How do you influence the world? The ancient Jewish group known as the zealots had a specific way in which they thought they would win for God in the world. This ancient Jewish group had a difficult time understanding Jesus’ way and the way Jesus’ follower were to win in the world.
What happens when a group has privilege and power? The Sadducees in the ancient world were a privileged and powerful Jewish group during the time of Jesus. Scot reveals the characteristics of the Sadducees and how Jesus' interaction with them challenge what one can and should do with power. Jesus' Kingdom vision challenged the Sadducees. Jesus' critique of their use of power should inform and challenge followers of Jesus today on how the Kingdom should take root.
The embodiment of the Kingdom found in the New Testament and lived out through the Church was to be a vision of unity and diversity. The Church in America, unfortunately, has remained one of the most segregated organizations instead of being a vision for unity and diversity. Pastor Derwin Gray and Transformation Church is a shining light of how the Church can be the type of diverse community it was intended to be. Hear about Pastor Derwin’s journey of planting Transformation Church, the challeng...
The term Pharisee is one of the most misused terms by Christians today. Often it is used as a simple synonym for someone whose belief does not match the behavior of his or her life. Scot takes on this misconception and gives a better context about the Pharisees and how Jesus interacts with them in His ministry. Jesus sees the Pharisees as people who were distracting others from the fullness of life that God has for His people.
Let’s be real. How much do you pay attention to the book of Revelation? If the New Testament were a neighborhood, the book of Revelation would be the dilapidated haunted house on the end of the street Revelation is often feared and utterly ignored by many churches. The language is extreme, and the images are freighting. This ignorance is unfortunate because it frequently leads to either disregard of it or manipulation of its message. Join in today to hear Scot's answers to your biggest questions...
Sign up for the taste of Northern @ http://seminary.edu/taste Let’s be real. How much do you pay attention to the book of Revelation? If the New Testament were a neighborhood, the book of Revelation would be the dilapidated haunted house on the end of the street Revelation is often feared and utterly ignored by many churches. The language is extreme, and the images are freighting. This ignorance is unfortunate because it frequently leads to either disregard of it or manipulation of its message. ...
Kingdom Conspiracy (Pepperdine Bible Lecture) - KR 79 by Scot McKnight
Sign up for Revelation Webinar here: https://goo.gl/xUjUkt Sign up for the Taste of Northern here: https://goo.gl/3meQcP Contemporary evangelicals have built a "salvation culture" but not a "gospel culture." Evangelicals have reduced the gospel to the message of personal salvation. Scot makes a plea for us to recover the old gospel as that which is still new and still fresh. Interested in reading more about Scot’s view on the King Jesus Gospel? Find it here: https://goo.gl/23Pctm
The atonement provides rich and vibrant images that can and should shape the life of Christians and the church. Over the centuries the church developed a number of metaphors, such as penal substitution or the ransom theory, to speak about Christ’s death on the cross and the theological concept of the atonement. Too often Christians have held to the supremacy of one metaphor over against the others. Learn how to plumb the rich theological depths of the atonement and the purpose they can serve in ...
Find Scot’s Webinar on Atonement here: https://goo.gl/nUS6kW The atonement provides rich and vibrant images that can and should shape the life of Christians and the church. Over the centuries the church developed a number of metaphors, such as penal substitution or the ransom theory, to speak about Christ’s death on the cross and the theological concept of the atonement. Too often Christians have held to the supremacy of one metaphor over against the others. Learn how to plumb the rich theologic...
If you want to watch the Atonement Theory webinar before the podcast episodes in the new year just go to this link -> https://goo.gl/jgHLdx What really were the dynamics of the first Christmas? Hallmark and Santa Clause have all but totally hijacked the Christmas season. When we really investigate the true story of Christmas we find a story dripping with scandal, surrender, sacrifice and social revolution. The Church is currently in the season of Advent where it is awaiting the coming of Jesu...
The Incarnation Taking Root - KR 74 by Scot McKnight
How do you respond to human need? Imagination is at the center of Jesus’ Kingdom taking root. In the parable of the sheep and the goats Jesus invites his followers to imagine the depths of Jesus’ love and the importance for that love to be present in His followers. To follow Jesus as King means to meet human need with compassion like Jesus. What you will find is that being a sheep is the most incredible journey one could ever embark. Be sure not to miss an episode of Kingdom Roots with Scot McKn...
What is the church supposed to be? The church is God’s world-changing social experiment of bringing unlikes and differents to the table to share life with one another as a new kind of family. When this happens we show to the world what love, justice, peace, reconciliation, and life together is designed by God to be. The church is God’s show-and-tell for the world to see how God wants us to live as a family. Purchase The Fellowship of Differents here: http://goo.gl/ZrnvVu Interested in Northern’s...
Sign up for the Atonement Webinar here: https://goo.gl/ikBLuu Teaching your church how to read the Bible may be the most powerful way to equip a community to become like Jesus. It is so easy to tame the Bible to say what we want it to say. More often than not, we clip the wings of the Bible’s message instead of letting it soar and challenge us to climb to new heights with God. Learn from one of today’s leading New Testament Scholars how to teach your church how to read the Bible. There is no tel...
Teaching your church how to read the Bible may be the most powerful way to equip a community to become like Jesus. It is so easy to tame the Bible to say what we want it to say. More often than not, we clip the wings of the Bible’s message instead of letting it soar and challenge us to climb to new heights with God. Learn from one of today’s leading New Testament Scholars how to teach your church how to read the Bible. There is no telling the places God will take your community. Get the replay o...
How do we bring the Kingdom to where we live, work, and play? Jesus created the Church to be the presence of the Kingdom in the world. The Church was a unique group of diverse people from all sorts of backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and social status. God’s intention for the church was to be a vast fellowship of differents. In this talk Scot unpacks how the Kingdom took root in the household of Philemon with the reconciliation of Philemon’s slave Onesimus back to the household. This letter pr...
What does God want me to do? Ask any pastor and you will find that this is the most common question that pastors must field. The ironic thing is that God cares more about who we are than what we do. Scot shows how God has a specific way for followers of Jesus to embrace the world and live out His will. No matter what you do God has a way that you can embody the presence of Christ in the life you live.
Jesus has an uncanny way to disturb the comforted and comfort the disturbed. In this Parable Jesus seems to invite those listening to imagine a world where judgment is surprising. Longing for and attention to Jesus’ return is so important and Jesus drives that point powerfully home in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. This parable is one of the most difficult to understand, but when we let Jesus imagine the world the implications of this parable would create it has significant consequences for the...
Epaphras – The Behind the Scenes Kingdom Worker – KR 66 One of the ways God built and is building the Kingdom is through the 'behind the scenes' workers that rarely get notoriety. Paul’s friend and co-worker Epaphras was one of those behind the scenes kind of guys. He did so much to move the Kingdom forward, but we know very little about him. In this sermon, Scot unpacks what we can understand about Epaphras and how we can better recognize the 'behind the scenes' workers. Interested in Scot’s we...
Imagine a world where everyone was treated like a King. In Jesus’ typical style he invites those following him to live in a whole different world. That world is one where no one is below being treated like a King. This parable has Jesus identifying himself with the most vulnerable and showing his followers how important it is for them to help those in need. How are you treating the least of these, because it couldn’t be more important to Jesus?
The Parable of the Rich Fool - KR 64 Your life is not defined by what you possess, but what possesses you. Jesus says that it is impossible to serve both God and money and this parable drives this important truth. The rich fool was possessed by his possessions. Scot, Kevin, and Joe talk about how Jesus invites his kingdom to be marked by generosity and that there is no room to be greedy with what God provides. How are you using the abundance God has given you? Interested in helping where Kevin i...
The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds - KR 63 by Scot McKnight
10 Tips for Improving Your Writing (Part 2) - KR 62 by Scot McKnight
It’s incredible how God uses little scribbles on a page to bring about His work in the world. Scot gives ten excellent ways that you can improve on the challenging task of writing. Here are Scot’s 10 tips: 1)Write and write often. 2)Read good writers. 3)Revise, revise, and revise some more. 4)Know your audience. 5)Get good feedback. 6)Finish your writing day by starting the next day. Write first sentence or paragraph for the next day as the last thing you do for your day. 7)Shorter is better. 8)...
How does God view us? This may be the most important question that one can answer. Jesus tells a parable that not only challenges those who are listening, but it reveals the very character to God. The parable shows that God doesn’t judge how we often think he does, rather he always has the ability to get to the heart of the issue. God loves us as we are and not how we should be. This view of God’s mercy shows the true character of God. It sets the foundation to be able to understand and be trans...
God went to great lengths to help his people understand their identity. The people of God have a rich story because of God’s faithfulness, but often it is a story that is tainted with God’s people not listening and obeying. This parable of Jesus provides a significant warning on not listening or acting upon God’s desire. God has given everyone the opportunity to continue His story through Jesus and this parable is a perfect example of it. Interested in Northern’s Master’s of Arts in New Testamen...
How is it that generosity can create frustration? In Jesus’ parable of the workers in the Vineyard he challenges his listeners to embrace the generosity and faithfulness of God. Jesus takes on the toxic attitude of envy that feeds the darkest parts of our hearts and casts a shadow over our eyes preventing us from the opportunity to see God at work. If followers of Jesus don’t rid themselves of the envy that can plague their heart all they will be left with is frustration from the extravagant gen...
Developing a Culture Generosity (Part 2) - KR 57 by Scot McKnight
The Church can never be all God wants it to be without the generosity of its people. Leadership naturally creates the culture of any organization. It is clear that the leaders of the early Church deeply cared for the poor because they fostered a culture of generosity within the church. Scot lays the foundation from the New Testament on why and how the church can develop a culture of generosity. Interested in Northern’s Master’s of Arts in New Testament with Dr. McKnight? Learn more at http://sem...
