Category Archives: Featured

Creed frontman Scott Stapp on The Paul Edwards Program

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Scott Stapp is coming to Detroit on Friday, April 8 to sing “God Bless America” during the 7th Inning Stretch of the Detroit Tigers’ Home Opener. He will also perform later that night at the Motor City Casino.

I talked with Scott about his controversial past and his radical recommitment of his life to Jesus Christ. I asked him why we should believe him when he says he has undergone a radical transformation:

Well, I’ll tell you what, I don’t think you should believe anything I say. I think it should all be about my actions, and the way that I live my life, and the things that I do that you can see….for those who follow me and my career, for the fans that have followed me, and for the fans that have turned away from me because of my fall into sin, you know, it just takes time, and all I can say is that my actions, to the best of my ability, God willing, will speak to that. At this point in time my words are empty promises.

Will Creed’s music change because of the spiritual change in Scott Stapp?

One thing I never did, no matter how far I was away from God, was quit talking to God, quit praying to God. I never turned my back on that, it’s something that’s part of the core human being that I am. And even though my life did not reflect one of a Christian, behind closed doors I would still pray.  I think how that effects my music, the music has always had expressions at various times of my love for God, and my faith in God, and then it also has been the story of the dark places, the valleys.

You can’t help but sing of your love for God when you love God, it’s a natural thing, it just comes from your soul as you worship. So as the world may interpret some of these songs, the new material that I have that are talking about love and my love for God, they may interpret them as a love for another human being, but I’m here to tell you today that they’re talking about my love for Jesus Christ and my love for God because I am only here today because of the grace of God.

Scott Stapp Interview Part One:

Scott Stapp Part One

Scott Stapp Interview Part Two:

Scott Stapp Part Two

Programming Note: Dr. Scot McKnight

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Dr. Scot McKnight, Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at North Park University in Chicago, was kind enough to link to my interview with MSNBC’s Martin Bashir at his Jesus Creed blog. Dr. McKnight invited his readers to consider whether or not Bashir “asked a bad and inadequate question” of Rob Bell. While many of us thought Bell was obfuscating, Dr. McKnight argues that Bell answered the question he was asked, which is not the question Bashir thought he was asking.

Dr. McKnight joins me on Wednesday’s program to discuss this possibility. Tune in!

The Interview with Rob Bell You Missed

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Rob Bell made an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Friday, March 18. No one is talking about this one, mainly because Joe Scarborough seemed ambivalent and like he’d really rather be talking about his NCAA brackets.

Jon Meacham, on the other hand, was quite engaged. Meacham is an Episcopalian with a broad knowledge of Christian history, if not Christian theology.  For those of you who continue to accuse Martin Bashir of conducting a biased interview on the basis that Bell couldn’t answer his questions, consider this exchange between Meacham and Bell:

Jon Meacham:

The concept [of hell has] gained strength over time, as you’re suggesting, more as a product of the church’s theology than biblical theology. Where do you date the beginning of the dichotomy?

Rob Bell:

[Pregnant pause] That’s a great, great question. What’s interesting to me is we have these sort of cultural notions of heaven and hell and they get attached to Jesus, like, “Well, obviously this is the Christian faith.” But when Jesus spoke even of something like heaven, for a first century, good Jewish Rabbi like Jesus, heaven was first and foremost a reality to be experienced here and now in this life, grace, peace and joy right now. So that’s a great question.”

Then why didn’t you answer it?

MSNBC’s Martin Bashir on The Paul Edwards Program

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Here’s the audio of my interview with MSNBC’s Martin Bashir on his interview with Emergent Universalist Rob Bell of Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids. Martin discloses whether or not he is a committed Christian and if the blog rumors are true that he attends Tim Keller’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.

bashir_edwards.mp3

UPDATE: You can download the interview: http://www.godandculture.com/ra/bashir_edwards.mp3