Podcasts about Biblical studies

What do we learn about the people of Israel and God's promises to them in the last chapters of Numbers? The Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing (Professor of Theology & Ministry, Paul Edwin F. and Esther L. Laatsch Chair of Old Testament Studies, Director of the Pre-Seminary Program, and Director of The Center for Biblical Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 4 of our series on his book Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers to talk about Israel's track record of idolatry, the account of Balaam and Balak and how it points us to Christ, why the account of Zelophehad's daughters is unique, the last Promised Land update in Numbers, and how Numbers point us to Christ, our Conqueror and Redeemer. Find Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers from Concordia Publishing House at cph.org/hope-in-the-wilderness-practical-insights-from-the-book-of-numbers. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

The resurrection of Jesus gives us a hope that holds steady in every season. It shapes how we live today and how we see the future. This hope rests on God's love and power, not wishful thinking. We're encouraged to trust that nothing placed in God's hands is ever wasted. Jess Norman is Assistant Lecturer and Tutor in Theology at St Mellitus, and leads the Beginning Theology Course. She is currently undertaking a PhD in Paul's letters, having completed an MA in Biblical Study at King's College London and a BA in Theology & Youth Ministry too.

Join my Patreon Community for extra episodes, bonus content, event tickets and more! Get your Free Copy of When Faith is Forbidden here!Dr. Andrew Rillera holds a PhD (Duke University) and is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology at The King's University, Edmonton AB. Andrew is the author of the pot-stirring book: The Lamb of the Free: Recovering the Varied Sacrificial Understandings of Jesus's Death, which challenges the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Special Patreon Release: Janelle Rupp Conversations with your Teen About Sex Puberty and Identity   *DISCLAIMER* This episode contains adult themes and is not intended for little ears.   "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)   *Transcript Below*   Questions We Discuss: Perhaps one of the most asked questions by Christian singles is, "How far is too far?" How do you respond to that question? Knowing the importance of educating ourselves as adults, what is the most popular sexual behavior among teens? What are some wise and age-appropriate guidelines recommend for teaching our kids about sex and sexuality?   Janelle Rupp is a Christ-follower, wife & mom of three (in that order).  Upon graduating from Cedarville University with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing and a Minor in Biblical Studies, she worked nine years as a Pediatric ICU nurse before transitioning into nine years of nursing education for the Empower Life Center of Peoria, Illinois. There she specialized in Sexual Health with an emphasis on Sexual-Risk Avoidance. After moving to the Atlanta, Georgia area, Janelle developed a Biblically-based, Christian & Home school curriculum entitled “Remember Whose You Are: Rooting Human Sexuality in Gospel Identity." Using an expositional study of Genesis 1-3 alongside evidence-based scientific research, the four-unit program builds on itself to establish how gospel identity determines holy & healthy & holy sexuality. With a passion for both science & Scripture, Janelle is currently teaching the curriculum at North Cobb Christian School while watching the Lord grow the program at schools nation-wide.  She can be reached at jrupp.rememberwhoseyouare@gmail.com.   Recommended website for Parents: axis.org   Thank you to our sponsor: Daisy Kings Use code SAVVY to Save!   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook, Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”   Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”   Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”   John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcript*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:09 - 1:31) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here. Today's message is not intended for little ears.   We'll be discussing some adult themes, and I want you to be aware before you listen to this message.   Thank you to Daisy King's, a skincare brand that meets simplicity. Their tallow-based products are made with wholesome, God-given ingredients to deeply nourish, restore, and protect your skin.   There are no toxins, no fillers, just pure, effective skincare. Visit DaisyKings.com to nourish, restore, and glow.   Janelle Rupp is my guest today, and she packed so much knowledge and inspiration into this time by educating us on a healthy view of sex, sharing God's holy and awe-inspiring design of our bodies, and ways that all of this points to Him.   She also is going to include meaningful conversations to have with our children throughout the years that they're in our home. Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Janelle.   Janelle Rupp: (1:32 - 1:35) Thanks so much, Laura. I'm so glad to be with you today.   Laura Dugger: (1:35 - 1:42) Will you just get us started by telling us a little bit about your faith journey and where it's brought you to today?   Janelle Rupp: (1:43 - 4:51) Sure. I was raised in a Christian home. I remember from a young age actually being struck with the realization that God loved me so much that He sent His own son for me.   But it really was probably more in my teenage years that I realized the depth of my sin, that it was great, and that Jesus was that bridge between who God was and who I was. Also, early on in my life, I knew I wanted to be a nurse, which is actually kind of interesting because there was no one in my family who was a nurse or in healthcare. But I had watched my mom care well for others in her family who had a myriad of mental and physical health problems.   So, I do think that the compassion that God put in my heart at a young age did find its place in a healthcare setting just over time and experiences I watched her. I really felt like my dream job would be to work in preventative healthcare, specifically with teenagers. And I had a heart for girls in really tough situations like teenage pregnancy.   It's a very marginalized group of humanity. And so, after college, I ended up in the pediatric intensive care unit at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis for about seven years. And during that time, I met my husband.   We got married. We had our first child. And then while pregnant with our second, we decided to move closer to my extended family back in Illinois.   And a few years after I had our second child, I actually ended up landing that dream job that I felt like the Lord had laid on my heart way back in college. And so, I started the Empower Life Center in Peoria, Illinois in 2008. And I worked there for nearly 10 years as a nurse educator, teaching parenting and newborn classes.   But my primary role was a sexual risk avoidance educator, specializing in sexually transmitted disease and infections. And I would teach in public schools and private schools and charter schools. It's a junior high and high school level and also a guest lecturer at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.   And I always tell people that no one grows up and hopes to be a sex teacher one day. I did not envision that God would put me in that area of education, but he did. And so, after 10 years of doing that, when our family then transitioned down to Atlanta, Georgia for a job transfer for my husband, we had chosen to put our kids, now three kids at that point, in Christian education.   And within months, the middle school principal had heard about my background and approached me to create a curriculum for their fifth through eighth graders that was centered on a biblical view of sex and sexuality. So, I spent a series of months developing that curriculum. I then decided to go ahead and accept a teaching job to teach that curriculum.   And it's entitled Remember Whose You Are. And it's designed as a four unit developmentally appropriate program for Christian schools or homeschool environments. And currently we're in the beginning stages of equipping and training other schools to implement it at their school as well.   Laura Dugger: (4:52 - 5:17) Wow, that is so interesting to hear how you got interested in teaching others this healthy view of God and sex. And at the foundation of your teaching, you begin with a theology of God. So, I'd love to zero in on just one of your points that God is a relational God.   Will you elaborate on that and share how it ties into this topic we're discussing today?   Janelle Rupp: (5:18 - 7:13) For sure. One of my goals in teaching this is just to help my students see God for who he is, fall in love with who he is. And God being relational is one of the places where I always notice that beginning to take shape.   I find evidence for that in Genesis 1:26, where it says, “and God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness.” The definition of the word relational means a desire to pursue relationship or connection with another. And before we think of God pursuing relationship with us, it's actually really critical to look at that verse and note that God is already relational within himself. So, we see evidence in that verse that he's referring to himself in a plural sense.   And when we take that alongside other areas of Scripture as well, we see God existing as Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit, three in one, indicating that God does not need humanity for relationship. He only desires humanity for relationship. And one day, actually, when I was teaching that to a group of fifth grade boys last year, I said, God does not need you, but he wants you.   One of the fifth grade boys, in all complete sincerity, said, “Aww.” And it was one of the sweetest things I had ever heard because it was this very honest verbal expression of what it felt like to know that we are wanted by the God of the universe. I tell my students, “You know, someone only wants relationship with you when they love you.”   And so, while 1 John 4:8 tells us, “that God is love.” It's pretty amazing that way back in the first chapter of Genesis, as we find God creating man and creating woman, He's still incredibly loving that He even desired to create it in the first place. So, I think God being relational is such an important aspect to the who and the why of who He is.   Laura Dugger: (7:14 - 7:28) Absolutely. And I really envision this chat being a time when parents can listen alongside their teen or their tween or whenever it's age appropriate. So, will you just give us a glimpse of what you do teach in schools?   Janelle Rupp: (7:29 - 13:04) I would be happy too. The very first unit is just the who and the why of God. We focus on 10 characteristics of God, and then we transition to the who and the why of humanity.   What do all humans have in common? And we highlight eight characteristics that we all share in common. And then unit two, it's centered on the who and the why of me.   And specifically looking at Genesis 1:27, identity means that we're made in the image of God and that we are made male and female. So, Genesis 1:27 says, “So God made man in his own image, in the image of God, he made them male and female, he created them.” So, here we really want to introduce what does it mean to be made in the image of God as a social being, emotional being, a spiritual being, an intellectual being?   But also, what does it mean to be made with this physical body, male or female? And so, we introduced the reproductive system with an emphasis on puberty and human growth and development. And within that introduction, in that unit, I do something that's historically not been done in Christian settings, which is that I am teaching both the male and the female reproductive system to both genders.   And this next sentence may sound a little odd to some of your listeners. I know my students sometimes giggle when I say it, but I see the glory of God when I study the anatomy of both the male and the female reproductive systems and the intricacies of the design in order to see how they both work perfectly together. To me, it's awe-inspiring.   And so, I believe females have every right to see and begin to grasp the design of a male reproductive system. We use really basic anatomical diagrams for that. And then males equally have every right to see and begin to understand the basics of the female reproductive system using a diagram.   And my approach to that is clinical and scientific. It's definitely from an anatomy perspective. But I also make sure to take the time to point out some of, again, the beauty of the design.   For example, females, when they are born, are born with all the eggs that they will ever, ever have in their ovaries. And this design is super perfect because it means that you and I are not going to be 70 years old and find out that we're unexpectedly pregnant. Eventually, those eggs will run out about in our mid-40s.   And I always thank God for that design. It is a good design. Another one is just the female cervix.   The female cervix doesn't reach full maturity and protection until our early to mid-20s, where it then provides this wonderful protective barrier between the external and internal anatomy of the female reproductive system. When you explain things like that, I literally watch the kids have what I call light bulb moments, where they begin to see the why behind the design. And it's so important.   They've never taken the time to look at that and to hear it. In fact, I often call the reproductive system the forgotten body system. Christian kids in particular, they will get through a whole unit on the body having never talked about the reproductive system.   And if they are, then usually they're taught just about their own gender and they're missing that overarching beauty of what God designed. So, I think it's really important to highlight that reproductive system and for both genders. But in Unit 3, we move from the foundation of just gospel identity as made in His image and male and female into then specifically human sexuality.   And we use mostly Genesis 2 as we look through this about how God designed marriage and God designed sex, which is super clear in Genesis 2:24 and says, “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and take hold of his wife and they will become one flesh.” And so, God's design for marriage and sex is clear that it's between a man and a woman. And also that that man and woman should follow the order of this verse.   First, that they leave and leaving might be dating. It might be courting. It might be pursuing a relationship.   However, we set those boundaries for our kids. And then second, that they would take hold and experience the intimacy and blessing of marriage, referencing that connection that God put Adam and Eve in through marriage. And third and last in that order, but that they become one flesh, which is referencing sex.   And so, after explaining that very good design, we transition into Genesis 3. And honestly, I love how Moses starts off the chapter here, Genesis 3, by saying, “Now the serpent.” And I always tell the kids that I hear that music in my head of dun, dun, dun. Like you just know that everything is going to change.   This good design is going to change and it's not changing for the better. And so, we start then looking at all the distortions that sin has caused within the overall topic of sex. And that means not just looking at premarital sex, but also adultery, pornography, sexting, gender identity, sexual identity.   And honestly, that list just keeps on growing every year that I teach. And so, then unit four, that last unit, is what I call the now what unit. In light of taking everything that we know now about gospel identity and human sexuality, I really encourage the kids to start really thinking about how they practically should be living in relationships with someone that they're attracted to and that they want to pursue.   And we use the entire Bible to help us answer that question. We actually end that unit with the question and answer panel discussion, using questions that the students have come up with through the course of that week. And it's always a sweet time of conversation focused on, again, gospel identity and human sexuality.   Laura Dugger: (13:06 - 13:19) Oh my goodness, that is so amazing and comprehensive. If parents are listening and they're wondering just about that diagram, what age do you recommend showing something like that? How would you respond to that question?   Janelle Rupp: (13:20 - 14:08) That's an excellent question. So, we're doing that in sixth grade. You know, it always depends on what your child's exposure and experience is, what their environment is, and their curiosity.   I think each child is so different. But in general, sixth grade would be age 11, 12, I think that's 10 to 12 for sure. But even you could probably push it as you're talking about puberty, which is where we interject it, just because it gives reference to what is a period for a girl?   Or what are the changes as a male that I'm having inside my body right now? Where's that coming from? So, I think starting as young as eight or nine to 10.   No later really than 12, I think would be really, really important.   Laura Dugger: (14:09 - 14:16) Thank you. That is helpful. I'm assuming that you're everybody's favorite teacher and that this is their favorite course to take.   Janelle Rupp: (14:17 - 14:48) We have a lot of fun. And I love when the kids buy into it. You know, sometimes I'll find that kids come in and they're a little hesitant to talk about this or they feel awkward by it.   But I think, you know, coming at it from both a clinical perspective, but also a biblical perspective, doing my best to keep them at ease and have fun as we have these conversations. Eventually, they loosen up over time. And it ends up being a really sweet time to talk about stuff that really, really matters in life.   Laura Dugger: (14:48 - 15:05) It does. And you're sharing so much truth. And it is the truth that sets us free.   And I can see where that would overcome so much confusion. So, let's even get really practical. When you're teaching these young people about sex, how do you define it?   Janelle Rupp: (15:06 - 19:12) This is such a great question. No one's ever actually asked me this. And I think it's so, so important.   The CDC definition of sex, it is very complete in its definition. It does a really good job covering what I believe are really important distinctives within that definition. And so, that definition is, quote, “Sex is defined as any part of your body and or specifically your reproductive area coming into contact with another person's body and or specifically their reproductive area.”   And one of the key points that I want to point out from this definition includes this phrase, reproductive area. I find my students have no reference for that, and even adults often don't. But simply put, the reproductive area is anything on the outside of the body that covers the reproductive system organs on the inside of the body.   So, this area actually extends from the belly button down to the genitals. A lot of times we only reference those genitals, but it actually extends belly button down to the genitals. And so, again, people are often surprised by that.   But at the same time, you know, whether it's called the reproductive area or maybe a private area, people do commonly recognize the importance of keeping that area safe and private. I often stick with that phrase, reproductive area, to reference the importance of trust when it comes to keeping things safe and private as a jumping off point to just help the kids see that a person is trustworthy if they keep you safe and if they keep things private. And again, such an important thing that we need to teach our children is that if someone pushes past what feels safe for us or pushes past areas on our body that are private, our children need to know, and we need to know those are not trustworthy people.   And furthermore, we should then give our children permission to tell someone that they do trust, hopefully us, but somebody that they do trust, somebody that keeps things safe and private about any person whose words or actions don't prove trustworthy. And as a side note, giving kids appropriate anatomical names is so important for this as well. But if you aren't using those terms and they don't understand it, we're speaking a language that they can't understand and maybe aren't able to convey.   And so, I think additionally, as children get older and you continue to reference that reproductive area as an area you keep private, I think it's super important to keep going back to theology and to Scripture. And in Genesis 1 and 2, we don't see anything having to be kept private because there was nothing that needed to be private. And in fact, the end of Genesis 2 says in verse 25, “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” My students giggle when we get to that verse because that sounds so foreign to them.   But reminding them that again, God's design was so good that there was nothing to be held back. They were fully intimately known by God and fully intimately known by each other and also without sin. But then when sin enters in Genesis 3, as Eve is tempted and enticed by the serpent, Adam is tempted, and enticed by Eve.   We see in that instant that sin changes every single thing because it causes Adam and Eve to then feel ashamed before God. They want to hide from God. It causes them to feel ashamed between each other.   They want to blame each other and it causes them to lose their sense of identity and purpose. And this is what happens to us, too, when sex and sin become entwined. It causes shame.   It causes us to hide. It makes us want to blame others. It causes us to question our identity and question our purpose.   But even though sexual sin changes the heart of man, it does not change the heart of God. And so, if our heart's desire is to love God in return for the love He's shown us, then our heart's desire should be to orient our lives around His design for our lives. And I would say even especially orienting our lives around His design for marriage and sex.   Laura Dugger: (19:13 - 19:23) Perhaps one of the most asked questions by Christian Singles is, How far is too far? So, how do you respond to that question?   Janelle Rupp: (19:24 - 25:50) Yes, I mean, this is the question that inevitably somebody's going to ask in my classes every single year. And no doubt, I mean, I think everyone has asked that question at some point or another in their lives. I certainly did.   And I was told that that was the wrong question. And I want to explain why first and then tell you how I answer it. But the reason was because when we look at Scripture in terms of holiness, which is having our heart completely for God versus idolatry, which means having our heart turned to something else, we see over and over and over in Scripture that we can't serve two masters.   We can't serve both holiness and idolatry. Matthew 6:24 is a great example. It's talking about the idolatry of money.   But it does say that whenever our heart is going after two things, we will either end up being devoted to the one and hate the other or devoted to the other and thus hate the one. And so, in other words, as we apply it to this question, we actually can't just straddle the line of both holiness and idolatry. And a lot of times that's where this heart of motivation of how far is too far is like, what line is the line that I can get to and still be holy?   But we really can't try to find and live on that line, because healthy and holy sexuality and sexual immorality doesn't exist. It is one or it is the other. And so, that's an important truth of Scripture.   I'm always in complete agreement with everything that I just said. But I also recognize that the Bible is really, really clear on how to give us direction in terms of setting boundaries and learning how to escape and endure temptation rather than to be enticed by it. And so, I teach my students a method to answer this question using an acronym called GRAY, G-R-A-Y, just to help them think biblically and critically about this question.   And actually it can be applied to any what I call the gray areas of life where Scripture may not specifically be very black and white about what we can and can't do. For example, another easy gray area topic within this same kind of umbrella idea would be dating. We aren't specifically told if we're to encourage our kids towards dating or courting or maybe arrange marriages.   Right. And yet I believe that there's four specific steps that we can use to determine the heart of God for our lives when it comes to gray areas of life. And so, the G in gray stands for go to God and it refers to prayer.   James 1:5 encourages believers to ask God for wisdom. It says, “He will give it generously to anyone who asks.” And I think praying for wisdom is such a foundational place to start on any topic, but specifically this one.   And then the R in the acronym stands for read the word. I always encourage my students and I would encourage parents as well, actively study the word of God, finding verses that give direction for decision making on this question. How far is too far?   One that I think jumped out at me is First Corinthians 10:23. As it's again, speaking of idolatry of the heart and it says, “all things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful. I can do all things, but not all things are building up. And so, let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.”   So, when you apply that verse to this question of how far is too far, you begin to see that the question isn't so much is kissing OK, is anything done with our clothes on OK? But the question is more what behavior is helpful for me as I try to honor Christ with my body? What behavior builds up my desire to honor Christ with my life and or what behavior seeks to honor the person that I'm with?   And so, again, I think reading scripture can help us be able to know how to reframe that question and create boundaries. And then the A in gray stands for ask for advice. And here I encourage teens to seek out someone who is doing relationships well.   In other words, is there a couple that they admire, someone older than them that they admire, maybe a friend or sibling or a friend of a sibling, a teacher, a parent, a youth group leader? I found in my own life that God often gives wisdom through people like that. And actually, in the last 10 years, as I've been teaching this type of material, I found that asking couples that I respect this very same question.   How did you answer? How far is too far? It brings some of the best responses and encouragement that then I can share with my students to help them learn and grow.   So, I think asking for advice is a vital part of this. And then lastly, the Y stands for yield. It is the last step.   And yet it's such an important part of answering this question. Yield just simply means to wait. And you and I both know this generation does not like to wait.   Instinct gratification is their thing. And yet teaching them that there's so much value in yielding when we don't have clear answers to critical questions like this. So, I actually love to literally walk this out in front of the classroom.   I will demonstrate how, when I yield, I hold back on decisions such as how far is too far. I am always allowing myself room to continue to walk forward as I feel more certainty over the answer or I feel more led with the wisdom that God is continuing to give. However, if I walk forward without clarity, if I'm pushing boundaries that are perhaps lawful, I can.   But they're not to my benefit, not to my partner's benefit. Then it's very realistic that I am going to push farther than I am able to handle. It's going to bring harm to the relationship that I am in.   And I can't ever go back. The truth is that the line between being enticed by sin versus escaping and enduring the temptation to turn from sin. It's a thin line.   And so, helping teenagers with these four steps, I think just think more critically about where to set those boundaries is important. And then I do usually go on to encourage students to be really specific in writing out those boundaries. I'm a big fan that writing is remembering.   It stores in our long-term memory. And then to even share those boundaries in order to have accountability with them.   Laura Dugger: (25:51 - 27:47) And now a brief message from our sponsor. I would like to specifically address the ladies. Because let's talk skin care.   As moms, as women, we spend so much time caring for everyone else. But what about us? If you're tired of dull or dry skin and products filled with chemicals and fillers, it is time for something better.   God designed our skin to thrive with real nourishing ingredients. Daisy King's, a tallow-based skin care brand made with wholesome, time-tested ingredients like grass-fed tallow and other plant-based oils, was created to help you achieve natural glow and skin restoration. Tallow is nature's perfect moisturizer.   It deeply nourishes, restores, and protects like nothing else. I love to personally use this product. Their specially crafted formulas work with your skin's natural biology to truly heal and hydrate.   And best of all, you can trust what's inside. Because at Daisy King's, they believe in clean, simple, and effective skin care, just as God intended. So, if you're ready to also give your skin the care it truly deserves, visit DaisyKings.com and use code SAVVY to save.   So, now, it's time to nourish, restore, and glow. This next question may feel a little bit scary to ask because sometimes ignorance truly is bliss. But I think this is really helpful having you share statistics.   So, what are some statistics you think we need to be aware of to educate us on sexuality and youth in America right now?   Janelle Rupp: (27:49 - 29:55) Yes, you know, this is constantly changing. And so, I do look for these on the regular. And so, the ones I'm currently kind of using as I educate this year, the average age of first pornography exposure is currently 11 years old.   And 1 out of every 10 visitors to porn sites are actually under the age of 10. And 22% of those are regular visitors to those sites. It's not that they're just there once.   They're regular visitors. When you talk about that next age group, 11 to 17-year-olds, 53% of them are accessing pornography. In addition, 1 out of every 14 are receiving sexually explicit material through social media, through texting.   And 1 out of every 17 are sending it, which is an interesting thing. I always tell my students that means that as people are receiving it, they're sending it to more than one person. And so, you know, somehow we could think that it's a conversation maybe staying between two people.   And almost in every case, that is not the reality. 41% of teens are engaging in sexual behavior and oral sex and vaginal sex and anal sex and what I call outer course. Every 11 minutes, CPS finds evidence of sexual abuse claims.   And 2 out of every 3 of those are age 12 to 17 years old. And then lastly, and this is kind of newer from a research study that is an important one, but identifying as LGBTQ+, has actually risen in teens on average by 4% in the last 5 years. Girls being higher than boys.   Girls averaging about 5% increase and boys at 3%. And I think, you know, you give those 9 quick statistics, and I'll be honest, you know, even every time I have to say them, I get that sinking feeling in my stomach. It takes a lot to shock me after 10 years of working with teens on this topic.   But it never feels good to say those out loud. I think it just reflects such brokenness on behalf of our culture's view of sex and sexuality.   Laura Dugger: (29:57 - 30:09) Wow, that is sobering. And if that reality feels alarming or overwhelming to a parent listening, then how would you advise them to educate their son or daughter?   Janelle Rupp: (30:10 - 33:09) Yeah, I think the scariest thing is when we allow those feelings that we're having to really just cripple us and our ability to parent our children through them. I had a mom come up last year, and she said, I'm just really exhausted by it all. I'm tired of checking up on my kid.   And, you know, as a mom of teenagers, I hear that. I resonate with that. But I think we need to fight through those feelings and encourage each other to fight through those feelings in order to parent with intention and godliness when it comes to these subjects.   I developed this Remember Who's You Are curriculum for students, but I 100% believe that parents are to be the first go-to for our kids on these topics, whether they feel like they have all the answers or not. It's really not the role of the school, nor of the church, nor of the youth pastor. It is primarily and foundationally the role of parents, with ideally then the school and the church, you know, locking arms with parents, coming alongside with a similar message.   And so, when it comes to equipping parents, which is something I feel strongly about as well, in order to have these ongoing conversations, I break down educating parents with three regular statements to help them kind of combat those feelings of overwhelmed or anxiousness when it comes to these topics. And the first regular statement would be to regularly educate yourself. We can't teach what we don't know.   And so, parents need to have answers to questions, and I'm going to give a series of questions here that I think need to be answered as examples, but there's certainly more. But questions like, what is God's design? Again, what is the reproductive area?   What does sexting mean? What does sending nudes mean? Because that's becoming actually a more popular phrase right now than using the phrase sexting.   Why is not porn good for our brains if it actually keeps us from not having sex outside of God's design? That's a question I've been asked. And a follow-up to that, what does the Bible say about masturbation?   How does a condom work? I've been asked that one. What is the most popular sexual behavior among teens?   Those are some toughies. You don't just kind of like pop out an answer to that without dedicating some time to researching those answers. I don't think that this needs to be an overwhelming amount of time.   In fact, I actually just encourage parents to set aside 15 to 20 minutes once a week, maybe even once every other week, but just put it on the calendar so that you really devote yourself to that time. You know, I think we dedicate ourselves as parents to things we care about. And I don't mean to say this harshly, but many moms spend much more time exercising than they do in their Bibles and figuring out answers to these questions and apologetic type answers.   And parents, you know, we spend a lot of time talking to our kids about sports and grades. And yet these are topics that have lasting relational impacts for their lives, not just in our family, but in their family to come. And so, we have to be diligent to set aside time and regularly educate ourselves.   Laura Dugger: (33:09 - 33:38) Janelle, I love all of this that you're saying. And I just want to pause on this first step of educating ourselves as the adults and as the parents. So, listening to something like this, hopefully people feel encouraged already doing a great job educating yourself.   And so, let's just answer a couple of those questions because it can be hard to know where do I go to find out these answers. I'm careful to Google this because something may pop up that I don't want to see.   Janelle Rupp: (33:38 - 33:38) Right.   Laura Dugger: (33:38 - 33:46) So, let's go with two of them. One of them you said is what is the most popular sexual behavior among teens right now?   Janelle Rupp: (33:47 - 34:46) Yeah, I think that this one is a little bit shocking for parents. And they often are unaware of where their teens are at as they are pushing boundaries on sexual behavior. You know, when I was growing up, oral sex became, and that's mouth to genitals, but that became a really popular sexual behavior.   And I remember hearing people say, well, that makes me feel a virgin because I now have not had vaginal sex. And so, again, just continuing to push these boundaries. So, now today's teenagers are past oral sex.   That's become just something that's normal and acceptable. And the most popular sexual behavior right now that you'll actually they will talk about and do would be anal sex right now, which is the anal area, which is obviously I always point this out, not actually the reproductive system, but in fact, the expiratory or the end of the digestive system. But that is the most popular sexual behavior among teens currently.   Laura Dugger: (34:47 - 35:14) That is really helpful to hear. And even years ago, when I was practicing as a marriage and family therapist, something that we learned was that the rise in pornography exposure was also corresponding or correlating with this rise in pressure for women to engage in anal sex. And that was a lot of times where it was coming from.   I'm assuming very similar with teens.   Janelle Rupp: (35:15 - 35:59) Yes, absolutely. And as our culture continues to kind of push the envelope on trying to get teenagers and adults to accept pornography is a natural part of human sexuality. I think we will just continue to see that behavior pushed more and more and more just among teens and relationships in general, which is really devastating.   I think of so many of these behaviors that are very degrading, particularly to women, but even to men. And again, that women, that girls would be thinking that that is considered an acceptable part of a relationship is such a tragedy, really. And again, just so reflective of the brokenness of our culture.   Laura Dugger: (36:00 - 36:19) And you bring up another question I want to follow up with, Ben, because porn is so destructive for a lifetime. But how do you answer that question if parents want to educate themselves of somebody making an argument of why not pornography if it keeps them from engaging in penetrative sex?   Janelle Rupp: (36:20 - 38:18) Yeah, so, there's some excellent websites that you can find that talk about the damaging effects of pornography. And I found, you know, good resources. Anyone's welcome to email me.   I'll include that later. But to get some of those resources. But it really does change and alter, actually, the connections that are created in the brain.   And one of the, I think, more interesting studies on pornography in the brain, as they looked at men who were watching and engaging in pornography, it would continually light up an area of the brain and stimulate it, which is an area of the brain that is usually lit and stimulated when a man would use power tools. And that's concerning on, I think, a couple of levels. One, that is degrading.   And again, this human made in the image of God to something that is to be just used. Right. And then second, anytime we engage in pornography, we are we're engaging more with a screen than a person.   And so, that intimacy level, that is something that's so precious about sex. You know, sex isn't just for making babies. It isn't just for this intimate connection.   It isn't just for pleasure. But it is to be wholly represented, all three of those when we look at God's design. But when we engage with pornography, we're completely reducing it down to one person's pleasure, one person's use.   And so, again, those connections that are supposed to exist between people now exist between a person and their screen. And you'll see across the board, these are people who easily get addicted. It's meant to be addicted, experience increased levels of depression, anxiety, suicide.   Grades go down for teenagers. They lose friends. So much research showing the devastating impact of pornography.   Laura Dugger: (38:19 - 38:32) That is really helpful. Thank you for sharing that. And back to that greater question. So, when you're advising parents to educate themselves, that's the first step. What's the next step in the process?   Janelle Rupp: (38:33 - 41:29) So, the second step that I recommend is to regularly to enter in. We aren't called to be our kids' best friends. We're called to step into their lives.   And that means stepping into friendships and relationships. It actually means stepping into their phone. You know, the amount of parents that tell me, I feel really bad because it's their phone.   And yet it's something that the parent is paying for, right? And so, that is a part of our lives, too. Theirs and ours.   But stepping into social media pages, their schools, their activities. And I think we don't have to be creepy about it. And that's what I think parents most, they're like, I don't want to creep my kid out or make them pull away.   I just think we have to be really intentional beforehand that we're developing this relationship of trust and communication. So, Josh McDowell has said rules without relationship equal rebellion. And so, the flip side of that is that when I have rules where I'm entering in and I have relationships where I'm entering in, that will equal trust.   And so, we need to keep entering in because we want to keep earning their trust. It goes both ways. We want that trust and communication.   So, entering in out of a desire for relationship, but also entering in with boundaries and rules for our kids in order to continue to build that trust between us. And then the third regularly statement is to regularly extend grace to yourself. Guilt and shame cannot go away without grace.   And a lot of us live with guilt and shame when it comes to these subjects. I often hear that that's one of the key reasons that parents will hesitate to talk to their child. They'll say to me, I don't want them to ask me about what I did.   And the only remedy for shame is grace. It's why God's plan to extend grace in sending Jesus. It's the best plan for our world because we're literally drowning in guilt and shame over these subjects.   And so, as parents, we first have to learn and work through accepting grace for ourselves. But for the purpose of extending it to others, it's very, very hard to extend grace when we haven't accepted it ourselves. And so, I think it starts with us.   And then again, it extends out to our kids. My husband and I were working through something that was happening with our teenagers this year. And I thought it was so profound.   As he said this statement, by God's grace, our kids will never get caught up in it. But it's also that same grace that will provide a way for our kids to get out of it. And so, we need to remember God's grace is greater than all of our sins.   And we can rest in that even if we don't do everything perfectly as a parent. Even if we forget to answer one of the questions. Even if our kids choose a path that is different than what we had taught them.   God's grace is greater than all of our sins.   Laura Dugger: (41:30 - 43:53) And I don't think we can hear that enough. So, thank you for that reminder.   Did you know that we are now accepting donations online through Venmo?   It's just one of our additional ways that you can give to support the work of the Savvy Sauce Charities and keep us on the air where we can keep providing this content for free. We pray that you'll consider partnering with us and generously donating before your end. Thanks for your support.   Well, Janelle, I think that you're so wise to teach parents that there's obviously no formula, and that's why it's so vitally important to keep in step with the spirit as we have these conversations with our children. But also, I'm sure that you've learned some wise and age-appropriate guidelines for teaching our kids about sex and sexuality.   So, will you share those with us for the different age ranges?   Janelle Rupp: (43:55 - 50:10) Yes, I think you're exactly right. There isn't a set formula because, again, as I mentioned before, every kid is different. Every experience and exposure is different.   But there are some general guidelines in order to, again, have these regular conversations with our kids. So, beginning ages kind of three to seven, I think focusing on what it means to be made in God's image, what it means to have a male part versus female part, how that kind of defines each gender. And understanding also what is private and safe within that is important.   So, one of the things that I did with my kids is very early on, as we were bathing in those ages, we would say, Thank you, God, for our fingers and our noses, and thank you, God, for our toes, and say, Thank you, God, for a penis because you're a boy, and thank you, God, for a vagina because you're a girl, and thank you for parts that we can't see inside of us. And I would name some of those parts as well, because I think it just helps them start recognizing, again, the beauty of what it means to be created by God. And also highlighting safe pictures and unsafe pictures, safe touch and unsafe touch, and stuff that I touched on before.   I think that's important as well. But then I personally believe this is one of the best ages to begin forming a framework on the sanctity of human life, that all life is created by God and for God in the image of God. And therefore, all life should be treated with dignity, respect, and love, regardless of size, regardless of gender, regardless of skin color, regardless of neediness or challenges.   It's a really natural and important tie-in to the subject at this age. And then when you get into that next age, age 8 to 10, I kind of think of it a little bit like preteen. Just continuing on with that conversation but bringing up this word puberty.   And kids always look terrified when I say that word. And I always tell them, then puberty is not a scary word. And I'm sorry that you have this vision that it is.   But puberty really is just human growth and development that make us male and make us female. And so, I think teaching our kids not to be even afraid of that word. There are parts that we need to keep private.   And yes, we don't need to talk about that with everybody. But these are not wrong or bad parts. They're parts that are created by God for God.   And God is a good God. And God is a sovereign God. And so, He created it for our good with us in mind.   And so, just continuing to engage and encourage our kids on those ideas at age 10. And then 10 to 12, and some educators would say sex should be introduced by age 10. I found that based on just, again, the exposure that my kids had, we had this type of a conversation as they headed into more age 11.   I think it for sure should be talked about before age 12. But at that point, you want to make sure you're including just a framework on what biblical sex and marriage is and what it's purposed for. Again, purpose for procreation, making babies, purpose for intimacy, even purpose for pleasure.   Listen, no 10 to 12-year-old is going to understand that part yet, which is fine because you're going to revisit it later when they're kids. This is a regular thing, right? But you want them to hear it from you.   You want them to hear it from you first so they understand that you are trustworthy. And so, they should be taught that sex is best seen in that context of marriage. One man, one woman that have left their father and mother, they've taken hold of each other in marriage.   And as a result, then a parent and actually ideally both parents, mom and dad, are able to help a child understand that framework and also recognize basic deviations outside of that framework. Not just that sex before marriage is outside, but also sex outside of marriage, the sexual and gender identity confusion. Anything that's falling outside of God's design for marriage and sex is a deviation from what he designed.   And then in that kind of 13 and older, recommendations that I make is always that you begin to establish a really good framework on how to have God-honoring relationships with someone of the opposite gender. I actually highly recommend Ephesians chapter 5 as you make this plan with your child. And a couple key points that it talks about within that chapter is that we treat those in the faith, those that share our common belief in Jesus Christ as brothers and sisters in Christ, in friendship and in a possible relationship, but one that has a lot of purpose and a plan in place.   But then we treat those who are not sharing our faith with love, but yet an understanding that those aren't relationships that I can pursue because I can't have an expectation that they are going to bring me closer to Christ, whereas the other should. And so, as parents within that, again, 13 and older category, you really need to start paying very much attention and entering in into those relationships that they have with their friends and their peers, because this is the second biggest impact maker on their decision-making next to you. Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with the wise will be wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”   I really believe in parents. If you need to change up their environment in order to help them form more God-honoring relationships in step with that Ephesians 5, we should not be afraid to do so. And again, continuing to expand on those other frameworks before, because regular conversations, but you're just getting into greater detail, more fine-tuning.   And I actually think at this age, too, you're digging deep into the truth of Scripture with your child. So, you let them come alongside you as you're learning how to answer these questions so that they can continue to refine who they are in Christ and to refine how to keep accountable with the Word of God and to refine how to set boundaries and how to navigate relationships in what I call purposeful dating versus purposeless dating. And purposeful dating, really just the overarching idea there is just that in the end, if it does end, that there may be sadness, but that there is also learning that comes so that I am lessening the brokenness and damage that may come as a result as well.   Laura Dugger: (50:11 - 50:30) And I love how also in your teaching, you lay out specific guidelines that don't fit within an age category, but they're more so for children who are at cell phone age or where they have unattended internet use. So, will you share some of those guidelines with us now, too?   Janelle Rupp: (50:31 - 54:54) Yes, for sure. You know, I always say when you introduce a cell phone to your child, especially one that has internet included with that phone, it does change a little of those guidelines that I just mentioned in that you need to increase the speed and the ages or decrease the ages, technically, in which you are discussing these things. Just because you're giving them a lot of access to things that will speak an opposite message from what you would be saying.   And so, when I encourage parents to look at a couple things as they're making the decisions about when to give a cell phone, I think you're specifically looking at does your child understand what it means to be indwelled by the Holy Spirit? And are they showing evidence of the fruits of his work in their lives? In other words, do I see evidence of the Spirit in the life of my child?   And so, that means does he or she recognize self-control? They know when they have it and they know when they don't. Do they recognize how to be a peacemaker?   Do they recognize how to be loving in what they say and what they do? Do they recognize and show faithfulness, kindness, gentleness, joy, patience, all of those fruits of the Spirit? And do they recognize and show that not just in person with someone, but even behind the screen when they don't see that person face to face?   And listen, no parent is going to say, oh, yeah, 100% of the time my kid is showing evidence of the fruits of the Spirit. But if I can honestly say yes, my child is showing that he is growing in evidence of that. And then you decide this is the age for him to have a phone.   Most educators, I'll just be super clear, most educators that work with teens, they recommend an age of anywhere from 13 to 15. But when you do give that, those same adults that work with those teens will also say the following, that a device should not be allowed in a private room or a private place. There should be a family charging place.   And we are on phones when we are around other people. And then that you should also have no phone zones for us. The dinner table is one of our very most important ones so that we are learning how to, again, continue to engage in conversation with one another without our phones, which is growing the relationship building that we want to grow.   And so, we hold to those boundaries. Understanding that an all access, unmonitored pass to the Internet does break down identity. It does work against.   And there's so much evidence to this. You know, even five years ago, I was less inclined to say hard and fast rules on the use of cell phones for teens. However, more and more and more and more, we continue to see research study after research study.   There's documentaries. Now there's reports about the dangers of the unlimited, unmonitored access to screens and how it hurts our kids emotionally, intellectually, socially, spiritually and even physically. I mean, I think of less sleep.   Right. Something that I've learned over these 10 years is that no kid stumbles into pornography with the use of their phone on purpose. So, so, so many times the first time is an accident and it happens again because that Internet use is unmonitored.   And so, here's another hard truth as well. It often also happens because someone else in the house or the family may be viewing pornography and it's in that browser history or it's in the logarithm of the device they're using. And so, understanding what drives that first use, but then the ramifications of that first look.   So, even if it's an inadvertent look, the hook to pornography is so addicting. And again, we talked about the damaging effects on our brains, our emotions and our relationship. So, I just think monitoring phones and Internet access is, yes, exhausting.   I mean, I feel it. But at the same time, the risk is so great that there's no way that we can stop while they are in our home. Because the worry and the regret of, oh, I should have done X, Y, Z, I think outweighs any type of temporary exhaustion for me in my day to have to check and monitor phone use.   Laura Dugger: (54:55 - 55:21) That's such a good point. It's going to cost us energy on one side or the other. But that is a wise choice to go with the hard choice first and hopefully more of an easier or more fruitful path.   When you reflect on our conversation so far, what hope do we all have for the gospel of grace impacting us specifically as it relates to our sexuality?   Janelle Rupp: (55:23 - 58:58) When I hear that question, I really love it. I instantly think shame is a result of sin, connecting that to the grace that is shown from our Creator and our Redeemer. And all of that, again, is really on display in Genesis 3.   And so, I want to take us there as I answer that question. I tell my students shame has two definitions. There is shame as a verb to shame someone.   And then there is shame as a noun to feel shame as a result of something that we have done wrong. Shame as a verb is something we never want to do. That's not a good thing, right?   But shame as a noun is actually a God-given gift that is meant to bring us back into relationship with God. And you look at how Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. It makes me chuckle, honestly, because as they feel the shame of their sin, their next step is to create garments to cover themselves.   And their shame was so great, but they went ahead and put these fig leaves on top of their bodies, these parts that now have to be private because of shame. And I just think to myself, those fig leaves had to have been so insufficient. We do this too, though.   We come up with ways to clothe ourselves to cover up the shame that we feel. It might be past sexual sin. It might be present sexual sin.   And we try our best to hide it. We try our best to make ourselves look presentable with our covering so that people won't see our sin and see our shame. I mean, all of that is that feeling that comes from that feeling of shame as a result of sin.   But what's beautiful when we look at Genesis 3, when Adam finally comes clean about his sin and shame. And I will say, listen, he doesn't do it perfectly because God has to literally say, where are you? Knowing where he is, but like basically saying, Adam, come out, come clean, right?   But as Adam does come clean about his sin and the shame that he's feeling, right? What does God do? God covers Adam and Eve with garments that He provides and He makes from the very first shedding of blood that we see recorded in Scripture.   And I'm doing it now. I weep every single time that I talk about this part, because God knows how to deal with shame so much better than we do. He knows how to deal with our shame in a way and cover us in a way that is a once for always.   And it's Genesis 3 is just a beautiful foreshadowing of how Christ is going to be sent. And there he comes in Matthew, right? To cover shame forever.   And so, as we remember that Jesus spilled his blood on a cross and then resurrected, conquering death and sin and the grave. We also get covered by that blood so that we no longer have to hide. We no longer have to feel that shame.   And we can stand, Romans 8 says, without condemnation. “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ,” because Christ has covered us with garments completely and perfectly for forever. And so, our hope in this for our own sin, our past sin, any present sin, any future sin, and our hope for any sin that may rise up out of the heart of our child.   It's in the gospel that the gracious and loving covering that God gives us through Jesus is complete, making us right before God for all time.   Laura Dugger: (58:58 - 1:00:05) I love that so much, Janelle. And it makes me think of, I can't remember the research study, but they tracked people's brains when they were feeling like shame or regret or guilt. And found that sometimes people who struggle with anxious thoughts, that they have an over-functioning part of their brain where they can have those feelings of shame, sometimes when they haven't done anything shameful.   So, there's almost like a real guilt or a false guilt. And all of this conversation brings me to 2 Corinthians 7:10, where God addressed that first, because in the Bible it says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” And so, if we're going like even a level deeper to tease out that shame, sometimes we've felt that before.   Maybe, let's say, if something was done to us, and that's not the same shame that requires repentance, which is the godly sorrow. So, does that make sense?   Janelle Rupp: (1:00:05 - 1:00:28) Yes, exactly. That's exactly my point. And getting the kids to understand the difference between those shames but then seeing shame as not something that I have to push against.   Because if it is that godly shame that comes after me making a wrong choice, that is that shame to bring me closer to God in and through repentance. And again, that's a beautiful thing.   Laura Dugger: (1:00:29 - 1:00:39) It is, and it leads to freedom, which we may not think of in the moment, but that confession and bringing something to the light, that that is the best way to live.   Janelle Rupp: (1:00:39 - 1:00:40) Exactly.   Laura Dugger: (1:00:40 - 1:00:48) Are there any other important takeaways that you want parents and their children to be aware of as it applies to sex and sexuality?   Janelle Rupp: (1:00:49 - 1:02:44) Yes, you know, I think of two things here. The first being that, you know, sexual sin is really just one of many sins that Christ covers that he died for. You know, the blood of Christ covers the adulterer just as much as it covers the gossiper.   It covers the pregnant teenager and her boyfriend just as much as it covers you and I. And I think in the past, the church has overemphasized this sin and underemphasized others. But yet on the flip side, I mean, I think we really can't deny these are sins.   And even when we look at Scripture, it doesn't deny this. These are sins that carry a greater consequence and potential for enticing us towards, again, more habitual, ongoing sin in ways that just affect us deeper than other sins, which is why 1 Corinthians 6:18 says “Flee from sexual immorality.” And I'm going to pause there for just a second, because the Greek word for sexual immorality is the word pornea.   And you and I can't hear the word pornea without immediately thinking of porn. And so, I think it's fascinating that the root word for pornography is literally translated as sexual immorality. It's really an important thing.   But 1 Corinthians 6:18, again, it starts saying “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside of the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” And this means that sexual sin at its root is a problem of identity, which is, again, why you have to link that human sexuality with gospel identity.   Our aim cannot be for our children to make it to marriage having never had sex or never getting pregnant. To me, that's a low fruit. That is a low aim.   Our aim needs to be raising children with a gospel identity that is rooted in the creative and redemptive work of Jesus Christ and seeing the outgrowth from there.   Laura Dugger: (1:02:44 - 1:02:56) Wow. Well said. And if we boil all of this down, what is just one action step that you first recommend for anyone who finishes this message today?   Janelle Rupp: (1:02:57 - 1:04:19) Yeah, I'm going to give you a three-in-one just tying back to those three key regularly statements. One of the primary resources that I love to recommend in terms of educating ourselves is for parents to go to axis.org. That is A-X-I-S dot org, and sign up to receive their free Culture Translator weekly newsletter. And that will be sent to your email on a weekly basis for free.   And it gives a whole rundown of what's been happening in teen culture for that week. And just by simply opening up your email, you're going to start educating yourself. And they also have a host of other excellent resources and podcasts and a ton of material on their website that I would recommend.   But that's just one little step. And then for the enter in, I would recommend scheduling a date now. Put it on your calendar.   Find a time to take your child on a shopping date, an ice cream date, so that you can begin to enter into their lives and keep building that relationship with them. And then lastly, between now and that date, just open up God's Word. Reflect on the grace of God.   Let it wash over your heart. Let it wash over your mind. Get engaged with worship.   All of those will equip you well to do that hard work of entering in with your child when you meet them for that date.   Laura Dugger: (1:04:20 - 1:04:29) I've loved this chat so much. And if anybody's wondering about

It's probably the most significant of all church history's debates: Was Jesus fully human, fully divine, or a hybrid of some sort?1700 years ago, bishops from across the Christian world gathered in the city of Nicaea to settle this once and for all.The outcome was three paragraphs which went on to represent the core of Christianity, and spell out who Jesus is - and who he isn't.(00:00) - - Jesus: Man or something else? (08:44) - - Why did the Creed happen? (12:19) - - Constantine's influence (17:18) - - The key players at the council (31:23) - - The Arian controversy (43:40) - - The Trinity (59:52) - - Five Minute Jesus (01:04:26) - - Faith and the Creed (01:07:22) - - Why does the Creed matter? CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

How does Numbers point us to Christ, our conqueror and redeemer? The Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing (Professor of Theology & Ministry, Paul Edwin F. and Esther L. Laatsch Chair of Old Testament Studies, Director of the Pre-Seminary Program, and Director of The Center for Biblical Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 3 of our series on his book Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers to talk about the account of Moses striking the rock to receive water, why God barred Moses from the Promised Land, the account of the bronze serpent and how this points to Christ, what we learn about Israel's relationship with other nations, and an introduction to Balaam and Balak. Find Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers from Concordia Publishing House at cph.org/hope-in-the-wilderness-practical-insights-from-the-book-of-numbers. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Recorded on 20 November 2025 for ICMDA Webinars.Dr Peter Saunders chairs a webinar with John DicksonIs religion a pernicious force in the world? Does it poison everything? Would we be better off without religion in general and Christianity in particular? Many think so.But the critics are only partly right: this is not what Christianity was at its foundation or on its best days. Jesus of Nazareth gave the world a beautiful melody - of charity, humility, and human dignity - and while many of its followers have been tone-deaf, many others have sung the tune and transformed the world.Dickson provides an honest account of the mixed history of Christianity and asks skeptics to listen again to the melody of Christ, despite the discord produced by too many unbelievers. He also asks Christians to reflect soberly on their own participation in the tragic inconsistencies of Christendom and pleads with them to live in tune with their Maestro.John started out as a professional singer-songwriter, he now works as an author, speaker, historian, and media presenter. John hosts the Undeceptions podcast and has hosted four television documentaries. The most recent documentary The First Hymn: Resurrecting a song buried for millennia, was released in April 2025.John has published over 20 books, including Bullies and Saints: An Honest look at the Good and Evil of Christian History (2021). He has held a variety of teaching and research positions before becoming the Jean Kvamme Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies and Public Christianity at Wheaton College in Illinois in 2022. Before that, John had held positions in the Ancient History Department at Macquarie University (2002-2015), the Hebrew, Jewish and Biblical Studies Department at Sydney University (2011-2021), Ridley College Melbourne (2019-2022), and the Faculty of Classics at the University of Oxford (2015-2023).A busy public speaker, he lives in Wheaton, Illinois, with his wife Elizabeth and the youngest of their three children.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

What are the pillars of fire and cloud, and what is the Israelites' attitude in the wilderness? The Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing (Professor of Theology & Ministry, Paul Edwin F. and Esther L. Laatsch Chair of Old Testament Studies, Director of the Pre-Seminary Program, and Director of The Center for Biblical Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 2 of a series on his book "Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers" to talk about the place of the Passover in Numbers, the pillar of cloud and fire, the attitude of the Israelites when they have been out of Egypt and slavery for a little over a year, and the accounts of the call to march, the spies in Canaan, and Korah's rebellion. Find Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers from Concordia Publishing House at cph.org/hope-in-the-wilderness-practical-insights-from-the-book-of-numbers. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, ‘I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me! You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves. Then I said, “O Lord, you have driven me from your presence. Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.”'” Jonah 2:1-4The book of Jonah is without a doubt the most known book of the prophets and perhaps one of the most well known of the Old Testament. That is to say, most of the story is well known. From the earliest ages the story of Jonah and the fish or Jonah and the whale is taught in church classrooms around the world. But usually that story ends in chapter 2 . . . but there are still two more chapters to the book of Jonah and, you know what, the conversation today spends most of its time in chapter 4. To help us navigate the book of Jonah is Dr. T. Desmond Alexander, Senior Research Fellow in Biblical Studies at Union Theological College. So let's leave what you think you know about Jonah behind and strap in as Desi Alexander takes us on a really fun and thought-provoking journey into the book of Jonah. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 450 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).Resources Related to This Episode:https://www.amazon.com/Obadiah-Jonah-Micah-Introduction-Commentaries/dp/0877842752Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: Navigating the Bible: Obadiah - https://youtu.be/jB6W-TM5Y-oNavigating the Bible: Amos - https://youtu.be/8DqVHu7leDUNavigating the Bible: Joel - https://youtu.be/Ilg6r300q4UNavigating the Bible: Hosea - https://youtu.be/nWZ4TuAUSRQNavigating the Bible: Daniel - https://youtu.be/bnQ-PioWxfgNavigating the Bible: Ezekiel - https://youtu.be/hlg6gBYxqsgNavigating the Bible: Lamentations - https://youtu.be/6rrizlXeYXENavigating the Bible: Jeremiah - https://youtu.be/lXPjWl8PdRkNavigating the Bible: Isaiah - https://youtu.be/NZJLaPkgEgsNavigating the Bible: Song of Songs - https://youtu.be/Sg0CYlNBVMgNavigating the Bible: Ecclesiastes - https://youtu.be/-Wr7LCh8F9ENavigating the Bible: Proverbs - https://youtu.be/DytRT5AsZg8Navigating the Bible: Psalms - https://youtu.be/oZeesooAYUINavigating the Bible: Job - https://youtu.be/14jaf2T1eCQNavigating the Bible: Esther - https://youtu.be/7RZ7ATWQZucNavigating the Bible: Nehemiah - https://youtu.be/Gok4WDgwn5INavigating the Bible: Ezra - https://youtu.be/aBC0nEjYeyoNavigating the Bible: 2 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/OG3rHTgMgEINavigating the Bible: 1 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/lQ_Qc4zbfgANavigating the Bible: 2 Kings - https://youtu.be/04q9gDhBKTkNavigating the Bible: 1 Kings - https://youtu.be/aS-KoeQXl2kNavigating the Bible: 2 Samuel - https://youtu.be/ZbpafGgOW7cNavigating the Bible: 1 Samuel - https://youtu.be/lY8wPElSFMYNavigating the Bible: Rute - https://youtu.be/YaH-t-ZzTaMNavigating the Bible: Judges - https://youtu.be/qNGcOf2o0NUNavigating the Bible: Joshua - https://youtu.be/hF28aThBtFsNavigating the Bible: Deuteronomy - https://youtu.be/HzmNgPOM4zUNavigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxsNavigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3MNavigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasAInspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Tim Sprankle currently serves as the executive director of Charis Fellowship (2024–2026). Since 2007, he has served as lead pastor at Leesburg Grace Church in northern Indiana. His Charis connections extend widely, including previous ministry in Fellowship churches in Arizona and Ohio, co-leading the Charis Symposium, co-hosting the More of Us podcast, teaching at Grace College, writing curriculum for Momentum Youth Conference, and board terms with several national ministries. Tim earned his B.A. in Biblical Studies at Grace College (2001), M.Div. in Pastoral Ministries at Grace Theological Seminary (2004) and D. Min. in Discipleship at Talbot School of Theology (2023).Tim loves to read, write, run, coach, ask questions, play disc golf, and spend time with his family. His wife Liz and three teenagers bring him great joy. Our conversation on today's 95Podcast covers a variety of topics relating to the issues that come with leading a church.Show Notes: https://www.95network.org/leadership-lessons-discovered-over-the-years-w-tim-sprankle-episode-312/Support the show

The first-century historian Flavius Josephus is the oldest source we have for the historical Jesus outside of the Bible.His 90-word paragraph about Jesus - where he calls Jesus “the Christ”, and says Jesus “appeared to them [the disciples] alive again on the third day", spending a third day restored to life - has sparked centuries of debate.Most experts think this paragraph has an authentic core, but has been embellished by a later Christian scribe.But new scholarly evidence has emerged that might turn our understanding of Josephus - and what he wrote about Jesus - on its head.(00:00) - - 90 Words (10:39) - - Flavius Josephus (14:20) - - Traitor or pragmatist? (23:46) - - Josephus and James (27:59) - - Testamonium Flavianum (43:20) - - "Would Josephus really write that?" (58:44) - - Josephus' networks (01:11:42) - - What did Josephus really say about Jesus? (01:16:43) - - What did Josephus really think about Jesus? (01:18:50) - - Rethinking history CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.Siobhan McGuiness is online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

How does the theme of “in between” that appears in Numbers relate to our present-day lives? The Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing (Professor of Theology & Ministry, Paul Edwin F. and Esther L. Laatsch Chair of Old Testament Studies, Director of the Pre-Seminary Program, and Director of The Center for Biblical Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 1 of a series on his book Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers to talk about why we would want to read or study the book of Numbers, what this theme of "in between" is and how it relates to our lives, how the Lord speaks and what happens when He speaks, how the Lord's Word is different from the words of others, and what we learn from the words "holy" and "bless" in Numbers. Find Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers from Concordia Publishing House at cph.org/hope-in-the-wilderness-practical-insights-from-the-book-of-numbers. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

The teen years often get a bad reputation. Our culture tells us to expect moodiness, distance, constant arguments, and irresponsible kids.  But what if it doesn't have to be that way? What if the teen years could actually be some of the sweetest, most rewarding times you share with your children? In this episode, we sit down with our good friend David Elrod as he shares the intentional steps he took to make the teen years a joy, - not a battle - and how you can do the same. Links in this Episode To Train up a Child The Open Church About Abraham's Wallet: Abraham's Wallet exists to inspire and equip Biblical family leaders. Please partner with us in inspiring and equipping multi-gen families at https://abrahamswallet.com/support AW website Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Chapters (00:00:00) - How to Manage Your Home and Money(00:00:40) - How Do I Create Wealthy Children?(00:07:21) - Adam Smith on Raising Successful Children(00:09:41) - How Do You Shape Your Family's Spiritual Growth?(00:13:48) - The Need for Perfectionism(00:15:22) - To Train Up A Child(00:18:01) - How to Train Up a Child(00:19:40) - Adam Levine on His Son's(00:20:21) - What They Did When Their Kids Were in 5th Grade(00:25:10) - Biblical Study for Boys(00:29:30) - How to Lead Your Sons in the Local Church(00:35:50) - Christian Dad on His Daughter's Pre-College Training(00:41:00) - Gym Dad's Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Kids Advice(00:43:56) - Weekly Rhythms of Input in Parenting(00:46:01) - Be on Your Guard

What happened when the laws of Moses were translated into Greek? In this episode, we journey from Sinai to Alexandria with Dr Joel Korytko, whose book The Death of the Covenant Code uncovers how Jewish translators in the third century BCE re-imagined Israel's laws for a Greek-speaking world. Together with Helen Bond and Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Joel reveals how death penalties quietly disappeared in the Greek Exodus, and what these changes reveal about Jewish life under Greek rule. This is a story of law, language, and the authority of Scripture in a fast-changing world. Dr Joel Korytko is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Northwest College | Seminary. He completed his DPhil at the University of Oxford, where his research explored how Jewish translators adapted biblical law for a Hellenistic audience. His book, The Death of the Covenant Code (Brill, 2022), examines how the laws of Exodus were reshaped in the Old Greek translation in light of Graeco-Egyptian legal traditions. Joel is also co-authoring a forthcoming commentary on Exodus for the Society of Biblical Literature Commentary on the Septuagint series.SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINEIf you enjoy the podcast, please (pretty please!) consider supporting the show through the Time Travellers Club, our Patreon. We are an independent, listener-supported show (no ads!), so please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a monthly subscription.DOWNLOAD OUR STUDY GUIDE: MARK AS ANCIENT BIOGRAPHYCheck out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel of Mark as an Ancient Biography." While you're there, get yourself a Biblical Time Machine mug or a cool sticker for your water bottle.Support the showTheme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 produced by John Nelson.

Why don't Christians still follow the Laws of the Old Testament? Why did God create humans if so many are apparently destined for Hell? Is the ‘Golden Rule' actually a Christian idea? John answers all these - and more - for our Season XV Q&A!(00:00) - - Intro (05:12) - - Why don't Christians still follow the Old Testament Law? (14:49) - - Deep reading for non-readers (19:41) - - Are Christians allowed to practise Old Testament laments post-Jesus? (23:31) - - Why would God create a species destined for Hell? (34:19) - - Why does the modern church look so different compared to the first-century church? (41:48) - - Why did Joseph and Mary have to go to Bethlehem? (52:56) - - The Golden Rule CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.Siobhan McGuiness is the online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant.  Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

In this episode, we take a closer look at the claim that church history overwhelmingly supports a paedobaptist view. We find that while it's true that infant baptism became the predominant practice for many centuries, the historical picture isn't quite so straightforward. What did Christians throughout history believe was happening in infant baptism? How did the earliest believers, those in the New Testament era and shortly after, understand infant baptism? Can historical evidence alone settle the baptism debate between paedobaptism and credobaptism? Join us as we explore these questions and key moments in church history to consider whether the historical argument can truly decide the debate.Resources090 - Believer's Baptism (with Bobby Jamieson)089 - Infant Baptism (with Kyle McClellan)Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

“Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven's Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven's Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people.” - Amos 5:14-15The book of Amos has a bit of a reputation. It's not known for being the most fun of the minor prophets. It doesn't pop up in many sermons, you don't see many Bible studies focused on it. There are many reasons why this is the case. Amos is a harsh book - he doesn't hold back on what he has to say. In chapter 8 it says, “The Lord said, ‘Like this fruit, Israel is ripe for punishment! I will not delay their punishment again. In that day the singing in the Temple will turn to wailing. Dead bodies will be scattered everywhere. They will be carried out of the city in silence.'” Again . . . not the most fun read. However, the true heart of the book of Amos is an incredibly important message about how you view God. It's a book about justice. It's a book about repentance. It's a book about the true heart of worship. To help us navigate the book of Amos is Dr. Danny Carroll, Scripture Press Ministries Professor of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College. Danny has studied, taught, and written about Amos for decades, including writing some commentaries on the book. Today he'll explain why Amos has captured his attention for so long, why it's such a unique book in the prophets, and how the church, particularly in America, should pay extra attention to its warnings.Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 400 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).Resources Related to This Episode:https://www.amazon.com/Book-Amos-International-Commentary-Testament/dp/0802825389Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: Navigating the Bible: Joel - https://youtu.be/Ilg6r300q4UNavigating the Bible: Hosea - https://youtu.be/nWZ4TuAUSRQNavigating the Bible: Daniel - https://youtu.be/bnQ-PioWxfgNavigating the Bible: Ezekiel - https://youtu.be/hlg6gBYxqsgNavigating the Bible: Lamentations - https://youtu.be/6rrizlXeYXENavigating the Bible: Jeremiah - https://youtu.be/lXPjWl8PdRkNavigating the Bible: Isaiah - https://youtu.be/NZJLaPkgEgsNavigating the Bible: Song of Songs - https://youtu.be/Sg0CYlNBVMgNavigating the Bible: Ecclesiastes - https://youtu.be/-Wr7LCh8F9ENavigating the Bible: Proverbs - https://youtu.be/DytRT5AsZg8Navigating the Bible: Psalms - https://youtu.be/oZeesooAYUINavigating the Bible: Job - https://youtu.be/14jaf2T1eCQNavigating the Bible: Esther - https://youtu.be/7RZ7ATWQZucNavigating the Bible: Nehemiah - https://youtu.be/Gok4WDgwn5INavigating the Bible: Ezra - https://youtu.be/aBC0nEjYeyoNavigating the Bible: 2 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/OG3rHTgMgEINavigating the Bible: 1 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/lQ_Qc4zbfgANavigating the Bible: 2 Kings - https://youtu.be/04q9gDhBKTkNavigating the Bible: 1 Kings - https://youtu.be/aS-KoeQXl2kNavigating the Bible: 2 Samuel - https://youtu.be/ZbpafGgOW7cNavigating the Bible: 1 Samuel - https://youtu.be/lY8wPElSFMYNavigating the Bible: Rute - https://youtu.be/YaH-t-ZzTaMNavigating the Bible: Judges - https://youtu.be/qNGcOf2o0NUNavigating the Bible: Joshua - https://youtu.be/hF28aThBtFsNavigating the Bible: Deuteronomy - https://youtu.be/HzmNgPOM4zUNavigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxsNavigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3MNavigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasAInspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What is the book of Revelation really about? For ages, it has been the source of sensationalism, idolatry, confusion, and end-times predictions. But at its root, it is about the power and worship of the Lamb who was slain. Biblical scholar Michael J. Gorman joins Mark Labberton to explore how Christians can read the book of Revelation with wisdom, faith, and hope rather than fear or sensationalism. Drawing from his book Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship and Witness—Following the Lamb into the New Creation, Gorman offers a reorientation to Revelation's central vision: worshipping the Lamb, resisting idolatrous power, and embodying faithful discipleship in the world. Together they discuss Revelation's misuses in popular culture, its critique of empire and nationalism, and its invitation to follow the crucified and risen Christ into the new creation. Episode Highlights "The book of Revelation is about lamb power—not hyper-religious or political power. It's about absorbing rather than inflicting evil." "This book is for those who are confused by, afraid of, and or preoccupied with the book of Revelation." "We shouldn't look for predictions but for parallels and analogies." "Worship, discipleship, and new creation—that's where Revelation hangs its hat." "At its root, Christian nationalism is a form of idolatry." "The only way to come out of Babylon is to go back into Babylon with new values and new practices." Helpful Links and Resources Reading Revelation Responsibly – https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Revelation-Responsibly-Following-Creation/dp/1606085603/ Reverse Thunder by Eugene Peterson – https://www.amazon.com/Reversed-Thunder-Revelation-Praying-Imagination/dp/0060665033 St. Mary's Seminary & University, Baltimore – https://www.stmarys.edu About Michael J. Gorman Michael J. Gorman is the Raymond E. Brown Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. A leading New Testament scholar, he is the author of numerous books on Pauline theology and Revelation, including Reading Revelation Responsibly, Cruciformity, and Participating in Christ. Gorman's teaching and writing emphasize Scripture as a call to cruciform discipleship, faithful worship, and the hope of new creation. Show Notes Introducing Reading Revelation Responsibly "This book is for those who are confused by, afraid of, and or preoccupied with the Book of Revelation." "Apocalypse" means revelation, not destruction. Emerging from twenty-five years of study and teaching, aimed at rescuing Revelation from misinterpretation or neglect Growing up amid 1970s end-times obsession—Hal Lindsey's The Late Great Planet Earth and fearful youth-group predictions of the world's end Fear of the book of Revelation until he studied it with Bruce Metzger at Princeton Seminary Why he wrote the book: for people who have been scared or confused by Revelation's misuse Interpretation and misreading the book of Revelation Early questions: Does Revelation predict particular events or people? No predictions, but symbolic speaking into every age "Our task is not to find predictions but to discern parallels and analogies." Warning against mapping Revelation onto modern crises or personalities "When those predictions fail, the book gets sidelined or scoffed at." Keep one foot in the first-century context and one in the present Worship and discipleship The heart of Revelation is worship. "This is a book about worship—and about the object of our worship." Explaining the subtitle: Uncivil Worship and Witness—Following the Lamb into the New Creation "Uncivil worship" contrasts with "civil religion"—worship that refuses to idolize political power Influence from Eugene Peterson's Reverse Thunder and his own teaching at St. Mary's, where Peterson once taught Revelation Worship leads to discipleship: "Those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes." True discipleship mirrors the Lamb's humility and non-violence. The lamb and the meaning of power Interpreting Revelation's vision of the slain and standing Lamb as the key to understanding divine power "The crucified Messiah is the risen Lord—but he remains the crucified one." The Lamb appears twenty-eight times, a symbol of universality and completeness. "Revelation is about lamb power—absorbing rather than inflicting evil." Discipleship is cruciform: following the Lamb's way of self-giving love. The unholy trinity and the danger of idolatry Chapters 12–13 depict the dragon and two beasts—the "unholy trinity" of satanic, imperial, and religious power. "Power gone amok": political, military, and spiritual domination that mimic divinity How true worship resists empire and exposes idolatry Warning against reading these beasts as predictions of the UN or the pope; rather, they reveal recurring alliances of religion and politics "At its root, Christian nationalism is idolatry." When political identity eclipses discipleship, "political power always wins, and faith loses." Faith, politics, and worship today Christian nationalism as a modern form of "civil religion," conflating patriotism with divine will "It's only Christian in name—it lacks Christian substance." Idolatry is not limited to one side: "It permeates the left, the right, and probably the centre." Labberton agrees: false worship is endemic wherever self-interest and fear shape our loves. Both stress that Revelation calls the church to worship the Lamb, not the state. "Revelation critiques all human systems of false worship." Revelation's goal: Not destruction, but new creation "Destruction is penultimate—cleansing the way for renewal." Believers already live as citizens of that new creation. "The only way to come out of Babylon is to go back into Babylon with new values and new practices." Communal, not merely individual, discipleship: "Revelation is written to churches, not just believers." Reinterpreting Revelation 3:20: Jesus knocking isn't an altar call to unbelievers but Christ seeking re-entry into his own church. "Jesus always wants to come back in." Living revelation today Spirituality of hope, not fear or withdrawal "Reading Revelation responsibly means engaging the world through worship and witness." How true worship is dangerous because it transforms our allegiance. "Following the Lamb into the new creation is the church's act of resistance." Conclusion: "Worthy is the Lamb." Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.  

This week Mary B is joined by her dear friends Elizabeth Delgado Black, the Co-founder & CEO of Kaleidoscope Ministries, and Logan Morrison, Kaleidoscope's Community Outreach Coordinator & Trans Ministry Specialist. Being part of one another's found family themselves, Elizabeth and Logan share some of the joy of the family life they've forged together, as well as the lessons learned. In this episode they chat with Mary B about Kaleidescope's upcoming Trans Prayer March which will be held in multiple locations around the country, and stand out as a place of gathering in joy when so often trans folks are forced to gather in grief and mourning. They discuss the importance of centering trans experiences, trans voices, and the needs of the trans community right now. As Elizabeth says, “What good are my needs being met, if my siblings are suffering.”Elizabeth Black (she/her) is the Co-Founder & CEO of Kaleidoscope, an LGBTQ+ mission organization in New York City. An evangelist, theologian, and minister, Elizabeth longs to see Queer people experience social and spiritual justice and liberation in their unique fullness. Originally from Baltimore, MD, she received a Bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies from Washington Bible College before earning a Master's in Contextual Theology from All Nations Christian College in the UK. Her work centers on BIPOC transgender theologies of kinship, alongside writing and speaking on LGBTQ+ mission and evangelism. Elizabeth's scholarship is featured in Christlike Acceptance Across Deep Difference: Constructive Conversations on Sexuality and Gender. Beyond her ministry, Elizabeth is a proud wife and mother of two young boys, living in a household woven together with her husband, children, and two beautiful friends who are chosen family.   Logan Morrison (he/him) serves as the Trans Care Specialist and Community Outreach Coordinator at Kaleidoscope. He holds a Masters of Arts in Organizational Leadership. He pursued collegiate soccer coaching for six years following his education and grew a passion for building mentoring relationships with young people exploring topics of faith, sexuality, gender, and purpose. Logan saw the need of showing the radical love of Jesus to the marginalized, and particularly the Queer and Trans community, and took the step into sharing his own story as a Trans man and using it for God's glory in mission. Logan lives with his chosen family in New York City, including three dogs. Follow Kaleidoscope on social media @kaleidoscope.usa. Join the Trans Prayer March by checking out locations and info at kaleidoscopeusa.org. Support Kaleidoscope and their Trans Care Ministry at kaleidoscope.org as well. Liz is on Instagram @lizlblack ,and you can buy Christlike Acceptance Across Deep Difference wherever you buy books. Join the Found Family crew on Substack and get your free copy of The Found Family Cheat Sheet! Support the show

Throughout the centuries and into the present day, the Gospel of John has indelibly shaped Christian theology and thinkers in significant ways, but major new questions are being raised about the genesis of that gospel, its relationship to other Christian writings and influences, and especially the masked identity of its author. In The Gospel of John: A New History (Oxford University Press, 2025), Hugo Méndez presents a provocative new thesis that the Fourth Gospel was produced under false authorial pretenses, in a period after the distribution of the preceding Synoptic Gospels, to propound not just a high Logos-Christology amenable to trends in prevailing Jewish and Greco-Roman philosophy from the first century CE, but also its author's stark new vision of salvation in which believers could participate in Christ's exaltation and deification in the present. To plot out his new history and as a reintroduction to the New Testament's Johannine literature, Dr. Méndez joined the New Books Network recently to discuss John's relationship to the historical Jesus and other early Christian writings, the “invented” identity of the Fourth Gospel's “beloved disciple,” the gospel's later attribution to John of Zebedee in the church fathers, and the “afterlives” of the “beloved disciple” as a letter and treatise writer in canonical and extracanonical Christian texts. For a 30% discount on Dr. Mendez's The Gospel of John: A New History from Oxford University Press, use code AUFLY30. Hugo Méndez (Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2013) is Associate Professor in Ancient Mediterranean Religions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he teaches New Testament and Early Christianity. His research interests include the Gospel and Epistles of John and the reception of biblical texts, figures, and images in late antiquity. He has published multiple books, including The Cult of Stephen in Jerusalem (Oxford UP, 2022) and the most recent edition of a popular introductory textbook about The New Testament (8th ed.; Oxford UP, 2023), co-authored with Bart D. Ehrman. His research has also been featured in the Journal of Biblical Literature, the Journal of Early Christian Studies, and New Testament Studies, among other prominent venues, and in his spare time, he enjoys cooking and spending time outdoors with his family. For more on Hugo's work and research interests, visit his website at https://www.hugomendez.com/. Rob Heaton (Ph.D., University of Denver, 2019) hosts Biblical Studies conversations for New Books in Religion and teaches New Testament, Christian origins, and early Christianity at Anderson University in Indiana. He recently authored The Shepherd of Hermas as Scriptura Non Grata: From Popularity in Early Christianity to Exclusion from the New Testament Canon (Lexington Books/Bloomsbury, 2023). For more about Rob and his work, or to offer feedback related to this episode, please visit his website at https://www.robheaton.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout the centuries and into the present day, the Gospel of John has indelibly shaped Christian theology and thinkers in significant ways, but major new questions are being raised about the genesis of that gospel, its relationship to other Christian writings and influences, and especially the masked identity of its author. In The Gospel of John: A New History (Oxford University Press, 2025), Hugo Méndez presents a provocative new thesis that the Fourth Gospel was produced under false authorial pretenses, in a period after the distribution of the preceding Synoptic Gospels, to propound not just a high Logos-Christology amenable to trends in prevailing Jewish and Greco-Roman philosophy from the first century CE, but also its author's stark new vision of salvation in which believers could participate in Christ's exaltation and deification in the present. To plot out his new history and as a reintroduction to the New Testament's Johannine literature, Dr. Méndez joined the New Books Network recently to discuss John's relationship to the historical Jesus and other early Christian writings, the “invented” identity of the Fourth Gospel's “beloved disciple,” the gospel's later attribution to John of Zebedee in the church fathers, and the “afterlives” of the “beloved disciple” as a letter and treatise writer in canonical and extracanonical Christian texts. For a 30% discount on Dr. Mendez's The Gospel of John: A New History from Oxford University Press, use code AUFLY30. Hugo Méndez (Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2013) is Associate Professor in Ancient Mediterranean Religions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he teaches New Testament and Early Christianity. His research interests include the Gospel and Epistles of John and the reception of biblical texts, figures, and images in late antiquity. He has published multiple books, including The Cult of Stephen in Jerusalem (Oxford UP, 2022) and the most recent edition of a popular introductory textbook about The New Testament (8th ed.; Oxford UP, 2023), co-authored with Bart D. Ehrman. His research has also been featured in the Journal of Biblical Literature, the Journal of Early Christian Studies, and New Testament Studies, among other prominent venues, and in his spare time, he enjoys cooking and spending time outdoors with his family. For more on Hugo's work and research interests, visit his website at https://www.hugomendez.com/. Rob Heaton (Ph.D., University of Denver, 2019) hosts Biblical Studies conversations for New Books in Religion and teaches New Testament, Christian origins, and early Christianity at Anderson University in Indiana. He recently authored The Shepherd of Hermas as Scriptura Non Grata: From Popularity in Early Christianity to Exclusion from the New Testament Canon (Lexington Books/Bloomsbury, 2023). For more about Rob and his work, or to offer feedback related to this episode, please visit his website at https://www.robheaton.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

Throughout the centuries and into the present day, the Gospel of John has indelibly shaped Christian theology and thinkers in significant ways, but major new questions are being raised about the genesis of that gospel, its relationship to other Christian writings and influences, and especially the masked identity of its author. In The Gospel of John: A New History (Oxford University Press, 2025), Hugo Méndez presents a provocative new thesis that the Fourth Gospel was produced under false authorial pretenses, in a period after the distribution of the preceding Synoptic Gospels, to propound not just a high Logos-Christology amenable to trends in prevailing Jewish and Greco-Roman philosophy from the first century CE, but also its author's stark new vision of salvation in which believers could participate in Christ's exaltation and deification in the present. To plot out his new history and as a reintroduction to the New Testament's Johannine literature, Dr. Méndez joined the New Books Network recently to discuss John's relationship to the historical Jesus and other early Christian writings, the “invented” identity of the Fourth Gospel's “beloved disciple,” the gospel's later attribution to John of Zebedee in the church fathers, and the “afterlives” of the “beloved disciple” as a letter and treatise writer in canonical and extracanonical Christian texts. For a 30% discount on Dr. Mendez's The Gospel of John: A New History from Oxford University Press, use code AUFLY30. Hugo Méndez (Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2013) is Associate Professor in Ancient Mediterranean Religions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he teaches New Testament and Early Christianity. His research interests include the Gospel and Epistles of John and the reception of biblical texts, figures, and images in late antiquity. He has published multiple books, including The Cult of Stephen in Jerusalem (Oxford UP, 2022) and the most recent edition of a popular introductory textbook about The New Testament (8th ed.; Oxford UP, 2023), co-authored with Bart D. Ehrman. His research has also been featured in the Journal of Biblical Literature, the Journal of Early Christian Studies, and New Testament Studies, among other prominent venues, and in his spare time, he enjoys cooking and spending time outdoors with his family. For more on Hugo's work and research interests, visit his website at https://www.hugomendez.com/. Rob Heaton (Ph.D., University of Denver, 2019) hosts Biblical Studies conversations for New Books in Religion and teaches New Testament, Christian origins, and early Christianity at Anderson University in Indiana. He recently authored The Shepherd of Hermas as Scriptura Non Grata: From Popularity in Early Christianity to Exclusion from the New Testament Canon (Lexington Books/Bloomsbury, 2023). For more about Rob and his work, or to offer feedback related to this episode, please visit his website at https://www.robheaton.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies

On this week's episode of Church in Action, we're talking with Sharon Ketcham, Dean of Gordon College's School of Ministry Theology and Biblical Studies, about equipping followers of Jesus with practical training to transform their community.Follow Us!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visionnewenglandFacebook: https://facebook.com/visionnewenglandWebsite: https://www.visionnewengland.org

Christianity no longer has the cultural sway it once held. But there's always been a long tradition of Christians being flexible in engaging their culture—whether in ancient Rome, Viking Scandinavia, or modern America. So what does a ‘relevant' Christianity look like in the 21st century?CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Our voice actors for this episode were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Corey Lewandowski, Trump 2024 Senior OfficialTopic: Trump urging the GOP to end the shutdown, Trump's trip to Asia, other White House news Anna Malafronte, Director of International Affairs & Community Relations for the National Italian American FoundationTopic: Italian American Heritage Month Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax ReformTopic: Senate voting against Trump's global tariffs and the economic impact it will have Nicole Parker, Special Agent with the FBI from 2010 through October 2022 and a Fox News contributorTopic: Arctic Frost probe David Wildstein, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of New Jersey GlobeTopic: Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli neck-and-neck in the latest NJ Gubernatorial polls Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis, a retired U.S. Army officer and an experienced military analyst with on-the-ground experience inside Russia and Ukraine and the author of "Preparing for World War III"Topic: "Trump breaks 33-year nuclear testing silence as world braces for dangerous new arms race" (Fox News op ed) Gianno Caldwell, Fox News Political Analyst, founder of the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety and the host of the "Outloud with Gianno Caldwell" podcastTopic: Cleaning up Washington Square Park, latest on crime in cities across the US Pastor Dave Watson, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel on Staten Island, Founder and President of the New York Institute of Biblical Studies, and the host of "God in Our City" on WMCATopic: All Hallows' EveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carmen Imes is one of my favorite people, and such a marvelous resourcer of the Church. With her latest book, Becoming God's Family, she completes a trilogy of teachings on what it means to belong to the Body of Christ. Its an excellent read and this is a great conversation! Dr. Carmen Imes is the Associate Professor of Old Testament at Biola University in La Mirada, California. Dr. Imes earned a PhD in Biblical Theology from Wheaton College, an MA in Biblical Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a BA in Bible and Theology from Multnomah University. She and her husband, Daniel, served as missionaries with SIM for 15 years. 

Could the book of Psalms contain hidden prophecies, set to be discovered by our generation? That question drove Rev. J.R. Church, founder of Prophecy in the News, to dive deep into this book of the Bible. What he discovered turned into one of his most popular teachings of all time. Brought out of the vault for the first time in many years, Rev. Church's classic teaching points out many parallels between historical events and the book of Psalms. In today's episode, Rev. Church notes some striking parallels between Psalm 48-83 and how it seems to correspond to the 20th Century.

How did Persian mythology seep into the texts of the Hebrew Bible? In this week's Biblical Time Machine, Helen and Lloyd are joined by Professor Mark Leuchter, who has recently argued that the 'dynastic myth-making' of the Persian Achaemenid rulers left its mark on Second Temple Jewish texts. Drawing on cognitive science, postcolonial theory, ancient letters and iconography, Mark guides us through the complex world of Persian myth-making and its effects on the Hebrew Bible. Mark Leuchter is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism and Director of Jewish Studies at Temple University in Philadelphia. His publications include The Levites and the Boundaries of Israelite Identity (Oxford University Press, 2017) and more recently An Empire Far And Wide: The Achaemenid Dynastic Myth and Jewish Scribes in the Late Persian Period (Oxford University Press, 2024). He is one of the editors of the New Oxford Bible Commentary and is an executive board member of the Canadian Society for Biblical Studies. If you would like to gain a sense of the ancient Persian empire – the largest of its time – check out this map from our friends at SBL Bible Odyssey. SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINEIf you enjoy the podcast, please (pretty please!) consider supporting the show through the Time Travellers Club, our Patreon. We are an independent, listener-supported show (no ads!), so please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a monthly subscription.DOWNLOAD OUR STUDY GUIDE: MARK AS ANCIENT BIOGRAPHYCheck out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel of Mark as an Ancient Biography." While you're there, get yourself a Biblical Time Machine mug or a cool sticker for your water bottle.Support the showTheme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 produced by John Nelson.

Back in 2020, John caught up with author and journalist Greg Sheridan to talk about Christianity's struggles in both Australia, and the global West more broadly. However, Greg wasn't so glum on the future of the faith in a post-Christian world. Ahead of an upcoming episode on how the gospel applies to a post-Christian world, we thought now was the time to look back at what Greg had to say.

Story Sunday: Jesus, Justice & Gaza with Anton DeikAnton Deik — a Palestinian Christian and scholar — shares his family's story and invites us to see the human, ethical, and theological realities of life in Israel-Palestine. He challenges us to reckon with the injustices endured by the Palestinian people and to reflect on what faith, justice, and peace look like in the name of Christ.Anton Deik is Associate Director of the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice and Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Bethlehem Bible College. Originally from Bethlehem, he has served in ministry and education across East Asia, England, Palestine, and Bolivia. Anton is married to Sara Améstegui (from Bolivia) and together they are parents to Nour Sofia. His background includes serving as Director of Online Education at Bethlehem Bible College, working with Operation Mobilization onboard MV Logos Hope, and leading research projects in computer science with Birzeit University and the Palestinian government.About Story Sunday: Story Sunday creates space for sharing stories and exploring the intersection of faith and spirituality with lived experience.

Jeff McCullough is an ordained minister and has served in ministry for over 25 years, including 15 years in pastoral ministry. He holds a Master's in Biblical Studies from Moody Theological Seminary. Now serving in Utah, Jeff previously spent two decades preaching and leading in the St. Louis area. He focuses on using online platforms to create content that fosters curious, honest, and respectful interfaith conversations about faith, Jesus, and scripture. Jeff and his wife, Joy, have four children. Links @HelloSaints on YouTube @Hello.Saints on Instagram Fitting in With Other Christian Churches | A Discussion with Jeff McCullough When a Pastor Explores The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | An Interview with Jeff McCullough Allowing Our Pain to Turn Us to Christ | An Interview with Joy McCullough A Latter-day Saint Bishop Sits Down with Four Evangelical Pastors Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community Highlights Jeff discusses the evolution of his content creation, and his intentions regarding the Latter-day Saint community. The conversation centers on the dynamics of interfaith dialogue, the pitfalls of theological simplification, and the challenge of keeping Christ—rather than cultural rules or personal motives—at the center of Christian faith and ministry. Key Insights A Shift in Intent: Jeff's channel has evolved from initial exploration to intentionally maintaining a safe space for sustained, nuanced dialogue between Protestants and Latter-day Saints. His primary goal is to foster a conversation where all parties focus on the shared desire to see Christ "high and lifted up" [48:44]. Authenticity Over Stereotype: To improve dialogue, Jeff's method is to learn to recognize the authentic core beliefs of the Latter-day Saint tradition. This allows him to push past misconceptions and stereotypes, making for more efficient and productive conversation [06:13]. Beware of Theological Shorthand: Both traditions are guilty of using "theological shorthand," which reduces complex doctrine (e.g., heaven, grace) to superficial, culturally driven explanations. They encourage leaders to move past these simplifications to grasp the deeper, more complex theological concepts [12:42]. Bridging vs. Converting: They discuss the idea of Jeff converting, concluding that his ongoing role as a non-Latter-day Saint bridge-builder and model of interfaith respect is a more fruitful endeavor for the greater Kingdom than a simple conversion [52:03]. The Dangers of Cultural Gatekeeping: Jeff shares his concern over "cultural Christianity" in the Evangelical world, where non-essential cultural rules and political positions become the "litmus test" for faith, resulting in toxicity and obstructing the clarity of the gospel [57:33]. Faith Maturity: A mature faith should be able to sit with the complexity of opposing views and challenging historical or doctrinal issues. Viewing such dialogue as a threat indicates an opportunity for spiritual inoculation and growth [46:10]. Leadership Applications Prioritize the "Point": Leaders should distinguish between things that "matter" (secondary doctrinal debates, value systems) and "the point" (the centrality of Christ and the message of redemption), ensuring that cultural expectations do not overshadow the core gospel message [01:02:25]. Model Curiosity, not Criticism: Leaders should approach different faith traditions, complicated church history, and internal member struggles with curiosity over criticism to foster a culture of sincere, thoughtful engagement [01:04:40]. Address Motives Directly: Leaders should push back against cynical or superficial tropes like the misuse of the word "priestcraft," instead encouraging members to seek to understand a person's heart and genuine intentions [23:29]. The award-winning Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' miss...

In this episode I talk with Dr. Drew Holland about his new book The Place of the Past: Historical Criticism's Role in Biblical Studies. We explore the role of history in Biblical interpretation. He defines both historical criticism and the goals of history as a discipline. We then examine how the Bible has been interpreted throughout the ages, starting with the ancient conception of history and going through Patristic, medieval, and modern methods of interpretation. He explains how historical criticism became more prominent through the Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment and why it became the dominant paradigm of interpretation in the 20th century. He then explains the pushback against historical criticism of the Bible both within and outside of the church, particularly by postmodernism, and how historical readings have endured critique. We then discuss the relationship between history and theology, the proper role of history in Biblical interpretation, and how historical criticism benefits the church. Media Referenced:The Place of the Past: https://a.co/d/daEDeFSDrew on X: @RevDrewHollandContact Drew: drew.s.holland@gmail.com The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show's profile! Thanks!

You're listening to a podcast by Lance Lambert Ministries. For more information on this ministry, visit www.lancelambert.org or follow us on social media to receive all of our updates. In this episode, Lance shares how we should approach studying God's Word. He walks through practical ways to study the Bible. This teaching comes from Lance's Bible study series that you can find transcribed in the book "How the Bible Came to Be, Part 2."  May you be serious in your study of God's Word. May His Word be a seed and hammer; milk and solid food to you. May you know the deep, deep love of Jesus. Chapters (00:00:00) - How To Study The Bible(00:00:32) - How to Study the Bible(00:09:47) - The power of God's Word(00:10:33) - Ways of Reading the Bible(00:19:20) - Biblial Study seriously(00:27:47) - Obey God's Word(00:38:01) - HDE in the Approach to God's Word(00:43:06) - Biblise Aid(00:49:04) - Biblical references and English dictionaries(00:55:18) - How to Read the Bible Devotionally(00:59:12) - Biblical Study(01:03:27) - Three kinds of Study of the Bible(01:08:28) - Biblical Study(01:13:45) - Prayers for the Year

In his Divine Comedy, Dante isn't claiming to offer us a vision of what hell and heaven are actually like. It might be set in the afterlife, but it's really about how we live life here and now. Even if you've never read one line of the epic poem, you've been influenced by The Divine Comedy. It's time we learned more about one of Western literature's greatest works … and how it might just change our lives. CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception's episode possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Send us a textToday we're talking about the importance of guarding our children's hearts (and our own!) with award-winning author and speaker, Melissa McLaughlin. Listen in as Melissa shares simple tips and insight from her experience as a mom and teacher of 28 years to make faith in our families a natural way of life that promotes health and wellbeing in every part of our lives!Melissa has also graciously offered to do a special giveaway for her Whole Bible Devotional. Sign up for my email newsletter and you'll be entered into a random drawing for a free eBook copy of The Whole Bible Devotional. This offer is for 5-Minute Parenting podcast listeners only and the winner will be announced by email within a few weeks of this episode. Thank you Melissa for sharing your special book! Enter to win here (giveaway ends October 23/winner will be announced by email):  https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/s7c9i5 Melissa McLaughlin is a teacher and writer. Having retired from her 28-year career as a public school teacher, she now writes and speaks about her passion, Jesus Christ. Melissa holds Bachelors Degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education and a Masters Degree as a Reading Specialist. In addition, she earned a Certificate in Foundations of Biblical Studies which complements her teaching degrees as she writes to uplift and inspire followers of Christ. God inspired Melissa to write her second book, The Whole Bible Devotional: Seeing Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, after struggling to read through the Bible with her family. Her goal with this book is to help others with today's busy lifestyles grasp the Bible's main message and see Jesus throughout the Scriptures. The Whole Bible Devotional won the Christlit award for excellence in Christian literature and portions are available to study for free on the YouVersionBible app for people who would like to read a sample. The Whole Bible Devotional comes with a free downloadable Small Group Study Guide for families and churches.For more information visit Melissa's website at melissamclaughlin.org where you can subscribe for a free weekly devotional to inspire and uplift you. Book 3 in the Questions for Kids picture book series is now available! Check out Guess Why God Made the Rainbow on Amazon or your favorite book retailer!

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our weekly theme of “Tough Questions for Christians” with discussions about walking with Jesus despite suffering and tribulations. We turn to John 6:66, where we see a conversation between Jesus and the Twelve Disciples, in which Jesus asks if they intend to leave Him, along with the other disciples. Peter responds by saying there’s no other place they’d rather be because Jesus gives eternal life and they believe He is the Holy One of God. We then turned to the phone lines to ask our listeners, "What was your 'where else would I go' moment with Jesus?" We then had Dr. Michael Rydelnik join us to talk about why God chose Israel. Dr. Rydelnik is a Professor Emeritus of Jewish and Biblical Studies and an adjunct professor in the undergraduate program at MBI. He is also the host and Bible teacher of “Open Line,” which airs every Saturday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. CT on Moody Broadcasting and over 225 other stations. Then we had Jonathan Noyes join us to share his faith story, explaining how he transitioned from an atheist to a believer and how he came to understand God’s sovereignty amid evil. Jonathan is a Speaker and Outreach Coordinator with Stand to Reason, a nonprofit organization that equips Christian Ambassadors with wisdom, knowledge, and character to share the Gospel. Jonathan was a former atheist who has now become a believer and has a passion for training Christians to think more clearly about their beliefs and effectively communicate why they hold those beliefs to others. You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. If you're looking to listen to a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps: Dr. Michael Rydelnik Interview [04:38 ] Jonathan Noyes Interview [27:47 ] Caller Segment (What was your 'where else would I go' moment with Jesus?) [54:50 ] Ally Thinks It's Funny [ 01:01:10 ] Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Dr. Scott Stripling on 'Watchman on the Wall' as he presents groundbreaking archaeological research on the crucifixion of Jesus. Delve into first-century Roman practices and discover how modern findings align with biblical narratives. This episode offers a comprehensive analysis, highlighting the historical context and significance of crucifixion within the Roman Empire and its portrayal in the Bible.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our weekly theme of “Tough Questions for Christians” with discussions about walking with Jesus despite suffering and tribulations. We turn to John 6:66, where we see a conversation between Jesus and the Twelve Disciples, in which Jesus asks if they intend to leave Him, along with the other disciples. Peter responds by saying there’s no other place they’d rather be because Jesus gives eternal life and they believe He is the Holy One of God. We then turned to the phone lines to ask our listeners, "What was your 'where else would I go' moment with Jesus?" We then had Dr. Michael Rydelnik join us to talk about why God chose Israel. Dr. Rydelnik is a Professor Emeritus of Jewish and Biblical Studies and an adjunct professor in the undergraduate program at MBI. He is also the host and Bible teacher of “Open Line,” which airs every Saturday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. CT on Moody Broadcasting and over 225 other stations. Then we had Jonathan Noyes join us to share his faith story, explaining how he transitioned from an atheist to a believer and how he came to understand God’s sovereignty amid evil. Jonathan is a Speaker and Outreach Coordinator with Stand to Reason, a nonprofit organization that equips Christian Ambassadors with wisdom, knowledge, and character to share the Gospel. Jonathan was a former atheist who has now become a believer and has a passion for training Christians to think more clearly about their beliefs and effectively communicate why they hold those beliefs to others. You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. If you're looking to listen to a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps: Dr. Michael Rydelnik Interview [04:38 ] Jonathan Noyes Interview [27:47 ] Caller Segment (What was your 'where else would I go' moment with Jesus?) [54:50 ] Ally Thinks It's Funny [ 01:01:10 ] Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest Bio: Adrienne “Adie” Camp is a South African singer, author, and former lead vocalist of the Christian rock band The Benjamin Gate. After moving to the U.S., she released two solo albums and co-authored In Unison with her husband and fellow musician, Jeremy Camp. Married since 2003, they share a passion for family and encouraging others. Adrienne is also the author of the children's book “Even Me” and the Bible study “As for Me: Life Through the Lens of the Psalms”, published through Lifeway. A homeschool mom and mother of three incredible kids—Bella, Arie, and Egan—she is currently working on her master's degree in Biblical Studies and Theology from Denver Seminary. She has a deep heart for seeing the love of Jesus reach the nations, and continues to inspire through her multifaceted career, blending artistry, authorship, and ministry.  Show Summary: When was the last time you cried out to God or thanked Him for something good in your life? Adrienne Camp found that the Psalms set an example for talking to God during every moment of our lives. Join host Vivian Mabuni as she explores life through the Psalms with Adrienne Camp during this God Hears Her conversation.   Notes and Quotes:  “No matter what is going on around me, I am going to set my heart to seek the Lord.” —Adrienne Camp  “In our culture, there are so many opinions and so many polarizing things, but I think the heart of it is that we can't lose sight of who Jesus is and who He has called us to be as a church.” —Adrienne Camp  “I think God wants us to cry out to Him. He wants us to feel the brokenness because it allows us to long for the real thing, and that's Him.” —Adrienne Camp  “If you think about it, a lament is actually a cry of faith because it's a call of asking God to show His character strong. In a sense, it's a declaration of faith that says, “I know who you are. I know what You can provide for me so provide it for me! Why are you delaying?” It's a declaration of faith for God and His character.” —Adrienne Camp  “When we honestly and genuinely engage God with what we're really feeling, God meets us. And it doesn't necessarily mean that our circumstances change, but the Spirit carries us and God meets us in those places.” —Adrienne Camp  Verses:  Colossians  Psalms Joshua 24:15   Related Episodes: GHH Ep 13 – Enjoying and Exploring Scripture with Meghan Larissa Good: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/enjoying-and-exploring-scripture/ GHH Ep 146 – Reading Truth with Amanda Bible Williams: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/reading-truth/  Links:  Adrienne Camp's Website: https://women.lifeway.com/2023/06/14/get-to-know-adrienne-camp/ God Hears Her website: https://go.odb.org/ghh191  Subscribe to the God Hears Her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GodHearsHerODBM God Hears Her Survey: http://godhearsher.org/survey 

Some claim Christian persecution is on the rise, while others find the idea of a modern persecution implausible. So, what's the truth? It's complex … (00:00) - - John Dickson's persecution complex (08:56) - - The myth of persecution (13:24) - - The first Christian persecutions (21:29) - - The third-century persecutions (34:10) - - The Emperor Diocletian comes to power (40:17) - - The Great Persecution (49:49) - - The persecutions end (56:03) - - Haroon's story (01:05:46) - - Smash and squeeze persecution (01:18:26) - - Five Minute Jesus CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Christian Nationalism is now a hot topic in the United States. It is not a religious movement articulating the love and teachings of Jesus as they relate to public policy. Rather, it is a political movement that bears little resemblance the teachings of the gospels - healing the sick, feeding the hungry, helping the poor, and being good to the stranger seem to have fallen by the wayside - and promotes the message that Christianity should take precedence over all other religions in this country. Its Seven Mountains Mandate is a rather chilling repudiation of religious freedom. My video today is a conversation with public theologian Brandan Robertson, in which he gives answers to many of the questions I've had about this movement. Who are they? What do they stand for? What is their connection to far right wing conservative politics? And what is their plan for America's future? A genuinely progressive Christianity, harkening back to the love of Jesus and its relevance to our individual as well as collective lives, is being powerfully articulated by such speakers as Robertson. Thankfully, progressive Christians are not quiet right now. Their numbers are growing, and they're speaking up. I hope you find the interview interesting. It's critically important that we understand what's going on. Rev. Brandan Robertson is a noted author, activist, and public theologian, dedicated to exploring the intersections of spirituality, sexuality, and social justice. He serves as the Pastor of Sunnyside Reformed Church in New York City and is the founder and Executive Director of The Devout Foundation. Known as the “TikTok Pastor,” Robertson's inclusive theological content has garnered 10 million views. He has authored, contributed to, or edited 23 books, including the INDIES Book of the Year finalist True Inclusion. His work has been featured in TIME Magazine, CNN, and The Washington Post. Robertson is a sought-after speaker who regularly presents at prestigious platforms like The White House and Oxford University, continuing to inspire and challenge audiences around the world. Robertson acquired a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry and Biblical Studies from Moody Bible Institute, an Master of Theological Study from Iliff School of Theology, and an Master of Arts in Political Science and Public Administration from Eastern Illinois University. He's presently pursuing a PhD in Biblical Studies at Drew University. He currently resides in New York City.  Subscribe to Marianne's Substack: MarianneWilliamson.Susbtack.com  

Today, on Karl and Crew, we reflected and honored the anniversary of the October 7th Massacre in Israel by Hamas. We then had Dr. Jim Coakley join us to share about an upcoming trip to Turkey and Greece. Dr. Coakley will lead a tour that will journey through the New Testament from March 4th to 17th, 2026. Early Bird prices are available now if booked by November 1, 2025. Dr. Coakley is a Professor of Bible at the Moody Bible Institute (MBI). He is also an elder with 180 Chicago and a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. Then we had Dr. Michael Rydelnik join us to talk about the rise of anti-semitism following the October 7th attack in 2023. Dr. Rydelnik is a Professor Emeritus of Jewish and Biblical Studies and an adjunct professor in the undergraduate program at MBI. He is also the host and Bible teacher of “Open Line,” which airs every Saturday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. CT on Moody Broadcasting and over 225 other stations. We then had Justin Kron join us to share his testimony and explain his motivation for creating a film about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Justin is the founding director of the Kesher Project, a nonprofit organization focused on connecting Christians to the Jewish roots of their faith with the Jewish community. He is also an adjunct professor for the Jewish Studies Department at MBI. He also partnered with Philos Project and produced an award-winning documentary, HOPE IN THE HOLY LAND: Delving Beneath the Surface of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, which will now become a docuseries called HOPE IN THE HOLY LAND: The Series. They have recently released a new feature documentary called “October 7: Bearing Witness to the Massacre.” You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. If you're looking to listen to a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps: Dr. Jim Coakley Interview [22:06] Dr. Micahel Rydelnik Interview [36:27 ] Justin Kron Interview [52:58 ] Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we're going to dive into one of the most fascinating and hope filled promises in all of Scripture, and that is the millennial reign of Christ and its connection to the Davidic Covenant. For centuries, God's people have looked forward to the day when the Son of David will sit on the throne in Jerusalem and rule with justice and righteousness over all the earth. From II Samuel to Revelation, the Bible paints a picture of a literal kingdom where Christ fulfills his promise to Israel and demonstrates God's faithfulness. But what does the rain look like? Why is it necessary and God's redemptive plan at all? Why does this have to happen, and how does it shape the way we live today? We'll explore those questions and more as we unpack the who, what, when, and where, and why of the Millennial Kingdom. To discuss today's topic, we're joined by Sam Miles, President of the Living Faith Bible Institute and instructor over Biblical Studies at LFBI. Pastor Sam is speaking on the subject of the Millennial Reign at the Certainty Conference, 2025. Visit https://www.lffellowship.com/certainty to stream all of the sessions regarding God's redemptive plan for Israel.

Esau's hairiness, David's ruddiness, Saul's great height. We tend not to pay much attention to these details, but small bodily features in the Hebrew Bible can reveal a character's whole narrative arc. Join Helen and Lloyd in the Biblical Time Machine, as they explore what it meant to look like a hero in ancient Israel.Their guest this week is Brian R. Doak, Professor of Biblical Studies and Vice President of George Fox Digital at George Fox University. A specialist in the Hebrew Bible and the cultures of the Ancient Near East, his research explores how ancient texts, archaeology, inscriptions, and iconography illuminate the world of Israel. He is the author of Ancient Israel's Neighbours (OUP, 2020) and Heroic Bodies in Ancient Israel (OUP, 2019). For more on biblical bodies, check out SBL's Bible Odyssey entry on bodies. SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE If you enjoy the podcast, please (pretty please!) consider supporting the show through the Time Travellers Club, our Patreon. We are an independent, listener-supported show (no ads!), so please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a monthly subscription.DOWNLOAD OUR STUDY GUIDE: MARK AS ANCIENT BIOGRAPHYCheck out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel of Mark as an Ancient Biography." While you're there, get yourself a Biblical Time Machine mug or a cool sticker for your water bottle.Support the showTheme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine

Jane Austen's words and books are well known. But what do we know of Jane herself - what she was like, and what she believed? What did she think of society and class, ethics, literature, romance, and faith?(00:00) - - Jane behind the text (05:51) - - Jane's world (10:35) - - Jane the novelist (19:31) - - The author and the characters (34:24) - - Romance, satire, or something else? (41:35) - - Jane's 'undeceptions' (44:27) - - Jane and the church (53:43) - - Ethics and virtues (58:40) - - Five Minute Jesus (01:03:24) - - Silence on slavery (01:09:19) - - Jane's legacy CREDITS Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant.  Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

I recorded this episode back in January and am releasing it now - many, many months later. Why? It challenged me so much that before I let others in on it, I had to let the words and ideas and thoughts really permeate into my own being. I recorded many conversations in 2025, but this is one of my top 2 or 3 favorites. Julia is Professor Emerita of Biblical Studies at Lancaster Theological Seminary and Moravian University and her specialty is in the prophets of the Old Testament. In this episode we talk about her book, “Prophets Beyond Activism” and touch on things like “Progressive Orthodoxy”, our obsessive “need to be right”, and how we often (on the Left and the Right!) force the Bible to fit into boxes that will strengthen our cases, back our values, and help us win arguments. But. Maybe? What if … what if those stories and verses and books and characters that we fall back on to support our causes … what if their voices don't have as much to say to our contemporary issues as we hope/want them to? Enjoy! SHOW NOTES: JULIA M O'BRIEN: https://lancasterseminary.academia.edu/JuliaOBrien PROPHETS BEYOND ACTIVISM: https://www.amazon.com/Prophets-beyond-Activism-Rethinking-Prophetic/dp/0664267831 MY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Emerging-Rubble-Stories-Shattered-Relationships/dp/B0C7T5TJD4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2B051GGV2WCSI&keywords=glenn+siepert&qid=1700157759&sprefix=glenn+%2Caps%2C399&sr=8-1 SUBSTACK / BLOG: https://whatifproject.substack.com/ ART STUDIO: https://www.whatifproject.net/art EBAY ART: https://www.ebay.com/usr/what_if_project SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.whatifproject.net/support

It's another installment in our occasional Bible book feature. This time around, Jared Wilson talks with Dr. Andrew King, Assoc. Prof. of Biblical Studies and Assistant Dean of Spurgeon College, about Hosea. Who was this prophet? What does his story have to do with the story of Jesus? And how can this book impact a local church?

September 29, 2025 | Dr. Sandra Richter Dr. Sandra Richter—the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College—explores the foundations...

Christianity is sometimes branded as anti-intellectual, and its followers labelled unteachable. But in an increasingly divided age, the church - with its rich history of learning - might be able to help the world recover what it means to have a teachable spirit … and to know who to learn from.(00:00) - - How we learn (04:17) - - Teachability (10:44) - - Humility in learning (16:00) - - Is faith a block to thinking critically? (20:58) - - Combating fear with knowledge (28:36) - - Learning from strangers (33:10) - - Learning from the dead (46:26) - - Learning from our enemies (56:33) - - Five Minute Jesus (01:03:56) - - Why learn from Christians? CREDITS Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant.  Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Our voice actor for this episode was Suzanne Ellis.Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley are joined by Ronni Kurtz to discuss the impassability of God.Questions Covered in This Episode:Why this is problematic to say (if it is): God has an emotional life.Does God feel?Is impassability part of historic Christian doctrine?What is true and beautiful about this?Are passions and emotions the same thing?When we say God is simple, what are we saying?What if you don't feel God's love?What do we lose if we lose impassability?As an image bearer, am I supposed to try to be impassable?Why is the doctrine of accommodation important to this conversation?Helpful Definitions:Impassable: God is not subject to emotions.Passion: Undergoing something.Diviven Simplicity: God is not composed of parts.Anthropomorphism: God describing himself in creaturely-like parts.Anthropopathism: God reveals himself in human emotive language.Anthropocronism: God describes himself in human-like time.Guest Bio:Ronni Kurtz serves as Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Kurtz holds a PhD in Systematic Theology, a ThM in Pedagogy, and an MDiv from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also has a BA in Biblical Studies from Southwest Baptist University. Dr. Kurtz is the author of numerous books and academic articles, including but not limited to Fruitful Theology, Proclaiming the Triune God, and Light Unapproachable. Resources Mentioned in this Episode:1 Peter 2, Romans 6:12, 2 Timothy 2:22, 1 John 4:7, Acts 14, Hebrews 4-5, Philippians 2, Exodus 33, 1 Samuel 15, Exodus 20, Job 4, 1 Samuel 15, Deuteronomy 32, Genesis 6Deep Discipleship Program Follow Us:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteOur Sister Podcast:Tiny TheologiansSupport Training the Church and Become a Patron:patreon.com/trainingthechurchYou can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway's Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.