Real Life Theology Podcast
We renew the teachings of Jesus to fuel disciple making. We envision disciple-making disciples among all nations and ethnic groups. The Renew.org Network Podcast champions all biblical truth, including hard topics, by sharing discussions, webinars, public presentations and other similar resources.
Episodes
Jun 30, 2026
Jun 30, 2026
1hr 27 min
Join Bobby Harrington and David Young from Renew.org as they dive into the history of the early church, focusing on the Restoration Movement, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Roman Catholicism. In this episode, Harrington recounts the early church period, highlights key historical events such as the fall of Rome, and discusses the development of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the schism that led to the formation of the Roman Catholic Church. The conversation addresses major theological differences, such as the role of scripture, tradition, and the concept of theosis, while exploring the significance of the Protestant Reformation. Engaging and informative, this class provides a comprehensive overview for anyone interested in church history and the key distinctions between major Christian traditions.
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Jun 25, 2026
Jun 25, 2026
1hr 22 min
Join us on our very first video featuring Bobby Harrington and David Young as they teach a class on the History of the Protestant Reformation and Early Church History. Join Bobby Harrington and David Young in this engaging and informative beta course, the first recorded for the Renew Certificate in Theology. Bobby outlines the structure and goals of the course, which covers the 12 courses offered at his home church, aimed at ordaining qualified individuals for ministry. Key topics include the Restoration Movement, early church history, and significant Christian doctrines. David Young dives into crucial theological questions spanning 1500 years of Christian history, covering topics such as the church’s approach to Judaism, the development of the New Testament canon, ecclesiastical authority, Christology, and the doctrine of salvation. This session also addresses relevant contemporary questions and historical perspectives. For resources, the suggested readings include 'The Fool of God' and Gavin Ortland’s 'What It Means to be Protestant.'
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Jun 23, 2026
Jun 23, 2026
54 min
Welcome back to the Real Life Theology Podcast. In this episode Guy Hammond explains why tone matters in conversations about LGBTQ issues and how churches can combine dignity, truth, and hospitality.
Guy shares his personal journey, the scriptural context he relies on, practical advice for parents and churches, and why acceptance need not equal approval while still offering a welcoming place to learn about Jesus.
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Jun 18, 2026
Jun 18, 2026
55 min
Dave Clayton challenges listeners to renew their hunger for Jesus, explaining that God shows up where He is wanted. Drawing on revival stories like Cane Ridge and personal anecdotes, he encourages acknowledgment of spiritual emptiness, asking God for hunger, resisting modern distractions, tuning our souls to eternal things, and persistently inviting Jesus into every area of life.
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Jun 16, 2026
Jun 16, 2026
26 min
On this episode of the Real Life Theology Podcast, Shodankeh Johnson, about having hard conversations in prayer with God and how faith grows through suffering.
He shares personal stories—including the loss of his son—reflecting on missionary legacy, intercession, and the need for a conquering faith that seeks to please God, believes He exists, and trusts He will reward those who diligently seek Him.
Johnson also encourages revival in the church in America and calls listeners to step aside for God to move, trusting in God’s faithfulness amid pain.
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Jun 11, 2026
Jun 11, 2026
20 min
Jim Putman shares his journey from rejecting the church to embracing discipleship, arguing that hard conversations require deep relationships. He emphasizes the need to hold both sound doctrine and Jesus’ methods together, what he calls "two-fisted" faith, so the church can effectively make disciples and withstand cultural pressures.
He warns against prioritizing relationship at the expense of Scripture, urging leaders to equip believers to live out and pass on the faith instead of producing passive spectators.
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Jun 9, 2026
Jun 9, 2026
16 min
Tina Wilson explores how ministry often requires difficult conversations and why feelings alone can derail truth. She points to Jesus’ walk to Emmaus as a model for prioritizing the authority of Scripture over emotions.
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Jun 4, 2026
Jun 4, 2026
17 min
Welcome to the Real Life Theology Podcast episode with Kimberly Beam Holmes. She shares the true story of Jordan and Priscilla, exploring how church leaders mishandled their marriage crisis, the damage of poor counsel, and the hope Marriage Helper offers for saving marriages even after affairs and divorce.
Kimberly urges church leaders to courageously, compassionately engage struggling couples, believe every marriage can be saved, and provide enduring support that prioritizes reconciliation and the wellbeing of children.
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Jun 2, 2026
Jun 2, 2026
21 min
Matt Wilson speaks at a Renew gathering about how the church has sidelined masculinity, the cultural forces that softened men, and why the church must actively disciple and equip men to be courageous, loving defenders of truth.
He explores scriptural foundations, the role of intention in gendered behavior, and practical steps churches can take to raise up strong, godly men without compromising compassion.
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May 28, 2026
May 28, 2026
20 min
Orpheus Heyward joins the Real Life Theology Podcast to discuss how Christians should engage and resist culture. Drawing on Romans 12, he explains being a transformed, non‑conformist driven by God’s mercy, the ‘‘New Testament sacrificial system,’’ and living differently so others see Christ in us.
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May 26, 2026
May 26, 2026
16 min
David Young recounts a sudden, life-changing cancer diagnosis and the physical, emotional, and spiritual battles that followed.
He reflects on doubt, renewed faith, the power of gratitude, the kindness that carried him, and why focusing on disciple making and church planting gave his life new purpose.
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May 21, 2026
May 21, 2026
11 min
Join Bobby Harrington on the Real Life Theology Podcast as he outlines a practical "hope" framework—humble joy, promises of Scripture, and expectation of Christ's return—that grounds disciple making and equips believers to engage difficult conversations with grace and truth.
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Check Out Our Podcast Book Series
RENEW.org prints and publishes books for church leaders, churches and everyday disciple makers. Our books, as with everything we seek to create, focus on good theology through culturally relevant engagement. These podcast series feature some of RENEW.org's most popular books and provide a behind the scenes conversation with some of our authors.
Following Jesus in a Politically Divided World
CAN WE LEAN INTO THE ISSUES AND LOVE WELL?
How should disciples of Jesus navigate a society clawing itself apart through politics? Should we disengage? Pick a side? Offer slogans which sound nice but express little? Insist that true Christians vote in such-and-such a way? Pursue tranquility by making contentious topics off-limits for church?
Following Jesus in a Politically Divided World suggests that disciples of Jesus navigate a politically divided world . . . by being disciples of Jesus. Jesus models the character and provides the tools we need to live as perceptive and peaceable in volatile times. Whittaker and McCoy invite you to answer 21 questions, including:
- What is the purpose of government?
- Do you know the times you’re living in?
- What hills are worth dying on?
- How do you pray for your nation?
- How do you figure out what’s right and wrong as a Christian?
- What does Christianity teach about the bedroom, womb, deathbed, environment, and battlefield?
Together, let’s face stormy horizons the way Jesus showed us: fully awake, yet filled with peace.
Get the Book
The Disciple’s Mind
A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR DISCIPLESHIP OF THE MIND
Why should we devote time to becoming a better thinker? Is it to be the most interesting person in the room? To dominate the ideological opposition? To cultivate confidence?
Or this: the better we think, the more we become like Jesus.
What our world needs is serious disciples of King Jesus. If you desire Christlikeness in yourself and the people you lead, then let Jesus disciple your minds. A concise, punchy guidebook, The Disciple’s Mind walks you through core how tos for discipleship of the mind, including how to spot toxic ideas, cultivate intellectual virtues, think redemptively, disagree graciously, and seek the Holy Spirit’s renewal of our minds.
Your thoughts powerfully guide your life’s direction. The Disciple’s Mind will help set your thoughts in the direction of true life.
The Fool of God
--
The Story of Alexander Campbell, Who Made Scripture His Final Authority and Catalyzed a Movement
Get the Book
Podcast Episodes
RHYTHMS
How to Live as a Disciple of Jesus (Real Life Theoloogy)
OVERWHELMED BY LIFE?
SLOW DOWN AND LEARN THE HOW TOS.
When does playing music go from formidable to fun? It starts getting fun when you feel the rhythm and join in. In the same way, the Christian life gets more doable when you take the time to learn its rhythms. Knowing what we ought to do only leaves us feeling guilty until we take time to learn the how tos.
This podcast series features 4 episodes talking about the Rhythms of life. Click HERE to view the series.
Sermon on the Mount:
40 Days of Learning the Ways of the Kingdom
Have you been wading in the shallows of Christianity? When longtime Bible student Jeremy Bacon began seriously studying the Sermon on the Mount, he found his tidy worldview exploding.
In the Sermon on the Mount, street-level wisdom and prophetic declaration collide. This sermon forces you to decide whether you’re going to remain part of the crowd or step out in faith and be a devoted student of Jesus.
Choosing the way of Jesus means more cost—and more reward—than you ever would have guessed. Sermon on the Mount is a forty-day discipling resource that walks you through the ways of Jesus’ Kingdom. Will you respond to the call to go deeper?
Click HERE to check out the podcast Episodes!
Other Renew.Org Podcasts
Step Into Scripture
Tina Wilson, author of Step into Scripture, develops Biblical literacy by exploring the nature of God, the centrality of Christ, the context and purpose of biblical texts, and shadow—fulfillment connections within the Bible.
Scripture in Black and White
Scripture in Black and White is a show that examines what scripture teaches with clarity and no uncertain terms. We discuss the scriptures in black and white and bring perspectives from ministers who happen to be black and white.
