Ever have tough questions about God or the Bible but you didn't know how to ask them? At Substance, we believe that true faith can only be found by exploring our doubts. So get ready to explore many of the deeper questions about faith. But be aware: the questions that disturb us most are often the places where God wants to speak the most!
Are kids born with a default belief in theism or atheism? How might our own upbringings and biases affect how we engage in these discussions? With a special emphasis on the Cosmological and Teliological arguments for the existence of God, Pastor Peter explains how our emotional experiences can shape our ability to "see God."
What if Heaven was just "wishful thinking?" How do we really know there is life after death? After sharing dozens of fascinating studies and stories, Pastor Peter shares the evidence that is causing leading scientists to rethink what we know about life after medical death. Perhaps the Biblical teachings of heaven were right all along?
Who decides which commands we still obey? And is it arbitrary? Many people want to get into scripture, but struggle with all of the bizarre rules of the Old Testament. So, how do these commands fit into modern faith? In this message, Pastor Peter explains the 3 Categories of Laws, and how it affects the modern ethics of Christianity.
Miracles were always meant to be a major part of our faith journey. But how do we experience more of the miraculous? How do we access this miracle-working power of God? In this message Pastor Drew unpacks some answers, starting with a proven statistic of how our expectations alter our ability to see reality.
Many people argue that it's impossible for scientific people to believe the Bible. Yet most historians believe that science was actually birthed out of the Christian worldview. So, how is a person to resolve all of this? After hitting some troublesome texts, like the Creation Account, Peter Haas explains the various ways scientific Christians resolve these texts.
Have you ever heard of the “Lost Gospels” – Like the Gospel of Thomas? Are there missing books in the Bible? And who decided which books to include in the Bible? Was there a conspiracy to eliminate books? Were medieval clerics adding their own verses over the centuries?
How can Christians say: "the Bible is without error" (the doctrine of inerrancy)? What makes the authors of the Bible totally different than the authors of other sacred books? I mean, did the Apostles realize that they were writing "inerrant scripture?" Or, are Christians just guilty of elevating the sacredness of these texts?
Could atheists be guilty of the same problem? And how can reasonable people avoid doing this? After explaining the differences between cynicism and skepticism, Peter Haas explains how the "psychology of expectation" both can blur our ability to think scientifically.
Stay tuned as Pastor Peter Haas addresses more questions about faith and the Bible in the future.