The Phil Vischer Podcast: Recent Episodes
Phil Vischer
Join VeggieTales® and What’s in the Bible? creator Phil Vischer and co-host Skye Jethani (author, sr. editor Christianity Today’s Leadership Journal) for a fast-paced and often funny conversation about pop culture, media, theology and the fun, fun, fun of living a thoughtful Christian life in an increasingly post-Christian culture.
How do we define success in the Christian life? Jon Tyson is back to talk about his new book, The Burden is Light, and how we’ve let American ideas of success warp our vision of faith and ministry. Plus, Swedes are stealing owls, Trump is making women into witches, and Phil and Skye talk about […]
The post Episode 301: Pastors & Power with Jon Tyson appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Phil, Skye, and Christian celebrate the big 3-0-0 by reminiscing about the launch of the podcast six years ago, recalling their favorite guests, and sharing how the world has changed since the show began. They also reveal the show’s new name, new theme song, and plans for the future. Don’t miss this episode! Become a […]
The post Episode 300: Farewell, Phil Vischer Podcast. Hello, Holy Post. appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Christian’s back! And she helps Phil and Skye unpack new research on what Americans really believe about God, and you may be surprised to learn which Americans’ beliefs align closest to the Bible. Drew Dyck returns for his latest must-read book recommendations, Disney World cancels its annual Christian music concert, and Phil exposes New Jersey’s […]
The post Episode 299: What Americans Really Believe About God appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Let’s be honest, our culture’s understanding of sexuality and gender is a hot mess. The moment you feel like you’ve got a grasp of the issues, everything changes again. Dr. Preston Sprinkle is back to help us make sense of the conversation and prepare us for what’s next. Plus, Skye reports on the meeting of […]
The post Episode 298: Faith, Sexuality, & Gender with Preston Sprinkle appeared first on Phil Vischer.
It’s become a very contentious issue, but few Christians know the surprising origins of religious liberty in the U.S. Author and church historian Brandon O’Brien is back to talk about a little known Baptist leader who shaped the First Amendment. Plus, why are so many atheists joining the Alt-Right movement, and what should we do […]
The post Episode 297: The Untold Origins of Religious Liberty w/Brandon O’Brien appeared first on Phil Vischer.
This week Skye answers theology questions from our Patreon supporters like, is social justice biblical? And, when did the “gospel” become about my salvation rather than the kingdom of God? Phil and Skye discuss the fragility of megachurches and whether some celebrity pastors have become too big to fail. Plus, Phil takes a journey through […]
The post Episode 296: Theology Mail Bag & Are Pastors Too Big to Fail? appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Jon Ward is the senior political correspondent for Yahoo News. He joins Skye for a conversation about what’s broken with our politics, how to fix it, and the role of faith in Washington. Phil also unpacks new research on Christian nationalism, why is atheist Richard Dawkins worried about the decline of Christianity, and iguanas! Become […]
The post Episode 295: Why is Politics Broken w/Jon Ward appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Our favorite Old Testament professor is back! Dr. John Walton has written a new book about Noah’s flood, and he comes to some surprising conclusions. Was there really a worldwide deluge, or was it a smaller, local event? Plus, Phil and Skye ask why Christmas is so much bigger than Easter? Did the Pope deny […]
The post Episode 294: Did Noah’s Flood Really Happen with Dr. John Walton appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Phil’s busy writing and Skye’s on vacation, so for Holy Week we’re posting a special episode featuring a sermon Skye preached on March 11, 2018. (Please don’t tell Read Schuchardt.) Skye looks at a dimension of the cross we often overlook and why the cross, not culture, is what unites the church. Become a Patron! […]
The post Episode 293: The Danger of a One-Dimensional Cross appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Communications professor, Dr. Theon Hill, is back for a fascinating conversation about our post-truth, fake news culture. Hill believes for Christians to survive the deterioration of truth they should adopt the rhetorical strategies historically used by persecuted minorities including the black church. Plus, the gang discusses Evangelicalism. What is it? What was it? And what […]
The post Episode 292: Speaking Truth in the Age of Fake News w/Theon Hill appeared first on Phil Vischer.
The country music industry lost its mind when conservative Mike Huckabee was appointed to the CMA Foundation board. Is it a sign that even red states are becoming blue? Christian campus ministries are being accused of discrimination because they want their leaders to be Christians. Plus, Drew Dyck is back with his best book picks, […]
The post Episode 291: Country Music, Non-Discrimination, & Lizard Brains appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Communications professor Read Schuchardt is back to tell us how podcasting is replacing, and hurting, the church. Why should we bother to show up on Sunday if we can get the sermon anytime/anywhere? Plus, the gang discusses a meeting of evangelical and Muslim leaders in D.C., and why are strippers so popular Chinese funerals. Become […]
The post Episode 290: Is Podcasting Destroying Preaching? appeared first on Phil Vischer.
The passing of Billy Graham has triggered an avalanche of articles about the famed evangelist. Many are tributes but some are rebukes. Phil, Skye, and Christian try to make sense of it all and discuss why Graham was most often attacked by conservatives during his life but liberals after his death. And what will be […]
The post Episode 289 – The Life & Afterlife of Billy Graham appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Is the passing of Billy Graham symbolic of the passing of American evangelicalism? Skye discusses that with Drew Dyck along with a new book about how social media does more harm than good. Plus, Phil and the gang talk about Christians giving a pass to Donald Trump, and why are so many more teens identifying […]
The post Episode 288: Guest Drew Dyck on Billy Graham & Deep Work appeared first on Phil Vischer.
If you don’t believe in hell are you guaranteed to go there? Which view of the atonement is right? And can pastors who behave really badly be restored? Skye answers your theology questions this week, plus the gang discusses deadly Amish buggies, lady Doritos, and the latest ridiculous claims made by evangelicalism’s crazy uncles (and […]
The post Episode 287: Theology Mailbag & Christians Say Dumb Things appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Headlines erupted when an evangelical megachurch gave a standing ovation to a pastor who confessed to sexual misconduct with a teenager. Are evangelicals really that out of touch with the #MeToo movement? Guest Katelyn Beaty brings clarity and wisdom to the conversation. Plus, Botox for camels, the spread of Islam, and a brief history of […]
The post Episode 285: Why Churches Struggle with #MeToo with Katelyn Beaty appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Should cannabis churches that claim marijuana is a sacrament be protected by the law? Why are megachurches so white, almost all led by men, and very unclear about their stance on LGBTs? Phil, Skye, and Christian unpack new research. Plus, Skye discusses what the “wall of separation” between church and state really means. Check out […]
The post Episode 284: Pot Churches and the Wall of Separation Between Church & State appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Christian is back with Phil and Skye to discuss new research that says evangelicals aren’t as anti-science as we’ve been led to believe. Plus, Phil discovers something disturbing about avocados. Skye then interviews journalist Jonathan Merritt about the biggest stories of 2017—including the growing number of evangelical leaders now affirming same-sex marriage and the split […]
The post pisode 283: What’s Going On With Evangelicals and Same-Sex Marriage With Jonathan Merritt appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Too much artistic expression in America lives at the extremes – either completely secular or overwhelmingly, explicitly Christian. What about stories from the middle? Stories iIlluminated by the Christian narrative without being so, you know, “Christiany?” Singer/songwriter/author Andrew Peterson and his producing partner Chris Wall join Phil and Skye to talk about Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga […]
The post Episode 282: Telling Stories From the Middle w/Andrew Peterson & Chris Wall appeared first on Phil Vischer.
This is our last episode for 2017… Phil is taking a break to focus on some writing projects… and the holidays with his family! This week! Phil and Skye talk about their biggest stories of the year and movies they’ve enjoyed recently. (Plus the movie Phil suggested to his wife that he now regrets!) Then […]
The post Episode 281: From Pastor to Prisoner and Back w/Nephtali Matta appeared first on Phil Vischer.
What exactly are “vampire churches,” and why does Skye believe they’re sucking the life out of American Christianity? How can “effectiveness” and “ambition” be the enemies of ministry? And why can’t Phil stop talking about turtles?? Phil and Skye discuss Skye’s new book, Immeasurable. And turtles. This week on the podcast! (Due to a technical […]
The post Episode 280: Vampire Churches and Hibernating Turtles appeared first on Phil Vischer.
It’s a pre-Thanksgiving mailbag podcast, as the gang sits down to answer your questions. From favorite Thanksgiving foods to thoughts about guns in church and the “Mike Pence Rule.” Plus… is Phil ready to give up on the label “evangelical,” or is he still holding onto hope?? Grab a turkey leg and listen in! Check […]
The post Episode 279: Mailbag Podcast appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Irish composer Keith Getty has been writing modern hymns like “In Christ Alone” for two decades, and now he’s written – wait for it – a BOOK! About singing! Keith joins Phil and Skye on the podcast to talk worship music, singing together, and how to stay focused on God when everyone around you wants […]
The post Episode 278: Writing Hymns & Singing Together w/Keith Getty appeared first on Phil Vischer.
We’ve all heard the stats about kids leaving the faith when they head for college – but why? And what would have made their faith more “sticky?” Has anyone done any actual research on this? Kara Powell has! Fuller Youth Institute Executive Director Kara Powell joins the gang to discuss her research and her book […]
The post Episode 277: Throwback “Sticky Faith” with Guest Kara Powell! appeared first on Phil Vischer.
10 kids, no TV, no cell phone, no internet. Life with the Amish? A zombie apocalypse? Nope – just another day in the life of Read Schuchardt, a professor of media ecology who definitely practices what he preaches! Plus, Phil and Skye discuss a new “giant sucking sound” in American demographics and Phil, yet again, […]
The post Episode 276: Media, Mars & Read Schuchardt appeared first on Phil Vischer.
So… Phil and a Croatian Protestant theologian walk into a bar…. Oh, you’ve heard that one? Author/theologian/Yale professor Miroslav Volf sits down with Phil to talk about Christians in culture and his new book Public Faith in Action: How to Engage with Commitment, Conviction, and Courage. What follows is a fascinating conversation about Volf’s arguments […]
The post Episode 275: Christians and Culture w/Miroslav Volf appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Phil and Skye sit down with N.T. Wright for a fun and fascinating conversation with the world-renowned author and theologian. What does Wright think of the North American church? Why do modern gender issues remind him of ancient Gnosticism? Why is Phil singing show tunes to a famous theologian? What would Wright put on a […]
The post Episode 274: Shooting the Breeze w/NT Wright appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Phil interviews film producer Todd Komarnicki of acclaimed Elf fame about his experience as a Christian in Hollywood. This week on the podcast! Check out Faithblox here Listen to the episode | Download the episode | Find this episode on iTunes
The post Episode 273: W/Todd Komarnicki appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Liz Dong is two things that usually don’t go together – an undocumented immigrant AND an evangelical Christian. She’s also a immigrant advocate with World Relief, as well as a member of the Evangelical Immigration Table. Having read a piece she wrote for Time Magazine, we invited Liz to stop by the studio and talk […]
The post Episode 272: Immigration & the Church w/Liz Dong appeared first on Phil Vischer.
It’s a potluck podcast! Christians predict the world will end… last Saturday? Plus, the story of two committed Christians in the NFL, both philanthropically active, both known for taking a knee on the field. Yet one is a hero and the other a villain. We’re talking about Tim Tebow and Colin Kaepernick, and it’s a […]
The post Episode 271: End Times, Football Protests & Toilet Money appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Do we spend too much time trying to know about God, and too little time actually getting to know God? Author, pastor and spiritual director Jared Patrick Boyd joins the show to talk about experiencing God through the practice of “Imaginative Prayer.” Plus, Christian is back from France and Phil’s got a bone to pick […]
The post Episode 270: Imaginative Prayer w/Jared Patrick Boyd appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God? What are our differences? What do we have in common? Author Carl Medearis has been working and living among Muslims in some of the most dangerous places on earth for the last 25 years, and joins the podcast to tell us what he’s learned. Plus… white Christians […]
The post 269: Muslims and Christians w/Carl Medearis appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Raising healthy, happy, godly kids isn’t easy. This week we asked you for your parenting questions, and invited family ministry expert Elizabeth Smith to join Phil to come up with answers! Check out Faithblox here Listen to the episode | Download the episode | Find this episode on iTunes
The post Episode 268: Parenting Q&A w/Elizabeth Smith appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Slavery ended in America with the stroke of a pen in 1865, but the 13th Amendment didn’t end institutional racism. Not even close. Phil and his law professor brother Rob recently taught a class that touched on the Black Lives Matter movement, asking and attempting to answer the question, “Why so angry? Isn’t racism over?” […]
The post Episode 267: Race in America appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Christopher Yuan has a captivating story to tell about his struggle with sexual identity, his Chinese immigrant parents, and God. Oh… and dental school. And prison. But not in that order. He stops by the studio to unpack the whole tale! Plus… Confederate monuments in the news, Welsh seminarians get their own beer, and, oh […]
The post Episode 266: A Long, Crazy Road to God w/Christopher Yuan appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Are movies a form of prayer? Josh Larsen, film critic and host of NPR’s Filmspotting radio show and podcast, joins the gang to talk movies and his new book, Movies Are Prayers, where he looks at movies and finds in them classic forms of Christian prayer. Also – thoughts about Charlottesville, race, and in the […]
The post Episode 265: Movies as Prayers W/Josh Larsen appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Do you know how to see? Really? And how does “seeing” affect our faith? Best-selling author James Gilmore (The Experience Economy) swings by to talk about his new book, Look: A Practical Guide to Improving Your Observational Skills. Plus, the wedding of the future probably won’t be in a church, and may involve more than […]
The post Episode 264: Learning How to See w/James Gilmore appeared first on Phil Vischer.
What do you mean my church can’t raise my kids for me?? Family ministry expert Rob Rienow joins Phil and Skye to talk about the importance of discipling kids at home, and gives practical advice for doing just that. Plus, what do Richard Dawkins and The Bible Answer Man have in common? They’ve been DE-PLATFORMED! […]
The post Episode 263: Discipling Our Kids and De-Platforming Our Enemies w/Rob Rienow appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Enjoy this throwback episode of the crew spending the afternoon with the NY Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas, author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet Spy. Listen to the episode | Download the episode | Find this episode on iTunes
The post Episode 262: ThrowBack Podcast W/Eric Metaxas appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Is technology making it harder for kids to grow into healthy adults? Is there anything we can do about it? Author, thinker Andy Crouch stops by to talk about his new book, The Tech-Wise Family, detailing the impact technology is having on American families and what we as parents can do about it. PLUS – […]
The post Episode 261: Saving Your Kids From Technology w/Andy Crouch appeared first on Phil Vischer.
It’s a potluck podcast! A new religion is born in Louisville! Grizzly bears may be saved by… religious liberty laws?? Hobby Lobby makes an Indiana Jones-style mess, and, in a world where robots and automation are reducing the economic value and employability of millions of regular people, how should the church respond?? Listen to the […]
The post Episode 260: Dudes, Grizzly Bears, Hobby Lobby and Robots appeared first on Phil Vischer.
The Luis Palau Association has shared the good news with a billion people around the world, mostly through Billy Graham-style crusades. Starting in 2008, association president Kevin Palau set out to reimagine the traditional crusade for a new generation, dubbing it “Festival 2.0,” and focusing on innovative citywide service initiatives that bring churches together with […]
The post Episode 259: Evangelism 2.0 With Kevin Palau appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Can Christians swear? Can Christians swear on a podcast? Can Christians swear on a podcast and find a big audience? Joey Svendsen, co-host of the “Bad Christian Podcast” joins the show to talk Christian cussing, evil Dungeons & Dragons toys and a life spent recovering from an overly legalistic past. Plus – Harry Potter turns […]
The post Episode 258: Christians Behaving Badly w/Joey Svendsen appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Our favorite Nigerian-British-Minnesotan author/speaker/thinker Jo Saxton returns to the show to talk about church and discipleship in an increasingly post-church world. If you’re in a community that doesn’t want church services at all, maybe tweaking your church service isn’t the right answer. But what is?? Jo describes experiments from Sheffield, England that she and others […]
The post Episode 257: Space Worms and Post-Church Church w/Jo Saxton appeared first on Phil Vischer.
The post Episode 256: Dancing with Atheists w/Justin Brierley appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Why do so many Christians mistrust climate change science? Does consumerism make us depressed? Is church good for your health? Phil brings in a whole mess of news items for this potluck podcast episode! Listen to the episode | Download the episode | Find this episode on iTunes
The post Episode 255: Christian Views on Climate, Consumerism & More appeared first on Phil Vischer.
Christians have been fighting to change abortion laws for decades now. What if the solution to abortion wasn’t in politics, but in the local church? Angie Weszely joins the podcast to talk about her ministry, “ProGrace,” that seeks to change the dialogue about one of our thorniest cultural topics. Plus, pastor says, “I can walk […]
The post Episode 254: Rethinking Our Response to Abortion w/Angie Weszely appeared first on Phil Vischer.
What if you could explain the Bible to the whole world? Visually? On YouTube? Timothy Mackie and Jonathan Collins are doing just that with The Bible Project, a theologically rich, crowd-funded visual guide to the Bible that has earned more than 23 million views on YouTube. We’re big fans, so we’ve got them on the […]
The post Episode 253: Inside “The Bible Project” w/Tim Mackie and Jon Collins appeared first on Phil Vischer.