesians chapter 6.
In this special Bonus episode of the Realigion Podcast, Adam and Blake share some of their personal reflections on Holy Week, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and how the miracles that happened during this time some 2000 years ago has forever changed them. The guys share how God is working in them and showing them that what Jesus did on the cross is not only still enough, but it is more amazing every day.
Easter. What images come to mind? Bright colors, new clothes, plastic eggs, a creepy bunny, or the annual trip to church. Easter is always viewed as a happy time, the official start to Spring, warmer weather and longer days. But do we really stop and ponder about the significance of that day. Do we ever truly understand the joy this day should represent? We celebrate our independence on July 4th, but is it possible this day is the day we should truly find our freedom? And what about Good Friday? What’s so good about it? Do we even know? Many times it passes without so much as a second thought. It is just the opening act to the big event, right? But what if Friday never happened? What if the greatest story NEVER told was the same story we have heard every spring for our entire lives? What if the familiar passages we can recite by heart were really meant to be kept there? Have we spent our entire lives looking for the answers to all of life’s questions while they are actually hiding in plain sight like a bright golden egg in fresh, uncut grass? Today we reflect on the significance of Jesus, the cross, the tomb, the resurrection, and what it means, or should mean, for everyone.
In our world today there are many views of how we, as Christians should behave, how we should treat others, and how our closest relationships should function with our faith. Who is in charge of a marriage? How do we deal with the fact that scripture places different responsibilities on the life of husbands and wives? Is it unfair, sexist, outdated, or perhaps it is exactly how God designed us to live in harmony with Him and with each other. Today we dive into the second half of Ephesians chapter 5 and discover God's plan for a marriage and how his perfect order can create unity...or division. So fasten your seatbelt because this could get uncomfortable as Realigion reads...Ephesians 5.
It really is a rare occurrence when you know the entire world is thinking about the same thing..but that is what is happening right now. After more than a year of living through the COVID-19 pandemic, we have a vaccine. A few of them, actually. And people across the globe are thinking about vaccines, talking about vaccines and deciding whether or not they are going to take a vaccine. While every Christian can agree that Jesus is Lord, not every Christian is going to come to the same conclusion on taking a COVID-19 vaccine. One thing that would help is if we just simply...talked about it. As Christians. And with the help of a special guest, that is what the REALigion Podcast is going to do...Right. Now.
What’s your guilty pleasure? What is the thing that you are hanging onto that maybe isn’t that bad and is a lot better than you used to be, but still it links you to your old sinful past? Is it the words that pass between your lips, the bad habits you still enjoy, the edgy jokes you tell just to let everyone know you’re not a total “Jesus Freak”, or is it the intimate secrets or relationships you keep that are far from the way God designed it? Whatever it may be, we all have those things that we hold onto because it feels familiar, like a security blanket. But what if I told you that Jesus didn’t die just so you could have a perfect eternity in heaven, but also that you may have life on earth more abundant and free from those things that used to link you to your sins. So today Paul calls us all out and tells it like it is…so listen along as we read Ephesians 5 and figure out what in the word God has for us today.
In this episode, we talk about our own struggles with cursing, how and why we attempted to change, how we STILL occasionally slip up and how God’s Word is ultimately the final word on choosing our words wisely.
Have you ever wondered why at times the Bible seems very inclusive of everyone while at the same time exclusive to only those who believe in Jesus? Do you ever wonder why the hands and feet of Christ have so many different gifts and callings? What about Jesus…is he the ONLY way? Is the Christian life even one worth living? Well today Paul shares the answers to all of these questions and many more in the way only he can. So grab your Bible and follow along, or leave the reading to us and listen as Realigion reads…Ephesians 4.
In this episode, we reflect on when we have seen God’s plan in our lives and the lives of others, when we understood it, when we didn’t, and what we ultimately do with that as followers of Jesus.
Have you ever looked at scripture, heaven, Jesus, God, and how it all fits together and felt a bit overwhelmed? Do you sometimes feel that it is hard to share your faith with conviction and boldness when it seems even we as Christians are baffled by the mysteries of the universe and the Bible. However, today we continue reading Paul’s letter from prison to the church and discover the answer to the mysteries and the access we have to God through Jesus. Grab your Bible or listen as Realigion reads Ephesians 3.
God’s Plan. That is more than just a very popular Drake song. With a God that is in control, all-powerful and all-knowing...all while existing completely independent from everything He has created, including time itself, He still found it suitable to craft a plan for each and every one of us. It’s A LOT, when we try to wrap our heads around it.
Welcome back to What In the word on the Realigion Podcast. Today we continue reading the book of Ephesians and discover Paul’s timely and timeless message to Christians around the world. We explore our sin, His grace, and how we are to work from that grace, not for it. We also see how God sent Jesus to unite a divided people and how he encourages us all to remember that this world is not our home, but we can still have a little bit of heaven here on earth. So grab your bible and follow along or just let us do the reading as Realigion reads, Ephesians chapter 2.
Social. Media. The place where we post, like, comment, share, follow, subscribe, tweet, DM, GIF, message and meme. It’s where we get our connections, our news, our gossip, our entertainment, our inspiration and our arguments....and it probably takes up way more of our time than we’d like to admit. It’s also an outlet Christians are using more and more. But as Christians, what is the best way to use this outlet and are we occasionally in danger of using it incorrectly?
In this week’s episode, we discuss the ways Christians use and potentially misuse social media and how we can use something that has become a part of our daily lives to represent Christ and potentially leading to lost people sending a request for a savior.
In today’s episode we discover that God has had a plan for all of us from the very start. We learn that we are chosen, adopted, and loved by a God who has a plan for each of our lives if we only believe. We also find out that while we may often feel out of control or powerless against the schemes in this world, we are equipped with a power that defeated death and conquered hell and all the powers of this world.
In this episode “Stop Calling Yourself a Sinner! Are Christians Wretched, Righteous or Both,” we make a case for why our brokenness shouldn’t be all that defines us and how what He did changes who we are and how we should carry ourselves in the world.
Do you feel like at times the rich rule the world? Does it seem that no one even knows who you are...especially the God of the universe? Does it seem like your life as a christian has been fruitless at this point; you are doing your best, being faithful, even sharing the good news with others but yet no one seems to listen or care and often it seems God may not even be listening. Is it your presentation? Your lack of faith? Or is it just because our harvest is still on the way? Join us as we close out this amazing book of the Bible as realigion reads, the book of James.
Adam and Blake dive into how our actions may not appear to be a big deal, but they are still things that can create division in our walk with Christ or our attempt to reach others.
Adam and Blake discuss the current state of the union and the responsibility Christians have to represent Christ above their politics.
Adam and Blake read and react to James 3 and discover the power of the tongue and how we can walk in wisdom.
Adam and Blake share their unique church experiences explaining why the church has become a special place for them and make a case that 2021 should be the year believers and non-believers alike consider going to church.
Adam and Blake read James 2. Listen to their reactions in real time as they discover how to work from our salvation for the advancement of the gospel.
Adam and Blake discuss their experiences with alcohol and explore what the Bible has to say about drinking, drunkenness, and the power of a good witness.
Join Adam and Blake as they dive into the book of James in their own unique way. Today we read as James helps us understand such topics as Temptations, Trials, Joy. We learn how to control our tongue and how to not only hear the word but to actually DO something with it.
Adam and Blake share their experiences before and after they started they came to know Christ. Special segments: "The odd couple", "Adam and Blake B.C.", "Man, I Wish That Wasn't In the Bible" and "Jesus Face-Palm Moments".
Blake and Adam introduce a brand new podcast from two very different perspectives in an attempt to help others discover a very REAL God in a very REAL way.