In this 3rd and final bonus episodes recorded during my summer RiseU class series, I discuss some of the key cultural values that distinguished people in the Greco-Roman world from how so many of us think today, shedding light on how those different values shaped how they heard and understood the message of Jesus and His followers.

Specifically, we focus on the nature of a Group-Based culture (verse our current Individualistic one), an Honor & Shame driven community, and a highly stratified society that separated and distinguished between social classes and made life difficult for the poor (who were the majority of people Jesus spoke to and live among.)

In this 2nd of 3 special bonus episodes recorded during my summer RiseU class series, I discuss the religion of the Jewish people, what their core beliefs were and how that related to their interaction with their pagan neighbors, as well as how they would have perceived (and often disagreed) with Jesus and His teachings.

We also discuss some of the different religious sects among the Jewish people, like the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Zealots, and how the common, average Jewish person fit into all the simmering tensions in 1st Century Palestine.

In this 1st of 3 special bonus episodes recorded during my summer RiseU class series, I walk through the history of the Jewish people all the way throughout the Old Testament as well as what is known as the Inter-Testamental period - the 450 years between Malachi and the arrival of Jesus.

The goal of this first class is to set the stage for understanding what the first hearers of the Gospel message would have been awaiting and expecting in a coming Messiah (if some were at all).

It's been a while since I've been able to do a new Like Stars Episode, but I thought this discussion on reading and interpreting the book of Revelation and how that applies to the way Christians approach politics might be a fun listen for you. Enjoy!

Among the most difficult issues people often have with the

So what are we to make of this apparent contradiction, an

 In this episode of the Like Stars Podcast, I continue on

Join me as I discuss some of the ways in which we SHOULDN’T

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this issue further, leave a comment or shoot me an email [email protected]

And don’t forget to pick up your copy of LIKE STARS on

Should Jesus have been cancelled for being racist when calling a Canaanite woman a dog? This is just one more example of some the more “difficult” aspects of Jesus’ words and ministry that can sometimes lead people

 In this second of a 4 part series looking at some of the most problematic teachings of Jesus, I break down the concept of race and ethnicity in the ancient world of the Greco-Roman Empire, the extent to which similar

 As you will see, Jesus did not come to make everyone look, talk, and act the same. But it did come to bring down all the walls and social/ethnic barriers humans want to keep building up between each other. Jesus’ disciples and later followers would be marked by a radical commitment to love one another, regardless of where they came from, what they looked like, or how much money they had. I also leave us all asking, how is the church doing with that today?

Like Stars the book – exploring the way God’s wisdom brings about true life to the fullest as we trust and follow Jesus – is available now on Amazon AND as an audiobook on Audible. Check it out today! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNWTQRZX

You can also find more on my website www.likestars.us

For some people, the picture of Jesus they have in their

Did he really just say I have to hate my parents to follow him? Did he really tell someone they couldn’t even go to their father’s funeral or that we can’t even say goodbye to our parents if we want to follow him? And what should we make of all that fire he was spitting at the Jewish religious leaders? Was Jesus actually kind of a mean person?

In this episode of the Like Stars Podcast, I am kicking off

I also introduce the first of 4 free ebook/audiobook giveaways to my YouTube Subscribers. Make sure and check that out!

And if you have any questions or comments for a future episode, email me at [email protected] or leave them in the comments section.

Is going to church a necessary, required part of being a Christian?

Got a question for a future episode? Leave it in the comments section!

My friend Michael joins me again with some of his questions from the Old Testament prophets - why did they do and say some of the odd and strange things we read about and sometimes ask others to as well? We also dive back into the question of signs from God and spend some time discussing what Isaiah and others meant when referring to the "Day of the Lord".

The book of Job is one of the more complex, confusing, and often misunderstood writings in the entire Bible. Because of it's poetic style, flowery language, and use of multiple voices it can be hard to decipher exactly what the story is trying to communicate.

In this bonus episode from a recent message I gave at Rise City Church, I unpack the book's main theme regarding the Retribution Principle (Karma) and how that relates to the way we see and understand how God works in our lives and world.