Imagine striving to believe something for over 30 years, but your “light switch” just isn’t turning on.  The doubt, the fear, all building up for decades…until it finally culminates to a final, decisive act!  How did it happen?  What would you do?  Why does it have to be this way?

It’s time to unpack some details!  We’re taking it back to Nick Snapp’s old stomping grounds: the original 4-HOUR Miracles & Atheists LIVESTREAM!

We’re re-releasing an important conversation that Nick had with worldwide evangelist, Brian Essary, and positive atheism advocate, Janet Reyes.

ORIGINAL 4-HOUR LIVESTREAM: “SKEPTIC ANNOTATIONS” (EPSD VII)

 

Janet Reyes is a former Southern Baptist Women’s Minister who just recently came out as an atheist after 30 years of being involved with the Church. She’s a research grant writer for a preeminent research university and has been grant writing for 18 years, and Janet has spent time volunteering for the Atheist Community of Austin serving on their Social Media Committee. 

Representing the Christian perspective is Evangelist, Brain Essary.  Through his mass miracle crusades and networking with church planting programs he has seen over one million people come to Christ and hundreds of national churches planted throughout these villages of India. Brian is motivated by the belief that you can impact a region through a crusade but you will only change a nation through the national ministers. 

It was a lot of fun revisiting this particular livestream.  One of our inspirations for going back through this conversation again because of the interesting challenge Janet posed to Brian at the end of the conversation…let’s bring it!

SHOW NOTES

  • A Powerful Question [1:42]
  • Ground Rules [6:42]
  • Welcome Janet Reyes [8:41]
  • The “Closet Atheist” left the Church [11:20]
  • Reflection 1: “Trying to believe for thirty years” [12:40]
  • Tired of living a lie [17:54]
  • They disowned me [22:36]
  • Reflection 2: “Possessed by satan” [24:00]
  • De-demonizing atheism [29:00]
  • Reflection 3: “Normalizing atheism” [31:45]
  • The Atheist Community of Austin – what’s the goal? [38:40]
  • How would Janet prefer people of faith conduct themselves? [43:10]
  • Welcome Brian Essary [49:15]
  • Reflection 4: “The filters in which we view life” [53:56]
  • Brian’s story of unbelief (what makes Christianity different) [57:45]
  • Reflection 5: “Working to gain God’s favor” [1:01:05]
  • Independent thinking [1:03:28]
  • How did Brian receive God’s message [1:05:45]
  • Reflection 6: “Once saved always saved” [1:11:45]
  • Did the drugs influence Brian’s experience with God? [1:17:48]
  • Reflection 7: “Is the Church the reason why we have atheists?” [1:22:46]
  • Janet responds to why we have atheists [1:25:04]
  • Reflection 8: “If you can show me…” [1:26:03]
  • The Challenge: Let’s prove that prayer works [1:28:13]
  • Praying for the blind vs. the witch doctors [1:35:25]
  • Reflection 9: “On the atheist miracle challenge experiment” [1:37:33]
  • Nick’s biggest takeaways [1:41:21]
  • Marcus Plating’s Final Words of Wisdom (WOW) [1:42:30]

MENTIONS

Janet Reyes

Brian Essary

Reflections

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