Best RZIM Podcasts (2026)

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Peace on earth—really? 39:00

Play Pause

13d ago39:00

39:00

These days, any measure of peace feels hard to come by. Whether we’re at war with one another or at war with ourselves, we are always conflicted over one thing or another. Under such conditions, the angelic announcement of “peace on earth” seems hopelessly naive. But what if peace were more than an empty promise or a futile proposition? This Christ…

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Does the Bible endorse chattel slavery? (and other Old Testament live Q&A) 48:02

30d ago48:02

48:02

Does the Bible endorse chattel slavery? How could a loving and just God command the killing of civilian populations? Does the Bible teach that women's bodies are inferior? Did God tempt Job? Why is it that according to Old Testament law, only women (and not men) had to endure a trial for perceived unfaithfulness? In this week's episode of Ask Away,…

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How can I make sense of life? 50:15

1M ago50:15

50:15

Imagine jumping into a game without knowing when it started, when it will finish, what the rules are, or even the objective—without that information, your participation would be totally meaningless! And yet, how many of us are walking through life without answers to those same fundamental questions? In this episode of Ask Away, Vince suggests that …

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How did Jesus engage with a cultural enemy? 43:24

2M ago43:24

43:24

For many of us, it feels incredibly stressful to unexpectedly find ourselves in a religious or political conversation with anybody, friend or stranger, who holds radically different views from our own. When that happens, how do you handle the situation? And what does the other person walk away thinking and feeling, after they have encountered you? …

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The End of Desire: Are desires good or bad? 35:30

3M ago35:30

35:30

By Vince and Jo Vitale

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How much time should I spend with God and at church each week? 35:34

3M ago35:34

35:34

Perhaps the two greatest callings for a Christian are to live with God and to live with God’s people. Tragically, many who go by the name Christian are doing neither, having been deceived into settling for the counterfeits of believing intellectually in God and going to church. What if we need to completely reframe how we conceive of the Christian …

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Truth or love: do we have to choose? 39:50

4M ago39:50

39:50

It's a confusing time to be alive. We celebrate a diversity of people and experiences, but we fear a diversity of thought and beliefs. It's ok to live your truth, so long as you don't infringe on mine. Undergirding this cultural consensus is the assumption that making truth claims inevitably leads to disagreement, and disagreement is the start of a…

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Is Jesus just another ‘influencer’ to follow? 46:12

4M ago46:12

46:12

In a world of online connection, we are all a “follower” of somebody—or a multitude of somebodies! So where does that leave Jesus? Is he just one among a multitude of influencers we engage with from afar, or is he looking for something more from us? In this episode of Ask Away, Jo Vitale discusses what Jesus really meant when he invited his first h…

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Is retirement the goal of work? 35:37

5M ago35:37

35:37

Many of us will spend more than half of our waking lives working. We frequently joke about “the grind” of work and living for the weekend, but that doesn’t seem like much of a way to live. If the goal of work is retirement, then what does that say about the work in the first place? Is work a punishment for the fall? Will there be work in heaven? In…

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Did Jesus make a racial slur by calling a foreign woman a dog? 40:09

6M ago40:09

40:09

Christianity has long claimed to be for every person, irrespective of who you are or where you're from. Does Jesus undermine that claim and show himself not to be divine, or even not worth following, by making a racial slur against a foreign woman? In this episode of Ask Away, Vince and Jo talk about what we should make of this confusing interactio…

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Is worship just Christian karaoke? 29:19

6M ago29:19

29:19

Isn't there something feudalistic and demeaning about "worshipping" God? What modern, rational, free and autonomous person would want to do that? And what is "worship," anyway? Is it just Christian karaoke, or something more? In this episode of Ask Away, recorded at Menlo Church in California, Jo considers both why we worship and what it looks like…

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"Jesus died for you": But what does that really mean? 43:13

7M ago43:13

43:13

At the heart of the Nicene Creed (325 AD) we find the words: “For our sake [Jesus] was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered, died, and was buried.” But how is it possible that someone who died 2,000 years ago could have died for our sake?! And if Jesus is God, how could He have died? And why would He have died—was this something He chose, or…

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Is the Trinity a math problem? 32:43

7M ago32:43

32:43

"1+1+1 = 1 is not going to get you a pass in mathematics." This comment, made by a Muslim apologist and spoken word artist, is an intriguing critique! When Christians claim that there is one God in three persons, are they making a contradictory statement? When it comes to the nature of God, how much can we really know about him, anyway? And what di…

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The Success Paradox: Can becoming a winner lead to losing at life? 58:47

8M ago58:47

58:47

Could it be, paradoxically, that the very things that lead to success in youth can set us up for struggles and hurt later in life? If so, what can we do about this in our own lives and the lives of our children? And how are the notions of success, winning, and competition reconceived and redeemed within the Christian faith? ------ We’re so glad you…

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Holy Communion: Are Christians cannibals? 44:36

8M ago44:36

44:36

From the early days of the Christian faith, Christians were mocked for their unusual practice of connecting the eating of bread and wine with the body and blood of Jesus. At times they were even accused of cannibalism! And yet, two thousand years later nearly every Christian church continues this remarkable practice in some form. Why did Jesus inst…

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How can I make a clear, concise, compelling case for the resurrection of Jesus? 50:06

8M ago50:06

50:06

The Bible makes a very strong claim that God has provided “confirmation for all by raising Jesus from the dead” (Acts 17:31), and the case for the resurrection was right at the center of Vince’s journey to Christ. On this episode, Jo interviews him about the core reasons for the resurrection that can be shared simply and straightforwardly with anyo…

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Why worship a (Holy) ghost? 1:01:33

9M ago1:01:33

1:01:33

If you could choose to live at any time in history, when would you live? I am tempted to answer, “When Jesus walked the earth.” How awesome it would be to be present for the Sermon on the Mount, to talk with Jesus, to laugh with him, to recline against his chest in friendship as John did. But here’s the thing: None of the apostles would have given …

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Is life valuable before birth? 1:05:56

10M ago1:05:56

1:05:56

We live in a world that is deeply conflicted over when human life begins. Even our language surrounding the unborn is contested—are we talking about a “baby” or a “product of conception”? Are we talking about a potential life or an actual human person? How many bodies and whose rights are relevant to “my body, my rights”? And is it anti-woman to be…

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How can we hear the voice of God? 45:29

10M ago45:29

45:29

In the previous episode “Is God giving us the silent treatment?”, Jo and Vince shared that God is desiring to speak with us consistently and clearly. That is really exciting news, but only if we are able to hear what He is saying. So how can we learn to hear the voice of God? ------ We’re so glad you joined us for Ask Away. If you have a question t…

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If God, why suffering? 37:59

11M ago37:59

37:59

Whatever the differences between us as human beings, one thing that we all have in common is our familiarity with pain. Whether you’ve experienced a season of intense suffering in the past, you’re living through it in the present, or it is yet to come, none of us get through life unscathed. No wonder, then, that at some point or another we have all…

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Is God giving us the silent treatment? 55:42

11M ago55:42

55:42

Good communication is essential for any healthy relationship. What, then, does it say about our relationship with God that so often we experience prayer as completely one-sided, as if we're just yelling into the void? Is God truly a loving father, or more like a disinterested parent who won’t take the time to listen to and clearly engage with His c…

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Are religions fundamentally the same? 43:43

11M ago43:43

43:43

Today it is considered antiquated—even arrogant—to believe that any one religion or worldview has a monopoly on “The Truth.” Does it really matter what story we chose to believe and live, if all roads ultimately lead to the same destination? This is a perspective that jars with Jesus’ claim that “nobody comes to the father except through him.” So i…

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Why do I still believe in Santa? 45:29

1y ago45:29

45:29

Merry Christmas, everyone! On this week's special Christmas episode of Ask Away, Vince engages with the following questions: Does Santa exist? Can I really believe in a virgin birth? Do Christmas and Christianity worship the same God? What do you want for Christmas this year? We hope this message is a blessing for you personally, and one you can sh…

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What about people, like my grandparents, who never heard the gospel? 36:59

1y ago36:59

36:59

While there are a lot of questions about Christianity that stretch our thinking, this is a question that many of us deeply feel. At heart, it is a question about God’s fairness. Does God actually desire every person to come to know him, or does he prefer some people over others? And if he truly loves everyone, then what is he doing to make himself …

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'Tis the Season To Be in Conflict: Could God reconcile a relationship in your life? 59:03

1y ago59:03

59:03

Many of us will be seeing someone over the holidays with whom there is tension, or maybe even full blown conflict. What is God’s heart for that relationship in your life, and practically what does He want you to do? Is the ball in your court or in theirs? What wisdom can the Bible offer us about resolving conflict, and could it be that God desires …

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Is faith necessary for science? 1:01:45

1y ago1:01:45

1:01:45

Does evolution undermine belief in God? How about aliens? And what about miracles and the multiverse? In this week’s episode of Ask Away, Jo interviews Vince on whether science points us towards or away from God, and how as Christians we can engage with those who see science as having defeated God. ------ We’re so glad you joined us for Ask Away. I…

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A case study of Jo(nah): Why do we say “No!” when Jesus says “Go”? 44:30

1y ago44:30

44:30

“What about those who’ve never heard the gospel?” is an objection made against God’s fairness, but what if we re-directed the question back at Christians? After all, it’s clear that Jesus intended for his followers to be a solution to that problem by commanding them to “go into all the world and make disciples…” So what’s keeping us from obeying hi…

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How can I forgive myself? 42:13

1y ago42:13

42:13

In our culture today we talk a lot about the importance of “self-forgiveness”, but what does that actually mean? Is it even coherent to “give” something to yourself? Most importantly, how is this relevant to the Christian life when “only God can forgive sins" (Mark 2:7)? If forgiveness is a topic that you struggle with (and honestly, who doesn't?!)…

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Jersey Shore Outreach: Does God want committed Christians? 43:45

1+ y ago43:45

43:45

We are committed to all sorts of things in life, whether that be our hometown sports team, a political party, a fitness routine, or our religious faith. There can be many reasons to be committed to Christian practices that have little to do with Jesus Christ (e.g. tradition, culture, community, values, etc.). But is God inviting us into more? This …

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Are Christians Evidence Against God? 50:53

1+ y ago50:53

50:53

The Bible describes becoming a Christian as so transformative that a new believer is likened to a “new creation”. This week Jordach asks, if that is true then how do we make sense of the fact that we often find unbelievers with a healthier balance of self-regulation, EQ, interpersonal interactions and an overall better lifestyle? Shouldn’t we expec…

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Child sacrifice, war brides, and bear attacks: what are we to make of the Old Testament? 1:08:38

1+ y ago1:08:38

1:08:38

Stories that shock us. Laws that unsettle us. Behavior that baffles us. Richard Dawkins once referred to the God of the Old Testament as “arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction.” Is Dawkins’ right in his verdict? And if not, how can we read the Old Testament in a way that helps us to make sense not only of the more troubling texts, b…

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How can I deal with anxiety? Secular models and a biblical promise 33:09

1+ y ago33:09

33:09

When it comes to dealing with anxiety, some secular models suggest that we are either underestimating ourselves or overestimating our problems—either we are stronger than we think or our burdens are lighter than we think. But what do we do when our fears are not exaggerated and irrational but actually grounded in the reality of our broken world? Wh…

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How do I build a life that’s meaningful? 52:58

1+ y ago52:58

52:58

“I’ve always been more attracted to the idea that we make our own meaning. What do you think about that?” This question, asked by a freshman at UC Berkeley, gives voice to a perspective many hold today. What makes life meaningful? And is that a goal human beings can accomplish by ourselves? If these questions interest you, then check out this week’…

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Why believe the whole Bible? 49:19

1+ y ago49:19

49:19

Just because I believe in Jesus, why should I have to believe the whole Bible? Aren’t some passages outdated or even problematic? This week on Ask Away, Vince and Jo respond to a listener who asks if there is any clear and compelling logical rationale for treating the Bible as divinely inspired as opposed to a fallible authority that’s sometimes ri…

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Is it Christian to want to win? 49:29

1+ y ago49:29

49:29

“Climbing the ladder.” “Winning at life.” “Coming out on top.” “Living the high life.” We use phrases like these to describe success all the time, but is this a healthy paradigm for living well? In this episode of Ask Away, Jo interviews Vince about what motivates us to get out of bed in the morning, the pitfalls of power, and whether “winning” is …

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Who made God, why does he allow so much suffering, and is he mad at me if I feel anxious or depressed? 27:13

1+ y ago27:13

27:13

“Who made God?” This week on Ask Away, Vince responds to this live Q & A question, followed by two others on the topics of suffering and mental health. Vince wrote his doctoral thesis on the question of why God would allow horrendous evils, and if you want to read more from him on this subject you can download a free copy of his book with Oxford Un…

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Why does God present himself as male? And more live Q&A… 42:06

1+ y ago42:06

42:06

This week’s episode is taken from a live Q&A event that Jo did with a group of female students at Stanford University who had reached out for help with questions about faith that they were wrestling with. The honest and energized discussion spanned questions such as why Adam was created before Eve, were women an afterthought, do women have less val…

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If God already knows, why pray? 54:16

1+ y ago54:16

54:16

On this episode of Ask Away, Vince and Jo respond to the following listener-submitted question: “I do not see the point of praying if the outcome is already determined. Prayer is something that I have always struggled with. If God is all-knowing and He has the future mapped out, what is the purpose of prayer? Does prayer really have any influence o…

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Live @ Stanford: Is it crazy to believe in a virgin birth and a resurrection from death? 39:59

1+ y ago39:59

39:59

Vince discusses science, miracles, and resurrection—as well as his personal story of coming to faith at college—in this talk delivered to students at Stanford University. ------ We’re so glad you joined us for Ask Away. If you have a question that needs answering, we’d love to hear it. Send us an email at [email protected] or call and leave…

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Why do I find it so hard to share my faith? (The spiritual discipline of conversation - Part 2) 34:32

1+ y ago34:32

34:32

Do you ever feel frustrated with superficial conversation, but you’re unsure how to go deeper with others or even what questions to ask? Do you find it awkward trying to share your faith with those who see the world differently? In this second episode of a two part Ask Away podcast on “the spiritual discipline of conversation", Jo and Vince continu…

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Why do I find it so hard to share my faith? (The spiritual discipline of conversation - Part 1) 32:59

1+ y ago32:59

32:59

Do you ever feel frustrated with superficial conversation, but you’re unsure how to go deeper with others or even what questions to ask? Do you find it awkward trying to share your faith with those who see the world differently? In this first episode of a two part Ask Away podcast on “the spiritual discipline of conversation", Jo and Vince offer fo…

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How could a loving God judge us? 39:07

1+ y ago39:07

39:07

Recently we’ve had a number of questions come in around the topic of what God’s judgment of humanity reveals about his character—specifically, whether there is a contradiction between the claim that God loves us and the fact that he nevertheless judges us. This is a question that Jo personally struggled with in her early 20's when she was working o…

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Is God playing hide and seek? 53:07

2y ago53:07

53:07

If God wants to be known, why isn’t He more obvious? This week Jo and Vince respond to a listener who submitted the following question: “Why isn’t God more clear in revealing Himself, in His motives, in His character, in His morality? If He wants to have a relationship with people and loves them, why doesn’t God reveal Himself more plainly or at le…

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Live Q&A: Why are there terrible stories in the Old Testament? And more... 43:14

2y ago43:14

43:14

This week we are sharing with you an ‘Ask Anything’ event that we did last week at Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, where the audience were asking a whole range of important questions such as "How do I know God’s will?", How can God bring good out of bad?", and "What happens to those who never get to hear about Jesus?" It was a moving time t…

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Whom should I date and why should I marry? 1:05:25

2y ago1:05:25

1:05:25

On this special Valentine’s edition of Ask Away, Jo and Vince discuss singleness, dating, and marriage. They challenge us not to adopt an approach to marriage and relationships in general that—had Jesus adopted it—would have precluded Him from marrying us! ------ We’re so glad you joined us for Ask Away. If you have a question that needs answering,…

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What is a biblical approach to disagreement? 36:32

2y ago36:32

36:32

In this episode, you'll be hearing a talk that Vince gave a few months back at the Relational Wisdom Conference in Montana titled 'What is a biblical approach to disagreement?' We hope this episode helps you approach disagreement with less fear and with a far greater expectation for how loving, respectful dialogue can deepen relationships (even whe…

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Is Christianity bad news for women? 37:05

2y ago37:05

37:05

In this episode, you'll be hearing a talk that Jo gave recently on the campus of Stanford University entitled 'Is Christianity bad news for women?' ------ We’re so glad you joined us for Ask Away. If you have a question that needs answering, we’d love to hear it. Send us an email at [email protected] or call and leave a voicemail at (321) 2…

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How do we conceive of apologetics? 34:36

2y ago34:36

34:36

Jo and Vince share about how their understanding of apologetics, and ministry more generally, has been challenged and impacted over the last few years. ------ We’re so glad you joined us for Ask Away. If you have a question that needs answering, we’d love to hear it. Send us an email at [email protected] or call and leave a voicemail at (32…

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Where have we been and what have we been doing? 52:22

2y ago52:22

52:22

Jo and Vince share about some of the lessons they have been learning over the last three years and in particular about their gratitude for the gifts of repentance and reconciliation. ------ We’re so glad you joined us for Ask Away. If you have a question that needs answering, we’d love to hear it. Send us an email at [email protected] or ca…

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Coming Soon 0:43

2y ago0:43

0:43

Hi everyone, Jo and Vince Vitale here. After nearly three years, we wanted to let you know that we’re going to be starting up the Ask Away podcast again. We have really missed hearing your questions, and we’re looking forward to engaging with them once more. Thank you so much to those of you who reached out in this last season to encourage us—the j…