Basic Bible Podcast

After a rough week of illness and trips to urgent care, the podcast is back! This we week take a look at the Jewish festival of Hanukkah through a Christian perspective. Joining me is Evangelist Mark Sohmer, himself a Jew who has embraced Christianity (You'll hear that testimony). We chat about what the celebration is all about along with a discussion of John 10 and Isaiah 53.  

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Back a few weeks ago in episode 9, we began looking at the subject of discipleship. As I should have expected, what was intended to be one episode turned into several. So, this episode will be part two of a three-part series. In this episode, Ray Jewell and I begin to examine several Scripture passages. We spend quite a bit of time talking about the need to be up front and honest about our own sin.  

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 How can you tell the difference between good preaching and bad preaching? Sometimes a message can be uplifting, encouraging and maybe even convicting yet still ultimately fall short. The key to a good sermon is Bible itself. Not every message is a Biblical message. To chat about this I've asked my friend Deryk Hayes to join us this week. Deryk is the interim pastor at First Baptist Church of Freeport, IL and a long-time, passionate student of preaching.

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Theology and Thanksgiving – they don’t seem to go together. In fact, it seems like a combination that might ruin a perfectly good family dinner. Yet, when we contemplate what thanksgiving really is, we cannot help but dip into some theology. Or perhaps the difficulties of your life are keeping from giving thanks. In that case a turn back to theology could be just thing to get our eyes back on the goodness of God. Joining us to talk about all of that is Cory Williams, campus pastor of Central Christian Church in Machesney Park, IL.

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How is it that false teaching creeps into the church? Why is that seemingly solid Christians fall prey to doctrine that contradicts the Word they claim to love? This week on the podcast we’ll be talking about the importance of and development of Biblical discernment. Joining us is the host of the popular radio program Iron Sharpens Iron, Chris Arnzen.  

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The Great Commission forces us out the door to spread the gospel throughout the entire world. Yet, sometimes we forget that evangelism alone is only doing half the task. In reality, conversion is just the beginning. We must be about the business of making disciples. What does this mean and what does this look like? Joining us for this three part conversation is Ray Jewell who you may remember from our introduction episode. Ray has experience as a pastor, teacher and author. You won’t want to miss this lively, passionate and sometimes humorous conversation.

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Last week we discussed the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. But the story doesn’t end with Luther and Germany. The Reformation would spread throughout Europe and into England with men like Thomas Cramner and William Tyndale. As more men began to read the Scriptures for themselves the truth began to shine clearly once again. We are once again joined by Dr. Brain Hanson of Bethlehem College and Seminary to delve in a little deeper into his research on the topic.

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Perhaps you've noticed all the talk about the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation this year. It was on October 31, 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany thus sparking a great movement away from the the Catholic Church and back to a Biblical understanding of grace and the gospel. But why are we still talking about it now? What was so special about it? On the program this week is Dr. Brian Hansen, an incredible scholar who is the Assistant Professor of Humanities and Theology at Bethlehem College and Seminary. He has done a great amount of study specifically in regards to the Reformation while working on his doctorate at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

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Here we are right in the middle of Pastor Appreciation Month, so what better subject to tackle than the pastorate? What is the Biblical role of the pastor? Some people have the mistaken idea that the pastor only works one day a week while others on the opposite end of the spectrum think he is the only one in the church qualified to do the work of the ministry. Joining us to dispel these myths and open the Scriptures with us is Pastor James White of the Lighthouse Community Church in Vernon, Alabama. He is also the host of the Everyday Ministry Podcast. So, if you really want to appreciate your pastor, listen in and find out just a little bit of the weight he carries.  

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You're saved, but now what? How does one grow in the faith? We know that Christ changes us from the inside out, but what does that actually mean? What if I'm not growing enough or not as much as other believers I know? We will talk about these questions and more as we discuss the doctrine of sanctification. We're joined this week by Dr. Philip Allen the pastor Daystar Christian Fellowship of South Beloit, IL.  

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