380: Psalms — The Hidden Face
Brent Billings, Reed Dent, and Josh Bossé discuss Psalm 13. The Message of the Psalms by Walter Brueggemann Telling the Truth by Frederick Buechner BEMA 282: John — The Dance of Grief
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 1 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
379: Psalms — Every Season of Life
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings join Reed Dent as he launches a series on the Psalms. Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon Free at Last by dc Talk — YouTube “[Psalm] 40” by dc Talk — YouTube The Art of Biblical Poetry by Robert Alter The Art of Biblical Narrative by Robert Alter The Art of Bible Translation by Robert Alter Preaching and the Literary Forms of the Bible by Thomas G. Long BEMA 349: The Chosen S3E8 — “Sustenance” (Bonus Episode) The Message of the Psalms by Walter ...
Feb 22, 2024•1 hr 2 min
378: Lea Schrumpf — Entering Our Stories
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Lea Schrumpf, Director of Pastoral Care at Purdue Christian Campus House, to discuss how we are shaped by harm, but how we are created for delight and honor, and how we can enter our stories with compassion and kindness. BEMA 242: Spiritual Abuse — Commodities and Variables The Allender Center Anatomy of the Soul by Curt Thompson Being Known Podcast Adam Young Counseling The Place We Find Ourselves podcast The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der ...
Feb 15, 2024•1 hr 1 min
377: Isaiah — The Fruit of Faithfulness
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings conclude the journey through Isaiah by looking at his prophetic visions for the future and how hope changes the substance of our conversations, desires, and experiences. BEMA 137: A Dry Tree BEMA 71: The Prophetic Table BEMA 332: Andrew DeCort — Flourishing on the Edge of Faith Friend or Foe #1: The Truth and Proper Place of Guilt sermon — YouTube Overview of Isaiah — BibleProject King Chizkiah, the Almost Messiah — Rabbi David Fohrman, Aleph Beta Aleph Beta Acad...
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 15 min
376: Isaiah — Maternal Images of God
Brent Billings, Elle Grover Fricks, and Reed Dent discuss the maternal images seen throughout Isaiah. Aleph Beta Academy Subscribe to Aleph Beta Academy BEMA listeners can use code friendsofbema for one month off of a monthly Premium membership. Behavior of a Pallas’s cat — YouTube...
Feb 01, 2024•55 min
375: Isaiah — What Perseverance Produces
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings press on into the final chapters of Isaiah’s servant discourse, hearing the famous passage of God’s suffering servant and searching for the fruit of those trials.
Jan 25, 2024•34 min
374: Isaiah — When Suffering Is the Way
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings enter a new season of Isaiah’s prophecy. Times have changed, circumstances are different, but God’s love remains the same. Tikkun Olam — Wikipedia BEMA 192: Telling a Story BEMA 64: 3 Isaiah — Servant BEMA 289: John — Loved to the End...
Jan 18, 2024•55 min
373: Preston Ulmer — Deconstruct Faith, Discover Jesus
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Preston Ulmer, author of Deconstruct Faith, Discover Jesus, founder and director of the Doubters’ Club, pastor at North Point Church in Springfield, MO, and many pastoral roles before that. Deconstruct Faith, Discover Jesus by Preston Ulmer The Doubters’ Club (website) The Doubters’ Club (book) by Preston Ulmer Encanto (2021 film) Conversational Intelligence by Judith E. Glaser Preston Ulmer on Instagram Additional audio production by Gus Simpson Sp...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr
372: Isaiah — History and Redaction
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are with Elle Grover Fricks to discuss the historical portion of Isaiah that bridges the two parts of the prophetic work, considering the possibilities for voices and redactions. BEMA 82: The Text — When, Where, Who, and Why Documentary Hypothesis — Wikipedia Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon “The Re-Emergence of Source Criticism: The Neo-Documentary Hypothesis” by Joel S. Baden — Yale Divinity School BEMA 71: The Prophetic Table The Documenta...
Jan 04, 2024•1 hr 12 min
371: Isaiah — The Hulk Factor
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings consider the reality of God’s anger in the next portion of Isaiah. The Jewish Study Bible: Second Edition “JPS Bible Translation Enters Digital Era with Sefaria” — The Jewish Publication Society JPS Tanakh 1917 — BibleHub New Jewish Publication Society of America Tanakh — Wikipedia...
Dec 21, 2023•33 min
370: Isaiah — Woes
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings look at the next portion of Isaiah to see God’s message aimed directly as His own people. BEMA 176: Revelation — Smyrna and Their Crown Beth Moore on the Church in History — Twitter BEMA 136: Each One...
Dec 14, 2023•54 min
369: Isaiah — The Choice Is Yours
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings hear the universal pronouncement of God’s care and judgment in Isaiah, and then see the response of the prophet to what could lie ahead.
Dec 07, 2023•34 min
368: Elisa Bosley — Spiritual Eldercare
Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks are joined by Elisa Bosley, founder of Spiritual Eldercare. Elisa has decades of experience leading worship services and Bible studies, and also working with adults who have dementia. Combining those efforts, she became a chaplain in 2016 and serves at a long-term memory care community in Boulder, Colorado. Spiritual Eldercare Additional audio production by Gus Simpson Special Guest: Elisa Bosley....
Nov 30, 2023•55 min
367: Isaiah — Burdens
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings hear Isaiah communicate the comprehensive and exhaustive nature of how God carries the burdens of all nations, not just the ones that bear His name. Presentation for Isaiah — Burdens (PDF) NIV Archaeological Study Bible NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary by Robert Alter Cross Vision by Gregory A. Boyd Crucifixion of the Warrior God by Gregory A. Boyd...
Nov 16, 2023•47 min
366: Isaiah — Let the Man Cook!
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings venture further into Isaiah and the days of Ahaz to see God’s invitation to trust the story—and warnings for what might happen if that invitation is not accepted.
Nov 09, 2023•53 min
365: Isaiah — Prophet vs. Wizard Priests
Brent Billings, Elle Grover Fricks, and Josh Bossé dig a little deeper into the cultural context of Isaiah 6. “Isaiah's Impure Lips and Their Purification in Light of Akkadian Sources” by Victor (Avigdor) Hurowitz — JSTOR Myths & Legends of Babylonia & Assyria by Lewis Spence Bārû — Wikipedia Bāru (Mesopotamian priest) — Britannica Bārûtu — Wikipedia...
Nov 02, 2023•1 hr 1 min
364: Isaiah — Opening Provocations
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings journey into the text of Isaiah, hearing the call of a father to his stubborn children. The Ache for Meaning by Tommy Brown The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary by Robert Alter BEMA 51: 1 Isaiah — Vineyard Isaiah: Holy, Holy, Holy — Derrick Rohr, Campus Christian Fellowship...
Oct 26, 2023•54 min
363: Isaiah — Prophetic Imagination
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are back with Reed Dent to continue the introduction to the prophecy of Isaiah and consider Walter Brueggemann’s ideas about the prophetic imagination. The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann “What Prophecy Is For” — BibleProject Podcast Thought of the Day: Prophetic Imagination — Marty Solomon, YouTube...
Oct 19, 2023•50 min
362: Isaiah — Prophetic Pathos
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are with Reed Dent to begin a journey deep into the prophecy of Isaiah by considering what we can learn from Abraham Joshua Heschel about the prophetic pathos. The Prophets by Abraham Joshua Heschel Isaiah: History — Reed Dent, Campus Christian Fellowship A Collision or (3+4=7) by David Crowder*Band Collected Poems of W. H. Auden (see Part IX) Lost in the Cosmos by Walker Percy NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible “I Have a Dream” (Martin Luther King Jr. speech) ...
Oct 12, 2023•56 min
361: Session 8 Intro
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings return to “Ordinary Time” on the podcast and prepare for some fresh studies of the Text. BEMA 190: Session 4 Capstone BEMA News & Events Impact Campus Ministries BEMA Discord...
Oct 05, 2023•49 min
360: Session 7 Capstone
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings wrap up Session 7 of the podcast by hearing about Marty’s sabbatical experience and reflecting on what we’ve all been through in this season of rest. “Closing Time” (Marty’s sabbatical recap blog post) Meet the Solomons: Sabbatical Recap — Marty Solomon, YouTube Ignatius of Loyola — Wikipedia BEMA 350: Kat Armstrong — Storyline Bible BEMA 351: Sabbath Reflection Music “Birdsongs alleviate anxiety and paranoia in healthy participants” by E. Stobbe, J. Sundermann, ...
Sep 28, 2023•33 min
359: Dallas Jenkins — Humanity and Historicity (Bonus Episode)
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are back with Dallas Jenkins to mull over the questions that arose from Seasons 2 and 3 of The Chosen. The Chosen The Chosen (TV Series) — Wikipedia The Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDb 5&2 T-Shirt — The Chosen Ancient Israel by Roland de Vaux Grafted on YouTube Additional audio production by Gus Simpson Special Guest: Dallas Jenkins....
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr 19 min
358: Sabbath Practice — Prayer
Brent Billings, Reed Dent, and Elle Grover Fricks pontificate on the practice of prayer. Presentation for Sabbath Practice — Prayer (PDF) “Patient Trust” by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Spiritual Direction by Henri Nouwen Prayer by Richard J. Foster This Is Water by David Foster Wallace Every Moment Holy, Volume I by Douglas Kaine McKelvey Every Moment Holy, Volume II by Douglas Kaine McKelvey To Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue The Ignatian Examen — Jesuits.org “How to Make Ringtones ...
Sep 21, 2023•58 min
357: Sabbath Practice — Fasting
Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks traverse the topic of fasting. Didache — Wikipedia Basil of Caesarea — Wikipedia John Wesley (Holy Club section for fasting) — Wikipedia Jewish Fast Days — Chabad.org “Fasting for Religious Observance” — Brandeis University “Intermittent Fasting 101: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide” — Healthline...
Sep 14, 2023•1 hr
356: Sabbath Practice — Friendship w/ Derrick James Rohr III
Brent Billings is considering the practice of friendship with Reed Dent and his best friend and ministry partner Derrick James Rohr III. CCF Truman Staff The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis Additional audio production by Gus Simpson...
Sep 07, 2023•49 min
355: Sabbath Practice — Discipline
Marty Solomon and Brent Billings explore Marty’s spiritual practices and see what has changed or evolved for him over the last seven years. BEMA 24: Creating a Space Thought of the Day: Two Hands of Faith — Marty Solomon, YouTube The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon “Is It Time to Quit ‘Quiet Time’?” by Dru Johnson and Celina Durgin — Christianity Today Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor (via Jim Feicht) A Day in t...
Aug 31, 2023•48 min
354: Sabbath Practice — Flow
Brent Billings and Josh Bossé discuss his spiritual practices and how they have evolved throughout his journey with God. Schottenstein Interlinear Complete Chumash by Rabbi Menachem Davis
Aug 24, 2023•1 hr 11 min
353: Sabbath Practice — Heart
Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks chat about her spiritual practices. Notebook Classic — LEUCHTTURM1917 SHARPIE S-Gel Pen, Medium Point (0.7mm), Black Ink “Advantage of Handwriting Over Typing on Learning Words” by Aya S. Ihara et al. — Frontiers in Human Neuroscience “Is the News Making Us Unhappy?” by Natascha de Hoog and Peter Verboon — British Journal of Psychology...
Aug 17, 2023•51 min
352: Sabbath Practice — Attentiveness
Brent Billings and Reed Dent consider a different framework for spiritual practice and explore how Reed engages his own practices. BEMA 24: Creating a Space Grasslands National Park — Wikipedia Visiting Grasslands National Park — Brent Billings Big Bend National Park — Wikipedia Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot The Books of Scott Cairns Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community by Pádraig Ó Tuama Poetry Unbound Podcast Making All Things New by Henri Nouwen Eat This Book by Eugene H. Peterson Common...
Aug 10, 2023•57 min
351: Sabbath Reflection Music (Bonus Episode)
Brent Billings offers an extended track of music and sounds for spending time in reflection. To maintain a reasonable file size for downloads, this music is presented at a slightly reduced quality compared to the original Sabbath Reflection episodes. Source Music for Session 7 — Soundstripe
Aug 07, 2023•3 hr 35 min