David Foster a Renegade’s Guide to God

RG2G 056 21 Ways We Are Saving the American Church

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:47:00 +0000

I believe in the church. Yes, I know. It’s messed up, abusive, and sometimes outrageous the way “church people” behave. But I’m not talking about the institution, the organization, or the denominational artifact. I’m talking about the dynamic, vital, spiritual community that Jesus had in mind when He said that… More

RG2G 055 Ten Good Reasons You Need a Great Church

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:07:00 +0000

Something I hear constantly when I’m around people are war stories about how they’ve been burnt by the church. If you are not careful, you’ll end up thinking that just because a lot of churches are messed up, all churches are messed up.

I know good people who have opted… More

RG2G 054 Why Nobody Wants to Join Your Church

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:27:46 +0000

There seems to be a lot of controversy these days about church membership. In fact, there is a lot of debate going on about whether or not we even need churches with all of the online resources available. So in response to a pastor who asks the question, “Why does… More

RG2G 053 Why 42 Million Christians Have Left the American Church

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:16:16 +0000

In a recent research study, the Barna Group has reported that over 42 million Christians in America are no longer actively attending and supporting a church.

In today’s show we talk about some of the reasons why, and what can be done. If you’re one of the 42 million, there… More

RG2G 052 How Do You See Yourself?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:10:21 +0000

One of the haunting questions I’ve had to deal with over and over is, “Why do people who call themselves Christians behave so badly?” Is it because they are bad people, or is something else bigger going on?

Here’s what I’ve learned. Identity determines behavior. How you truly see yourself… More

RG2G 051 Breaking Your Brain Out of Jesus’ Jail

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:00:03 +0000

You can’t be a Christan and be an intellectual, right? We all know that all Christians think alike. To be a Christian is to conform, not only in lifestyle, but in thought pattern as well. All of these lies have been shoved down our throat, and overlaid on us by… More

RG2G 050 Going to Hell From Church

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:43:02 +0000

Wouldn’t it be sad to spend your life as a religious person and miss God in eternity? It scares me sometimes when, here in America, we have so much exposure to spiritual things that we fail to understand that just knowing about God, Jesus, and the content of Scripture is… More

RG2G 049 How Do Spiritual Gifts Work, And Do I Have Any?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:30:53 +0000

One of the questions I hear over and over again is, “What am I supposed to do with my life now that I’m a Christian? Now that I follow Christ, what is there for me to do that makes a difference in the world, and what has God placed in… More

RG2G 048 Why Are There So Many Mean Christians?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:30:34 +0000

Everywhere I go I meet people who have been wounded by other Christians. The landscape all across America is littered with broken hearts and shattered dreams of those who have been turned away and turned off by churches.

I believe there is a big difference between Christianity and what it… More

The “Perp Walk” at Walmart

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:30:35 +0000

I was in our local Walmart the other day shopping for stuff I needed to decorate for Christmas. Now think about it. This is the Christmas season, the season of joy, right? The season of it’s better to give than receive.

We had just come off of Black Friday. The… More

RG2G 047 Taking Christianity Back From the Fans

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:00:01 +0000

I love being a Christian. By that I mean I love following Jesus. By that I mean I love trying to follow Jesus, attempting to follow Jesus, aspiring to live the life for which I was created.

When I was converted, I just assumed that everyone who named the name… More

RG2G 046 Why Christian Men Are Abandoning the Church

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:30:43 +0000

I like to consider myself a man, a real man; maybe not a he-man, but at least a man who understands (I think) what it means to be a male and masculine. And as such, I am offended by what I consider to be our society’s onslaught on manhood.… More

RG2G 045 Saving Jesus From His Followers

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:30:50 +0000

Jesus Christ is the greatest thing that ever happened to this world if, in fact, you believe what the Scriptures teach: that He is our Savior, that He is God come down to be 100% God, 100% man to die as a satisfaction that would give us redemption.

On the… More

RG2G 044 Why Do Some Churches Die While Others Thrive?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:35:37 +0000

The state of the American church is in flux. Depending on who you talk to, it’s either doing really, really well or it’s on its last legs.

I, for one, am an optimist. This isn’t just a casual observation. It’s after decades of investment in planting churches and leading churches. … More

RG2G 043 Rescuing the Church From the Clutches of Cool

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:30:35 +0000

One of the things I keep hearing from people over and over again is how legalistic and institutional most churches seem to be – even the churches that claim to be cool. And by the way, cool is a new trend in the American church: cool video, cool look, cool… More

RG2G 042 I Can’t Stand My Parents; Can I Still Be a Christian?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:30:21 +0000

One of the hardest things it seems for Christians to deal with are relationships. And the hardest relationships it seems to redeem, are family relationships gone bad.

The Scriptures are very clear. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the Big Ten – that we should honor our father… More

RG2G 041 Are Mormons Christians, or Not?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:30:04 +0000

One of the questions I keep getting over and over is, “What about the Mormons? For all the good that they do and the high moral teaching they hold forth, surely they are Christians.”

This question is of unique interest these days, because some of the leading candidates in the… More

RG2G 040 How Do You Go About Getting God to Bless Your Business?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:30:27 +0000

One of the most important things anyone can have in their life is God’s favor. The question is, “How do you get it?”

Some people believe that you earn God’s best blessing on your life, in your business, or in your marriage. That somehow doing daily devotionals, reading the Bible,… More

RG2G 039 Can a For-Profit Business be a Valid Christian Ministry?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:30:26 +0000

As long as I can remember, Christian businessmen have struggled with the question, “Is what I’m doing honoring to God?” Can a true for-profit Business be a valid Christian Ministry? I say “valid” in the same way a church is a spiritual endeavor.

Sad to say, that many Christian businessmen… More

RG2G 038 Four Sure Signs You’re in the Wrong Church

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:30:57 +0000

I firmly believe that everyone should attend church. But not everyone should attend the same church. It truly does take all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people.

Like anything else in life, churches have personalities, different emphasis, and styles. One size certainly doesn’t fit all.

I’ve often… More

RG2G 037 Why You Don’t Deserve a Second Chance

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:30:15 +0000

We often hear people say, “He deserves a second chance.” But do we deserve a second chance? There’s something else going on in our lives when we do get a second chance. When we’re able to re-enter our lives in a saner, spiritual way, God is at work. And one… More

RG2G 036 How to Run Off the Church Bullies

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:30:20 +0000

Sad to say, there are some baaaaaad people out there. Not just dumb people, stupid people, selfish people, but bad people. And those people come to church. Sometimes it seems like more of them come to church than good people. The truth is, in every church there are people who… More

RG2G 035 Does Praying for People Really Work?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:30:28 +0000

Maybe you’ve been in a church service, gotten an email, or seen a conversation on Facebook that people are calling for corporate prayer.

This goes on all the time. People ask us, “Hey, would you pray about this?” “Would you pray for me?” Oftentimes we say we will, but really… More

RG2G 034 Does Predestination Mean My Choices Don’t Matter?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:30:36 +0000

Today’s topic was sent in as a question by a listener. It has to do with predestination, predetermination, and things like free will.

Without question, the Scriptures have something very definite to say about predestination. But oftentimes predestination is interpreted as fatalism, which means it doesn’t matter what we do… More

RG2G 033 Five Reasons I’m Not a Christian

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:30:04 +0000

Remember the days when claiming to be a Christian wasn’t so difficult? I don’t mean difficult in that we’re ashamed to be Christian. It’s just that the term “Christian” means so many different things to so many different people, given the environment and the location.

So on the show… More

RG2G 032 Where is God When it All Comes Crashing Down?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:30:12 +0000

Today we’ll deal with a question from a listener about, “What do you do when you’ve done all the right things, when it seems from your family, to your job, to your friends, everything is coming unglued?”

Where is God when you’ve prayed, and you’ve prayed diligently and… More

RG2G 031 How to Get Unstuck With God and Go to the Next Level

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:30:04 +0000

Not a week goes by when someone doesn’t say to me, “David, I’m stuck in my faith. I’m losing it. God seems far away and it just seems like I’m going to church and going through the motions, but nothing is changing in my life, at least nothing for… More

RG2G 030 Resisting the Nice-ification of Jesus

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:30:34 +0000

One thing you can say about Jesus, is after two thousand years, He’s as popular as ever. But also, I might argue, as misunderstood.

This is never more true than when you think about the picture that American Christianity has tended to paint of the person of Jesus. When… More

RG2G 029 How to Say “No” to Small-Minded Religion

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:31:33 +0000

Our desire to know God and lead a meaningful life is one of the most powerful forces that drives us forward. So powerful is this desire, that it is easily manipulated by religion. America is littered with the victims of small-minded, toxic religion.

On our show today we talk… More

RG2G 028 How to Get Over a Bad Church Experience

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:30:09 +0000

One of the most common experiences that Christians have is, somewhere down the road, a bad church experience. Some of these disappointments are so deep, so painful, and so long-lasting that Christians even abandon the church and their faith altogether.

Today on Renegade we talk about why these things… More

RG2G 027 Since Business is Evil, Can it be Christian?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:30:31 +0000

One of the famous sayings spawned by the movie, “The Godfather” is this, “It’s not personal; it’s business.” Living in Nashville, I also hear this one often: “Christian music is sometimes Christian, sometimes music, but all the time business.” We also hear phrases like this: “It’s time that… More

RG2G 026 Why the World Didn’t Come to an End on May 21, 2011

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:30:16 +0000

Once again we stand in the wake of the disappointment of those who prophesied and predicted the rapture this past Saturday.

If this were just the weird prediction of a small group, we could ignore it. Reports say over a hundred million dollars was spent to advertise and promote… More

RG2G 025 How Do You Grow a Strong and Fruitful Faith?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:30:16 +0000

Millions of people attended church last Sunday. And millions more will show up this coming Sunday. For that I say, Yea God! If for you, going to church is going to worship, to connect to God and other messy people, I applaud you for making this a discipline of… More

RG2G 024 Does Loving God Make You Weird?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:30:40 +0000

One of the most difficult things to face when you become a Christian is that not everyone who says they are a Christian, are genuine, authentic, and real. As a matter, of fact some people are just downright wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are not just misguided, they are… More

RG2G 023 How to Buy a Bible

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:30:25 +0000

At the core of every Christian’s life is the reading and studying of Scripture. The Bible is indeed God’s word. We believe that it is inspired by God, given by God. It is the direct revelation of God. It is the foundation for all that we do. It is… More

RG2G 022 If God is So Good, Why is There So Much Suffering in the World?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:30:00 +0000

One of the thorny dilemmas anyone, anywhere faces when they affirm the goodness of God, is, “How can God be good and there be so much pain, suffering, and darkness in the world?”

In talking with a young seeker several years ago, he posed that question to me. He… More

RG2G 021 You Cannot Be a Christian and Do That

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:30:55 +0000

One of the hottest debates, at least in American Christianity, is about how Christians behave. What can a Christian be expected to do and not do? What’s the actual nature of Christianity? Is it a sin-management program? Is it adherence to a certain strict set of doctrines? Is there… More

RG2G 020 5 Reasons Church Planters Fail

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:30:39 +0000

I don’t ordinarily consider myself a “church planter,” but now that I’ve planted two churches in the last 20 years, I suppose I am.

I’ve been in this long enough to know that there are some things that are very predictable about planting a new church, or even starting… More

RG2G 019 How to Know Your Christianity No Longer Is

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:30:24 +0000

I am of the firm conviction that you have every right to reject Jesus and all the tenants of Christianity. But you don’t have the right to redefine the Christian faith to mean anything you want it to.

With all the confusion these days and all the books and… More

RG2G 018 Why I’ve Given Up Trying to Win People to Jesus

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:30:35 +0000

All of my Christian life, I’ve heard how important it is to be a soul-winner, to win people to Jesus, to convince people that the Christian faith is the way to go. But for the past 21 years, I’ve seen more lives transformed through the power of Jesus than… More

RG2G 017 How to Listen to a Sermon with Your Brain

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:30:32 +0000

I was in conversation with the guys in my small group and we were bemoaning the sad state of sermonizing and teaching in the American church.

One guy said, “I feel sorry for people who are in the formation stage of their faith with all the muddied up opinions,… More

RG2G 016 Five Signs You’re in a Shame-Bound Church

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:30:09 +0000

All across America, every seven days, in over 450,000 churches, people gather to worship. And you would think that all of that collective meeting over a long period of time would produce grace-filled, energetic, life-giving faith in the people who attend. But oftentimes the exact opposite happens.

Why? Basically… More

RG2G 015 Time to ReChurch Yourself: An Interview With Stephen Mansfield

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:00:30 +0000

All across America, on any given Sunday morning there are millions upon millions of people who call themselves Christians, who don’t attend church. That sounds rather odd, doesn’t it, in light of the fact that that’s what Christians are called to do: to gather, to worship God. So what’s… More

RG2G 014 Is Life a Matter of Fate, Self-Help, Destiny, or Dumb Luck?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:59:36 +0000

In a recent interview, Matt Damon was asked if he believed in fate, or luck. This was in reference to his new movie called “The Adjustment Bureau.”

The story behind the movie is that in our normal, everyday lives there is a force unseen; controlling, not only the people… More

RG2G 013 Advancing the Church in the Age of Free-Agency

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:50:17 +0000

There’s a great big difference between the church that’s taught in the Scriptures and the church as an organization that we see in various states of decline in health.

Today we talked about advancing the church; the church as a movement, a worldwide movement of redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. … More

RG2G 012 What’s Gone Wrong With the American Church?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:10:30 +0000

All of my adult life, I’ve had a passion to plant, lead, and grow the American church. My years involved in this mission, this labor of love, has allowed me to see many movements come and go. In today’s show I talk about what I think the three most… More

RG2G 011 The Jesus I Never Knew

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 20:55:14 +0000

Today on Renegade’s Guide to God, David talked about the real Jesus; not the Jesus you often hear about in church – the nice, sweet Jesus. Too often Jesus is presented in American culture in a bathrobe, pale, long blond hair, blue eyes, and limp-wristed. And yet, the real… More

RG2G 010 Can You be a Christian AND an Intellectual?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:47:34 +0000

I got an email this week from a longtime friend bemoaning the fact that while they are a Christian, they are having a very difficult time feeling comfortable in the churches in their city. When I asked why, he responded, “It seems like to go to these churches I… More

RG2G 009 Why Aren’t Christians More Moral?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 17:22:50 +0000

One of the most embarrassing facts about Christianity is that those who practice it are imperfect. How shocking and yet, why would we expect anything else?

Oftentimes morality is used as a synonym for faith in Jesus Christ; that doing good things means I am a good person. And if… More

RG2G 008 How Do I Find a New Church?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:22:01 +0000

It is my firm conviction that everyone should go to church, and needs to go to church. But one of the biggest questions is, how do you find a new church?

Whether you are moving, have been inactive for many years, or have been hurt by a church-split or problem,… More

RG2G 007 Do I Have to Tithe to Be a Good Christian?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:56:42 +0000

Giving is at the core of life, and it certainly is basic to the Christian life. But the question is, how much should we give? Why should we give? Do we have to give a certain amount in order to go to heaven? Is tithing taught in the New… More

RG2G 006 You Can’t be Rich and be a Good Christian

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:31:35 +0000

A good buddy of mine sent me an email about a book that has become very popular, very fast. He asked me if I would read it and give him my input. I did, and it just kindled the flame in me again to defy conventional wisdom that you can’t… More

RG2G 005 The Scandal of Performance-Based Religion

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:35:02 +0000

Since there are just a few days before Christmas, I think it’s important to make one last effort to expose the scandal of religion. I am not talking about a scandal where money is embezzled, or some sexual sin has been covered up. I’m talking about something that’s far bigger,… More

RG2G 004 I Have Trouble Believing in God; I’m lost and Off-Track (part 2)

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:28:47 +0000

Today on Renegade’s Guide to God we’re going to continue our discussion of the questions that we’ve received from several people who are reaching out for help, asking really good questions.

One of the things that attracted me to Christ in the first place is that He always entertained questions. … More

RG2G 003 I Have Trouble Believing in God, I feel Lost and Off-Track.

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:32:29 +0000

I received a correspondence on Facebook recently which read, “David, I am lost. I’m having trouble believing in God, I’m off-track and I don’t know where to turn. I have a hard time believing in the entire afterlife. I’m an educated guy, and some of the things in the Bible… More

RG2G 002 Can I know for sure I’m going to heaven when I die?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 17:12:32 +0000

Today, we answer the question; “Can you be sure you’re going to heaven when you die?”

There is a huge difference between being religious and being Christian. So much religious teaching and practice deals with modifying behavior rather than understanding that there is nothing you can do to make up… More

RG2G 001 What motivates and makes you grateful?

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 13:02:32 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And welcome to the new Renegade’s Guide to God show. It’s a weekly show that will help you in your quest to know God, love God, and live the life for which you were created.

Since today is Thanksgiving, for our first episode I thought I would… More

RG2G 000 Introducing the new David Foster a Renegade’s Guide to God Show

David@DavidFoster.tv (Dr. David Foster) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:45:03 +0000

Announcing a brand new weekly show called, “A Renegade’s Guide to God.” I have named it after my most popular book and will be a nonreligious, no nonsense, plain-speaking, fast-paced 30 minute show about how real faith works in the real world where real people need real hope. The goal… More