The Called Out Cafe Podcast

Join Doug as he describes an existential crisis that led to the writing of his book, Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus. Don't worry, he's got it worked out and is OK now...

The new series is based on Doug's new book, Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus.  Holy Cow, what's that about!? Is it as controversial as it sounds?  Yes, but please notice it is not about leaving Jesus, or even challenging our belief in Him. It is about challenging the veracity of the organization we call the Church. Please join Doug in kicking off this extremely important series.

This is the last in the series titled, Choose Your Jesus Wisely. Todays episode is an allegory based on all the previous episodes. It tells A Tale of Two Gods who are very similar, and the people who follow them. This is the final episode of the season. Lord willing, I will start back up in the fall with a series based on my new book, “Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus.” But for now, there are weddings to host on our property, blueberries to harvest, a family to pay attention to, a book to finish, trips to take, and Truth to seek. Until next time, may God bless you and Maranatha!

In this episode of the Called-Out Café we start to wrap up this series titled, “Choose Your Jesus Wisely” with some thoughts on what the authentic follower of Jesus might do in response to so many counterfeit Jesuses being followed today.

In this episode we look at if false Christian gods, or counterfeit Jesuses do exist in the Church today as I have been saying in this series, who's problem is that to fix? Do we have any responsibility, or is it up to Jesus to fix His Church? 

A third of the world's population today claim to be Christian. Yet, Jesus said many will call Him Lord, to which He will respond, “depart from me, I never knew you.” Since the title of “Christian” can mean so many different things, it is almost meaningless.  But, there are many reasons for us to know who is an authentic follower of Jesus and who is not. How can we tell? In this latest episode of the Called-Out Cafe, we will attempt to sort that out.

Lets talk about how God views how serious it is to allow false gods to infiltrate our minds and lives...

This is a continuation of the last episode's look at a popular false Christian God: The God of Service And Works. A God being worshipped at a Church near you this Sunday!

There are many classic Christian false gods we could discuss. Any false god is a bad false god. However, in this and the next episode, we will do a case study on one particular false god, I am calling, “the god of Service And Works,” or “SAW,” for short. I am doing so to illustrate how some false gods have boldly infiltrated mainstream and evangelical churches. Nowhere in scripture is the Ekklesia (the Church) called to serve and save the world, yet many churches have made that their top priority. Pulling together the information you have heard up to this point in this series, we will look at how to defend against SAW by applying the principles of biblical watchfulness.

Since the “priests” of false Christian gods don't have the Holy Spirit on their side, they utilize what I call “Christian-Jedi mind tricks” to manipulate their followers. This includes the use of guilt, peer pressure, loyalty, nostalgia, tradition, and fear. These feelings can motivate people to follow the agenda of humans while saying they are acting in the name of Jesus. Being directed or manipulated by humans rather than being led by the Holy Spirit, and yet attributing what we are doing to Jesus, is another way we “take the name of the Lord in vain.” This is the topic of this episode of the Called-Out Café. 

The Apostle Paul's letter to the Called-Out in the region of Galatia was a cohesive focused message and not a series of mini disjointed teachings. Paul's main message was that of relying on the good news that the grace which comes through authentic belief in Jesus is not only sufficient for one's salvation, but that to add anything to it, is to nullify it. Paul wrote that when one tries to add anything to what Jesus has already done, it is as if they are worshipping a false god. A god that needs their help to save them. Today, it is extremely common to hear the gospel of assisting God with one's salvation being preached in evangelical and mainline churches. The God of the Bible needs no assistance. Only false gods welcome such efforts. Please join me in this episode as we take a look at the book of Galatians.

In this episode we will talk about how the words “belief,” faith,” and “hope” have evolved over the centuries. Many Christian false gods rely upon the modern, unbiblical understanding of these words. The modern usage of the word “faith,” has taken on somewhat of a mystical meaning that is used in support of many incorrect teachings. It means to continue to believe something despite any proof or good reason to do so. And “to hope” means little more than “to make a wish” or express a desire. Yet as used in the Bible, it means to have a realistic and confident expectation that something will occur. To biblically “believe” means to have knowledge and understanding of something. Having greater “faith,” or belief, means to have acquired more knowledge and understanding.  Authentic faith is solely reliant on basing one's beliefs on the authentic truth.

Many pastors and Bible teachers view Bible characters as what can be compared to "Christian Jedi Masters." They are examples for us to imitate to bring about a desired outcome which would be either beneficial to ourselves or the body of Christ. However, due to the uniqueness of the story God is telling us in the Bible, most often what happened to the handful of humanity that He communicated His story through in the Bible was not normative and we should not expect the same outcomes as they experienced. Countless Christians reduce the Bible to a self-help guide, how-to manual, or rule book.  If we read it in that way, that is all we will ever see. we will only ever enjoy limited success in what we are attempting to use it for, since we will have tragically missed the point of what the Bible is: God's story of who He is, starring Jesus. If we want to follow Jesus, we need to get to know and understand the Jesus of the Bible. Please join me in this episode as we talk about these things.

Within Christianity there are many views on the Bible: what it is, and how to read or study it. If one is an authentic Child of God, they understand that the Bible, in its original form, contains the inspired word of God: God's message and plan that He has revealed to mankind. The job of the truth seeker is to understand the original meaning of the author of the Bible, which is ultimately God. It is not to judge what the Bible says, read into it, or fit what it says into “orthodox” doctrines of the Church. In this episode, in addition to talking about a few sound principles of studying the Bible, we will look at the most common Bible study methods in use today, and how it unfortunately contributes to creating our own False Christian gods. 

There are many reasons people choose to believe lies. Even lies about God. In this episode I talk about "cognitive dissonance" and some of the reasons people choose to believe things, even relating to God, that are not true. 

In this episode of the Called-Out Cafe: Billions of people think they are correct in their beliefs regarding God as they follow their own version of the “truth.” There is only one authentic Truth: God's Truth. It is the authentic Truth that informs us about the one and only, real, authentic Jesus. The authentic Child of God, as opposed to the imitation child of God, or cultural Christian, bases their beliefs in the authentic Jesus, on the authentic truth contained in scripture. 

The modern religion of Postmodern Secular Progressivism and the relative truth it promotes, has provided us with the perfect culture to raise our own custom-made gods in. Christians may start with some non-negotiables, like the Nicene Creed, but they quickly divide according to their own version of the truth. That version of the truth is heavily influenced by our self-centered natures. Those natures lead us to quietly try and recreate God into our own image.  

It is easy to believe in a God that lines up with who we think He should be according to our reasoning. However, it is much more difficult to believe in the entire God of the Bible. Can I believe in the God of the Bible, or do I need to just tweak Him a bit to be able to believe in Him?  How we sometimes custom make God to order is the topic of today's podcast. 

False Christian God's come in many forms. In this episode, Doug Talks about a personal minor false god of his past: The god who hates dancing... Just one of countless examples of how cultural practices and religious beliefs are superimposed over who we view God as. 

What constitutes a false god? Many things may qualify depending on how you want to define it. But perhaps the most dangerous false god comes into being when we change the character and nature of the God of the Bible to better suit our own reason and liking. And then, we make this new version of god, the object of our worship. In this episode of the Called-Out Café, we will look at how new false gods within the Christian Church are conceived and given birth to.  And we will look at a few surprising examples of the false gods of Christianity. 

Jesus warned that when He returns in judgement, "many" will call him Lord, to which He will reply that, He "never knew" them. What other Jesus is it then that these "many" false Christians are following and calling "lord" if not the authentic Jesus of the Bible? When the character and nature of the God of the Bible is changed in any way, a new false god is born. A false god who has a false god son, who is named Jesus, but is not the authentic Jesus of the Bible.  In this age of Postmodern Progressivism, where "truth" is relative and under emphasized, one needs to be careful they are calling the right Jesus, "Lord." Please join Doug in this series based on his book, False Christian Gods: Choose Your Jesus Wisely, as he discusses what may be some of the most critical issues of anyone's eternal status.

In this conclusion of the series on the Biblical Worldview of the Spirit Realm, we look at what happens when we die according to the Bible. We all have some kind of foggy hybrid image of what happens based on what our parents and Hollywood have told us. Maybe some of us can recall a passage of scripture or two on the subject or maybe what a pastor said at a funeral. Please join me as we take a closer look at a topic that sooner or later will impact us all.

What is the current state of Jesus? Where is He at? What are His abilities? Is He omnipresent? Or is He secretly hiding on the earth right now? Would He know my name if I were to bump into Him on the street?  All of this and more is discussed in this episode.  

How is it that the Spirit Realm routinely and rarely interacts with the Physical Realm? In this second part of this two-part topic, using the Bible as a guide we will take a look at how Satan still may influence this world that he is said to be the “god” of.  We will talk about how those who belong to Jesus can actively defend against the schemes of the Devil. And, Doug takes theory into the real world as he talks about a few personal experiences he has had with the realm of the unseen. 

How is it that the Spirit Realm routinely and rarely interacts with the Physical Realm? In part one of this two-part topic, using the Bible as a guide we will take a look at how Satan still may influence this world that he is said to be the “god” of.  We will touch on "spiritual warfare" and talk about how those who belong to Jesus can actively defend against the schemes of the Devil.

According to the often-ignored spirit realm story line in the New Testament, there was a great deal going on behind what could be seen in the physical realm when Jesus walked the earth 2000 years ago. It was in the other realm, which is unobservable by humans, that Jesus was acting as the courageous, enemy-dominating Messiah that His people had been waiting for. Unknown to many who follow Jesus, this biblical narrative is “hiding” in plain sight in the New Testament. This is the incredible story behind the “greatest story ever told.”  

The Bible speaks of several different kinds or orders of beings who exist in the spirit realm. In this episode we will look at the various titles and functions of those created beings which exist in the very real, but unobservable realm of the spirit.

One may think that with all the rebellions going on in the unseen spirit realm that things are out of God's control. On the contrary, everything is going precisely according to plan. This time on the Called-Out Cafe we will be taking a look at how God has and will hold the beings who inhabit the spirit realm accountable and what their future holds.

There is more to what shapes the world around us than what we can observe with our senses. Like humans, super-natural beings who exist in the Spirit Realm can rebel against God. There have been several forms of rebellion since the time of creation. Many have pursued the worship and allegiance of humans. They seek to deceive humans into not following God, while at the same time they accuse the same humans before God of not following Him. And, they have attempted to destroy the Messiah. This angelic rebellion continues today.  Please join Doug as he discusses these things and more in episode 10 of the series titled, the Biblical Worldview of the Spirit Realm, on the Called-Out Café.

This is episode 9 in this current series on the Biblical Worldview of the Spirit Realm. It is the second of two episodes that will cover a strange story found in the book of Genesis chapter six. It is the story of the Sons of God and the Nephilim. If you didn't listen to the first episode on this topic, which was episode 8 of the series, you may want to do so before listening to this episode.

This is episode 8 in this current series on the Biblical Worldview of the Spirit Realm. It is the first of two episodes that will cover a strange story found in the book of Genesis chapter six. It's a story that when we typically read, we say, “wow, that's weird,” and then move on, thinking it really has no great significance in the overall narrative of the Bible. In reality, it is the beginning of a story line that lasts for over 1200 years covered by the Old Testament and echoes into the New Testament. It involves renegade angels who were known as the “Sons of God,” who slept with human women and produced an unnatural race of cannibalistic, nasty, giants known as the “Nephilim.” They were well known throughout much of the Middle East and the Israelites contended with them for hundreds of years. Please join me and figure out what you are going to do with this story.

Why did Jesus recognize Satan as the “chief prince” of this world, and the Apostle Paul say that our battle is “not with flesh and blood?” In this episode we will look at the biblical evidence that there are spiritual beings referred to as “princes,” “powers,” and “authorities,” among other titles, that God placed in authority over every nation except one. Please join Doug and get the details of all this and how it plays an important part in the gospel message.

The title of this episode may sound a little sacrilegious or "new agey," to some. If it does, it might be time for a new prescription of biblical lenses that you use to view the part of creation we can't observe with our physical senses. The spiritual realm of creation. The Bible speaks of an order of created beings in the Spirit Realm who are referred to as the "sons of God." It also directly refers to beings that the Most-High God, Yahweh, sits in council with.  These are all key players in the story God is telling us in His word. Please give this episode a listen and consider the evidence. 

In this episode Doug discusses two more building blocks for understanding the very real created realm that we can only be told about since it can't be observed through our senses. First, what is the biblical evidence that says Hell is a real place and what is its purpose? Next, have you ever thought about who might have been listening when God said, “let there be light?” We will talk about when the Spirit Realm, and all its inhabitants, were created.     

In Episode 4 of the Called-Out Café Series on what the Bible has to say about the spirit realm, Doug discusses the uniqueness of God and what the Bible has to say about the reality of Heaven. In coming podcasts, we will be looking at scripture that tells us that God is not alone in the unseen realm. In fact, there are other beings referred to as “gods” in the Old Testament. In this episode it is made clear that the “Most High God,” Yahweh, created them all, that He alone transcends all realms of creation, and is unique. There are none like Him and He alone is to be worshipped. Then, not everyone believes that Heaven is real. Surprisingly, even millions of Christians don't. We will look at the biblical evidence that says it is. Heaven is the current home address of Jesus. It makes up what Paul calls, “the things above” that followers of Jesus are to set their minds on. Please join me in this episode as we set our minds on it.

Since the topic of the unseen spirit realm includes so many subtopics and so we don't get lost in the middle of it all, this week I will be discussing what can be thought of as the table of contents of this series. I will also summarize what it is that I will be saying about each subtopic.  I will provide the reasons I have arrived at the conclusions stated in this episode in future podcasts that deal with each specific topic. So, don't look for detailed reasons behind why I believe what I believe in this episode.  Here is a list of what I plan to discuss in this series: The Importance of Understanding our Worldview in Understanding the Spirit Realm The Two Separate Realms of Creation The Reality of Heaven The Reality of Hell Yahweh Is Constantly Present in the Spirit Realm & How He Interacts in Both Realms There Are Millions of Spiritual Beings It is a Jesus Centered Story God Created Everything and Everyone in Both Realms Something Called the Divine Council Spiritual Beings Called "the Sons of God." Unseen Realm Regional Beings in Authority over Physical Regions The Various Angelic Rebellions Past and Future That Have and Will Take Place The Unseen Realms Effect on the Physical Realm Forms of False Gods How Yahweh Disciplines False Gods The Capabilities of Spiritual Beings Jesus's Part in the Divine Drama. What Was Going On in the Spirit Realm the First Time He Was Here. How Satan Operates Jesus's Current State and Status What Happens When We Die? The Future Role of the Authentic Believer in Jesus  

This is the introduction to the Called Out Café podcast series on what the Bible has to say about the the unseen spiritual realm of creation. Doug discusses why this topic is important, some of what will be covered, and what won't be. There is copious amounts of New Age mystical nonsense available today to misguide people into a false idea of what is going on in the other realm which was created by God: the realm of angels, demons, Heaven, and Hell.  Within the Church, this topic has been mostly squashed and ignored to get along in the post-Enlightenment, Postmodern  world we live in.  This series will take a fresh look at what scripture has to say on the subject. Seeing clearly the story line of the supernatural realm in the Bible and how it is woven in to the story lines we are more familiar with, may cause you to never read your Bible the same way again. 

I am excited to announce the next series of the Called Out Café Podcast: The Biblical Worldview of the Spirit Realm.  Buckle up! 

Final Comments on the Olivet Discourse. I close out the study of Jesus's epic talk concerning His return with a few last comments. 

Episode 23: The Sheep and Goats Judgment. This is perhaps one of the most misused passages of scripture by modern Evangelical pastors. This judgment has to do with a specific group of people at a specific time in the future. 

Many have speculated about what the "talents" in this parable represent. In this episode I make a case that they represent three things that will maintain their value after Jesus returns.

So many different interpretations of the Parable of the Ten Virgins. What is going on and who is who in this parable? Lets talk about it!

In this episode we will discuss where the center of the universe is and how that relates to the Parable of the Servants Jesus relayed to His disciples. 

In this episode we will look at what Jesus had to say about the timing of Jesus's return. 

In this episode of the called out café podcast I will talk about two different future harvests Bible prophecy talks about. A harvest of the wicked and a harvest of the righteous. Knowing about these harvests is important for understanding what Jesus will be talking about soon in the Olivet Discourse.

In this episode, we will look at the parable of the fig tree Jesus used to convey the importance of watching for the signs He had just given His disciples which will indicate His return is imminent.  Is it as simple as it sounds, or is there more too it?

In episode 16, although the biblical sign indicating the Second Coming appears to be unmistakable, we will discuss some of the many forms that people have speculated the final sign of the sun, moon, and stars will take.  

In this latest episode of the Called Out Café, we will look at the final, unmistakable set of signs preceding the return of Jesus to this earth and the rapture of the Ekklesia.

In Episode 14 in the Watch! series of the Called-Out Café it becomes obvious that the return of Jesus will not take place in secret. By comparing scripture with scripture, we see that many passages pertaining to the end of the age are dealing with the same events. When we overlay those scripture pertaining to the same events, we can begin to fill in some biblical details surrounding Jesus's return.

In this episode of the Called-Out Café, we have reached the point in Jesus's Olivet Discourse where He speaks about what to do when the Antichrist is revealed in Jerusalem. He has specific instructions for those living in the region of Judea. What does it mean for the rest of the world?

In this episode of the Called-Out Café, we talk about one of the biggest, most unmistakable signs Jesus gave us during His Olivet Discourse that will precede His Second Coming: the revealing of the Antichrist, and the foul and detestable act he will commit known as the “Abomination of Desolation.” As a part of this discussion, we will look at an alternative of what is usually translated as a parenthetical, almost out of place, statement: “let the reader understand.”