Discover the Word Podcast

How do you respond when you sin? Embarrassment? Shame? Horror? Or denial, hiding, running away? Some respond with confession and reception of grace. Scripture shows a variety of responses in Peter, Thomas, John Mark, the “sinful woman” and even Judas and we can learn from each. And what about when people don't respond by receiving Jesus' provision for sin?   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Though the fifth shortest book in the Bible, the letter of Jude is packed with mystery, theology, and important information. We want to take the next couple of weeks to explore it together, and discover the simplicity of the Gospel message that shines through the complex things that Jude points to in the story of the Bible.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Though the fifth shortest book in the Bible, the letter of Jude is packed with mystery, theology, and important information. We want to take the next couple of weeks to explore it together, and discover the simplicity of the Gospel message that shines through the complex things that Jude points to in the story of the Bible.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Co-founder of The Institute for Bible Reading (IFBR), Paul Caminiti, joins the group to talk about one of the barriers to robust Bible engagement--the fact that we tend to want to read the Bible in isolation. One of the strategies of the IFBR is to introduce, or actually re-introduce, us to reading the Bible in community. Discover how "Communal Bible Engagement" can be a transformational experience in this week of conversations.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

How does the resurrection of Christ change us? Life after Easter can either go on as normal, or transform us into more of who we are in Christ. By examining three women who came and experienced the empty tomb, we'll be challenged to see how we ourselves “look for the living among the dead” and how God wants to raise our eyes to see him here, in our everyday.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Of the seven sayings of Christ on the cross, this triumphant declaration drew His act of self-sacrifice to a close. How would the people at the foot of the cross have understood these words? And, what was Jesus claiming in this statement of completion? This passion week, an understanding of Jesus' last words from the cross can deeply enrich our appreciation of the love He expressed for us there.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

If God already knows everything and knows what you need, why pray? If God is in control of history and the world, why pray? If God is already going to accomplish his work, in his timing, and in his way, why pray? And what is prayer, anyway? Let's explore these questions together, and see how the Bible not only defines but also models prayer. And together, we can discover the invitation from God to not pray to him, but to pray with him as we go through the ups and downs of our everyday lives.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Sometimes the practical nature of the book doesn't seem "spiritual" enough to be part of the Bible. Verses addressing laziness and hard work, or not co-signing on debt can feel too worldly or practical, but in fact the great insight Proverbs gives us is how innately spiritual every day is. If God created the world, and He did, then it would make sense that God has something to say about how to best live and thrive in it. Proverbs and the Wisdom Literature explores that with one important caveat. Proverbs must be understood rightly. Wisdom literature offers principles not promises. Discover what that means, and how Proverbs offers a Godly skill for living.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Do you ever get tired of reading the Old Testament because you're pretty sure you know the story? God gives laws and his people break them, over and over again. But what if the story was about more than that? What if the OT is about more than that. Well, in this study on Discover the Word, Dr. Michelle Knight joins the group to take a closer look at the "poster book" for disobedience--the book of Judges. Explore with the group how The background of Judges is not just about obedience, but about God revealing himself. If we make this story about doing good or doing badly, we miss the fact that God was seeking his people out (like he does us), time and time again.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Do you ever get tired of reading the Old Testament because you're pretty sure you know the story? God gives laws and his people break them, over and over again. But what if the story was about more than that? What if the OT is about more than that. Well, in this study on Discover the Word, Dr. Michelle Knight joins the group to take a closer look at the "poster book" for disobedience--the book of Judges. Explore with the group how The background of Judges is not just about obedience, but about God revealing himself. If we make this story about doing good or doing badly, we miss the fact that God was seeking his people out (like he does us), time and time again.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Do you like fruit? Why or why not? Do you have a favorite fruit? Well, growing a life that matters, is the result of God's fruit of the Spirit growing in our lives. But just what is "the fruit of the Spirit" and how does it grow in our lives? Galatians 5 contrasts the fruit of the Spirit with the works of the flesh and then Paul explains how the fruit of the Spirit is God's characteristics in our personality. Discover with the group what we look like when we look like Him.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Do you like fruit? Why or why not? Do you have a favorite fruit? Well, growing a life that matters, is the result of God's fruit of the Spirit growing in our lives. But just what is "the fruit of the Spirit" and how does it grow in our lives? Galatians 5 contrasts the fruit of the Spirit with the works of the flesh and then Paul explains how the fruit of the Spirit is God's characteristics in our personality. Discover with the group what we look like when we look like Him.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

What is the most honest thing you can say to God right now and is it okay to say it? We all experience difficult seasons in our lives, and sometimes they last a really long time. This seems to be the case for Heman, the author of Psalm 88 and a worship leader of Israel. How does he respond to God? Well, it's rather raw, and perhaps a bit uncomfortable, but it's honest. And there could be an example in this gut-wrenching Psalm for us too—of how we can respond to God when the worst happens. So buckle up, and join us for a hard conversation about hard days, and discover the gift God gives us—the invitation to be honest.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

It's unfortunate that being concerned about the environment has taken on political undertones. But what we'll about this week is not about politics. We as Christians belong first to a heavenly kingdom and our value system is shaped and formed by our God. And part of our stewardship and responsibility is to care for the earth God created. God has entrusted us with the care of his creation; we are stewards, not the owners. Join the Discover the Word group this week as they take a closer look at passages in both the Old and New Testaments that reference care for creation.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

A question seen often in the Old Testament is “Who is like you, God?” and demands the answer, “No one is like our God.” His wonders are incomparable and the gods of the nations don't come close to him. Often when that question is asked, a descriptor of God's uniqueness is provided to show just one area in which the God of wonders stands apart from all others. We want to explore a handful of those cases in these conversations so that we can be reminded together of the greatness and majesty of our God, and why he is so worthy of our praise and worship.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Do you like bread? What kinds? Do you bake bread? Bread shows up throughout the entire Bible—over 300 times, actually. But it doesn't just represent food, it comes to represent the story of the Bible and the story of the Gospel. In a way, you could say that God is a Baker, and when we eat God's tasty bread we may find that we never hunger again. Join the Discover the Word group as Daniel takes Mart and Elisa and Bill on a tour through the bakery of some passages that tell us about "God, the Baker."   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Did you know that Jerusalem is the most frequently mentioned place named in the Bible? And if, as Bible geographer Dr. Jack Beck contends, place/location always matters, there's something extra special about Jerusalem in the Biblical story. Jerusalem is like no other city. And if you understand its uniqueness, you will understand not only all the attention it gets in the Bible but also why the stories and poetry of the Bible speak of it in the way they do. Explore Jerusalem--the City of God, with Dr. Jack Beck and the Discover the Word group.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Did you know that Jerusalem is the most frequently mentioned place named in the Bible? And if, as Bible geographer Dr. Jack Beck contends, place/location always matters, there's something extra special about Jerusalem in the Biblical story. Jerusalem is like no other city. And if you understand its uniqueness, you will understand not only all the attention it gets in the Bible but also why the stories and poetry of the Bible speak of it in the way they do. Explore Jerusalem--the City of God, with Dr. Jack Beck and the Discover the Word group.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

If any Bible character lived a life of seemingly constant danger, it was David—and we feel the weight of that danger most clearly in many of his psalms. Psalm 30 was one of those psalms where David wrestled with his experiences of danger, but in retrospect. Explore with the group how David learned to trust God's long game through all the downs and ups of life, and how we can learn to trust God's heart as well.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Do you give back to God for all He's given you? Why or why not? How? Do you give to the church, support a missionary, donate to a nonprofit, recycle your possessions for others, share a meal, stop at a traffic light to help someone hungry? The practice of giving traces through the Old and New Testaments, outlining how God invites His people into a practice of generosity in both receiving and investing His gifts in our world.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

What distracts you? Is it always a bad thing? Are there specific distractions that can be negative? In a world of distractions, sometimes there is the need to focus on one thing—and the Bible reminds us of this on several occasions where the phrase “one thing” points us to issues and concerns that are deserving of our undistracted focus.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Last week, we listened to some conversations the Discover the Word group had some time ago, entitled “Christmas Names of Jesus,” which focused on Isaiah 9:6. This week, Bill leads Elisa and Rasool and Vivian back into some conversations in which they consider the same idea of Christmas names but from a different text: Matthew 1. More...Christmas Names in this edition of Discover the Word.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Isaiah provides us with more messianic prophecy than any other Old Testament prophet. It should be no surprise that, when He speaks of the Messiah's birth in Isaiah 9:6, the names he gives to Messiah describe the nature of the God-man who was to come, and whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Have you ever received a death sentence? Perhaps…we have many listeners from prisons in our world who cling to the hope of Jesus in the face of death. Some wrongly sentenced and unfairly treated. Some of us might be facing a literal death sentence of suffering in illness. Then, many of us experience a more figurative death sentence in terms of a call placed over our lives to commit to a cause, a person, a job, an illness, a plight that we did not choose but was chosen for us and we know we must yield to its presence. The apostle Paul writes about a combination of a literal and figurative death sentence in his second letter to the church in Corinth and surprises us with lessons not just about how to survive – but how to cooperate with God's overarching purposes in these places where we find ourselves living out our lives.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

In today's world, we're facing a connection crisis. Despite being more digitally connected than ever, many people feel a deep sense of loneliness and disconnection. This crisis has been amplified by the pandemic, leading to increased stress and mental health issues. But what's at the root of this connection crisis, and how does it impact our spiritual lives? Cultivating deep growth is a lifelong journey that requires intentional effort and engagement. By immersing ourselves in Scripture, practicing contemplative prayer, and connecting deeply with others, we create the conditions for spiritual transformation. As we tend to our souls and allow ourselves to be deeply known and loved, we will flourish and bear fruit that lasts. May we find joy and meaning in the process, trusting that God is at work in us, growing us from the inside out.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Our heavenly Father is the ultimate source of every good thing in our lives—and that alone should be reason enough to give thanks. However, when you read through the Bible, you discover that there are 68 times when the phrase “give thanks” appears. This exhortation to being intentionally thankful is what Bill Crowder wants the Discover the Word group to explore this week. Join Bill as he leads Mart DeHaan, Elisa Morgan, and Daniel Ryan Day to some of the instances where we're encouraged to Give Thanks this week.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Have you ever tried to put a puzzle together with the picture of the finished puzzle on the top of the box? Scripture gives us many aspects of God's design for marriage, and what the box top picture looks like of what He intends. Join the Discover the Word group as they explore God's view of marriage and the sacred covenant it is, and also how the world's view and Satan's lies can cause us to be focused on self and personal happiness rather than oneness and legacy.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

When we think about parables, we often immediately think of the short stories Jesus tells when he's trying to teach something. But Jesus didn't invent parables, he was leaning into his culture and tradition as he followed the example of many Old Testament authors. Join us on Discover the Word as we read a few Old Testament parables, and see how they help us connect our faith to our everyday lives.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Scholar and preacher Meghan Good joins the group for a two week journey called The Story of Scripture that outlines the narrative arch of the Bible. Beginning with Creation, explore how the Scriptures tell the story of God's strategy for healing that Creation, that will eventually end with the New Creation. You'll find that Meghan has an engaging way of presenting complex theological ideas in an accessible and engaging way. Discover how understanding The Story of Scripture will change how you read and understand the Bible with Meghan Good and the Discover the Word group.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Scholar and preacher Meghan Good joins the group for a two week journey called The Story of Scripture that outlines the narrative arch of the Bible. Beginning with Creation, explore how the Scriptures tell the story of God's strategy for healing that Creation, that will eventually end with the New Creation. You'll find that Meghan has an engaging way of presenting complex theological ideas in an accessible and engaging way. Discover how understanding The Story of Scripture will change how you read and understand the Bible with Meghan Good and the Discover the Word group.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

It seems that, for almost any struggle we face in life that there is a psalm for that. For example if you're weary and downtrodden, feeling alone and insecure? This week the Discover the Word team looks at a Psalm that reminds you that you are not alone. King David was there as well, and he bears witness to his struggles and God's faithfulness in Psalm 61. A song about where Real Security is found--in this episode of Discover the Word.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Recently, The Survey of American Life found that millions of men have dropped out of the workforce, colleges, dating, and friendships. Those who responded that they have no friends went from 3% in 1990 to 15% in 2021. And men are not only disappearing from relationships, but from the church as well. In this series of conversations, Rasool Berry and Dr. Maliek Blade lead the group into conversations that explain how The Whole Man Project seeks to address these issues by looking at four components of a man's whole life, applying Scripture and practical wisdom to the head (mental health and theological truth), heart (emotional health and relationships), hands (vocation and physical health), and soul (spiritual health and community).   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

What does it take to get better at just about anything? Practice right? Intentional practice. So, what does it look like to live out our faith in everyday life? Well, the Bible and Christian tradition have something to say about that! Join us on Discover the Word as we consider the responsibility we have to be active and grow in our spiritual lives. Specifically, we will look at a few spiritual habits that invite us to train in godliness, and practice being open to God so we can hear from him and become the type of people he has for us to become.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

What does it take to get better at just about anything? Practice right? Intentional practice. So, what does it look like to live out our faith in everyday life? Well, the Bible and Christian tradition have something to say about that! Join us on Discover the Word as we consider the responsibility we have to be active and grow in our spiritual lives. Specifically, we will look at a few spiritual habits that invite us to train in godliness, and practice being open to God so we can hear from him and become the type of people he has for us to become.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

What comes to mind when you hear the words “prophet” and “prophecy?” Often we think of someone who is a spiritual meteorologist who forecasts history and writes it down before it happens. But bottom line, prophets and prophetesses were God's messengers, delivering a message from God that most times people weren't very excited to hear. During this series, Dr. David Turner joins the Discover the Word group to explore with us how Jesus was Israel's last great prophet. How did they, and how will we, respond to the message He came to bring?   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

What comes to mind when you hear the words “prophet” and “prophecy?” Often we think of someone who is a spiritual meteorologist who forecasts history and writes it down before it happens. But bottom line, prophets and prophetesses were God's messengers, delivering a message from God that most times people weren't very excited to hear. During this series, Dr. David Turner joins the Discover the Word group to explore with us how Jesus was Israel's last great prophet. How did they, and how will we, respond to the message He came to bring?   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

Filled with faith, hope, love, and promise, wise King Solomon begins in the right place. But his life got increasingly more and more complicated, and by the end, his choices put him (and the nation of Israel) in a very different spot. Explore lessons we can learn from the cautionary tale of the man we often call "wise King Solomon."   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

The Psalms are not a random collection of ancient poems, but are an intentionally organized testimony of a faithful God who hears all who cry out to him in praise or pain, wisdom or confusion, in confidence or doubt. The narrative arc of this anthology is not only about past movements of God in Israel, but offers future promises about where all of Creation is headed—toward a new reality where we dwell with God and he with us, forever. In this series, we will be exploring an anthology that tells a bigger story than its individual parts. This anthology is not made up of poems from one person, but includes poems from several different authors. It includes poems that cover different time periods and poems that were written in different locations and even countries. Yet this collection of poems has a very specific theme and structure, and the overall anthology tells a story—a very important story—a surprising story.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

The Psalms are not a random collection of ancient poems, but are an intentionally organized testimony of a faithful God who hears all who cry out to him in praise or pain, wisdom or confusion, in confidence or doubt. The narrative arc of this anthology is not only about past movements of God in Israel, but offers future promises about where all of Creation is headed—toward a new reality where we dwell with God and he with us, forever. In this series, we will be exploring an anthology that tells a bigger story than its individual parts. This anthology is not made up of poems from one person, but includes poems from several different authors. It includes poems that cover different time periods and poems that were written in different locations and even countries. Yet this collection of poems has a very specific theme and structure, and the overall anthology tells a story—a very important story—a surprising story.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

The Psalms are not a random collection of ancient poems, but are an intentionally organized testimony of a faithful God who hears all who cry out to him in praise or pain, wisdom or confusion, in confidence or doubt. The narrative arc of this anthology is not only about past movements of God in Israel, but offers future promises about where all of Creation is headed—toward a new reality where we dwell with God and he with us, forever. In this series, we will be exploring an anthology that tells a bigger story than its individual parts. This anthology is not made up of poems from one person, but includes poems from several different authors. It includes poems that cover different time periods and poems that were written in different locations and even countries. Yet this collection of poems has a very specific theme and structure, and the overall anthology tells a story—a very important story—a surprising story.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

The Psalms are not a random collection of ancient poems, but are an intentionally organized testimony of a faithful God who hears all who cry out to him in praise or pain, wisdom or confusion, in confidence or doubt. The narrative arc of this anthology is not only about past movements of God in Israel, but offers future promises about where all of Creation is headed—toward a new reality where we dwell with God and he with us, forever. In this series, we will be exploring an anthology that tells a bigger story than its individual parts. This anthology is not made up of poems from one person, but includes poems from several different authors. It includes poems that cover different time periods and poems that were written in different locations and even countries. Yet this collection of poems has a very specific theme and structure, and the overall anthology tells a story—a very important story—a surprising story.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE:

The Psalms are not a random collection of ancient poems, but are an intentionally organized testimony of a faithful God who hears all who cry out to him in praise or pain, wisdom or confusion, in confidence or doubt. The narrative arc of this anthology is not only about past movements of God in Israel, but offers future promises about where all of Creation is headed—toward a new reality where we dwell with God and he with us, forever. In this series, we will be exploring an anthology that tells a bigger story than its individual parts. This anthology is not made up of poems from one person, but includes poems from several different authors. It includes poems that cover different time periods and poems that were written in different locations and even countries. Yet this collection of poems has a very specific theme and structure, and the overall anthology tells a story—a very important story—a surprising story.   WAYS TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE: