SUMMARY: On this week’s episode, Brian and Chris sit down with Robby Gallaty, the Senior Pastor at Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Robby is the author of seven books, including his latest, The Forgotten Jesus.

Brian, Chris, and Robby talk about The Forgotten Jesus, published April 2017. According to Robby, “This is one of the most important conversations as it pertains to Bible study.” The Forgotten Jesus discusses the “Jewishness” of Jesus, and how our misunderstanding of His culture inhibits our reading of Scripture. “Jesus was not a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American. He was a dark-skinned, black-haired, Middle Eastern rabbi. He followed Jewish customs,” said Robby. The Forgotten Jesus seeks to uncover who Jesus truly was, in the midst of His Jewish culture. Robby explained the importance of retrieving cultural context from Scripture, “We often superimpose our western understanding on this eastern book, and we miss some of the nuances of Scripture. We have forgotten the life, in the context of His Jewish culture, of Jesus.” The Forgotten Jesus encourages a change in perspective—and thus we get a fuller, brighter, and richer understanding of Jesus and God’s Word.

Chris affirmed the importance of The Forgotten Jesus for small group life and application. With the knowledge we gain from Jesus’ context, we learn more of His nature and character. And the more we love Jesus, the more we obey Him. Robby called this the “Know-Love-Obey” triangle. Our obedience leads to our discipleship.

The Groups Matter Podcast is a weekly show designed to resource, train, and encourage small group leaders. Each episode considers current trends and resources as well as timeless truths and methods of discipleship. It is hosted by Brian Daniel, a Bible study and discipleship expert in Lifeway’s Groups Ministry, and Chris Surratt, the small group and discipleship specialist at Lifeway and author of Small Groups for the Rest of Us.

GUEST: Radically saved in 2002, Robby was mentored and discipled by former Senior Pastor of The Church at Brook Hills, David Platt. Robby completed his Masters of Divinity Degree in Expository Preaching in 2007 and his Ph.D. in Preaching in 2011 from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Robby is the founder of Replicate Ministries and the author of seven books, in addition to his pastoral leadership at Long Hollow Baptist Church. Robby is married to Kandi, and they have two young sons, Rig and Ryder.