The Quran and the New Testament collide in one of the most contested questions in religious history: did Islam affirm the earlier scriptures, or undermine them? Jeff Touchstone takes on the "Islamic dilemma" head-on, using the Quran's own verses to test whether the Torah and Gospel can be dismissed as corrupted centuries later.Jeff builds the case from the ground up, starting with Quran 5:46-47 and 10:94, then contrasting those passages with the New Testament's claims about Jesus, His divinity, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. Along the way, he brings in John 1, John 20, Colossians 2, 1 Corinthians 15, 2 Timothy 3, and Luke 1 to ask a pointed question: if the Quran points back to earlier scripture, what exactly are Muslims being told to trust?You'll discover:

• why Quran 5:46-47 creates a serious challenge for the claim that the Gospel was already unusable
• how John 1 presents Jesus as the Word made flesh and why that matters
• what Thomas's confession, "My Lord and my God," reveals about the earliest Christian view of Jesus
• why 1 Corinthians 15 places the crucifixion and resurrection at the center of the Christian message
• how 2 Timothy 3 and Luke 1 frame Scripture as God-breathed, investigated, and trustworthy

Jeff also presses the historical argument behind the "corrupted Bible" claim, asking what changed, when it changed, and what evidence supports it. He argues that manuscript variation is not the same as wholesale replacement, and that Christians should be ready to defend their faith with Scripture, history, and respectful dialogue.This episode is for listeners who want a direct, unapologetic defense of the New Testament's reliability and a clear comparison between Islamic and Christian claims about Jesus. If you've ever wanted a fast, forceful case for why Christians believe Jesus is the only way, this conversation goes straight for the heart of it.

The question everyone is afraid to ask gets answered head-on: is it okay to be gay? Jeff Touchstone and John Burris tackle one of the most emotionally charged issues in modern culture with Scripture, compassion, and zero confusion about where the Bible stands.Rather than reducing people to labels, Jeff and John draw a sharp line between temptation, behavior, and identity—and that distinction changes everything. If you or someone you love is wrestling with same-sex attraction, sexual sin, shame, or the fear of not belonging in the church, this conversation goes straight to the heart of the matter.You’ll discover:

• Why attraction itself is not the same as action
• How the Bible distinguishes sin of commission from sin of omission
• What Leviticus, Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, and 1 Timothy 1 actually say about sexual ethics
• Why grace does not excuse sin, but it does offer real transformation
• How Christians should respond without mocking, dehumanizing, or pretending sin is harmless

Jeff brings a direct, Scripture-first approach that refuses to soften the text, while John adds the pastoral clarity that keeps the conversation from becoming a weapon. Together they address the most common objections, including “I was born this way,” “the Old Testament doesn’t matter,” and “does God hate gay people?”This episode also broadens the lens beyond one issue to expose the deeper problem underneath all sexual sin, pride, lust, greed, pornography, and the way identity gets built around desire instead of Christ. The result is a discussion that is challenging, honest, and deeply personal.If you’ve ever felt the pressure to choose between truth and love, this episode shows why you don’t have to. It’s essential listening for Christians, skeptics, parents, and anyone trying to understand what biblical holiness really looks like in a culture that keeps moving the goalposts.

The Bible is exclusive, but the invitation is wide open. If you’ve ever wondered whether Christianity is really only for certain people, this conversation cuts straight through the confusion and shows why Jesus’ claim is both uncompromising and universally offered.Jeff Touchstone and John Burris tackle one of the biggest questions in faith: how can the gospel be the one true path and still be for everyone? They unpack John 3:16, Romans 10, Revelation 7:9, and Galatians 3:28 to show the difference between an exclusive message and an inclusive invitation. Along the way, they take on cultural misunderstandings about race, nationality, politics, and identity, and explain why the church is called to hold truth without turning people away.You’ll discover:

• Why Jesus’ words, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," are central to Christianity
• How the Bible presents salvation as open to every tribe, nation, language, and background
• Why "cleaning yourself up first" is not how grace works
• What the parable of the sower reveals about the spread of the gospel
• How Romans 1 and 2 shape the hard question of people who have never heard the name of Jesus

Jeff and John also press into the historical case for the resurrection, the boldness of the early disciples, and why Christianity rises or falls on whether Jesus really walked out of the grave. If that’s true, then the gospel is not opinion, advice, or a self-help message - it is the truth that changes everything.This episode is for anyone asking hard questions, wrestling with exclusivity in religion, or trying to understand how a loving God can offer salvation so freely. It is also a challenge to believers: if the good news is real, then we are called to share it with truth, courage, and love.Perfect for skeptics, seekers, and Christians who want a clearer, stronger answer to one of faith’s most important questions.

Is Christianity exclusive - and if so, does that make it intolerant? John Burris and Jeff Touchstone tackle one of the most misunderstood claims in faith: that Jesus is not one path among many, but the only way.They break down the difference between exclusivity and intolerance, explain why truth claims in Christianity are fundamentally different from religious pluralism, and show how you can hold firm convictions without treating people with contempt. If you’ve ever wondered whether saying “Jesus is the way” is arrogant, unloving, or both, this conversation gives you a clear, thoughtful answer. You’ll discover:

• Why defining terms like pluralism, tolerance, and exclusivity changes the entire debate
• How First Peter 3:15 calls Christians to defend their faith with gentleness and respect
• Why John 14:6 and Acts 4:12 are central to the claim that Jesus is the only way
• How Christianity compares to Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and atheism on God, Jesus, salvation, and resurrection
• Why subjective preferences are not the same as objective truth claims
• How to answer objections like “all religions are basically the same” and “Christians just want control”

John and Jeff also get practical about how believers should talk to people they disagree with - not by mocking, winning arguments, or shrinking from the truth, but by listening well, asking better questions, and remembering that every person is made in the image of God.This episode is essential listening if you want to share your faith with confidence, understand the logic behind Christianity’s exclusive claims, or learn how to stand for truth without losing love. And since this is part one of a two-part series, you’ll want to stay tuned for the second half next week. hosts Forge of Faith and leads the discussion on Christian apologetics, Scripture, and how believers should think about truth and compassion. Jeff Touchstone brings the apologetics perspective, courtroom-style logic, and practical insight on how to answer tough questions with clarity, humility, and love.

The battle for your life starts in your mind - and most people are losing it without even realizing. Jeff Touchstone and co-host John Burris unpack the spiritual and psychological war over your thoughts, showing why anxiety, comparison, rumination, and destructive inputs shape far more than your mood. Jeff brings his psychology background and biblical framework to the table, while John pushes back, asks the hard questions, and grounds the conversation in real-life faith. Together, they connect cognitive behavioral therapy, scripture, and the helmet of salvation into one practical challenge: guard what you think, question what you believe, and stop letting culture disciple your mind. You’ll discover:

• How thoughts, interpretations, emotions, and behavior form a chain that can either trap you or transform you
• Why cognitive distortions like catastrophizing, mind reading, and overgeneralization feel so convincing
• What Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8, and Ephesians 6 actually say about mental battles
• How stress, comparison, and constant information intake can reshape your worldview
• Why replacing thoughts matters more than suppressing them, and why prayer, scripture, and accountability change the fight

This episode doesn’t treat faith and psychology as enemies. It shows where they overlap, where they differ, and why both matter when you’re trying to live with a renewed mind in a noisy world. Essential listening if you’re wrestling with anxiety, overthinking, spiritual fatigue, or the feeling that your mind is constantly under attack. If you’re ready to stop being shaped by fear, culture, and false narratives, this conversation gives you a clearer way forward.

Suffering is not proof that God has left you. It may be the place where you meet Him most clearly.Jeff Touchstone is joined by John Burris and Pastor Israel Cox for an honest, deeply personal conversation about one of Christianity's hardest questions: if God is good, loving, and all powerful, why does He allow suffering? Jeff opens up about betrayal, loss, grief, and the seasons that nearly broke him, while John and Israel bring pastoral wisdom, biblical clarity, and hard-won perspective to the pain so many believers carry in silence.You will discover:

• Why suffering is not always the result of a specific sin
• How the fall of humanity changed creation itself
• What Job teaches when life makes no sense
• Why free will explains some evil, but not all of it
• How the cross shows God is not distant from pain
• Why lament is not weakness, but a biblical response to grief

John Burris highlights the danger of trying to force neat answers onto messy pain, and Pastor Israel Cox points to the deep hope Christians have in a God who enters suffering rather than watching from afar. Together, they wrestle with the difference between God's permission and God's approval, the limits of human understanding, and the reality that sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is simply stay with God in the dark.This episode is for anyone grieving, questioning, doubting, or trying to keep their faith alive in the middle of heartbreak. If you've ever wondered where God is when life falls apart, this conversation offers more than an explanation - it offers hope, truth, and the reminder that the story is not over.Perfect for believers walking through loss, Christians wrestling with hard questions, and anyone who needs to hear that God has not abandoned them. The suffering may be real, but it is not the end of the story.

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Culture changes. God does not. And if you have ever wondered whether the Bible still speaks with authority in a world that keeps rewriting the rules, this conversation will challenge, convict, and strengthen you.Jeff Touchstone and John take on one of the most sensitive questions Christians face today: what happens when Scripture clashes with modern culture? From Romans 12:2 to Jesus’ confrontation of the Pharisees, they lay out why believers are called to be transformed by God’s Word, not conformed to the shifting standards around them. The conversation gets honest fast, touching on truth, identity, repentance, and the pressure to make Christianity fit personal preference.You’ll discover:

• Why “truth” cannot be based on majority opinion, feelings, or trends
• How the Bible separates moral commands from ceremonial laws
• Why Jesus’ teaching on marriage, sexuality, and holiness still stands
• The difference between repentance that changes direction and apology that changes nothing
• Why the church cannot trade conviction for comfort, popularity, or platform

Jeff and John also tackle progressive Christianity, the danger of redefining Jesus into a mascot for modern approval, and what it means to actually live as salt and light in a culture that often rejects both. They don’t stop at critique - they press toward action, calling believers to love people deeply, speak truth with gentleness, and test every message against Scripture.This episode is for anyone who feels the tension between biblical conviction and cultural pressure - pastors, parents, young believers, longtime Christians, and anyone trying to understand what it really means to follow Jesus in a world that keeps moving the goalposts.If you need clarity, courage, or a firmer foundation, this is essential listening. The question is not whether culture will change. The question is whether you will let God’s Word change you.

• Why Scripture is not just inspiring, but essential for Christian growth
• The danger of using verses out of context or treating the Bible like an emergency manual
• How to ask better questions when you read, including who wrote it, who it was written to, and how it points to Christ
• The difference between reading, studying, and applying the Bible
• Why discernment matters more than memorization alone
• Practical ways to retain what you read through repetition, meditation, and consistency

Jeff and John also address common objections and questions, including Bible canon history, false teaching, cultural pressure, and where to start if you feel intimidated by Scripture. Their answer is simple: start with Jesus, keep going every day, and let the Word reshape your mind before the world does. Perfect for new believers, longtime Christians who feel stuck, and anyone who wants to stop treating the Bible like a backup plan and start letting it transform their life.

Join Jeff Touchstone as we discuss the mission behind Forge of Faith, the importance of building our lives on Scripture rather than opinions or emotions, and why every believer should be prepared to confidently defend their faith. Whether you're a lifelong Christian or simply seeking answers, this episode will challenge you to dig deeper into God's Word and pursue a faith that is rooted in truth.

If you're ready to strengthen your faith, sharpen your understanding of Scripture, and grow closer to Christ, you're in the right place.