320: The Forgotten Women — Sages and Wise Women
Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks study sages and wise women of the Text. Nadītu — Wikipedia
Mar 02, 2023•47 min
The BEMA Podcast
The BEMA Podcast is a walk-through of the context of the Bible and the Text itself, as well as surrounding history. We deconstruct our common readings of the Bible and attempt to reconstruct them through the lens of historical context.
The main body of work is contained in Seasons 1–5, and we encourage you to start with episode 0 (or even -1) and continue in order through episode 204. Beyond that, we explore new topics, revisit old topics, and dive deeper into practical ways of living out the things we have learned together.
BEMA Discipleship is a ministry of Impact Campus Ministries.
Episodes
319: The Forgotten Women — Presentism and Primitivism
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Elle Grover Fricks to discuss how to navigate the dangers of presentism and primitivism as we start a series on the forgotten women of the Bible. Presentation for The Forgotten Women — Presentism and Primitivism (PDF) Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari BEMA 240: Sin and the Archaeology of Joshua w/ Elle Grover Fricks Levant — Wikipedia The Red Tent by Anita Diamant BEMA 308: The Chosen S2E9 — “The Messengers” BEMA 310: The N...
Feb 23, 2023•47 min
318: Alonzo Felder — Discovering A. S. J. Allen
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Alonzo Felder, author of Discovering A. S. J. Allen . Over the course of his career as an IT analyst at Duke University, Alonzo became an expert in a number of research methods and has done extensive work on his own family history. Discovering A. S. J. Allen by Alonzo Felder “Do You Know” Scale Review of Discovering A. S. J. Allen — Marty Solomon, Goodreads Coming soon: Online Course for Family History Research Coming soon: Documentary...
Feb 16, 2023•1 hr 7 min
317: Asking Better Questions of the Bible w/ Erin Geiselman
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Erin Geiselman, leader of the launch team for Marty’s book Asking Better Questions of the Bible , to discuss what the experience of writing a book was like for Marty. Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon BEMA 207: J. R. Briggs — The Sacred Overlap The Writing Life Course — Kairos Partnerships From Novice to Expert by Patricia Benner BEMA 57: Lamentations — Lament and Hope Erin Geiselman on Twitter Additional audio prod...
Feb 09, 2023•1 hr 9 min
316: Parables — The Unforgiving Servant
Brent Billings and Reed Dent talk about the story of the unforgiving servant and the end of bookkeeping and seeing our enemies as ourselves. BEMA 121: The Key to Your Own Prison The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant — Reed Dent, Campus Christian Fellowship NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Free of Charge by Miroslav Volf Join the BEMA Slack...
Feb 02, 2023•1 hr 15 min
315: Parables — The Lost Son
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are back with Reed Dent to discuss the lost son of Luke 15 and what it means to be lost. The Pharisees by Joseph Sievers and Amy-Jill Levine Poet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey Kingdom, Grace, Judgment by Robert Farrar Capon...
Jan 26, 2023•1 hr 15 min
314: Parables — The Barn Builder
Brent Billings and Reed Dent talk about the story of the rich fool and the dynamics of money and relationships. Tell It Slant by Eugene Peterson Hope: The Prophet Candle — The BEMA Liturgy “Tripping Billies” by Dave Matthews Band — YouTube Poet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey The Parable of the Rich Fool — Reed Dent, Campus Christian Fellowship Join the BEMA Slack...
Jan 19, 2023•49 min
313: Parables — The Good Samaritan
Brent Billings is joined by Reed Dent and Elle Grover Fricks to talk about the story of the Good Samaritan and what it looks like to love people we’d rather not. Elle Meets John Piper “On Priests and Jericho in the Second Temple Period” by Joshua Schwartz — ResearchGate The Parable of the Good Samaritan — Reed Dent, Campus Christian Fellowship...
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr 23 min
312: Parables — Dissecting a Swallow
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are bringing in Reed Dent to launch a miniseries on parables, starting with a discussion about what a parable is and why anyone would want to teach in that way. Tell It Slant by Eugene Peterson The Great Spiritual Migration by Brian McLaren Kingdom, Grace, Judgment by Robert Farrar Capon “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins from The Apple That Astonished Paris Poet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey The Orthodox Heretic by Peter Rollins ...
Jan 05, 2023•1 hr 10 min
311: Keith Simon — Truth Over Tribe
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Keith Simon, co-author of Truth Over Tribe , who co-planted The Crossing, a politically diverse church where he is the co-lead teaching pastor. He hosts a podcast by the same name, Truth Over Tribe, and teaches on Ten Minute Bible Talks. Truth Over Tribe by Patrick Miller and Keith Simon Truth Over Tribe Podcast Ten Minute Bible Talks BEMA 309: On Social Media Additional audio production by Gus Simpson Special Guest: Keith Simon....
Dec 29, 2022•49 min
310: The Nativity Story
The Nativity Story (2006 film) The Nativity Story on JustWatch BEMA 89: Written in the Stars When God Was a Boy by C. T. Giles Festival Edition: The Birth (w/ Katie Del Rocco) [Adaptation from Frederick Buechner] — Marty Solomon, YouTube Special Guest: Maggi Billings....
Dec 22, 2022•47 min
309: On Social Media (Bonus Episode)
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings address the Twitter-sized elephant in the room, talk about how each of them use social media, and consider ways all of us can engage this part of our world in a healthy way. BEMA Poll/Survey (valid through 26 April 2023) “Twitter suspends @ElonJet plane-tracking bot after Musk pledged to leave it up” — Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica “Elon Musk offloads another $3.6 billion of Tesla stock” — Dave Lee, Financial Times/Ars Technica “One More for the ‘Everything Is Going ...
Dec 19, 2022•39 min
308: The Chosen S2E9 — “The Messengers”
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Maggi Billings to discuss The Chosen S2E9 (the 2021 Christmas special), “The Messengers.” The Chosen The Chosen (TV Series) — Wikipedia The Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDb Festival Edition: The Birth (w/ Katie Del Rocco) [Adaptation from Frederick Buechner] — Marty Solomon, YouTube The Nativity Story (2006 film) The Nativity Story on JustWatch Special Guest: Maggi Billings....
Dec 15, 2022•50 min
307: Tohu va Vohu (State of the Podcast)
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Brian Truschinger, Elle Grover Fricks, Reed Dent, and Josh Bossé, all together for the very first time to discuss what is happening with BEMA and what we hope for the future. BEMA Poll/Survey (valid through 26 April 2023) The BEMA Liturgy Tell It Slant by Eugene Peterson Elle’s Website for Hebrew Classes The Text In Us Podcast Josh’s Beard Progress (surgery > shaved > 1 month > 3 months) Sermon with Brian’s Toilet Story “How to Speed Listen (for Stu...
Dec 08, 2022•1 hr 4 min
306: Brian David — Chiasms in John
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Brian David, who spent 37 years coaching people in software, and 25 years coaching high school sports, but now finds himself “coaching” the Text. Chiasms in John by Brian David BEMA 28: Images of the Desert — Ar'ar and Tamarisk Poet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey Star Wars Ring Theory by Mike Klimo Jesus and the Eyewitnesses by Richard Bauckham Join the BEMA Slack Additional audio production by Gus Simpson Spec...
Dec 01, 2022•1 hr
305: Gary Burge — Interpreting the Gospel of John
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Dr. Gary Burge, author of Interpreting the Gospel of John , and one of the foremost authorities on John. He was a professor at Wheaton College for 25 years and now serves as a New Testament scholar at Calvin Theological Seminary. Gary M. Burge, Professor of New Testament — Calvin Theological Seminary Interpreting the Gospel of John by Gary M. Burge James Dunn — Wikipedia The Anointed Community by Gary M. Burge Society of Biblical Liter...
Nov 17, 2022•1 hr 4 min
304: The Construction of the Gospel of John
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings examine the different elements of John’s construction and consider some of the scholarly theories and observations that have been made over the years, seeing what there might be to learn in those possibilities. Interpreting the Gospel of John by Gary M. Burge Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon...
Nov 10, 2022•46 min
303: The History and Style of the Gospel of John
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings take a tour through the history of textual criticism that surrounds the Gospel of John and we look at the unique styles and attributes of John’s writing. Interpreting the Gospel of John by Gary M. Burge Historical Tradition and Sources in John...
Nov 03, 2022•47 min
302: John — Do You Even Like Me?
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings listen in on the restoration of Peter and consider the conclusion John writes for his Gospel account. BEMA 131: Betrayal Pre-order: Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon
Oct 27, 2022•42 min
301: John — On Doubting and Locked Doors
Brent Billings and Reed Dent discuss Thomas—a seemingly strange disciple—and question the nature of doubt and belief. “The Seeing Heart” by Frederick Buechner — YouTube “Frederick Buechner, Novelist With a Religious Slant, Dies at 96” by Robert D. McFadden — The New York Times Wishful Thinking by Frederick Buechner “St. Thomas Didymus” by Denise Levertov The Stream & the Sapphire by Denise Levertov Join the BEMA Slack...
Oct 20, 2022•1 hr 13 min
300: John — The Migdal
Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks witness the resurrection of Jesus and consider the figure of Miriam the Migdal, more commonly known as Mary Magdalene. Isis — Wikipedia Early Christian Women and Pagan Opinion by Margaret Y. MacDonald The Resurrection of Mary Magdalene by Jane Schaberg The Woman Jesus Loved by Antti Marjanen...
Oct 13, 2022•1 hr 16 min
299: John — One Pierced
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings pick up after the moment of Jesus’s death on the cross, looking at the preparations for his burial and the work of two unexpected characters who take their own stand in honoring Jesus. Arimathea — Wikipedia
Oct 06, 2022•30 min
298: John — Not Forsaken
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings dive into John’s account of Jesus’s crucifixion. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel Shmuel Safrai — Wikipedia
Sep 29, 2022•43 min
297: Kat Armas — Abuelita Faith
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Kat Armas, author of Abuelita Faith , whose earliest theological formation came from her grandmother and ultimately inspired her to tell the stories of those we find on the margins. She teaches people to reflect on the abuelitas in their lives and shows us how to live out this kind of faith on a daily basis. The Protagonistas Abuelita Faith by Kat Armas Abuelita Fe by Kat Armas Sacred Belonging by Kat Armas BEMA 52: Jonah — Potential K...
Sep 22, 2022•48 min
296: John — I Am He
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings see Jesus arrested, finding himself questioned, Peter questioned, finding himself lacking in courage, and Pilate drawn into an argument, finding himself cornered. Join the BEMA Slack
Sep 15, 2022•46 min
295: John — Strategy
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings look at Jesus’s famous prayer for unity. Why is this his foremost concern before he goes to the cross?
Sep 08, 2022•41 min
294: John — Sacrifice, Suffering, and Joy
Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks consider the various words for sacrifices in Hebrew before moving on to the second half of John 16 as we work our way through the Farewell Discourses. Learning Hebrew with Elle — Sacrifices (PDF) Consider the Birds by Debbie Blue Michael Pakaluk — The Catholic University of America George Parsenios — Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology Urban von Wahlde — Loyola University Chicago Raymond E. Brown — Wikipedia Burton Visotzky — Wikipedia “Wine, Women,...
Sep 01, 2022•1 hr 10 min
293: John — Sin, Righteousness, Judgment
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings continue Jesus’s discussion about the place of persecution in the coming days, decades, and centuries. What is the Holy Spirit’s job (or at least one of them) in this process of glorification? Join the BEMA Slack
Aug 25, 2022•34 min
292: John — The Pruning Work of Persecution
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings spend time in one of the staple passages of Impact Campus Ministries, and a foundational text for intimacy with God. Jesus is the true vine—what can we learn by taking this truth seriously? BEMA 24: Creating a Space About — Impact Campus Ministries
Aug 18, 2022•48 min
291: John — Parakletos
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings continue into Jesus’s discourse in preparation for his death, where he promises the Advocate, the Helper, the Counselor—the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit — BibleProject Join the BEMA Slack
Aug 11, 2022•38 min