Learn to Reach Your World

Learn to Reach Your World - S2 Episode 11

In this episode of the Learning to Reach Your World podcast, Patrick Bicknell and guest Josh explore the topic of immigration from a biblical Christian worldview. They frame the discussion within the broader goal of understanding how Christians can engage society with the gospel while balancing obedience to government and laws. The discussion begins by acknowledging that government has a role in establishing laws, including immigration laws, for the welfare and safety of its citizens (Romans 13). Christians are called to obey these laws unless they directly conflict with God’s commands. However, the hosts emphasize that lawfulness should not replace a heart of compassion for immigrants and those in need. Patrick and Josh highlight multiple biblical passages emphasizing care for foreigners: Exodus 22:21 instructs not to oppress or wrong the immigrant, reminding God’s people that they too were once strangers in Egypt. Matthew 25:31–46 depicts Christ’s final judgment, emphasizing that caring for the “stranger” is akin to serving Christ himself. Hospitality, protection, and love toward those in need are central to living out a Christian faith. The conversation underscores that immigration is both a societal and gospel issue. Christians are encouraged to see immigrants not just as policy concerns, but as divine opportunities for evangelism and discipleship. The hosts share real-life examples: Japanese children attending VBS in Michigan, where the gospel was shared in culturally appropriate ways. A young Muslim woman named Amelia who came to know Christ. College professors and neighbors who immigrated from Cuba, Germany, and Pakistan, whose stories of faith and perseverance inspired and shaped understanding of God’s providence. The hosts stress that every immigrant is made in the image of God, deserving dignity, love, and respect. They caution Christians against prejudice, racist jokes, or dismissive attitudes, emphasizing the intersection of law, compassion, and evangelism. Practical tools for engaging with immigrants include learning languages, using technology for translation, and building authentic relationships that naturally provide gospel opportunities. Ultimately, the episode encourages listeners to: Balance respect for lawful governance with a heart of compassion. Look for gospel opportunities in diverse cultural settings. Recognize that God’s providence often orchestrates encounters across cultural and geographic boundaries for the sake of the gospel.

Learn to Reach Your World - S2 Episode 10

In this episode of Learning to Reach Your World (Season 2), Patrick Bicknell and Josh Combs continue exploring the Christian biblical worldview, focusing specifically on the topic of government and how Christians are called to relate to governing authorities. The goal of the discussion is not political persuasion, but gospel faithfulness—helping believers think biblically so they can better reach their world with the gospel. Patrick opens by grounding the episode in the gospel message: Jesus Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, died in the place of sinners, was buried, and rose again so that all who believe in Him may have eternal life. This gospel remains the foundation and priority for every worldview issue addressed in the podcast. Josh begins the discussion by pointing to Romans 13 as the central biblical passage regarding government. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the historical context in which Paul wrote. Roman Christians were living under a brutal, immoral, and oppressive government—one that promoted idolatry, imposed heavy taxation, persecuted believers, and even executed Christians publicly. Despite this, Paul commands believers to submit to governing authorities because they are instituted by God. This command, Josh explains, is radical when understood correctly. Government exists by God’s design and is accountable to Him—not ultimately to its citizens. While governments often fail to punish evil and reward good as they should, their failures do not remove God’s authority over them. Christians are therefore called to obey the law, pay taxes, and give honor where honor is due. The conversation connects Romans 13 with Romans 12, explaining that submission to government is part of what it means to have a transformed mind. A life of worship includes living as a peaceful, obedient witness in the world. Josh highlights 1 Timothy 2, where believers are commanded to pray for kings and those in authority so they may live peaceful, quiet, godly, and dignified lives. This, he argues, should be a defining goal for Christians—especially in a culture marked by anger, outrage, and political hostility. The hosts also reference 1 Peter 2, which calls believers to honor the emperor, even when that ruler is deeply immoral or unjust. This challenges modern Christian attitudes, particularly when political disagreement leads to dishonor, disrespect, or hateful rhetoric. Patrick and Josh stress that while Christians may disagree strongly with government decisions, dishonoring leaders contradicts Scripture and damages Christian witness. They clarify that there is an exception to submission: when the government commands what God forbids or forbids what God commands. Drawing from Acts and the example of Daniel and his friends, they explain that obedience to God must always come first. However, they emphasize that most modern political frustrations do not fall into this category and do not justify disobedience or sinful behavior. The discussion then turns to Christian civic engagement. Referencing Jeremiah 29:7, Josh explains that believers should seek the welfare of the places where God has placed them, including participating in lawful civic processes like voting. At the same time, he cautions against elevating politics above the kingdom of God. No political party or platform fully represents biblical truth, and Christians must remember that their ultimate citizenship is in heaven. Patrick and Josh repeatedly return to the idea that political leaders are souls who need the gospel. They challenge believers to see politicians not merely as opponents or allies, but as image bearers who will answer to God. Prayer, honor, and evangelistic concern should shape Christian attitudes more than fear, outrage, or obsession with personal rights. Josh shares a personal story about meeting a U.S. president to illustrate how Christians can model honor while still disagreeing. He explains how demonstrating respect—especially in front of children—creates a powerful witness and opens doors for gospel conversations. This kind of conduct reflects Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 to be salt and light in the world. The episode closes with a strong reminder that temporal politics must never eclipse eternal priorities. While Christians can and should care about laws, freedoms, and justice, the mission of making disciples must remain central. Jesus—not any political leader—is the Savior, and God remains sovereign over all nations and rulers.

Learn to Reach Your World - S2 Episode 9

In this episode of Learning to Reach Your World (Season 2), Patrick Bicknell and Josh continue developing a Christian biblical worldview by addressing the culturally sensitive topics of gender and sexuality. Rather than engaging these issues merely as cultural debates, the hosts emphasize that the ultimate goal is to lead people to the gospel—with truth, clarity, and genuine love—especially those who may be struggling personally or who have been hurt by the church in the past. The conversation begins by reaffirming the core gospel message: Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, died in the place of sinners, rose again, and now offers salvation freely to all who repent, believe, and surrender to Him as Lord. Every topic in this season is designed to help believers faithfully communicate that good news to the world. Josh grounds the discussion in creation, explaining that Scripture teaches God created humanity as male and female, both intentionally made in His image (Genesis 1:27). Gender is therefore not fluid or self-determined but established by God’s design. While acknowledging rare physical or genetic anomalies, the hosts focus on the biblical teaching that applies to the vast majority of people and shapes the Christian worldview. From there, the conversation turns to practical, relational challenges, particularly the use of names and pronouns. Josh explains that while respect and care for individuals matter, Christians cannot affirm what Scripture defines as untrue. Participating in false claims about gender undermines both God’s created order and the gospel itself. The church, especially when ministering to children and students, must balance compassion with a clear commitment to truth. The episode then addresses sexuality, affirming that God created sex as good and purposeful within the covenant of marriage—defined biblically as one man and one woman for life (Genesis 2). Sexual intimacy within marriage is affirmed, while sexual activity outside of God’s design—including fornication, adultery, and homosexual behavior—is consistently identified as sin throughout Scripture. References to Leviticus 18, 1 Corinthians 6, 1 Timothy 1, and Ephesians 5 demonstrate that biblical sexual ethics are unified across both Testaments and closely tied to the gospel. Marriage, the hosts explain, is not merely a cultural or legal institution but a gospel picture that reflects Christ’s relationship with the church. Redefining marriage distorts that picture. While modern arguments often claim alternative sexual lifestyles cause no harm, the episode emphasizes that the core issue is obedience to God’s design, not individual preference or perceived personal impact. A major emphasis of the episode is how Christians should engage relationally. Patrick and Josh stress the importance of speaking the truth in love—without hostility, but also without fear. They caution against delaying gospel conversations to preserve relationships, noting that Jesus Himself spoke truthfully even when it resulted in people walking away. Faithfulness to Christ means trusting God with the outcome. When discussing individuals who experience same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria, the hosts highlight the need for compassion, humility, and biblical realism. They introduce the idea of besetting sins—deep-rooted struggles that may remain throughout a believer’s life. Spiritual victory does not always mean temptation disappears, but that obedience and faithfulness to Christ remain central. Importantly, experiencing temptation or struggle does not diminish a person’s value, dignity, or welcome within the church. The episode concludes with encouragement and hope: no one is beyond God’s grace, and the love of Christ is greater than any identity or desire offered by the world. True transformation comes through the gospel—not through cultural accommodation or condemnation. The church is called to hold firmly to biblical truth while extending genuine love to all people.

Learn to Reach Your World - S2 Episode 8

In this episode of Learning to Reach Your World (Season 2), Patrick and Josh continue their discussion on the Christian worldview by addressing the end times, including Jesus’ return, judgment, heaven, and hell. The goal of the conversation is not speculation or fear, but equipping believers to understand these truths biblically and communicate them clearly as they share the gospel. The episode begins by grounding the discussion in the gospel itself—the good news that Jesus lived a sinless life, died for our sins, rose again, and offers salvation as a free gift of grace to those who repent and surrender to Him as Lord. Every worldview topic in this season, including the end times, is meant to serve that mission: helping Christians reach their world. Josh reflects on how end times teaching can often become fear-driven or obsessive, sharing personal stories from his childhood that illustrate how predictions, charts, movies, and date-setting created anxiety rather than hope. He emphasizes that while the Bible clearly teaches that the world will end and Jesus will return, Scripture never calls believers to calculate dates. In fact, Jesus explicitly states that no one knows the day or hour of His return. The discussion centers on Jesus’ teaching in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24–25, Mark 13, Luke 21), where Christ explains both the destruction of Jerusalem and His future return. The core Christian conviction is not when these events happen, but that Jesus will return to bring salvation for His people and judgment for those in rebellion against God. The end of the world will not be caused by human forces, but by God ushering in a new heaven and new earth. A major emphasis of the episode is the proper posture of Christians toward the end times. Believers are meant to live with daily expectation and readiness—not fear. Passages like Romans 13 and 2 Peter 3 highlight that God’s apparent delay is actually patience, giving people time to repent. The return of Jesus is described as a comfort for believers, not a threat, and Scripture encourages Christians to “comfort one another with these words.” The conversation then moves to eternal destinations—heaven and hell. Drawing heavily from Matthew 25, Luke 16, and other teachings of Jesus, Josh explains that Scripture presents both eternal life and eternal punishment as real and everlasting. Jesus consistently describes hell using sobering language—outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth, torment, and separation from God—while heaven is portrayed as eternal life in God’s presence. The same word “eternal” is used for both destinations, reinforcing their permanence. When addressing the objection that a loving God would not send people to hell for a lifetime of sin, Josh emphasizes the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin. Humanity’s rebellion is not trivial—it is sin against a holy, eternal Creator. Salvation is not something God owes anyone; it is a miracle of grace that anyone is saved at all. Hell demonstrates how seriously God takes sin, while the cross shows how far God went to rescue sinners. The episode closes with a strong evangelistic call, reminding listeners that these truths should motivate compassion, urgency, and boldness in sharing the gospel. Quoting Charles Spurgeon, the hosts stress that if hell is real, Christians must do everything they can to warn others and point them to Christ. While believers may disagree on specific end-times timelines, they must agree on this: Jesus is returning, and people must be ready.

Learn to Reach Your World - S2 Episode 7

In this episode of Learning to Reach Your World, Patrick Bicknell and Josh Combs continue Season Two’s focus on developing a biblical worldview, turning specifically to the topic of salvation—what it is, why it is necessary, and how it should be clearly communicated to others. Patrick opens by restating the gospel: Jesus Christ came into the world, lived a perfect and sinless life, died the death humanity deserved because of sin, was buried, rose again, and now offers salvation as a free gift of grace to anyone who believes and surrenders to Him as Lord and Savior. This episode aims to help listeners understand salvation more deeply so they can both rest in it and explain it clearly to others. Josh begins by grounding salvation in the larger biblical story. God created the world good and beautiful, but humanity’s rebellion introduced sin and death. Because of sin, all people stand under condemnation—not only physical death, but spiritual death, which Scripture describes as eternal separation from God. Salvation is therefore not a vague improvement of life or freedom from hardship, but rescue from the righteous judgment of God against sin. Jesus Himself spoke often about hell, emphasizing the seriousness of what humanity needs to be saved from. The gospel is presented as God’s gracious solution. Jesus lived the perfect life humanity could not live, died as a substitute for sinners, rose from the dead, and now stands as the only mediator between God and humanity. Salvation is found in no one else, as Acts 4:12 declares. God is not rescuing people from the devil in a cosmic power struggle, but saving them from the just consequences of their own sin. The hosts address common misunderstandings about salvation. While salvation does bring present transformation—new life, peace, joy, and purpose—it is not merely about improving one’s circumstances or mindset. At the same time, it is also not only about enduring a miserable present for a future reward. True salvation transforms both eternity and the here and now. A significant portion of the episode focuses on assurance of salvation. Josh explains that Scripture encourages believers to examine themselves, citing passages such as Philippians 2 (“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”) and 2 Corinthians 13 (“examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith”). While he affirms eternal security—that a truly born-again believer cannot lose salvation—he warns against pairing that truth with easy believism, the idea that salvation comes merely from reciting a prayer without repentance or submission to Christ as Lord. The hosts discuss how practices like the “sinner’s prayer” are not found explicitly in Scripture and can lead to false assurance if separated from genuine repentance and faith. Biblical salvation involves confessing Jesus as Lord, not simply acknowledging facts about Him. Repentance is described as both confession and forsaking—a turning away from sin and false masters, and a turning toward Christ as the ruler of one’s life. Josh points to biblical tests of assurance found especially in 1 John and Galatians 5. Evidence of salvation includes walking in the light, love for fellow believers, the fruit of the Spirit, and the loving discipline of God. A believer cannot live comfortably in unrepentant sin; ongoing rebellion robs assurance and joy. Regular prayerful self-examination, such as the prayer of Psalm 139 (“search me, O God”), is encouraged. The conversation then turns to how Christians can clearly explain salvation to people without a church background. Josh highlights Paul’s approach in Acts 17 as a model for evangelism. Paul begins by observing the culture, showing respect, and acknowledging spiritual longing. He starts with creation, builds common ground, and then moves toward humanity’s rebellion, the need for salvation, and the resurrection of Jesus. Some mock the message, while others are drawn in—but Paul faithfully proclaims the truth. The hosts emphasize avoiding “Christianese” and insider language, speaking plainly about sin, repentance, the cross, and the resurrection. The gospel itself is the power of God for salvation, and believers should trust God to work through a clear presentation of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The episode closes by encouraging listeners to study Acts 17 as a practical guide for thoughtful, compassionate evangelism rooted in biblical truth.