Podcasts about Bethel

Featuring: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Lenny Salgado, Ben Cossette, Johnny V., Mike McHugh, and James Gowell Edited by: Tim NicholsonIn this episode of Thriving in the Word, we continue The Hall of Faith series and we stop at a man who spent most of his life running — from his brother, from his past, from himself — and still somehow ended up in the Hall of Faith, leaning on a staff at the end of his days, blessing the next generation.We walk through Genesis 25, 27, 28, and 32 and trace it all the way into Hebrews 11:21, where Jacob, by faith, blessed each of Joseph's sons and worshiped as he leaned on top of his staff. The crew goes everywhere — from the "No Fear of God" mentality that marked Jacob's early years, to the night everything changed at Peniel, the wrestling match that left him with a limp and a new name, to the reminder God permanently built into his body that you don't walk away from an encounter with the Living God the same way you came in.Jacob is the deceiver who became Israel. He grabbed his brother's heel in the womb, stole a birthright over a bowl of soup, wore goat skins to trick a blind father, and spent twenty years getting played by his father-in-law. And yet — at the very end of his life, leaning on that staff, hip wrecked and days from death — he crossed his hands over two boys and spoke a blessing rooted not in what he could see, but in what God had promised generations before he was born.That's not clean faith. That's broken, limping, hard-won faith — and it still counted.We talk about what it looks like when God marks you, when the turning point in your life isn't a highlight reel but a dislocated hip and a new name you didn't earn. We talk about what it means to carry the blessing into the next room even when you're barely standing, and why Jacob's limp wasn't a punishment — it was a permanent reminder of who showed up when the fight was over.That leads us into some honest questions: What does the fear of God actually look like when it becomes real in your life — not religious, not routine, but real? What's your Bethel? What's your Peniel? And when you're at the end, will you still be reaching forward, speaking blessing over people who will outlive you?Topics include: Hall of Faith, Hebrews 11, Jacob, Genesis 25, Genesis 27, Genesis 28, Genesis 32, wrestling with God, Peniel, Bethel, Jacob and Esau, Jacob and Israel, name change in the Bible, no fear of God, fear of the Lord, Jacob's hip, faith and suffering, turning point faith, generational blessing, limping faith, broken people in the Bible, what is the fear of God, faith that costs you something, blessing the next generation, hard-won faith, covenant promise, stairway to heaven, God's faithfulness, Christian podcast, Bible teaching, Bible study on Jacob, Hall of Faith series, endurance in faith, wrestling with God in prayer, faith-based living, walking with God, Thriving in the Word.More Info: ⁠⁠https://www.thrive.church⁠⁠ Give: ⁠⁠https://www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠ Need prayer? ⁠⁠prayer@thrive.church⁠⁠ This is a presentation of Thrive.Church. © All Rights Reserved.

Chad Essert, 44, is the police chief of Bethel, Ohio. But years before that, Essert worked as an instructor for the Young Marines program. During that time, the Clermont County prosecutor says Essert groomed a girl who was taking part in the program and had sexual contact with her from 2005 to 2010. Now, Essert faces 70 felony charges related to the allegations. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy looks at the case in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.Host:Angenette Levy https://twitter.com/Angenette5Guest: Mark Weaver https://x.com/MarkRWeaverCRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jakob King continues the story of Jacob and Esau, where it becomes clear that God's greatest work isn't in changing our circumstances but rather in changing you. 

Why does God sometimes take us the long way around?In this message from our Genesis series, The Long Way Around, Tommy Carr walks through Genesis 29 and the next chapter of Jacob's journey. After a dramatic encounter with God at Bethel, Jacob finds himself facing disappointment, delays, difficult relationships, and years of waiting.Like Jacob, many of us place our hope in things we believe will finally satisfy us—a relationship, a career, a goal, or a dream. But God often uses those very desires to reveal what truly needs to change within us.This powerful message reminds us that spiritual growth rarely happens on the mountaintop. More often, it is forged in the ordinary seasons of life where God is patiently shaping our character, teaching us to trust His promises, and preparing us for what lies ahead.No season of waiting is wasted. God is at work even when the journey is longer than expected.Watch now and be encouraged to trust God's process, God's timing, and God's faithfulness.

In Episode 496 of the Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb open with a rich discussion on the theology of congregational singing — including the Trinity Psalter Hymnal, the Getty's Sing!, and why psalm-singing belongs at the heart of Christian worship. The main event, however, is the first installment of their study of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30). Tony and Jesse argue that this parable is widely misread as a lesson in personal productivity or spiritual gift deployment, when in fact its center of gravity is entirely eschatological and theological: the wicked servant's failure is not financial incompetence — it is a catastrophic misunderstanding of who the master is, and therefore, who he himself is as a servant of that master. Key Takeaways The parable is eschatological, not motivational. Situated in Matthew 25 as the second of three eschatological parables in the Olivet Discourse, the Parable of the Talents answers the disciples' question about the sign of Christ's coming — not a general lesson about using your abilities for God. "Talents" refers to an enormous monetary sum, not personal giftedness. A single talent represented roughly 20 years of a laborer's wages. Even the least-endowed servant received an immense, unearned gift — which makes the wicked servant's inaction all the more indefensible. The wicked servant's problem is theological, not financial. He doesn't bury the talent out of ignorance or fear alone — he actively mischaracterizes the master as exploitative and unjust. His failure is a failure of theology: he does not know who his master is. The commendation "Well done, good and faithful servant" is the basic reward of every believer, not a tiered prize for the most productive. The five-talent and two-talent servants receive identical commendations, suggesting the measure is proportional faithfulness, not absolute output. Faithful stewardship is active, not passive. Both faithful servants are marked by immediacy and energetic engagement. The parable does not explain how they doubled their talents because the mechanics are not the point — their disposition of active, risk-taking faithfulness is. The parable resists works-righteousness readings. Whether one is Augustine or an anonymous deathbed convert, every justified believer enters into the same joy of the master. The parable is not a theology of graduated heavenly rewards but a distinction between those who understand their master and those who do not. The talents represent the stewardship of the Gospel and the Kingdom itself. The master entrusting his servants with his property is a picture of Christ entrusting the church with the message of salvation — ownership remains with the master, the servants are stewards, not proprietors. Key Concepts The Wicked Servant's Problem Is Who He Thinks the Master Is The most common misreading of this parable locates the wicked servant's failure in laziness or timidity — he was simply too afraid to act. But Tony Arsenal argues compellingly that the servant's own words expose something far more serious. He says, "I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow." This is not a confession of fear; it is an accusation. The servant has constructed a theology of his master as an exploitative, unjust overseer who doesn't deserve a return. What he catastrophically misses is that the very possession of 20 years' worth of wages — an unearned, unimaginable gift — is the master sowing into him. His refusal to act is, at its root, a refusal to acknowledge the master's generosity and authority. This is the parable's most penetrating theological edge. "Well Done" Is for Every Believer, Not Just the Most Productive One of the episode's most pastorally significant observations is Tony's argument that the commendation "Well done, good and faithful servant — enter into the joy of your master" is not reserved for spiritual high-achievers. Because the five-talent and two-talent servants receive word-for-word identical commendations despite wildly different absolute returns, the logical entailment is that the one-talent servant, had he been faithful, would have received the same words. This means the commendation is not calibrated to productivity — it is the basic inheritance of every believer who enters glory. The soul-winner and the deathbed convert, Augustine and the unknown faithful, all hear the same welcome. The parable is therefore not teaching a graduated hierarchy of heavenly reward, but a binary distinction: those who know their master and act accordingly, and those who do not. The Parable Cannot Be Detached from Its Eschatological Context Jesse Schwamb is careful to anchor the parable in its literary and theological context: this is the second of three eschatological parables in Matthew 25, all part of the Olivet Discourse, all delivered in direct response to the disciples' question about the sign of Christ's return and the end of the age. Detaching the Parable of the Talents from that frame — and reading it instead as a general productivity principle or a theology of spiritual gifts — drains it of what Jesse calls its "gravity." The master going away and returning after a long time is a direct image of the ascended Christ and his parousia. The servants' task during the interval is not self-improvement or career stewardship — it is watchful, active discipleship in the time between the first and second comings. Everything in the parable, including the staggering sums of money, is calibrated to that eschatological frame. Memorable Quotes The real difference is that the former servants understood that their master had trusted them with a task and expected something of them, and the unfaithful, wicked, lazy servant had a total misunderstanding of who the master was — and therefore what his role as the master's servant was. That's the point of this parable. — Tony Arsenal Well done, good and faithful servant — that's not a special commendation that only the most amazing Christian servants get. That's the basic commendation that every Christian who enters into glory will receive. Whether you have been the most productive soul-winner in the world... you're going to receive the same commendation as the person who dies, and on their deathbed the last thing that they think is, 'I trust Jesus.' — Tony Arsenal God's measure of faithfulness is proportional, not absolute. The two-talent servant is not judged by the five-talent standard. He is judged by what he received. — Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript [00:00:08] Tony Arsenal: that's not a special commendation that only the most amazing Christian servants get, right? That's the basic commendation that every Christian who enters into glory will receive. Whether you have been the most productive soul-winner in the world, whether you are the most, you know, the most sanctified Christian who's ever lived, whether you are, the most amazing person and millions of people have come to faith because of your ministry, you're going to receive the same commendation as the person who dies, and on their deathbed the last thing that they think is, I trust Jesus." Right. And they've produced no converts, no ministry, and maybe no one even knows that they were justified, because in their final moments before the lights went out, they trusted in Jesus, right? They hear the same well done, good and faithful servant when they enter into glory. Welcome to episode 496 of the Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  And I'm Tony, and this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey, brother.  [00:01:19] Jesse Schwamb: Hey, brother.  [00:01:21] Parable Teaser [00:01:21] Jesse Schwamb: You know, the parables just keep coming for us, like we've said. And on this episode, to, just to tee it up, to whet everybody's appetites, we've got three servants, one absent master, an uncomfortable amount of money. What could go wrong? Yeah. As it turns out, quite a bit, especially if you're the kind of person who responds to divine generosity by finding the nearest shovel. So we're gonna get to all of that in this, what I call, this now sandwich of eschatological parables or teachings of Jesus in Matthew 25. So hopefully you're curious, hopefully you're stoked. But you can go put your thumb right in the scriptures there, because you're gonna meet us there very, very, very, very shortly. But first we got business. It's always the business we must do, the part of the podcast where we affirm with something or deny against something. And as always, I'm really curious what you have, and now I understand you have a list, or you're keeping a list. So- I do ... never again will there be something like that falls to the cutting room floor, brothers and sisters. Tony is always gonna have for us whatever was- ... what came to his brilliant mind as an affirmation or denial at any point, day or night.  [00:02:29] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. Do you, Jesse, do you ever have... I know the answer to this question is going to be yes- Yeah. That's good ... but I'm gonna ask it- All right ... mostly for rhetorical effect here. This is good podcasting.  [00:02:38] Psalm 67B Praise [00:02:38] Tony Arsenal: Do you have, do you have those situations where, like, the, the so- a song hits you, and it's just, like, the right combination of words, but also the right combination of, like, musicality?  [00:02:49] Jesse Schwamb: For sure.  [00:02:50] Tony Arsenal: Where it just, like, it just, it just feels- For sure like, right and good in every part of your being. So- All the time, yep ... I, I'm affirming, um, th- this is like the most Presbyterian thing ever. I'm affirming the, the arrangement in the Trinity, uh, psalter hymnal for Psalm 67B. Now, I'm not gonna try to sing it for you, but I wanna read the words, because obviously it's, it's a paraphrase of a psalm. So, like, that's the first thing. Like, people, like, calm down. Like, it's okay to sing paraphrases. It's okay to sing. No one is actually singing the Hebrew psalms. Right. Amen. So, like, just calm down a little bit. Amen. Uh, there is a place for us to dedicate specific focus to psalms and songs that are from the psalms, but that can be something like Better Is One Day. Like, that's a song from a psalm. Anyway, that's a whole different, that's a whole different thing. Yes, I'm affirming psalm singing. Uh, yes, I'm denying overly rigid understandings of what that is. But here's the words for Psalm 67, Setting B. That's important It's, "O God, show mercy to us and bless us with your grace and cause to shine upon us the brightness of your face, so that the whole world over may truly know your way and so that your salvation all nations see displayed. O God, let peoples praise you. Let all the peoples praise. Let nations come rejoicing and songs of gladness rise, raise." Then, um, stanza two, "For you will judge the peoples with perfect equity. To nations of the whole Earth a governor you'll be. O God, let the peoples praise you. Let all the peoples praise. The Earth has brought its bounty throughout its harvest days.  [00:04:24] Why Sing Psalms [00:04:24] Tony Arsenal: Since God our God will bless us, yes, God will blessing send, that all the Earth may fear Him to its remotest end." Now, there are lots of really great, uh, theologically sound, edifying hymns and worship choruses, but there's just something about the Psalms, right? It's inspired- Um- ... it's perfect. Again, like I said, nobody is singing the actual Hebrew Psalms, or even, I shouldn't say nobody, most people are not singing, like, the Psalms from the ESV, right? These are almost all paraphrases. They're, they're translations. But there's just something about the Psalms that I have grown so much to appreciate since joining a Presbyterian church. That's not to say other traditions don't sing Psalms in their own right, and again, like, we would sing Better Is One Day and other songs that were based on Psalms. Um, even, like, real direct translations or real direct versions of Psalms, like Better Is One Day or Create In Me A Clean Heart, there's all sorts of them. But there's just something about singing the Psalms, and this particular musical setting, it's triumphant, but not in the, like, fanfare kind of triumphant. Do you know what I mean, Jesse? Like- Mm-hmm ... it's, it's a triumphant melody, and it has, like, really interesting rises and falls and... So I, I'm gonna probably try to put this at the end of the episode. So listen. Hopefully I'll get the whole thing. Let me just, let me just do this. Hold on a second. It's just gorgeous. It's just beautiful. So I, I, I don't know what it was this morning. Uh, it's, I wasn't, like, promo- particularly emotional. It didn't, like, make me cry. Yeah. But all of that's fine. Like, I've been brought to tears in worship before, and that's, that's all good and well. There was just something about it that resonated, and I was like, "This is just good." Like, this is just good music. It's good singing. Something about hearing, uh, the whole congregation singing together. Like, it was just beautiful. It was just a beautiful moment. So if you are not in a psalm-singing church, first of all, why aren't you in a psalm-singing church? Uh, no worship leader on Earth, no, no person who is worth... Uh, when I say worship leader, I mean the person who's responsible for leading musical worship. No one who's leading worshipful music, worshipful? Worship music, if you approach them and say, "I would like to sing more songs that are based on the Psalms," if they say, "We don't wanna sing Psalms here," then you just go somewhere else. Like, someone who tells you, like, "We don't wanna s- we don't wanna sing God's Word," that doesn't make any sense to me.  [00:06:56] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:06:56] Tony Arsenal: Um, now again, like, there's a way to do it. Sometimes musically they're challenging, especially if you're singing out of something like the hymnal. But again, there are plenty of really good modern style songs and hymn style songs that are either based on the Psalms or are paraphrases, very similar to what you get in the, in the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. Or most, most people who are leading in musical worship are competent enough to just sort of take the sheet music and figure out how to do it on guitar or figure out how to play it on piano. Um, they're not that difficult. So you will be edified if you do this. Your church will be edified. There's probably a lot of people out there responsible for musical worship that actually would really like to do this, and they're kind of probably, like, just waiting for that nudge, so you may even be benefiting them. But yeah, this, this psalm is beautiful. It's just a gorgeous arrangement, and it's, it's perfect, inspired words. Really was a, just a, a balm to my soul this morning.  [00:07:51] Jesse Schwamb: I love it. And o- of course, a lot of that is still happening, which is such a glorious gift to the church. The couple of times that I've had the privilege of writing music for my own church has been right from the scriptures, and for me recently that was, like, Ephesians 1 and Psalm 16. And that's mainly because, like, as a lyricist, I'm not that creative, and I'd rather go direct to the source. And all those end up being a paraphrase, like you said, anyway. Es- especially if you wanna get turn of phrase or if you wanna have a little bit of rhyming, which is always a beautiful thing. I love the Psalter, and my, my hot take on that is I sometimes find that I like, I don't wanna call them, like, the alternate, but, like, the other secondary arrangements-  Yeah and  lyrics better. I don't know why. I don't think that's purposeful, of course. It's probably just my taste. But I always find them to be, like, super fire. I, I don't know why. The, the B and C versions always kinda grab me, especially if... And here's another thing that I appreciate about the Psalter, as you know, is sometimes those B or C versions will be written in an alternate key or a minor key. Yeah. And that's even more awesome, because there's not a lot of, let's say, like, cla- I don't wanna say classic. Classic slash contemporary, uh, Christian music or wors- quote-unquote worship music that's written in minor keys. But it's good to lament, as we've talked about before. So- Yeah ... you're gonna get that full breath and scope in the Psalter there. [00:09:06] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:09:07] Beyond Music Styles [00:09:07] Tony Arsenal: A- and, you know, maybe let me put in one more little plug here. Um- I am not one of those people that is gonna say that there's like a particular style of music that's more godly than another. I've heard people try to make arguments that there's like certain kinds of rhythms or certain kinds of like beats that are- Right either, either more godly or somehow demonic or less godly. Um, I think there might be an argument to be made that some styles of worship are not suited well for congregational singing, so they may not be appropriate for like a, a congregational worship service. Like, you're probably not gonna go in and do a lot of hip hop and have the congregation be able to like stick with you. Right. That doesn't mean that you can't worship God through that or that it somehow is less like intrinsically beautiful. But, um, there are a lot of Let me just put it this way. In modern contemporary Western Christianity, uh, there's a lot of songs that are basically just the same thing musically. You know, you'll find, um, if you go to, like, YouTube, and, and maybe, like, be careful, 'cause sometimes some of these are, they're funny but they're a little bit crass. But if you look up, like, a video about how, like, every song is Pachel Bell's Canon. Right. Right? Every song follows the same basic arrangement of chords, and this gets even more pronounced when you're talking about modern worship music or contemporary mu- worship music, because it's designed to be able to be very simple and very easily played. Um, a lot of times worship directors are not super classically trained. Um, you think of, like, the youth pastor with the guitar around the campfire. Like, those kinds of songs have to be easy, 'cause they're not, like, classically trained guitar players. They probably picked up a chord book and figured out how to play a couple easy songs like Jesus, Lover of My Soul and things like that. That's how I learned how to play guitar. That's the extent of my skills, so I'm not, I'm not banging on that person. Um, but there are a lot, there's a lot more to music. Um, there's a lot more to singing, and there's a lot more to choral music than, you know, GCDC kind of like worship courses. Uh, and singing something like the Psalter, or even just singing out of a good hymnal- Right will actually expand your musical horizons. And there's something to be said about the creativity of our God being reflected in the creativity of His people that I do think we miss out on when we are locked into really simplistic worship styles. Um, again, like, I interpret Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to mean, like, sing in the vernacular of the people. Um, and I, you know, that's a different episode. We can talk about that sometime. But th- that, that requires the songs to be singable, and I think sometimes, uh, sometimes some of the song- some of the Psalters, some of the songs in the Psalter hymnals, and sometimes hymnals in general, are very difficult to sing. And so I think a congregation, the people leading in music need to be thoughtful of that. But I think you would do well to, like, open your horizons a little bit to something a little bit more challenging and a little bit off the beaten path. Like, this melody, I don't know the chords behind it. It may not be anything crazy, but that, like, musicality and that, that sort of, like, melody is not a typical... And this might be why it resonated with me. It's not a typical kind of melody you're gonna find in contemporary music. Um, it's, it's very different. It's older. It's more classically styled. The, it's, it's meant to sort of bring you up to these crescendos in ways that modern music is not necessarily. So enough about that. I don't know a lot about music theory, so I might be totally wrong and, and- ... people might be rolling their eyes. But I, I do think that there's something to it. Like, a lot of the older hymns- utilize chord progressions and melodies and harmonies and things like that that we're just not used to. You're not gonna get that listening to, you know, even something like, like the more musical kind, uh, more technically proficient music like something like Bethel or Hillsong, which is at times musically very good. Uh, I don't know that I would recommend listening to it, but the music is actually, like, technically very good in some instances. Uh, even there you're not gonna find a lot of this stuff. So instead of going there for, like, really nice sounding musical worship, just go to something like the Trinity Psalter app. You know, for $10 on a- on your iPhone you can sing with it. Um, yeah, enough about that. I, I, I could talk about how great the Psalms are and how great psalm singing is for an entire episode. We should do that episode- We should ... when we're done with the parables, 'cause I know we've done a lot of episodes on, like, uh, on, on, like, the regulative principle and- Right I, I think we're still both in the same spot that, like- Right ... exclusive psalmody is probably not where we would land. Right. But I think I'm coming to the conviction that the psalms should have a much greater portion of our worship diet, uh- Hmm ... than they do in most churches. Um, and I really only came to that conviction when I was in a church where psalm singing was the norm. Uh, I know that we try to have at least one s- one canonical psalm for every single worship service. Usually there's multiple, but, um, even in a, a, a setting where we normally wouldn't be so focused on that, we still try to have at least one, and it's been a, a really huge edifying thing to my soul.  [00:14:06] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I absolutely love that. You'll find no complaint from me on that. I think that that's a good reminder for all of us.  [00:14:13] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:14:14] Book Sing Recommendation [00:14:14] Tony Arsenal: Jesse, what do you have?  [00:14:15] Jesse Schwamb: Well, it's, we're not gonna stop this conversation, just so you know. Because we don't sync up on these things ever, but it just so happens that I'm affirming with a book that it's a really simple primer on congregational singing-  There you go that has  long been on my list and overdue to read, and I am coming in hot with a recommendation for this, and that is the book entitled Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church by Keith and Kristyn Getty. And really, it covers so many of the things that you already talked about. I, I think at the foremost, it's a reminder that God cares whether in what we sing, but he does not mind how well we sing. Yes. But it is, like, the, this... What's true is that our voices might not be of a professional standard, but they are of a confessional standard. Yeah. And so it is incumbent upon every Christian to sing. And if you need just, like, a little bit of inspiration, so to speak, or a reminder of why that's important, I highly commend this book to you. In fact, in the back they have what's called, like, these bonus tracks. It's like four or five separate chapters that they've written just to particular people in the church, pastors, laypeople, musicians, even the people that help produce the sound. I found that bit to be so lovely and pastoral. It, it's gentle, the tone is encouraging, but it is also strong, and I appreciate that. So a lot of it is some of the themes that we've just talked about, but my conviction grows all the time of just how important congregational singing is, and how everything you just said, the music, the liturgy that we bring forward- has to be of a deliberate kind to strengthen that exercise, to make it easy, so to speak. And that does come into practical things like if you look at the psalter, and I, I don't... I have it on my phone, but I don't know where my phone is, so I was gonna look at the one you were referencing. My guess is it's, it's in probably a key with a couple of sharps in it, because those are the ones that are easiest to sing. So even little things like that matter. What you hear on the radio often is, or radio? People still listen to the radio? What you hear, like, in, like, contemporary music, like, often is not necessarily for congregational singing just in its key, and, and that's okay. And so even in my own church, we transpose things to make it reasonable and approachable. But what I think was, like, the critical question put forward in this book that I absolutely loved as a great reminder was: how did the congregation sing? It's very interesting that they kind of bring forward this thesis that that's how you should be judging your music. How did the congregation sing? And I think if we started asking that, it might slightly tweak or maybe change altogether, to your point, the methods and the practices that we use when we undergo worship by way or through music. So this is really great. It's easily readable, and it's for everybody, and it, there's a chapter on family worship as well, how to bring singing into your home and music into your home all the time as an act of worship so that when you get to the Lord's Day, your kids are like, "Yeah, this is our jam." Uh, especially maybe even recognizing some of the pieces of music and be excited about that. So there was a lot that made me think about here. It's fantastic. And to your point, Tony, I would say the Gettys, especially in, like, "Christ Alone," some of the other things, this is probably the closest to what you're talking about, where they've taken and imported kind of the classical hymn structures-  [00:17:26] Tony Arsenal: Yeah [00:17:27] Jesse Schwamb: but modernized a little bit just the language while without sacrificing any of the theological richness or the musicality that draws your ear to those beautiful rising and falling melodies, the swelling of the vocal there, without, like, distracting from anything that's going on there. It's not emotionalism- Yeah but it certainly is filled with the emotion of what it means to be a Christian and to sing in response as an act of praise to God.  [00:17:50] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:17:52] Family Worship Singing [00:17:52] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I mean, I can't underscore enough the importance of congregational singing. We, we've, we've actually talked about, about it in context of, like, how important it is for the men of the congregation to sing, which is something I, I really appreciate about my congregation, is, is the m- the men just go all out. Like, people are, like- Love it ... nobody is, nobody is ashamed of the fact that they squawk on a note that they're not used to or anything like that. And where this really pays out, um, at least in our congregation, but I'd, I'd be willing to bet if you go to any congregation where the, where the men particularly are passionate and active in musical worship, right? Um, I think where this plays out is you see the children very quickly picking up those songs and learning them and singing them. And the, the favorite part of my day, this is gon- any parent of toddlers is gonna be like, "What are you talking about?" Bedtime is one of my favorite times of day, not just because it means that, like, in a little while I'm gonna get a little peace and quiet. Like, that's part of it, too, but there are two songs that we sing almost every single night, and Augie leads them, which is really great. He always wants to start, and he always wants to sing, and it's the Doxology and the Gloria Patri. And these are songs that he has just picked up from being in the congregation, and, you know, I, I don't remember consciously teaching him any of these songs. And now, now Adeline, who is, uh, my two-year-old daughter, almost two, she's starting to pick those songs up, and she's starting to sing them, and she recognizes them, and she responds very differently to those songs than she does to other songs. Um, it's funny because I don't, I don't know where she got this. Neither my wife nor I are particularly, uh, charismatic, emotive people. Like, we don't raise our hands when we're singing, but she, she does. She, she, when we start singing- My girl ... the Gloria Patri or the Doxology, her hand is in the air, and she's looking at the sky, and she's waving her hands around. Yeah. And, um, she recognizes that those songs have a different place than a Miss Rachel song. She doesn't put her hands in the air and wave and look up at the ceiling when Miss Rachel comes on or when Baby Shark comes on. She knows those songs. She can sing those songs. Um, but she doesn't- Respond to those in the same way. And that is a direct result of the fact that congregational singing is an important thing in the life of our church and in the life of our family. And I think a book like Sing, I haven't read it, but I've heard very good things about it, and the, the Gettys are rock solid, like- Right ... theologically. Yes. Musically. They're, they're well within our Reformed tradition, at least broadly speaking. Um, and, and they have a, they have one of the strongest sort of theologies of praise music that you're gonna find. Mm-hmm. It's not quite like a liturgiology or something like that, but it's, it's, it's a theology of praise worship, praise and worship music. Right. Um, and that's not something that's super common, right? There's a lot of theology of liturgy. There's a lot of practical theology on liturgy. Um, the Gettys have developed a really unique kind of place in things in that they've really developed this idea that congregational singing has a specific theological import, and they've developed it in a way that's approachable. So yeah, I haven't read it and I sh- I probably should, but it, it sounds like a really great book. And, um, I c- just can't underscore it enough. And- Maybe this is my little plug. Like, uh, family worship is really tough, and it's not something I've mastered. Like, we don't, we, we don't have a regular rhythm. But what we do have is we have a consistent, uh, we consistently pray at night before bed, and we consistently sing one or both of those songs. And that by itself, like, the kids are learning and they are, they're absorbing that by osmosis. Um, they're picking up the phrasing, right? Augie can tell you who the three persons of the Trinity are, and that's partially 'cause we do catechism questions, but it's also partially, and I would actually argue probably more, because of the Trinitarian structure of those two songs. Right. He's picked up the language of the Father, the Spirit, and the Son from the Gloria Patri and from the doxology in ways that probably I wouldn't have been able to teach him otherwise. So yeah. Anyway, I, I just co-opted your affirmation. But, um, but yeah. I'm here for it. Congregational worship, family worship, singing, uh, to our Lord is commanded, and it's commanded for our good- Right and for his, his benefit and his blessing. Um, and so any book that is, is solid and will help you do that, I, I'm wholeheartedly behind.  [00:22:17] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. This is... All that is fire. This is fire.  [00:22:19] Reclaim Congregational Song [00:22:19] Jesse Schwamb: God designed our psyche for singing, and we're probably, uh, I would say contractually obligated since Reformed is in the name of the title of the podcast- to remind ourselves and everybody else that one of the things the Reformation did was reclaim the singing of God's word by his own people. Yes. Taking it out of that performatory space back into literally the voice boxes of the people who are sitting in worship together. So sometimes we might have to do that again. You know, there is a little bit, I think, of... There, there is in some places, not everywhere, this kind of tilting of that time of worship through music to be vouchsafed or relegated to those who are, uh, let's say, like, the most, like, talented in doing that, and somehow we participate merely by observing or by- Yeah just, uh, you know, being an audience spectator of that, and that's totally backwards. So I get it. The thing is- We're all singers. We may not all be very good singers, but we're all created to be singers nonetheless. This is what the Bible tells us. So we need to lean into that. We need to invest in that. Yeah. And so I, I like, of course, what you're doing with, uh, your kids because you're not only teaching them to sing, and this makes me so happy, but you're teaching them to love singing to the Lord. Yeah. And so that is, I think, what a lot of our congregations miss, is sometimes we do it, and I'm among them often, but grudgingly. And so to get to a place where we come excited that our reasonable response, our reasonable preparation on the Lord's day is to sing together, to hear that gospel message in melody in the ear of our... You know, the voice of our neighbor in our own ear is a wild thing. It's just, like, un- unheard of. And it's like, uh, we gotta stop, right? It's one of those things also that, like- ... we've, we've talked about how it's just kind of otherworldly. Not, not only in the sense that it gives us this really kind of foundational sense of God's, you know, kind of transcendence, of what it means to participate in the worship of someone who is transcendent because it is all these voices together, but also this is something that rarely happens in any other way, especially in the Western culture anymore. This coming together to express and to participate in something where we're all reading literally from the same sheet music is just an entirely different experience, increasingly relegated to this kind of experience. So we, we must protect it, not only because God says that we ought to, but also because, again, it is, it is our reasonable response. Yeah. And it is something, like you've just said, that brings Him glory and is certainly for our good. So, uh, this is the Singcast, so everybody- ... everybody get to it. You can make your own music. God has commanded us to sing. So the sooner we just understand, like, hey, it's, it's... You know. Uh, but... And the last thing I'll say is this is one of those things that's, like, practice too. A- and I get it. Like, you may say, like, "Listen, I can only hit two notes, and that's all I'm gonna hit no matter what the music is." Well, then belt the two notes, and also know that, like, the more you practice that kind of thing, honestly, the better that you'll get and the more comfortable that you'll become. The voice is an instrument like any other instrument that takes, like, a little bit of practice and a little bit of work. But even that can cause, I think, great benefits and build a little bit of confidence. But just the example of singing and doing it from a heart that is keen to worship God and that is filled with passion to respond to Him with gratitude and, you know, adoration is really the key thing. And so I, I'd rather have a entire group full of worshipers that are singing off-key but, like, with just resounding passion than to have this performance of just a handful of voices because they feel like they're the most capable to do it. Yeah. I think we'd, we'd rather have everybody else, and to hear the congregation mixed as one of those instruments. So sing. Yeah.  [00:26:05] Everyone Can Sing [00:26:05] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and y- you and I have made the point in the past, too, like- I, I don't think, uh, maybe I'm wrong. Uh, we are a top 50 healthcare podcast, so maybe some doctor- I'm sure you're correct ... is gonna... Right. Like, I don't think being tone deaf is actually a physical condition. Like- Mm. I, I mean, I, I mean, obviously, like, some people have hearing problems, and that means they have trouble singing. I hear what you're saying. But, like, the people who are like, "Well, I j- I just can't sing. I'm just not capable of that," uh, like, I think the, the physical conditions that would make you incapable of singing are not usually what people are talking about. Like- Right. Yeah ... you know, some people have, like, vocal fold disorders or they have hearing problems, and I guess maybe, like, if perfect pitch is a thing, which it, it is. Like, perfect pitch is a... I don't know what causes it, but some people are born with perfect pitch. I suppose in theory that means some people must be born with, like, the opposite of perfect pitch. But I think most people who say, like, "Well, I just, I'm just tone deaf. I can't carry a tone," that, that's probably not true. Like, it just means you need practice. Um, and some people's voices, like physically, their bodies are more, more designed by God to produce a pleasant sound than other people. But I, I think actually just about anybody with a little bit of practice, and mostly I think this is probably just the confidence to actually sing and a little bit of practice to learn how your body works, like how your voice works, um, could probably get to a point where singing is not only very relatively comfortable and easy, but it's something that is pleasant and is not overly challenging. This is actually something that I think we've lost in the church. We should... This, I mean, this is about to come the episode, but, um- ... something we've lost in the church when we have sort of changed from a true genuine congregational singing model, which was the norm- And I've heard people make arguments about the importance of hymnals, and I, I agree with those arguments, although I know some people have moved them into almost like a realm of, like, divine mandate- Right that you have to use hymnals because it trains people to teach. But we have lost something with both the sort of commercialization of worship music and the pro- like making it a professional thing, and we've lost congregational singing. The, the people in the church throughout history have learned to sing. Many of them have learned to read, learned the scriptures, learned theology, not in the seminary and not in the monastery, but in the pew as they sing God's word and as they sing- Right ... the great theological hymns of, of the church. There's so much you can learn through that process that I just think we've lost. And I think going back to something like a hymnal or the Trinity Psalter Hymnal or whatever, whatever standard music your church is gonna use, and I mean standard music. Like, whether this is a collection of worship choruses that has been curated for the church or it's a published hymnal or something like that, going back to something like that teaches the church how to sing. And I don't remember who wrote it, but the trellis and the vine, like the worship that we sing, I know Mike Horton makes this point. The worship that we sing is the tre- is the trellis that the vine of our wor- of our- Yes ... faith grows on, right? That's true. Like, what the, what the church lex credendi, lex orandi. Like, the church, what the church prays, the church believes. What the church sings, the church believes. So all of that to say, like, the, the importance of congregational singing can't be under-emphasized, and it's... I, I mean, I don't know that I would I don't know that most theologists say technically s- like, congregational singing is an element of worship, but praising the Lord through song certainly is. Yes. It's, it's evidence. Um, and, and so I think that's definitely something that the church has lost in general. Um, and I know there are churches... I- it's funny, when Ashley and I were between churches, uh, very briefly after, um, our previous church closed down, um, we went to a local sort of, like, high, high, uh, production, seeker-sensitive church, very Steven Furtick-esque, and we only lasted, like, 10 minutes in this, in this service. We went in and the production value was great, and the music sounded great, but we couldn't hear ourselves, we couldn't sing- Right ... and it was very performative, and we just left. We were only there for a few minutes, and we left. And I think that's something we've lost as we've sort of migrated worship to almost, like, a professional class. So yeah, bring it back to the pews. Bring it back to your- Bring it back ... bring it back to your house, bring it back to your kid's bedroom when you're tucking them in. Everywhere. Bring it back to the car on the way to work, in the bus. Right. Like, just let's everywhere we go, let's sing and worship the Lord. [00:30:30] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that's right.  [00:30:31] Train Your Voice [00:30:31] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, so as a final thing, let me compound your hot take and say that I agree with you, that I... And I think professionals would as well, and I'm gonna stand on a resource that I'm gonna recommend to everybody here in a second, that in fact the Getty say, "If you can speak, you can sing." And there are a f- a few conditions that would prevent you from doing that, of course. And even there, they wanna explore opportunities for you, for instance, signing, for instance, to ensure that you can participate in worship. Uh, the hot take is I do think that because the instrument that God has given us in the vocal cords is exactly that, that it can be trained, and that actually most people can sing. And if you're serious about that, if you think, "You know what? I'd like to be able to do that. How can I explore that?" Here's a book for you. It's called Set Your Voice Free by Roger Love. The full title is How to Get the Singing or Speaking Voice You Want. Roger Love is, like, this amazing behind-the-scenes vocal coach. He has coached, like, a ton of really talented recording artists, and this is his very contention in the book, is that everybody can sing. It's really about how much or little work you wanna put into it. And in fact, this book comes with, like, these exercises that you can listen to and then record yourself. And then he, from a distance basically, can give you some pointers based on allowing you to kinda evaluate what you hear in your own recording back. So if you really are the kind of person that's like, "Listen, I, I dare you. I cannot sing," I would challenge you, I would double dog dare you to get this book, Set Your Voice Free, and if you're really serious about wanting to try and see if it can make a difference, I, I think it can. And I've, I myself have enjoyed this book, gone back to it many times, use it in my own work and practice because I found it to be helpful. So there you go. Sing, sing, and sing again.  [00:32:06] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:32:07] Singing Apps and Practice [00:32:07] Tony Arsenal: And if you're not a reader, first of all, why are you listening to the podcast? But second of all, if for some reason you're not a reader I'm, I'm joking. I'm sure there are people that are listening to the podcast who are not readers. That was, like, a super smug thing to say. How dare you. I'm sorry about that. How dare you. Um, if for some reason you don't wanna read that book or you're not a reader, um, y- you can do something as simple as looking up Yousician on your Yousician, Y-O-U- Yeah ... S-I, like the word musician, but U instead of, like, Y-O-U instead of, uh, musician. Um, there are plenty of apps out there. I just, I mention Yousician just because I've used that on, like, a free trial basis with some guitar teaching, and it's a reputable source. They also have a vocal module. So, like, if you wanna learn to sing, there are plenty of resources out there who can help you train your voice. A- and it- Again, I'm not a doctor, I'm not a vocal coach, I'm not a professional singer. I'm not even that great of a singer, and I, I probably could be a better singer if I wanted to devote the time to it. Um, it doesn't take much to, to be able- Right ... to become a competent singer. Um, I think most of us, you pick up one s- just like I learned guitar, you pick one or two songs that you really like and you wanna learn, and you learn to sing those songs, and then those skills will develop over time. So enough about that, Jesse. We've got, speaking of talents- ... we've got some talents to talk about. There it is. Boom, bazinga. Baza-bazom. I'm  [00:33:27] Jesse Schwamb: back. There it is. Yeah, so- I was excited  [00:33:31] Tony Arsenal: about that one ...  [00:33:32] Jesse Schwamb: that, that was really good. And, and we should just h- honor everyone. That's it.  [00:33:37] Tony Arsenal: That's it. Tip your waiters and waitresses, folks. It  [00:33:39] Jesse Schwamb: was so good. We're here all week.  [00:33:41] Parable Context Setup [00:33:41] Jesse Schwamb: So we're in Matthew 25, uh, verses 14 through 28, and this is at least gonna be a two-parter for us. This goes by the name you might be familiar of, which is The Parable of the Talents. But before we get to it, just a quick reminder that we've been speaking about this parable, not like in a special way, but hopefully in the more contextual sense. So this is the second of three eschatological parables in Matthew 25. So the first was The 10 Virgins, which we went through. We're in The Talents, and then we're coming up to everybody's favorite, The Sheep and the Goats. All three are part of this Olivet Discourse, which is, of course, Jesus' final teaching block before his Passion. And I think it h- behooves us so that we do not get distracted from, like, the center of gravity of this thing, that this is delivered in response to the disciples' question about the sign of his coming and the age to come. Because I've heard so many, like, little talks, maybe homilies is more the right word, on this particular parable that lack gravity. So little gravity that basically NASA could train their astronauts in it. So we wanna stay away from that and I think get into, like, the, the proper context. So Tony, do you have it in front of you by any chance? And would  [00:34:50] Tony Arsenal: you- I do. I do, yeah. Yeah. Read it for us? I'll read it here.  [00:34:52] Reading the Parable [00:34:52] Tony Arsenal: So this is, uh, starting in, uh, Matthew 25 verse 14, and I'm gonna read down through, uh, the end of verse 30 here. So it, it reads here, "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them, entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents. Here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, "Master, you delivered to me two talents. Here I have made two talents more." His master said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." He also who had received one talent came forward, saying, "Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours." But his master answered him, "You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming, I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him who gave it, who give it to him who has 10 talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. For, uh, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness in that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  [00:36:56] Watchfulness and Stewardship [00:36:56] Jesse Schwamb: So it starts with that amazing connective, which we really spoke about in the last episode, in verse four- 14, starting with four. So it's tying, like we said, this parable directly to verse 13, which we know is in the, the parable of the ten virgins. But it's this idea of watchfulness. "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." So th- I think this is the point we really drove last time, that we really felt highly convicted about, that this parable is not like a detached economic lesson, but it's really like an expedition, exposition, not expedition- ... of what watchful discipleship actually looks like during the interval of the master's absence. Like, that's the whole setup here. So it's starting with this idea of like the master goes away, but here we have these slaves or these servants who are entrusted. And to me, again, that's like such a linchpin in this whole thing, 'cause it's, it's carrying the sense that of course, like, he's handing over stewardship. It's a deposit held on another's behal- I love this parable because it has some banking language in it. It's, it's a deposit held on another's behalf, and that's like the key covenant concept of the entire thing. Ownership remains with the master. The servants are stewards. They're not proprietors. And that language, I think, really anticipates, like, the entire New Testament theology of stewardship, which is developed by Paul. So like when Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, "This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." So like all of that, that's like just one verse for me. Like, that's an incredible setup.  [00:38:27] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:38:28] Common Misreadings [00:38:28] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and you know, I think it bears saying, too, um, I wanna be careful how I say this because I don't wanna impugn, uh, poor motives or anything like that on, on the, the people that I'm about to speak to. And I say this a little bit tongue in cheek, but also I say this as someone who used to be deeply involved in youth ministry. There's kind of like a, a youth ministry, um- international version of the Bible, I guess, if you wanna put it that way, where, like, there are certain, certain passages and parables that s- for some reason seem really prone to misapplication- Sure in, in some context. And I would say, like, youth ministry is the one I have in mind. Like, um, one of them is, like, in Matthew 18 where it's like, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them." Like, that's a, that's a statement about God's, God's presence in the judgment of the church and excommunicating an un- like, a, an unrepentant, uh, person who identifies with Christ. And, and ironically here, maybe not ironically, but, like, casting them into the outer darkness of excommunication, which is representative of casting them out into the actual inner darkness of damnation. Right. Like, th- there's a, there's a misapplication of that, that like, well, you know, like, if only a couple people came to youth group tonight, like, it's still worth meeting because where two or three are gathered, there I am in the midst of them. Um, this, this parable has a very similar kind of misapplication that is maybe a, a little bit less of a misapplication. Like, I think there is something to say in this parable about the fact that God entrusts us with abilities, talents, treasure, t- our time. Like, He's entrusted us with resources, and He does expect us to use those resources, uh, in a way that is honoring to Him and beneficial for the, for the gospel and for the kingdom. Um, that's true in a broad sense, but I don't think actually that this is what that... But, like, that's not what this passage- Mm ... is teaching. Right. I think I, I kinda joked last time, but, like, I've heard more than one sermon that draws the parallel between the word talent here and our talents in terms of, like, our spiritual gifts or our ability to play guitar or, like, to bounce a basketball and, like, thr- like, throw a free throw. Like, that's not the kinda talent we're talking about here. So I wanna, I wanna sorta, like, point that out just to sort of exclude that from the conversation. Yes, God gifts His people, and He expects His people to use those gifts for His glory and for their own benefit. Um, but that's not what this parable is talking about. This is a parable about the fact that God has entrusted the kingdom of heaven on Earth to His people.  [00:41:08] Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  [00:41:08] Tony Arsenal: And He expects His people to make use of that in a way that expands the kingdom and also in a way that does not... And this is, this is, I actually think, the main point of the parable. In a way that properly understands the nature of the king. The, the punchline or the main point of the parable here, it, just to sort of, like, I don't know, give away the ending or, like, unbury the lead, I don't know, whatever that is. The point of this parable- It's not that, like, it's a really good thing to double what God has resourced you with. The point of the parable, the reason that, just like the, um, just like it wasn't the virgins falling asleep in the last parable that was the problem because everybody fell asleep, in this instance, uh, the amount of money or the amount of return on investment that the servants produce is not the point of the parable. That's not the real difference between them. The real difference is that the former servants understood that their master had trusted them with a task and expected something of them, and the, the unfaithful, wicked, lazy servant had a total misunderstanding of who the master was- Right ... and therefore what his role as the master's servant was. That's the point of this parable, and I think, this is the last thing I'll say before I, I, I take a breath here. There's a lot of people that would look at this parable and might read some sort of works righteousness or, um, and this is more understandable and I think has a place within the Reformed tradition, although I don't necessarily hold this view. But would look at this as sort of like a theology which would, would argue that we receive some sort of enhanced rewards in heaven based on our faithfulness. There's plenty of good, faithful Reformed Bible teachers that would hold that position. I actually think whether or not that's true, this is still also not what this passage is getting at. [00:43:00] Jesse Schwamb: I, I totally agree with you there.  [00:43:02] Talents as Huge Wealth [00:43:02] Jesse Schwamb: I, I think one of the reasons that we know that is because we can look at some of these details and let the details speak to us about the magnitude in their representation, why they're given. So of course, whenever the scripture gives us detail, especially in a context like a parable, it can be helpful of cour- of course not to overanalyze them, but to respect their place in the context of the story, and that's why verse 15 I think is so important. So to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability, then he went away. Now, this, this varies slightly, but there's a lot of, I think, very common historicity here that points us to understanding, like, the talents as a unit of monetary weight, and there is some discrepancy about its exact weight. But what we can say for sure is this: that we're talking about, as I teased at the beginning, a huge sum of money. So in other words, like, this is a gift from God himself. It's a divine gift. Yeah. It's something that's not earned. It's something that's given and something that's entrusted. So in the first-century Roman world, a talent was roughly equivalent to, like, 6,000 denarii, depending on who you talk to, which would mean that a single talent represented approximately, like, 20 years on average of a laborer's wages. So the sums then here we're talking about are staggering even at the lowest one. So the five-talent servant is receiving essentially approximately equivalent of a century's wages, and the one-talent servant is receiving 20 years' worth. There's no such thing as a small gift in Christ's economy, I think is the point here, and even the least endowment is immense beyond our reckoning. Yeah. So the distribution also is deliberately unequal. It's five, one, two, and the text doesn't offer any apology for this inequality. The master distributes to each according to his ability, which as I say that, I realize that could probably be its own episode, that we could talk about what that even means. Yeah. But he is matching and entrusting to capacity, and that's not arbitrary. Of course, that's wise and personal, and even the Greek here for this idea of capacity or power suggests the master knows his servants intimately and calibrates the stewardship accordingly. But nonetheless, it proves the point you're making here, which is not just about, like, well, do you have some kind of innate ability that's above average that God has endowed you with here? That's not even what we're talking about. Again, the whole point of this is to answer the question eschatologically about what the end means and when the time is coming and what good discipleship looks like. And so in that way, we understand then these talents to be these divinely appointed and massively generous gifts of God, essentially, like you said, the stewarding of the gospel in the story of salvation itself unto his people, and then to make something of that, so to speak, by the power of the Holy Spirit that earns a return for the kingdom, that is all empowered by God, that is under the volition of the person, uh, the Christian who says, "As a disciple, it is my responsibility to steward these gifts." That is really what we're after. So we do kind of get in this place where when you take this and say, "Well, what are you doing with," let's say- your home, if you have a nice home, are you being hospitable enough? If you have, let's say, a good singing voice by talent, are you using that to make sure that you're on the, quote-unquote, "praise and worship team," is not, like, entirely wrong, but it's not right either- Yeah to use this passage- Yeah ... for that purpose. There's a bigger theme here. There is, there's a much stronger and widescale framework that God is drawing us to and examine, and it's about the stewardship of the church itself.  [00:46:30] Tony Arsenal: Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.  [00:46:31] The Foolish Servant Exposed [00:46:31] Tony Arsenal: That's really key, and this is what struck me as, as you were speaking about that, is like we see in so many of the kinda like, uh, like the chump in the parable. Like, there's- Yeah ... a lot of these parables have like a chump- Right ... where like you're looking at and you're like, nothing about what you've decided to do makes any sense. We're talking about people who've been given, in the first case, 100 years worth of, worth of wages. Right. Right? Any one of these people, and again, we're talking about a timeframe where, like, you could just take that money and run and, like, nobody's gonna find you. There's no digital trail on any of this, right? If I stole, if I stole 100 years worth of labor from my manager or from my, my employer, they would find me, right? That's not the situation we're talking about. So even the chump who decided, "I'm not gonna do anything with this," he could've just take- taken off with the money and had 20 years worth of labor. Right. Just 20 years worth of wages. Right. This is a, this is a sum of money that makes all f- all three of these servants unimaginably wealthy instantly, right? The point of this is, in part, that the final servant has no idea the amazing blessing and responsibility that he's been given. And again, I come back to this. It's not because he is dumb or because he is, um, somehow less competent in a strict sense, right? It, it's so funny to me, like, we also gloss over the fact that, like, the guy who has five talents, he's got 100 years worth of money, 100 years worth of wages. Right. And he just goes and gets 100 more. Like- Right he just goes and trades and- Right ... comes up with 100 years worth of wages that he brings back. Like, that's, in itself is, like, phenomenally, amazingly outrageous. We ran into this too with the, um, the parable of the unmerciful servant, right? We've, we've got one guy who's got this unimaginable debt, like, like, thousands of years worth of, uh, worth of wages that he could never make up, and he thinks he's gonna somehow come up with it if you just give him enough time. It's kind of like the opposite here. This guy's got this unimaginable amount of instant wealth, and he just buries it in the ground. First of all, how much... We're also talking about an era where money was a physical, entirely physical.  [00:48:53] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:48:53] Tony Arsenal: There were no, there were no digital banks. Like- No zeros and ones most of our money exists as ones and zeros in a computer program right now. Right. Like, in reality, like- Right ... my money doesn't exist. We don't have, like, a physical gold standard anymore in America. Jesse could probably s- I'm probably making dumb things up right now. No, that's that's- Like, it used- Right on to be that, like, every dollar that the United States government printed had, like, a piece of gold sitting at Fort Knox- Yes ... uh, like backing it up, but we just don't have that anymore. Most of the money that exists in our system is entirely imaginary. It's an entirely, like, made-up digital currency way before, like, Bitcoin was a thing. That's not the case in this timeframe. This dude who buried 20 years worth of money in the ground, that's a significant amount of labor in and of itself- Right ... to even be able to do that. So we're not talking about, like... And I think this is the thing we miss when we, when we read the word talents, and one, when we obscure it and we, like, we misappropriate the word talent to mean, like, abilities, 'cause it, that's a convenient, like, illustration tool. We're talking about a huge sum of probably gold or silver that this dude just buries in the ground, and then, like, digs it up when the master comes back.  [00:50:01] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:50:01] Tony Arsenal: And I think, like- When we don't realize how much money this is, we miss the force of the master's like, "You stupid, dumb, wicked, slothful servant." Like, if you had even taken this money to the bank and done the least imaginable- Yes ... effort. Exactly. Like, if you had done anything at all, like how mu- how difficult, granted more difficult back in this age than it is now, but like if you had even done something as simple requiring as little labor as possible and just brought this to the bank and let them collect interest on it, we'd still be talking about a huge return. [00:50:35] Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  [00:50:36] Tony Arsenal: And he doesn't even do that, and that's, that's the point. There's the people who do, and they gloss over this. The parable totally glosses over the amazing effort and work that it must have taken to take 100 years worth of la- of wages and turn it into 200 years worth of wages. Right. Or to take 40 years worth of wages and turn it into 80 years worth of wages. That's an amazing, probably almost miraculous return on, on investment. Whatever they did is amazing, and the parable's like, "Yeah, they did that." They just took it to the traders and they brought back five more talents. Like, it's nothing. And then this idiot, and I say idiot in like the most like, like exegetically sound, idios, like, like foolish idiot person. [00:51:20] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:51:20] Tony Arsenal: This idiot just buries it in the ground and doesn't even bother to bring it to the bank where he's gonna get some return on it. This is the picture of the fool who does not make use of the means of salvation. This is the picture of the fool who refuses to receive Christ as savior, who refuses to make use of the benefit and blessing of salvation that is available to all who will trust in Christ and turn to him. This is the same picture as the idiot virgins who didn't buy enough oil and just fell asleep when they knew that the bridegroom was coming, right? Right. It's not that they fell asleep, it's that they didn't do the most obvious, simple,

On today's program, Christian curriculum publisher Orange has released investigation findings after its founder was accused of sexual misconduct—and it's highlighting key lessons other ministries can learn. We'll take a look. Plus, the 2026 annual meeting for the Southern Baptist Convention was this week, putting some core tensions on display. From sexual abuse reforms to immigration and women preachers, Southern Baptists faced defining votes. We'll have details. And, two big ministry acquisitions to announce—Salem Media Group and Phoenix Seminary. But first, Bethel Church in Redding, California, is cutting ties with four big-name ministry leaders. Bethel says it will no longer platform Todd Bentley, Mike Bickle, Shawn Bolz, or Bob Hartley. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Etturalde. Until next time, may God bless you.

#Bible #Biblia #Jesus #JesusChrist #HearingGod Are we receptive to God's call in a broken world? Do we understand His message, and are we willing to take action to fulfill His will? In this episode, we discuss the obstacles that prevent us from hearing God and growing in our faith. What can we do to cultivate good soil so that we can produce the fruits God calls us to bear?   Please help us grow by donating to keep Bible Study Company free for others: https://biblestudycompany.com/#

An explosion at one home in Wayne County that damaged several homes may have been started by a propane cylinder failure.The Regional Food Bank is struggling as gas prices continue to skyrocket. The end is nigh for the new comprehensive plan for the Town of Bethel. A man in Orange County's been arrested after an argument over a parking spot at an apartment building. 

How to study the BIBLE: Jacob Moves to Bethel: God's Protection. If we desire God's protection, we need to let him be our all in all, our guide, and the one we show our obediant too.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chatting-from-the-word-hosted-by-oscar--4081759/support.

How to study the BIBLE: Jacob Moves to Bethel; God's Protection. In Psalm 23: The Psalmist knew that the Lord was his shepherd, his guide, hie protector and his everything. He recognize that he needed a shepherd. Do we recognize that today?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chatting-from-the-word-hosted-by-oscar--4081759/support.

After 40 years of living for himself, Jacob heeds God's call, assumes spiritual leadership, and prepares his family to return to Bethel. Along the way we learn that Rachel dies giving birth to her second son, Benjamin. Isaac dies, too, and our study closes with Esau and Jacob burying him together.

Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.4 Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.5 And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,6 These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;8 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.10 The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.16 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.24 The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve.25 The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.27 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.28 The men of Bethazmaveth, forty and two.29 The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.30 The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.31 The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two.32 The men of Bethel and Ai, an hundred twenty and three.33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.34 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.35 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.36 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.38 The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.40 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.41 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.42 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.43 The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.44 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight.45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.46 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,47 The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,48 The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,49 The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,50 The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,54 The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,56 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.57 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,58 The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,59 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.60 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.61 And these were they which went up also from Telmelah, Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.63 And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.64 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.65 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.66 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,67 Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:69 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments.71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests' garments.73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

How to study the BIBLE: Jacob Moves to Bethel: God's Protection, When we obey the Gospel of Christ, adding us to his body, that comes with protection or insurance protecting us in any or every situation, we find ourselves in, God's protection.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chatting-from-the-word-hosted-by-oscar--4081759/support.

Photo: Nahaaygm Łagyigyedm (Spirit of Our Ancestors) sits ashore One Tree Island outside of Metlakatla, Alaska. (Hunter Morrison / KRBD) Wildlife across southern Southeast Alaska is emerging from wintertime hibernation, but in Metlakatla on Annette Island, animals are not the only things waking up. Canoes are hitting the water again, marking this year's start of a Tsimshian tradition that is tied to the village's history. KRBD's Hunter Morrison tagged along for a recent canoe journey, and has this story. About a dozen people are holding cedar boughs in a driveway on the outskirts of town. Seated atop a nearby trailer is a long, white canoe. David Nelson grabs his drum and begins singing. As the drumbeats echo through the subdivision, the mixed-aged crowd cleanses and awakens the vessel by brushing the cedar along its sides. The song's lyrics honor the canoe and welcome its paddlers. It has not been performed in three years. “We believe they’re like a living, breathing thing, so we treat it as such. We say ‘hello' to it, and when we put it away, we tell you ‘it was good to be you,' and we thank it for doing everything.” The ceremony marks the start of the canoe's spring and summertime journey. The 40-foot long Nahaaygm Lagyigyedm (Spirit of Our Ancestors) has navigated Metlakatla's waters and traveled to neighboring islands since 2013. Johon Atkinson, president of the nonprofit Liwaayda, says the organization's goal is to share Tsimshian culture and bring Metlakatla back to its canoeing roots, which dates back over 130 years. “So the whole reason why we got this canoe was to get our people in Metlakatla out on water.” While today's canoes are often used to educate people about Tsimshian culture, Atkinson says they are still important to traditional practices. Later this month, the Spirit of Our Ancestors will be used in Metlakatla to harvest seaweed from neighboring islands. “It’s that feeling of we’re going to be on the ocean, on the highways of our ancestors. And just that feeling is so comforting. I feel complete when it is canoe season.” Minutes after its blessing, the canoe is towed to a boat launch, from which they will paddle to nearby One Tree Island. Johon Atkinson, right, and family members cleanse the Spirit of Our Ancestors with cedar boughs before the canoe's first journey of the season. (Photo: Hunter Morrison / KRBD) Atkinson, who is joined by his son, niece, and nephew, hopes fun opportunities like these can help keep Tsimshian traditions alive for the next generation. “Having them experience this now is something that many of us adults have not experienced at their age. So the fact that they are here, learning and leading – there’s just no words on how amazing that is.” Atkinson says folks from all over the country visit Metlakatla each summer to experience the village's canoe journeys firsthand. (Courtesy Robert Nick family) Robert Nick was a man of the Southwest Alaska tundra – and much more. He died last month at the age of 84. His memorial service was at St. Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Anchorage last week where, as Rhonda McBride from our flagship station KNBA tells us, he was remembered for a lifetime of public service. Robert Nick's Russian Orthodox service was fitting for a man who loved the harmonies of the Slavonic choir. He was known to pass out recordings of his favorite hymns to friends and fellow singers. For Andrew Guy (Yup'ik), president of the Calista Native Corporation, Nick represents the end of an era. “He's part of that group that came from having no electricity, no outboard, to where we are today.” (Courtesy Robert Nick family) Nick helped bring electricity to villages throughout Southwest Alaska through his work with the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, an organization he helped found. He also ran a store in Nunapitchuk, a village near Bethel, Alaska where he grew up. Richard Jung (Yup'ik), who owned Jung's Trading Post, in the neighboring village of Napakiak, said Nick's leadership grew from the values he was raised in. “One of the things you're taught is to help people. You try to do what you can for your village and your region. And he was one of those guys that did that./ He knew that he could get things done and was one of the ones that knew he had to do it. He was just a fine person.” Robert Nick was very proud that he was the first in his family to receive a Western education and graduate from high school. That achievement became a foundation for decades of service on boards and commissions that focused on a wide range of causes: health, education, housing, economic development, job training, and protecting the Yup'ik subsistence way of life. (Courtesy Robert Nick family) His niece Karen Cooke Phillips (Yup'ik) says he was tireless. “Attending meetings, after meetings, for days and hours, and for continued years.” And yet, Phillips says, his home was filled with love, a reflection of his early life. Nick was the eldest of nine children. After his father died, he took over his father's store and helped to provide for his younger brothers and sisters – an experience Phillips says shaped his lifelong role as a father figure – not just within his family but across the region. “He has been in those arenas, leading in lots of different organizations and providing a voice for people from our region, or the lifestyle of the people of our region.” Nick had two twin passions, housing and education. He dedicated many years of his life to improving housing conditions in rural Alaska. Eventually, he became a national advocate for federal Indian housing programs and brought attention to the Third World conditions in Alaska villages. He also served on the Lower Kuskokwim School Board for two decades and became its longtime chairman. Steve O'Brien, a former school principal, remembers giving Nick a copy of Robert Rules of order to help him. “And he laughed, and he said, ‘Oh, I already have that book.' And he reached behind from the bookshelf, and he pulled down this very worn and earmarked copy of Robert's Rules with sticky pages and stuff. He was an expert about this stuff.” O'Brien says it is no surprise that Robert Nick was eventually asked to chair almost every board he served on. In 2014, Nick received an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. (Courtesy Robert Nick family) Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Tuesday, June 9, 2026 — Lawsuit threatens unique century-old Native Hawaiian land benefit

Host Jeff Shepherd explores the complex legacy of the Azusa Street Revival in this episode, beginning with powerful testimony from two people who, as children, received lasting healings — one from deafness and one from tuberculosis — that endured for seventy years. These testimonies anchor the program's repeated point: God still heals, even amid flawed movements and confused leadership. The episode traces historical roots leading to Azusa Street, profiling Frank W. Sanford and his commune at Shiloh, Charles Fox Parham and his Bethel school (including his teachings that tongues were the sole evidence of the Spirit and his emphasis on divine healing), and William Seymour, the Black preacher who became the central figure at Azusa Street in 1906. Shepard reviews both contemporary praise for Azusa's miracles and sharp criticisms from respected Bible teachers who described chaos, occult influences, and moral failures within and around the meetings. Key topics include eyewitness accounts of extraordinary phenomena and disorder at Azusa, comparisons to later movements such as the Toronto Blessing, and the author's contention that many of these manifestations resemble the Kundalini or serpent energy rather than healthy fruit of the Holy Spirit. Scriptural framing is applied using Deuteronomy 18:9–12 and 1 Corinthians 12: the program affirms that spiritual gifts like healing and miracles are real, but warns that signs and wonders without faithful Word ministry invite deception. Shepard emphasizes discernment: genuine moves of God can be infiltrated by counterfeit spirits, and believers must test everything by Scripture, adopt a Berean spirit, and hold fast to the person of Jesus. The episode balances testimony of authentic miracles with sober historical critique and practical application: search the Scriptures daily, know the real Jesus, and remain anchored in the unchanging Word to avoid being deceived. Listeners can expect history, firsthand testimony, doctrinal analysis, and pastoral exhortation on how to recognize true revival versus imitation, all delivered with a call to love God, love family, and make a godly difference in the community. Thank you for Listening!. Prayerfully consider investing support to continue spreading the word. ZPlease like, subscribe and share. Click Here for all links, Right on Community ROC, Podcast web links, Freebies, Products (healing mushrooms, EMP Protection) Social media, courses and more...https://linktr.ee/RightonRadio Live Right in the Real World! We talk God and Politics, Faith Based Broadcast News, views, Opinions and Attitudes Keep the Faith

In this insightful episode of the Who's Who in the Bible series, Fr. Assisi Saldanha, C.Ss.R., explores the life, leadership, and legacy of Jeroboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The video traces Jeroboam's journey from a capable and respected leader under King Solomon to the central figure in Israel's division following Solomon's death. It examines his role in challenging oppressive policies, negotiating with Rehoboam for justice, and leading the northern tribes to independence.Fr. Saldanha highlights how Jeroboam was initially seen as a liberator and even a “new Moses” for his people. However, the episode also reflects on the decisions that ultimately shaped his legacy, particularly the establishment of golden calves at Bethel and Dan, which became a lasting symbol of Israel's religious unfaithfulness. Through a balanced appraisal of his achievements and failures, viewers are invited to consider the challenges of leadership, faith, and responsibility.Watch this fascinating episode and explore the entire Who's Who in the Bible series to discover the lives and lessons of other influential Biblical figures.

Parte 2 | Yo buscaba un milagro para ser madre, pero mi cuerpo era un campo de batalla de dolor y silencio. Cuando sentía que mi vida se rompía, Dios me dio la noticia que lo cambió todo, pero no sabía que la historia continuaría. Invitada: Denisse Barrientos.Conducción: Elizabeth Palza.Edición: Josue Chamorro.

How to study the BIBLE: Jacob Moves to Bethel: The Change/God's Protection.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chatting-from-the-word-hosted-by-oscar--4081759/support.

This week, we're in Kansas discussing a family that vanished in Topeka. Then we'll talk about a suspicious death. Buckle up and join us on this dark and twisted ride through the Sunflower State.Be sure to subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and leave a review, or email us at unitedstatesofmurder@gmail.comFollow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!Listen to: The Suspicious Death of Tori BethelSources: Medium, The Topeka Journal, The Sentinel, Justice for Tori Bethel

If a book promises to give you the heart of God while quietly replacing His words with someone else's, that's not a translation. It's a trap. And the trap has a paper trail.ABOUT THIS EPISODE:The Passion Translation has been endorsed by some of the most influential voices in the charismatic world. Bill Johnson called it the best thing to happen to Bible translation in his lifetime. It's been sold in Bethel's bookstore, read in prayer rooms, and handed to new believers across the movement.David Fish and JonMark Baker of the Minor Prophets Podcast spent weeks comparing the Passion Translation, line by line, against its claimed sources. What they found isn't a matter of interpretation. It's documented.Where Brian Simmons departs from the Greek text, and claims an "Aramaic" source, the renderings don't match the Peshitta, the actual Syriac New Testament. They match the Mirror Bible, The Message, and other fringe paraphrases. Fish found over 300 instances in Paul's epistles alone. Simmons also claimed co-translator credentials on a Kuna New Testament. Ethnos 360, the mission that ran the project, says he was NEVER a Bible translator. The organization's own personnel said so on record.The second half of this episode goes deeper: into Simmons' theology. In his own words, in multiple recordings, he redefines the second coming of Christ as an unveiling of a glorified end-times people rather than a bodily return. He calls the physical second coming "not in the Bible." He says, directly: "Christ is no longer a person. He is now a body, a corporate expression." That's not a slip. That's a system, and it has a name: Manifested Sons of God theology has a long history in the fringe of the charismatic world, and Brian Simmons is teaching it from the platform the movement handed him.Join us to hear the evidence for yourself as fellow continuationists examine the paper trail.0:00 – Introduction3:55 – Plagiarism Discovery Explained5:53 – Examples of Copied Verses8:16 – Why Simmons Changed Text12:07 – Lessening Judgment: John 1513:29 – Is Simmons a Universalist?16:46 – Simmons' Fabricated Credentials18:44 – Ethnos360 Exposes Simmons20:01 – Manifested Sons Theology37:21 – "I Know When Jesus Returns"57:58 – "I Am My Lover" Clip1:06:35 – "Christ Is No Longer A Person"1:14:26 – Closing ThoughtsRESOURCES MENTIONED:- The Minor Prophets/Mike Winger episode:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9--owgBjtA- Andrew Chapman's Research: https://theriveroflife.com/category/the-passion-anti-translation/- Mike Winger's Research on The Passion Translation: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuv-ISp_iIw1WL8zaEm86L8 and https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHvXha4rjCj1Po0WLQc_jGGW- Handbook on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament — G.K. Beale https://a.co/d/09nG966Z- Typology-Understanding the Bible's Promise-Shaped Patterns: How Old Testament Expectations are Fulfilled in Christ - James Hamilton https://a.co/d/01jQgVDWPETITION:Sign the petition to request YouVersion remove the Passion Translation: https://www.change.org/p/an-appeal-to-youversion-to-remove-the-passion-translation/psf/membership-ask?experience=member&allow_actions=trueSubscribe to The Remnant Radio newsletter and receive our FREE introduction to spiritual gifts eBook. Plus, get access to: discounts, news about upcoming shows, courses and conferences - and more. Subscribe now at TheRemnantRadio.com. Support the showABOUT THE REMNANT RADIO: The Remnant Radio exists to equip believers who are hungry for the radical middle of both Word and Spirit. Subscribe for twice-weekly content on theology, church history and the gifts of the Spirit.

The Second Sunday after Pentecost ORISON: Now cheer our hearts this eventide – Nathan Jensen (b. 1968)  PSALM 33:1-12 – Peter R. Hallock (1924-2014)  HYMN: O God of Bethel (Tune: Dundee) – mel. from The CL Psalmes of David, 1615; harm. The Psalmes of David in Prose and Meeter, 1635 [H40 497]  NUNC DIMITTIS – Plainsong, Tone VII; harm. Thomas Morley (1557-1602)  ANTHEM: In pace – John Sheppard (c. 1515-1558)  Jeremy Matheis, director • Scott Fikse, reader • Joel Bevington, cantor 

How to study the BIBLE: Jacob Moves to Bethel: God's Protection. God always protect his family, we that worship him, we that are clean in the Blood of Christ and have changed.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chatting-from-the-word-hosted-by-oscar--4081759/support.

Have you ever felt like your past mistakes, failures, or shortcomings have disqualified you from God's plan?In this message, An Encounter with God's Grace, Pastor Tom Messer walks through Genesis 28 and the life-changing moment when Jacob encountered God at Bethel.Jacob wasn't a hero. He was a deceiver, a manipulator, and a man running from the consequences of his own choices. Yet in one of his lowest moments, God met him with grace.This powerful message reminds us that God's love is not earned through performance, achievement, or good behavior. His grace reaches us even when we least deserve it. Through Jacob's story, we discover that God has been at work in our lives long before we recognized His presence, and that a genuine encounter with Him changes more than our circumstances—it changes us.If you've ever wondered whether God can use someone with a messy past, this message is for you.Watch now and discover the life-changing power of God's grace.

This powerful message takes us deep into Genesis 12, exploring a truth many of us overlook: sometimes the places we visit temporarily leave permanent marks on our souls. We journey with Abram as he faces a severe famine right after obeying God's call, reminding us that obedience doesn't exempt us from hardship. What happens next is sobering—fear drives Abram to Egypt, where he makes compromises to survive. While Abram eventually returns to the altar at Bethel and restores his relationship with God, his nephew Lot carries Egypt home in his heart. The message reveals how Lot's exposure to Egyptian prosperity shaped his desires, eventually leading him to choose land near Sodom that reminded him of Egypt. This isn't just ancient history—it's a mirror for our own lives. We learn that our choices never affect only us; they ripple through our families and everyone under our influence. The most convicting truth? We can be delivered from a place physically while still carrying it internally. Our appetites, our definition of success, our secret compromises—these are the Egypt we bring home. The call is clear: return to the altar, allow God to search our hearts, and choose His promises over what merely looks appealing. Because famine reveals what we truly trust, and the greatest bondage isn't always what holds our feet but what captures our affections.

When something bad happens in your life, do you get the feeling that either God has lost control or he is just not that concerned? Join us for today's sermon as we see God immediately begin fulfilling the promises made to Jacob at Bethel, but not in the way he expected.

Join Fr. Joseph Royan, C.Ss.R., for the concluding episode of our series on the biblical character Jacob. In this insightful reflection, Fr. Joseph explores the dramatic transformation of Jacob from a deceitful fugitive to the patriarch of Israel.This video dives deep into the profound encounter at Bethel, where Jacob experiences the famous dream of the stairway to heaven, revealing God's promise of protection and presence. We also examine his wrestling match at the Jabock stream, which results in his new identity as Israel. Beyond these moments, the episode addresses the complexities of Jacob's family life, his reconciliation with his brother Esau, and the powerful lesson that God works through our human imperfections to fulfill His greater plan. Discover how these ancient narratives speak to our lives today, offering hope and reminding us that these stories are ultimately about the character of God. Watch now to complete this blessed journey!

Welcome to Day 2876 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Progressive Christianity and the Northern Kingdom: A Repeated Rebellion. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2876 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps!   I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2876 of our Trek.   The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God's Word. John's lessons can be found on his website   theologyinfive.com.   Today's lesson is titled:  Progressive Christianity and the Northern Kingdom: A Repeated Rebellion. After the division of Israel, Jeroboam feared losing his kingdom if the people continued worshiping in Jerusalem. Rather than abolish religion, he reshaped it. He placed golden calves at Dan and Bethel and declared, “Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt” (First Kings 12, verse twenty-eight). He kept the name of Yahweh but changed the worship to fit political and cultural needs. Progressive Christianity walks the same path. It keeps the language of faith while redefining the terms. Jesus becomes a moral teacher rather than the risen Lord. Sin becomes injustice rather than rebellion. Salvation becomes social healing rather than spiritual redemption. Just like the Northern Kingdom, modern progressives offer a god who is familiar in name but foreign in nature. The First Segment is: “Open-Minded” Idolatry The people of Israel did not see themselves as rejecting Yahweh. They simply wanted to be open to other spiritual options. Baal was worshiped for rain, Asherah for fertility, and Molech for prosperity. The land was filled with high places, groves, and alternate shrines. In their minds, it was not apostasy. It was balance. It was maturity. Progressive Christianity mirrors this impulse. Its leaders are often proud to affirm all religions as valid paths to the divine. Jesus is presented as one example among many. Interfaith services blend Scripture with mantras, chakras, and meditation. This “open-mindedness” is not new. It is the same spiritual adultery that the prophets condemned as whoredom. God does not share His throne. The second Segment is: Pagan Intrusion in Sacred Clothing The Israelites introduced forbidden elements into their worship. They practiced divination, consulted mediums, and used cultic rituals they learned from their Canaanite neighbors. They may have justified these things as “spiritual tools,” but the prophets saw clearly what was happening. Paganism was creeping into the house of God. Today, angel cards, energy healing, astrology, aura readings, and manifesting are all being imported into churches, especially those influenced by progressive and New Apostolic Reformation theology. These practices are often wrapped in Christian language. They speak of light, Spirit, and destiny. But they are no different from the forbidden rituals of ancient days. Their power does not come from the Holy Spirit. It comes from the same deceiving spirits that always wait behind the idols. The Third Segment is: The Rise of Prophetic Theater In the Northern Kingdom, the prophets became professional performers. They declared victory and blessing without requiring repentance. They contradicted the true prophets, promising peace while ignoring rebellion. Jeremiah lamented, “They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you'” (Jeremiah 23, verse seventeen). Today's “prophecy schools,” such as Bethel's School of Supernatural Ministry, follow a disturbingly similar pattern. They claim to train individuals to “activate” prophetic gifts, to decree and declare realities into being, and to access heaven's secrets at will. But true prophecy in Scripture was never a skill to be mastered or a sensation to be invoked. It was a calling given by God to speak His Word with fear and trembling. At Bethel and similar movements, prophecy becomes performance. It centers on personal revelation, emotional experience, and “manifesting” outcomes rather than repentance, obedience, and holiness. Like the prophets of the Northern Kingdom, these teachers proclaim peace where there is no peace and glory without the cross. The emphasis on “prophetic activation” closely mirrors the divination condemned by Moses, where the divine is manipulated for human ends rather than received with reverent submission. The Fourth Segment is: Cultural Syncretism Rebranded as Revival Ancient Israel thought it could have both Yahweh and Baal. It thought it could use Canaanite worship styles to honor the God of Abraham. But Yahweh had already spoken at Sinai. His worship was not negotiable. Israel's attempt to blend cultures resulted in divine rejection. Progressive Christianity makes the same mistake. It borrows the language of self-help, the values of humanism, and the practices of mysticism. It attempts to wrap them in Christian terms, calling it “revival” or “awakening.” But Yahweh does not share His glory. He is not worshiped on the high places. He is not accessed through emotion, technique, or personal preference. He demands covenant faithfulness. The fifth segment is: The Prophets Were Never Popular In the Northern Kingdom, the true prophets were persecuted. Elijah was hunted. Amos was silenced. Hosea was scorned. They did not tell people what they wanted to hear. They told them what God said. The people preferred the false prophets who promised peace, affirmation, and national greatness. Today, biblical voices that warn against false spirituality are called judgmental. They are told they are stifling the Spirit. They are accused of division and fear-mongering. But their words match the prophets of old. God does not change, and neither does the nature of rebellion. The sixth segment is: The Consequence of Compromise The Northern Kingdom fell. Assyria crushed it, and its people were scattered. The fall was not just political. It was spiritual. The gods they welcomed could not save them. The prophets they trusted led them into ruin. God gave them over to what they had chosen. Progressive Christianity is on the same path. It trades revelation for reinvention. It welcomes what God forbids. It builds golden calves and calls them Jesus. Its trajectory is not renewal but collapse. A house built on sand will fall. In Conclusion The Northern Kingdom did not fall because it rejected religion. It fell because it redefined it. It kept the name of God while reshaping everything else. It embraced the gods of the age and called it progress. Progressive Christianity is repeating this rebellion. It is time to choose whom we will serve. For further study, consider these Discussion Questions Why do you think Jeroboam chose to redefine Israel's worship rather than abolish it outright? How does this reflect the way progressive Christianity reshapes faith today? What are the dangers of being “open-minded” about spiritual truth? At what point does openness become compromise, and how can we recognize the difference? How do modern practices like angel cards, manifesting, and prophetic activation parallel ancient forbidden rituals? Can these practices ever be redeemed or are they inherently incompatible with biblical faith? Why were the true prophets in Israel often unpopular and rejected? How does this help us evaluate popular spiritual leaders today? If the Northern Kingdom's downfall was theological more than political, what does that suggest about the long-term consequences of doctrinal compromise in the Church today? Join us next Theology Thursday to learn The Bible as a Polemic: Confronting the Powers that Rebelled Kingdom:. If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of  ‘Wisdom-Trek,  Creating a Legacy.'                          Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly,   I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:           

This week on the Backwoods Cryptid Road Trip, we pull into Meriden, Connecticut, and climb into the Hanging Hills, a range of ancient volcanic cliffs where a small black dog has been haunting hikers for more than a hundred and thirty years.He looks like an ordinary stray. Short hair, black coat, moderate size, nothing about him that should stop you in your tracks. But this dog never makes a sound, not even when you watch him bark, and he never leaves a footprint behind him in dust or snow. And the rule that's been passed down since the eighteen hundreds is simple and merciless. See him once for joy, twice for sorrow, and the third time, you don't come down off that mountain.We trace the legend all the way back to its source, a story called The Black Dog published in The Connecticut Quarterly in the spring of 1898 by geology professor William Harry Chichele Pynchon, grandfather of the novelist Thomas Pynchon. It was printed as fiction, but it broke loose from its pages almost immediately and became something people swear is real.We walk through the original three-act tale, the doomed winter climb of geologist Herbert Marshall, and the death that the legend later pinned on Pynchon himself, before separating what actually happened from the story that grew up around it.Then we get into the encounters, because that's where this thing lives. A lifelong hiker watching the dog bark in total silence before he vanishes off a bare ledge. A young man named Mike who photographed the dog at Castle Craig in 2004 while his own brother, standing ten feet away, saw nothing at all.A nighttime sighting on the bridge over the highway. A skeptic named Christina stunned into belief on the trail below the tower. Prints in fresh snow that stop mid-stride, as if the animal that made them simply lifted off the ground. We lay these against the real and sobering history of the cliffs, including the fatal fall of Mark Valenti in 2015 and the woman who fell nearly two hundred feet in 2021, and we ask whether the legend is wrapping itself around a place that was always going to be dangerous, or whether something up there is doing the counting.Before we leave the state, we take a side road into Connecticut's wider cryptid country, from the Winsted Wildman of 1895 to the silent eight-foot figure that teenager Karl S. watched cross the railroad tracks near Newtown in 1976, to the all-black upright shape a Bethel woman saw chasing thirty deer through her yard in 2022, to the lanky silhouette that stepped off Holbrook Road near Seymour in 2024. Twenty-some credible sightings, a Litchfield County hotspot, and a long traprock ridge that connects all of it.Whatever the black dog is, the silence, the missing tracks, and the way it's simply there and then isn't, all of it belongs to the same family of things that walk just outside the edge of what we're willing to call real. Climb up to Castle Craig with us, watch your footing on the ridge, and if you see a small black dog on the trail, take a good long look at him. Because that one's your first.Have you experienced a Bigfoot sighting, Sasquatch encounter, Dogman experience, UFO sighting, or any unexplained cryptid or paranormal event deep in the woods? We want to hear your story.Email your encounter to brian@paranormalworldproductions.com for a chance to be featured on a future episode of Backwoods Bigfoot Stories.Backwoods Bigfoot Stories is a paranormal storytelling podcast featuring real Bigfoot encounters, Sasquatch sightings, Dogman reports, cryptid experiences, and true scary stories from the backwoods.Follow the show and turn on automatic downloads so you never miss a chilling encounter from the forest. Listen with the lights off… if you dare.

Jacob is on the run and scared. Follow along as Dr. McGee's takes us through a long lonely night in Bethel and see how God uses this pivotal situation to meet Jacob in a very special way.

#bible #biblia #Jesus #JesusChrist #podcast #spiritualfamily In this episode, we're exploring Matthew 12:50, where Jesus reminds us that whoever does the will of His Father is like family—our brothers and sisters in Christ. How can we foster relationships with loved ones who have not yet found their faith while remaining true to God's will? Join us as we examine Matthew 12:46-50 to shed light on how to navigate this meaningful scripture.

Thank you for joining us today as we continue in our sermon series, The Bible Recap!

The culture we carry at Bethel is distinct—shaped by what we believe God has called our church family to steward. Just as every part of the Body of Christ carries unique expressions of His heart, each church community is designed to fulfill a specific kingdom assignment. In this message, Kris Vallotton shares some of the core values, convictions, and biblical foundations that shape the heart of Bethel Church. Every Jesus-centered community develops culture from the call God has entrusted to them—formed by His presence, refined through obedience, and expressed in the way they serve the people around them. At Bethel, we are passionate about hosting the presence of God, seeing lives transformed, and empowering believers to demonstrate the reality of Heaven on earth. We believe “on earth as it is in Heaven” is more than a prayer—it is an invitation into a lifestyle of faith, obedience, and partnership with God. Join us as Kris unpacks the history, values, and vision that continue to shape the culture we carry and the call we are committed to stewarding together.

Bethel Church released a NEW statement via email addressing the controversies and scandals involving their organization and the people they've endorsed and promoted. We've been consistent on this: the charismatic movement needs internal voices willing to evaluate its most influential organizations with theological honesty. Tribal loyalty doesn't serve the people who've been hurt. And reflexive dismissal doesn't serve the people who are genuinely trying to find their way forward. Both are too easy.So we're reading the statement. We're weighing what's there. We'll do our best to call balls and strikes, and give you a framework for evaluating it yourself.Our hope is that this conversation helps you think through what genuine accountability and repentance look like in a public Christian context and what we should actually expect from leaders and organizations when things have gone wrong.0:00 – Introduction0:35 – Shawn Bolz Allegations Overview6:14 – Kris Vallotton's Response8:05 – Bethel's Statement 14:15 – Governance & Leadership Review25:39 – Accountability & Safety Update33:26 – Wider Culture Ministry Review42:49 – Platforming & Reinstatement Policy52:05 – California Privacy Law ConcernsPOLICING THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMsjeViSScFHSZqA1Q85VKxRrkvEYXBecABOUT THE REMNANT RADIO:The Remnant Radio exists to equip believers who are hungry for the radical middle of both Word and Spirit. Subscribe for twice-weekly content on theology, church history and the gifts of the Spirit.

DMV Hoops Podcast – Episode 94

When the Bethel church crisis hit the headlines, many believers were left asking, “Can I trust church leaders at all anymore?” If you feel shaken by scandals in places you once loved, this conversation is for you. In this episode of Perspectives with Catherine Toon, Catherine sits down with long-time friend and minister Bill Vanderbush to explore a grace-filled response to the Bethel church crisis and the wider wave of Christian exposure culture online. Together they unpack what happens when church leaders fail, how pruning and discipline can still be love, and how to walk in discernment without losing tenderness or hope. What you’ll learn: - How to keep your faith anchored in Jesus when leaders you admire fall. - The difference between healthy honor and destructive idolatry in Christian culture. - Why “exposure channels” can’t heal victims and what real restoration requires. - Practical ways to confront abuse and deception without becoming bitter or cynical. Catherine and Bill also talk candidly about victims and victimizers, the misuse of “culture of honor,” the branding of Bethel, and how to navigate public repentance, justice, and mercy in a social media age. If you’re tired of fear-based takes yet still hungry for truth and accountability, this conversation will help you process the noise and locate the heart of Jesus again. Need a fresh encounter with God? Register for Pursued By Love: https://catherinetoon.com/pursuedbylove To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category! Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM CONNECT WITH CATHERINE: ► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/ ► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd
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 ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD FREE RESOURCES: ► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 
 ► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 
 ► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 
 ► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/ ABOUT CATHERINE: Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Mindset Guru and NBA/WNBA Trainer Jordan Delks interviews Dylan Fey, Bethel and Branden King Jr. of Spring Arbor about their experience so far at Camp Better! Camp Better is 10 players, 5 days, 4 coaches and 1 mission....actualize your true self!

Thank you for joining us this morning!

On this special Missions Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost Sunday by honoring the work of the Holy Spirit and His leadership in our lives and across the earth. We are deeply grateful for the sacrifice, faith, and obedience of missionaries who faithfully carry the Gospel to the nations. In this message, Gabe Valenzuela joins John and Cindy Taylor to share stories, vision, and updates from Bethel Missions, highlighting the powerful ways God is moving around the world. As we celebrate what God is doing through missions at Bethel, we know that over 3 billion people have yet to hear the Gospel or even the name of Jesus. Every person is created with intention, purpose, and the unconditional love of God. As a church family, we are continuing to say “yes” to the Great Commission, partnering with what God is doing among the nations through prayer, generosity, and obedience. As you watch, ask the Holy Spirit how He may be inviting you to participate in His mission. We pray you are encouraged by God's goodness, stirred with fresh compassion, and empowered to say “yes” to what He is doing in the earth.

Enjoy this replay from May 24, 2026, hosted by Bethel Austin School of Ministry students as they release prophetic words, testimonies, and freely give what they have received in the last 9 months of ministry school. Posture your heart to receive each testimony because what God has done once He wantes to do again!

#jesus #bible #biblia #godswill #JesusChrist #miracle Do we sometimes overlook God's miracles, even when they are right in front of us? Often, we focus so much on trying to make things work with our own strength that we fail to acknowledge what God has done in our lives. Join Ric and Mary of Bible Study Company and learn about the many blessings we have in Christ.

We hear a lot about the prophets, but what about prophetesses? Women worked alongside men in the Old Testament, even as prophetesses of the Lord. Although the Old Testament text has a lot less to say about these women, we read that they were respected and sought after for their specific wisdom. The history in the Bible would surely not be the same without unity between these women and the men they served with and for. Why don't we see these stories as powerful movements for the kingdom of God? We have examined the unity God created men and women in and the unity of work he created us for. And we also examined how sin broke this sacred unity. This is the underlying why. Culture and sin both play an unintentional and sometimes intentional role in us not hearing more about these female prophets. You could probably tell me a lot about Moses and Aaron, but what about their sister? Her name was Miriam, and she was also a prophet of the Lord. If I think about this trio more, I wish I could have heard more about their unity and the dynamics of their work together! Miriam is one of the earliest leaders of worship! In Exodus 15:20-21 we see her leading other women in song and dance after they crossed the Red Sea. The timing of the text suggests she may have been the first to lead a victory celebration of the exodus from Egypt! Miriam was noted as one of God's chosen leaders of the exodus in Micah 6:4. I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam (Micah 6:4). She was “joined as a whole” in unity with her brothers in this work. Deborah, too, was a powerful prophetess. She is described in Scripture as a judge, military strategist, warrior, and mother in Israel. No, she was not an actual mom, but rather she was a leader of Israel. In Judges, we see Deborah working, first as a judge and then as the one who leads Israel to war. Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided (Judges 4:4-5). Men and women sought her counsel. In the next verse we see Deborah sends for and summons Barak. Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go” (Judges 4:8). You can read more about this in Judges chapters 4 and 5, but again we see God using men and women—in unity— to complete work. How do you see examples of Miriam and Deborah and their unity with the men around them in your work today?

The good news of Jesus changes the way we live. In Acts 2, we see a community so transformed by God's generosity that they freely shared their lives, gifts, and resources with one another. In this message, we explore what it means to live open-handed lives shaped by the generosity of Jesus. As we close this series, we are invited to consider how God may be calling each of us to serve, give, and participate in His mission through the life of the church.⚫CONNECT WITH US:

ONE THING The grace of God is greater than the failures that could define us when we truly repent and return to Him.

From God's view, the Northern Kingdom of Israel isn't just a history lesson—it's 200 years of calf‑worshiping pukes proving what happens when a nation builds its own religion and rides off from the real God. In Part 5 of “The Story of God,” we zoom out and trace the trail from Solomon's drift and the split of the kingdom, to Jeroboam's golden calves at Bethel and Dan, to 19 kings in 9 dynasties who kept the “sin of Jeroboam” alive while prophets like Elijah, Amos, and Hosea shouted for them to turn back. You'll see how false worship, high places, Asherah poles, Baal altars, and partial obedience finally ended with Assyria riding in and wiping the Northern Kingdom off the map. This message is for folks who suspect they've built a comfortable, home‑made religion instead of actually following Jesus, believers who keep winning little battles but won't lay down their favorite “calf,” and top hands who want to make sure their life points at the real God, not just at tradition. Connect with Save the Cowboy Save the Cowboy is a ranch‑based ministry helping ordinary people follow Jesus in the real world—no fluff, no nonsense, just the truth told in a cowboy way. Website: SaveTheCowboy.org Ranch ministry: LXRanch.org Facebook, Instagram: @SaveTheCowboy Please help us reach more cowboys by liking and subscribing!

On this fifth week in comics, not even Josh Flanagan and Conor Kilpatrick can script bomb themselves. Again. Note: Time codes are estimates due to dynamic ad insertion by the distributor. Running Time: 00:56:46 Pick of the Week:00:02:27 – Wonder Man #2 Comics:00:12:57 – Hellboy in Love: Black Eyes #100:17:43 – Planet She-Hulk #600:22:46 – Batman/Wonder Woman: Truth #100:26:01 – Skinbreaker #800:28:48 – Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon #300:33:15 – I Hate Fairyland #5000:35:41 – G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero – Sssilent Missions: Firefly #1 Patron Pick:00:38:54 – Swamp Thing #88 (1989 #1) Patron Thanks:00:46:21 – Keith Macka Audience Question:00:47:51 – Patrick K. from Bethel, North Carolina asks about the best portrayals of superpowers in the “real world.” In Memoriam:00:51:37 – Gerry Conway & Len Straczewski Brought To You By: Hims Weight Loss - Ready to reach your weight loss goals? Visit Hims.com/iFanboy to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.  iFanboy Patrons – Become one today for as little as $3/month! Or join for a full year and get a discount! You can also make a one time donation of any amount! iFanboy T-Shirts and Merch – Show your iFanboy pride with a t-shirt or other great merchandise on Threadless! We've got TWENTY THREE designs! Music:“Left to Right (iFanboy Theme)”Josh Flanagan   Watch The iFanboy After Show for Pick of the Week #1024! Listen to Conor, Josh, and Ron on their other show Goodfellas Minute. Listen to Conor and Ron reminisce about Goodfellas Minute on Sporadicast: An Oral History of Movies by Minutes. Listen to Conor discuss Dirty Harry on Movie of the Year: 1971. Watch Ron talk about the online pinball ecosystem on Dirty Pool Podcast. Listen to Conor, Josh, and Ron discuss Blade (1998) on Cradle to the Grave. Listen to Josh discuss Fargo on Movie of the Year: 1996. Listen to Conor discuss Swingers on Movie of the Year: 1996. Watch Ron talk about pinball technology on the Daily Tech News Show. Listen to Conor discuss Ghostbusters on Movie of the Year: 1984. Listen to Conor, Josh, and Ron discuss The Crow (1994) on Cradle to the Grave. Listen to Josh discuss Jaws 4: The Revenge (1987) on Cradle to the Grave. Listen to Josh discuss Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) on Cradle to the Grave. Watch Josh and Conor talk about how to start a podcast on OpenWater. Listen to Ron talk about The Phantom Menace minute 80 on Star Wars Minute. Listen to Ron talk about Return of the Jedi minute 124 on Star Wars Minute. Listen to Conor talk about Return of the Jedi minute 104 on Star Wars Minute. Listen to Ron talk about The Empire Strikes Back minute 115 on Star Wars Minute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices