2017 Episode 2

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Ben opens the show live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston and previews the night: Dear LFTP advice letters, two news stories (Glasgow crucifixion trigger warnings, a Christianity Today password article), and a discussion of what worship actually is.

Glasgow crucifixion trigger warnings: first look

• Does it make sense for a university to let Bible students leave class if they are upset by the crucifixion?

Ben introduces the story of University of Glasgow theology students given trigger warnings and told they may leave class if depictions of Jesus's crucifixion are too upsetting; Boova concedes the historical material gets gruesome but questions a blanket trigger section for a course called creation to apocalypse, introduction to the Bible.

Jesus-as-password article: first look

• Is using Jesus's name or Bible verses as your password a problem?

Ben introduces the Christianity Today article on Bible-flavored passwords from a 32-million-password breach list: I love Jesus at number eight, Jesus Christ at seven, god at ten; the hosts riff on honoring Jesus with a Facebook password and joke that Philippians 4:13 means 'I can do all things like get into this computer.'

What is worship? Teaser and framing

• What does worship actually look like in daily life, beyond 'worship music'?

Boova describes feeling disconnected from worship even though he sings and lifts his hands, and asks where his definition of worship comes from; Ben argues most of our concept of worship comes from the phrase 'worship music,' giving a narrow picture, and mentions Wayne Stewart's book on worship as a possible resource. Ben closes the tease with a sponsor joke naming himself and the show email.

New Year's resolutions

Boova admits no resolution ever stuck, and wants to get back on a health kick after gaining a 'freshman 60' during his first college semester back in eight years; Ben describes controlling his phone attention and setting a two-books-a-month reading goal, recommending Living Water by Brother Yun (of The Heavenly Man).

Glasgow trigger warnings: the article and the culture

Ben reads the full Daily Mail account: the creation to apocalypse course, the university's duty-of-care statement, and former Free Church of Scotland moderator Rev David Robertson's criticism that future leaders should be able to cope with basic material like this; both hosts argue trigger culture pamper students, reject the right to never be uncomfortable, and note Scripture's call to do kingdom work rather than stay comfortable.

Guessing the top-10 Christian passwords

Ben quizzes Boova on the leaked-password list: Jesus is number one overall with 21,000 uses, then heaven, faith, blessed, Christ, I love God, Jesus Christ, I love Jesus, god is good, and god at ten; the Bible-verse password list is John 3:16, Philippians 4:13, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 23, John 1:1, Psalm 91:1, Proverbs 31, and Acts 2:38; they nod to the DC Talk song 'Jesus freak' at fifteen and joke about shallow devotional passwords.

What does worship actually look like?

Boova traces his question to a Casting Crowns Pandora session, an eighteen-minute three-phrase YouTube worship song that felt organic, and a non-theatrical house-church worship time; Ben holds up David as the multi-register worshipper (lamentor, celebrator, dancer) and argues communal worship boxes in a life-wide reality; they invite listener emails on worship and plan to post a Jesse Reeves worship-conference video.

Dear LFTP: genetic testing for a hoarding wife?

• My wife can't throw anything away and it is straining our marriage; should I ask her to get genetic testing for hoarding?

Ben reads a letter from a husband whose wife won't throw anything away (eight-year remodel, goat trails through the house, a chock-full barn, professional organizer, marriage counseling); both hosts say drop the genetic-testing idea and love her through the compulsion with grace, while Secular suggests the counselor float the testing suggestion since coming from the husband it will sound like blame.

Dear LFTP: the coworker who steals lunches

• A coworker keeps eating my lunch out of the office fridge and raiding my snack drawer; how do I get her to stop?

Ben reads a letter about Grace, a coworker who eats anything in the office fridge and raids the writer's snack drawer; the advice is to have a direct conversation and double up on snacks so generosity exposes the behavior, while Secular says report her to a supervisor and write a pilfering policy; Boova tells his call-center fridge security-camera story and they joke about handbook absurdities like Pete the face-puncher.

Sign-off

Ben closes the show with the sign-off line 'be faithful in the means; God will handle the ends' and the contact email info@lifeinthepath.org.