Doable Discipleship

When we talk about reading the Bible, we usually talk about it in a personal context or in a church setting. We talk about developing personal Bible-reading habits, studying God’s Word, or growing a healthy devotional life. But today, we want to talk about reading the Bible in a different way – reading it with non-believers. Perhaps this idea is new to you, perhaps you may think I sound crazy or maybe your muscles automatically tightened at the mere notion of reading the Bible with non-believers, but I hope you stay with me. Reading the Bible with people who don’t know Jesus does not have to be as scary as it sounds. Saddleback Church is actually spearheading a new, multi-church initiative called One Million More – asking the question what if one million more fell in love with the Bible. 

For today’s conversation on reading the Bible with non-believers host Jason Wieland sits down with Saddleback Executive Pastor Jason Williams. Jason Williams has a long history of hosting Bible book clubs with non-believers so he’s here to break down fear barriers, give practical tips, and talk about the powerful impact that reading with non-believers can have not just on them, but on you as well. 

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 400 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Resources Related to This Episode:
One Million More - https://onemillionmore.bible/

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: 
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA
How does the History of the Bible Affect How we Read it Today - https://youtu.be/l9I2WlvEeA8
What Are We Getting Wrong in How We Approach the Bible? - https://youtu.be/_uAiWrq2EyU
Why Are There So Many Bible Translations? - https://youtu.be/BqeAS2HQljg

"Whenever the LORD raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the LORD took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering. But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways." – Judges 2:18-19. 

The book of Judges, the 7th book in the Bible, is a fascinating look at the life of Israel, now in the land of Canaan. It’s a book of tribes, a book of land, but ultimately it’s a book about God and his people. Moses has died. Joshua dies in the beginning of chapter 2 of this book, and now the people are left to make the choice for themselves of whom they are going to follow. The influence of the Canaanite people is strong and we see quickly that Israel falls into disobeying the Lord. The verse immediately following Joshua’s death says “After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.” But thank God that he would send judges to remind Israel of who he was and is and is to come. 

Judges is a rich, episodic book where we see Deborah and Gideon and Samson and many others wrestle, some better than others, with how to point the people of Israel back to God. To help us navigate the book of Judges is Dr. Kenneth Way. Dr. Way is the Professor and Chair of Old Testament at Talbot School of Theology and has written a commentary on the book of Judges. 

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 400 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Resources Related to This Episode:
Judges-Ruth Teach the Text Commentary - https://www.amazon.com/Judges-Ruth-Teach-Text-Commentary/dp/0801092159

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: 
Navigating the Bible: Joshua - https://youtu.be/hF28aThBtFs
Navigating the Bible: Deuteronomy - https://youtu.be/HzmNgPOM4zU
Navigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxs
Navigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4
Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3M
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA

Inspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

On this Election Day in America, host Jason Wieland offers a prayer of hope, love, and peace for the nation. 

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 400 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: 
Living with a Non-Enemy Mentality - https://youtu.be/YqgVVtjFgB4
Being People of Peace - https://youtu.be/4jKaSS3r4V4
How to Talk with Others with Civility - https://youtu.be/9tA07RTKaI8
The Power in Gentleness - https://youtu.be/So3n7PaBbYM
How to Live with Humility - https://youtu.be/UHroSMEUkXU

Inspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

For the past two months we’ve been on an exploration of Christlike Character – and in particular, how to maintain and live with Christlike character in an election season. As of the day this episode releases, we are one week away from election day in the United States. It’s expected to be an extraordinarily close election and polarization is, if not at an all-time high, very near it. The closeness of the election and polarized nature of our politics means that one side, the Right or the Left, is going to lose, that half of the voters are going to be disappointed, and tensions will be incredibly high – which is saying something as tensions and rhetoric have already been high. 

Today's episode is about a matter of choice we all have. We can choose how we think about others, particularly those we disagree with. We can choose whether or not to approach others with an enemy mindset. This episode is an exploration of what the Bible says about how to think of others, our call as Christians to treat others with love, and how to have a non-enemy mindset. 

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 390 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: 
Being People of Peace - https://youtu.be/4jKaSS3r4V4
How to Talk with Others with Civility - https://youtu.be/9tA07RTKaI8
The Power in Gentleness - https://youtu.be/So3n7PaBbYM
How to Live with Humility - https://youtu.be/UHroSMEUkXU

Inspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

“You have seen everything the LORD your God has done for you during my lifetime. The LORD your God has fought for you against your enemies . . . Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the LORD your God has come true. Not a single one has failed . . . If you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 23:3, 14; 24:15. 

The Book of Joshua, the 6th book of the Bible and the first book after the Pentateuch, begins a new chapter in the history of God and his people. Moses the patriarch has died and God now charges Joshua to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land. The years and decades of wandering is done: God’s people can now finally enter into the land He had called them to. However, it’s not just as simple as walking across a river – there are many obstacles that await them and that is what we see in the book of Joshua. Joshua reads like an epic story in and of itself. It’s in this book that we see God’s miracle at the Jordan river, that we meet Rahab and how she protects the Israelite spies, that the Israelites come up against the mighty walls of Jericho and watch them crumble – it’s a book full of battles and renewed covenants and the decisions of what is to become of the promised land, and then, finally, the declaration read at the beginning that as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 

To help us navigate the book of Joshua is Dr. Richard Hess. Dr. Hess is the Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Denver Seminary and author of a commentary on Joshua. 

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 390 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Resources Related to This Episode:
Joshua: An Introduction and Commentary - https://www.amazon.com/Joshua-Tyndale-Old-Testament-Commentaries/dp/0830842063

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: 
Navigating the Bible: Deuteronomy - https://youtu.be/HzmNgPOM4zU
Navigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxs
Navigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4
Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3M
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA

Inspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What does it mean to be at peace? I would venture to say that true peace is something deeper, more profound, and actually more attainable than maybe you’ve ever imagined. The world wants you to think that peace is not caring, or avoiding conflict, or not disagreeing . . . but those are just facades – bandages that actually do more to cripple relationship than they do to bring peace. I say that peace is more attainable than you may realize because true peace is found in a person – in a relationship – and it's a relationship with somebody who so genuinely wants you to experience the deep-seeded peace that only his can bring. 

We’ve been in a series on Christlike Character – particularly focusing on how Christlike Character should be exhibited in an election season that so wants to take away all semblances of peace in your life. So what does it mean for Christians to be people of peace – to be at peace and to be peace-makers in a volatile culture? For this conversation host Jason Wieland is joined by Meaghan Grider, Engagement Pastor at Saddleback Church and fan-favorite on this podcast. In this conversation, Meaghan and Jason talk about what true peace means, how to be full of peace, the difference between being peace makers and peace keepers, and much more.  

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 380 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes
How to Talk With Others With Civility - https://youtu.be/9tA07RTKaI8
The Power in Gentleness - https://youtu.be/So3n7PaBbYM
How to Live with Humility - https://youtu.be/UHroSMEUkXU
Living With Hope in the Midst of Struggle - https://youtu.be/99Nki49V0fI
Thinking About the Fruit of the Spirit - https://youtu.be/1JPaiNnbcAs

The Book of Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Bible and the final book of the Pentateuch, is a book about the precipice of transition. The Israelites have been wandering the desert for decades, seemingly marching towards the Promised Land but wondering if and when they would ever make it. Now they are at the doorstep, they can see the promise of God before them, but Moses knows he will not be the one leading them from that point on. Moses, the prophet and leader of Israel, has final words for this people of God – and that is the book of Deuteronomy. It’s a look at Moses’ heart for Israel, at God’s heart for his people. It’s a call to choose the Lord – Moses can no longer choose God for them. 

Deuteronomy is a wonderful book and to help navigate it today is Dr. Sandra Richter. Dr. Richter is the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies as Westmont whose books include The Epic of Eden, and an upcoming commentary on Deuteronomy. 

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 380 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Resources Related to This Episode:
The Epic of Eden - https://www.amazon.com/Epic-Eden-Christian-Entry-Testament/dp/0830825770?&linkCode=sl1&tag=thetorcom-20&linkId=c4ebf3d91cf11939681928bf27c12637&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: 
Navigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxs
Navigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4
Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3M
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA
Navigating the Bible: The Pentateuch - https://youtu.be/mmChxhfsLq0

Inspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When we talk about character, particularly in an election season, we have to talk about civility. At its heart, civility is about respect – respect for other people – and that is something that we’ve seen to move away from. One could say it's a lost art . . . but it shouldn’t even be considered an art – it should be an inherent value. Yet as a culture we seem all the ready to disregard the opinions and considerations of others and lose civility in the process. 

So, how should Christians consider civility? All people should be civil, but  today's episode is specifically talking to the church and offering that reminder that Christlike character is expressed civilly. And there are many deep elements about this truth that my guest is going to guide us through today. That guest is Tom Holladay, frequent guest on this podcast and former teaching pastor at Saddleback Church. In this conversation, Tom and I talk about whether the loss of civility really is a modern thing or is seen in history as well, the winsomeness of civility, why civility matters in us and in leaders, and how we can approach our relationships with civility. 

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 380 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes
The Power in Gentleness - https://youtu.be/So3n7PaBbYM
How to Live with Humility - https://youtu.be/UHroSMEUkXU
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA
Living With Hope in the Midst of Struggle - https://youtu.be/99Nki49V0fI
Thinking About the Fruit of the Spirit - https://youtu.be/1JPaiNnbcAs

“Please, Lord, prove that your power is as great as you have claimed. For you said, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected – even children in the third and fourth generations.’ In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of this people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.” - Numbers 14:17-19 (NLT) 

This passage from Number 14 gives us a rather significant peak into the heart of the book of Numbers, the fourth book of the Bible. Numbers continues the story of the Israelites, bringing us deeper into the life of Moses, Aaron and the rest of Israel as a people in-between Egypt and the Promised Land, all the while learning to live with the God who wants to dwell with them. This is an extraordinarily rich book where we find life in the Israelite camp, the beautiful priestly blessing of chapter 6, the wandering in the desert and God’s provision in it, the scouts reporting on the land of Canaan, the earth swallowing up people, Moses’ devastating sin, Balaam and his donkey, battles and much more. 

To help us navigate the book of Numbers, host Jason Wieland joined by Dr. Michael Morales, Professor of Biblical Studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and author a commentary on the book of Numbers. 

Navigating the Bible is a special podcast series, part of the Doable Discipleship Podcast. 

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 380 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Resources Related to This Episode:
Numbers 1-19 Commentary by Michael Morales - https://www.amazon.com/Numbers-Apollos-Old-Testament-Commentary/dp/1789744717

Numbers 20-36 Commentary by Michael Morales - https://www.amazon.com/Numbers-20-36-Apollos-Testament-Commentary/dp/1789745551

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: 
Navigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4
Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3M
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA
Navigating the Bible: The Pentateuch - https://youtu.be/mmChxhfsLq0

Inspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Today’s conversation is about gentleness. Two weeks ago we started a series on Christian Character with an episode on humility. Today we are going to couple that with a look at gentleness. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” There’s a link here between being humble and being gentle, but they are indeed two distinct characteristics and worth talking about separately. Now, many people may consider gentleness in the same light as soft or weak, but my guest today will put this idea on its head and show the strength that is to be found in gentleness. 

That guest is Buddy Owens – a teaching pastor at Saddleback Church and a fan favorite on this podcast. In this conversation, Buddy and host Jason Wieland talk about what biblical gentleness really looks like, how biblical gentleness compares to what the world says about it, the winsomeness of gentleness, how we need to be extra intentional in an election season, and much more. 

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 380 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes
How to Live with Humility - https://youtu.be/UHroSMEUkXU
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA
Living With Hope in the Midst of Struggle - https://youtu.be/99Nki49V0fI
Thinking Differently About Shame - https://youtu.be/sqKGDjBcHHc
Thinking About the Fruit of the Spirit - https://youtu.be/1JPaiNnbcAs