In the conclusion of our series on living full to the very end, Bill and Steve talk about the importance of setting goals after retirement and finding new purpose. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For our Holy Week podcast we look at the miracle of Cross of Christ. Why is the cross so central to Christian faith? Why do Christians put faith in an incarnate God who came not to rule humanity but to willingly surrender to a humiliating death at the hands of earthly powers? And why, above all, was all this necessary? The panel discusses the admittedly baffling mystery of the crucifixion and the personal transformations that came with their encounters with the Cross. Hosted on Acast. See acast....
In the second part of Bill and Steve's discussion of living full until the very end, Bill talks about how to build a Bucket List while Steve addresses the other important list--decluttering your life not only of material things, but of spiritual and psychological weights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When it comes to classic church answers, "It's God's will" arguably ranks at the top. Yet throughout the Bible, there are examples of God's willingness to change his plan. While God may have a perfect divine will, he also seems to have an acceptable or permissive will. Can we negotiate with God? What degree of agency do we have as citizens of his Kingdom? And, even as we strive to do his will, how do we discern it? It makes for an interesting conversation as the panel talks about ways they've re...
Bill Cox and Steve Titch begin a series of short podcasts about living full until the very end. In the opener, we talk about facing the reality of mortality head-on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The fellows look at prayer from perspectives that range from Richard J. Foster to Lulu Roman. Prayer might be the primary means of accessing the Holy Spirit, yet most of us find it difficult. In Romans, Paul says the Spirit will find the words when we can't. We discuss the importance a prayer life and ways to cultivate it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With Peter's encouragement to the early church as a background, the panel talks about the importance of taking service and leadership roles in their churches. Bill talks about starting the Man Up men's discipleship ministry that led directly to this podcast. Mike, a one-time bass guitarist, talks about moving from music ministry to Bible study. We also talk about our often uneven paths to Christian service. Steve tells why he won't do any church work that requires regular committee meetings. Bil...
Peter thought the Second Coming was imminent. But even if, as Jesus said, no one knows the day or the hour, it doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared for judgment. Peter writes that we be "alert and of sober mind." That means discerning the most important ways of spending what time we have. Hint: it's not judging others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From 2019, we look at Peter's confession and acceptance of forgiveness and his mission in the final chapter of the Gospel of John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Suffering in life is inevitable; the founders of the Church knew that. They may have been the first to understand that suffering does not define us as victims, but that the Holy Spirit can transform our suffering into Christian witness, particularly by giving us the strength to be survivors. We talk about ways to deal with suffering that avoids old school stoic repression of pain and newer trends that embrace indulgence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Happy Valentines Day! Are there divinely ordained roles in marriage, or have we just slapped a doctrinal label on mythologized notions of men's and women's "work?" What does "submission" mean when it's the wife, not the husband, who is chief earner? Does a Christian have a responsibility to bring a non-Christian spouse to the Lord? What can the Bible tell us about navigating contemporary realities of divorce and remarriage, blended families and same sex relationships? Hosted on Acast. See acast....
Both Peter and Paul say Christians should submit to earthy authorities, but they lived at a time of emperors and kings whose word was law. In a modern republic or democracy, when and how should Christians exercise their right stand up to authority? We talk about balancing faith and activism, touching on how the Biblical counsel to "honor" and "submit" extends to civic engagement tactics that include marching, boycotting to civil disobedience. What rights--and limitations--do we have when it come...
What do we mean when we say Christ is our cornerstone? Peter is pretty harsh when he tells early Christians they must put all worldly values aside and build their faith on the permanent and eternal foundation of Jesus. Some worldly values are easy to forsake--drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, affluence--but other cultural idols maybe more difficult to abandon. In Texas, that might just be our guns. Do even the best of Christians have blind spots? Our panel mixes it up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...
We delve into a tricky section of scripture to try to fathom the necessary attributes of Christianity. Peter calls on Christians to accept the crucifixion and resurrection as fulfillment of the "living and enduring work of God" and it should be lived out be becoming examples of agape love Christ expressed through the cross. Peter says sanctification requires faith, hope, love and acceptance of the Word of God. Are all four necessary? Can any truly exist without the other? Can we love people we d...
Peter counsels “be holy in all you do.” At heart is the question of what boundaries should we put around our personal lives. Topics include R-rated movies, modern art, casino gambling, gay couples and evolution theory, as our panel--actor/screenwriter, a poker player, a former bassist in a rock band and an oil and gas industry professional--talks about what aspects of the common culture we allow into our homes and, when we do, to what extent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor...
We begin the new year with a study of 1 Peter, which we see as a guide to being "in the world, but not of it." Peter greets his readers as "exiles." We discuss the significance of the term and, if we are exiles in a hostile culture, what our expectations should be. We also touch on the dangers of equating tradition with doctrine, which Bill calls "grouchy old-man-itis" and how that pertains to grilling a perfect steak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Just in time for the Feast of the Epiphany (aka Three Kings Day), we bring back our 2021 Christmas podcast on the Magi and their significance to the Nativity story. What motivated them to pack up and travel as far as a thousand miles to investigate an astrological portent that was only peripheral to their own religious and national background? Along the way we discuss comets, planetary conjunctions and various other astronomical phenomena, and contrast the open-minded curiosity of foreign non-be...
In our annual Christmas podcast, we discuss the miracle of the incarnation as spelled out by the opening of John's gospel. All the trappings--angels, shepherds, manger and magi--are stripped away. What we get is the essential message of Christmas: God's entry into history as a finite human being to offer all those who accept him the right to become "chilldren of God." We also talk about the implications of believing the Gospel and ways to make Christ the true center of Christmas. Hosted on Acast...
There is no doubt our nation needs prayer for healing. But that very statement begs the question as to what God wants for our nation, and the proper role Christians have in this healing. Other than respect for the law, Paul didn't think much of Christians being involved in civic issues of the day. The Bible tells us we experience God's love through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a individual choice neither the sword nor the ballot box can force. In John 17:20-26, Jesus prayed for unity and m...
Biblical forgiveness is defined as the letting go of a sin or offense that has been committed against you. In the Bible, this includes forgiving everyone, every time, of everything, as an act of obedience and gratefulness to God. As such, forgiveness may be the most countercultural aspect of a religion that’s already countercultural. Revenge and retribution have been the order of the day throughout history, yet it is only through letting go that we can achieve grace and empathy. We discuss the i...
Prayer and fasting appear together throughout the Bible; Nehemiah is just one example. As a counterpoint to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, we discuss fasting as a spiritual discipline designed to be done alongside prayer and relationship. We also discuss fasting methods and tactics, from basic a first-time lunch-to-lunch to longer and more intense periods. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why do we praise God or, more importantly, why is God praiseworthy? We unpack this by looking at two prayers of praise from the Bible and what they say about the nature of our God. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We look at the Lord's Prayer in the latest in our series on prayer. Elegant in its simplicity, yet so complex when unpacked. What makes these words to comforting, yet so powerful? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The impatience inherent in our culture demands we get everything now, so it can be frustrating to have to adjust to God's time, in which "a day is like a thousand years." When God is slow in answering our prayers, what can be gleaned from the experience? And can we ever "force" God's hand? Does God have a perfect will and alternative acceptable will? We look at some Biblical examples that seem to support this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When the host of your discipleship group asks for someone to lead the closing prayer, do you look for a chair to hide behind? Is saying grace a chore rather than an honor? In the latest in our series on prayer, we talk about fighting the urge to avoid group prayer and proffer some tips as to how to do it better. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In our continuing look at the spiritual discipline of prayer, we talk about the times we get tongue-tied before God. Is "prayer block" like writer's block? How do we find words when it's too difficult to compose a thought? And are there any such thing as "trivial prayers" or should we feel free to bring everything concern or petition before God? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We continue our look at various aspects of prayer, this week discussing how to pray for others. "I'll pray for you" too often is the church version of "have a nice day." How do we go beyond literal "lip service" and offer meaningful prayers for fellow human beings? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Whenever a church leader asks for someone to lead group prayer, everyone does their best to avoid eye contact. Why is something that seems so easy is, at the same time, so difficult? As we begin a deep dive into the discipline--and mystery--of prayer, we share some ideas and personal methods at improving our prayer life. Also, last month Houston Baptist University has become the latest denomination-affiliated institution to change its name. In a kick-off discussion, we ask if the Baptist "brand"...
We conclude our series on the Book of Job with some opinions on how Job's perspective of God may have changed as a result of his ordeal and his divine encounter. Both Job and his three friends repented at the end, but was there a difference in what God expected from them? We also discuss some of our own takeaways from the study as a whole. And, given Satan's provocative role in the drama, we ask if the action occurs before or after he was banished from Heaven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...
In the climax of the Book of Job, God appears, yet doesn't deliver the concrete answers Job and his friends were expecting. Instead, God proffers a series of rhetorical questions pertaining to creation. Traditional commentary says that God issues a humiliating smackdown in response to Job's presumptiveness. We believe there's much more to God's "final exam" than this. Join us as we mine the divine speeches for deeper revelation into God's plan for creation, dominion and justice. Hosted on Acast....
