Rethink Faith with Nelson Jackson III

Nelson Jackson III

Many of the spiritual tools we inherited are breaking under the pressure of today’s reality. It is not that they were all false—but they may be wrong for you. To be who God called you to be, your faith must be your own—not inherited, but investigated. Rethink Faith with Nelson Jackson III is dedicated to separating what the Bible actually says from what we have been told it says. Faith is often filtered through two lenses:• Cultural Alterations: Changing the text to fit the times.• Traditional Interpretations: Twisting the text to fit the narrative. We are dedicated to the third option: Context. Join us for an honest investigation into history, original language, and authorial intent. We are here to help you trade a borrowed tradition for a biblical reality.

  1. Sep 26

    The Sinner’s Prayer Isn’t the Problem. The Formula Is.

    The sinner’s prayer can be sincere, meaningful, and deeply personal. The problem begins when we turn it into a formula. In this episode of Rethinking Faith, Nelson Jackson III looks at the sinner’s prayer, Romans 10:9, repentance, confession, assurance of salvation, and what Scripture actually shows us about responding to Jesus. The Bible gives us sinners who pray, repent, believe, confess Jesus as Lord, ask for mercy, and turn toward God. What it does not give us is one universal script that every person has to repeat perfectly in order to be saved. That matters, because some Christians have spent years wondering: Did I say it right? Did I mean it enough? Did the first prayer count? Do I need to pray it again? Romans 10:9 is often used to support the sinner’s prayer, but Paul’s point is deeper than repeating a sentence. Belief is in the heart, and confession gives that belief a voice. The tax collector asked for mercy. The thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember him. The crowd in Acts 2 asked what they should do. The Thessalonians turned from idols to serve the living God. Different words. Same movement toward Christ. A prayer can begin the relationship. But the prayer is not the relationship. And salvation is not a religious password you have to say correctly. The better question is not only, “Did I say the right words?” It is: Where is my trust now? Be Part of the Conversation: Subscribe to the podcastFind weekly episodes on YouTube [LINK]Join our "Weekly Unlearning" newsletter for exclusive insights and reflections [LINK]

  2. Sep 19

    Forgiveness Doesn’t Mean Letting Them Back In | Forgiveness, Trust & Boundaries

    Forgiveness does not automatically mean reconciliation, restored trust, or giving someone the same access they had before. In this episode of Rethinking Faith, Nelson Jackson III discusses forgiveness, Christian boundaries, reconciliation, repentance, trust, and what it means to forgive someone who hurt you without pretending that nothing happened. The church often treats four different things like they are the same: Forgiveness. Reconciliation. Trust. Access. They are not. Forgiveness can change what you carry toward someone. Reconciliation requires two people. Trust needs evidence. Access requires wisdom. We look at Luke 17, Romans 12:18, John 2:24, and the story of Joseph and his brothers to ask what Scripture actually requires when someone has hurt you. Can you forgive and still keep a boundary? Can you release revenge without restoring the relationship? Can you love someone and still decide they no longer get the same access to your life? Yes. Forgiveness does not mean returning everything to the way it was. Sometimes the healthiest, most faithful thing you can say is: I forgive you. And the boundary is still staying. If you’ve ever felt guilty for protecting your peace after forgiving someone, this conversation is for you. Be Part of the Conversation: Subscribe to the podcastFind weekly episodes on YouTube [LINK]Join our "Weekly Unlearning" newsletter for exclusive insights and reflections [LINK]

  3. Sep 5

    A Bible verse can be true and still be used in a way that misrepresents the heart of God.

    A Bible verse can be true and still be used in a way that misrepresents the heart of God. In this episode of Rethinking Faith, Nelson Jackson III talks about Bible verses taken out of context, spiritual abuse, Christian discernment, and what it means to rightly handle Scripture. Matthew 4 gives us one of the clearest examples: even the devil quoted Scripture to Jesus. The words were real. The application was wrong. That distinction matters. This conversation looks at how verses like “do not judge,” “wives, submit,” “honor your father and mother,” “rebellion is as witchcraft,” and “all things work together for good” can be used in ways that shame, silence, rush, control, or manipulate people when the larger context is ignored. We also walk through five questions that can help you test an interpretation: What is the whole thought, not just the sentence? What problem was the passage addressing? What kind of writing is this? What had to be left out for this application to work? And can this interpretation live inside the larger story of Scripture? If a verse has ever been used against you, the answer may not be to throw away the Bible. It may be to separate the verse from the misuse and learn to hear the text again without surrendering your discernment. A real verse can still be used wrong. And sometimes asking for context is exactly how you honor Scripture. Be Part of the Conversation: Subscribe to the podcastFind weekly episodes on YouTube [LINK]Join our "Weekly Unlearning" newsletter for exclusive insights and reflections [LINK]

  4. Aug 29

    What If That Word From God Wasn’t From God? | Testing the Spirits

    “God told me” can be beautiful. It can also become dangerous when someone uses God’s name to pressure you, control you, silence your questions, or make their agenda sound like obedience. In this episode of Rethinking Faith, Nelson Jackson III looks at spiritual manipulation, Christian discernment, prophetic words, testing the spirits, and what Scripture actually says to do when someone claims, “God told me.” Because if God really said it, we should treat it with reverence. But if God did not say it, somebody put their words in God’s mouth. And attaching God’s name to a sentence does not remove your responsibility to test it. Paul tells the church in 1 Corinthians 14:29 to let prophets speak and then tells everyone else to weigh what was said. First John 4:1 says not to believe every spirit, but to test the spirits to see whether they are from God. Testing is not rebellion. Testing can be worship. This episode is not an argument that God does not speak. It is about taking God’s voice seriously enough to question whether every person who says “God told me” is actually representing Him. We walk through five biblical tests: Does it sound like Jesus? Can it be weighed? Does it build people up or break them down? What fruit does it produce? And is it confirming what God has already been forming, or conveniently appearing when someone needs leverage? We also talk about what happens when phrases like “God told me you should stay,” “God told me you should give,” “God told me you should submit,” or “God told me your questions are rebellion” become tools of spiritual pressure. You are allowed to slow down. You are allowed to test what was said. You are allowed to use Scripture, wisdom, community, discernment, and the character of Jesus. God does not need manipulation to produce obedience. And God does not need anyone to lie for Him. Be Part of the Conversation: Subscribe to the podcastFind weekly episodes on YouTube [LINK]Join our "Weekly Unlearning" newsletter for exclusive insights and reflections [LINK]

  5. Aug 22

    Did Christianity Make God Too Small?

    What if Christianity was never the box, but somewhere along the way, we turned our version of Christianity into one? In this episode of Rethink Faith, Nelson Jackson III explores how people in Scripture encountered God personally: Hagar as the God who sees, Abraham as the God who provides, Gideon as the God who brings peace, Moses as the God who sends and delivers, and David as the shepherd who cares for the overlooked. This is not an argument against truth, Scripture, theology, or tradition. It is a challenge to stop confusing someone else’s encounter with God for the entirety of who God is. If you have ever wondered whether the God you inherited is smaller than the God who actually exists, this conversation is for you. Still unlearning. Be Part of the Conversation: Subscribe to the podcastFind weekly episodes on YouTube [LINK]Join our "Weekly Unlearning" newsletter for exclusive insights and reflections [LINK]

  6. Aug 15

    You Were Never Supposed to Stay Alone With This: What 2 Corinthians 1:8 Says About Despair

    There is a kind of tired that sleep does not fix. You can still believe in God, go to work, answer messages, sit in church, and say the right things while quietly wondering how much longer you can keep doing this. In this episode of Rethinking Faith, Nelson Jackson III walks carefully through 2 Corinthians 1:8, where Paul says he experienced pressure far beyond his ability to endure and despaired of life itself. Paul’s words are not used here to diagnose him or turn him into a modern clinical case study. They give us language for a real human place: the place where the weight becomes too heavy, the next step disappears, and life begins to feel unbearable. Scripture does not avoid that place. It meets people there. This conversation also looks at Elijah in 1 Kings 19, the honest prayers of Psalms 13, 42, and 88, God’s closeness to the brokenhearted in Psalm 34, and Jesus asking His friends to remain near Him in Gethsemane. Together, these passages challenge the version of Christianity that makes hurting people feel guilty for not sounding victorious. Reaching the end of yourself does not mean you have reached the end of God. Needing practical help is not a spiritual failure. Therapy, medical care, prescribed medication, crisis support, food, sleep, safety planning, and the presence of trustworthy people are not less spiritual than prayer. Sometimes grace does not arrive as a dramatic breakthrough. Sometimes it looks like the next survivable hour. This episode is also for the person who loves someone in deep pain but does not know what to say. You do not have to debate their feelings, rush them into a testimony, or throw verses at the wound. You can begin with: “I am glad you told me.” “I am not leaving you alone with this.” “Are you safe right now?” “How can I help you reach someone who is trained for this?” Hope is not always a feeling. Sometimes hope is telling one safe person the truth. Sometimes it is making the call, accepting the ride, handing over what could be used for harm, or refusing to spend the darkest part of the night alone. You do not have to solve your entire life today. But you were never supposed to stay alone with the darkest part of it. If you are in immediate danger or believe you may harm yourself, contact emergency services or a crisis line now and go where another person can remain with you. In the United States, call or text 988. In the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland, call Samaritans free on 116 123. This episode is not a substitute for professional mental-health care. Be Part of the Conversation: Subscribe to the podcastFind weekly episodes on YouTube [LINK]Join our "Weekly Unlearning" newsletter for exclusive insights and reflections [LINK]

  7. Aug 8

    You Were Never Supposed to Carry This: What 1 Corinthians 10:13 Actually Means

    “God won’t give you more than you can handle” is one of the most repeated phrases in Christian culture—and one of the heaviest things someone can hear when life already feels unbearable. The saying is usually connected to 1 Corinthians 10:13. But Paul was not explaining every grief, trauma, abuse, mental health struggle, diagnosis, loss, or season of overwhelming pressure. He was talking about temptation. In this episode of Rethinking Faith, Nelson Jackson III examines what 1 Corinthians 10:13 actually means, why the familiar slogan is not what the verse says, and how a promise about temptation became a personality test for people in pain. Because once someone tells you God will never allow more than you can handle, suffering creates a second burden: “If God thinks I can handle this, why am I falling apart?” That is where comfort becomes pressure. This conversation returns 1 Corinthians 10:13 to its biblical context. Paul is warning the Corinthian church about idolatry, destructive desire, and the temptation to return to what once enslaved them. The promise is not that life will never exceed your capacity. The promise is that temptation does not get the final word and that God will provide a way out. Paul himself admitted in 2 Corinthians 1:8 that he experienced pressure far beyond his ability to endure. Galatians 6:2 tells believers to carry one another’s burdens. Matthew 11:28 presents Jesus inviting the weary and burdened to come to Him for rest. Together, those passages give us a fuller picture: Temptation is not trauma. Suffering is not sin. Grief is not weakness. Depression is not rebellion. Abuse is not a test you were assigned to endure quietly. If it is temptation, take the way out. If it is suffering, let someone help you carry it. If it is grief, do not rush the wound into a lesson. If it is harm, get safe. The verse is real. The slogan attached to it is wrong. And God is faithful even when you are not enough. Be Part of the Conversation: Subscribe to the podcastFind weekly episodes on YouTube [LINK]Join our "Weekly Unlearning" newsletter for exclusive insights and reflections [LINK]

  8. Aug 1

    You Were Never Supposed to Outsource This to AI

    Nearly half of practicing Christians say they would trust AI with their spiritual growth. Thirty-four percent say spiritual advice from AI can be as trustworthy as advice from a pastor. That should get our attention. But before we make this only a story about Christians trusting technology too much, we may need to ask what it reveals about the human leaders they were supposed to be able to trust. In this episode of Rethinking Faith, Nelson Jackson III examines AI for Bible study, AI and faith, biblical interpretation, Bible context, Christian discernment, and the difference between using artificial intelligence as a tool and allowing it to become a spiritual authority. This is not a message telling Christians to fear AI. AI can find a verse, compare translations, explain Greek and Hebrew words, summarize commentaries, organize research, and introduce interpretations we may not have considered. But a tool assists. An authority governs. There is a difference between asking AI, “Where does the Bible discuss this?” and asking it, “What is God telling me to do?” The episode explores why correct information is not always the same as understanding, how AI can reinforce theological assumptions we have never examined, and why something can possess enormous persuasive power without possessing God-given authority. It also asks a more uncomfortable question: Why does AI feel safer than a pastor to so many people? AI cannot become defensive, punish you for asking a difficult question, misuse your offering, or personally betray your trust. But it also cannot love you, remain faithful to you, embody Christian character, or take responsibility for what happens after you follow its advice. Safety is not authority. Power is not authority. Content is not context. Drawing from Genesis 1, 1 Timothy 3, Luke 10:19, and Romans 14:23, this conversation examines what it means to be made in the image of God, why spiritual leadership was meant to be embodied, and why faith cannot be reduced to receiving an answer that sounds biblical. AI may become one of the most useful Bible study tools we have ever possessed. But a helpful tool makes a poor god. AI can assist your understanding. It cannot know God for you. And you were never supposed to outsource your responsibility to discern. Be Part of the Conversation: Subscribe to the podcastFind weekly episodes on YouTube [LINK]Join our "Weekly Unlearning" newsletter for exclusive insights and reflections [LINK]

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Many of the spiritual tools we inherited are breaking under the pressure of today’s reality. It is not that they were all false—but they may be wrong for you. To be who God called you to be, your faith must be your own—not inherited, but investigated. Rethink Faith with Nelson Jackson III is dedicated to separating what the Bible actually says from what we have been told it says. Faith is often filtered through two lenses:• Cultural Alterations: Changing the text to fit the times.• Traditional Interpretations: Twisting the text to fit the narrative. We are dedicated to the third option: Context. Join us for an honest investigation into history, original language, and authorial intent. We are here to help you trade a borrowed tradition for a biblical reality.

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