In the Market with Janet Parshall

September 09, 2025

Hour 1: Atheists Finding God

In a Western culture of increasing skepticism towards conservative Christianity, what motivates intellectually driven atheists to believe in the reality of God and become passionate followers of Christ? A review of social science literature confirms a predominant functional approach to religious conversion, effectively reducing a complex, substantive phenomenon to a partial functional explanation. Today, Jana Harmon will take a broader look at religious conversion to determine the precursors and pathways from atheistic disbelief to belief in God and Christianity within an educated population. Many former atheists not only experienced a change in their worldview, but also a dramatic transformation of their ‘whole world.’

Hour 2: When God Is Silent

For Christians, one of our earliest lessons―and greatest gifts―is learning how to pray. And yet many of us believe our prayer lives fall short. Dr. John Koessler will reassure us that this has nothing to do with motivation or method. Our problems are relational, and recognizing this is the first step to having a better prayer life. Prayer is a conversation that moves primarily in one direction: from the believer who prays to the God who hears. If God appears silent, that does not mean that He is unresponsive. We always have God's attention. We are invited to gain a sense of God, of His goodness, and the rich welcome that is waiting for us every time we approach Him in the name of Jesus Christ.