Resident Strangers

Christian thinking in a foreign world. Hosted by Sarah Schalow, Steve Engram and Rich Holland. Episodes released every Tuesday. Check out Resident Strangers on YouTube 🎥

Resident Strangers is a religion podcast hosted by Desert Springs Community Church, with 163 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Desert Springs Community Church hosts Resident Strangers, a religion show with 163 episodes published.

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  Resident Strangers

  163 | Everyone is a theologian

  Sep 29, 202627 min

  August marked three years of the Resident Strangers podcast! To kick things off, Steve, Rich, and Sarah take a little time to reminisce about how the podcast started, what they’ve learned along the way, and even how Sarah fumbled through the first few recordings after having quite a bit of dental work done. From there, we go back to one of the reasons this podcast exists in the first place: theology. What is it, and why should Christians care about it? Theology is the study of God and the things of God. Rich makes the bold claim that everyone is a theologian. The real question is, how good of a theologian are you? If we claim to follow God, we should want to know Him more throughout our entire lives. The conversation explores the difference between knowing the Bible as a resource and knowing the Bible as a way to know God Himself. Steve reminds us that Jesus continually brought people back to who He was and humanity’s need for salvation, and that’s at the heart of theology. Rich also breaks down several approaches to theology, including systematic, biblical, historical, philosophical, and practical theology. Along the way, the crew talks about why understanding God’s character matters, how our assumptions about God can get us into trouble, and why Scripture is about so much more than finding a quick devotional thought. Our theology shapes how we live, how we see God, and how we bear His image in the world. We hope this conversation leaves you more passionate about knowing the Bible, not simply to know about God, but to know God Himself. Other episodes relating to this topic (audio only): Episode 10, Theology Triage Episode 50, The problem with Systematic Theology Watch Resident Strangers on YouTube Sign up for the Resident Strangers email list Questions or comments? Email residentstrangers@dscchurch.com If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us again next Tuesday as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world.

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  Resident Strangers

  162 | Family faith beyond Sunday

  Sep 22, 202630 min

  What if your family was designed to be one of the primary places where your children learn what it looks like to follow Jesus? This week, we continue our conversation on family by looking at the biblical role of parents as the first and primary disciplers of their children. Steve takes us to Deuteronomy 6 and explores how God intended faith to be woven into the everyday rhythms of family life, not simply something reserved for Sundays. We talk about the idea that faith is often caught more than it is taught, why discipleship of children shouldn't be outsourced to the church, and what it looks like to intentionally make the things of God part of your family’s everyday life. We also talk about the important role the church family plays in shaping our kids through relationships with other families, mentors, and disciplers. Steve even shares personally about the people within the church who played that role in his own children’s lives. This episode is full of practical wisdom and plenty to think about as you consider how your family is growing together in faith. Grab your coffee, take some notes, and join the conversation! Our Faith Legacy resource Watch Resident Strangers on YouTube Sign up for the Resident Strangers email list Questions or comments? Email residentstrangers@dscchurch.com If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us again next Tuesday as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world.

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  Resident Strangers

  161 | Family was God's idea

  Sep 15, 202627 min

  What is God’s design for family? And is there a purpose behind it? Steve starts by making one thing clear: marriage and family are not human constructs; they are God’s intentional design. Genesis 1 gives us the overarching picture of creation, telling us that God created humanity, male and female, in His image. Then Genesis 2 zooms in, showing that men and women were created with distinct purposes and designed to work together. Scripture is clear that marriage is one of the most significant relationships we have, and from marriage comes family. Sarah points out that the pain we experience from broken family systems may actually point us back to the fact that marriage and family are God-given. There is something deeply woven into what it means to be human that finds fulfillment within the context of family. So, what does that mean for the roles of husbands and wives? There’s plenty of discussion around this, but Steve reminds us that God doesn’t give us ultra-specific instructions for how men and women should divide up every day-to-day responsibility. Instead, much of it comes down to a husband and wife seeking the Lord together, walking in unity, and living as one. The conversation continues next week, so make plans to join us again next Tuesday! Watch Resident Strangers on YouTube Sign up for the Resident Strangers email list Questions or comments? Email residentstrangers@dscchurch.com If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us again next Tuesday as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world.

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  Resident Strangers

  160 | Transgenderism: Truth or feelings?

  Sep 8, 202628 min

  What comes first: truth or feelings? This week’s conversation picks up where last week’s left off as Rich, Sarah, and Steve continue their discussion on transgenderism and gender confusion. Rich begins by emphasizing the importance of truly listening when someone shares the feelings they are experiencing surrounding their gender. Listening and acknowledging that someone is struggling does not mean affirming every feeling they have, but it is an important part of having meaningful and compassionate conversations. Sarah echoes this point, sharing that if we focus too harshly on telling someone that their feelings are not truth, we are unlikely to make much progress with a person who is currently being driven by those feelings. At the same time, Rich cautions against embracing the idea that we are simply victims of our feelings, a mindset that can extend far beyond conversations about gender. Steve adds that just because we feel something strongly or believe something is a good idea does not necessarily mean it aligns with reality. When our personal beliefs about who we are do not line up with reality, the consequences are almost always difficult and painful. Throughout the conversation, the crew works through the relationship between feelings and truth, discussing how we can distinguish between the two and how we can lovingly help others do the same. As a final thought, Rich reminds us that the most extreme examples of people, whether related to transgenderism, politics, religion, or anything else, are often the ones highlighted in the media. Those examples are rarely representative of everyday people and their experiences. Instead of allowing extreme examples to shape the way we see others, it is important to see people for who they are, love them well, and ultimately lead them to Jesus. Book recommended by Rich: When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment by Ryan T. Anderson * One quick note: While this is not a Christian book, Rich recommends it as a highly educational resource on the topic. Watch Resident Strangers on YouTube Sign up for the Resident Strangers email list Questions or comments? Email residentstrangers@dscchurch.com If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us again next Tuesday as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Resident Strangers

  159 | The transgender question

  Sep 1, 202629 min

  Is sex purely biological? Is gender a feeling? Today begins a conversation on transgenderism. Steve, Rich, and Sarah reflect on when they first became aware of this issue and how dramatically the conversation has shifted in our culture. In Genesis, we see that God created humanity in His image, intentionally creating humans as male and female. While biology and procreation are part of God’s design, Scripture also highlights the relational union between men and women. The roles of men and women may vary across cultures and throughout history, but that does not change the reality of maleness and femaleness as part of God’s created order. Steve points out that, at its core, much of this conversation comes back to questioning the wisdom of God, just as we see in the garden. Questioning God’s design and authority has been at the root of sin from the beginning, and our culture increasingly celebrates the choice to depart from that design. Sarah asks an important question: Can someone be born with a particular sinful affliction ? Steve explores how sexual sin can be one of Satan’s most powerful tools for destruction because it is so closely connected to God’s design for humanity, identity, and relationships. Ultimately, the conversation returns to Genesis: every human being is created in the image of God, and God created humanity as male and female. Understanding this foundational truth shapes how we think about sex, gender, identity, and the world around us. Check out Episodes 148 & 149 on what the Bible says about masculinity & femininity Watch Resident Strangers on YouTube Sign up for the Resident Strangers email list Questions or comments? Email residentstrangers@dscchurch.com If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us again next Tuesday as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world.

  ListenShow Notes

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