Standing for Christ on the NBA Court with Jonathan Isaac

Standing for Christ on the NBA Court with Jonathan Isaac

Would you compromise your Christian faith to save your job, your relationships, and your reputation? Or would you have the courage to stand up for what you believe, no matter the consequences?

On July 31, 2020, the Orlando Magic starting forward, Jonathan Isaac, was the lone NBA player not to kneel for the national anthem amid a league-wide demonstration in support of Black Lives Matter. This week, Frank sits down with Jonathan to talk through his inspirational story of faith, conviction, and courage in the face of overwhelming pressure. In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How did Jonathan first become a Christian?
  • What apologetics arguments solidified his quest for seeking out the truth?
  • How did Jonathan overcome panic attacks and find his true identity beyond basketball?
  • What was it like being the only player on his team not to kneel during the national anthem and how did his teammates react?
  • What kind of backlash (and unexpected blessings) followed his decision?
  • What are some of the unique psychological struggles associated with being a professional basketball player?
  • Why did Denzel Washington say “fame is a monster” and how does Jonathan stay grounded in Christ amid the fame, money, and pressure of the NBA?
  • What surprising thing happened after Jonathan was dropped by Nike?

We hope this episode encourages you to boldly live out your Christian faith, even when it’s unpopular. To learn more about Jonathan’s powerful story, grab a copy of his book, ‘Why I Stand‘, and check out his sneaker and Christian apparel line at WeAreUnitus.com.

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Why I Stand by Jonathan Isaac
Unitus Faith-Forward Footwear & Apparel

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Why the Foundations of Islam Are Now Crumbling with Dr. Jay Smith - Part 2

Why the Foundations of Islam Are Now Crumbling with Dr. Jay Smith – Part 2

How much do you really know about Islam? Is it possible that we’ve never been told the full story about the historic origins of Muhammad, Mecca, and the Qur’an? In this midweek episode, Frank continues his fascinating conversation with Islam expert, Dr. Jay Smith, who has dedicated his life to evangelizing Muslims. Together, they expose the shocking lack of historical and manuscript evidence for the Qur’an, the prophet Muhammad, and even the city of Mecca itself. Together, Frank and Dr. Smith address questions like:

  • What is the earliest manuscript evidence for the Qur’an, and why do over 2,000 variants raise serious concerns?
  • Are parts of the Qur’an based on Christian hymns?
  • Is Islam a Christian heresy?
  • Who is John of Damascus and why did he call parts of the Qur’an despicable, terrible, and evil?
  • Why did a top a Muslim scholar recently admit that we don’t have good historical evidence for anything written about what Muhammad said or did?
  • Why are most Muslim scholars so hesitant to talk about the Qur’an’s apparent problems?
  • What’s the problem with the Black Stone of Mecca located in Saudi Arabia?
  • Could Islam have originated somewhere other than Mecca?
  • Is it possible that the Muhammad of Islam never existed?
  • What are the four major claims Muslims make about the Qur’an and how do they compare to Jesus and the Bible?
  • What is Dr. Smith’s advice for Muslims and Christians when it comes to responding to this material?

This riveting conversation will not only expose the inconsistencies in Islam’s origin story, but also highlight the unmatched reliability of the Christian faith in contrast. We should encourage our Muslim friends to consider a better Man and a better Book–Jesus and His Word!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Why the Foundations of Islam Are Now Crumbling – Part 1
Dr. Jay Smith’s Website
Dr. Jay Smith’s YouTube channel
HOT OFF THE PRESS! Muslim Scholar Throws the Historicity of Muhammad UNDER THE BUS!
Two New Findings That Muhammad Didn’t Exist
Investigating Islam
Dismantling Islam PowerPoint Slides

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Why the Foundations of Islam Are Now Crumbling with Dr. Jay Smith

 

Did the prophet Muhammad actually exist? How did the Qur’an come into existence? And did Islam really begin in Mecca? If you think you know a lot about the historic origins of Islam–think again!

Frank welcomes Dr. Jay Smith to the program, a legendary defender of the faith and top Christian apologist to Muslims who spent over two decades at the legendary Speaker’s Corner in London. Dr. Smith shares personal experiences from his years evangelizing Muslims, challenging Islamic claims, and navigating the theological and historical issues at the core of Islam. During this eye-opening conversation, Frank and Dr. Smith tackle questions like:

  • What was it like to evangelize at Speaker’s Corner in London for 25 years and why is it a magnet for Muslims?
  • How did the events of 9/11/2001 change the dynamic between the world’s two largest competing religious worldviews–Christianity and Islam?
  • Why is using the Qur’an helpful when sharing the Gospel with Muslims?
  • What is the “three-legged stool” that supports Islam and how does it compare to Christianity?
  • If Mecca is so old, why is there no evidence historically?
  • What are the four genres of S.I.N. (the Standard Islamic Narrative) and why are they being thrown under the bus by some Muslim scholars?
  • Why are there currently 30 official versions of the Qur’an even though it claims to be eternal and unchanged by human hands?
  • Why are the Qur’an’s earliest manuscripts shockingly incomplete and why was the biography of Muhammad compiled by a German scholar?

This is just part one of a riveting two-part discussion, so be sure to tune in next week as Frank and Dr. Smith continue unpacking the historical and theological cracks in the foundation of Islam. And don’t miss the helpful resources in the list below, including the slides from Dr. Smith’s recent presentation at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Dr. Smith’s Website
Dr. Smith’s YouTube channel
HOT OFF THE PRESS! Muslim Scholar Throws the Historicity of Muhammad UNDER THE BUS!
Two New Findings That Muhammad Didn’t Exist
Investigating Islam
Dismantling Islam PowerPoint Slides

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Has the Holy Spirit Stopped Working? PLUS Is the Bible All We Need?

 

Why does the Church seem so ineffective (and sometimes corrupt) when it claims to carry the truth? Does this mean the Holy Spirit is no longer at work? And why does Frank recommend so many books on his podcast: isn’t the Bible all we need? Tune in this week as he tackles these pressing listener questions and quickly recaps last week’s popular series on the Book of Revelation and the end times while addressing other questions like:

  • Why would God allow His Church to be so corrupt, chaotic, and unfaithful?
  • Do we need to sense the Holy Spirit working in our lives in order for Christianity to be true?
  • Despite its shortcomings, what positive impact has the Church made in the West and all over the world?
  • What is the contrasting difference between Jesus and Muhammad that many people don’t understand?
  • What is Sola Scriptura? Does it mean everything we need to know is in the Bible?
  • What are the three tiers of understanding the Bible?
  • What are the three ways to gain wisdom?
  • What is prolegomena and why is it essential to a proper understanding of Scripture?
  • What’s the #1 subject kids (and adults) should learn in addition to the Bible?
  • Why is redemption better than innocence?

Do you have a question for Frank? Send it to hello@crossexamined.org for a chance to be featured on a future episode!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

The Revelation YouTube playlist with Dr. Chip Bennet & Dr. Warren Gage
Person of Interest by J. Warner Wallace
Train Your Brain Self-Paced Course
How to Interpret Your Bible Self-Paced Course
Digging Up the Bible PREMIUM Course starts 9/8/2025!

 

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What Should We Think About Angels & Demons? with Pastor Allen Jackson

 

We see the battle between good and evil throughout the Bible and in the world around us. But do angels and demons influence our lives today and if they do, how do they interact with us?

Joining Frank on the program this week is Pastor Allen Jackson from World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, TN. Under his humble yet confident leadership, the church has grown from fewer than 30 people to over 15,000 since 1989. His new book, ‘Angels, Demons & You: Unseen Spiritual Influences in Our Lives‘, provides a biblical perspective on the reality of spiritual forces and how they impact our daily lives. Together, Frank and Allen answer questions like:

  • What happened to Allen’s mom that led to his whole family being born again?
  • How did World Outreach Church go from a small Bible study in Allen’s parents’ home to a megachurch?
  • Is leadership just a secular word?
  • Is Islam compatible with the U.S. Constitution?
  • Why does our American culture seem to dismiss the existence of angels and demons?
  • What was it like studying at a secular school like Vanderbilt University?
  • What roles did angels have in the Bible and what is their role today?
  • Should pastors be “political”?
  • Is there a way to detect the presence of angels and demons acting in our lives?

You’ll also learn the importance of making disciples instead of people who just sit in pews, and why the greatest inheritance we can leave our family isn’t fortune or fame–but living a life that honors God. From his humble beginnings as the son of an equine veterinarian, to a ministry that now reaches and encourages 3,000,000+ people per week around the globe, you’ll see why Allen says, “The One we serve is great and we serve at His pleasure!”

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

World Outreach Church – Murfreesboro, TN

Allen Jackson Ministries

Culture & Christianity – The Allen Jackson Podcast

Angels, Demons, and You: Unseen Spiritual Influences in Our Lives

God Bless America Again

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What No One Ever Told You About the Book of Revelation with Dr. Chip Bennett & Dr. Warren Gage – Part 2

 

What do the surprising connections between Old Testament figures and Revelation reveal about the Bible’s divine authorship? Dr. Chip Bennett and Dr. Warren Gage return to continue their fascinating conversation with Frank about the true context of Revelation. Together, they’ll explore how the Old and New Testaments mirror one another in profound and intentional ways—shedding new light on Jesus, prophecy, and redemption. In this episode, they’ll answer questions like:

  • Why was Jesus named after Joshua?
  • How does the battle of Jericho relate to the Book of Revelation?
  • What’s the significance of Jesus meeting the woman at the well?
  • What evidence suggests that the Book of John & the Book of Revelation were written together by John?
  • Who is the beast described in the Book of Revelation?
  • How is Joseph a type of Christ and what’s the mind-blowing connection between Judah, Judas, and Jesus?
  • Why is only focusing on Bible “heroes” a big mistake?
  • How does spotting chiasms or center-points found in Scripture create a deeper meaning of the text?

You’ll discover how the Bible—from Genesis to Revelation—reveals God’s unified plan of redemption through types, themes, and patterns that no human could have orchestrated. This conversation will leave you with greater confidence in Scripture’s divine origin and remind you that no matter who tries to discredit it, the Bible stands as a trustworthy and true revelation from God!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

What No One Ever Told You About the Book of Revelation (Part 1)

Grace Community Church – Sarasota, FL

YouTube playlist – The Revelation Project with Chip & Warren

Chip on TikTok

Chip on YouTube

Dr. Warren Gage on YouTube

WatermarkGospel.com/Revelation – The Book of Revelation Explained in 5 Minutes!

DrWarrenGage.com/Revelation – Revelation resources

Dr. Gage’s book: Milestones to Emmaus

 

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What No One Ever Told You About the Book of Revelation with Dr. Chip Bennett & Dr. Warren Gage

 

What’s the true meaning of the Book of Revelation? Is it only about the end times, or have we overlooked its deeper roots in the Old Testament? For centuries, Christians have wrestled with its symbols and prophecies—could it be that we’ve been missing the bigger picture?

This week, Frank welcomes Dr. Chip Bennett, pastor of Grace Community Church in Sarasota, FL along with his mentor and biblical scholar, Dr. Warren Gage, to reveal the often-ignored historical and theological context behind the Book of Revelation. Tune in as Frank, Chip, and Warren explore how early Christians—and the Church Fathers—understood this mysterious book and what modern readers might be missing. Together, they’ll tackle questions like:

  • What’s the surprising connection between the Book of Joshua, Jesus, and the Book of Revelation?
  • Is Revelation a book of fear or a book of hope?
  • What’s the meaning behind the Two Witnesses and Jesus calling Himself “the door”?
  • How are stories like Rahab and Isaac prophetic pictures of Christ?
  • How is Scripture one of our greatest apologetic tools?
  • What did the early church fathers say about the Book of Revelation?
  • Why didn’t John Calvin write a commentary on Revelation and is it a completely futuristic book?

Discover how the original recipients of Revelation would have read it, and why modern day readers need to recover a historical hermeneutic to understand it properly. This is a must-hear conversation for any and all Bible readers so don’t keep it to yourself–share it with a friend to help them connect the dots!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Grace Community Church – Sarasota, FL
YouTube playlist – The Revelation Project with Chip & Warren
Chip on TikTok
Chip on YouTube
Dr. Warren Gage on YouTube
WatermarkGospel.com/Revelation – The Book of Revelation Explained in 5 Minutes!
DrWarrenGage.com/Revelation – Revelation resources

 

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Are We in the End Times? Plus More Q&A

 

Are we the generation to witness the triumphant return of Jesus? After all, aren’t we seeing all the signs being fulfilled on the news right now? In this midweek episode, Frank unpacks end times views, challenges popular assumptions about prophecy, and answers tough listener questions related to feminism and the importance of the epistles in teaching us how to live the Christian life. Tune in as he tackles questions such as:

  • Is watching the news the best way to set your prophetic clock?
  • What was Jesus talking about in Matthew 24 during the Olivet Discourse?
  • Has the Church replaced Israel and what does it mean to “bless Israel”?
  • Should Christians support everything that Israel does?
  • How can we trust the New Testament if Jesus didn’t write it and why are the epistles just as important as the gospels?
  • Where does modern feminism go wrong according to the Bible?
  • Who are the most unhappy people in the world today according to recent statistics?

You’ll also learn why Frank thinks the best advice is to “always be ready” and stay tuned for even more mind-blowing insights about the Book of Revelation coming up on the next two episodes of, ‘I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist!’

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

9 Discoveries That Support the Biblical Exodus in Egypt
Ryan Burge on X

 

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Scientific Evidence for the Soul with Neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Egnor

 

Is there scientific proof of the soul? And if science is all about what can be measured, how do we explain things like consciousness, free will, and near-death experiences? This week, we’ll explore one of the most profound questions of human existence: are we just matter, or something more?

Joining Frank in this eye-opening podcast episode is Dr. Michael Egnor, a practicing neurosurgeon, neuroscientist, and Professor of Neurosurgery at Stony Brook University. In his new book, ‘The Immortal Mind: A Neurosurgeon’s Case for the Existence of the Soul‘, co-authored with Denise O’Leary, Dr. Egnor draws from over 7,000 brain surgeries and decades of experience to challenge the popular materialist view of the human person. Together, Frank and Michael will tackle questions like:

  • How did a spiritual experience involving his son change Dr. Egnor’s worldview?
  • What is the scientific evidence for the soul and the mind?
  • Is there a difference between the mind and the brain?
  • What do conjoined twins and patients with missing brain parts reveal about consciousness?
  • How are verifiable Near Death Experiences evidence for the soul?
  • Why do most neuroscientists still cling to materialism despite contrary evidence?

From fascinating case studies to philosophical insights from Aquinas and Aristotle, this episode will challenge the materialist narrative that you are just your brain. If you know someone who’s scientifically minded but open to deeper questions about human nature, this book is a must read! Be sure to grab your copy today and check out more of Dr. Egnor’s work at the Discovery Institute website listed below.

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Mike’s book: The Immortal Mind: A Neurosurgeon’s Case for the Existence of the Soul
Mike’s presentation: The Scientific Evidence of the Human Soul
Discovery Institute: Mind Matters News
Mike’s articles at the Discovery Institute

 

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What Do Critical Scholars Admit About Jesus? with Dr. Gary Habermas

 

Resurrection expert Dr. Gary Habermas returns to discuss Volume 3 of his magnum opus, ‘On the Resurrection: Scholarly Perspectives‘, which includes 500+ scholarly treatments related to the resurrection. From far-left critics to conservative theologians, this collective volume provides a strong overview of everything that has ever been written about the resurrection and includes over 8,000 footnotes!

During their conversation, Frank and Gary answer questions like:

  • Why do critical scholars deny miracles but still affirm that Jesus was a miracle worker?
  • Why does Gary think many atheists don’t want to say “I do” to Jesus?
  • Is biblical inerrancy a requirement for the Gospel and what about apparent Bible contradictions?
  • What are the 3 things you need in order for Christianity to be true?
  • How do you respond to those who say the deity of God evolved over time?
  • What do creeds teach us about high Christology and how did it get started?
  • What’s the best explanation for the rapid growth of early Christianity?

If you’re looking for the most comprehensive survey of scholarship for and against the resurrection, this is it! Whether you’re a skeptic, seeker, or committed believer, this discussion offers rich insight and a reason to take the resurrection seriously. As Gary would say, “It’s a bold argument to say that Jesus rose from the dead, but try to get out of it!”

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

On the Resurrection: Evidences – Volume 1
On the Resurrection: Refutations – Volume 2
On the Resurrection: Scholarly Perspectives – Volume 3
GaryHabermas.com
Volume 1 Podcast – Did Jesus REALLY Rise From the Dead?
Volume 2 Podcast – Do Naturalistic Alternatives to the Resurrection Work?

 

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