Bad Fruit Podcast

Bad Fruit Podcast is taking a short summer break! In this quick update, Jonathan shares what’s coming next, celebrates two years and 95 episodes of the podcast, thanks listeners around the world, and offers a small summer devotional reminder that rest, laughter, family, food, and joy are good gifts from God.

After spending two episodes doing a deep dive into the history of Pentecostalism, now we get to look at the specific Pentecostal denominations. You do not need to listen to the two history episodes before listening to this.

In Part 2 of our Pentecostalism series, we follow the family tree after Azusa Street. This episode traces the postwar healing revival, Oral Roberts, William Branham, Kathryn Kuhlman, the New Order of the Latter Rain, the Charismatic Movement, the Third Wave, Vineyard, the Toronto Blessing, televangelism, prosperity preaching, Bethel, IHOPKC, and the modern apostolic-prophetic world.

This is not a straight line. It is a family tree. Not every Pentecostal is Bethel, not every Charismatic is Word of Faith, and not every branch belongs in the same category. But if we want to understand modern evangelicalism, worship culture, healing ministries, prophetic networks, and the way millions of Christians talk about the Holy Spirit, we have to understand how this movement spread, mutated, and reshaped the modern church.

In this episode we look at the history of Pentecostalism, the origins and roots of the movement. From Wesleyan and Holiness theology to Topeka Kansas and Azusa Street. We look at some of the key figures of the early years. All the way up to the Oneness anti-Trinitarian controversy and the forming of the Assemblies of God.

In part two of the history we will look at the latter half of the 20th century and the Post-WWII evolution of Pentecostalism up to our modern day.

And in part 3 we will look at specific denominations and what they believe and what makes them distinct from one another.

If you have any questions or comments or just want to say hello, message us at [email protected]

Has Sunday morning become a marketplace to make corporations money? In this episode we talk about CCLI and the way worship has been monetized. We also talk about our favorite CCM bands and share some personal stories of our own time in bands.

In this episode Judah and Jonathan talk about the aftermath of Michael Tait and Newsboys fall from grace and the lawsuits that emerged in the wake of it all. We talk about Newsboys owner suing for $50 million because of lost revenue from charities. And then wander into a conversation about the Christian music industry in general.

Questions or comments? email us at [email protected] 

From the vault! This is a re-release of our 8th episode.

What is the Word of God? Is it the red letters in the Gospels and Revelation? Is it the totality of the Bible? Can it be when you share the Gospel with someone? Or when the pastor preaches?

In this episode Jonathan is joined by Pastor Koenig to talk about this important topic. We talk about the role of tradition and the difference between SOLA and SOLO scriptura.

Have questions or comments? Email us at [email protected] 

This week Judah and Jonathan review a sermon from our local megachurch. The sermon is over the first verse of James chapter two. The pastor adds in his own governing context to the verse that isn't there. And turns the verse into being about racism and prejudice instead of the actual context of the sin of partiality and showing favoritism towards the rich.

In this episode of Bad Fruit, Jonathan walks through the Lord’s Prayer petition by petition using Luther’s Small Catechism, the doctrine of the Two Kingdoms, and the distinction between the two kinds of righteousness.

What happens when Christ’s own prayer is recited over images of bombs, soldiers, flags, and military power?

Can Christians pray for soldiers and rulers? Absolutely.

But what happens when the state takes the church’s prayer and turns it into propaganda?

This episode explores the theological difference between prayer and political liturgy, between vocation and civil religion, and between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world.

Along the way, Jonathan reflects on recent uses of Easter imagery, divine sanction, and messianic political rhetoric surrounding the conflict with Iran, asking how Christians can remain clear-headed when sacred language is used to sanctify national power.

This is not an attack on military vocation or patriotism. It is a confessional Lutheran meditation on why the Lord’s Prayer belongs to the baptized, not to Caesar.