Exploring My Strange Bible

Explore the transformative identity as believers become a 'new humanity' in Paul's teachings. Discover how this identity shapes behavior and fosters a renewed mindset. Delve into the concept of agape love, which serves as the foundation for interactions within the community. This discussion highlights the need for moral and relational commitments, guiding new followers of Christ to embody their true identities. Embrace the connection between personal faith growth and the challenges of realizing how deeply one is loved and forgiven.

It was important to Paul that Jesus' followers were a diverse group of people across many ethnicities. In this teaching, we explore Paul’s vision for diversity and bridging relationships among people who are different but unified under Christianity. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This first teaching is actually from the middle of chapter 1. It’s a prayer that Paul prays for the followers of Jesus in Ephesus. It’s an amazing prayer where he prays for power. The kind of power that Paul thinks that followers of Jesus have access to is a very different conception of power. It’s a power that was expressed when Jesus gave up his life and was resurrected by the power of love and self-sacrifice. This is exactly the kind of power that Paul wants followers of Jesus to recognize. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dive into the depths of Psalm 73, where a poet confronts a crisis of faith in the face of worldly injustice. Explore how doubt can actually spark spiritual growth and why questioning belief isn’t a weakness. Delve into the problem of evil and the moral challenges it presents to faith. Discover the importance of finding God's presence during moments of doubt, drawing on biblical figures to illuminate emotional struggles. This engaging discussion encourages listeners to wrestle with their beliefs and embrace the complexity of faith.

The podcast explores the theme of confessing to God after making mistakes and hurting others. It discusses the healing and growth that come from confession and praying through failures. The symbolism of clothing as a representation of hiding vulnerabilities is explored. The chapter emphasizes the power of confessing secrets and sins and the importance of acknowledging failures. It also discusses the concept of failure and sin in moral decisions, and the importance of being raw and honest in confession. The transformative experience of confession and God's response of forgiveness are highlighted.

Dive into the profound world of Psalm 22, where the power of lament and protest about our pain is explored. Discover how honest prayer can transform suffering into a deeper connection with God. A humorous analogy brings light to the often uncomfortable process of grieving, emphasizing the need for open communication. Follow the journey from feelings of abandonment to recognizing God’s faithfulness, reminding us that expressing grief can lead to healing and transformation.

As a new follower of Jesus, I loved the Book of Psalms. I remember realizing for the first time that multiple points in Jesus’s life teaching, he used the language of the psalm to express his own thoughts. Jesus models for us what it means to use the psalms as language for our own prayers. This first teaching is based on Psalm 3, it is about learning how to pray in the midst of great fear and anxiety in our lives. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this teaching we are exploring the word “covenant” and how it is crucially important for understanding the storyline architecture of the whole story of the bible. It really only gets used in a small number of ways in modern English. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode we’re exploring a biblical word that is commonly used, but mostly not understood: glory. This is actually a crucially important concept for understanding the Old Testament and the New Testament. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this first teaching, I explore the biblical word and concept of holiness: God’s holiness, people’s holiness, the story underneath it all, and more. This is an extremely important idea for understanding what followers of Jesus believe about God and themselves. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.