63 conversations
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Dear LFTP: the birthday-gift pressure
- My friends insist on giving me birthday presents I can't reciprocate. Shouldn't my wishes have been respected since it's my birthday?
Mike reads the first Dear LFTP letter: a part-time worker paying her own health insurance asked friends to skip presents at a triple birthday dinner; they refused, saying she needn't reciprocate.
From No. 601 · Humble Faithful Idiot
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Disciples of the brand and situational humility
- How do you practically keep the main thing the main thing and reintroduce humility?
Mike warns against churches making disciples of their brand first, so that when the church fails the fall is even bigger, and notes how easily community can posture as God in the relationship.
From No. 588 · hypokritēs
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Has anyone been demonically misled? Framing the discernment question
- Have you ever been demonically misled or spoken to by Satan?
- How can you distinguish God's voice from Satan's voice?
Before reading the list, the hosts ask whether anyone has felt demonically misled: one argues Satan is subtle, taking things God would use and putting a small twist on them;…
From No. 492 · Show Me The Toes
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Dear LFTP: the affair, the revenge, and the younger man
- How do I purge my thoughts of my wife with another man after our mutual infidelity?
A letter writer confesses he cheated on his wife of 21 years, separated for a month 'evaluating his options,' reconciled — then his wife revealed a revenge affair with a much younger man, and now he can't purge the mental image or the fear he can't compete.
From No. 451 · Mississippi Don’t Push
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When to leave a situation you keep failing in instead of fighting through it
- Is it ever right to leave a situation you keep sinning in rather than fighting through it?
- Is resisting temptation more holy than avoiding it?
A host lays out a years-long struggle: he keeps sinning in the same way at work, reacting with pride to people with authority, and asks whether at some point the godly move is to…
From No. 440 · Redeem or Reject
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Dear LFTP: the upstaged 25% tip
- Was my birthday-dinner gift enough, or should I feel embarrassed that my guests tipped too?
A letter-writer took a couple out for the husband's 60th birthday, paid a $400 bill and left a 25% tip, then the guests handed cash to the staff anyway despite knowing.
From No. 361 · Dan 4 Prez
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Andy Savage allegations and whether he should stay in ministry
- Should Andy Savage remain in ministry after the twenty-year-old sexual misconduct allegation, and was the applauding church right?
The hosts cover the allegations against Andy Savage, teaching pastor at High Point Church in Memphis: that twenty years earlier, as a 22-year-old youth pastor in Texas, he coerced…
From No. 338 · Following the News
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Dear LFTP: embarrassed about my home
- How do I respond to a former coworker who keeps pushing to visit my home when I'm embarrassed about where I live?
A reader lost her longtime job and is now embarrassed to host a former coworker who keeps pushing to visit her place.
From No. 295 · The Atheist Minister
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Dear LFTP: the rich friend who always pays the tab
- My wealthy friend insists on paying the tab every time we go out. Am I overthinking this, and should I just accept her generosity?
Dear LFTP advice for a listener whose friend of 35 years married a millionaire and now insists on picking up every check; he worries she will think he is taking advantage.
From No. 240 · July 7 2015 Podcast
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'What's Jesus talking about': the Pharisee and the tax collector
- What is Jesus trying to get at in the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector?
- What does humility look like when your culture actually praises humility?
Dave Herrick (speaker-3, named in the show rundown) opens the 'What's Jesus talking about' bit with a full retelling of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector and asks what Jesus is getting at.
From No. 227 · JC
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Dear LFTP: new job, boss says he is trying too hard
- My new boss says I am trying too hard and overcompensating for my age; how do I put these feelings aside and how much should I change who I am?
A host reads a Dear LFTP letter from a 26-year-old whose new boss says he is trying too hard and overcompensating for his age; his confidence is shot and he asks how much of himself to modify.
From No. 221 · Rules vs. Relationship
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Dear LFTP: the complimented child and offended pride
- Am I wrong to be offended that a stranger complimented the next table's child and ignored my equally well-behaved son?
Dear LFTP: a listener is hurt that a stranger gushed over the next table's daughter but ignored her equally well-behaved toddler son; her husband disagrees - is she wrong to be offended?
From No. 201 · As We Are
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What does spiritual leadership look like when she seems spiritually stronger?
- What does spiritual leadership look like for a man when his partner seems spiritually stronger than he is?
Nathaniel, a participant addressed by name on-air, poses the episode's opening hard question: as a man who is supposed to lead spiritually, what does leadership look like when the woman he is dating seems to have a stronger relationship with God than he does?
From No. 173 · Marijuana and Spiritual Leadership
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Can a Christian be a pessimist?
- Can you have the love of Christ in your heart and still be a pessimist?
A hard-question discussion: can you have the love of Christ in your heart and still be a thoroughgoing pessimist?
From No. 170 · Can a Christian Be a Pessimist?
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Life just happens, Job, and the pride of blessing
- Where is God when I deserve punishment?
A host says life just happens and God's chief concern is salvation - the eternal over the momentary pain.
From No. 167 · Where Was God in the Typhoon?
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Dear LFTP: friend introduces her as 'just a receptionist'
- Am I being petty or vainly pretentious for feeling demeaned when my friend introduces me as 'just a receptionist'?
Advice letter from a retired, community-active woman whose longtime friend repeatedly introduces her as 'just a receptionist' while elevating her own secretary title.
From No. 135 · Righteous Vendetta
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Dear LFTP: the hyphenated last names
- How do we get relatives to address our children by their hyphenated last names?
A listener from New York writes that her two children (ages 4 and 1) have hyphenated last names, which two relatives on separate sides of the family keep ignoring; her husband suggested returning mail 'addressee unknown.'
From No. 134 · February 19 2013
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Proof #33: contemplate the crucifixion
- Does the crucifixion story make sense, or does it prove God is imaginary?
The hosts read and rebut proof #33 from godisimaginary.com, which calls the crucifixion absurd: an all-knowing God who designed human nature, foresaw every sin, and then had himself crucified to feel better.
From No. 130 · January 21 2013
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Roundtable: pacifism, guns in church, and pride
- Should church staff serving communion be required to carry concealed weapons?
The hosts debate the practical side: the Amish schoolhouse shooting and pacifism, whether communion servers should be required to carry concealed weapons (verdict: unnecessary and…
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The recovery-house dare: tell that man you love him
- Would my friends dare me to tell someone I love and appreciate him?
A host tells a New Year story from a Jesus-based recovery program: after a rough day, a friend dared a resident, 'I bet you don't have the balls to tell that man you love him' — meaning drop your pride and tell a staff member you appreciate him as a Christian brother.
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Verdict on the list: self-aggrandizing, not edifying
The hosts conclude Palmer's list is a drama cannon: pairing unlike things with no explanation is grandiosity, not repentance; thoughtful people ask 'what do you mean by religion, by hierarchy,' while rally-and-cry types just applaud.
From No. 460 · 14 to 25 Mistakes From Wildin’
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Slide from the path: 'Pope Buva' letter, 'you are not impressive,' and the Mark Driscoll scream bit
- A listener's lawn is full of people expecting wisdom from 'Pope Buva' - what should he tell them?
A 'slide from the path' letter addresses a host as 'Pope Buva,' expecting worldly wisdom from his lawn like crowds at the Vatican.
From No. 292 · The Viral Dulcimer
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Pope-style advice: where your focus is
- How do you keep your identity in Christ rather than in your job?
Mike (self-identifies on air as 'Mike Foose is the Pope') delivers this week's Pope-style advice: men give their job or their kids an obsessive one-inch-square focus and then use it as license to act however they want, which is the ends justifying the means.
From No. 286 · When Pastors Fall
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Boova's fake-faith confession from the 24-hour prayer room
- Have you ever felt fake in your faith, and what do you do about it?
Boova (the co-host addressed in the audio as 'Buba') confesses his fake-faith moment from the church's 24-hour prayer room: he caught himself singing for the music rather than for…
From No. 201 · As We Are