Opportunity By Association

Show open

The show opens from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. The hosts note the music ran long and transition into the day's discussion.

Sermon illustrations that actually worked

• Have you done a sermon illustration that worked the way you intended?

Mike opens with a question: has anyone done a sermon illustration that landed exactly as intended? Dan recalls a French-toast illustration using imitation vanilla meant to teach authentic faith, which backfired - people only remembered to buy real vanilla. He is also reminded of his glued-boards illustration of two becoming one in marriage, where the splintered wood made a lasting impression. Ben shares his one story that worked: a mountain climber who had to amputate his trapped arm, tied to Jesus's teaching about cutting off the arm that sins. Mike shares a youth-group illustration he heard elsewhere: life is a garden where people control the seeds, the watering, and keeping predators out, but the Holy Spirit provides the growth through photosynthesis and the sun, which no one controls. This leads to a discussion of parables: Jesus proves the point he wants to prove (the dishonest manager, the prodigal son) without tying up every loose end, and parables must be kept in their context or they can prove the wrong point.

Boova union-suit rumor and today's lineup

Ben passes along an unsubstantiated rumor that Boova wore only a union suit with a butt flap all week; Boova offers no defense. Ben previews today's show: a survey on evangelicals in 2018, an article on Francis Chan sharing a stage with Benny Hinn, and an article from a theoretical physicist about belief systems.

Humility, science, and the Harlow monkeys

• Does humility allow us to call things true while admitting we don't have it all figured out?

Ben brings up the physicist's article and pivots to a lack of humility: as science learns more, the questions it can ask change, so claiming to have everything figured out is foolish. He sees the same arrogance in corporate life and in theological arguments - humility is needed even when studying scripture and proclaiming the gospel. Mike adds that politicians get pilloried for decades-old statements while scientists can reverse their claims without scrutiny. Ben recounts an NPR piece on Harry Harlow's monkey-mother experiments: the early-20th-century consensus told parents that showing affection made children weak, but Harlow found infant monkeys chose the soft, affectionate surrogate over the wire one that provided food. He argues that 'the science is settled' claims risk repeating such mistakes, and that the church should keep asking questions rather than declaring every debate finished.

Mike's sheep and Carl the monkey-mama story

Mike says he got sheep last weekend and tried not to love them so their deaths wouldn't hurt, but a boy sheep named Carl follows him everywhere and won him over. He connects it to the Harlow discussion: the girls are the mean monkey mom who feeds the sheep, and he is Carl's nice monkey mama.

Boova's Pudding Papa nickname and the complaint line

Ben reports another rumor: Boova insisted for two weeks on being called 'Pudding Pop,' emphasizing the 'pop,' before switching to 'Pudding Papa.' The hosts riff on buying a pudding pop with a butt flap and plug the complaint line, (515) 517-0085, asking listeners to report Pudding Papa sightings.

Francis Chan, Benny Hinn, and guilt by association

• What is a oneness view of the Trinity?

Ben reads an article: Francis Chan was criticized for headlining The Send, a 60,000-person Orlando rally, alongside Benny Hinn, Todd White, Lou Engle, Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, and Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer. Chan's stated reason: he'd rather speak where there is less Bible teaching than waste kingdom resources preaching to people who already agree with him; he acknowledges that appearing with someone can imply endorsement and plans to be more careful. The hosts side with Chan: association is not endorsement, noting Jesus was accused of the same thing, and they mock the online 'busybodies' (Paul's term) who police other Christians, joking about starting a cleanup company called 'Or More Gathered.' Ben reads the article's historical precedents: Billy Graham criticized by Bob Jones for associating with liberal ministers and preaching in communist nations, Ken Ham dropped from homeschool conferences after criticizing Peter Enns of BioLogos, James MacDonald's Elephant Room invite to T.D. Jakes leading to his Gospel Coalition resignation, C.J. Mahaney withdrawing from Together for the Gospel, and Christine Caine defending her place at the Nines conference amid growing attention to women and people of color on speaker lineups. The hosts conclude: evaluate what someone actually said, not who stood near them, and be glad about progress rather than making good the enemy of perfect.

Survey on evangelicals and the rise of the nones

Ben reads what he calls a terrible survey: evangelicals in the U.S. hold steady at just under a quarter of the population, mainline denominations got a small bump, and the religiously unaffiliated rose from roughly 18% to 24%, while Catholics and evangelicals decline. Dan notes that evangelical is not the same thing as Christian. The discussion fizzles out without much interest.

Dear LFTP: recovering mother whose support system walked away

• Am I justified to feel insulted by my support system's lack of support, or should I accept that I messed up and be grateful for the help I got?

Mike reads a Dear LFTP letter from a single mother of two: after gastric bypass surgery she became a full-blown alcoholic, got inpatient treatment with friends' and family's help, and is now nearly three months sober - but her support system has turned cold, expressing disgust or cutting ties entirely. She asks whether she is justified feeling insulted or should accept that she messed up and be grateful. Mike's answer: once the danger of physical harm passes, people face the pain the addiction caused them; they don't know how to walk through recovery with her either, so she should have grace for them, expect years rather than months, and pray for more grace than she has. Dan adds that 12-step work includes making amends and honestly owning what she did to others. The hosts agree that forgiveness doesn't obligate people to hang out, and relationships can rebuild over years of consistent sobriety. Secular's advice, read from the column: keep eyes on the positive, be grateful, and build a 'family of choice' support network. Mike calls it solid but incomplete - it skips the part where she tore things up.

Boova the leprechaun and the next letter

Ben shares another Boova rumor: over St. Patrick's Day he mistook 'leprechaun' for something else and was downtown yelling 'unclean, unclean.' Boova offers no defense, and Mike reads the next Dear LFTP letter.

Dear LFTP: 17-year-old with a secret boyfriend and a promise to her parents

• How can I move in with my boyfriend without disappointing him or hurting my parents' feelings?

Mike reads a Dear LFTP letter from a 17-year-old with a 20-year-old boyfriend her parents don't know about; he wants her to move into an apartment with him at 18, but she promised her mother and father she would take care of them. Mike says there isn't enough information to judge, but tells her not to promise the boyfriend anything and to stop hiding him from her parents. Ben distinguishes the cases: if her parents genuinely depend on her care, abandoning them would be outrageous; if not, the promise itself is ridiculous. Secular's advice, read from the column: stop hiding the relationship, become self-supporting before moving out so she isn't on the street if things go wrong, and children aren't put on earth to spend their adult lives caring for parents. The hosts agree but keep returning to how little detail the letter gave, illustrated by a giraffe-poop analogy about needing the right questions before prescribing.

Dear LFTP: lice, a poor dad, and the hat game

• What should I do about the dad who knowingly put my loved ones at risk of lice?

Mike reads a Dear LFTP letter from a woman caring for two girls whose dad is poor: she took them to a hair salon to feel pretty, the stylist found an infestation-level lice case, and the dad knew all along without warning her. Ben says the outrage seems misplaced - she already knew what he was like - and Mike gives the dad the benefit of the doubt: probably malice-free ignorance about lice rather than a plot, and don't make him look bad with gifts that invite comparison. They advise her to inform the school, since lice policies affect many families. Ben jokes about making the dad a lice-treatment distributor - 'teach a man to fish,' the old gypsy wagon that brings the problem and the solution. Dan interrupts to play the hat game, having everyone trade hats. Secular's answer: parenting's joys include hygiene, the dad should have warned her and may be neglecting the girls in other ways, so alert the school; it cites CDC (12 million U.S. lice infestations a year, not caused by poor hygiene) and kidshealth.org (head-to-head contact spreads lice).

Show close

Ben runs out of material and wraps up: plugs the complaint line (515) 517-0085, which takes calls and texts, announces there will be no show next week ('we will be back when we're back'), and closes with the sign-off, 'Be faithful in the means. God will handle the ends.'