So We Speak

In the last two weeks, Israel and Iran escalated their attacks, leading to the decimation of Iranian military and scientific leadership, and the destruction of their nuclear facilities. On June 22, the United States launched Operation Midnight Hammer and struck Iran's heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility. Just this week, the two countries have declared a cease fire. What will happen next? Cole and Terry discuss the history, the future, and what the Bible has to say. 

In his new book, Why Religion Went Obsolete, sociologist Christian Smith argues that religion is not just declining; it is increasingly seen as unnecessary. People can be good without God. Religion does not play a positive role in the world. So, what is the future for the church? In this interview, Cole talks with Christian Smith about the data, the rise of the spiritual but not religious, and what the future might hold for the church. 

The book of Joshua serves as a hinge point in the Old Testament. It is the end of the long journey out of Egypt and the beginning of life in the land. Even the name points to Jesus, which is the Greek way to say Joshua. The whole book points to the ministry of Jesus - and may even contain an appearance of Jesus in the opening chapters. 

Deuteronomy is a cornerstone of the Old Testament. It is the theology and history of Israel, and was widely revered and studied in the time of Jesus. In fact, Jesus quotes from this book as much as any other during his life. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of passages that point to Jesus in Deuteronomy as well. From the example of Moses to the curse placed on everyone hanged on a tree, this book shows us Jesus and helps us understand his life, death, and resurrection. 

The overturning of Roe v. Wade marks one of the biggest moments of our lifetimes. For 50 years, abortion was protected by the Supreme Court, but in the Dobbs decision in 2022, the court overturned Roe, allowing states to protect life by restricting abortion. What can Christians do now? How should we continue to treasure and preserve life? How can we live biblically in the world after Roe v. Wade?  David Closson joins the podcast to discuss his new book Life After Roe: Equipping Christians in the Fight for Life Today. Check out this new book and follow David's work at the Family Research Council. 

Despite the name, Numbers is one of the most intriguing books in the Old Testament. The Israelites get right up to the edge of the Promised Land before they tragically doubt God's promises and return to the desert for 40 years. In the desert, God teaches them to walk with him and trust him. Along the way, we get some important glimpses of Jesus that resurface across the New Testament. 

Leviticus gets a bad rap. The sacrifices and priestly rules don't always make for lively reading. But don't take that as a sign that it's not important. When you see Jesus through the lens of Leviticus, his life, death, and resurrection take on new meaning and significance. 

The Exodus is the ultimate pattern of salvation in the Bible. God tells Exodus stories over and over again. But that's not all in this book. God also shows us the importance of a sacrifice in the Passover and the power of his presence in the Tabernacle. Exodus is full of themes that point to Jesus. 

It doesn't take long to see a glimpse of Jesus in the opening of the Bible. When sin entered the world, God didn't go to his backup plan; he promised to send his Son to bring his people back. All through Genesis, God is setting the stage for the coming of Christ far in the future. 

After his resurrection, Jesus walked with two other from Jerusalem to Emmaus and "starting with Moses and the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24:27). What did he say to them that day? How can we see those same things? In this new series, Cole and Terry will discuss finding Jesus in each book of the Old Testament. Look for the first episode this Friday. 

We saved the best for last. The book of Revelation says it is written by John. But the question is: which John? Cole and Terry discuss the background and authorship of Revelation to conclude this series on the authors of the New Testament. 

Paul's letters are disputed, but so are the other letters in the New Testament, called the general epistles. These letters, written from leaders in the Jerusalem church, Peter, John, James, and Jude, have varying backgrounds and histories. Some of them have never been doubted. One is the most controversial of all the letters in the New Testament. 

The authorship of Hebrews is one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Bible. While many in the early church believed it was a letter from Paul, the evidence seems to be that it was written by someone else. If so, should it be in the New Testament? Dive into these discussions and see who Cole and Terry think might have written Hebrews in this Friday bonus episode. 

Were all of Paul's letters really written by Paul? It's common among scholars to divide up the thirteen letters of Paul into disputed and non-disputed, with many claiming Paul did not write 6 of the books in the NT. Cole and Terry work through these arguments and show that we can have confidence in Pauline authorship and the inspiration and authority of the epistles. 

How do we know that we really have the words of Jesus in the Bible? Differences in the gospels are often held up as proof that we can't know much about Jesus's earthly life. But is that what the evidence shows? Cole and Terry talk about what the Gospels are, how they were written, and what we should expect as we read them. 

The resurrection is the center of the Christian faith. Everything depends on the claim that Jesus rose from the dead. So, how do we know that it really happened? Cole and Terry discuss the best arguments for the resurrection and the mountain of evidence that Jesus did exactly what he said he would on Easter morning. 

Apologetics is back... kind of. There are great opportunities for the gospel in today's world, but they're different than they were even 10 years ago. In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss apologetics, evangelism, religious "nones," and ways to reach people with the gospel today. 

There are so many villains we couldn't get to in the Bible and so many stories of God's faithfulness. Who didn't make the list? Here are the ones who didn't make it, from Judas to Jezebel to Alexander the Coppersmith. Who did we miss? 

It comes an no surprise that our number one villain in the Bible is Satan, but what do we actually know about him? He appears only a few times as a character in the Bible, but is referenced dozens of times. And even as his beginning is mysterious, his end is certain. The greatest villain in Scripture will not be able to thwart the plans of God; in fact, he will ensure they come to pass. 

The worst event in Israel's history was the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The general in charge of that destruction was Nebuchadnezzar, a king who became an emblem of all those who would elevate themselves against God. Unlike other rulers, we get an up-close look at Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. There we see God humbling and chastening him for his pride and brutality. 

When Jesus was proclaimed King of the Jews, there was another King on the throne. Herod the Great was one of the most powerful men in the world at that time. Given a mandate by Caesar himself, Herod accomplished some of the most amazing building projects in antiquity. He is also the arch-villain of the opening chapters of the Gospel. Though he styled himself a king like Solomon, God saved his Son from his grasp, and revealed him to be a king like Pharaoh - and he shared a similar end. 

The next villain on our list is the Assyrian king Sennacherib. There may be no greater trash-talker in the Bible than the Assyrian kings. Just 20 years after the northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered, Hezekiah faced an enormous army outside the walls of Jerusalem, led by one of the great conquerors of history. Hezekiah turns to God, and once again, God shows himself faithful against the backdrop of evil. 

He may not be the best-known villain in the Bible, but he certainly makes the list. Haman was a vizier in the Assyrian Empire who tried to eliminate the Jews from the world. God intervened through two very unlikely figures, with a strong dose of irony, and showed himself faithful in the only book of the Bible that doesn't mention his name. 

Why is Tolkien's work so enduring? It's more popular now than it's ever been. There's something about Lord of the Rings that is real. It showcases the real world, true reality, through fantasy. In the final episode of the Tolkien series, Cole and Terry discuss Tolkien's legacy, his life, and why his books are still some of the most popular books ever printed. 

After World War I, Tolkien was looking to find his footing. He looked for jobs and ached for another fellowship of friends like he'd had before. He found both in the 1920s when he landed a job at Oxford teaching English literature. It was during this great season of his life that his major works began. Soon, he would be working on his masterpiece, the Lord of the Rings. 

Teaching is something everyone can get better at. Terry Feix has spent a lifetime growing as a teacher, and he's sharing his secrets in this episode. From start to finish, and even after the lesson is over, Terry walks through his teaching prep process and discusses what he's learned about teaching the Bible. 

It's our favorite podcast of the year! Best books of 2024. Books discussed on this episode:  Terry's Books: Unearthing the Bible - Titus Kennedy Papyri and the Social World of the New Testament - Sabine Huebner Come, Tell Me How You Live - Agatha Christie  Port Williams Novels - Wendell Berry  Assyria - Eckhart Frahm Collected Poems of T.S. Eliot The Essential George Bernard Shaw - Edited by G.K. Chesterton The Fellowship: Literary Lives of the Inklings - Philip and Carol Zaleski   Cole's Books:  The Achilles Trap - Steve Coll  C. S. Lewis - Alistair McGrath Jonathan Edwards - George Marsden  An Infinite Fountain of Light - George Marsden  Churchill's D-Day - Allen Packwood and General Lord Richard Dannatt  Dopamine Nation - Anna Lembke  Fully Alive - Elizabeth Oldfield  Habits of the Household - Justin Whitmel Earley  Father Brown - G. K. Chesterton  Exodus - Phil Ryken  The Stalin Affair - Giles Milton 

Tolkien had just graduated from Oxford when the Great War broke out. Each member of the TCBS was sent into active duty, including Tolkien. He endured the Somme, the bloodiest battle in British history, only to face a fortuitous difficulty: trench fever. While Tolkien was recovering, he would begin the saga that he would spend the rest of his life completing. 

If there's one theme that runs through J.R.R. Tolkien's early life, it's friendship. Orphaned before his teens, Tolkien surrounded himself with friends throughout his life. And this theme runs through The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit as well. In this first episode on the life and writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, Cole and Terry discuss his early life and the theme of friendship in his writing. 

As we head into the busyness of the holidays, it's important to stop and remember what Christmas is all about and prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of our Savior. In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss Advent and how to celebrate with families and friends.  Get a copy of our Advent booklet on Amazon!  Support So We Speak in 2025! 

In the last twenty years, the landscape of the Middle East has changed again. Following the Arab Spring, the Obama administration oriented its policy around Iran, only for the Trump administration to orient its policy around Saudi Arabia. In the middle of the back-and-forth, the Abraham Accords were born and gave the best shot for peace in the Middle East since the founding of Israel.  What's happening now, and what's ahead for Israel? Cole and Terry discuss in this final episode on modern Israel. 

After the wars in 1967 and 1973, Israel saw the rise of a new group of enemies. Previously, it had fought against rival states in the region. Next, radical terrorist groups arose across the region. In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss the formation of Hezbollah, Hamas, Al Qaeda, and other militant groups that have come to dominate the Middle East. 

How did we get here? With all the arguments flying around about Israel and its neighbors, we turn to history to understand the making of modern Israel. In this three-part series on Israel, we look at how the major factions in the Middle East arose, how they operate, and what the future holds.  In this first episode, Cole and Terry discuss the founding of the nation of Israel and the ensuing wars, running up to the Yom Kippur War in 1973.  For more on the lead-up to the formation of the state of Israel in 1948, see Terry's series, The Making of Modern Israel.

As of this morning, we are live on YouTube! Check out the So We Speak channel and our first series, Empires. Subscribe for more series in the coming weeks.  In addition, Cole gives a preview of our next two series coming up on the podcast.  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sowespeak 

Jesus was so many things, but a genius? This is a neglected attribute. Jesus was the most brilliant teacher to ever walk the earth. In his new book, The Surprising Genius of Jesus, Peter Williams makes the case that Jesus was not just wise, he was also a genius. Cole sits down with Peter to discuss the new book and the teachings of Jesus. 

Revelation is a difficult book. The symbols, cryptic messages, and all the different interpretations can make it a daunting part of the Bible to study. But it's also one of the most encouraging, comforting, foundational books of the Bible. In this episode, Cole gives four keys to reading and understanding Revelation.  Resources: "Apocalypse" - Terry Feix  "Visions" - Cole Feix "Revelation: Part 1" - So We Speak "Revelation: Part 2" - So We Speak  "Revelation: Part 3" - So We Speak  "Revelation Questions: Part 1" - So We Speak 

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is the holiest site in Christendom. It is the historic site where Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead. But is it the real spot?  In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss the church's history, theories, and oddities and debate whether or not this is the real location of the empty tomb.  Resources: “Jesus' Tomb Opened in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher” - National Geographic “Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher” - Biblical Archaeology Review

There are still incredible archaeological finds happening all the time. This month, a mosaic floor from the ancient city of Megiddo will be displayed for the first time at the Museum of the Bible. This floor from the 3rd century marks the oldest worship space found by archaeologists. The inscriptions also include a few surprises. Find out more as Cole interviews Terry about his work on the mosaic and the new exhibit.  "The Megiddo Mosaic: Foundations of Faith" - MoTB

Make sure you're subscribed to the Weekly Speak to get commentary and analysis each week that will keep you informed without being conformed. Subscribe here! Get one of these book briefs in your email every month. Support our ministry by giving here! Grab a copy of Joe Rigney's book, Leadership and Emotional Sabotage.

The Shroud of Turin may be the most studied artifact in human history. This 14-foot cloth is claimed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ, with his image imprinted on the cloth from the resurrection. A 1988 radiocarbon test dated the shroud to the 14th century, but two new tests open the door to a date in the first century. Can we know if this is truly the burial cloth of Jesus? What difference would it make?  Resources: "The Shroud of Turin and Its Significance for Biblical Studies" - Gary Habermas, JETS "Father Brown Fakes the Shroud" - N. D. Wilson, Books and Culture  "X-Ray Dating of a Turin Shroud's Linen Sample" - Liberato de Caro, Heritage 

It would have been unbelievable to both Romans and Jews that a man who had been crucified could be worshipped as a god. As the early church began to grow, they faced intense persecution. But the church continued to grow. After only three centuries, the Emperor was a Christian and made it legal for all Roman citizens to be Christians. How did this happen? What is the legacy of Rome? 

We're re-releasing our episode on Jesus and Pontius Pilate as an interlude to the Rome series. During Jesus's lifetime, Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea. In this episode, Cole and Terry place Jesus's life in the Roman empire, and things converge in a monumental conversation between Jesus and Pilate. 

There is no empire more important to the biblical story than Rome. It is the culmination of Daniel's prophecy and the ruling power at the time of Christ. In this first of two episodes, Cole and Terry discuss the origins of Rome and the world Christ was born into. 

Is your phone hurting your discipleship? It almost certainly is. How can we continue to grow in this culture of distraction? Cole and Terry discuss some trends in our technology and media as well as some thoughts on how to continue to grow and thrive as Christians in any environment.   Resources:  “State of the Culture 2024” - Ted Gioia, The Honest Broker  “How to Break Free from Dopamine Culture” - Ted Gioia, The Honest Broker  “Desire, Dopamine, and the Internet” - L. M. Sacasas, The Convivial Society “Get Phones Out of Schools Now” - Jonathan Haidt, The Atlantic  “Bixby Public Schools Prohibiting Cell Phone Use” - Kristen Weaver, News on 6 “Why Your Smart Phone Might Be Stopping You from Following Jesus” - Martin Saunders, Premier Christian  Dopamine Nation - Anna Lembke The Burnout Society - Byung-Chul Han

Deconstruction remains an important topic, but it's changing. At the end of 2021, we recorded two episodes on deconstruction (Part 1 & Part 2), discussing its nature and phenomenon. Now, we're looking at how faith, loss of faith, and strengthened faith are changing. What does discipleship have to do with deconstruction? Are people really leaving the Christian faith? Cole and Terry discuss these questions and the following articles in this episode:  “Observations on Exvangelicals and Deconstructing” - Jake Meador, Mere Orthodoxy “Reading the Exvangelicals” - Miles Smith, Mere Orthodoxy “Editor's Note: Sound Doctrine” - Jonathan Leeman, 9Marks

The American education system has not been the same since Covid. What's changed? In this episode, Cole and Terry revisit an essay written in 2020 by Harvard historian James Hankins titled, "American Meritocracy: A Tipping Point?" They discuss the state of education, opportunities for Christian schools, and the roles merit and equality play. 

Summer is here and it's time for some book recommendations. This week, Terry recommends some books from the stack.   Books mentioned in this episode: Our Ancient Faith - Allen Guelzo Patton's Prayer - Alex Kershaw Is Atheism Dead? - Eric Metaxas  Rubicon - Tom Holland  Haiku - Everyman's Library  Biblical Typology - Vern Poythress  Eusebius: The Church History - Edited by Paul Maier

Summer is here and it's time for some book recommendations! In this episode, Cole talks about the books he's reading and recommending. From devotional books to enjoyable summer reads, there's something here for everyone to enjoy. Next week, don't miss Terry's favorites for the summer.    Books in this episode:   The Pastor in Prayer - Charles Spurgeon (Banner of Truth) Prayers on the Psalms - Introduced by David Calhoun (Part of Banner of Truth's Pocket Puritans Series)  Reformed Systematic Theology - Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley  The Great Gain of Godliness - Thomas Watson Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ - John Bunyan  The Mortification of Sin - John Owen  The Other Half of Church - Jim Wilder and Michel Hendricks  Fighting Shadows - Jon Tyson and Jefferson Bethke  You're Not Crazy - Sam Allberry and Ray Ortlund  The Six Wives of Henry VIII - Dominic Sandbrook  Mirrors of Greatness - David Reynolds  Churchill's D-Day - General Sir Richard Dannatt and Allen Packwood  Jonathan Edwards: A Life - George Marsden  Revival - Martyn Lloyd-Jones  After Disbelief - Anthony Kronman Unbelievers - Alec Ryrie 

In recent years, terms like "trauma," "narcissism," "toxic," and others have skyrocketed. Why is that, and should we be concerned? In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss an article in Christianity Today, "Be Quick to Listen, Slow to ‘Therapy Speak'" by Mia Staub. How can Christians think wisely about the therapeutic worldview, counseling, and therapy speak?

In this interview recorded at Carlton Landing Community Church, Justin discusses marriage, habits, technology, and relationships in an increasingly isolated age. Look for book giveaways on our Instagram page this week!

How do our habits form us? Technology, social media, and smartphones have a huge impact on shaping us - even spiritually. Justin Whitmel Earley is the author of Habits of the Household, Made for People, and The Common Rule. In this episode, he discusses how Christians can approach technology, reconnect relationally, and flourish in a digital age.