Let's Talk! with authors Bill Watkins and Corey Piper

Corey Piper
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  • Christianity
  • Updated Biweekly

Join Bill Watkins and Corey Piper—colleagues, authors, and friends of 20 years—as they reason together on timeless theological and cultural topics. Like sitting around drinking coffee with a good friend, these conversations weave together questions, fresh revelations, and practical insights. Whether unpacking Scripture or modern dilemmas, expect an honest exploration that sparks learning and growth.

  1. Aug 2

    O Death, Where is Your Sting? | Let's Talk - Ep. 13

    “O Death, Where is Your Sting?” In a culture that either softens death into something sentimental or tries to outrun grief entirely, Corey Piper and Bill Watkins face it squarely. Through personal loss, the quiet companionship of grief, and the clear gospel of 1 Corinthians 15, they show why the sting of death is real—yet not final. Christ has already conquered it. The scars remain. Hope does too. Listen to Episode 13 of Let’s Talk.

  2. Jul 1

    Who Says? The Battle for Biblical Authority in an Age of Doubt.

    In this episode, Bill Watkins and Corey Piper are going to enter into a discussion about authority. Authority is very much misunderstood today and sometimes it's given a very bad name. But we all live under authority, but we also trust authorities. There are certain authorities we trust and certain ones we don't. How do we know which ones we should trust and how do we know which ones we shouldn't? Join the Conversation! 00:00 – 02:15: Opening Banter & Listener FeedbackDog stories, coffee chat, positive responses to prior episodes (esp. "Atheism on Trial"), and growing subscriptions. Ties personal life to the podcast's impact.02:15 – 05:57: Death, Authority, and Wrestling with ScriptureDiscussion of death as revelation, To Conquer Death, and why biblical authority matters amid suffering. Contrasts evolutionary views (death as normative) with God's redemptive plan. Sets up the cultural relevance: Christians playing "fast and loose" with Scripture's authority.05:57 – 14:45: What Is Authority? Person vs. Written AuthorityBill defines authority as ultimately personal ("Who says?"), trust, reliability, and expertise. Gleason Archer story illustrates building credibility. Cultural note: Parallels modern "expert" culture (scientists, politicians, influencers) vs. humble, teachable leaders like MacArthur and Sproul.14:45 – 19:57: Trust, Teachability, and the Enemy's TacticsDisagreement among respected teachers (e.g., eschatology), character tests, and erosion of Scripture via subtle undermining (Moses as composite figure). References 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (itching ears, tailored teaching).19:57 – 29:33: Biblical Criticism's Roots and FlawsGerman higher criticism (source/form/redaction), JEDP theory, and literary misunderstandings. Reformation parallel: Return to the plain sense of Scripture against traditions that nullify it (Mark 7). Modern American tie: Postmodern "reader-response" meaning-making in media and academia.29:33 – 35:38: Gnosticism, Postmodernism, and the Danger of "What Does This Mean to You?"Spiritualizing texts vs. discovering authorial intent. Words carry meaning; Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:20-21).35:38 – 46:07: Inspiration – God-Breathed and LivingWarnings against adding/subtracting (Deut 4:2; Prov 30:5-6). Howard Hendricks on clear passages convicting us. Artistic/musical analogies for inspiration (including drug-free vs. drug-influenced experiences).46:07 – 50:55: Traditions vs. Scripture; Pharisaic ErrorsGreek Orthodox/Mennonite/Amish examples. Jesus rebuking traditions that void God's Word. Reformation cry: Sola Scriptura over accumulated human traditions.50:55 – 1:02:48: Personal Encounters with False TeachersBill's philosophy prof and "Bible as literature only"; Corey's youth group infiltrator. Subtle control tactics and 2 Timothy 4.1:02:48 – 1:14:20: More on False Teachers, Calvin, and Primary SourcesCalvin refuting "extreme Calvinism"; divisions (1 Cor 3); reading primary sources (Institutes). Strong call to test everything Berean-style (1 Thess 5:21; 1 John 4:1).1:14:20 – 1:29:15: Standing Firm – Courage, Gentleness, and ApplicationGalatians 1:10 (pleasing God, not man); 2 Tim 2:24-25 (patient instruction); James 1 (doers of the Word). Humility, teachability, and rejecting hubris.1:29:15 – 1:42:06: General Revelation, Beauty, and God's AuthorityNatural order, math/music of the universe (Kepler's Harmonies), image-bearers. Ties to Reformation appreciation for God's sovereignty in creation.1:42:06 – End: Satan's Tactics, Repentance, and SalvationDoubt ("Did God actually say?"), wolves in sheep's clothing, scoffing (2 Pet 3), sensual lures, and the call to courageous, gentle fidelity. Ends with hope in the cross and salvation.

  3. Jun 19

    Faction, Freedom, and Faith: Why Disagreement Protect Liberty. | Let's Talk Ep. 11

    In our current cultural moment, we see intense pressure toward enforced ideological conformity — whether through institutional speech codes, cancel culture, or political movements that treat disagreement as an existential threat. The biblical witness pushes back: genuine liberty and genuine truth-testing require room for factions. Suppressing them in the name of “unity” or “safety” usually serves the powerful and harms the pursuit of what is true. James Madison warned that the only ways to eliminate factions are to destroy liberty or to force everyone into the same opinions and passions. The Bible agrees that factions are inevitable in a fallen world — yet it also shows us that God can use even our disagreements to reveal what is genuine (1 Cor. 11:19). The Christian calling is not to pretend we have no factions, nor to weaponize the state to crush them, but to speak truth in love, test all things by Scripture, and protect the liberty of conscience.Key Topics Covered:Obstacles to genuine conversation — Worldview clashes and personal moral triggers (e.g., hidden guilt making someone defensive when faithfulness in marriage is discussed).Judging vs. condemning; hypocrisy charges — The difference between assessing behavior and hypocritical condemnation; how attacks on Christian imperfection mirror attacks on America’s founders.The sufficiency of grace (sola gratia) — God’s grace is enough not because we become instantly perfect, but because Christ’s perfection covers us while the Spirit sanctifies us over time. This counters the “Christians claim to be perfect” smear.James Madison on factions (Federalist No. 10) — Definition of faction; the two “cures” (destroy liberty or force uniformity of opinion/passions/interests); why both cures are worse than the disease.Liberty as oxygen to factions — You cannot have ordered liberty without disagreement; attempts to manufacture perfect consensus require propaganda + coercion.Constitutional republic vs. pure democracy — The founders designed structures to protect minority views from majority tyranny; this is the opposite of “democracy” as weaponized majority rule.Critique of the modern left’s project — The push to eliminate “bad” factions while empowering state-aligned ones; the illusion that the state can deliver utopia without eventually consuming individual expression.Utopian visions vs. Christian realism — Star Trek-style cashless/jobless societies and similar dreams ignore human ambition, curiosity, sin, and the need for meaningful work; they collapse under scrutiny.Holistic salvation and cultural engagement — The gospel saves from the penalty, power, and (ultimately) presence of sin; Christians are called to be salt and light in every sphere, including law and government, without imposing theocratic coercion.Moral law / natural law vs. relativism — Objective moral standards exist and are written on the heart; “my truth” factionalism destroys society because it has no transcendent anchor.Christian involvement in politics and law — Obey just laws while working to repeal unjust ones; examples of overzealous or inept laws; the church’s role in teaching values that shape culture rather than retreating to “only the gospel.” Pacifism, just war, and the use of force — Brief but clear acknowledgment that Christians have long disagreed on this; the state’s God-given role (Romans 13) to restrain evil does not require every believer to carry arms. God’s sovereignty over history — Even amid messiness and human failure, God remains in control (echoing Calvin’s emphasis); we can engage faithfully without panic or despair.

  4. Jun 7

    Eyes to See | Let's Talk - Ep. 10

    Discover how impactful teachers shape our lives and instill valuable lessons. Bill and Corey share personal stories about the teachers who left permanent marks on their souls—a PE coach who forced perseverance, a kindergarten teacher who showed compassion, and professors who taught them how to actually learn and see objective truth in a world that increasingly prefers feelings and slogans. Drawing on personal stories and Scripture, they explore why real education forms character and points us toward what is true, good, and beautiful.

  5. May 23

    Atheism on Trial | Let's Talk - Ep. 9

    In Episode 9, “Atheism on Trial,” Bill Watkins and Corey Piper turn a real-time social-media skirmish with a condescending atheist—complete with the Flying Spaghetti Monster meme that still pops up in 2026’s endless culture-war memes and classroom battles over science and worldview—into a masterclass on faith, knowledge, and evidence. Bill presses the atheist’s pure empiricism against the Big Bang’s impossible “something-from-nothing” origin, then methodically unpacks the First Cause as eternal, immutable, non-spatial, non-material, pure actuality—an infinite, uncaused spiritual Being whose attributes match the God of Scripture. Bill shows how Romans 1’s implanted knowledge of the Creator, historical proofs like the resurrection, and even miracles (which C.S. Lewis reminds us simply utilize the physics God authored) dismantle atheism’s multiverse evasions and emotive mockery. Amid today’s trending headlines about the plateauing “nones,” viral atheist-Christian clashes, and renewed debates over intelligent design, the episode reminds us that Christianity alone offers a coherent, evidential foundation—leaving Soli Deo Gloria as the only fitting response to a universe that loudly declares its Creator.

  6. Apr 9

    What is a Human? | Let's Talk - Ep. 8

    In our previous episode, Tierre’s Choice, we saw how her decision to continue the pregnancy carried a profound assumption: that the unborn baby is a human being—a person of equal value and worthy of protection. In this episode, What is a Human?, we’re going to examine exactly why the unborn child is a human person deserving of our protection. The abortion industry works hard to convince us that the unborn are not persons and therefore not worthy of legal or moral protection. They insist abortion should never trouble our conscience because, in their view, the unborn are neither human nor persons in any meaningful biological or legal sense. But philosophy, science, religion, and metaphysics all point in the opposite direction. That’s why we need to clearly explain why the unborn child is, in fact, a person—a human being—fully worthy of protection. In this conversation, we’ll discover that a person is a subjective center of intelligence, intention, and emotion. In other words, a person is a “who” that thinks, wills, and feels. There is so much more to say, so please listen in and join one of the most important conversations we should have!

  7. Season 1, Episode 7 Trailer

    Tierre's Choice

    The heart of the episode is Corey's raw, personal testimony of his first wife, Tierre, whose life exemplified agape in its purest, most Christ-like form. Diagnosed with rare Eisenmenger's syndrome during pregnancy—a condition involving a reversed heart shunt and severe oxygen deprivation—the medical consensus offered grim odds: roughly 50% maternal survival with abortion (and certain fetal death), versus higher risk carrying to term. Yet Tierre, rooted in her trust in God's sovereignty and the equal value of every image-bearer, chose to carry her daughter Faye to full term. Her journals reveal a maturing faith: wrestling with fear, yet declaring, "The question is not why, but who"—trusting the sovereign God who made her "for a soul and sole purpose." This was no naive recklessness but faithful stewardship: five and a half months of strict bed rest in a Seattle hospital, prolonged suffering, and ultimate sacrifice. Miraculously, Faye was born healthy (though tiny), and Tierre lived four more days to hold her newborn—embodying Philippians 2's self-emptying love and John 15's "greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." Faye thrives today, married with children, bearing fruit from Tierre's choice that echoes into generations.

  8. Mar 8

    Tierre's Choice | Let's Talk Ep. 7a (Same as episode 7, but with a focus on Tierre's Story)

    The heart of the episode is Corey's raw, personal testimony of his first wife, Tierre, whose life exemplified agape in its purest, most Christ-like form. Diagnosed with rare Eisenmenger's syndrome during pregnancy—a condition involving a reversed heart shunt and severe oxygen deprivation—the medical consensus offered grim odds: roughly 50% maternal survival with abortion (and certain fetal death), versus higher risk carrying to term. Yet Tierre, rooted in her trust in God's sovereignty and the equal value of every image-bearer, chose to carry her daughter Faye to full term. Her journals reveal a maturing faith: wrestling with fear, yet declaring, "The question is not why, but who"—trusting the sovereign God who made her "for a soul and sole purpose." This was no naive recklessness but faithful stewardship: five and a half months of strict bed rest in a Seattle hospital, prolonged suffering, and ultimate sacrifice. Miraculously, Faye was born healthy (though tiny), and Tierre lived four more days to hold her newborn—embodying Philippians 2's self-emptying love and John 15's "greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." Faye thrives today, married with children, bearing fruit from Tierre's choice that echoes into generations.

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Join Bill Watkins and Corey Piper—colleagues, authors, and friends of 20 years—as they reason together on timeless theological and cultural topics. Like sitting around drinking coffee with a good friend, these conversations weave together questions, fresh revelations, and practical insights. Whether unpacking Scripture or modern dilemmas, expect an honest exploration that sparks learning and growth.

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