God Questions

Pastor Ian Thompson Bootle Protestant Free Church
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God Questions is a short, accessible podcast designed to help young people explore the big questions they have about God, faith, and the world around them. Each episode is under 15 minutes, offering clear, thoughtful, Bible‑rooted answers that are easy to follow whether you’re on the go, taking a break, or simply curious. The aim of the podcast is simple: to give honest, meaningful responses to the kinds of questions young people often think about but rarely get the chance to discuss. Each episode looks at what the Bible teaches, how Christians have understood these ideas throughout history, and why these truths still matter today. Our goals are: to make conversations about faith clear and understandableto help young people think deeply about God and lifeto encourage curiosity, reflection, and real‑world applicationto create a safe, welcoming space for honest or difficult questionsGod Questions is for anyone who wants to grow in understanding, explore their beliefs, or learn more about what Christians believe and why it matters.

  1. Oct 7

    Rahab: Heroine of God or Betrayer of Her People?

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of God Questions, we explore Joshua chapter 2 through a lens many Christians rarely consider: Was Rahab truly betraying her people, or was she a woman who never belonged to Jericho in the first place? Scripture presents Rahab as a marginalised woman living on the edges of society — watched, talked about, and never fully accepted. Her decision to protect the Israelite spies may not have been treachery at all, but the act of someone who had already been pushed outside the life of the city. Rahab’s faith is remarkable because it is built entirely on what she has heard: the escape from Egypt, the wilderness journey, and the victories God gave Israel. With no covenant, no Scripture, and no priest, she recognises the God of Israel as the true God. Her home becomes a place of refuge through a detailed covenant agreement with the spies, echoing other moments in Scripture where mercy is found only within the marked household. We also examine the scarlet cord — not as a symbol of Christ’s blood, but as a visible sign marking a home where judgment must not enter, much like the Passover. Rahab is saved not by status, but by faith, and by the sign God appointed. Rahab’s story reveals a God who delights in saving outsiders, lifting the rejected, and writing redemption into lives that seem beyond hope. Through her, God builds a line that leads to King David — and ultimately to Christ Himself.

  2. Sep 9

    Why David and Goliath Matters — Trusting God When Giants Appear

    Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ian Thompson explores the real meaning behind the famous story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Far more than a children’s tale, this account reveals how God works through the small, the overlooked, and the seemingly insignificant. We look at the cultural background of champion warfare, the significance of Goliath’s forty‑day challenge, David’s confidence in God, and the deeper lesson for believers facing their own giants today. When life feels overwhelming, Scripture shows that God stands with those who trust Him.

  3. Sep 2

    Christ Our Better Ark: Why Jesus Carries Our Sin So We Don’t Have To

    Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ian Thompson opens Scripture to show how the Ark of the Covenant—filled with reminders of Israel’s rebellion, failure, and disobedience—points us toward the true and better Ark, Jesus Christ. In this episode, Ian explains how the Ark carried Aaron’s rod, the pot of manna, and the tablets of the Law—each one a witness to human sin. As the sermon says: “Israel always carried its sin with them. The Ark was a teacher—holy, necessary, but never able to remove sin.” But Christ does what the Ark never could. He is without sin, He is our Great High Priest, and He is our true manna from heaven. He takes the curse upon Himself and nails our sins to the Cross—“My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the Cross, and I bear it no more.” This episode is a clear, simple, gospel‑centred reminder that: Christ fulfils the LawChrist intercedes perfectlyChrist feeds His people with true heavenly breadChrist removes the curse and carries our sin foreverA pastoral appeal closes the message, calling listeners to trust not in their own hearts or works, but in Christ Jesus—the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God, who died, rose, and sanctifies His people for the Kingdom of Heaven. Perfect for seekers, new believers, and anyone wanting a deeper understanding of how the Old Testament points to Christ.

  4. Aug 26

    What St. Bartholomew’s Day Teaches Us About Wisdom, Fear, and the Human Heart

    Send us Fan Mail In this God Questions discussion, we explore the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572 through the lens of James 3:13–18 — a passage contrasting earthly wisdom, which produces fear, strife, and confusion, with the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, merciful, and without hypocrisy. This episode is not about blaming modern groups. It is about understanding human nature, the misuse of religion, and the call of Christ to a better way. We look at the fragile peace of 16th‑century France, the fears that shaped its leaders, the tragic events of the massacre, and the long shadow it cast over Protestant identity. Key questions explored:   – What happens when fear becomes the master of a nation? – How does religion become dangerous when separated from Christ? – Why does James insist that heavenly wisdom must be peaceable and full of mercy? – What can modern believers learn from a tragedy 450 years old? – How do we remember history without bitterness, and with Christian maturity? This conversation invites listeners to reflect on fear, power, memory, and the wisdom Christ calls His people to embody — becoming sowers of peace in a divided world.

  5. Aug 6

    Why the Reformation Was Needed

    Send us Fan Mail Bootle Protestant Free Church The Reformation wasn’t driven by conflict — it was driven by need. For centuries, ordinary believers in Britain had almost no access to the Bible. Literacy was low, Scripture was locked away in Latin, and many everyday religious practices had drifted far from the gospel of Christ. In this episode of God Questions, we explore why the Reformation was needed, how God raised up early voices like Robert Grosseteste, John Wycliffe, and the Lollards, and how their courage helped bring the Word of God back to the people. This is a calm, balanced, historically grounded look at the Reformation — without polemic, without hostility, and without caricature. It’s simply the story of how Scripture returned to the centre of Christian life.

  6. Jul 22

    Root, Fruit, and the Living Faith: Understanding James, Charity, and Evangelism

    Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ian Thompson explores one of the most challenging questions in Christian life: How do faith and works actually relate?  Beginning with a striking real‑world example — two identical £50,000 donations with completely different spiritual motives — this episode unpacks James’ teaching on living faith using the powerful biblical metaphor of root and fruit. Across this deep dive, Pastor Ian examines: why outward charity doesn’t automatically prove genuine faithhow evangelism functions as a uniquely Christian “fruit of truth”why works of mercy, patience, integrity, and compassion are equal “fruits of love”how Jesus’ words “the poor you will always have with you” have been misusedthe Salvation Army’s radical 19th‑century model of soup, soap, and salvationhow believers can avoid burnout by drawing strength from the unseen rootwhy seasons of spiritual “winter” may still indicate a living, growing faithThis episode challenges listeners to look beyond the spreadsheet of their actions and examine the internal mechanism driving their daily choices. It ends with a deeply pastoral reflection on winter trees, unseen growth, and the difference between a faith that is dead and a faith that is quietly deepening its roots. Perfect for new believers, mature Christians, and anyone wrestling with the tension between faith, works, charity, and evangelism.

  7. Jul 15

    “Did Henry VIII Really Cause the English Reformation? The Truth Behind England’s Break With Rome”

    Send us Fan Mail Did Henry VIII really cause the English Reformation?  Many people think England’s break with Rome began with a king’s desire for an annulment — but the real story stretches back nearly 150 years earlier. In this episode of God Questions, Pastor Ian Thompson explores how the English Reformation truly began: with John Wycliffe’s English Bible, the courage of the Lollards, William Tyndale’s martyrdom, and Thomas Cranmer’s shaping of a Protestant church grounded in Scripture. We trace the movement from Wycliffe to Elizabeth I, uncovering how ordinary believers, not royal politics, sparked the transformation of English Christianity. This episode reveals how God used scholars, preachers, and martyrs to open the Scriptures to the people — long before Henry VIII ever broke with Rome. Key themes: Why Wycliffe’s English Bible changed everythingThe Lollards and early persecutionTyndale’s New Testament and his final prayerHenry VIII’s political break vs. spiritual reformCranmer, the Prayer Book, and Protestant identityMary I’s counter‑reformationElizabeth I’s lasting settlementHow God works through Scripture, suffering, and ordinary believersA clear, accessible journey through one of the most misunderstood periods in church history — and a reminder that God’s Word always finds a way. Editor Pastor Ian Thompson

  8. Jul 8

    What Should Christian Remembrance Look Like?

    Send us Fan Mail We ask a challenging and timely question: What should Christian remembrance look like?   Remembrance is often shaped by national identity, political tradition, or inherited narratives. But Christian remembrance must be shaped by something deeper—by truth, compassion, and the gospel. In this episode, we explore: Why Christians honour the fallen honestly, not selectivelyHow soldiers on all sides believed they were defending their homes, families, and way of lifeWhy motives in war are complex and rarely fit neat categoriesThe difference between defensive and aggressive war, and why history is not always clearHow Christians can remember courage without glorifying violenceWhy every fallen soldier—friend or foe—was made in the image of GodHow remembrance points us toward the hope of Christ’s Kingdom, where war is learned no moreThis is a gentle, thoughtful, and deeply pastoral reflection suitable for Remembrance season or any time we consider the cost of conflict. 🕊️ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”  🕊️ “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

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About

God Questions is a short, accessible podcast designed to help young people explore the big questions they have about God, faith, and the world around them. Each episode is under 15 minutes, offering clear, thoughtful, Bible‑rooted answers that are easy to follow whether you’re on the go, taking a break, or simply curious. The aim of the podcast is simple: to give honest, meaningful responses to the kinds of questions young people often think about but rarely get the chance to discuss. Each episode looks at what the Bible teaches, how Christians have understood these ideas throughout history, and why these truths still matter today. Our goals are: to make conversations about faith clear and understandableto help young people think deeply about God and lifeto encourage curiosity, reflection, and real‑world applicationto create a safe, welcoming space for honest or difficult questionsGod Questions is for anyone who wants to grow in understanding, explore their beliefs, or learn more about what Christians believe and why it matters.

Information

  • Creator
    Pastor Ian Thompson Bootle Protestant Free Church
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 God Questions
  • Show Website
    God Questions