Storm The Gates

Jason A. Staples is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at NC State University, where he teaches courses on the Bible, early Judaism, Christian origins, ethics, globalism, conflict, and various theoretical perspectives in the study of religion and society.

He is the author of Paul and the Resurrection of Israel: Jews, Former Gentiles, Israelites (Cambridge University Press, 2024), which reviewers have called “enormously important and theologically productive,” “an astonishing contribution,” “the cutting edge of Pauline scholarship by a master of his trade,” “arguably the most consequential contribution to Pauline studies since John Barclay’s Paul and the Gift [2017],” a book that “will undoubtedly stand at the center of Pauline discussions for years to come,” and “potentially as ‘epoch-defining’ as Paul and Palestinian Judaism by E. P. Sanders in 1977.”

He is also the author of The Idea of Israel in Second Temple Judaism: A New Theory of People, Exile, and Israelite Identity (Cambridge University Press, 2021), which reviewers have called “a constructive, cogent, and compelling book, the “best academic book I read this year,” and concluded “should accomplish nothing less than a paradigm shift.”

His articles have been published in The Journal of Biblical Literature, New Testament Studies, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, Harvard Theological Review, Zeitschrift für die Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft, the Journal of Religion and Film, and more. He was a 2008 recipient of the U.S. Department of Education’s Jacob K. Javits Fellowship and is a member of the UNC Royster Society of Fellows.

Outside the scholarly world, Jason has also worked in sports media for over fifteen years, providing analysis and digital content for a variety of outlets, including The Wilson Times, InsideCarolina.com (247Sports/CBS Sports), Scout.com, Fox Sports, and the Unconquered Podcast.

As a below-average football walk-on (=practice dummy) at Florida State from 2000–2002, Jason had the opportunity to see what athletic greatness looks like up close, learning from some of the best coaches and players in the game. He has since attempted to pass on some of that knowledge at the high school level, serving as the passing game/WRs/Special Teams/Strength and Conditioning coach at Jordan High School (Durham, NC) from 2017–2018, QBs/Passing Game Coordinator at Southern Durham High School (Durham, NC) in 2016, and as a private QB/WR coach in association with Carolina Elite football.

In addition to writing, teaching, and coaching, Jason is a voice actor/artist, with over a decade of experience including ad reads, audiobook narration, and more. He also provides services as a contract/freelance copyeditor.

Jason is a member of the the American Academy of Religion, Society of Biblical Literature, Society for Classical Studies, Association for Jewish Studies, Catholic Biblical Association of America, and Football Writers’ Association of America and a former CrossFit Level 1 Trainer.

jasonstaples.com

Since 1997, Pastor Mark has been driven by a single question: If the kingdom of heaven is not segregated, why on earth is the church?

That's why he planted the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas in the summer of 2001, together with his wife, Linda, and their four young children at the time.

Churches like Mosaic—multiethnic and economically diverse—were so rare at the time that he often felt crazy and alone. So, in 2004, he co-founded the Mosaix Global Network to bring together ministry leaders who shared the same vision and struggle. That led writing his first book on the subject in 2007; launching Vine & Village—a community-based nonprofit in 2008; and convening the first national Multiethnic Church Conference in 2010.

Planting a multiethnic church in Little Rock's under resourced 72204 community—marked by high crime, poverty, and homelessness—required disruptive financial innovation to get beyond sole dependence on tithes and offerings while remianing fully dependent on God. That journey eventually led to structural shifts as outlined in Mark's seminal book on the subject of Church Economics—a term he coined—which continues to shape conversations in churches nationwide and beyond.

As an individual and collectively with others at Mosaic, then, Mark is all about peacemaking—from representing Jesus well at the bridge of Christ's humanity to leading others at the bridge of His divinity. More than that, he finds joy in guiding ministry leaders up and over mountains they've never climbed and down roads they've not yet traveled, helping them to navigate the 21st century's turbulent seas. In part, he does this as a Contributing Editor at Outreach magazine, the Director of Multiethnic NEXT for Exponential, and at the Mosaix Institute at Wheaton College Billy Graham Center.

If such things resonate, know this: You're not crazy or alone. You can connect with Mark in the following ways: website and email.

https://markdeymaz.com

[email protected]

To hear and watch the full conversations of Bible News, become a Gate Stormer at patreon.com/STGPOD or subscribe to youtube.com/@StormTheGatesPod

If we're temples where the Holy Spirit dwells, why are our pillars cracked? This is the central question Mark Winter addresses in his new book of the same name. Pastor Mark shares how God met him and gave him strength through some of the most difficult times in his life. We hope you're encouraged to bear one another's burdens and not walk through life alone.

Rev. Mark Winter spent nearly 40 years as a pastor and General Evangelist in the United Methodist Church before retiring in 2023. Along the way, many people came to know him through One Man Show Ministries, where he traveled extensively portraying biblical characters and presenting creative programs for both churches and children’s ministries.

Today, Mark is a retired member of the Global Methodist Church, where he has served as evangelism chairperson for the Mid-Tex Conference. He continues his traveling ministry, performing both biblical dramas and modern-day adaptations of Scripture. Some audience favorites include Peter reimagined as a Texas shrimper in “A Love as Big as Texas,” a Methodist circuit rider, and a variety of Christmas characters including Simeon, “The Sleeping Shepherd,” and a weary relative who reluctantly opens his home to Joseph and Mary in “Make Room for Jesus.”

Mark is also the author of six books, including “If There Is No God,” “The Devil’s Diary,” and “Just One Word: A Collection of Advent Devotionals.”

He currently writes on Substack under “Cameos: Voices from the Edge of Scripture,” an imaginative series that gives voice to the overlooked people of the Bible. These are the background characters, the ones who appear for only a verse or two before slipping quietly offstage. Mark enjoys fleshing out their stories and exploring what their lives might have been like behind the scenes of Scripture.

Mark lives in Fort Worth, Texas, with Laura, his wife of 43 years. They have three grown children and three grandchildren.

Contact Mark at [email protected]

Mark's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0DKGF5PYK?ingress=0&visitId=fb9fba72-47fa-4055-bba1-f33e1a63506c&ref_=aufs_ap_ahdr_dsk_aa

https://www.facebook.com/markwinter56

To hear and watch the full conversations of Bible News, become a Gate Stormer at patreon.com/STGPOD or subscribe to youtube.com/@StormTheGatesPod

Velma Tim is a lover of Jesus and a missionary at heart. Her passion is to see people from every tribe, tongue and nation come to know Jesus personally. Her passion led her to serve as a missionary in her nations, Nigeria, Liberia and she is presently serving as a ministry leader for an Acts 1:8 movement in the United States.

Books by Velma: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B09PGVVSLP/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=0bd64ea4-968b-4fa6-b662-12ee7e76cc9d

To hear and watch the full conversations of Bible News, become a Gate Stormer at patreon.com/STGPOD or subscribe to youtube.com/@StormTheGatesPod

The slogan of Apple is "Think Different." Vanessa Myers lives that out on a regular basis when it comes to responding to her call from the Lord towards children's ministry. She can "Think Different" because her life is transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. All local church ministry leaders and practitioners need to pay attention to Vanessa's passion.

Vanessa Myers is a children’s minister, author, mother to two teens, and a wife to an amazing husband. Her passion is to help families build faith at home that will last for generations.

She believes her job as a children’s minister is to not only teach God’s Word to the kids at church, but also to help families do this at home. And to do this families need tools and resources that are simple, fun, and grounded in the Word of God. Vanessa's resources help families stay connected to Jesus throughout the week, even in the busiest and craziest of seasons. She loves helping families and church leaders who lead families build faith that lasts!

familyfaithbuilders.org

dtownkidz.org

To hear and watch the full conversations of Bible News, become a Gate Stormer at patreon.com/STGPOD or subscribe to youtube.com/@StormTheGatesPod

Friends of STG, you won't want to miss Paul and Michael share today about their passion to lead people to worship the living God. They both express how humbling it is and share some amazing stories of what it's like when God takes over. Both men lead worship together at Coker Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas. They also both lead worship for revivetexas.org under the leadership of Rusty Freeman. If you're interested in sending your child or youth to camp, check out revivetexas.org today!

Listen all the way to the end to see if it's fair to generalize how men and women order coffee differently.