The Kingdom Roots Podcast with Scot McKnight and Cody Matchett facilitates conversations about how the Kingdom took root 'then' and how it takes root 'now.'
Scot McKnight (PhD, University of Nottingham) is a world-renowned speaker, writer, professor, and equipper of the Church. He is a recognized authority on the historical Jesus, early Christianity, and the New Testament. His books have been translated into Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Portuguese. He is the author of The Jesus Creed, The Blue Parakeet, The King Jesus Gospel, Revelation for the Rest of Us, numerous commentaries, and is now writing a sixteen-volume series of reflections called The Everyday Bible Study.
Cody Matchett is a pastor, professor, and writer from Calgary Alberta Canada. He is a PhD candidate at Ridley College (Australian College of Theology) exploring portrayals of human character in the Graeco-Roman World, the co-author of Revelation for the Rest of Us: A Prophetic Call To Follow Jesus As A Dissident Disciple (Zondervan Reflective), and co-host of Kingdom Roots Podcast with Dr. Scot McKnight. Cody is passionate about bible literacy and engagement, psychology and philosophy, and all things coffee. He lives in Calgary with his wife Brianna, a counselling-therapist (Garden Counselling Services), his daughter Aletheia Theodora and his son Atticus Ignatius.
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Anyone who tries to let God’s Kingdom take root in their life is going to have serious questions. In this episode, Scot fields your biggest questions about Church life and discipleship on how to live out the Kingdom. Do you have a question for Scot? Occasionally, Scot will be fielding your questions from any of the topics discussed on Kingdom Roots. If you would like to send in your question(s) please email them to Chaz Robbins at crobbins@seminary.edu.
What if the Church got better at the two things Jesus said mattered most? If the Church is going to thrive in this changing world a pivotal thing is going to be being a good neighbor. Rick Rusaw and Lifebridge Christian Church have been on a journey to love God better through actually loving their literal neighbors. Rick gives some practical advice on how churches can better equip congregations to get to know and love the people they live near. Suggested Resources: The Neighboring Church by Rick...
Racial tension is as at a high point. 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 planti...
When God calls His people into mission He doesn’t call individuals, rather He calls a community. Paul exemplifies this reality with his missionary friends. These friends are indispensable to how God used Paul to bring the kingdom to take root in the 1st Century world. Some of Paul’s closest missionary friends included Priscilla and Aquila who provide a beautiful example of an entire household doing ministry together. Epaphras is another great example of how Paul befriended a nonbeliever, led the...
In the words of the great theologian Bill Withers, “We all need somebody to lean on.” It can be very tempting to make ministry into a solo endeavor and not realize the importance of having friends to be with you as you do ministry together. Paul gives a clear example of how ministry can and should be done together with other people. Relationships prove to be an essential element of his missionary work. If you would like to send in your question(s) for our special listener asked questions episode...
What’s on the heart of Northern Seminary’s President Dr. William Shiell? On this week of Kingdom roots we cover everything from Bill’s favorite parts of being a pastor and preaching to his transition as Northern Seminary’s President. The mission of Northern Seminary is to equip the Church to change the world and that mission is clearly heavy on Bill’s heart. Suggested Resources: Ezekiel: God’s Presence in Performance by William D. Shiell (http://goo.gl/1fVrXZ) Delivering from Memory by William D...
Should the Church and its believers have confidence in the reliability of Jesus found in the Gospels? Dr. McKnight tackles this question and more for followers to be confident of the person of Jesus as described in the Gospels. When we correctly study Jesus and his life in light of faith the result is the deepest possible understanding about Jesus. If the Kingdom is going to take root now, then we need to seriously pursue this study of Jesus. Recommended/ Mentioned Resources: Jesus and the Victo...
Who was Jesus in reality? This question should be central for those of us who have our faith in Jesus. In this episode Dr. McKnight guides listeners through the extensive quests attempting to uncover the historical Jesus. What is discovered from these quests? How does the Church need the historical Jesus and how should it interact with the study of the historical Jesus? These questions and more are answered in this episode. Recommended/ Mentioned Resources: The Jesus We’ll Never Know by Scot McK...
Church leadership and structure in the New Testament is much more concerned with the character and transformation of the person leading than the role they play. If we want the Kingdom to take root like it did in the 1st Century then Church leadership and structure needs to reflex the cruciform character of Jesus. The character of the King determines the character of the Kingdom and King Jesus leads His Church by calling her leaders to take up the model of servant leadership that He exemplified i...
Ever feel discontent with your ministry? Join our conversation with Brian Zhand as he unpacks his journey of why a pastor of a large and successful church would risk everything in a quest to find a richer, deep fuller Christianity. Brian’s story is a journey into faithfulness of Christianity’s great theological tradition. If Christianity is going to thrive into the coming generations we need to listen to the deep thinkers and practitioners of the Church like Brian Zhand. You can find Brian on Tw...
How did people learn in the 1st Century? What kind of school would Jesus have attended? Dr. McKnight tackles these questions and more in a discussion about education in the 1st Century. The way education was carried out in the 1st Century has a lot to say about how Jesus did discipleship. Understanding discipleship is more than transferring information; it’s rooted in a personal relationship that brings transformation. Interested in Northern Live? You can learn more about Northern Seminary’s liv...
Meals and table fellowship were so significant in Jesus’ ministry that it has been said, “Jesus could have been killed simply because of the people with whom he ate.” Scot McKnight unpacks 1st Century meals and the way Jesus allowed Kingdom realities to break through in the meals of Jesus and his followers. Discover how Jesus turned routine meals into Kingdom realities, which means a new society was being formed around evening dinner tables and people got converted at the table with Jesus. Sugge...
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” By living out powerful statements such as his quote above was how Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life and work helped the Kingdom take root in some very toxic soil. Investigating his life and work helps the Church today be wise in examining the culture, the condition of the Church, and how to powerful bring the Kingdom into any context. Join Scot McKnight as he unpacks the biggest elements of Bonhoeffer’s legacy. Suggested Resources: Biographies: Dietr...
What was the message of the early Church and how did that message take root in those who were listening? The message that the Church proclaims is critical in guiding what the Church is all about. This proclamation needs to include the full expression of how Jesus is the complete resolution to the story of Israel. In this episode Dr. McKnight provides the framework to continually grow in understanding the message of the early Church and being able to proclaim that message in and through the Churc...
Have you ever wondered how the new perspective came to be and the implications it has for the Church? In this episode Dr. Scot McKnight tackles the big questions of what is the new perspective on Paul? Why was it necessary to have a “new” perspective? Who are the main scholars leading the way for the new perspective? This episode also unpacks the implications that the new perspective has on the Church and the Christian life. Books and Authors mentioned by Dr. Scot McKnight: The Apostle Paul and ...
Theology needs the Church and the Church needs good theology. This episode dives into the reason of why the Church and Theology cannot be mutually exclusive. If the Church is to do good theology, Church leaders need to understand it is a life long commitment of study that centers on allowing oneself to be soaked in how Scripture itself does theology. Scot mentions three books to get started on the journey of doing good theology: 1) The Great Theologians: A Brief Guide by Gerald McDermott ( http:...
Leading the church through change is one of the most difficult things a church leader can face. In Paul’s letter to Philemon he gives a vision of how to lead a church through a challenging shift. Most followers of Jesus desire to live out the deepest realities of His Kingdom through change. However, they often need a leader to lead them to a place they couldn’t get to on their own.
The good news of Jesus’ resurrection breaks the bonds and power of death. Jesus intended this powerful reality to be deeply rooted in the Church. There is an incredible story Jesus invites everyone to take part in through the resurrection. Join in this week’s conversation to discover the implications the resurrection has for followers of Jesus and His community. The resurrection is the biggest “IF” in all of history because if it is true all of life changes with it. Be sure not to miss an episod...
Is the God of Christianity and Islam the same? This divisive question is the topic of discussion for this week’s episode of Kingdom Roots with Scot McKnight. There is a problem with the question that makes this topic more confusing than it needs to be and it starts with how we define the word same. Listen in to this week’s conversation and learn about the importance the divinity of Christ plays into answering the question. Also you will be challenged and be given a vision of Jesus’ instruction t...
Dr. McKnight explains how remembering in the context of Eucharist is more than mentally recalling an event, but it is an invitation to live faithfully according God’s covenant. Jesus rooted the first Eucharist meal in the context of Passover and when the Church partakes in Eucharist today God is still growing roots of liberation into the lives of believers. Book Recommendation on the Church calendar: Ancient Future Time by Robert Webber (http://goo.gl/slQZeX)
Singing seemed to be central to the early Christians formation as believers. In this episode you will hear about what the early church centered their gatherings around and the transformation that flowed out of times of worship. Learn more about Northern Seminary’s Master of Arts in New Testament at www.seminary.edu/MANT.
Dr. Barclay helps us understand God’s deep desire for a relationship with His people by showing how grace took root in the Roman world and how we should allow it to take root now. Buy Paul and the gift: http://goo.gl/9JftcL Contact Dr. Barclay: john.barclay@durham.ac.uk
Why do we have the Bible? We play with fire if we force the Bible to do anything other than what God designed it to do. Discover what God desired to bring about in His people through their interaction with His Word.
The role of women in the Church is one of the biggest debates in Christianity today. Dr. McKnight helps turn this hotly contested debate into a positive conversation.
What is the Kingdom? The biblical term “kingdom” is the most misused and misunderstood concept by Christians today. In this episode Dr. McKnight sets the stage for how the term Kingdom should be understood and applied by the Church today. He begins the discussion about how the Kingdom took root in the 1st Century and how it can continue to take root today.
