In this lecture from Jude 3 Project's 2022 Pastors & Leaders Conference, Alycia Wood walks through nine of the most common reasons people walk away from Christianity — from science, “blind faith” and moral issues to the problem of evil, church hurt, and the perception that religion is irrational or outdated.

This isn’t about attacking atheists. It’s about understanding the questions behind the deconstruction—and learning how to engage them with clarity, compassion, and intellectual honesty.

We explore: • Has science replaced God? • Is morality possible without a Creator? • Are atrocities proof religion is the problem? • Is faith blind—or evidence-based? • What does atheism actually offer in place of Christianity?

If you’ve ever wrestled with doubt… If someone you love has left the faith… If you’ve been told Christianity is for “irrational thinkers”…

This conversation is for you.

Christianity doesn’t fear hard questions. It invites them.

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Support the mission and vision of Jude 3 Project here: https://www.jude3project.org/donate

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Take an online course that will help you know what you believe and why here: https://learn.jude3project.org/library/

We’ve been taught that exhaustion means we’re doing it right. That carrying everything alone is strength. That rest can wait.

But what if rest isn’t weakness — it’s trust?

In this episode, Lisa Fields and Yvette Henry unpack why burnout isn’t a badge of honor, how hustle culture quietly shapes our faith, and why rest is actually an act of obedience. Drawing from John 15 and Yvette's new book "Release, Rest, Remain", this conversation invites you to loosen your grip, let go of control, and trust God with what was never yours to carry.

Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do… is stop.

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Support the mission and vision of Jude 3 Project here: https://www.jude3project.org/donate

Grab our curriculum here: https://www.jude3project.org

Take an online course that will help you know what you believe and why here: https://learn.jude3project.org/library/

Is the Bible actually the problem… or are we?

In this session from Jude 3 Project's 2022 Pastors and Leaders Conference, Dr. Charlie Dates dismantles common critiques around racism, patriarchy, authority, and Scripture—and calls us back to a cleaner, more faithful reading of the Bible. No dodging. No fluff. Just truth.

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Support the mission and vision of Jude 3 Project here: https://www.jude3project.org/donate

Grab our curriculum here: https://www.jude3project.org

Take an online course that will help you know what you believe and why here: https://learn.jude3project.org/library/

What does it mean to truly know who you are — when faith, culture, and history collide?

This 2024 Courageous Conversation panel, moderated by Perrin Rogers and featuring Dr. Maliek Blade, Kobe Campbell, Khristi Lauren Adams, and Dr. Vince Bantu, wrestles with personhood, identity, and self-worth in the Black Christian experience. They move everything from generational trauma and cultural erasure to faith, belonging, and the image of God—naming the truths too often left unsaid.

They also explore: - Is Christianity tied to whiteness? - How do we hold our cultural identity without losing our faith? - Can God meet us in gentleness, not just fear or performance? - What does healing look like for marginalized communities?

Subscribe for more conversations that help you know what you believe and why you believe it.

Support the mission and vision of Jude 3 Project here: https://www.jude3project.org/donate

Grab our curriculum here: https://www.jude3project.org

Take an online course that will help you know what you believe and why here: https://learn.jude3project.org/library/

Can Christians engage politics without compromising their faith—or weaponizing it?

This panel dives headfirst into one of the most pressing questions of our time: how faith should (and shouldn’t) shape our political engagement. From Christian nationalism to Gen Z disillusionment to the legacy of the Black Church, this conversation challenges believers to think deeper, listen better, and engage more faithfully in the public square.

This isn’t about party loyalty — it’s about discipleship, discernment, and what it means to seek God’s kingdom here and now.

Moderator: Steven Harris Panelists: Michael McBride, Leah Daughtry, Treneé McGee, and Justin Giboney

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Support the mission and vision of Jude 3 Project here: https://www.jude3project.org/donate

Grab our curriculum here: https://www.jude3project.org

Take an online course that will help you know what you believe and why here: https://learn.jude3project.org/library/

Power can heal—or destroy. Which one are we choosing?

In this 2024 Courageous Conversations panel, this unfiltered panel takes on one of the most misunderstood forces in our faith, churches, and communities: power.

Moderated by David Bailey and featuring Mike Kelsey, Bishop Charley Hames Jr, Rahiel Tesfamariam, and Latasha Morrison, this panel explores power through the lenses of faith, leadership, pain, and responsibility. From the misuse of power in systems and churches to the quiet strength found in surrender, empathy, and love, this conversation challenges the narratives we’ve inherited—and the ones we perpetuate.

You’ll hear reflections on:

• Power surrendered to God vs. power used for control

• How pain, suffering, and healing intersect

• The danger of adopting empire-driven views of success

• Leadership, stewardship, and succession in the Black church

• Why love must always be at the center of power

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Support the mission and vision of Jude 3 Project here: https://www.jude3project.org/donate

Grab our curriculum here: https://www.jude3project.org

Take an online course that will help you know what you believe and why here: https://learn.jude3project.org/library/

In this 2024 Courageous Conversations panel moderated by Jonathan Banks, a powerhouse group of leaders including Dr. Jessica Brown, Dr. Sarita Lyons, Bishop Walter Scott Thomas Sr, and Dr. John C. Foster, unpack purpose beyond platforms, titles, and paychecks. From being created in God’s image to discerning calling, gifts, pain, and obedience, this panel challenges Western ideas of success and re-centers purpose on God’s glory.

They examine:

• Purpose vs. Assignment: Why being a pastor or professional is your assignment, but not necessarily your purpose.
• The "Why" Question: Moving from the what of doing to the why of being.
• The Myth of Individualism: How Western Christianity has sometimes distorted purpose into a pursuit of platform, power, and prestige.
• Image Bearing: Understanding our foundational purpose as "image bearers" of God in the earth.
• Navigating Detours: How God handles our "wrong turns" and hits a moving target.
• The "Vanilla Extract" of Life: Why God doesn't waste your pain or past trauma when building your future.

Subscribe for more conversations that help you know what you believe and why you believe it.

Support the mission and vision of Jude 3 Project here: https://www.jude3project.org/donate

Grab our curriculum here: https://www.jude3project.org

Take an online course that will help you know what you believe and why here: https://learn.jude3project.org/library/

Have you ever felt like God has completely abandoned you?

In this episode, Lisa Fields sits down with author Kristel Acevedo to discuss the "wilderness" seasons of life—those times when we feel lost, confused, and desperate for an exit. But what if the goal isn't just to get out? What if God has something for you right in the middle of the dry season?

The two explore why the cross can sound disturbing to skeptics, how lament is a missing practice in modern Christianity, and why Jesus’ willingness to suffer changes how we think about pain, hope, and healing. This episode also unpacks discipleship in a time of division, the loneliness epidemic, and why faith was never meant to be lived alone.

Subscribe for more conversations that help you know what you believe and why you believe it.

Support the mission and vision of Jude 3 Project here: https://www.jude3project.org/donate

Grab our curriculum here: https://www.jude3project.org

Take an online course that will help you know what you believe and why here: https://learn.jude3project.org/library/