By Al Felder Religious teaching can accomplish many things. It can attract an audience. It can stir emotions. It can introduce unfamiliar information, expose error, answer questions, and provoke discussion. In the digital age, it can also generate views, shares, subscriptions, and a loyal following. However, none of those results, by itself, proves that the teaching has fulfilled its biblical purpose. A lesson may hold our attention without strengthening our faith. It may lea

By Al Felder Christians are commanded to defend the truth. False teaching must be corrected. Sin must be confronted. The gospel must be protected from distortion. Silence is not always an expression of peace; sometimes it is a failure of courage. However, the duty to defend truth does not give Christians permission to become quarrelsome. This distinction is especially important in an age of podcasts and social media. Online discussions often reward the quickest response, the

By Al Felder “I’m just asking questions.” The phrase sounds harmless. Questions are normally associated with learning, investigation, and honest inquiry. Asking a question can be an important first step toward understanding the truth. However, questions can also be used irresponsibly. A person may raise a damaging possibility without providing evidence. He may suggest that someone has acted dishonestly without making a direct accusation. He can repeatedly connect unrelated fa