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The Rising Podcast with Melanie Penn

The Rising Podcast with Melanie Penn

Written by: Four Eyes Media
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 Can we believe the resurrection of Christ actually happened? The Rising Podcast with Melanie Penn delves into the historicity of the resurrection and how this event changed human history—past and future! We interview authors, historians, personalities, and academics to dive deeper into this key historical event that changed human history. The conversations between a contemporary songwriter and members of the scholastic community will offer rare moments of insight for believers and skeptics. Melanie Penn introduces this podcast with the launch of her album, The Rising.Copyright Four Eyes Media Spirituality
Episodes
  • Why Thomas Doubted (and Why We Might Too) with Dr. Vincent Bacote

    Why Thomas Doubted (and Why We Might Too) with Dr. Vincent Bacote
    Jan 22 2026
    In this episode of The Rising Podcast, Melanie Penn sits down with Dr. Vincent Bacote, Professor of Theology and Director for the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College. They delve into the oft-told story of “doubting” Thomas from the Bible, exploring why John included this pivotal moment in his gospel and what it reveals about Jesus's patience and understanding of human doubt. Dr. Bacote encourages listeners to re-familiarize themselves with the awe and significance of the resurrection, discussing how to navigate moments of wavering faith and the profound truth that “death is a comma, not a period,” for believers. He also touches on the historicity of the resurrection and the unique claims of Christianity regarding Jesus’s life, death, and ascension.

    Thought-Provoking Quotes:
    “Sometimes we need help to be hopeful. And here's an example of Jesus helping Thomas to believe [He was back from the dead]. He says, ‘Here I am, you can put your hand here.’” - Dr. Vincent Bacote

    "Recognizing the fact that [the resurrection] is such a singular, history changing event, and staying in awe of that is really important. One of the ways we can keep that awe, if we’re over-familiarized, is thinking about where Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15 that more than 500 people saw him at one time." - Dr. Vincent Bacote

    “I think the truth of the resurrection is to give Christians the confidence that death is a comma and not a period.” - Dr. Vincent Bacote

    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
    Black + Evangelical Documentary
    “Born Toward Dying” article by Richard John Neuhaus

    *Watch this interview on the YouTube channel!
    *All episode music is by Melanie Penn.

    Guest’s Links:
    Dr. Vincent Bacote’s Website
    Dr. Vincent Bacote’s Instagram
    Dr. Vincent Bacote’s X
    Dr. Vincent Bacote’s Facebook

    Connect with Melanie:
    The Rising (Album)
    Website
    Facebook
    Instagram
    YouTube
    Spotify

    *The Rising Podcast is a production of Four Eyes Media.
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    22 mins
  • “Liar, Lunatic or Lord?” Foundations of the Resurrection ft. J.D. Greear

    “Liar, Lunatic or Lord?” Foundations of the Resurrection ft. J.D. Greear
    Jan 15 2026
    Pastor J.D. Greear, leader of the rapidly growing Summit Church and author of Everyday Revolutionary: How to Transcend the Culture War and Transform the World, discusses faith amid today’s polarized culture. Drawing from biblical insights, he emphasizes the resurrection as the pivotal answer to doubt and suffering, stating, “Faith is accepting what you cannot understand based on what you can understand.” Greear highlights the ongoing experiential role of the Holy Spirit and advocates earnestly desiring spiritual gifts without chasing signs. Addressing apologetics, he outlines common questions believers face and defends the resurrection’s historical accuracy as foundational to Christian hope.

    Thought-Provoking Quotes:
    “My favorite definition of faith is accepting what you cannot understand based on what you can understand. You can understand the resurrection and the resurrection gives you the ability to trust God and the things you don't understand.” - J.D. Greear

    “What Jesus is saying is there's something about the Holy Spirit in your experience with Him that's supposed to be greater. You would actually choose that over just Me in front of you. If you had the choice.” - J.D. Greear

    “In light of the resurrection, if the resurrection is true, then your doubt, whatever it is, it's not pointing you to something that is actually a problem. It just means something you don't quite understand right now.” - J.D. Greear

    “The idea that a bunch of blue collar fishermen who had not been trained in any of this kind of resistance maintained till their dying day they'd seen Jesus raised from the dead all the while knowing that it really wasn't true. He said that pushes reason to the point of almost absurdity.” - J.D. Greear

    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
    Everyday Revolutionary: How to Transcend the Culture War and Transform the World by J.D. Greear

    *Watch this interview on the YouTube channel!
    *All episode music is by Melanie Penn.

    Guest’s Links:
    J.D. Greear’s website
    J.D. Greear’s Facebook
    J.D. Greear’s Instagram
    J.D. Greear’s X
    J.D. Greear’s YouTube

    Connect with Melanie:
    The Rising (Album)
    Website
    Facebook
    Instagram
    YouTube
    Spotify

    *The Rising Podcast is a production of Four Eyes Media.
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    26 mins
  • The Resurrection: Science Fiction or Historical Fact? Ft. Sam Allberry

    The Resurrection: Science Fiction or Historical Fact? Ft. Sam Allberry
    Jan 8 2026
    Pastor, apologist, and author Sam Allberry joins The Rising to talk with Melanie Penn about faith, doubt, and the hope we find in the resurrection of Jesus. Sam shares his journey from skeptic to pastor, how he thinks about offering hospitality to those who struggle with belief, and why the resurrection is both the most “absurd” and the most compelling truth at the heart of Christianity. Together, Melanie and Sam explore what it means to be in Christ, how the cross unites us to God and to one another, and why the evidence for the resurrection points to more than just reason—it points to a living hope.

    Thought-Provoking Quotes:
    “I think when it comes to the resurrection in particular, to a thoughtful skeptic, it still sounds very absurd. It does sound science fiction-y, and I’m very conscious of that. I want to try to show how historically, philosophically, in as many ways as I can, that actually it’s more absurd to not believe in it, given what we see and know.” - Sam Allberry

    “Evidence alone is not going to generate faith in someone. That doesn’t mean I don’t present the evidence. I present the evidence, but pray that the Lord would use it to spark faith in someone.” - Sam Allberry

    “There’s a resurrection-shaped hole in human history, but it’s hard to account for otherwise. There’s so many other reasons to suppose Jesus is alive today.” - Sam Allberry

    “When we come to Christ in faith, we become one with Him. That the most common New Testament way of describing a Christian believer is to call them someone who is in Christ.” - Sam Allberry

    Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
    One With My Lord by Sam Allberry
    Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity by Paul Barnett
    The Crucified King by Jeremy Treat

    *Watch this interview on the YouTube channel!
    *All episode music is by Melanie Penn.

    Guest’s Links:
    Sam Allberry’s website
    Sam Allberry’s Facebook
    Sam Allberry’s Instagram
    Sam Allberry’s YouTube

    Connect with Melanie:
    The Rising (Album)
    Website
    Facebook
    Instagram
    YouTube
    Spotify

    *The Rising Podcast is a production of Four Eyes Media.
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
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