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This week we discuss gluttony, weight issues, and self-control. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and outline 06:43 - The question, and defining our terms 14:46 - The steel man argument: navigating a tricky situation 18:29 - The visible fruits of poor eating 27:54 - Biblical considerations 35:15 - Is it a sin to be overweight? 41:52 - Why does the church avoid this subject? 51:43 - Poor metabolism, insulin resistance, and avoiding excuses 55:27 - Avoiding Gnosticism, and practical tips With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Become a supporter on our Patreon at www.focuspress.org/plus  Jack's article - https://jackwilkie.co/p/what-is-the-sin-of-gluttony  Our Godly Young Men episode on practical tips - https://youtu.be/anxVvUmHxTw?si=EEfIbGzfozryONpb

It's the second edition of our Bible debates series! Last time we considered the Nephilim, the author of Hebrews, and a few other hotly debated topics. This time we add five more entries to the list. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and ground rules 02:48 - Baptism for the dead (1 Cor. 15:29) 14:24 - What happened between Ham and Noah (Genesis 9:20ff) 37:46 - Do people have personal guardian angels? (Matthew 18:10) 46:02 - What is the purpose of Song of Solomon? 53:23 - Did the Father truly forsake Jesus while on the cross? We'd love to hear your takes on Focus+, our YouTube channel, or the Focus Press Facebook page! With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  You can support us and get the weekly Deep End episode and a huge library of Bible study material at www.focuspress.org/plus

This week we talk spiritual burnout, and when to take a step back from involvement for a season of rest. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction and the ups and downs of life 09:17 - Is there a time to step back from church work? 16:21 - Historic practices of rest 24:46 - What changed during the COVID years 33:13 - When the church calendar gets to be too much 38:08 - Why church work is often the first thing to get cut from the schedule 51:35 - Does the Bible tell us not to take these seasons of rest? With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co Join Focus+ and get our huge library of content by going to www.focuspress.org/plus

This week, we discuss a viral tweet that claimed that the strongest of Christians are people who watch Disney, celebrate Halloween, drink alcohol, and wear bikinis, and what it says about an all-too-common view of freedom in Christ. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and the tweet that inspired the episode 08:27 - Pitting Jesus against discernment 16:28 - Why heaven isn't all that matters 26:12 - The attitude problem behind "you can't bind that" 33:40 - The issues: boycotts, Halloween, swimwear, etc. 58:01 - How can churches discuss these issues? With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com  Check us out at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Join us for the weekly Deep End segment by supporting our Patreon - www.focuspress.org/plus

Marco Arroyo from In Between Sundays join's Jack to discuss why we haven't joined in the trends to convert to Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro and the current religious landscape 04:37 - Our issues with Roman Catholicism 10:47 - Our issues with Eastern Orthodoxy 17:47 - Sola Scriptura vs. church tradition 27:17 - Do church councils solve doctrinal division? 39:51 - Infant baptism  43:53 - Do "household baptisms" in Scripture inidicate infant baptism? 53:01 - The fruits of RC and EO: mass production of nominal members Marco's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IBSMarco Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com  Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Join our Patreon and get a huge library of Christian content by going to www.focuspress.org/plus

CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and the time and place for tougher talk 06:21 - Starting with the cautions and limitations 10:27 - Friendly teasing, thicker skin, and how men and women differ in their communication 19:32 - Sarcasm and mockery in the Bible 30:29 - Principles for properly using humor with an edge 38:20 - The time and place for sharp words 44:20 - Are we allowed to speak like Jesus, Paul, and Elijah did? 48:43 - When does it go too far? When is an apology necessary? 53:39 - Think Fast: Ed Sheeran and Macklemore's Israel/Palestine fiasco With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com Join us for the weekly Deep End episode and hundreds of hours of audio and video Bible studies and sermons at www.focuspress.org/plus

Last week at the Engage Conference, Dr. Brad Harrub joined us for our first ever episode in front a live audience! We discussed the problem of apathy in the church, including: - How leadership can cause it, and what they can do to fix it - The "good enough" mindset that leads people to give minimum effort - Dealing with the busyness that keeps us from doing more - Ways the church can do a better job of engaging the men in the pews With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at www.cobbpublishing.com   Visit us at www.focuspress.org and www.jackwilkie.co  Join us for the Deep End and more at www.focuspress.org/plus

Deacons are one of the most misunderstood roles in the church. We discuss the differences between deacons and elders, the qualifications for the role, and how deacons can help oversee practical responsibilities such as budgets, maintenance, education, and logistics. The conversation also addresses questions like whether deacons are elders in training, who should appoint them, whether churches can have deacons without elders, and whether Romans 16:1 justifies deaconesses. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - What is a deacon, and what are the qualifications? 10:59 - Differences between elder and deacon qualifications, and what that tells us about the roles 18:20 - Is the deacon role a stepping stone to eldership? 23:24 - What kind of work is deacon work vs. elder work, and how much should the elders exercise oversight? 38:24 - Is it an ongoing role, or task-based? 43:09 - How are they to be appointed? 48:59 - Can you have deacons if you don't have elders? 56:09 - Why Phoebe wasn't a "deaconess"  With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Come hear us at the Engage Conference in Waxahachie, TX September 11-13! cocbrownstreet.org/engage Visit our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com Check us out at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co Join us for the Deep End and more at focuspress.org/plus

In Christ, Christians form what Peter called a "brotherhood"—but that doesn't mean we always see eye to eye. On this episode, we look at the issues that complicate our relationship with the brotherhood at large, including sectarianism, differences in perspectives, and the command to love each other through it all.  CHAPTERS 00:00 - How a simple command becomes complicated 09:12 - Surveying some of the different camps and views in the broader church 14:15 - Recognizing value in each other even when we disagree 24:48 - Learning from Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark 29:53 - Fighting viewpoints, not people 40:42 - How do you know who's right? 46:12 - How social media helps and hurts our love for each other 52:51 - The challenge of loving people we don't really know in person With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com Follow us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co Join us for the Deep End at focuspress.org/plus Jack's article referenced - https://jackwilkie.co/p/but-which-side-is-biblical

A tragic case involving the death of three small children has gripped the internet, with debates raging about postpartum depression and psychosis, what justice looks like, women's issues, and more. We discuss a number of the angles to the story. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introducing the case 06:41 - Joe gives a therapist's view on postpartum depression and psychosis 15:48 - The danger of glamorizing struggles 20:26 - The "Victim mindset" of Critical Theory's intersectionality 27:57 - Women's resistance to accountability in cases like these 37:12 - The cost of the church downplaying sin 42:05 - The problems with the current fixation with "true crime" and internet sleuthing 52:40 - The importance of being there for each other With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com Visit us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co Join us on Focus+ at focuspress.org/plus

Everybody wants "authentic" relationships from the church. But how do we build them? What can we do to keep authenticity from being an end in itself? We discuss what it looks like to be authentic, and the obstacles that get in the way. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Navigating a world of fake, cultivated personas 08:16 - When genuineness becomes a commodity 17:17 - Dealing with shallow relationships in the church 25:14 - Authenticity and openness in our worship 32:14 - Hospitality helps, but it's hard 38:07 - Evangelizing with authenticity, vs. brokenness culture and fake authenticity 49:29 - Sharing our struggles without wallowing or shutting down 1:02:12 - Think Fast: The WNBA's wokeness implosion With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Check out our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com Visit us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co

We gathered for a wide-ranging roundtable chat, focusing largely on thinking toward the future with how we equip the next generation. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro, and when boys become men 11:02 - When girls become women 19:47 - Passing the baton from generation to generation 25:23 - Thinking of your family strategically 32:05 - How parenting can sharpen you 37:06 - Making a content home life without becoming complacent 42:28 - Think Fast: The Odyssey, DEI casting, and revisiting our boycott takes With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit our sponsors at cobbpublishing.com Follow us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co Join us on Focus+ for the weekly Deep End episode and a huge library of content for your daily walk! focuspress.org/plus

The Bible gives ideals for us to pursue in the husband and wife roles... but life isn't always ideal. What's a woman to do if her husband won't lead? What can a man do if his wife fights his leadership? In this highly practical episode, we examine what recourse Christians have in difficult marriage situations. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro, and whether marriage is hard or easy 11:50 - Dealing with a passive, lazy husband 21:53 - The Bible's counter-cultural advice 27:11 - What a husband can do with an unsubmissive wife 38:17 - Catching these problems before they start 45:47 - What if the husband's self-improvements don't work? 53:47 - What can a wife do with a domineering husband? 1:04:22 - Don't settle for complacency With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co Visit our sponsors at cobbpublishing.com

The Bible gives us a great description of a Godly woman in Proverbs 31. But what about men? Is there a parallel text? What are characteristics a man should pursue? CHAPTERS 00:00 - Piecing together a list from around the Scriptures 05:51 - Proverbs' focus on the wise son 11:33 - "Men don't ask for directions" 15:55 - Laziness is unacceptable 22:06 - Physical health: the most accepted way to lack self-discipline 25:00 - The many practical effects of this shortcoming 38:38 - A brief discussion on GLP-1s 43:33 - Attacking lust 48:55 - Gentle and peaceful without being a pushover 1:00:55 - Favorite Biblical examples of masculinity With Will Harrub, Jack Wilkie, and Joe Wilkie Visit us at focuspress.org and jackwilkie.co Check out our sponsor at cobbpublishing.com Join us for the weekly Deep End episode at focuspress.org/plus