A Little Better Northridge Church

Today on A Little Better, Calum, the Webster Campus Worship Director, Brad, the Online Campus Pastor, and Noah, the Brighton Campus Pastor, answer the following questions:Why doesn’t God just tell us what He wants?How can God’s sovereignty be compatible with my individual decisions?How can I confidently make decisions that God is happy with?Additional Resources Mentioned:Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin DeYounghttps://www.amazon.com/Just-Do-Something-Liberating-Approach/dp/0802411592
Decision Making and the Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View by Gary Friesen and J. Robin Maxsonhttps://www.amazon.com/Decision-Making-Will-God-Alternative/dp/1590522052

Today on A Little Better, host Brad is joined by Jason, our Community Groups & Shepherding Director, and Matt, our Ministries Lead as they answer the following questions:Is God being fair when He chooses some to be saved and not others?How can I know if God chose me to be saved?How should this teaching encourage me?
Additional Resources Mentioned:
Predestination: An Introduction by Andrew David Nasellihttps://www.amazon.com/Predestination-Introduction-Studies-Systematic-Theology/dp/1433573148

Today on A Little Better, host Brad is joined by Josh Horn and Keith Horn, who both have a Ph.D in the science field, as they answer the following questions:What is the proper role of science, and what is the proper role of faith?Can science and faith work together?What mistakes should I avoid when engaging with science?What are some best practices for both Christians and skeptics to approach this issue?
Keith Horn has a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois, years of postdoctoral work and leadership in industry research, and has been an associate dean of math and science at Houghton College.Josh Horn has a Ph.D. in Biophysics, is the former Director of Outreach at Northridge Church, and the current Director of 441 Ministries in the Beechwood community.

Additional Resources Mentioned:Keith alluded to some mistakes to avoid and practices to follow.  We mentioned some of them in the podcast but did not have time to address them all.  Here is Keith’s more complete counsel:10 (mistaken) assumptions people make about science:
All scientists are atheists
What the media says is science is science
What scientists say is science is science
Opinions and hypotheses are science
It was published, therefore it must be true
Scientific consensus means the hypothesis and facts are true (may only be the best view now, many established views have changed over time)
Science can know everything
All new research is wrong (this skeptical view denies the order God expects us to find)
Science is free of all bias, opinions, influence, agendas and distortion
Science is only bias, opinions, influence, agendas, distortion and conspiracy
Bonus:  Believing in “scientism” instead of science

Guidelines for handling questions about science and the Bible:
Remember how God has worked in your life
Know that you will never know everything, nor will your atheist/agnostic friends/colleagues
Don’t bind the Bible tightly to what science says today.  Science may update scientific theories.
Remember science has been wrong and harmful at times (e.g. thalidomide was once given to pregnant women and caused birth defects and death) and has been right and extremely helpful at times (e.g. some diseases, like polio, have been cured).
Keep Searching
Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance
Find out what the Bible says
Study how the Bible says it (e.g. is this text literal or figurative?)
Read biblical scholars and scientists who are Christians

Today on A Little Better, our host Drew is joined by Jason, the Community Groups & Shepherding Director, and Calum, the Webster Worship Director, to answer the following questions:Is it possible to do the right thing, even though I am a sinner?What does the voice of God sound like?Is my growth all up to me or all up to God?

Today on A Little Better Drew and Brad are joined by our Jason, the Community Groups & Shepherding Director, to answer the following questions:Why does God allow suffering?How can I get through my suffering?What hope is there in my suffering?

Today on A Little Better Drew and Brad are joined by our Outreach Director, Michelle, to answer the following questions:Why is asking God to search us so scary?Why should we ask God to test us?Why is it so hard to give God control?