The Universe Next Door

In this episode of the Universe Next Door, John Wolfley, a missionary from Thailand, discusses the cultural landscape of Thai Buddhism compared with cultural Christianity in the U.S., and how he and his team share the gospel in relational, respectful ways.

John explains their approach to evangelism—prayerful, relationship-based outreach using the New Life Study, church planting, and testimony-sharing—and recounts powerful stories of healings, restored families, and lives transformed by encounters with Jesus.

 

John's newsletter and where to go for support:

https://wolfley.epistle.org/

Dr. Tom Woodward explains his new book, Epigenetics and the Architect, and introduces listeners to epigenetic mechanisms—methyl tags, RNAs, the sugar code—and how they work with DNA to regulate life’s complexity.

He presents a DNA model, reviews major discoveries that overturn the idea of “junk DNA,” and discusses the implications of epigenetics for questions about design, the origin of life, and Christian faith.

 

Epigenetics and the Architect:

https://www.amazon.com/Epigenetics-Architect-Evidence-Frontier-Biology/dp/1637120907

 

DNA and Beyond:

https://dnaandbeyond.org/

 

Article and Raving Reviews on the Book:

https://www.discovery.org/b/epigenetics-and-the-architect/

In this episode, Nick Shalna unpacks penal substitutionary atonement—what the term means, why it is central to the gospel, and how Scripture shows Christ taking the penalty we deserved so we can be reconciled to a holy God.

We walk through key passages (1 Peter 3:18, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24, Romans 8) and explain the terms penal, substitutionary, and atonement, showing how God is both just and the justifier through Jesus’ sacrifice.

*I thought I did an episode on the 6 or 7 most seriously taken views on the atonement. Turns out, I'm crazy and taught it somewhere else!

Coming next week.

Isaiah 53 is one of the clearest Old Testament depictions of the gospel.

However, Dr. Bart Ehrman (New Testament Scholar and Critic) suggests that Isaiah 53 does not refer to Jesus, or the idea of the Messiah in general, but rather to the nation of Israel. This episode examines prophecy and tense usage, New Testament readings (Luke and Acts), manuscript evidence like the Dead Sea Scrolls, and why early Jewish expectations missed the suffering-Messiah reading—arguing Isaiah 53 ultimately points to Christ.

 

Article Referenced:

https://ehrmanblog.org/does-isaiah-53-predict-jesus-suffering-and-death-or-has-isaiah-53-been-debunked/

In this final episode of the Trinity series we trace the doctrine from its Old Testament roots to its full flowering in the New Testament. Using key passages—Jesus’ baptism, the Great Commission, John 1, John 14–16, and 2 Corinthians 13:14—we see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit acting together as distinct persons yet one God.

The episode also explains why common misunderstandings (modalism, Arianism, partialism) conflict with Scripture, and offers practical clarity for Christians wrestling with the mystery of God’s nature. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes on the resurrection and a mini-series on AI and contemporary issues.