So We Speak

Do you have to believe everything the Bible says to be a Christian? Should we try to prove the Bible to new converts? Andy Stanley and others have argued that we should unhitch from the Bible and tether our faith to the resurrection. In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss the merits and flaws in this line of reasoning. 

The "unjust manager" is the most difficult of Jesus's parables. Is Jesus telling us to imitate shrewd and dishonest people? What does he mean that children of this world are wiser than the children of the light? Cole and Terry unpack this parable and draw a few lessons for today. 

What ever happened to the new atheists? In the last decade, more scientists are embracing theism not in spite of science, but because of it. In his new book Return of the God Hypothesis, Stephen Meyer discusses the history of science and faith and the strongest scientific arguments for theism. In the first of three episodes, Dr. Ben Williams joins the podcast to discuss the book and the history of science and faith. 

In this episode, Terry answers the following questions:

1. Is the altar and incense of Exodus 30 the same, at least symbolically, as the altar and incense of Revelation 8:3?

2. In Revelation 7:13 the 144,000  and multitude in white robes - Are these the same people as in Revelation 6:9, the souls under the altar?

3. What is the abomination that causes desolation in Daniel 9:27?

You can watch the Revelation lessons at Crossings.Church. 

In this episode, Cole and Terry answer these questions:

1. What is the significance of the 1/3 numbers in the trumpets?

2. Who is the mighty angel in chapter 10, and what is the significance of his feet being on the water and the land?

3. At the end of chapter 10, John is given a little scroll and commanded to prophesy again. Does the book start over here?

Follow the lessons each week at Crossings Community Church, then tune in for the questions every Friday!

In this episode, Cole and Terry answer these questions:

1. What is the scroll that the lamb opens?

2. Can Christians today have the gift of prophecy like John?

3. In Rev. 6:9, it mentions the "souls under the altar." Doesn't this, along with the thief on the cross, imply that we go straight to heaven when we die rather than soul sleep?

4. Do we know the identity of the 144,000? How would the Jews of that day have known their tribe?

Follow the lessons each week at Crossings Community Church, then tune in for the questions every Friday!

Esther is the only book in the Bible that never mentions God, but as you read the story, you'll see God moving on every page. The story is messy, real, and above all, a testament to God's faithful provision for his people. For these reasons, Esther is one of the most applicable and relevant books in the whole Bible. 

Questions in this episode:

How could Jesus leave his church, his bride, here on earth while he pours out his wrath?

Is 2 Thess. 2 a rebuttal to pre-tribulation rapture?

What about people who have near-death experiences and come back to talk about it?

How do we know John actually had these visions? Were there witnesses? Are they explainable through his familiarity with the visions of Ezekiel and Isaiah?

What does God say about our bodies? Are we eternal souls who happen to have bodies? In this episode, Cole is joined by Dr. Lainey Greer to discuss what the Bible says about our bodies and how we have been called to steward them. They cover body image, resurrection, fitness, health, and several other topics related to a theology of the body.

If you'd like to read more of Dr. Greer's work, visit her website, https://laineygreer.com/ or check out her podcast, Forsaken Body.  

Questions in this episode:

In Rev. 2:11, the letter to Smyrna, what is the second death?

In Rev. 2:20, the letter to Thyatira, what does it mean to eat food sacrificed to idols?

In Rev. 3:5, the letter to Sardis, what does it mean to have your name blotted out of the book of life? Can you lose your salvation? 

Follow the lessons each week at Crossings Community Church, then tune in for the questions every Friday!