words Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts Mina grew up in a poor village in South Korea in the 1950s. She faced many hardships due to her abusive alcoholic father who loaned her to another family to work as a servant. Although Mina escaped from that situation, she found herself in something Read more about 667. How God Healed Me from the Shame of Prostitution (Mina Hacker)[…]
Jeremy Martin is a complicated man. Although raised in a Christian home, he chose a different path. At eighteen years old, he embraced the party lifestyle of drinking alcohol and using drugs of various kinds. Before long, he found himself sucked into a criminal lifestyle, including an eight-year stretch where he earned his living from Read more about 666. I Quit Weed and Video Games to Serve God (Jeremy Martin)[…]
Last time we learned about software engineer Alex Ticer’s terrifying health crisis and the healing he received. This set him on a quest to dedicate his life to serving God, but how? He had no idea what he was supposed to do. So, he quit his job and intensified his study of the Bible and Read more about 665. Why I’m Starting a Church in Texas (Alex Ticer)[…]
Alex Ticer had It all: a degree from UCLA, a job as a software engineer, financial security, a beautiful family, a house in Texas, but something was terribly wrong. It was something he couldn’t fix with money or intelligence or grit. He had a genetic disease that would cause him to waste away no matter Read more about 664. Engineer Risked Everything to Find the One God[…]
Are you under the impression that everyone believes in the Trinity? Most denominational creeds, seminary requirements, and church statements of faith begin with a confession that there is one God who exists in three persons. Perhaps you think that this means that American pastors believe in the Trinity and they faithfully teach it to Read more about 663. The Trinity Now a Minority Belief in America (Dustin Smith)[…]
It’s recited in churches all around the world in many languages. It’s the standard by which all modern Christians are measured. It’s an artful and eloquent expression of doctrine. What am I talking about? Of course, it’s the Nicene Creed. But what if I told you that this creed wasn’t from the Council of Nicea Read more about 662. The Nicene Creed Is a Forgery (Sam Tideman)[…]
What is the true nature of God? How should we understand monotheism? What about heresy? In today’s interview, I ask Dr. Dale Tuggy about his new book, Monotheism, Heresy, and the Bible, published by Theophilus Press. Our discussion ranges from handling proof-texts that call Jesus “God” to the role of logic in sorting out doctrine to Read more about 661. Monotheism, Heresy, and the Bible (Dale Tuggy)[…]
How do you know God exists? What reasons do atheists have to doubt God’s existence? Can you arrive at certainty? These questions are among the most significant that you can ask. If God exists, there are huge implications for your daily life. If not, then you can more or less choose your own adventure, making Read more about 660. Debating God’s Existence (Andrew Drinkard)[…]
Are all your beliefs equally important? If not, how do you rank them? By what standard do you say, “This belief matters” and “This one is less important”? My guest today is Michael Hughes who has been working on these very questions. He’s written a couple of papers addressing levels of evidence. In his more Read more about 659. How Important Is That Doctrine? (Michael Hughes)[…]
Are you looking for a biblically-grounded albeit easy-to-read introduction to theology? Well, look no further, because I’m excited to announce the publication of Pastor Will Barlow’s book, Explore What We Believe. He goes through what the Bible teaches about God, humanity, covenants, the kingdom of God, Jesus, salvation, Israel, the church, the spirit of God, Read more about 658. Explore What We Believe (Will Barlow)[…]
I have a new book out and I’m excited to tell you all about it. In order to do that, Anna Brown is hosting Restitutio today and putting me in the hot seat. In this interview, she asks me about Read the Bible for Yourself, a book I’ve been working on for the last three years. Read more about 657. Read the Bible for Yourself (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Jesus said, “Make disciples of all nations” (Mat 28:19). How are you doing on this? Are you currently mentoring someone in the faith? Are you under the impression that this work is only for pastors, those in church leadership, or those with the gift of evangelism? You may say to yourself, “I don’t have a Read more about 656. Follow the Way of Jesus (Victor Gluckin)[…]
To whom was God speaking in Genesis 1.26 when he said, “Let us make humanity in our image”? My guest today, Sam Mansfield of Adelaide, South Australia, has found six different answers to this question. In the following interview, I ask him about his recent presentation at the inaugural Australian Unitarian Christian Alliance conference, called Read more about 655. God Spoke to Himself in Genesis 1.26 (Sam Mansfield)[…]
Many Bible-believing churches are ridged keepers of tradition. They have a statement of faith, a historic confession, or old creeds that determine what people should and should not believe. There’s very little space for people to genuinely ask questions, investigate competing doctrines, and honestly change their minds over time. Today I’m speaking with Matt Lovegrove Read more about 654. The Plight of a Restorationist (Matt Lovegrove)[…]
Paul Robson was an upstanding Christian leader in a Bible-believing church when his friend upended his world by revealing that he no longer believed the Trinity was biblically true. Although Robson initially reacted negatively to such a departure from the norm, he eventually came to change his mind based on a thorough study of Scripture. Read more about 653. Why I’m Convinced That Jesus Is the Human Messiah (Paul Robson)[…]
One of the largest and most intriguing blocks of teaching in the Gospel of John is the upper room discourse in chapter 13-17. This block of time begins with the washing of the disciples’ feet (13) and ends with Jesus’s high-priestly prayer (17). In the middle chapters (14-16), we encounter Jesus preparing his followers for Read more about 652. The Spirit as Christ’s Alter Ego (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Have you ever heard the expression “a smoking gun”? It comes from an earlier era of guns when black powder produced a good cloud of smoke each time someone fired the weapon. Originally a smoking gun referred to a situation when someone was caught with the weapon in hand, still emitting smoke. The implication of Read more about 651. Translating the Holy Spirit (Sean Finnegan)[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. Today is our last episode in our Restoration Theology class. Believe it or not, not everyone thinks restorationism is great. In fact, most Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, are against restorationism, preferring the confessional approach. Have you started to face objections and dismissive language when you Read more about 650. Restoration Theology 16: Restoration Theology Can Change the World[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. Today is the capstone episode of this entire class on Restoration Theology. We’re going to put together what we’ve learned so far into a twenty-question diagnostic. The purpose of this method is to evaluate any Christian belief or practice. You can use it on your own Read more about 649. Restoration Theology 15: A Method to Evaluate Doctrines[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. About a year ago I was listening to a podcast that said black plastic cookware comes from recycled electronics. Such plastics are loaded with chemicals like fire retardants and should not be used in cooking. I was thinking about the black plastic spatula our family Read more about 648. Restoration Theology 14: Comparative Theology and Alternative Doctrines[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. As we continue through our survey of the major branches of theology, we come to the subject of doctrinal precedents. Who has believed a particular idea before? Were there any Christians who held position x in the past? Who were they? If the majority of Read more about 647. Restoration Theology 13: Historical Theology and Doctrinal Precedents[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. Restoration Theology is an approach that brings together good hermeneutics and good theology. We’ve talked a great deal about hermeneutics, which how to interpret the Bible well, and now we’re working our way through all the major branches of theology. In previous episodes, we’ve looked Read more about 646. Restoration Theology 12: Analytic Theology and Logical Evaluation[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. Whereas last time we focused on differences and development, today our goal is to perceive the final form of a doctrine. Because restorationists believe God inspired scripture, we recognize that amidst the diversity we can also detect coherence. Although there were many authors, there was Read more about 645. Restoration Theology 11: Systematic Theology and Biblical Coherence[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. The Bible is a collection of sixty-six books, written by dozens of authors over centuries. It did not drop from heaven, nor did it arrive all in one generation. No, God slowly revealed the Christian scriptures over time. As a result, we find development within Read more about 644. Restoration Theology 10: Biblical Theology and Progressive Revelation[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. Although one of the most overlooked aspects of hermeneutics, figuring out how to apply scripture to your own context today is extremely important. If you interpret the Bible well, but never ask the question, “How does this affect me?” what good does it do you? Read more about 643. Restoration Theology 9: Applying Scripture in Your Context[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. There’s no getting around it. The Bible is a historical book. The events it describes occurred in history. What’s more, biblical history isn’t just limited to a single period of time. No, it stretches over thousands of years. As a result, it’s critical that you Read more about 642. Restoration Theology 8: Interpreting Scripture in Its Historical Context[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. What’s the difference between reading the Bible and studying it? Reading the Bible is like surfing on the waves, following the general flow of thought as you go. Studying the Bible is more like swimming underwater, perhaps with scuba gear to enable you to investigate matters Read more about 641. Restoration Theology 7: Interpreting Scripture in Its Literary Context[…]
This episode is part of the Restoration Theology class. Would you agree that every translation of the Bible has some sort of bias in it? Even the most literal translations have a good deal of bias baked into them. What can we do? Well, you could learn Hebrew and Greek so you can read the Read more about 640. Restoration Theology 6: Bible Translation and Detecting Bias[…]
This is part four of the Restoration Theology class. The Old Testament, also called the Hebrew Bible, is a collection of 39 books written before the time of Christ. Today you’re going to learn about the three major manuscript families of the OT: (1) the Masoretic Text, (2) the Septuagint, and (3) the Samaritan Pentateuch. Read more about 639. Restoration Theology 5: Old Testament Manuscripts and Textual Criticism[…]
This is part four of the Restoration Theology class. Last time we covered the importance of using the Bible to build our beliefs. But what is the Bible? Well, it wasn’t written in American English or in the West or in recent history. The Bible is a library of books written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Read more about 638. Restoration Theology 4: New Testament Manuscripts and Textual Criticism[…]
This is part three of the Restoration Theology class. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about communicating with people who don’t come from my background, it’s that assumptions matter. It’s important to know what I’m assuming and what the other is assuming so we can have meaningful dialog. In our episode today, we’re talking about Read more about 637. Restoration Theology 3: The Primacy and Perspicuity of Scripture[…]
This is part two of the Restoration Theology class. Restorationism–the impulse to restore authentic Christianity–is not new. Before diving in to learn how to build a proper restoration theology, we owe it to those who have come before us, to remember how we got here. Although we generally take for granted our freedom to dissent Read more about 636. Restoration Theology 2: Milestones on the Road to Modern Restorationism[…]
This is part one of the Restoration Theology class. How do you know what to believe? Have you ever been frustrated when hearing multiple perspective on a doctrine and weren’t sure which to believe? There are so many denominations out there, each with its own statement of faith and traditions. How can you be sure Read more about 635. Restoration Theology 1: Why Restore Authentic Christianity?[…]
One of the great concerns that many of us pastors have about our churches is the lack of community. So often people come, sit for a while, and leave without making any real connections with others who are present. In other cases, a self-centered, spectator mindset leads to cynicism and misery, which, in turn, degrades Read more about 634. Six Ways to Kill Your Community (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Greg Cheney grew up in Texas where he joined the Independent Fundamental Baptists. In his twenties, he felt a call to ministry, which resulted in ordination and serving in three Baptist churches. After an unpleasant five years in ministry, Cheney found himself in the corrections industry. At this point, with no remaining institutional ties, he Read more about 633. Baptist Pastor Finds Biblical God (Greg Cheney)[…]
Is new creation here now or must we until Christ’s coming to experience it? If new creation is here now, what does that mean? How can you participate in it? Join me as we consider what it means to be in Christ today. We’ll see that not only has God created a whole new realm Read more about 632. New Creation in Christ (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Who is the child Isaiah prophesied about in the famous line, “For unto us a child is born”? Although most Christians see this as a reference to Jesus, we should first ask what this meant to Isaiah and his original audience seven centuries before Christ. When we do, we see that this prophecy was actually Read more about 631. Unto Us a Child Is Born (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Today we’re promoting a couple of upcoming events in 2026. First up is the inaugural conference near Sydney, Australia for the Unitarian Christian Alliance. This will be a weekend of scholarly presentations as well as practical workshops. In what follows I chat with several of the organizers for the event, including Matthew Bradley, Jeff Deuble, Read more about 630. Australia to Host Inaugural UCA Conference[…]
Metaphysics Mike talks about his recent debate with Al Garza over the question is Jesus Yahweh. In the four-hour ordeal, two aspects of Garza’s unusual belief system made for a confusing and frustrating discussion: (1) Garza believes that Yahweh is not a name but an attributive title asserting eternality, and (2) he thinks the Read more about 629. Debating Al Garza: “Is Jesus Yahweh?” (Mike Temperato)[…]
After graduating from Caltech with a degree in physics, Scott Sperling pursued computer science and ended up working in rocket science. He’s also been a Christian for decades and has applied his analytical mind to Bible study, especially on his website ScriptureStudies.com. In this interview I ask him about his paper, “A Hypothesis for the Read more about 628. How Will God Raise the Dead? (Scott Sperling)[…]
Heroes of Faith Series Ezra stood at the precipice of history. God’s people had returned to the land after a traumatic seventy years in exile. They had begun rebuilding, but they had already–perhaps unknowingly–taken steps that would land them back into idolatry. Ezra’s stand for God changed the course of history. Not only was he Read more about 627. Heroes of Faith: Ezra (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Heroes of Faith Series The book of Esther tells the story of a tragedy turned into a miraculous deliverance. But even more than that, it teaches us about courage. There are times in life when remaining faithful to God may cost you everything. What will you do if you find yourself in that kind of Read more about 626. Heroes of Faith: Esther (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Heroes of Faith Series How does your faith affect you at work? Of course, there’s the classic verse about working heartily unto the Lord, but beyond working hard, how does your faith affect you at work? Today in part seven of our Heroes of Faith series, we’re going to look at the life of Daniel. Read more about 625. Heroes of Faith: Daniel (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Have you heard of the Disciple Collective? It’s a new website putting out free Christian courses. In this interview I talk with Pastors Josiah Cain and Levi Salyers about this new project, including whom the Disciple Collective is for, what courses are available, how they’re putting them together, and what motivated them to embark on Read more about 624. The Disciple Collective (Josiah Cain and Levi Salyers)[…]
Heroes of Faith Series Today is part 6 of our “Heroes of Faith” series. I hope you are enjoying it so far. Sometimes it’s good for the soul to be inspired and encouraged by heroic people in the Bible. Now we come to Hosea, one of the least read prophets in the Bible, though he Read more about 623. Heroes of Faith: Hosea (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Heroes of Faith Series Today we’re going to consider a triplet of three heroes of faith: Hagar, Abigail, and Jehoshabeath. Originally this sermon was called “Women of Integrity,” but I think it fits our current series on heroes of faith nicely. I find their examples inspiring because they went through serious hardships and yet they Read more about 622. Heroes of Faith: Hagar, Abigail, Jehoshabeath (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Heroes of Faith Series Are you selling yourself short? Have you settled for the status quo? Is your faith too small? These are important questions to ask yourself from time to time. Is God calling to change something, move somewhere, or do something new? Today in our Heroes of Faith series we’ll look at the Read more about 621. Heroes of Faith: Elisha (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Heroes of Faith Series With Hannah, we aren’t told what the cause was of her barrenness. We just know that it was a heavy load to bear in her time. Although in our time, many of us use contraceptives or go through procedures to ensure we don’t keep having children, Hannah’s time was different. Children Read more about 620. Heroes of Faith: Hannah (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Heroes of Faith Series Ruth was an extraordinarily courageous and loyal woman of God. In our society of disposable relationships, cancel culture, and cutting off parents, Ruth presents us with a challenge to stick with family even when calamity strikes and hope seems lost. As a Moabite, Ruth was unlikely to be accepted in Israelite Read more about 619. Heroes of Faith: Ruth (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Heroes of Faith Series Today we’re beginning a new series called “Heroes of Faith.” For each of these episodes we’ll focus on someone who stood for God. My aim with this series is to inspire and encourage you in your faith. Today we’re looking at Noah. Although often relegated to children’s stories, his story is Read more about 618. Heroes of Faith: Noah (Sean Finnegan)[…]
I’d like to dedicate this episode to my mother, Mimi Finnegan who fell asleep in death yesterday. It was such a surreal experience, standing by that hospital bed with my brothers and sisters and dad. We had so much confusion regarding her prognosis, but eventually it became clear that she had very little time left. Read more about 617. Focus on Hope (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Quick question: “If you lived in the Roman Empire who would you want to be?” Most of us answering this question would immediately think, “the emperor” or “a wealthy person of importance.” Herod Antipas was just such a person. A son of Herod the Great and ruler of Galilee and Perea, Antipas was an influential Read more about 616. Herod Antipas vs. Simon Peter (Sean Finnegan, Victor Gluckin)[…]
Peering into the very late first century BC we find the briefest overlap of two individuals, both of whom would claim to be the king of the Jews. On the one hand we see Herod the Great, a capable and fierce man, full of ambition and paranoia. On the other hand, we see Jesus of Read more about 615. Who Is the Real King of the Jews? (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Do you ever feel discouraged? Do you ever think, “Why has God allowed so many to get off track?” Has someone challenged you with the question, “If you’re right about Christian theology, then why in the world would God allow the majority of Christians to be deceived for so many centuries?” Join me as we Read more about 614. God Is Moving in Our Time (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Michael Temperato (aka Metaphysics Mike) shares about his journey of faith. He tells about his struggles with drug addiction, pornography, broken relationships, and even jail. After hitting rock bottom, he turned to God and has been on a quest to pursue truth wherever it leads. After getting the left foot of fellowship from a church Read more about 613. Who Is Metaphysics Mike? (Michael Temperato)[…]
How should we understand the words, “in him all things were created” in Col 1.16? Although commonly taken to mean Christ created the universe, this view has contextual, structural, and exegetical problems. In what follows I’ll name six problems with old-creation readings before laying out why a new creation approach makes sense. I presented this Read more about 612. Colossians 1.16: Old Creation or New Creation? (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Today is part three of our summer mini-series on evangelism. We started two weeks ago with a focus on God’s heart for the lost. Then last week we heard how simple it is to find opportunities to speak to people. Still, we need to cover what the message is that we ultimately want to share Read more about 611. The Gospel of the Kingdom, Cross, and Resurrection (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Last week we began our summer mini-series on evangelism with a focus on why we should reach the lost. Today I’ve got a real treat for you. In this powerful message, David Sowers challenges believers to move beyond their comfort zones and share the gospel with the lost. His stories of everyday evangelism encounters will Read more about 610. Everyday Evangelism Encounters (David Sowers)[…]
Many of us are annoyed by non-Christians. They mock our beliefs, criticize our way of life, and undermine us at every turn. If you’re honest with yourself, you probably would be happy to have a world with only Christians–real Christians–in it, right? However, this is not God’s heart–at least not right now. In today’s episode, Read more about 609. Do You Care about the Lost? (Vince Finnegan)[…]
Happy New Year everyone! Have you started to think about what you want to change in this coming year? Today we’re going to listen to a powerful message by Dr. Jerry Wierwille about standing strong in the Lord. The world is always pressing on us, squeezing us into its mold. How can we resist? What Read more about 581 Stand Strong in the Lord (Jerry Wierwille)[…]
Does the New Testament refer to Jesus as God? Though this is an important question, it’s only a starting point for wrestling with who Jesus is. In what follows we’ll consider the evidence from five scholars on what texts they say attribute deity to Christ. Then we’ll examine the biblical evidence that pulls in the Read more about 580 An Honest Evaluation of the Evidence for the Deity of Christ (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Have you heard of Hippolytus’s Refutation of All Heresies? Written not long after 222 A.D. this book works through dozens of heresies–beliefs that the author disagreed with. Some scholars have argued against Hippolytus as the author, preferring to call him pseudo-Hippolytus. But regardless of who wrote the tome, the fact is that this huge book Read more about 579 Christologies in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries (Dale Tuggy)[…]
Have you ever noticed that the New Testament authors love to quote the Old Testament? This happens hundreds of times. Sometimes the quotation is direct, other times it is a paraphrase, still others a New Testament author will allude to the Old Testament. In today’s episode, we’re going to hear Dr. Jerry Wierwille explaining what Read more about 578 Applying Old Testament YHWH Passages to Jesus (Jerry Wierwille)[…]
Has anyone ever said to you, “Oh, you believe Jesus is just a mere man.” How do you respond when someone says that? Do you just go along with it and say, “Yep, that’s what I believe–Jesus is just another guy”? I hope not. Jesus is not just another guy. He’s the virginally-conceived son of Read more about 577 Nothing Mere about a Man Made in the Image of God (Anna Brown)[…]
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Now I realize many of you are listening from other countries outside the USA, so you may not have this holiday where you live. That’s fine. Still, I do appreciate how we set aside a day each year in this country to practice gratitude. In what follows we’ll consider a great biblical Read more about 576 Thank God (Sean Finnegan)[…]
It’s easy for complacency to set in our walk with God. It’s easy to settle into apathy with respect to spiritual growth. It’s easy to stop dreaming about what God can do in our lives. Today we’ll hear another message from Revive earlier this year–this one from yours truly. We’ll consider three examples of people Read more about 574 Pursue Your Blessing (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Over our last two episodes we’ve been hearing from Pastor Bob Carden on the topic of healing and walking by the spirit. Today I’d like to play out a sermon by Carden’s successor, Garrett Bova who is the lead pastor now at Align Ministries. Now I realize his message will challenge some of you to Read more about 573 Prophetic Words of Encouragement (Garrett Bova)[…]
Comparing the Hebrew of Isaiah 9.6 to most popular English translations results in some serious questions. Why have our translations changed the tense of the verbs from past to future? Why is this child called “Mighty God” and “Eternal Father”? In this presentation I work through Isaiah 9.6 line by line to help you understand Read more about 572 Isaiah 9.6 Explained: A Theophoric Approach[…]
This is part 5 of the Kingdom Seminar, based on the book Kingdom Journey. This episode begins by delving into the history of how the theologians of the third and fourth centuries rejected the kingdom since they thought it was too crude, too hedonic, and too Jewish. Next I briefly cover three rediscovery movements, including Read more about 566 Kingdom Seminar 5: Kingdom Ambassadors[…]
This is part 4 of the Kingdom Seminar, based on the book Kingdom Journey. Jesus didn’t just believe in a future kingdom that didn’t affect the present. His entire ministry was saturated with kingdom symbology and activity. Wherever he went, he brought a bubble of the kingdom with him. As Christ-followers, we too, are called Read more about 565 Kingdom Seminar 4: Kingdom Allegiance[…]
This is part 3 of the Kingdom Seminar, based on the book Kingdom Journey. The kingdom of God is the golden thread running throughout the whole Bible from beginning to end. In this presentation, we’ll consider some of the key texts from the Old and New Testaments that define what the kingdom is. In contrast Read more about 564 Kingdom Seminar 3: Defining the Kingdom[…]
This is part 2 of the Kingdom Seminar, based on the book Kingdom Journey. What is heaven? Although it is not the place where the dead go when they die, it is, still, a real place. Today we’ll survey different ways in which the Bible talks about heaven, including the sky, God’s throne, the storehouse, Read more about 563 Kingdom Seminar 2: Defining Heaven[…]
Last December, my first ever published book came out, called Kingdom Journey. Recently I recorded a seminar on the kingdom at a church in South Carolina based on the book that I will be playing out over the next 5 weeks. In this seminar I highlight some of the key points in my book and Read more about 562 Kingdom Seminar 1: Why Should You Care[…]
Pentecost, as described in Acts 2, was a strange event. We read about unusual miraculous signs such as the sound of a great wind and tongues of fire. Still, the most interesting moment is when the apostles of our Lord began speaking in foreign languages that they didn’t know. Such divine utterance is called speaking Read more about 560 Pentecost Reversing Babel (Sean Finnegan)[…]
This is part 4 of the Read the Bible For Yourself. Exegesis and application take work. Today you’ll learn how to grasp the content of scripture by asking the question, “What did this text mean to the original audience?” Looking for a book’s author, audience, occasion, and purpose will help you answer that question. Next, Read more about 534 Read the Bible for Yourself 4: How to Determine Content and Application[…]
Although most often defined as “peace,” the Hebrew word “shalom” is much bigger than that. It refers to not only the absence of war, but also the presence of wholeness and safety. In this sermon you’ll gain a better understanding of this important biblical word as well as what God’s heart is for shalom in Read more about 530 God’s Heart for Shalom[…]
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts In Deuteronomy Moses famously taught the Jewish people the Shema–the heart of Judaism. He told them to repeat those words day in and day out: when they sit, when they walk, whey they lie down, and when they rise. In fact God built many mechanisms to Read more about 529 Remember![…]
Let’s face it the New Testament probably calls Jesus God (or god) a couple of times and so do early Christian authors in the second century. However, no one offers much of an explanation for what they mean by the title. Did early Christians think Jesus was God because he represented Yahweh? Did they think Read more about 521 The Deity of Christ from a Greco-Roman Perspective (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Do you struggle with evangelism? Do you feel like you should tell others about the gospel and yet, you can’t seem to find a way to do that? If so, then this episode is for you. Part of our aim here at Restitutio is not just exploring the bible and church history to recover authentic Read more about 510 Hospitality Evangelism (Sean Finnegan)[…]
The Key of Truth is a fascinating book, written by a sect of Armenian Unitarian Christians in the 1700s. Originally under Muslim rule, this group of Christians migrated to Russian-controlled Armenia in the nineteenth century. Sadly, they faced investigation, persecution, fines, and probably exile at the hands of the Armenian Church authorities. Although lost to Read more about 505 The Key of Truth: A Monument of Armenian Unitarianism[…]
Today we’re taking a little break from our Scripture and Science class for an author interview. I’m talking with Mary DeMuth who wrote, Love, Pray, Listen, which is about parenting wayward adult kids with joy. Because faith is not genetic, our children get to decide for themselves whether or not they will follow Jesus. Some Read more about 467 Parenting Wayward Adult Children (Mary DeMuth)[…]
Have you heard of oneness theology? Also called “Jesus only,” this is the idea that Jesus is all there is. Jesus is the Father; Jesus is the Holy Spirit. Jesus has manifested himself in many ways over the years, but there is only one individual or self who is God. Although not exclusive to the Read more about 457 From Oneness to One (J. Dan Gill)[…]
Why is Christianity awesome? Answering this question is a good exercise for us. So often we hear about why Christianity is terrible, especially in the eyes of the world. Many of these critiques are important and we should be humble enough to listen to problems, both real and perceived. However, my goal today is to Read more about 456 Why Christianity Is Awesome (Sean Finnegan)[…]
A couple of weeks ago I got to speak at the Church of God’s annual youth camp at Manchester University in rural Indiana. The week focused on all the different passions that we too easily allow to take God’s spot in our hearts. Timypaul Lupe gave the message before mine in which he urged the Read more about 455 Is God on the Throne in Your Heart? (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Last Sunday, I shared this message about God’s amazing grace. Instead of focusing on how gracious, merciful, and forgiving God is, I labored to explain why we don’t deserve God’s grace. I’ve observed this not only in my own journey, but also with many others who grow up in the church. We hear a thousand Read more about 454 Amazing Grace (Sean Finnegan)[…]
What is the gospel? No, I’m not talking about the biographies of Jesus or catchy music. I mean, what is the message of salvation that Jesus commissioned us to preach? Pastor Victor Gluckin of Living Faith Christian Church in Rhode Island masterfully explains what the gospel is and does. The gospel is not good advice Read more about 452 What Is the Gospel We Preach? (Victor Gluckin)[…]
In our last episode, Dr. Jerry Wierwille led us through a contextual overview of Hebrews 1 and 2 in order to situate Hebrews 1.10-12. Today, we’ll consider seven interpretations of Hebrews 1.10-12, including: Father as referent, doxology Jesus as creator of Genesis creation Jesus as creator of figurative heaven and earth (referring to people and Read more about 450 Seven Interpretive Options for Hebrews 1.10-12 (Jerry Wierwille)[…]
Hebrews 1.10-12 is a confusing passage for many of us. It seems to say that Jesus created the heavens and the earth in the beginning. Today we are beginning a three part series in which Dr. Jerry Wierwille will address this important passage in context. Our first part is Wierwille’s presentation from last year’s UCA Read more about 449 Intertextuality and Interpretation of Hebrews 1 (Jerry Wierwille)[…]
Today we are addressing Progressive Christianity. To be clear, we are not talking about politics, though they often go hand in hand. Progressive Christianity is an outgrowth of liberal Christianity, which accepted the modernist ethos of the Enlightenment and merged it with Christianity. Likewise Progressive Christianity brings the assumptions and moral commitments of postmodernism to Read more about 448 What’s Wrong with Progressive Christianity? (Mike Winger)[…]
Power and kindness rarely go together. I don’t know about you, but I’m so thankful the most powerful being in the universe is also exceedingly compassionate! In fact, when he revealed himself to Moses, compassion was the first attribute he declared about himself. We see the outworking of God’s compassion in the laws he provided Read more about 447 God Is Compassionate (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Tribalism is a major problem in our society today. If we’re honest, tribalism is a major problem in Christianity today. If I’m really honest, I have to admit that tribalism is a major problem in me today. Do you feel it too? Are you tempted to blow your ideological, theological, or political enemies out of Read more about 441 Tribalism in Times Like These[…]
The Trinity remains a massively popular theory to understand God in Christianity today as it has since the fourth century. Some go so far as to condemn any attempt to understand the concept while others are content to allow their faith to seek understanding (fides quarens intelectum). Nevertheless, most Christians have never honestly assessed this Read more about 438 Is God a Trinity of Persons? (Sean Finnegan)[…]
In a world where self-identifying as a Christ-follower draws criticism, exclusion, and persecution, it’s important for us to remember the words of our Lord. He said we are salt and we are light. But, what does it mean to be salty and shining? In this message, my hope is that you’ll be challenged to stick Read more about 436 Salt and Light (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Did you know that scholars who work on Jesus divide starkly into two major camps? On the one hand, the evangelicals do such great work on the existence of God, the historicity of the resurrection, and the reliability of Scripture. But, then they read the Gospels through the filter of their theological commitments, always coming Read more about 428 Looking for the Historical Jesus between Evangelical and Liberal Scholarship (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Why did Jesus die? Why couldn’t God just forgive all our sins? How did Jesus’ death pay for sin? How can someone else die for my sins? Questions like these are what atonement theories strive to answer. Throughout the history of Christianity a half dozen prominent theories have vied for adherents. In what follows I Read more about 427 Why Did Jesus Die? Exploring Atonement Theories (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Is the Son equal with the Father or is he subordinate? Thinking Christians have struggled over the tension between the traditional doctrine of coequality between Father and Son, on the one hand, and the dozens upon dozens of scriptures that either imply our explicitly teach the Father’s supremacy over his Son. Two ways of solving Read more about 426 The Father Is Greater Than I: Exploring Biblical Subordination (Sean Finnegan)[…]
What does the bible say about hell? Though many Christians believe hell is where the wicked suffer eternal conscious torment, this view contradicts dozens of scriptures about the fate of the wicked. In this masterful presentation, hell expert, Edward Fudge, works through not only the bible, but also intertestamental literature and church history to show Read more about 425 Hell Is the Fire That Consumes (Edward Fudge)[…]
This is part 14 of the One God Over All class. After a brief sketch of one God believers throughout time, we’ll consider how well positioned we are today to publish this truth. We may be few, but we are mighty, motivated, and making a difference! Additionally, we’ll consider a few important questions like (1) Read more about 424 One God 14: One God Today[…]
When was the last time you heard a sermon about singleness? Married people have lots of sermons, classes, books, and conferences dedicated to them, but singles are largely ignored. Today, Matthew Elton, himself a single millennial, shares what Jesus and Paul have to teach us about the incredible advantages of singleness for God’s people. Far Read more about 409 Serving God as a Single Person (Matthew Elton)[…]
How should those of us committed to a biblical sexual ethic treat those who are same-sex attracted or who identify as the opposite sex? In our polarized world, it seems like only two options are available to us: (1) we accept, approve, and celebrate LGBT+ lifestyles or (2) we deny, denigrate, and dismiss them. Either Read more about 407 Reaching LGBT+ People (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part 2 of the Why Christianity class. It’s so easy to universalize our own local context. For example, I (Sean) live in a secular, post-Catholic part of New York state. It would be easy for me to think that most of the state or Read more about 389 Why Christianity 2: Lay of the Land (Sean Finnegan)[…]
What do you do when everything is stripped away? You find out who you really are. In this sermon you’ll see what happened in ancient Judah when the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem, ultimately resulting in utter destruction, humiliating shame, and forcible deportation. Although our times today can’t really compare to the level of suffering these people Read more about 387 God Is Enough (Sean Finnegan)[…]
As our society increases in polarization and ideological tribalism, it’s easy to become thin-skinned, taking offense at the slightest remark. Even certain words can trigger us to explode in outrage and vitriol. What are we to do? Should we cloister ourselves in echo chambers, surrounded by those who already agree with us? Should we listen Read more about 374 I’m Offended (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Gratitude is a key to spiritually healthy living. We have so many reasons to be thankful, but in this message, I’d like to focus on just five: Thankful because God Commanded It Thankful for the Basics Thankful for the Family of God Thankful for God’s Attention Thankful for the Cross As God’s people, our lives Read more about 302 Five Reasons to Thank God (Sean Finnegan)[…]
We’ve had quite a number of folks commenting in on episode 299, my interview with Dr. Jerry Wierwille, called “Does the Bible Support Abortion“. That episode was very limited to focusing on a couple of texts relevant to building a Christian perspective on abortion. Essentially, we concluded, as on several previous episodes, that abortion-on-demand doesn’t Read more about 301 The Bible’s View of the Body (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Jesus once said, “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here” (Luke 11.31). In our wisdom series so far, we’ve Read more about 297 The Gospels: Jesus’ Wisdom (Daniel Calcagno)[…]
Like Job, the book of Ecclesiastes wrestles with anomalies to the general principles of wisdom contained in much of the bible. Sometimes our world functions in chaotic and unpredictable ways. Sometimes the race is not won by the swift, nor the battle by the strong, nor bread harvested by the wise, nor riches acquired by Read more about 296 Ecclesiastes: Meaningful Life (Victor Gluckin)[…]
The Hebrew Bible contains different kinds of wisdom literature. For example, wise sayings in Proverbs typically express general principles, providing guidance for what to do when the world is working the way it’s supposed to. However, Job deals with just the opposite issue. What happens when you do everything right and still face extraordinary loss Read more about 295 Job: It’s Complicated (Sean Finnegan)[…]
What is the book of Proverbs all about and what can this book teach you about wisdom? Join Jerry Wierwille as he leads you through Proverbs to gain key insights to be able to read it and benefit from it on your own. Proverbs are not merely cutesy clever sayings, but helpful insights into how Read more about 294 Proverbs: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World (Jerry Wierwille)[…]
Have you ever heard the saying, “doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results is the definition of insanity?” It certainly sounds foolish to try the same approach over and over, thinking something different will happen. So often, what we need is not more education or life hacks, but bona-fide wisdom. Today Read more about 293 What Is Wisdom? (Stan Chee)[…]
Now I realize we are in the middle of our theology class, but I thought this would be a good time to take a quick break and put out my recent presentation from Restoration Fellowship’s 2019 Theological Conference, titled, “The Trinity before Nicea.” Next week we’ll get back to theology and build up a biblical Read more about 175 Did Christians Believe in the Trinity before 325 (Council of Nicea)?[…]
In this presentation you’ll learn about the core creed of the bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, the Shema, and how that relates to the smattering of texts in which Jesus may be called “God.” If Yahweh alone is God then how can Jesus be God too? Are there two Gods or is Read more about 163 Jesus, God’s Agent[…]
We continue our refutation of Michael Brown’s opening statement by addressing a whole smattering of texts, including Isaiah 9.6, John 20.28, Colossians 2.9, 2 Peter 1.1, Romans 9.5, and 1 John 5.20. We explain and debunk Brown’s unusual singular verb argument from 1 Thess 3.13, 2 Thess 2.16-17, and Rev 22.3-4. We briefly touch upon Read more about 162 Refuting Michael Brown’s Case for the Trinity 4[…]
We continue our refutation of Michael Brown’s opening statement by addressing some alleged pre-existence texts in John 17.5, John 12.41, Philippians 2.6-11, and Matthew 23.37. (See previous episodes here.) Lastly we spend some considerable time working through Hebrews 1, giving special attention to verses 8 and 10. To help you follow along, here is the Read more about 161 Refuting Michael Brown’s Case for the Trinity 3[…]
In this episode we tackle the next chunk of Michael Brown’s opening statement in the recent Trinity debate. We address his argument that since God’s words remain forever and Christ’s words remain forever, they must be the same (cf. Mat 24.35 vs. Isaiah 40.7-8). Next we briefly explain the grammatical issues related to Titus 2.13 Read more about 160 Refuting Michael Brown’s Case for the Trinity 2[…]
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Jerry Wierwille and I systematically refute Michael Brown’s problematic case for the deity of Christ in his recent debate with Dale Tuggy. Due to the number of texts Brown crammed into his opening statement, this will have to be a multipart series. In this episode we Read more about 159 Refuting Michael Brown’s Case for the Trinity 1[…]
Last night Michael Brown (PhD NYU) and Dale Tuggy (PhD Brown U) debated the question, “Is the God of the Bible the Father Alone?” Tuggy affirmed while Brown denied. Both scholars recognize the inspiration and the authority of scripture over tradition. Both made an effort to found their beliefs using the bible, reason, and history. Read more about 158 Dale Tuggy vs. Michael Brown Debate: Is the God of the Bible the Father Alone?[…]
Q: How do you know the bible is true? A: Because God wrote it. Q: How do you know God wrote it? A: Because the bible says God wrote it. Q: But, how do you know the bible is true? Here we encounter the classic circular argument for the bible’s inspiration. Surely, there’s a better Read more about 155 God’s Book (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Our world seems intent on trotting out the same extremist examples of Christianity as either a homophobic religion (think Westboro Baptist Church) or a totally accepting faith (think Episcopalians). However, these are not the only positions Christians take on this subject. In this talk, Wesley Hill, assistant professor of biblical studies at Trinity School for Read more about 154 Spiritual Friendship: Celibacy as a Call to Love (Wesley Hill)[…]
Our culture longs for authenticity. We’re tired of fakers and phonies who say one thing and do another. People should just be true to themselves and have the courage to flout tradition when it holds them back from genuine self-expression. However, this mentality results in major individual and social problems from sexually transmitted diseases to Read more about 153 Be You — Colossians 3 (Sean Finnegan)[…]
When it comes to Genesis 1, Christians tend to divide into two major camps: old earth and young earth creationists. The former sees the days as long periods of time (e.g. Hugh Ross) while the latter insists on literal twenty-four hour periods (e.g. Ken Ham). Professor John Walton of Wheaton College advocates for a different Read more about 152 Why Didn’t God Call the Light Light? (John Walton)[…]
Do you ever stop and marvel at God’s creation? Are you in wonder at what he has made? Too often we take God’s masterful creations for granted, instead of seeing them as pointers back to God’s ingenuity, generosity, and artistry. Although we can’t always take time out to praise God for plums, palm trees, and Read more about 151 God of Wonder (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Last week we examined what the bible teaches about heaven. This week we’ll see what it says about hell. John Cortright explains there are three meanings of hell in scripture, including tartarus where fallen angels are temporarily imprisoned, hades/sheol where the dead remain until resurrection, and gehenna where the wicked are destroyed in the final Read more about 150 What Is Hell? (John Cortright)[…]
What is heaven? Throughout the bible we find different layers of meaning, including (1) heaven as sky, (2) heaven as God’s throne, and (3) heaven as God’s realm or dimension. Although heaven is a reality, it is not where we go when we die. Rather the bible teaches that the dead are asleep until the Read more about 149 Heaven’s for the Birds (Sean Finnegan)[…]
In this concluding teaching of our apologetics conference, John Truitt gleans from Christ’s example key ways that we can imitate him in our own evangelistic efforts today. He begins by looking how Jesus was completely obedient to God and how he prepared himself (both in knowledge and experience). Next Truitt urges us to get moving, Read more about 148 Apologetics Conference: 6 Evangelism, Jesus’ Way (John Truitt)[…]
Have you ever been in a corn maze? The reason they work is because you can only see right in front of you. If you had a live drone feed, you could easily orient yourself and find the way out. This is the benefit of history. We live in a postmodern culture, but it’s hard Read more about 147 Apologetics Conference: 5 Metanarratives and Failed Promises[…]
How should we think through the different major religions of our time? Are they all the same? What are their differences? In this presentation, philosopher of religion, Dale Tuggy, works through key questions that can help us differentiate and distinguish religions from each other. In the second half of his talk, he invites the audience Read more about 146 Apologetics Conference: 4 Are All Religions the Same? (Dale Tuggy)[…]
How do you know the difference between what’s right and wrong? Do morals have an absolute source or does society determine them? In this talk, Kenny Willenburg explains the classic moral argument as well as how we can use this approach to “turn the tables” when people object to Christianity on moral grounds. I’ve also Read more about 145 Apologetics Conference 3: Moral Argument (Kenny Willenburg)[…]
In the second presentation of this Apologetics Conference, we delve into a comparison of three major time periods: (1) the age of authority, (2) the age of reason, and (3) the age of authenticity. We look at how people practiced their faith in each as well as what criticisms apologists answered. For our post-modern time, Read more about 144 Apologetics Conference 2: A Strategy to Reach Our Postmodern World (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Today we are starting something new. I’m very excited to present to you in its entirety, the apologetics conference held in Paducah, KY last June. We’ve got a great line up of speakers for you including Jerry Wierwille, myself, Kenny Willenburg, Dale Tuggy, Kegan Chandler, and John Truitt. It was a wonderful time of meeting Read more about 143 Apologetics Conference 1: The Problem of Privatization (Jerry Wierwille)[…]
This is part 6 of the Calvinism Debate Can you lose your salvation? If God saves someone, will they always persevere? What about people who leave the church? These are important questions and they are at the heart of this last discussion on Calvinism. Blake affirms that after regeneration, absolutely nothing can separate someone from Read more about 142 Calvinism vs. Arminianism 6: Perseverance of the Saints[…]
This is part 5 of the Calvinism Debate When God calls you, can you say, “No?” According to Calvinism, God’s grace is irresistible, meaning when he determines to save someone, he always achieves his goal. In other words, his call is always effectual. On the other side, Arminianism teaches that God offers grace, but people Read more about 141 Calvinism vs. Arminianism 5: Irresistible Grace[…]
This is part 4 of the Calvinism Debate Did Jesus die to make it possible for anyone to be saved or did he only die for the elect? In this discussion between Blake Cortright and Jacob Rohrer, they discuss this important issue and how it relates to evangelism. Blake affirms limited atonement while Jacob argues Read more about 140 Calvinism vs. Arminianism 4: Limited Atonement[…]
This is part 3 of the Calvinism Debate Does God predestine everyone who will ever be saved before they’re even born? Blake affirms that not only does God choose whom he will save in eternity past, but he did so without regard to any conditions or qualities of what these people will do. Jacob denies, Read more about 139 Calvinism vs. Arminianism 3: Unconditional Election[…]
This is part 2 of the Calvinism Debate Just how fallen are we? What does it mean to be dead in trespasses and sins? Are we so depraved and mired in sin that we cannot even have faith in God? Blake Cortright says answers, “Yes.” Unless God quickens us through his spirit, we are innately Read more about 138 Calvinism vs. Arminianism 2: Total Depravity[…]
This is part 1 of the Calvinism Debate Today we begin an extended series on Calvinism and Arminianism. For those of you not familiar, Calvinism, named after John Calvin (d. 1564), holds that God sovereignly chooses and effectually saves all whom he decides to save based on his predestined will whereas Arminianism, named for Jacobus Read more about 137 Calvinism vs. Arminianism 1: Introduction[…]
Join Professor N. T. Wright as he shows how well Paul’s epistles fit with the Hebrew prophets and the Gospels. Rather than seeing Paul as the purveyor of a heavenly hope wherein saints may enjoy disembodied bliss, Wright highlights a number of key passages that unlock Paul’s kingdom-centered hope. —— Links —— Take a look Read more about 136 Whatever Did St. Paul Do with the Kingdom of God? (N. T. Wright)[…]
Have you ever heard the martyrdom argument for the resurrection of Jesus? It goes something like this. Jesus’ apostles faced persecution and martyrdom for their confession that God raised Jesus from the dead, sealing their witness with their blood. Why would they die for a lie? Their martyrdom unequivocally proves that they sincerely believed in Read more about 135 The Fate of the Apostles (Sean McDowell)[…]
Have you ever read the book of Ruth? Though it’s only four chapters, it contains timeless truths that can help us today. Our culture puts an incredible amount of pressure on spouses to never change, be perfectly compatible, and fulfill our deepest longings that it’s no wonder that singles often can’t seem to find the Read more about 134 Finding the Love of Your Life (Book of Ruth)[…]
Mary Willson, director of women’s initiatives for the Gospel Coalition, wrestles with a couple of the Old Testament texts that critics use to show that God hates women, including Deuteronomy 21.10-14 and Numbers 5.11-31. First she looks at how we perceive these ancient scriptures from the perspective of our own culture, then she shows how Read more about 133 Is God a Misogynist? (Mary Willson)[…]
How do you deal with difficult people? Jesus teaches us that there’s nothing noteworthy about showing love to those who love us. Rather, he says we are to be like God who sends rain on the just and the wicked. He calls us to love annoying people, boring people, monopolizing people, vengeful people, shallow people, Read more about 131 Love without Limits (Victor Gluckin)[…]
Hear the winding tale of early Christian history in the Americas with a special focus on the thirteen colonies. Right from the start the Americas were full of Christian diversity including Catholicism, the Church of England, Puritans, Baptists, and Quakers. In this lecture you’ll see how this diversity led to an unprecedented level of religious Read more about 128 Colonials and Methodists (Five Hundred 12)[…]
Have you ever thought about what it must have been like for Adam and Eve have that conversation after the Fall, after they had become ashamed of what they had done and they had to come to grips with the new reality. In this stunning piece of poetry, written by Preston and Jackie Perry, we Read more about 123 The Fall by Preston & Jackie Perry[…]
Have you ever read about the time Uzzah touched the ark and God struck him down? When’s the last time you heard a sermon preached on this text? Anytime I’ve reflected on this passage, I’m so focused on trying to explain how God could be just in carrying out this judgment that I’ve missed the Read more about 115 Don’t Put It on a Cart (Victor Gluckin)[…]
Divorce is a painful and complicated subject to talk about in America today where about half of all marriages end in divorce. Our laws have changed to accept “no-fault” divorce and many of us are unaware of what the bible teaches on this critical subject. To figure out the biblical perspective on divorce and remarriage, Read more about 114 Divorce and Remarriage (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Stanley Chee of the Christian Disciples Church in Toronto, Canada shares a brief overview of how the doctrine of the trinity developed in the first four centuries. Pulling on the work of Eric Chang, Bentley Chan, Hans Kung, and Richard Rubenstein, Chee explains four major factors that played a role in this process: The church’s Read more about 113 Trinity History (Stan Chee)[…]
We all get beaten down in life. Whether it’s catastrophes like hurricanes, shootings, or economic meltdowns, or just dealing with the day to day demands and responsibilities of life, we all go through periods of dryness, feeling like we aren’t making a difference. This is where Elijah’s example is particularly pertinent. Having reached the peak Read more about 112 God’s Not Done with You Yet (Sean Finnegan)[…]
The first verse of John’s Gospel reads: “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” Typically, Christians understand the Word to refer to the Son and God to refer to the Father. However, as John Schoenheit explains, this reading owes more to later trinitarian theology than Read more about 111 John 1.1 Explained (John Schoenheit)[…]
This world is not my home I’m just a passing through My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore Oh lord you know I have no friend like you If heaven’s not my home then lord Read more about 110 Heaven Is Not My Home (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Sid Hatch, a former Baptist minister and graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary explains his reasons for questioning the Trinity. Ultimately he concluded the bible does not teach that Jesus is “God the Son” but that he is “the Son of God.” In this presentation, he discusses various key texts including John 1.1 and Philippians 2.1-9 Read more about 109 Five Reasons I Changed my Mind about the Trinity (Sid Hatch)[…]
Are you a missionary? Although we typically think of missionaries as those who travel to foreign lands to share the gospel with people, the simple fact is that we are all called to the work of sharing the gospel. Furthermore, as HeartCry Missionary Society points out, indigenous missionaries have huge advantages over foreign missionaries since Read more about 108 Indigenous Missionaries (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Service is an important part of Christian living. We are not spectators waiting to be entertained, but participants looking for ways to help out. In this sermon, John Cortright shows what Jesus taught us about service at the last supper as well as what sort of attitude we should have. So often we either critique Read more about 107 Each One Serve (John Cortright)[…]
Nicholas Hlifka grew up as an atheist until a Christian teacher shared his faith with him in high school. While attending the State University of New York at Fredonia, he took a class with Dale Tuggy. When he found out that Tuggy was a biblical unitarian, he was immediately wary of such a heretical belief. Read more about 96: Nicholas Hlifka Faith Journey (2017 Theo. Conf.)[…]
After a bad divorce, Chad Hoffman became a Christian. He attended a number of different churches and something didn’t sit right at each. In 2006, he was diagnosed with a inoperable tumor on his brain stem. After some treatment it shrank and grew back. During this tumultuous time, he started considering what he believed about Read more about 95: Chad Hoffman Faith Journey (2017 Theo. Conf.)[…]
Steve and Phyllis Carouthers have attended many churches throughout their Christian journey. A couple of years ago Phyllis was researching the gifts of the spirit and came across an article on the Truth or Tradition website and saw that they were biblical unitarians. Initially she found this quite disturbing as she associated all unitarians with Read more about 94: Carouthers Family Faith Journey (2017 Theo. Conf.)[…]
Even though he grew up in the Calivinist Reformed tradition as a pastor’s kid, Jouke Elsinga was not sure he believed in God’s existence. After reading Frank Turek’s I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, he came to believe in God and started searching for apologetics. He came across my apologetics class on Read more about 93: Jouke Elsinga Faith Journey (2017 Theo. Conf.)[…]
Danny Tanner grew up in the Lutheran Church and later got heavily involved with the Brethren in Christ group. He’s served as a worship pastor, an associate pastor, and an executive pastor. Currently he’s involved in a church plant. Over the years he’s questioned his faith, but never let himself dive in deep enough to Read more about 92: Danny Tanner Faith Journey (2017 Theo. Conf.)[…]
While working in a casket factory as an upholsterer, one day Jeremy Bowders reflected on the fact that he would be in one eventually. He began asking the big questions about his life’s purpose. He began reading the bible and became a Christian. In the course of researching open theism, he read an article by Read more about 91: Jeremy Bowders Faith Journey (2017 Theo. Conf.)[…]
Having overcome his desire to remain in the background, Jonathen Favors boldly shared his testimony of coming to understand who God is. After a severe football injury, he had a lot of time to spend time with and think about God. While attending BIOLA University, he had learned that the title “Son of God” is Read more about 90: Jonathen Favors Faith Journey (2017 Theo. Conf.)[…]
Simply put, restorationism is the approach to Christianity that seeks to compare accepted doctrines and practices against the bible to see if they are valid. Our intention is to recover authentic New Testament Christianity and live it out today. We hold God’s inspired scriptures above traditions, creeds, and clergy. The time is ripe for us Read more about 88: Restorationist Manifesto[…]
In the last episode (Boundaries for Same-Sex Attraction), we looked at what the bible says about same-sex attraction. In this one, we consider seven important questions about gay and lesbian Christians: How should same-sex attracted Christians think of themselves? Isn’t the Christian sexual ethic harmful to gays and lesbians? Is having same-sex feelings a sin? Read more about Podcast 83: Questions about Gay and Lesbian Christians[…]
Is it a sin to be gay? What does the bible say about same-sex attraction? In this episode you’ll become familiar with the relevant scriptures that talk about homosexuality. You’ll also learn what arsenokoitai (ἀρσενοκοῖται) means in 1 Corinthians 6.9, a key battleground text for discussions of biblical sexuality. Here the Apostle Paul pulls from Read more about Podcast 82: Biblical Boundaries for Same-Sex Attraction[…]
Jackie Hill-Perry used to dress like a boy to go out and pick up girls. She ended up in a long-term relationship with another woman, but then she came to a sudden realization that she was living a lie. She’s completely changed her life and now embraces her femininity and even got married to a Read more about Podcast 81: My Life as a Stud (Jackie Hill-Perry)[…]
The best chapter on resurrection in the bible is 1 Corinthians 15. In it, the Apostle Paul masterfully lays out the Christian position on resurrection while overcoming common objections in the culture. As it turns out, people living in Corinth thought the idea of resurrection seemed real bizarre. Looking at tombstone inscriptions, Plato’s Phaedo, and Read more about Podcast 80: Resurrection People (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Are you embarrassed of your non-traditional beliefs about God? Victor Gluckin says that it’s time to stand up for what we believe. Believing God is one (instead of three-in-one) is not some sort of fringe doctrine; it’s at the very heart of biblical faith. After all, Jesus himself identified the Jewish “shema” as the most Read more about Podcast 79: Proud of Our God (Victor Gluckin)[…]
No one joined the Pharisees out of desire to practice professional hypocrisy. They were the devout, the separated, the ones who took God and holiness seriously. However, by the time of Jesus, they had confused godliness with self-righteousness and lost compassion in the process. It’s so easy for us to root for Jesus as he Read more about Podcast 78: The Insidious Danger of Self-Righteousness (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Covetousness, self-reliance, and envy can rob us of gratitude and contentedness. So much of our world programs us to feel restless, entitled, and discontent regarding our possessions, how we look, our work, and our relationships. Have you ever asked yourself, “How much is enough?” Taking his cue from the Apostle Paul, John Cortright shares the Read more about Podcast 77: God Is Enough (John Cortright)[…]
Saint Patrick is one of the most courageous missionaries of Christian history. Although revelers mark his day with debauchery and drunkenness, he pursued holiness and risked his life to preach to the Irish barbarians. He held out to the ancient Irish tribes a promise of protection from their gods and demons, if only they would Read more about Podcast 76: The Real St. Patrick (Sean Finnegan)[…]
The history of Christianity can sometimes be really depressing, especially when we look at the “heresy hunters.” From Justin Martyr and Irenaues in the second century to Athanasius and Epiphanius of the fourth century, as Christians we progressively came to define ourselves on the basis of what we don’t believe. As a result, so much Read more about Podcast 75: Heretic! 4 Approaches to Dropping H-Bombs (Dale Tuggy)[…]
We all have competing impulses within us vying for our attention and expression. How do you know which ones to amplify and which to repress? How should we think of ourselves? Are we powerful and valuable creatures made in God’s image or accidental byproducts of time plus chance plus matter? In order to live out Read more about Podcast 74: Which You Are You? (Sean Finnegan)[…]
How should Christians relate to the government? In this sermon, Vince Finnegan works through Romans 13 to show how we should relate to the powers that be. Ultimately God is in charge of raising up and tearing down regimes and nations over the course of human history. Our goal is to love one another as Read more about Podcast 73: Relating to the Government (Vince Finnegan)[…]
What is true freedom? We tend to think of freedom as the lack of restrictions so that we can do whatever we want. However, I want to make the case that freedoms is not the lack of boundaries, but finding the right ones to enable us to be our best for God. After God liberated Read more about Podcast 72: Free as a Fish on Land (Sean Finnegan)[…]
In this vintage message, Sir Anthony Buzzard makes the case that the gospel Jesus preached was about the kingdom. Although Jesus remains incredibly popular all around the world today, his message remains obscured even among many sincere followers. How can we call ourselves Christians if we are ignorant of Christ’s proclamation? The kingdom is not Read more about Podcast 71: What Good Is Jesus without His Gospel? (Anthony Buzzard)[…]
The gospel is the message we believe in that results in immortality (2 Tim 1.7-10). If I were the devil, I would target the gospel message so that even if some Christians rustled up the courage to actually share it with others, they’d have a distorted or partial message. In fact, scripture tells us that Read more about Podcast 70: Getting the Gospel Right (Sean Finnegan)[…]
We hear a particular narrative over and over: “Gay teen courageously comes out to Christian parents and faces consequences.” This is the hero’s journey of the early 21st century. From gay pride marches to hit songs to movies and TV shows, this story is ubiquitous in our culture. For example, I used to listen to Read more about Podcast 69: Teen Comes out as Christian to Gay Parents (Caleb Kaltenbach)[…]
Did you make any new year’s resolutions this year? We are now three weeks into 2017 and I bet many of us have already reverted to our old ways. However, what I want to propose here is not a new habit or a trick to stop an old one. Rather, I want to encourage you Read more about Podcast 68: Soli Deo Gloria (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Martin Luther King Jr. day is on Monday, so I thought this would be a good time to replay a phenomenal debate on the question of whether or not Christians should use violence or participate in the military. Peter Kreeft and J. Daryl Charles defend the classic just war position while David Bercot and Dean Read more about Podcast 67: It’s Just War (Debate)[…]
Pastor Victor Gluckin of Living Faith Christian Church (Warwick, RI) shares about his journey of faith. He was Mr. Popularity in High School; everyone loved him. However, he was spiritually dead and lifted up with pride. His breaking point came when he left his small town and attended George Washington University in DC. He planned Read more about Podcast 66: What I’ve Been Saved From (Victor Gluckin)[…]
What do you believe about holiness? Do you view it as an impossible ideal? Slogans like “I’m not perfect, just forgiven” and “I don’t want to be holier than thou” show how uncomfortable we are with this whole subject. Even so, God calls us to be holy as he is holy. We cannot ignore or Read more about Podcast 60: Be Ye Holy for I Am Holy (Keith Daniel)[…]
How much time do you spend with God alone? Do you have a quiet time each day for scripture reading and prayer and meditation? Drawing on the image of the vine in John 15, Keith Daniel passionately advocates for a daily devotional time to abide in him. He argues that this time is the key Read more about Podcast 49: Abide in Me (Keith Daniel)[…]
Have you heard about Esther’s courage? She had the audacity to stand for God in an incredibly dark time. Though the Persian Empire had decreed the genocide of her people, she could have easily remained in the closet about her ethnicity and enjoyed the comforts of the palace. Nonetheless, she would not stand idly by, Read more about Podcast 48: The Courage of Esther (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Richard Hays, Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School, explains the incredible effect Jesus’ resurrection has on theology and practice. His lecture divides into two parts: (1) a proper New Testament understanding of the resurrection requires a robust affirmation of the resurrection of the body and (2) resurrection of the body is a sign Read more about Podcast 47: Resurrection Implications (Richard Hays)[…]
What do you believe about hospitality? The scriptures lay out three major kinds: (1) hospitality to the saints; (2) hospitality to the needy; (3) hospitality to the unbeliever. As it turns out showing hospitality is an important Christian practice, even if it takes courage to invite others into our houses. In our present age, hospitality Read more about Podcast 46: Hospitality Challenge (Sean Finnegan)[…]
This is now the third in a series of messages related to monotheism. Having established that the Father of Jesus is the only true God (John 17.3), we must be careful not denigrate or demote Jesus in any way. He is the perfect one who lived without sin and courageously faced death on behalf of Read more about Podcast 45: Talking with Jesus (John Cortright)[…]
by Sean Finnegan The Shema has been the core creed of Judaism from the time of Moses to today. It stands as an immovable witness to God’s identity as well as our proper relation to him. Even though Jesus confessed the Shema, most Christians today aren’t familiar with it. This is because after the New Read more about Podcast 44: The Immutable Shema (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Vince Finnegan From Exodus and Deuteronomy, God makes clear who he is and how he wants his chosen people to worship him. He is Yahweh, the one God of Israel, the only one. His identity does not change. Sadly, later on God became the victim of identity theft, as Christians developed the dogma of Read more about Podcast 43: Identity Theft (Vince Finnegan)[…]
Last week I attended a youth camp in Indiana called FUEL. They assigned me the text on the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). As I pondered and prayed how I should approach this powerful parable, I sensed God wanted me to interweave my own story in with the prodigal. As a result, I decided to share Read more about Podcast 42: My Testimony (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Tim Keller What drives you? What is that one person or thing or dream that you couldn’t live without? What thing if you lost it, could mean that almost all significance and value would be drained out of your life? Whatever that thing is, the bible calls it an idol, a counterfeit god. Tim Read more about Podcast 41: Counterfeit Gods (Tim Keller)[…]
by Victor Gluckin In this fantastic evangelism sermon, Victor Gluckin lays out a biblical case for why we should reach out and share our faith with others. His zeal is contagious, his reasoning cogent, and his passion inspiring. If you are anything like me, you need to be encouraged in this area of your Christian Read more about Podcast 24: Now Is Our Time To Speak (Victor Gluckin)[…]
by Sean Finnegan In Genesis 1.26, God says, “Let us make man in our image.” Since this is the creation of humanity, he couldn’t have been speaking to any humans. So whom was God speaking to? One common interpretation is to say he was speaking to another person within his being–God the Son. But, this Read more about Podcast 23: Let Us Make Man (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Blair Wingo Authentic Christianity requires both believing the biblical gospel as well as following Christ. Too often today we want to believe in Jesus as savior without following as lord. In this moving poem Blair Wingo sets the record straight. She appeals to the bible as the source for reintroducing the real Christ rather Read more about Podcast 22: Allow Me To Reintroduce the Christ (Blair Wingo)[…]
Most Christians never give worshiping Jesus a second thought. However, as biblical unitarians–those who believe the Father is the only true God–we do need to wrestle with this question. Some have argued that worshiping Jesus is tantamount to idolatry since we should only worship God. Others have taken the view that we can worship Jesus Read more about Podcast 21: Should We Worship Jesus? (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Paul Washer In this convicting sermon Paul Washer exposes the unholiness that pervades much of Christian youth culture. Although I do not agree with much of what Washer stands for, this message of his significantly affected my life. It not only inspired me to live for God wholeheartedly, but also exposed the sneaky ways Read more about Podcast 20: Shocking Youth Message (Paul Washer)[…]
by Sean Finnegan What happens when people die? In this sermon I mention show the biblical “evidence” for heaven, hell, purgatory, ghosts, and reincarnation before revealing the overwhelming number of texts supporting the sleep of the dead. Focusing on John’s Gospel, I establish that (1) the dead are in their tombs asleep until they hear Read more about Podcast 19: Death Then What? (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Steve Gregg vs. Tom Morris Once you become saved can you lose your salvation? Listen to this debate to hear both sides of this important question. Admittedly, the debate does seem to be a bit of a mismatch, since Gregg is extremely well prepared and Morris could not answer many of Gregg’s points. Even so, Read more about Podcast 18: Eternal Security: Steve Gregg vs. Tom Morris[…]
by Sean Finnegan According to Jesus no one should call him “Lord” if he or she does not do what he says. In other words, Christ says he wants followers not merely believers. Although hippie Jesus, one-and-done Jesus, American Jesus, prosperity Jesus, poverty Jesus, and part-time Jesus all vie for all attention, we encounter the Read more about Podcast 17: Follow (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Paris Reidhead One of the most famous classic sermons of all time, Paris Reidhead’s “Ten Shekels and a Shirt” calls into question why you serve God? From his account of missionary work to his observations of historic Christian preaching to other movements occurring in his own day, Reidhead weaves together an inspiring and very Read more about Podcast 16: Ten Shekels and a Shirt (Paris Reidhead)[…]
Here’s the original paper in pdf form. I presented this talk at the 18th Theological Conference held near Atlanta, GA. In it I present a case for the radical practice of loving our enemies. Whether you believe Christians can and should use violence to defend themselves or others or if you think more along the Read more about Podcast 15: A Theology of Nonviolence (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Joel Hemphill In this short but revealing testimony, famed southern gospel singer Joel Hemphill tells his journey from oneness to one. Growing up in the “Jesus only” movement, he preached and sung about Jesus as God until the Father began to show him the light. His transparent honesty comes through as he narrates of Read more about Podcast 14: My Story, His Glory (Joel Hemphill)[…]
by Sean Finnegan According to Hebrew bible expert, Walter Bruegemann, all of us live by a script. He contends that our society is constantly scripting us with technological, therapeutic, consumer militarism. In the words of the Apostle Paul, we must fight this tendency by refusing to conform to this world but be transformed by the Read more about Podcast 13: What’s Your Script? (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Keith Daniel So often husbands make grandiose declarations in the heat of the moment whereby they bind themselves to a destructive or vengeful course of action that inevitably results in shipwrecking their marriages. In this powerful sermon Keith Daniel provides sage advice for husbands and wives to stick together through the toughest times. As Read more about Podcast 12: Don’t Let Them Go (Keith Daniel)[…]
by Sean Finnegan Ephesians 6.12 tells us our struggle is not really against other humans but against spiritual forces. Learn how malignant powers influence people both directly (through demon possession) and indirectly (through the culture). Hopefully, this message will open your eyes to what is happening behind the scenes as Satan works to keep people Read more about Podcast 11: Wrestling against Spiritual Forces (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Chris Date & Phil Fernandez What does the bible teach about hell? In hell do the damned experience eternal conscious torment or are they annihilated? Phil Fernandes affirms the “traditional” view of a fiery torture chamber whereas Chris Date defends the proposition that God will destroy people in the fire. Obviously, I have a Read more about Podcast 10: Is Hell Forever? Chris Date vs. Phil Fernandez[…]
by Sean Finnegan What’s the difference between God and Jesus. Many Christians believe they are mysteriously one in being, but what do the scriptures teach? It turns out the bible clearly distinguishes between these two individuals and their attributes preclude their metaphysical oneness. Listen in to hear the evidence for why Jesus is the son Read more about Podcast 9: God and Jesus: An Overview (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Sean Finnegan Why did Jesus so often tell people to be quiet when they discovered he was the messiah? Christianity is all about telling the world this truth. In fact, Jesus’ last words–the Great Commission–include the mandate to spread the gospel around the world. So, why was it that in his own ministry he Read more about Podcast 7: The Secret Messiah & the Triumphal Entry (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Keith Daniel Hailing from South Africa, Keith Daniel is one of the best preachers I’ve ever heard. His unmitigated passion and lived experience colors his biblical exposition in a way that urges the listener to be better for God. This sermon is not really a sermon but a biography of his father. In it Read more about Podcast 6: My Godly Father (Keith Daniel)[…]
by Sean Finnegan Why do we believe that Jesus is the Jewish messiah? What is our evidence? Taking a look at contemporary miracle workers like Honi the Circle Drawer and Hanina ben Dosa, Jesus of Nazareth stands out as an exceptional healer and exorcist. Taking our cue from ancient Jewish interpretations of Isaiah 53, we Read more about Podcast 5: Miracles & Messiahs: How Jesus Best Fits Prophecy (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Craig Blomberg This is one of those areas where, as a preacher, I can’t help but be very sensitive. Although most pastors struggle with just enough to get by, a few have amassed great wealth or even embezzled people’s contributions. Because of some very public bad examples, people tend to be leery of listening Read more about Podcast 4: A Biblical Theology of Finance (Craig Blomberg)[…]
by Sean Finnegan Have you ever wondered what happened between the Old Testament and the New Testament? When the Old Testament closes the people have returned to their land after the 70 year captivity and are living under the Persian empire, though they have significant freedoms, including the right to worship God in the rebuilt Read more about Podcast 3: Between the Testaments (Sean Finnegan)[…]
by Ben Witherington III Have you heard about the controversial James Ossuary? An ossuary is a small coffin, often made of limestone, that the Jews in the second Temple period used for the bones of their deceased loved ones. Someone found an ossuary with the inscription “James son of Joseph, his brother is Jesus.” Could Read more about Podcast 2: James Ossuary (Ben Witherington)[…]
by Sean Finnegan What is the meaning of life? What is the reason to live? Why are you here? What are you living for? In what ways does your life make a difference? How do you lead a meaningful life? Listen to this message to discover not only what happiness experts says, but, more importantly, Read more about Podcast 1: Keys to a Meaningful Life (Sean Finnegan)[…]