Michael Easley inContext

What does faithful Christian citizenship look like?

Michael Easley sits down with Troy Miller, president of the National Religious Broadcasters, to discuss why Christians should understand their civic responsibility and engage culture with biblical courage.

They explore Romans 13, voting, midterm elections, civic responsibility, the role of pastors, voter guides, the 501(c)(3) question, cultural engagement, and the challenge of discipling the next generation.

This conversation isn't ultimately about political parties. It's about stewardship, leadership, discipleship, and whether Christians are willing to faithfully engage the culture God has placed them in.

Key Topics Covered

-Romans 13 and respecting governing authorities

-Why midterm elections matter

-Christian civic responsibility

-Voting beyond personalities and political parties

-The role of worldview in government

-Pastors addressing cultural issues

-Voter guides and churches

-Courage versus fear in Christian leadership

-Reaching different generations through media

-Loving our neighbors through civic engagement

-Discipleship and cultural responsibility

Chapters

00:00 Christians and civic responsibility

01:04 Respecting governing authorities

04:03 Why midterm elections matter

05:46 Understanding worldview and policy

08:01 Christian citizenship and the American experiment

11:44 What happened to voter guides?

13:04 The pastor's responsibility to shepherd

15:49 Reaching a changing media culture

19:51 Reaching different generations

22:49 Moving from politics to governance

25:43 Courage in Christian leadership

29:28 Churches, voter guides, and the 501(c)(3) question

31:46 Do Christians want pastors to address cultural issues?

34:49 Three questions Christians should ask

36:45 Three questions pastors should ask

37:54 Final thoughts on courage and discipleship

Links Mentioned

NRB Website

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What can cold-case investigations teach us about human nature, identity, purpose, and truth?

Michael Easley sits down with J. Warner Wallace, former cold-case homicide detective and Christian apologist, to discuss what years of investigating murder have taught him about humanity—and how those observations point back to Scripture.

Wallace explains why people are fascinated by true crime, the three root motivations behind crime, and why proximity matters when investigating a murder. The conversation then moves into a much deeper question: Who are we when our careers, accomplishments, relationships, or abilities change?

Wallace argues that identity is one of humanity's greatest struggles and that Christians need an identity that does not shift. Rather than making Christ one label among many, he describes Christ as the foundation supporting every other role in our lives.

They also discuss aging, retirement, marriage, financial freedom, mistakes, objective moral truth, the nature of humanity, apologetics, and how to faithfully share the gospel while trusting God's power to change hearts.

Key topics covered:

-Why we're fascinated by true crime

-The root motivations behind crime

-What cold cases reveal about human nature

-Identity, purpose, and meaning

-Finding our identity in Christ

-Retirement and identity shifts

-Learning wisdom through mistakes

-Aging and changing seasons

-Financial freedom and simplicity

-Objective truth and moral truth

-Human depravity and the biblical view of humanity

-Apologetics and gospel conversations

-God's sovereignty and our responsibility

Chapters:

00:00 — What True Crime Reveals About Us

01:45 — Why Are We Fascinated by Crime?

03:15 — The Three Root Causes of Crime

05:38 — What Crime Reveals About Human Nature

08:49 — Identity, Purpose, and Meaning

12:13 — When Your Career Becomes Your Identity

14:00 — Finding an Identity That Doesn't Change

15:54 — Retirement, Trauma, and Identity Shifts

19:10 — How to Identify Your Idols

21:33 — Is Christ the Foundation of Your Identity?

22:29 — A Life Well Experienced vs. Well Lived

24:00 — Aging, Wisdom, and Letting Go

25:54 — Learning Through Mistakes and Pain

28:53 — Financial Freedom and Simplicity

33:06 — Why We Root for the Bad Guys

36:09 — The Enigma of Human Nature

40:27 — What Is Truth?

43:47 — Objective Moral Truth

45:29 — Apologetics, God's Power, and Our Responsibility

48:33 — Sharing the Gospel One “Single” at a Time

52:03 — Final Thoughts

Links Mentioned:

Cold Case Christianity Website

The Truth in True Crime by J Warner Wallace

Other Books by J. Warner Wallace

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What if spiritual growth isn't about trying harder to become a better Christian?

Michael Easley sits down with longtime friend and pastor Charlie Boyd to discuss the abiding life and what it means to live from the inside out.

Charlie shares how his understanding of Christianity changed after decades of ministry. He once approached spiritual growth through discipline, rules, information, and striving. Over time, he discovered that abiding in Christ means something different.

Jesus doesn't call us to manufacture spiritual fruit through greater effort. He calls us to remain connected to Him.

In this conversation, Michael and Charlie explore what it means to “preach the gospel to yourself,” read Scripture slowly, meditate on God's Word, practice silence and solitude, and recognize the Holy Spirit's work in our everyday lives.

They also discuss Galatians 2:20, union with Christ, legalism, grace, spiritual maturity, anxiety, surrender, and our longing for a heavenly home.

Chapters
00:00 — The Christian life beyond striving
01:09 — A 45-year friendship begins in seminary
04:13 — Why Charlie wrote The Abiding Life Primer
05:57 — What does it mean to preach the gospel to yourself?
07:59 — Renewing your mind through Scripture
10:11 — Why repetition matters in spiritual growth
12:07 — What does it mean to abide?
13:36 — Abiding versus striving
17:02 — Moving beyond “read your Bible and pray”
19:10 — Rule-based Christianity versus grace
23:03 — Experiencing Christ rather than merely knowing about Him
26:20 — A practical approach to meditating on Scripture
30:02 — Galatians 2:20 and Christ living through us
35:38 — You can't make the flesh better
39:04 — Homesick for heaven
41:15 — Obedience as an invitation into life
45:46 — Charlie's journey through anger and striving
49:33 — Spiritual maturity and learning to surrender
53:46 — Trusting God instead of leaning on our understanding
55:09 — Becoming a non-anxious presence
56:34 — The simplicity of abiding
57:31 — The Abiding Life Primer

Key Topics Covered
-Abiding in Christ
-Union with Christ
-Preaching the gospel to yourself
-Renewing the mind
-Legalism versus grace
-Slow Scripture reading
-Scripture meditation
-Silence and solitude
-Spiritual maturity
-Surrender and trust
-Living by the Spirit
-Anxiety and spiritual formation
-Longing for our heavenly home
Links Mentioned:

The Abiding Life Primer by Dr. Charles Boyd

What God Has Always Wanted by Dr. Charles Boyd

Different Children Different Needs by Dr. Charles Boyd

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What does it really mean to be a faithful steward of money?

In this episode of Michael Easley inContext, Michael Easley talks with Robin John, author of The Good Investor: How Your Work Can Confront Injustice, Love Your Neighbor, and Bring Healing to the World.

Robin shares how witnessing poverty and injustice in India reshaped his understanding of wealth and led him toward faith-based investing. Together, Michael and Robin explore a biblical framework for how Christians earn, spend, give, and invest.

If God owns it all, what does faithful stewardship look like?

They discuss generosity, contentment, comparison, ethical investing, treating workers justly, starting to invest early, and the importance of understanding what your investments actually support.

Chapters

00:00 — God Owns It All: We Are Stewards

01:38 — Robin John's Story and Calling

04:18 — Witnessing Poverty and Injustice

06:43 — Investing for the Common Good

08:05 — “I Am a Human Being Too”

10:30 — Christians, Business, and the Common Good

12:10 — A Biblical Framework for Generosity

14:34 — Make, Save, and Give Money Wisely

17:03 — Can Christians Enjoy Wealth?

19:17 — Contentment and “Enough”

23:08 — Why You Should Start Investing Early

25:23 — Connecting Giving to Its Impact

26:30 — What Are Your Investments Supporting?

28:05 — Faith-Based Investing and 401(k)s

31:00 — Why Investing Can Feel Complicated

32:29 — Ethical Questions in Healthcare Investing

35:16 — Business as an Engine of Blessing

37:30 — Seeing Work as an Act of Generosity

39:41 — Treating Workers Justly

42:06 — A Lesson From Working as a Valet

44:03 — Generosity and Christian Witness

45:22 — Doing Good Work for God's Glory

47:24 — Closing Thoughts

Key Topics Covered

• Biblical stewardship and ownership

• Generosity and the common good

• Contentment and comparison

• Ethical and faith-based investing

• How Christians should think about wealth

• Treating employees and workers justly

• Starting to invest early

• Using work as an expression of generosity

• Aligning financial decisions with biblical values

Links Mentioned:

The Good Investor by Robin John

Watch the highlights and full version of this interview on our Youtube channel.

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What does it mean to be a man according to Scripture?

In this episode of inContext, Michael Easley welcomes Dr. Paul Pettit to discuss his book A Courageous Identity and the urgent need for Christ-centered masculinity. Together they examine why so many young men are struggling with loneliness, fatherlessness, addiction, and a lack of purpose, while offering a biblical vision of courageous leadership rooted in the example of Jesus Christ.

They also explore why discipleship across generations is essential for the health of the church and how older believers can intentionally invest in younger men.

Key Topics Covered:

What biblical masculinity really means

The difference between toxic and Christ-centered masculinity

Why discipleship is essential for spiritual growth

Fatherlessness and the loneliness epidemic

The importance of mentoring across generations

Taking initiative as a Christian man

Building healthy churches through intentional leadership

Chapters00:00 Why Masculinity Matters Today01:28 The Crisis of Biblical Manhood08:29 Why Men Often Become Passive10:48 The Need for Intergenerational Discipleship20:36 How Young Men Find Mentors30:04 The Biggest Challenges Facing Young Men39:28 Welcoming Men into Biblical Manhood44:22 A Simple Philosophy of Discipleship47:18 Encouragement for the Next Generation

Links Mentioned:

A Courageous Identity by Dr. Paul Pettit

Watch the highlights and full version of this interview on our Youtube channel.

For more inContext interviews, click here.