Exploring My Strange Bible

Heaven & Hell E4 — Everything we learn in the Bible about heaven and hell comes from a series of complex, ancient images, and it’s easy to misunderstand them. What do images of eternal death and everlasting fire refer to in their original context? And what do images of new creation and resurrection actually mean? In this final episode of a four-part lecture series, Tim brings everything together. He explores Jesus’ teaching on God’s final justice, as well as the apostles’ hopes for a renewed creation, which closes out the grand story of the Bible. Tim gave this message at Blackhawk Church in Madison, Wisc., on September 30, 2011.

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Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty writes our show notes. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

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Heaven & Hell E3 — The definitions of human life and death on pages 1-3 of the Bible are based on the idea that humans can live in a state of death. But the goal of God’s rescue mission is to take people out of “living death” and transfer them into a mode of “eternal life” here in the present. In this third episode of a four-part lecture series, Tim moves onto a new part of the story, which is the Old Testament vision of final justice. Why does God bring divine justice into human history, and what comes after it? Tim gave this message at Blackhawk Church in Madison, Wisc., on September 30, 2011.

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
View this episode's official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

• Find Tim’s study notes for this series here.
• Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books here.

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• “Nob Hill Instrumental” by Drexler

SHOW CREDITS

Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty does our show notes.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Heaven & Hell E2 — The biblical authors didn’t see death as something that just happens to you at the end of your physical life. Rather, both life and death are present realities, starting on page three of the Bible. (And believe it or not, zombies are a biblical idea!) In this second episode of a four-part lecture series, Tim tackles the biblical word for “heaven,” exploring what it does and does not mean, and then unpacks the language of life and death throughout the rest of the Bible. Tim gave this message at Blackhawk Church in Madison, Wisc., on September 30, 2011.

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

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REFERENCED RESOURCES

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Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty does our show notes.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Heaven & Hell E1 — Popular culture and the media show us many misconceptions about heaven and hell. For example, it may be surprising to learn that, in the Bible, the opposite of heaven is not hell, but Earth! In this first episode of a four-part lecture series, Tim explores the popular misunderstandings and distortions of the concepts of heaven and hell in Western culture. Starting on page one of the Bible, he looks at the themes of life, death, the grave, eternal life, and eternal death. Tim gave this message at Blackhawk Church in Madison, Wisc., on September 30, 2011.

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

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Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty does our show notes.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The phrase “Come, Holy Spirit” has deep roots in the Christian Church, across many centuries and traditions. It’s a phrase regularly used both in communal worship and personal prayer, but what does it actually mean? In this message, Tim teaches from a variety of biblical passages to identify what followers of Jesus are actually saying (and not saying) when they pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” Tim gave this message at the 2025 Holy Spirit Conference in Portland, Ore., on February 8th, 2025.

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

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REFERENCED RESOURCES

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Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty writes our show notes.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Practicing Faith E3 — In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus models for us how to daily bring our requests to God. But implied in its words are ways of being and acting that will align with our words. In this final of three teachings on Christian practices, Tim explores the meaning and significance of the Lord’s Prayer, which has incredible potential to change our lives. Tim gave this message at Door of Hope Church in Portland, Ore., on August 24, 2014.

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

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REFERENCED RESOURCES

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Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty writes our show notes.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Practicing Faith E2 — In the lives of Jesus and the apostles, we discover the twin practices of fasting—-that is, withholding food from yourself for an intentional reason for a period of time—and also feasting and celebration in community. What are these practices and how do they work together? In this second of three teachings on Christian practices, Tim explores the meaning of feasting and fasting and why it’s important to have both. Tim gave this message at Door of Hope Church in Portland, Ore., on August 3, 2014.

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

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Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty writes our show notes. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Practicing Faith E1 — In the Gospels, we find moments when Jesus steps away from the crowds for times of solitude to reflect and pray. What value did Jesus find in this practice of solitude, and how has it served his followers over the centuries and across the globe? In this first of three teachings on Christian practices, Tim explores the practice of silence and solitude, considering how to balance it with the equally important practice of community. Tim gave this message at Door of Hope Church in Portland, Ore., on July 20, 2014.

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

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SHOW CREDITS

Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty does our show notes.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New Testament Themes E6 — Some people reject Christianity or the Bible because of something they hear about the end of the world, final judgment, or Heaven. But often, they're not actually rejecting Scripture, but rather some distortion of it. In this final message in a six-part series, Tim teaches from Revelation’s final chapters on how the New Testament depicts Heaven and new creation, compared to some deep misunderstandings in popular culture. Tim gave this message at Door of Hope Church in Portland, Ore., on December 9, 2012.

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

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SHOW CREDITS

Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty does our show notes.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New Testament Themes E5 — The New Testament shows us that a church is meant to be a group of disciples calling out the best in one another and embodying a faithful witness in their neighborhood and city. But drama, unhealthy leadership, and even spiritual abuse can make it hard to stay committed to a church community. In this fifth message in a six-part series, Tim teaches from Hebrews 10 on what it means to regularly gather as a community of Jesus’ followers, committed to one another. Tim gave this message at Door of Hope Church in Portland, Ore., on November 25, 2012.

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

View this episode’s official transcript.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

SHOW MUSIC

SHOW CREDITS

Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Aaron Olsen edited and remastered today's episode. JB Witty writes our show notes.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.