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The Christian Optimist
Pastor Raef Chenery tackles the real world issues and questions you face every day head on from an eschatologically optimistic perspective. Rooted in the Word of God, we’ll look at worldview, apologetics, politics, news, theology, evangelism encounters, and so much more. The aim is to allow God’s Word to inform and guide you through each and every moment.
Episodes
106 episodes
Physician Assisted Suicide in Illinois - Interview with Ben German
Pastor Raef interviews Dr. Ben German to discuss what is happening in Illinois's law regarding Physician Assisted Suicide. We'll consider trends we've seen around the globe, what the law is in Illinois, and how we as Christians can think about ...
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Episode 107
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34:52
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News Rundown: Andy Stanley, Modern Men, John Piper
In this episode Pastor Raef examines a few stories that have made their way into the news cycle. Andy Stanley, from North Point Community Church put out a video for his Church on how to engage transgender youth. New statistics reveal young men ...
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52:26
105: The Persecuted Church - Interview with Andy Coleman
In this episode Pastor Raef interviews Andy Coleman, author of the soon to be released book 'The Days of Darkness'. Andy's ministry focuses primarily on the persecuted church around the globe. Using his experience in some of the most persecuted...
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Episode 105
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57:18
Episode 104: St. Patrick's Day Special
A short episode where Pastor Raef looks at the historical missionary Patrick, who is celebrated every year in St. Patrick's Day.
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Episode 104
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11:14
Christ and Culture
In this episode Pastor Raef looks back at Richard Niebuhr's classic work Christ and Culture. And we think practically about...
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Episode 103
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55:19
News Rundown: IVF, Wheaton College, & Gen Z Men
In this episode, Pastor Raef goes through three separate articles from this week's news and evaluates them from a Christian worldview. First, we examine President Trump's Executive Order making IVF Treatment more accessible to American families...
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Episode 102
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49:51
Singleness: Interview with Joe Riccardi
Pastor Raef interviews Pastor Joe Riccardi of Park Community Church Lincoln Park and discusses the topic of singleness, how to remain faithful to God, and experience his promises and blessings in and through one's singleness.Resource...
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45:06
Motherhood: Interview with Sara Chenery
In this episode Pastor Raef interviews his wife, Sara, to discuss motherhood, its joys, its challenges, and ultimately to discuss the call on mother's lives to mother to the glory of God.
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46:10
The Problem of Evil: A Covenant Theology Primer
This week we were horrified at the news of an American Airlines flight that collided with a blackhawk helicopter outside of Washington DC. How are we as Christians to understand such tragic events? Why do these kinds of things happen in this wo...
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Episode 99
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57:44
A Whole Lotta Trump: Interview with Mike Rolfes
In this interview, Pastor Raef sits down and discusses Donald Trump's new presidency, along with some of the most pressing issues that not only drove him back into the White House, but have already become central issues of his presidency. We'll...
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Episode 98
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1:32:33
Interview with Joel Settecase on Apologetics, Demons, and Confessional Theology
In this episode Pastor Raef Chenery interviews Joel Settecase, President of The Think Institute. We cover a range of topics from apologetics, to the history demons, to confessional theology.Visit thethink.institute to learn more about J...
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Episode 97
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1:23:41
Christianity vs. Being Woke
In this episode Pastor Raef looks at the philosophical underpinnings of wokeism, and explores why Christians must reject this worldview and stand confidently on the Bible.
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Episode 96
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1:01:25
All Your Abortion Questions Answered
In this episode, Pastor Raef goes through a lengthy list of common questions surrounding abortion in America. Use the Table of Contents below to navigate to the questions you're most interested in.Table of ContentsWhen does ...
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Episode 95
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1:40:08
American or French Revolution: Which Way Forward?
In this episode Pastor Raef compares and contrasts the American and the French Revolution, and explains why he believes much of secular America is in danger of preferring the French revolutionary ideals to the American revolutionary ideals....
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Episode 94
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49:53
The Dangers of Godless Conservatism
In this episode Pastor Raef looks at a trend occurring in American politics, that of godless conservatism. We consider the roots of political conservatism and how it has historically been rooted in God's revelation, and why the sudden removal o...
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Episode 93
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58:01
Interview with Aaron Renn - Life in the Negative World
In this episode Pastor Raef sits down with Aaron Renn, author of Life in the Negative World, and co-founder of
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Episode 92
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33:58
Taste & See that the Lord is Good
In this episode Pastor Raef shares a message he prepared recently on Psalm 34:8 "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good."
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Episode 91
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41:21
Becoming a Man with Godly Zeal
In this episode we consider the zeal of Phinehas from Numbers 25, and we discuss the need for godly men in the Church to once again become bold and zealous men for God, who are willing to stand for God and against all that dares defy him.
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Episode 90
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52:58
Nephilim, Giants, and the Book of Enoch
In this episode Pastor Raef digs into the fascinating passage of Genesis 6:1-4 and the story of the Nephilim, half angelic, half human giants that roamed the Earth before the flood of Noah, and even after the flood. We'll consider the fuller st...
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Episode 89
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57:21
2024 State of the Bible: Looking at the Facts
In this episode we look at the American Bible Society's newest 'State of the Bible 2024' which came out just last week. There are both encouraging and discouraging points of data to consider as we look at Americans and their Bibles.See ...
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Episode 88
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32:25
Engaging Politics Christianly
In this episode Pastor Raef digs into politics by considering what the Bible has to say about politics. We look at five different approaches that Christians throughout the ages have taken to politics and consider them in light of history and in...
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Episode 87
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1:14:50
David Brainerd - A Man Mightily Used of God
In this episode Pastor Raef looks at the life of David Brainerd, an early American missionary to the Native Americans. By studying his life together, not only will we get a wonderful picture of a life lived for the glory of God, but we'll pull ...
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Episode 86
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40:47
Pride Month History: John Money & Alfred Kinsey
As we approach what America has labeled as "pride month," it is helpful to know two of the men whose ideas are often most celebrated as central to the LGBTQ movement, John Money & Alfred Kinsey. Warning, this episode is graphic and disturbi...
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Episode 85
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48:56
Interview with Sara Chenery - Homemaking: A Profound Vocation for Wives and Mothers
In this episode Pastor Raef first digs into a study on Titus 2:5 and considers what it means for women today in the Church. Then Sara jumps into the conversation to discuss her own journey as a homemaker. https://www.cnn.com/2024/0...
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Episode 84
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1:03:14
Exposing Scientology's Demonic Roots - Part 2
In this episode Pastor Raef completes his review of Scientology's origin, by looking briefly at the second half of L Ron Hubbard's life and the fantasy world he created around him. Additionally we'll look more big picture at how Christians ough...
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Episode 83
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48:04