Welcome to our first-ever Bible Geeks Mini — a new, bite-sized episode for your busy week! We're kicking things off with a rapid-fire conversation on Prayer: Hacks and Hot Takes. First, we share practical tips to keep your prayer life fresh, from a simple app that helps you remember your prayer list to using the Lord's Prayer as a powerful daily template. Then, we serve up some "mildly microwaved" hot takes: Does your physical posture in prayer actually matter? And why do we really end every prayer with "in Jesus' name, amen"? (Spoiler: it's not a magic password).

The Big Idea: A healthy prayer life is less about following a rigid set of rules and more about finding a creative, honest rhythm of conversation with God.

This Week's Challenge: Pray through the Lord’s Prayer along with us.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 258 (VIDEO)
• Prayer Apps and Prayer Lists (BLOG)
• PrayMinder App (WEBSITE)
• The Lord's Prayer (PASSAGE)
• Lifting Up Holy Hands (PASSAGE)
• Ask In My Name (PASSAGE)
• The "Amen" Through Him (PASSAGE)
• Do Not Heap Up Empty Phrases (PASSAGE)

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Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the ultimate Old Testament face-off! In this corner: Joshua, the iconic leader who brought down the walls of Jericho. And in this corner: Caleb, the rugged warrior who waited 45 years to claim his mountain. These two titans of faith were the only spies who believed God's promise, but their paths were very different. Is it harder to be Joshua, the "front of house" leader stepping into Moses's massive sandals, or Caleb, the "back of house" mountain man who had to patiently wait 40 years in the wilderness? Join our friendly debate as we explore their unique strengths, their vital partnership, and why the very essence of faith might just be learning how to wait.

The Big Idea: The complementary faithfulness of Joshua (the leader) and Caleb (the loyal warrior) provides a powerful, two-part model for how to follow God wholeheartedly, both in seasons of action and seasons of waiting.

This Week's Challenge: This week, ask yourself: In my current season of life, is God calling me to a "Joshua moment" (to step up, lead, and take new ground), or a "Caleb moment" (to be patiently faithful, trust God's promises in a season of waiting, and finish strong)?

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 257 (VIDEO)
• Give Me This Mountain (BLOG)
• Priscilla and Aquila (PASSAGE)
• The Story of Ruth and Naomi (PASSAGE)
• The 12 Spies & Caleb's "Different Spirit" (PASSAGE)
• Joshua Crosses the Jordan (PASSAGE)
• The Commander of the Lord's Army (PASSAGE)
• Caleb Claims His Mountain (PASSAGE)
• Joshua's Final Challenge (PASSAGE)

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Nephilim, Rephim, Anakim! Oh, my! For our Geektober finale, we're grabbing our nerd glasses and going on a "crypto-biblical expedition" to track down the Bible's giants. Where did the mysterious Nephilim of Genesis 6 come from? How did they lead to the "grasshopper syndrome" of Numbers 13? And how does Goliath, the final boss, tie into the Bible's ultimate story of Christ defeating the enemy? Join us for a fun dive into one of Scripture's weirdest rabbit trails (with a healthy dose of The Princess Bride).

The Big Idea: The Bible’s giants highlight God’s power as his people overcome colossal obstacles.

This Week's Challenge: This week, identify a "giant" in your own life — an insurmountable obstacle, a persistent sin, or an overwhelming fear and meditate on God’s power to protect you.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 256 (VIDEO)
• The Princess Bride: "Anybody want a peanut?" (VIDEO)
• The Six-Fingered Giant (ARTICLE)
• Who Were the Nephilim? (ARTICLE)
• Og's Iron Bed (ARTICLE)
• They Might Be Giants (WEBSITE)

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Did the Bible just drop from heaven as a set of golden tablets? Nope! This Geektober, we're pulling back the curtain on the original Bible geeks: the Scribes! These unsung heroes were the "original programmers" of Scripture, meticulously counting every single word and letter to preserve the text. We debunk the "game of telephone" myth and explore how the painstaking work of groups like the Masoretes — confirmed by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls — is one of the most powerful arguments for the Bible's reliability.

The Big Idea: The surprisingly meticulous and worshipful work of ancient scribes is one of the most powerful arguments for the Bible's preservation and reliability.

This Week's Challenge: This week, when you read your Bible, take an extra 30 seconds to simply be thankful for the physical book in your hands (or on your screen).

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 255 (VIDEO)
• It Wasn’t Magic ... It Was Better (BLOG)
• Our "Square One" Series (SERIES)
• "Meet Your Bible" Sermon (EPISODE)
• The Masoretes (ARTICLE)
• The Dead Sea Scrolls (WEBSITE)
• The Oxyrhynchus Papyri (Ancient Libraries) (ARTICLE)
• They Might Be Giants (WEBSITE)

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Geektober is getting weird! This week, we're exploring the Bible's "ancient rage tracks"—the imprecatory psalms. How can followers of Jesus, who are called to bless their enemies, also pray these Spirit-inspired psalms that call for judgment? Are these just "flyover psalms" we should skip, or do they give us a powerful way to be brutally honest with God, process our pain, and trust His justice without becoming vindictive villains ourselves? Join us for a deep dive into the Bible's dark corner to find out!

The Big Idea: Honest prayer trusts God with our pain.

This Week's Challenge: Pray one imprecatory psalm this week (Ps. 58, 94, or 109). Bring your anger, grief, or injustice to God. Pray honestly — and then watch for the pivot into trust and praise.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 254 (VIDEO)
• "Today" by The Smashing Pumpkins (SONG)
• "Hurt" by Johnny Cash (SONG)
• Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop (BOOK)
• The Message of the Psalms by Walter Brueggemann (BOOK)
• Original Sin by P.D. James (BOOK)

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253 | Geektober | Unmask the Dragon

Geektober continues! If the Bible were a fantasy novel, it'd have it all: a talking serpent, a multi-headed sea monster, and a great dragon at the end. But this isn't fiction, so what's with all the hissing and fire-breathing? How did biblical writers "flip the script" on ancient myths to tell the true story of chaos? And how is the entire Bible one epic dragonslayer story pointing to Christ's ultimate victory over evil? Grab your sword of the Spirit and join our quest to understand one of Scripture's most powerful symbols.

The Big Idea: The Bible uses snakes and dragons to help us see God's epic victory over evil.

This Week's Challenge: Memorize Romans 16:20.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 253 (VIDEO)
• The Fantasmic! Dragon at Disneyland (VIDEO)
• The Serpent and the Serpent Slayer by Andrew Naselli (BOOK)
• Leviathan in Mythology and the Bible (WEBSITE)
• The Babylonian Creation Epic (Enuma Elish) (WEBSITE)
• The "Christus Victor" View of Atonement (ARTICLE)
• The Challenge: Romans 16:20 (VERSE)

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252 | Geektober | Put AI to Work for the Kingdom

Grab your nerd glasses — our monthlong Geektober deep-dive is officially here! First up we head to the workshop to explore Artificial Intelligence. Is AI a faithful "digital servant" for your Bible study, or a rogue robot that hallucinates answers? We're giving you the guardrails to use this powerful tool wisely, showing you why it's a great research assistant but a terrible rabbi. Join us for a fun, nerdy, and practical guide to making AI your servant, not your master, in your walk with God!

The Big Idea: Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that Christians can leverage for kingdom work, but it should be treated like a helpful servant, not a replacement for critical thinking.

This Week's Challenge: This week, put an AI to work as your Digital servant. Then, evaluate the result. Ask yourself: "How did this information help me to think more deeply and personally about the text?"

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 252 (VIDEO)
• Welcome to GEEKTOBER! (WEBSITE)
• The New Yankee Workshop with Norm Abrams (WEBSITE)
• The Plinko Game from The Price is Right (VIDEO)
• Google's NotebookLM (WEBSITE)
• Steve Jobs: A Bicycle for the Mind (VIDEO)

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Ever feel completely gassed, even after a huge win? The prophet Elijah sure did. Fresh off his spiritual Super Bowl on Mount Carmel, he crashed so hard he was ready to quit for good. But God's response wasn't a pep talk — it was a hot meal and an invitation to take a nap. What does this story teach us about the anatomy of burnout and the problem with "hustle culture"? Join us for a surprisingly practical and personal look at finding God's grace — and maybe a good nap — when you've hit the wall.

The Big Idea: When you're spiritually and emotionally exhausted, God's first response isn't a demand for more strength, but an invitation to receive His gentle, practical care.

This Week's Challenge: Identify one thing you can do to address physical or emotional exhaustion — take a nap, go for a quiet walk, have a restorative meal.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 251 (VIDEO)
• Finding Jesus: Matthew 11:28-30 (VERSE)
• Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins (BOOK)
• The Biblical City of Ai (WEBSITE)

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Ever felt like Ezekiel is a locked door? In this workshop episode, Ryan takes us on his journey teaching through this bizarre and beautiful "flyover book". What can we learn from a prophet who ate a scroll and whose wife's death became a sign? How does this book balance God's terrifying judgment with his patient grace? What do the gyroscopic wheels of eyes look like? And what are the practical keys — from immersion to asking the right questions — that unlock its message about Jesus? Get your toolkit ready to confidently tackle one of the Bible's most rewarding books!

The Big Idea: Unlocking an intimidating book like Ezekiel reveals a powerful and accessible message about God's relentless faithfulness.

This Week's Challenge: Read the one chapter Ryan recommended — Ezekiel 37. As you read, don't worry about understanding every detail. Instead, ask one question: "What does this story show me about the power of God?"

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 250 (VIDEO)
• Eat the Scroll (BLOG)
• Ryan’s Top Chapter: Ezekiel 37 (VERSE)
• The Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 1-24 by Daniel I. Block (COMMENTARY)
• The Message of Ezekiel by Christopher J.H. Wright (COMMENTARY)
• The Bible Project: Ezekiel Classroom (VIDEO COURSE)
• Ezekiel by Robert Harkrider (WORKBOOK)
• Ezekiel, NIVAC by Iain Duguid (BOOK)
• The Book Of Ezekiel by Jim McGuiggan (BOOK)
• Episode 4: Fully Infused (PODCAST)
• Image #1 - Line Art Drawing (IMAGE)
• Image #2 - Prog Rock UFO (IMAGE)
• Image #3 - AI Generated Art (IMAGE)

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Fire up the DeLorean! In this time travel episode, we explore the time traps we all fall into. How does Jesus redeem our past, freeing us from the magnetic pull of regret and nostalgia? What's the difference between tactical concern and getting stuck in a state of worry about the future? And what does it really mean to "redeem the time" — not just managing our schedule, but wisely and gratefully living in the present moment? Join us for a conversation that helps us escape the loops of yesterday and tomorrow to live fully in today!

The Big Idea: Christ redeems our past, secures our future, and fills our present with purpose.

This Week's Challenge: Bring whatever’s snagging you, your past, present, or future to God in prayer. Then pay attention to what he does as he works in your life going forward.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 249 (VIDEO)
• Trapped in Time? (BLOG)
• Jesus Said: Matthew 6:34 (VERSE)
• Frequency (MOVIE)
• Groundhog Day (MOVIE)
• The Riddle of Experience vs. Memory (TED TALK)

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