Heavy Branches Podcast

Is there any legitimate connection between faith and reason? Why does Paul reason from the Scriptures with the Jews, but not as much with the Gentiles? When we share the gospel, how do we know where to start? The Berean Christians are called noble-minded because of their eagerness to receive and study the word of God. In what ways can today's church learn from the Bereans? Why must we relate to God as Creator first before we can relate to Him as Savior? Jacob and Tanner discuss these topics and more as they go through Acts 17.

While there are many different strategies for church growth used today, how did the church grow in Acts 16? What does it mean that the Lord opened Lydia's heart to respond to the gospel? Did God force her heart to obey Him? What is the Holy Spirit's role in evangelism? How should Christians respond and react to suffering and persecution today? Are our songs filled with the gospel today? Why was the jailer baptized "that very hour of the night," even though it would've been long past midnight already? Jacob and Tanner discuss these topics and more as they cover Acts 16.

What is legalism, and how can people be legalistic with the gospel? In what sense is faithfulness a condition for salvation? Does this mean we must reach a point in our life where we no longer sin against God? What should disagreements look like between brothers and sisters in Christ? How does the freedom that we have in Christ allow us to live differently than before? Jacob and Tanner discuss these topics and more as they go through Acts 15. 

What does it look like to speak the gospel boldly, relying upon the Lord to help us? How is our hope in eternal life different from our hope in our favorite sports team to win a championship? Why must we relate to God as Creator before we ever relate to Him as Savior? How does this dynamic affect the way we share the gospel with others and attempt to make disciples of Jesus Christ? What two main objectives are completed in Paul's first mission trip? How should this guide our mission trips today? Jacob and Tanner discuss these topics and more as they go through Acts 14. 

What is the Restoration Principle, and why is it important in the church today? How can we have unity in truth without swinging the pendulum too far in one direction? Why is false doctrine so often discussed in the New Testament, and how should we handle false doctrine today? What does being a man after God's own heart have to do with obedience to the Lord? Jacob and Tanner discuss these topics and more as they go through Acts 13.

How can we confront someone with the gospel without being confrontational about it? What lessons can we learn from the fervent prayer that was made for Peter by the church? Does the church's prayer life today model the church's prayer life as we see it in the book of Acts? How can God be both loving and holy? Does one side of His nature win over the other in certain situations? Jacob and Tanner discuss these topics and more as they go through Acts 12.

How did the Jewish Christians finally figure out that the gospel was for the Gentiles as well as the them? What does it mean to Biblically be a good man or woman? How does that differ from what our society says makes a person good? What lessons can we learn about being a good man from Barnabas? What does it actually mean to be a Christian? What did the church of Christ in Antioch look like, and what can we learn from the Christians there? Jacob and Tanner discuss these topics and more as they go through Acts 11. 

Is sincerity towards God enough on its own for a person to be saved? What was the purpose of Peter's vision from God, and how does that connect with the Holy Spirit falling on Cornelius and the other Gentiles there? What does it mean for us today that God does not show partiality? Why is it so important for all of the conversion accounts in Acts to be consistent in the way that they happened? If Cornelius was sincere towards God, and believed, why was he ordered by an apostle to be baptized in the name of Jesus? Jacob and Tanner discuss these topics and more as they go through Acts 10.

Why did Jesus tell Saul to enter the city so someone could tell him what to do, instead of just telling him what to do Himself? What is God's role and man's role in evangelism? Why was Saul baptized before even eating after not having food for three days? Why was it so hard for the disciples to accept Saul? Should we view new Christians different from their old life once they come to Christ? How and why does the church need more Tabitha's? Jacob and Tanner discuss these topics and more as they go through Acts 9.

Can anyone ever be too deep in sin to be converted to Christ? How should we view people who are aggressively opposed to Christianity? What do we learn about the Holy Spirit from Simon's encounter with Philip, Peter, and John? Christians are often encouraged to share their faith, but struggle knowing how to. What practical tactics can we learn from Philip's evangelism with the Ethiopian Eunuch? Jacob, Tanner, and special guest Jacob Cabe go through these topics and more as they discuss Acts 8.