Most of us have questions about our faith that we've never said out loud.
Maybe we're afraid of what people will think.
Maybe we're afraid of the answer.
Afraid is the podcast that finally gives those questions a voice. Every episode, host Steven brings the questions real people are too nervous to ask, and pastor David works through them honestly, with scripture and without judgment.
Got a question of your own?
Submit it at afraidpodcast.com. Anonymous submissions are always welcome.
The 7 Levels of Spiritual Attack Every Believer Should Know
Can a Christian be demon-possessed? Short answer: no. But that’s not the whole story.
In part two of this series, David and Steven pick up where they left off on why God allows Satan to keep operating, then go deep on what the enemy can and can’t do to a believer. David walks through seven levels of demonic involvement, from the subtle everyday ones most of us don’t even notice, all the way up to full possession, and explains exactly where the line is for someone filled with the Holy Spirit.
Along the way: what deliverance ministry gets wrong, the difference between possession and influence, why depression and oppression are real spiritual battles, and how standing together as believers changes the fight.
Missed part one? Go back and start there.
Got a question you’re afraid to ask your pastor? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com. New episodes every other week.
28 Sept 2026
Why Hasn't God Destroyed the Devil Yet?
Why would a loving God let Satan keep operating in the world? And why does He allow him to go after His own people?
In Part 1 of our conversation on how Satan operates today, Steven and David dig into what the Bible actually says about the devil. He's a created being, not God's equal. He can't read your mind, he can't be everywhere at once, and his final destiny is already sealed in Revelation 20. Then we walk through six reasons Scripture gives for why God allows him to continue for now, from building our faith and keeping us humble to purging all rebellion before the eternal kingdom.
We also share some personal stories of spiritual attack and what happened when we called on the name of Jesus.
Next episode: Can a Christian be demon possessed?
Have a question you're afraid to ask your pastor? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com.
14 Sept 2026
Should All Christians Speak in Tongues? (And Can We Say God's Real Name?)
Should every Christian speak in tongues? And now that Jesus has redeemed us, can we say the real name of God without fear?
In this episode, Steven and David dig into two questions that seem simple on the surface but have a lot of layers once you start peeling them back. On tongues, they separate tradition from scripture, walk through the three examples in the Book of Acts, and break down the crucial difference between the public gift and the private gift that unlocks so many hard-to-understand passages in 1 Corinthians. They also tackle the myths, the counterfeits, and what to do if you want to receive this gift yourself.
Then they shift from the New Testament to the Old, and answer a listener question about the name of God. Is the fear around pronouncing Yahweh actually biblical, or is it tradition? What does "do not take the Lord's name in vain" really forbid? And does it matter whether you say Yahweh, Jehovah, Jesus, or Yeshua?
Have a question you're too afraid to ask your pastor? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com and we'll answer it on the show.
New episodes every other week. Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
31 Aug 2026
When Truth Feels Cruel, "Am I Living in Sin?", and the Calvinism Debate
Three tough questions, one thread running through them all: grace.First, how do you tell someone the truth of God's word without alienating them? Steven and David dig into a listener's real-life situation with someone pursuing gender transition, and how to speak truth and love at the same time, the way Jesus did with the woman at the well.Then, a heavy one for anyone who remarried after divorce: "The Bible says I'm committing adultery. Am I actively living in sin?" David unpacks what Scripture actually says about divorce, remarriage, and whether repentance means undoing your present marriage (spoiler: two wrongs don't make a right).Finally, can a Calvinist really be saved? David explains the doctrine, why he pushes back on it hard, and gives a surprisingly gracious answer to the question itself.Link to Soteriology - https://soteriology101.com/Got a question you're afraid to ask your pastor? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com. New episodes every other week.
17 Aug 2026
The Unforgivable Sin, the Trinity, and Guardian Angels
What if you've done something God can't forgive? It's one of the most frightening questions a person can carry, and this week Steven and David take it head-on. The good news might surprise you: if you're worried you've committed the unforgivable sin, that worry itself is strong evidence you haven't.
From there they tackle two more listener questions. First, the Trinity: where the idea actually comes from, why the popular egg and water analogies fall short, and how one God can exist as three persons. Then angels: do they really walk among us, do we each have a guardian angel, and who is the mysterious "Angel of the Lord" in the Old Testament?
Three big questions, handled with care and straight from Scripture.
Have a question you're afraid to ask? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com. New episodes every other week.
3 Aug 2026
Is God Angry? Old Testament Wrath, Mercy, and the Fear of the Lord
Ever read the Old Testament and wondered how a God of so much wrath and judgment could be the same loving God of the New Testament? In this episode, Steven and David take that question seriously instead of brushing it off. They walk through God's unchanging character, why judgment in the Old Testament fell on corrupt nations while New Testament judgment turns more personal, and why the cross was actually the greatest judgment ever recorded.
Then they answer a deeply personal listener question: what does "fear of the Lord" really mean when a violent, frightening earthly father makes it hard to see God as good? David unpacks reverential awe versus terror, breaking generational patterns, and renewing your mind to see God as He truly is.
Have a question you're afraid to ask? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com. New episodes every other week.
20 Jul 2026
Can Women Be Pastors? What the Bible Actually Says
Can women be pastors? And why do churches reading the same Bible land in completely different places on it?
In this episode, Steven presses David on one of the most debated questions in the modern church. They dig into the passages most often used to keep women silent, 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2, and ask what those verses actually mean when you stop reading them in isolation. Why does Paul give women instructions on how to prophesy just three chapters before telling them to "keep silent"? What does that silence really refer to? And what happens when your interpretation of one verse contradicts the rest of Scripture?
From Deborah and Miriam to Priscilla, Phoebe, and Junia, David walks through the many women God placed in leadership, prophetic, and teaching roles across both Testaments, and unpacks the difference between healthy God-given authority and the domineering kind Paul actually warns against.
In the second half, they turn to two listener questions about unequal relationships in marriage: Is divorce an option when a spouse won't submit to God? And is there hope when your partner doesn't believe? David works through what Scripture says about being unequally yoked, when a believer is and isn't bound to the marriage, and where grace meets hard commitment.
Have a question you're afraid to ask your pastor? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com.
6 Jul 2026
Once Saved, Always Saved? Can You Lose Your Salvation?
What happens if you believe you're saved, but you're not? And once you are saved, how secure is that really?
In this episode, Steven and David tackle one of the most requested and most debated questions in the church: once saved, always saved, or can salvation be lost? Before getting into the debate, they slow down to ask a more foundational question: what does it actually mean to be saved? Drawing from Ephesians 2, Romans 10, John 10, Hebrews 6 and 10, and the parable of the sower, they walk through what genuine salvation looks like, why feelings aren't the measure of it, and why the same grace that saves you also keeps you.
They break it down into three categories: those who are genuinely saved but struggling, those who were never truly converted, and those who were saved but willfully renounced their faith. Along the way they unpack the difference between losing your salvation and choosing to walk away, why "willfully" is the key word in the hard passages, and how to hold the whole counsel of Scripture together instead of camping out in one ditch or the other.
They also answer a listener question: "I don't know if God is real. Am I just believing what I've been told my whole life?"
Have a question you're afraid to ask your pastor? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com. New episodes every other week.
22 Jun 2026
Why Doesn't God Heal Everyone? (Plus: Yearning for God & Silencing Fear)
You've prayed for healing. Maybe for yourself, maybe for someone you love. And it didn't come. So what do you do with "God had a plan"?
In this episode, Steven and David sit with one of the hardest questions a believer faces: why are some people healed and others aren't? David, who has lived with a chronic illness for years, doesn't reach for easy answers. Instead they walk through the real biblical reasons healing can be delayed or hindered, from timing and unforgiveness to spiritual opposition and the things we sabotage ourselves with. And they make room for the one answer nobody likes but everybody needs: the mystery file, the times we simply don't know, and how to keep trusting God anyway.
Stick around for two listener questions to close: how do you genuinely yearn for God's presence, and how do you quiet fear and rest in His love?
Have a question you're afraid to ask your pastor? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com.
8 Jun 2026
The Question No One Wants to Ask. Plus: Would a Loving God Really Send People to Hell?
These are two of the heaviest questions the Afraid Podcast has received, and Steven and David don't shy away from either one.
First, they tackle a question that weighs on the hearts of so many families: if someone dies by suicide, do they go to hell? David shares from deep personal experience, having wrestled with suicidal thoughts himself for years before coming to faith. Rather than offering a simple yes or no, he walks through what scripture actually says about salvation, mental health, and the grace of God in our darkest moments. He also looks at some surprising biblical figures who cried out to God to end their lives, including Elijah, Moses, Jeremiah, Job, and Jonah, and what God did for each of them.
Then they turn to a question that has tripped up believers and skeptics alike: why would a loving God send anyone to hell at all? The answer might shift the way you think about it entirely. Because according to scripture, God isn't sending anyone. He already sent the way out.
Both questions. No easy answers. Just honest, grounded conversation rooted in the Word.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. In the US, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. International numbers are linked below.
Have a question of your own? Submit it anonymously at afraidpodcast.com.
International Suicide Support numbers: https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/
25 May 2026
Is That God Talking, or Is It You? Plus: The Banana Tithe
Two of the most common questions in the Christian life, and two of the most avoided. In the first episode of Afraid, Steven and David tackle questions submitted directly by listeners.
First up: How do you actually know when God is speaking to you? People say "God told me" all the time, but what does that really mean? Is it an audible voice? Is it just your own thoughts? And what happens when sincere Christians genuinely feel they've heard from God and still get it wrong? David walks through how to filter out the noise, test what you're hearing against scripture, and trust the process even when you miss it.
Then, the question people get uncomfortable about the moment the offering plate comes around: Is tithing just an Old Testament rule, or does it still apply to Christians today? David breaks it down with ten bananas, a traffic light, and a whole lot of grace. Spoiler: it is less about the 10% and a lot more about your heart.
Both questions, no dodging, no guilt trips. That is how we do it here. Got a question of your own? Submit it at afraidpodcast.com.
25 May 2026
Why Are We Afraid to Ask? — Introducing the Afraid Podcast
What keeps us from asking the questions that matter most to our faith? Fear of judgment, fear of looking foolish, fear of the answer itself. These are the walls that keep so many believers and seekers silent. In this introductory episode, host Steven sits down with theologian and pastor David to share the heart behind Afraid: Questions You're Afraid to Ask Your Pastor.
They talk honestly about why hard questions go unasked in the church, why real conversation is so rare, and what it looks like to wrestle with tough topics while holding onto love, humility, and scripture. David also shares his own remarkable story, a radical salvation on a street corner in Huntington, West Virginia, and the years of deep, devoted study that shaped everything he believes.
To give you a taste of what's ahead, they wade into one of the top questions already coming in from listeners: Once Saved, Always Saved. Spoiler: it has a lot more layers than you might think.
If you've ever sat in a church pew with a question burning in your chest and said nothing, this podcast is for you. Submit your questions at afraidpodcast.com, anonymously if you'd like. New episodes drop every other week.
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