What ever happened to the new atheists? In the last decade, more scientists are embracing theism not in spite of science, but because of it. In his new book Return of the God Hypothesis, Stephen Meyer discusses the history of science and faith and the strongest scientific arguments for theism. In the first of three episodes, Dr. Ben Williams joins the podcast to discuss the book and the history of science and faith.
Mar 08, 2023•41 min•Ep. 205
In this episode, Terry answers the following questions: 1. Is the altar and incense of Exodus 30 the same, at least symbolically, as the altar and incense of Revelation 8:3? 2. In Revelation 7:13 the 144,000 and multitude in white robes - Are these the same people as in Revelation 6:9, the souls under the altar? 3. What is the abomination that causes desolation in Daniel 9:27? You can watch the Revelation lessons at Crossings.Church ....
Mar 03, 2023•21 min•Ep. 204
In this episode, Cole and Terry answer these questions: 1. What is the significance of the 1/3 numbers in the trumpets? 2. Who is the mighty angel in chapter 10, and what is the significance of his feet being on the water and the land? 3. At the end of chapter 10, John is given a little scroll and commanded to prophesy again. Does the book start over here? Follow the lessons each week at Crossings Community Church , then tune in for the questions every Friday!...
Feb 17, 2023•22 min•Ep. 203
In this episode, Cole and Terry answer these questions: 1. What is the scroll that the lamb opens? 2. Can Christians today have the gift of prophecy like John? 3. In Rev. 6:9, it mentions the "souls under the altar." Doesn't this, along with the thief on the cross, imply that we go straight to heaven when we die rather than soul sleep? 4. Do we know the identity of the 144,000? How would the Jews of that day have known their tribe? Follow the lessons each week at Crossings Community Church , the...
Feb 10, 2023•32 min•Ep. 202
Esther is the only book in the Bible that never mentions God, but as you read the story, you'll see God moving on every page. The story is messy, real, and above all, a testament to God's faithful provision for his people. For these reasons, Esther is one of the most applicable and relevant books in the whole Bible.
Feb 08, 2023•32 min•Ep. 201
Questions in this episode: How could Jesus leave his church, his bride, here on earth while he pours out his wrath? Is 2 Thess. 2 a rebuttal to pre-tribulation rapture? What about people who have near-death experiences and come back to talk about it? How do we know John actually had these visions? Were there witnesses? Are they explainable through his familiarity with the visions of Ezekiel and Isaiah? Follow the lessons each week at Crossings Community Church , then tune in for the questions ev...
Feb 03, 2023•29 min•Ep. 200
What does God say about our bodies? Are we eternal souls who happen to have bodies? In this episode, Cole is joined by Dr. Lainey Greer to discuss what the Bible says about our bodies and how we have been called to steward them. They cover body image, resurrection, fitness, health, and several other topics related to a theology of the body. If you'd like to read more of Dr. Greer's work, visit her website, https://laineygreer.com/ or check out her podcast, Forsaken Body ....
Feb 02, 2023•34 min•Ep. 199
Questions in this episode: In Rev. 2:11, the letter to Smyrna, what is the second death? In Rev. 2:20, the letter to Thyatira, what does it mean to eat food sacrificed to idols? In Rev. 3:5, the letter to Sardis, what does it mean to have your name blotted out of the book of life? Can you lose your salvation? Follow the lessons each week at Crossings Community Church , then tune in for the questions every Friday!...
Jan 27, 2023•33 min•Ep. 198
Timothy was one of Paul's co-workers and proteges. In this letter, Paul instructed him in all kinds of things concerning the household of God, from elders and deacons to widows and quarrels. Today, 1 Timothy is like a manual for navigating the extended family of God that is the church. Cole and Terry do an overview of the book, talk about difficult texts, and apply the letter to today. For more on deacons, see this white paper ....
Jan 25, 2023•57 min•Ep. 196
Questions in this episode: Does every symbol have an explanation? In 2:7, letter to Ephesus; What is the paradise of God? In 2:10, letter to Smyrna; What is the crown of life? In 2:14, letter to Pergamum; What is sexual immorality? In 2:17, letter to Pergamum; What is the white stone? Which is your favorite of the 7 letters? Which one is the most difficult?
Jan 20, 2023•21 min•Ep. 197
In this first episode, we answer these questions: Did the early church think Jesus was coming back in the first century? Who are the angels to the seven churches? What research and resources are you doing for this series?
Jan 13, 2023•17 min•Ep. 194
The parable of the ten virgins is rarely taught. Ten women wait for the bridegroom who delays into the night. When he comes, five have oil and the others don't. What does it all mean? In this episode, Cole and Terry cover this difficult text, looking at Jesus's teaching on the second coming, perseverance, and being watchful in the meantime.
Jan 11, 2023•40 min•Ep. 195
Starting next week, Terry Feix will begin a 15-week study of the book of Revelation on Wednesday nights at Crossings Community Church. In addition to that, we'll be answering your Revelation questions on Fridays on the So We Speak podcast. Text questions during the lesson or email us at info@sowespeak.com .
Jan 06, 2023•4 min•Ep. 193
Can we trust the Bible? How do we know that what we're reading today is what God actually said thousands of years ago? John Meade and Peter Gurry answer these questions in their new book Scribes & Scripture: The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible . In this episode, Cole talks with John about the history of the Bible, the manuscript tradition, how we know we have the right books, and what translations to use....
Jan 04, 2023•59 min•Ep. 192
Who were these mysterious magi that came to worship Christ? Were they three kings from the orient? Were they magicians? In this Christmas episode, Cole and Terry discuss the different theories and clues about the identity of the Magi.
Dec 23, 2022•22 min•Ep. 191
Cole's Favorite Books: Rogues - Patrick Radden Keefe Scribes and Scripture - John Meade and Peter Gurry The Life We're Looking For - Andy Crouch The Existence and Attributes of God - Stephen Charnock Churchill & Son - Josh Ireland Terry's Favorite Books: Innovation - Peter Ackroyd Leadership - Henry Kissinger A Non-Anxious Presence - Mark Sayers Strange New World - Carl Trueman Post your favorite So We Speak article or this episode to enter our Christmas book giveaway!...
Dec 21, 2022•54 min•Ep. 190
The story of Joseph is the capstone of the book of Genesis, but it also points forward to many things to come, including the story of Daniel and Christ's death on the cross. In this episode, Cole is joined by Sam Emadi to talk about his book From Prisoner to Prince: The Joseph Story in Biblical Theology. They discuss the role of biblical theology, how to see the big themes of Scripture, and the important role the Joseph story plays in the story of Scripture.
Dec 14, 2022•47 min•Ep. 189
Were people in Corinth being baptized on behalf of dead people? 1 Corinthians 15:29 is just an example in Paul's argument, but it has baffled commentators and Bible readers ever since. Cole and Terry discuss whether the Corinthians were actually doing baptisms on behalf of people who have died or if there is another explanation of this verse.
Dec 07, 2022•35 min•Ep. 188
If you read through the gospels, you quickly encounter a very strange feature of Jesus's ministry. He keeps instructing people not to talk about who he is and what he's doing. Why is that? How does it square with the Great Commission? This facet of Jesus's ministry has come to be known as the "Messianic Secret." In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss the different ways of understanding the secret and give their opinions on how to interpret these texts in the Gospel of Mark.
Nov 30, 2022•36 min•Ep. 187
The Thessalonians were wondering what would happen to those who died before the second coming. Paul's response answered that question but raised several others. What happens when we die? Do we go straight to heaven or sleep until the second coming? Is there a rapture or is Paul talking about the second coming? Cole and Terry work through these questions and others about the end times in this latest episode.
Nov 23, 2022•47 min•Ep. 186
If you've ever been in a small group or a Bible study, election has undoubtedly come up. How can God elect some for salvation and still be just? How can he find fault with us? These are precisely the questions Paul takes up in Romans 9. In this difficult text, Cole and Terry talk about how to read this passage, Calvinism, Wesleyanism, and God's mercy in election.
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 185
The Rich Man and Lazarus is a popular text in Luke for preaching and teaching. Like so many of Jesus's parables, it immediately sticks in your mind, but it also has much more to it than meets the eye. First of all, is it a parable or a true story? Is Jesus's description of the afterlife what we should expect or just for the story? Finally, what's the takeaway from this parable and how should we apply it? Cole and Terry continue the difficult texts series by discussing these questions and others ...
Nov 02, 2022•47 min•Ep. 184
No one likes to talk about death, but until Christ returns we'll all taste death. Lance Ward has done more than 300 funerals in his roles as a pastor and chaplain. In this episode, Cole and Lance talk about walking through seasons of sorrow, caring for the dying, and a few dos and don'ts of funerals.
Oct 27, 2022•54 min•Ep. 183
As an opening example, Jude mentions angels who left their proper position and rebelled against God. In the end, he reminds the reader that God will punish this group of angels for their false teaching. But what is he talking about? When did this happen? Connection Genesis 6, Psalm 8, and Jude 6, Cole and Terry discuss rebellious angels and the supernatural realm.
Oct 12, 2022•39 min•Ep. 182
In this episode, Cole and Terry reflect on what they learned by doing book overviews for every book in the Bible, discuss Bible reading plans, and make recommendations for reading the Bible every day.
Sep 21, 2022•35 min•Ep. 181
The book of Hebrews ties the storylines of the Bible together. Jesus is the true and better Moses, Melchizedek, and High Priest. But why does the author make this grand argument? Dive into the background, original audience, and the timeless message of the "word of exhortation" to the Hebrews.
Sep 14, 2022•58 min•Ep. 180
What is the Song of Songs? Is it an allegory of Christ and the church? Is it a description of Christians and their sex lives? Is it good marriage advice? In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss Song of Songs as wisdom literature and the implications that has for our vision of love, sex, and intimacy.
Sep 07, 2022•38 min•Ep. 179
Ezekiel can lay claim to being the strangest of the major prophets. His life became his message and he prophesied through the worst period of Israel's history. But his message wasn't all lament and woe. Captured by the glory of God, Ezekiel foretells the restoration and redemption of Israel, a time when they will have new hearts and new Spirits to live with God forever.
Aug 31, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 178
Ruth is one of the great short stories in history. People have called it a Cinderella tale from the Old Testament. Each character gives an insight into the faithfulness of God. They model righteousness in difficult circumstances. In the end, we get an incredible picture of God's plan to redeem and to save through his Son Jesus.
Aug 24, 2022•30 min•Ep. 177
Why do we have 1 & 2 Chronicles, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings when they all relate similar events? In the Hebrew Scriptures, Chronicles is the last book, a kind of recap of the history of Israel and a message of hope for those coming back from the exile. What can we learn from the similarities and differences? Why does the Chronicler focus on the Levites and the Temple? The answers to these questions create a unique message of hope found at the very end of the history of Israel....
Aug 17, 2022•43 min•Ep. 176
