Helping Christians think well, defend their faith & have better conversations. | Founder @ThinkWell | Apologetics Professor @BiolaU | Director @we_are_maven
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Articles by Ryan Pauly
Opposing Estrous Cycle-Dependent Norepinephrine and Dopamine Regulation in Response to Methamphetamine
, , , and . 2026. “Opposing Estrous Cycle-Dependent Norepinephrine and Dopamine Regulation in Response to Methamphetamine.” Journal of Neurochemistry170, no. 7: e70516. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.70516. Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Data Availability Statement The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. References , and . 2020.
Decoding mesolimbic dopamine transmission in the olfactory tubercle and its contribution to methamphetamine responses through neurochemical sensing and chemogenetics
Abstract Central dopamine (DA) innervation of the olfactory tubercle (OT) from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) plays a critical role in encoding multisensory information and generating behavioral outputs necessary for survival. However, due to anatomical restrictions and the neurochemical heterogeneity of the VTA and OT, very little is known about the functional link between mesolimbic VTA-DA transmission in the OT and its role in mediating reward and drug seeking.
End-of-Year Giving Challenge
A group of generous supporters have come together to pledge a matching challenge of $13,230 Incredible! This means they will match all gifts up to this amount from now until the end of the year. We couldn’t be more grateful to our supporters. Last year, we ran our first end-of-year matching challenge and were able to raise over $10,000! This immensely supported our mission to impact the next generation and train many Christians to engage the culture for Christ.
Why Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again (Justin Brierley)
Secularism seems to have taken over, but is there a change coming? Agnostic journalist Douglas Murray commented that a number of his intelligent friends had converted to Christianity in recent years. Justin Brierley (former host of Unbelievable? and current co-host of the Re-Enchanting Podcast) was seeing a similar trend among the secular thinkers he had interviewed on his show.
Why doesn’t God just show up & prove himself?
“In fact, of all the arguments for and against God’s existence (and I’ve heard them all) this is the most powerful I have encountered in support of the atheist position. A tour de force.”” – Michael Shermer, Publisher Skeptic Magazine “One of the most powerful and yet simple arguments for atheism that has been developed in recent years.” — T. J.
Call-In Show on the Moral Argument for God’s Existence
The moral argument is often seen as one of the most powerful arguments for God’s existence. However, in order to understand its strength, one must begin with a solid understanding of the argument and the difference between objective and subjective morality. Today’s show is a conversation with a caller that addresses many questions related to the moral argument. Content Discussed 0:00 Introduction 1:38 What is the moral argument? 6:30 How do we know if morality is objective or subjective?
A 12-Year Run Is Coming To An End | Q&A
Big changes are happening this summer… Think Well is officially ready to bring Ryan on in an increased capacity! This means more interviews and YouTube content! Donors have come alongside this ministry in an incredible way to make this goal a reality, helping us raise over 90% of our 2023 budget. Wow! This is our final push to raise the last 10% before launching into full gear. We are looking for 30 new monthly partners this month that want to help us reach our goal.
The Best Lies Sound the Most Beautiful (Alisa Childers)
Live your truth. Follow your heart. You only have one life to live. God just wants you to be happy. Love is love. These cultural statements flood our news feeds and sound so positive, but are they true? In order to Think Well we must discern the messages we see and compare them to biblical truth.
Gender, Marriage, and Sex: A Short Summary of What the Bible Teaches
This article was originally published on Advocates for Truth under the title Christian Basics: Gender, Marriage, and Sex. It can also be found at NealHardin.com. June is declared to be for the LGBTQ+ community. As such, gender, sex, and marriage are frequent talking points in our culture right now. What do Jesus and the Bible teach about these issues? How should Christians respond? What Does Jesus Say About This?
It’s Possible God Exists & He’s Better Than You Think (Dr. Paul Gould)
“The deep longing of the human heart is for a story that is both true and satisfying.” But how can we know which story is true? Does the religious or non-religious story better line up with reality? Dr. Paul Goul looks at 11 clues to understand the universe at our place in it and encourages you to adopt a different posture toward the question of God. Dr. Paul Gould is associate professor of philosophy and director of the philosophy of religion master’s program at Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Join the Challenge & Help Think Well Max Out This Opportunity!
I’m so excited to announce our first-ever donor matching challenge! I see ministries do these all the time but never expected to do it myself. That was until I received an unexpected message from a generous donor. They want to match any donations to Think Well received between today and Dec. 31st up to $5,000! Praise God! They hope to spur on even more supporters to the ministry and help us reach our fundraising goal for 2023.
Podcast
Imagination is critically important today in our present apologetics endeavor. "Imaginative apologetics seeks to harness the God-given faculty of imagination to work in cooperation with reason, to open a way for the work of the Holy Spirit to guide the... Continue Reading →
Suicide: When Hope Runs Out (with Jon Noyes)
This is the most important conversation many will hear and that has little to do with the presentation or Jon and everything to do with what so many people are facing right now in their lives. Whether it’s something you wrestle with personally or it’s a friend who’s struggling, suicide has affected all of us and it’s at the center of the cultural conversation. In this conversation, Jon seeks to give you some tools to address suicide in your own life, or in the life of someone who is close to you.
If God is Good, Why the Coronavirus? (with Anjeanette Roberts)
When we ask about the coronavirus we should be asking practical questions as well as foundational questions. We want to know the practical questions about the best way to protect ourselves and love others. What makes this virus different? What is a virus? Is it alive? There are also foundational worldview questions. Why would a good God even create viruses? Are they the result of the fall or were the part of the original creation? What were their original purpose?
How should Christians view singleness and marriage? (with Neal Hardin)
Christians are better able to love one another when we have a better understanding of the theology of singleness and marriage. Listen this week as we dive into the topic of singleness. Neal Hardin graduated with MA in Theology from Talbot School of Theology and is currently interviewing for PhD programs. He has writes for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and his blog, Religion and Politics. YouTube Podcast Previous Shows with Neal AB 2943: Will the Bible be banned? APU did what?
Core77 Design Awards
Furniture and lighting products or systems for private, public, commercial or industrial use. Examples include: home or public furniture and seating, office systems, lighting, workstations, etc.
Core77 Design Awards
The 2020 Core77 Design Awards Furniture & Lighting category honors furniture and lighting products or systems for private, public, commercial or industrial use. Examples include: home or public furniture and seating, office systems, lighting, workstations, etc. This year's Core77 Design Awards Furniture & Lighting team was led by Ben Gaffney, VP of International Design Development at L. Ercolani. Joining him on the panel were Hlynur V.
What are souls and why do they matter? (with Dr. J. P. Moreland)
What is a soul? Do we have one? How do we know it is real? Why does it matter? Dr. J. P. Moreland is the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University in La Mirada, California. He has four earned degrees: a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Missouri, a Th.M. in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, an M. A. in philosophy from the University of California-Riverside, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Southern California.
Is God Evil for Allowing Evil?
Part 1 of this series looked at the logical problem of evil. That argument is, if God is all-good, then he would want to stop evil. If God is all-powerful, then he could stop evil. Evil exists. Therefore, God doesn’t. I showed why the logical version has failed, but that still leaves the probability version. It may be logically possible for God and evil to both exist, but since there is so much pointless suffering, it is more likely that God doesn’t exist. How would you respond? Why does God allow evil?
Should Christians believe in the Big Bang? (with Dr. Jeff Zweerink)
If the universe began to exist, then the implications are profound. Perhaps that’s why some insist it has existed forever. Dr. Jeff Zweerink, an astrophysicist and senior research scholar at Reasons to Believe, joined the show to discuss these issues. In his new book, “Escaping the Beginning?“, Jeff thoughtfully examines the most prevalent eternal-universe theories—quantum gravity, the steady state model, the oscillating universe, and the increasingly popular multiverse.
Objection Response: Atheism Isn’t A Decision
The latest video published on the channel was titled, “3 Reasons Why People Don’t Believe In God.” It quickly caught the attention of one skeptic who posted a few objections to what I had to say. I wanted to take some time to give a more detailed response as some of his objections brought up some great points. Hopefully, this interaction is a helpful learning experience as we desire to have positive and fruitful conversations.
If God can’t do the logically impossible, how did he raise Jesus from the dead?
Students often have many questions once they learn that God being all-powerful does not mean that he has the power to do all things. What can’t God do? God can’t go against his nature or do what is logically impossible. Then how did God raise Jesus from the dead? For that, we need to remember the difference between physically impossible and logically impossible. Questions of the Day, Resurrection apologetics, Christianity, Impossible, jesus, Logic, Miracle, Resurrection, Theology, Video
Are science and faith compatible?
Is it possible to be a Christian and follow the scientific data where it leads? Absolutely! The conflict between science and faith is one of the main factors leading students away from the church. This means that if we are going to disciple the next generation, we need to help our students think correctly about the intersection of science and faith.
Tactics in Discussing Your Christian Convictions
What would you hope your youth group students, church members, or children look like in their walk with Christ? What if they had knowledge of Christianity and the culture, wisdom in how to maneuver in conversations and evangelism, and lived in an attractive manner with a strong character? Would that be a success? I absolutely think so. We spend a lot of time working on the character of our students and giving them knowledge, but what is often lacking is wisdom.
It’s Because of God’s Love That Not Everyone Is Saved
We got ourselves a wobbly walker! Let the fun (chasing after) begin 👟 What it means to you is not of primary importance. Don’t commit the 6th Bible reading mistake. #apologetics #christian #devotional #bible It’s shocking how the narrative of history has changed, and the truth may surprise you. Join my discussion with @drjeffmyers of @summitmn as we discuss how Jesus followers have shaped everything.
Cultural Apologetics with Dr. Paul Gould
Dr. Paul Gould, the author of, Cultural Apologetics: Renewing the Christian Voice, Conscience, and Imagination in a Disenchanted World, joined the show to talk about his new book. The first part of our discussion focused on the question, what is cultural apologetics? Dr. Gould is a philosopher, a scholar, a teacher, a husband, and father. Most importantly, he is a follower of Christ. He believes that Jesus is man’s greatest need and our highest good.
Why does God let children die?
Couldn’t God have created a different world where children don’t die? VIDEO I also addressed this question in the blog, Why does God let a child die? Answer to the skeptic/atheist. Like this: Like Loading... Ryan Pauly Ryan Pauly is the founder and president of Think Well. He speaks around the country, hosts conversations on YouTube, and teaches Historical Christian Doctrine and Apologetics, Comparative Religions and Worldviews, and Philosophy of Ethics at a Southern California High School.
Can the Trinity be defended?
I was reminded by the amount of questions students have related to the Trinity after teaching through the Doctrine of God in my high school class. Because of this, I decided to put out a short YouTube series addressing if the Trinity is logical, biblical, and responding to bad analogies. This short series became the topic of a recent podcast. Listen to the podcast below and check out the posted YouTube videos to better prepare yourelf to defend the doctrine of the Trinity.
Having Unbelievable Conversations with Justin Brierley
Justin Brierley, the host of Premier Christian Radio‘s apologetics and theology debate program Unbelievable?, joined the show this week to discuss his book, his many years of conversations, and the upcoming conference in LA. The Unbelievable? radio show and podcast brings Christians and non-Christians together for dialogue each week. Its goal is to bring theology and apologetics into the real world while creating conversations that matter. Justin is also the author of Unbelievable?
Guest Interviews
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Giving
(Other giving options below) Welcome! I didn’t know what to expect when I launched this ministry in 2015, but I can say that I have been absolutely blown away by the work God’s doing. I never imagined reaching so many people and receiving messages of lives that have been impacted by the ministry. It is truly an honor to take what I have learned and train people to think well by curating conversations with Christian thinkers and giving a framework for engaging our culture with a biblical worldview.
Transgender people in the Bible? YouTube Response Part 1
A student reached out to me a few months back, and I responded to her question in a podcast titled, Are there transgender people in the Bible? However, I have been wanting to create a few short YouTube videos addressing the question as well. Here is part 1. Questions of the Day bible, Culture, Gender, Identity, Instagram, LGBTQ, Sex, Transgender, youth, YouTube
Mere Molinism in the Calvinist vs Arminian Debate with Tim Stratton
Christians often like to discuss more debated and controversial issues, and students always want to ask my opinion on the difficult questions. I mean, who wouldn’t? It is fun to talk about accepted Christian doctrines, but who doesn’t like a friendly debate on the age of the earth, end times, or how you are saved? Can we get a little old earth vs young earth? Maybe it’s pre-trib vs post-trib? What about Calvinism vs Arminianism?
Having Online Conversations Without Getting Angry
I received a question a few weeks back on my Instagram post related my video “3 Responses to the Claim that Jesus is a Recycled Pagan Myth.” The question was, how can we have online conversations without letting them take up so much of our emotional and mental energy, especially when they can get so heated and sour? Here is my response. Short Answer Q&A apologetics, Conversation, Evangelism, Online, Questions, Social Media, Videos, youth, YouTube
Atheist Role Play
It has taken me a few years, but I finally have an atheist role play recorded on video. This video was taken at a camp this summer with about 230 junior high and high school students. The video starts with a 9-minute introduction and my “testimony” (it’s fake since I’m a Christian) of why I left Christianity. The next 25 minutes is a time of questions and discussion with the audience before closing with 10 minutes of debriefing.
The Prosperity Gospel and Biblical Promises: How should we understand them?
I recently came across an Instagram account very clearly promoted the prosperity gospel. Some of the messages seemed misleading and others were completely false. Here are a few examples of what I saw. “I feel a SHIFT in the atmosphere; some things that you have been praying for WILL be answered SOON! Praise God!!!” “Before July is over, a major miracle will happen for you… Tell God, ‘Thank you.'” “Those things you prayed for are arriving this week in Jesus Name.
Are there transgender people in the Bible?
I received a message on Instagram a few months ago from a student. It read, “I got into a discussion with my friend the other day about transgender and gender identity, and she told me that there were transgender [people] in the Bible. I’m very troubled by this concept as I just can’t understand it.” How would you respond? Are there transgender people in the Bible? Does the Bible say anything about the topic? Well, you can listen to my response here! Would you have said anything different?
3 Responses to the Claim that Jesus is a Recycled Pagan Myth
I was recently asked to join an Instagram discussion on the person of Jesus and the truth of Christianity. A student had responded to a post which you can see here. The first thing to recognize is that this post is a classic example of the genetic fallacy. You cannot discredit a view based on where it came from. You must attack the arguments of the view.
Are we focused on giving students a religious experience or knowledge of God?
Over the last two weeks, I have had the privilege of training over 550 students at two different summer camps. I am used to training students, but there was something I wasn’t used to. The students were as young as 3rd grade and as old as high school and seminary. Despite this large age range, there were two things in common among all these students: 1) They all had a desire to know the truth and 2) they had a lot of questions. My first trip was to Alpine Christian Camp.
Live YouTube Interview with Zac from Adherent Apologetics
I recently had the privilege of being interviewed by Zac of Adherent Apologetics on YouTube live. We discussed my role as a missionary and my journey into Christian apologetics. Watch the video here and check out the list of questions below. 0:48 – What is your family background? 4:38 – Was there a time when you fazed away from youth faith? 6:33 – What led you to become a missionary in the Dominican Republic? 9:30 – What did you do in the Dominican Republic?
The Killing of the Canaanites: Genocide or Judgment? with Dr. Clay Jones
A few weeks back I posted the following video on YouTube. It was met with a few comments that were critical of the points being made. I engaged with the objections a few times but knew that more needed to be said. It is hard to give an indepth understanding on such a difficult topic in a YouTube comment section. One of the comments was later deleted by the author, but a few reamin.
Are you intelligently designed?
Are you the result of natural processes or created by an intelligent designer with a purpose in mind? Check out this talk as Ryan explains why design is the better explanation after looking at biology, cosmology, and more. If you are interested in having me speak at your church, camp, or youth group, click on the Endorsements & Speaking page to see my list of topics and contact me at Speaking Requests and email me at contact@coffeehousequestions.com.
How Coffeehouse Questions Began on the TMC Podcast
One thing I love doing is encouraging others to get into the game. It is common to have a fear of evangelizing, speaking, blogging, podcasting, or simply sharing our Christian convictions. What most people don’t know is that I came from a point of extreme stage fright while in junior high. I couldn’t even stand up in front of my class and recite the weekly Bible verse. I remember standing in front of the class one time, freezing up, and walking out of the room in utter embarrassment.
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