Clearly with Jimmy & Kelly Needham

We are sponsored by America World Adoption Agency. Join us in moving God’s kingdom forward in supporting adoption by signing up for their emails here.We love worship, and we also love ruining bad ideas about worship. Today we are looking at five myths every church musician has probably heard at some point — like that we usher people into God’s presence (spoiler: that’s Jesus’ job), or that the Spirit’s main gig is “changing atmospheres”. We even talk about why “spontaneous” doesn’t automatically mean “spiritual.”So if you’ve ever led worship, attended worship, or just judged someone’s worship from the back row, this one’s for you. Grab your coffee, retire your skinny jeans, and join us as we bust a few myths — clearly.Recommended Book: You are What You Love by KA Smith

We are sponsored by America World Adoption Agency. Join us in moving God’s kingdom forward in supporting adoption by signing up for their emails here.Second Corinthians is Paul at his most personal, most pastoral... and most sarcastic. In this episode, Jimmy and Kelly unpack a letter full of tension: comfort and affliction, strength and weakness, ministry and mockery (hello, “super apostles”). Kelly’s got a full highlight reel of favorite verses, Jimmy tries to make “ratchet” happen, and together they explore why this book is a lifeline for anyone in ministry—or anyone just barely hanging on.From Paul’s theology of suffering to his defense of real, gritty, unimpressive faithfulness, 2 Corinthians will wreck you and rebuild you. Also, we may or may not suggest a graphic novel version.So pull out your Bible, your one-pager (get them here), and maybe a thorn in the flesh or two. Let’s go.

This episode is sponsored by America World Adoption Agency. Join us in moving God’s kingdom forward in supporting adoption by signing up for their emails here.What do Gaza, foreskins, and your spouse’s eschatology have in common? This episode. In classic Q&A fashion, we jump from current events to covenant signs to the real-life challenge of disagreeing theologically with someone you love.Jimmy and Kelly talk through how Christians should respond to cultural chaos (spoiler: read your Bible and love your neighbor), why God chose circumcision as the sign of His covenant with Abraham (yes, including “sensitivity”), and what to do when you and your spouse land in different places theologically or church-wise.Come for the clarity, stay for the circumcision jokes. This one’s classic Q&A Lane — curious, biblical, and just the right amount of unhinged.Resources:Give them Grace

🧡 If You Don’t Who Will?It is easy to think someone else is going to step up but we NEED YOU! Help us continue to make episodes and we are dreaming big for 2026! Just a few perks:Our Growing Catalog of one pagers for every book of the BibleHang out with us during our Live Recordings (and ask questions!)Access to our team ChatYou get celebrated during our Partner appreciation month👉 Become a Patreon Partner🎙️ Clearly – Ghosts: What’s Actually in the Bible?In this Halloween-week special, Jimmy and Kelly finally go where all good theologians fear to tread: ghosts. Like, actual spirits of the dead. Is that a thing? Or are we just reading into spooky campfire stories?Turns out—the Bible has some stuff to say.They dive into:The shockingly real ghost of Samuel in 1 Samuel 28Moses (ghost?) and Elijah on the mount of transfigurationWhy the disciples thought Jesus was a ghostAnd why Jesus didn’t say “ghosts aren’t real”—he said they don’t have bones 👀Also covered: ☠️ Necromancers, mediums, and why “never necro” should be a t-shirt 👻 Why ghosts (if real) don’t act like movie ghosts 🧠 Why demons are way more common than ghosts 🚫 And why you should absolutely not try to talk to eitherThey unpack everything with biblical grounding, lots of side-laughs, and a giant fake reaper looming over the episode. Literally.So whether you’re wondering if haunted houses are real, or just looking for a better theology of the supernatural—this episode will give you a lot to think about (and maybe stop you from buying that Ouija board at the garage sale).

Dive into the often awkward and frustrating world of prayer. Explore why aiming too high can stifle your spiritual practice. Discover how chaotic moments can spark deeper connections with God. They discuss the truth behind not wanting to pray and the need for honesty in communication with the Almighty. Understand the real barriers like cynicism and self-reliance that hinder sincerity. Get practical tips on how to start small and approach prayer as genuine conversations, not guilt trips. It's all about being your true self with God.

Explore the fascinating interplay between AI and spiritual life. The discussion dives into how tools like ChatGPT can assist in Bible study but may risk overwhelming personal reflection. Discover why relying on AI for sermon prep could shortcut your spiritual journey. The hosts highlight the importance of community and lingering over Scripture, warning against the dangers of confirmation bias. With humor and practical insights, they explore responsible ways to integrate AI into church ministries while preserving the essence of discipleship.

It is Partner Month.  Join us in Equipping the Saints for the Work of Ministry: PatreonWe’re heading to Corinth, y’all—and not just for the ruins. In this episode, Jimmy and Kelly crack open Paul’s (technically second!) letter to the Corinthians and uncover why it’s still wildly relevant today. From church drama and spiritual gifts to communion faux pas and resurrection mic drops, 1 Corinthians is a loaded letter to a messy, relatable church.We’re talking about why Paul calls these hot mess believers “saints,” what makes this book a gift to the ADHD brain, and how a deep dive into resurrection theology becomes one of the most compelling historical cases for Christianity.If you’ve ever felt frustrated by the modern church, wrestled with tricky Bible passages, or just want to know how to see Jesus clearly through Paul’s letters—this episode is for you. And yes, we’re giving you that Clearly One-Pager to help you dig in for yourself.🔗 Resources mentioned:Explore ancient biblical manuscripts at csntm.orgWatch their manuscript walk-through on YouTube

🎙️ Sponsored by TeachEquip — equipping Bible teachers who want to grow in clarity, confidence, and joy. (Also, they’re just awesome.)🎉 The Quest for the Best (Also: Dracula Teeth, Donuts & Deep Theology)We sat down to talk about Jimmy’s new children’s book — and within 30 seconds, Dracula teeth were involved. So... classic Clearly.In this episode, we spiral (gracefully?) from:🧛‍♂️ Custom fangs and midlife cosplay🍩 Donuts with God-shaped holes🧒🏽 Why writing for kids makes Jimmy a better preacher✝️ And what the gospel is really offering us (Hint: it’s not just hell insurance)The Quest for the Best is a hilarious and heartfelt book that teaches kids (and all of us with adult bodies but toddler-level spiritual attention spans) that the best thing God gives us… is God.You’ll also get:Why birthday parties are emotionally riggedThe underrated power of forced porch-sittingThe gospel according to giant pastriesAnd at least one book Easter egg for The Office fans📚 Resources from this episode:The Quest for the Best (Jimmy’s new kids’ book): AmazonThe Real Bad Guys (Book 1 in the series): AmazonGod is the Gospel by John Piper (deep cut, big impact): AmazonWatch Jimmy talk about the book (YouTube link): YouTube

🎙️ Sponsored by TeachEquip — equipping Bible teachers who want to grow in clarity, confidence, and joy. (Also, they’re just awesome.)That’s right. It’s Q&A time — and y’all did not hold back. In this episode, we dive into some of the hardest (and most honest) follow-up questions we’ve received from Clearly listeners lately.Prepare yourself: this is the deep end of the pool.Questions we tackle:🧔‍♂️ Why does God reserve church leadership for men — really? (Not just “because the Bible says so.”)💧 Why do some churches require rebaptism for membership, and is that fair?🧠 Can we be in fellowship with someone we believe is sinning… but they don’t think they are?😰 If Satan could torment Paul and wreck Job’s life, should I still be scared?🤯 And yes, we go there — does God ever feel scarier than Satan?With Scripture, humility, and a little laughter to keep it grounded, we unpack what it means to trust God's design, even when it makes us squirm a little. Also: we may or may not coin the term “shloughing off” and accidentally go full Joe Rogan length.📚 Related Resources & Episodes:🎥 Why We’re Complementarian🎥 Women Teaching the Bible (Part 1)🎥 Women Teaching the Bible (Part 2)🎥 Spiritual Gifts & Gender Roles🎥 What Do We Do With Satan?🎥 How to Disagree Without Dividing

🎙️ Sponsored by TeachEquip — equipping Bible teachers who want to grow in clarity, confidence, and joy. (Also, they’re just awesome.)Two mics. One massive theological cage match.In the blue corner: Jimmy, seminary student, Greek-speaker, and general chaos maker.In the red corner: Kelly, Bible-studying, Spirit-led, school-free savage of Scripture.The bell rings and it’s ON.In this delightfully chaotic episode of Clearly, Jimmy and Kelly go toe-to-toe on the question that haunts church nerds everywhere: SHOULD. YOU. GO. TO. SEMINARY?💥 Jimmy throws down with “speed, precision, and exposure.” 💥 Kelly counters with “your Bible is already in your house… FOR FREE.” 💥 Greek flies. Sarcasm lands. A kiss attempt is blocked mid-podcast. 💥 And somewhere in the middle, you get real clarity on whether seminary is your next move—or just a shiny distraction from cracking open Leviticus on your own.Also inside this episode:A “Should I Go to Seminary?” checklistWhy seminary can be awesome—or totally unnecessaryThe story behind Teach Equip, Kelly’s training program for women who want to teach ScriptureMultiple Frozen references (unprovoked)One-off jokes that may require repentance later🎧 So grab your Bible, lace up your theological gloves, and tune in for a no-holds-barred, slightly unhinged, actually super helpful episode of Clearly.🥊 Bonus round: Join the Clearly Partner crew on Patreon to access live tapings, giveaways, Q&As, and our top-secret WhatsApp group. patreon.com/jimmyandkellyneedham