The Eikon Podcast

A Special release of our Patreon Exclusive show Do We Need the Church?

Michael and Jason have a lively and explosive discussion on whether the church is synonymous with the kingdom of God and the implications of believing one way or the other.

Paul called followers of Jesus to unity and oneness because that is the very nature of God and what he wants for the world. Our identity is in Christ but what is the practical center of that identity; how do we most clearly express and identify with that identity? Was it moral behavior, church growth, or did Paul have something else in mind?

At the end of Ephesians, 3 Paul prays that the church's eyes may be opened to the victory that God has secured for them in Christ. Yet, it was a battle that many of them did not even realize they were fighting. Even more surprising is that we are engaged in that same battle and are even more unaware of it. The Eikon Team looks at the reality of that battle and considers the dangers to the church. One of the factors that amplify the dangers of this battle is when Christians find their primary identity in the church rather than in Christ. They talk about the subtle temptation of finding our identity in the church, the temporary benefits of doing so, as well as the disastrous long-term effects.

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Nearly 2,000 years ago Paul claimed that through Christ God had defeated the powers and authorities that sew structural injustice and human division on a mass scale. That was a claim that seemed outlandish and unfounded in the first century and even more so today. In this episode, the Eikon team looks at the evidence that Paul claimed demonstrated that God was not losing the culture but had already won. Was he right?
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Jason, Gi, and Michael make their way through Ephesians 2:1-10 and examine just what Paul meant when he said that we are saved by grace. Have we, at times, transformed Paul's words to mean something other than what he was intending to say?

As Paul prays for spiritual awareness for his first-century readers, he describes to them the reality of the spiritual battle ahead. The Eikon team dissects Paul's description of this battle and discusses the category of sin that was so important to Paul but that modern Christians have all but erased from our consciousness and have left ourselves completely vulnerable to its ravages as a result.

Have you always wanted to go to the Holy Land? Now is the time! 

Please join us for a tour of Israel this summer. You do not wanna miss this opportunity. It will be a week filled with wonder, inspiration, insight, good food, and good fellowship. Your trip to the Holy Land will not only change the way you read the Bible, it will also strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ. 

Reserve your spot today! 

Step One: Register. Here is the registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWip3VoMAum1VHTrw99tePxqJ1LEa2s8Ox4UJ6L23YFIX2qQ/viewform. A $500 deposit will guarantee your spot on the trip. The remainder of the cost for the trip will not be due until April 7th, 2023.

Step Two: Book your flights to Tel Aviv (see registration form for more info on booking flights). Book your flights as soon as you can in order to get the best price.

Step Three: Get pumped because you’re going to Israel! 

Hope to see you there!

What does it mean to be in Christ and why did Paul describe it in such detail in the opening verses of Ephesians? The Eikon team wrestles with that and considers what this all has to do with the great cosmic battle that Paul is about to describe. They also consider what this might mean for American Christianity and whether we need to grip tighter to the past or if it's time for radical change to realign with the Gospel.

The Eikon team arrives at the end of Mark and explores where Mark ended his gospel and why. Did he intend a somewhat puzzling ending in verse 8 that challenges readers or a more triumphal ending in verse 20 that inspires readers?

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Jason's Favorite Reads of 2022:
The Drama of Doctrine: A Canonical-Linguistic Approach to Christian Theology - Kevin Vanhoozer
For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio - W.H. Auden
How to Inhabit Time: Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now - James K.A. Smith
Open Mind, Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel - Thomas Keating
My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer - Christian Wilman

Michael's Favorite Reads of 2022:
What if Jesus Was Serious About the Church - Skye Jethani
Dear White Peacemakers: Dismantling Racism with Grit and Grace
Becoming the Gospel: Paul, Participation, and Mission - Michael Gorman
The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire - Alan Kreider
You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World - Alan Noble