March 26 2012

Opening: Adam Cates performs "Can You Hear Me, Jesus"

Adam Cates, the in-studio musical guest, opens with "Can You Hear Me, Jesus," a cry-out-to-Jesus ballad about hard seasons. The hosts react to the song's cutting honesty, discussing how believers can be honest with God — even angry or accusing — while still trusting Him completely.

Adam Cates intro: CD "Why Me?" and the rotary-phone cover

The hosts introduce Adam Cates and his CD "Why Me?" (Tate Music Group; on iTunes, Amazon, and Rhapsody via adamcates.org). Adam explains his songs are conversations with God set to music, and the hosts joke about the CD cover's rotary telephone confusing listeners who only know digital music.

Promo: Newsboys concert broadcast Thursday at Indianola Community Church

The hosts promote a special Thursday 7 p.m. broadcast of the Newsboys concert at Indianola Community Church, with Anthem Lights opening. They recall broadcasting the John Waller concert, thank Overflow Music, Julie Barnes, and Spirit Midwest, and joke about roaming correspondents and an RC helicopter camera.

Reading: Isaiah 3 — who is really being misled?

A host shares what stood out from his reading in early Isaiah, quoting Isaiah 3 about guides who mislead the people. He reflects that when witnessing, Christians can stop feeling defensive: from God's perspective, the unbeliever is the one being misled, and faith needs no apology.

Atheist sues over nativity, then loses his sight; suffering questions from youth group

• Why does God let bad things happen?

A host recounts a news clip about an atheist suing churches over a Christmas nativity display who developed a rare eye disease — and the church collecting money for his medical bills, softening him. This leads into the recurring youth-group question: why does God let bad things happen?

Suffering, pride, and God's sovereignty

The hosts work through the problem of suffering: one argues the hardest layer is pride — the assumption God owes an explanation — while another reframes the question as "why haven't I suffered?" They stress that telling grieving people "you're too prideful" is a losing message to deliver.

Bath-salt epidemic testimony and facing death with faith

Adam Cates, a police officer working narcotics, testifies about the synthetic "bath salts" crisis in Iowa — legal at the time — and how addiction is people running from pain without faith. He then tells of his grandfather, an Air Force veteran who died of cancer telling his chaplain he was ready to go.

You can't understand grace until you understand despair

The hosts discuss how coming to God for the first time through suffering is like stepping into bright light after darkness — painful at first, because the gospel only lands once someone sees their distance from God. One host notes he has "had it easy" and calls that itself a blessing.

"Jaywalking for Jesus" clip recap; submission to authority

• Does Jesus frown upon your jaywalking?

The hosts plug their YouTube channel and the "Jaywalking for Jesus" discussion — whether Jesus frowns on jaywalking, with the verdict that rule-breaking is bucking authority. One host confesses chronic lateness to work and frames showing up on time as submitting to the authority God placed over him.

Comedy: ten seconds of Troy dancing; Adam's new upbeat song

While setting up the next tune, the hosts run a comedy bit: ten seconds of Troy dancing in silence. Adam Cates then introduces a new song he wrote that night, influenced by Matthew West, about not facing the day without God.

"Not Without You" performance; songwriting influences and album plans

Adam Cates performs "Not Without You" — written two months earlier, about refusing to face life without God amid family stress from his music schedule. He discusses influences (Casting Crowns' Mark Hall, Matthew West), plans for another album, his wife, Marissa (who runs his website and encouraged him to write), and her Duran Duran fandom.

Adam Cates album plug; Newsboys tickets still available

The hosts plug Adam's "Why Me" CD on iTunes, Amazon Digital Download, and Rhapsody, asking listeners to leave reviews so his album surfaces above another artist of the same name. They remind listeners tickets are still available for Thursday's Newsboys broadcast via overflowmusic.com.

Iron Sharpens Iron: mom engaged to a prisoner she sends money to

• My mother is engaged to a prisoner she sends money she can't afford, and my sister snoops in her accounts — what should I do?
• Is it okay to read your kid's diary?

A listener writes that her divorced, depressed mother is engaged to a prisoner with fraud and domestic-abuse history, sending him money she can't afford, while her sister Susie snoops in the mother's accounts. The hosts advise honest confrontation and stopping the money, warn that prison conversions need a year or two to prove, and that a man in prison cannot lead a family. The secular answer suggests contacting the warden.

"Stay" performance; live vocals vs. recorded polish

Adam Cates performs "Stay," a song about God remaining present through every storm, played acoustically and popular at recent shows. The hosts praise how the bare studio setup — one mic, no monitors — exposes a singer's real voice, and Adam's delivery holds up without production polish.

Spirit Midwest Aug 3–4, homemade press passes, anniversary show, head-shaving gag

The hosts promote the Spirit Midwest Music Festival (Aug 3–4), recall sneaking into artist quarters last year with homemade press passes, and note the second anniversary show is next week (delayed because Mike, named on-air, couldn't make it). A host announces he will shave his head bald in December after growing his hair for two years, and they plan merch for the table.

Iron Sharpens Iron: wedding invitation for brother, not his live-in girlfriend

• Should I invite my brother to my wedding but exclude his live-in girlfriend?

A listener asks how to handle inviting her brother — 23 years older than his live-in girlfriend, a former friend who used and lied to her — to her summer wedding without the girlfriend. The hosts advise inviting both, calling the brother ahead honestly, and not excluding the plus-one over a ceremony. The secular answer (jokingly renamed "Feather") agrees: accept the girlfriend is part of the package.

Email addresses banter; "Take Me Jesus" performance

The hosts riff on how many email addresses each owns (Adam reveals his and a work one), then Adam closes with "Take Me Jesus," a surrender song about giving his life to Jesus — including the vocal flourish his wife likes.

Close: Newsboys Thursday, anniversary next week, thank Adam Cates

The hosts thank Adam Cates for returning, remind listeners of Thursday's 7 p.m. Newsboys concert broadcast and next Monday's second anniversary show with prizes and a highlight video, and sign off.