What if the most popular religion in America isn't Christianity, Islam, or atheism?

What if it's the worship of self?

In this episode of Rooted in Logos, Brad examines the growing belief that truth, identity, and morality should be determined by the individual rather than by God. From the Garden of Eden to modern slogans like "follow your heart" and "live your truth," the temptation remains the same: to become our own authority.

Drawing from Scripture, culture, and personal experience, this episode explores the origins of self-rule, the promises it makes, and the consequences it produces. You'll hear how the rebellion of Lucifer, the fall of Adam and Eve, and the temptation of Christ all point to the same fundamental question:

Who gets the final say—God or me?

Topics include:

• The rise of expressive individualism
• The dangers of "live your truth" culture
• Why personal autonomy has become a modern idol
• The connection between Genesis 3 and today's cultural moment
• How Jesus responded to the temptation of self-rule
• Why true freedom is found in submission to God, not independence from Him

Whether you're a believer, skeptic, or somewhere in between, this episode challenges one of the most influential assumptions of our time and asks a simple but profound question:

Will we trust God to define reality, or will we attempt to define it ourselves?

Scripture References:
Genesis 3, Matthew 4, Judges 21:25, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 1, and others.

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The conversation explores the rise of deconstruction, the process of deconstruction, reasons for leaving Christianity, public examples of deconstruction, the role of doubt and unbelief, the question of authority, and healthy reconstruction. It emphasizes the importance of truth, the authority of Christ, and the distinction between healthy and unhealthy deconstruction.

Takeaways

• Deconstruction is a process that challenges and dismantles falsehood, legalism, and abuse, with the goal of building a life anchored in Christ.
• The ultimate question in deconstruction is about authority—who gets the final say? This leads to a deeper exploration of the role of doubt, the search for truth, and the reconstruction of faith anchored in Christ.

Chapters

• 00:00 The Rise of Deconstruction
• 11:42 Reasons for Leaving Christianity
• 18:12 Public Examples of Deconstruction
• 28:39 The Role of Doubt and Unbelief
• 35:30 The Question of Authority
• 46:08 Healthy Reconstruction

The conversation delves into the threat of biblical illiteracy, its consequences, and the root of the problem. It explores the collapse of biblical literacy, its impact, and the dangers of false teaching. The influence of social media, devotional Christianity, and the importance of biblical maturity are discussed, along with the solution to biblical illiteracy, the practice of biblical literacy, and an encouraging conclusion.

Takeaways

• Biblical illiteracy is a significant threat to the modern church
• The collapse of biblical literacy has led to vulnerability to false teaching and cultural influence

Chapters

• 00:00 The Threat of Biblical Illiteracy
• 08:23 The Impact of Biblical Illiteracy
• 20:12 The Role of Devotional Christianity
• 42:44 The Practice of Biblical Literacy
• 50:00 Encouragement and Conclusion

The conversation explores the imperfection of the church and the reasons why people may choose to leave. It delves into the challenges and preferences faced within the church, the importance of staying and fighting for the church's health, and the significance of prayer, biblical confrontation, and contending for the faith. It also addresses reasons to leave, such as spiritual abuse, unrepentant sin, gospel compromise, unaccountable leadership, and the inability to grow spiritually. The conversation concludes by emphasizing that the church ultimately belongs to Christ and the importance of staying rooted in the truth of God's word.

Takeaways

• Church Imperfection
• Reasons to Leave

Chapters

• 00:00 The Imperfect Church
• 46:24 Prayer and Concerns
• 54:30 Reasons to Leave
• 01:00:23 Spiritual Growth and Leaving Well
• 01:09:07 The Church Belongs to Christ

The conversation explores the cultural moment where disagreement is often interpreted as rejection of people themselves, especially surrounding issues of identity and sexuality. It also delves into the struggle of modern culture to distinguish between disagreeing with beliefs and hating the person.

Takeaways

• Disagreement is often interpreted as rejection of people themselves
• Modern culture struggles to distinguish between disagreeing with beliefs and hating the person

The conversation explores the intersection of Christianity and politics, emphasizing the moral and theological implications of political engagement. It delves into the role of Christians in shaping culture, the impact of secularism, the relationship between Christianity and national identity, and the church's mission in the midst of political and cultural challenges.

Takeaways

• Christianity and politics are inherently intertwined, as politics deals with questions of morality, justice, law, truth, authority, family, life, sexuality, education, freedom, and human nature.
• The church's mission is to make disciples and proclaim the gospel, engaging in politics faithfully while remembering that ultimate hope is found in Christ, not in political power.

Chapters

• 00:00 The Intersection of Christianity and Politics
• 13:08 The Myth of Neutrality and the Influence of Worldview on Culture
• 19:46 Jesus' Engagement with Power and Authority
• 40:13 Christian Nationalism and the Role of the Church
• 48:53 Engaging Politics Faithfully and the Church's Mission

In this episode of Rooted in Logos, we take a deeper look at one of the most important issues facing the modern church: biblical interpretation.

What happens when culture begins shaping how Christians read Scripture? What is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis? And how can the same Bible be used to support radically different conclusions?

We discuss:

• exegesis vs. eisegesis
• hermeneutics and why context matters
• Scripture interpreting Scripture
• the unity of the Bible across 66 books, 40 authors, and 1,500 years
• common verses taken out of context, including Philippians 4:13, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 46:10, and John 10:10
• how progressive Christianity often reframes Scripture through modern cultural assumptions

We also explore why church history matters, why isolated proof texts are dangerous, and why faithful Christians must approach the Word with humility rather than using it to validate what we already want to believe.

Because the question is not simply whether we read the Bible.
The question is whether we allow the Bible to read us.

Subscribe and share with someone who wants deeper roots and a stronger understanding of Scripture.

In this episode of Rooted in Logos, we take a closer look at the rise of progressive Christianity through the lens of public voices like James Talarico.

Why does this version of Christianity resonate with so many people? And more importantly—does it align with what Scripture actually teaches?

We examine several common claims, including:

• that the Bible is silent on abortion and homosexuality
• that these issues were made “political” by the religious right
• that Scripture supports modern ideas about identity, justice, and even economic systems

We also look at the broader cultural moment shaping these conversations—how language is being redefined, why objective truth is often rejected, and how compassion is sometimes separated from biblical conviction.

This episode is not about attacking individuals. It’s about thinking carefully, testing ideas, and returning to a foundation rooted in truth.

If you’ve ever heard something that sounded Christian but weren’t sure if it actually was—this conversation is for you.

Subscribe and share with someone who wants to think clearly and stay grounded.