Provoke & Inspire Podcast

Send us a textWhy do we quit? What is it that is making the average American change jobs every four years? In this quick hit Ben talks about perseverance, and how the significance of our lives depends on us getting this right.----------------------------------------------------Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE!Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community!Click below to follow Ben on Instagram!Ben Pierce

Send us a textThe Bible instructs us to run the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). As followers of Jesus, how can we practically set out to accomplish this?Ben, David, and Chad wrestle through the topic of perseverance in the life of a Christian, and how we can do so in a world that quits nearly everything it begins. --------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textIs marijuana prohibited by scripture? Is it encouraged? As the drug increases in legalization and cultural prevalence, how do we as Christians approach it?In this episode, Ben and Chad are joined by Dr. Todd Miles, author of "Cannabis and The Christian".  When it comes to marijuana, what do we make of its use recreationally, medically,  the addictive properties, and its taboo nature in the Church? Is a Christian ever permitted to use this drug, and has this substance been wrongfully deemed as forbidden?--------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textCan we actually change, or are we stuck with what we've got?What is it that keeps us stagnant, often held in the same spiritual patterns?In this quick hit Ben discusses what truly changes us, and how anything less than a shift in identity will simply not work. ----------------------------------------------------Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE!Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community!Click below to follow Ben on Instagram!Ben Pierce

Send us a textIs changing our minds and our hearts simply about discipline, more knowledge, or other things that might be considered self-help? Is it something else?In this episode the regulars discuss whether or not there really is something distinct about the way in which Jesus changes us.----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textPredictably, a lifestyle that once seemed to be confined to only the fringes of society is now being found in reality TV shows, on the covers of mainstream news articles,  and widespread across the secular world: Polyamory.Ben, David, and Chad discuss what followers of Jesus should do in the wake of this devastating assault on traditional marriage and relationships.----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Discord Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textIs our society seeing a spiritual awakening as more and more of it's leading podcasters, thinkers, and social media influencers begin to confront and experience the hopelessness of the secular worldview?Comedian, actor, YouTuber, and political activist Russell Brand is the latest to begin expressing a growing conviction in Christianity, namely, Jesus Christ as the answer to his own quest for truth.  In this episode the regulars weigh in on Russell's recently posted video clip on Instagram titled, "Why I Wear A Cross." ----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textDoes our theology actually make a difference in how we live our lives as followers of Jesus? Does God determine the eternal destiny of each person before they are even born? In this episode Ben is joined by Soteriology 101's Dr. Leighton Flowers discuss these questions, among others as they dive into the mysterious and controversial doctrine of salvation.Check out more from Dr. Leighton Flowers here: https://soteriology101.com/Check out Soteriology 101 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Soteriology101Buy Leighton's book The Potter's Promise: http://tinyurl.com/yn3b8rxy----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textWhy is it that we can be so casual in dire circumstances; so slow to share our faith, even when the lives of the people around us are being destroyed by lies and hopelessness?In this quick hit episode, Ben shares a personal story of actions taken during an emergency, and contemplating what they reveal about the spiritual reality around us.----------------------------------------------------Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE!Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow Ben on Instagram!Ben Pierce

Send us a textShould Christians watch R-rated movies? Does the Bible contain offensive art? Have we applied arbitrary moral standards to art and killed it in the process? What IS the purpose of art?In this episode Ben talks with author and artist, Josh Porter, about his new book,  "With All Its Teeth: Sex, Violence, Profanity, and the Death of Christian Art."Check out more from Josh Porter here: joshuasporter.comOrder Josh's new book here: With All Its Teeth----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textIn this episode Ben, David, Chad, and a special guest respond to a story of a Minnesota man who dove into an icy river to save the driver of a vehicle that had just gone off of the road.How do we parallel this story with our urgency for the gospel, for those in our lives who are heading toward an eternity without God? Why are we not more vigilant, like the man who went into the river, without hesitation?Join us on Tuesday, January 30th at 12 PM CST for our Provoke & Inspire Community Zoom call! Here's the link, see you there! https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81289458902----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textWe can often get so caught up in doing things for God and wondering what he might want us to be doing, that we miss some very simple, yet critical aspects of walking out our faith. We miss out on what God has for us; following our own dreams instead of following Jesus. In this quick hit episode, Ben dives into how we were designed to make a difference, drawing from the scriptures as well as his own life experience.----------------------------------------------------Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE!Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow Ben on Instagram!Ben Pierce

Send us a textIt's the 500th episode of Provoke & Inspire! Whether you've been here from the beginning or this is your first episode, thank you for listening and for your support!For this special episode, Ben, Luke, David, and Chad come together and reflect on all that God has done through the podcast in the last eight years. They remember past guests, from the late Timothy Keller to Dallas Jenkins (The Chosen), and talk through the reason why this podcast began: how do we faithfully follow Jesus in a post-Christian culture?Join us on Tuesday, January 30th at 12 PM CST for our Provoke & Inspire Community Zoom call! Here's the link, see you there! https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81289458902----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceD

Send us a textLate last week, rapper Lil Nas X released his new song "J Christ." The music video features a depiction of Noah's flood and a scene where Lil Nas X is being nailed to a cross.Many Christian influencers have shared their reaction, but do followers of Jesus need to always react to the latest antics of today? What's the line between being informed, or just distracted?----------------------------------------------------Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE!Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow Ben on Instagram!Ben Pierce

Send us a textIs there something specific that is actively keeping us, the Church, from sharing the gospel? If so, what is it? How can we overcome this epidemic?In this episode Ben and David are joined by author and speaker Greg Stier, founder of Dare 2 Share, and author of the new book, Unlikely Fighter: The Story of How a Fatherless Street Kid Overcame Violence, Chaos, and Confusion to Become a Radical Christ Follower.Greg shares from the trenches how he has seen thousands of young people trained to effectively share the gospel, and how we can address barriers to doing so for people in the church.----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textSocrates was famously credited with saying, "The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living", and in this quick hit Ben examines our cultures' obsession with busyness as a means of status, albeit a source of extreme anxiety. What does this say about our society, that used to value a person's leisure time as a measure of their value? How do we correctly deal with busyness in our lives as followers of Jesus?----------------------------------------------------Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE!Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow Ben on Instagram!Ben Pierce

Send us a textSadly, one of the most ubiquitous things in the evangelical church today seems to be an attitude of irreverence toward  biblical and spiritual things. Jokes about prayer, being saved, and ironically even the Holy Spirit are prevalent virtually everywhere. What role do Christians play in confronting these things inside, and outside of the church? How do we react to irreverence in our own hearts? With the re-release of the Monty Python movie "Life of Brian", the regulars came together to ask, and attempt, to answer the questions above in this week's episode.----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textBritish actor, comedian, and historically outspoken atheist Stephen Fry recently took to the stage for an event called "Letters Live." During this event, Fry gave a dramatic reading of a letter written by Nick Cave about ChatGPT and human creativity.In this episode the regulars weigh in with their opinions on the revolutionary tech that is ChatGPT, and attempt to answer the question of whether or not we are "fighting for the very soul of the world." To watch the specific video referenced in this episode, click HERE!----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textIt's increasingly apparent that while our society often has an openness toward spiritual things, this does not necessarily equal an openness toward the gospel, or any kind of definitive answers in regard to the topic.A prime example of this phenomenon is Stanford professor and neurobiologist Andrew Huberman. Andrew was asked about his faith in God during a recent interview with Lex Friedman, and the regulars discuss his responses in this episode. ----------------------------------------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke Greenwood

Send us a textWe live in a time of extraordinary spiritual openness, yet find many people don't want to define who or what God is. What if you could guide someone from ambiguous spirituality to a personal relationship with Jesus? How would you navigate conversations with people who are spiritually open yet skeptical of religion?This is Provoke and Inspire's Quick Hit, where we recap full length conversations surrounding events happening in culture today, all while asking the question, “what would Jesus think, and what would he want me to do about it?”----------------------------------------------------Want to invite Ben to speak? Click HERE!Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Join the Provoke & Inspire Community!Click below to follow Ben on Instagram!Ben Pierce