I realize that this episode may be challenging to some, and heretical to others.  I do not mean to cause discomfort.  However, I do want to challenge a prevailing concept among many of my fellow fundamental pastors regarding our attitude toward Scripture.  I am afraid we are making statements about the Bible, that the Bible does not make about itself.  One of those is that the Bible is all you need.  You don't need to read other books about the Bible (Unless it is the one that particular preacher who agrees with me wrote).  You don't need to listen to anything outside the Bible that challenges the interpretation of the Bible that we believe to be accurate.  You get the idea.  

In this episode, I just want to open a discussion and offer some food for thought.  Please, if you must call me a heretic, doing it lovingly.

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Up until recently I have been ignoring all the hype about the series of shows called "The Chosen".  I just don't watch many Christian films, and Jesus films are at the bottom of that list for many reasons.  However, I have had several of my church members ask about this series, and I am seeing many Christian friends posting about it in glowing terms. So, I decided to watch it.  Here are my thoughts.  They are just my thoughts, and I could be mistaken.  I only offer them to you for consideration.  

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Is there a difference between the Bible being for you and to you?  You bet there is!  Does it matter?  I think so!  You'll have to listen to decide that for yourself.  

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God is a God of great kindness.  See Joel chapter 2.  He has shown that kindness to us in so many ways.  He has also called us to be kind to one another.  The Bible clearly says, "be ye kind one to another..."  Kindness is a choice.  Are we making the right choice in our lives each day?  

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I come from a strong King James Bible background.  It is the Bible I have read, memorized, studied, and listened to for 41 years.  I love it.  I also love Psalm 12, and the wonderful promises God makes in that short 8 verse chapter.  Sadly, many in my circles use Psalm 12, and specifically verses 6-7 as a proof text for the KJB being the only perfect and preserved word of God for the English-speaking people.  This episode is not intended to take issue with that position, only to challenge the use of Psalm 12 to support it.  

I simply do not agree with the use of Psalm 12 in this way.  I wanted to make an episode to discuss what I think Psalm 12 actually says, in the hopes that it will help someone who is willing to hear it.  I am not intending to bring fire down upon myself, though I am prepared should that happen.  

I hope you will hear what I have to say, as well as the spirit in which I am saying it.  Please contact me if you have any questions.  

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Through the years, God has used many men who were not educated at either the high school or college level.  These men were ignorant in the eyes of the world.  Sadly, some today are patterning their ministry after those men, not in power, but in education.  In this episode, I just want to talk with you about ignorance and intelligence.  Should be fun!

Do you know how often we run scripts in our daily conversations and interactions?  It's a lot!  Most of the time we do it without even recognizing it.  That is the point of scripts.  We can run them without thinking, while our brains are engaged elsewhere.  To some extent, this is normal and even necessary, but it can hinder us from engaging in authentic conversations with the people we meet every day.  In this episode, I talk about scripts and challenge you to look for them, and to break out of them for the purpose of actual engagement for the cause of Christ.

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Do you know what an Idealized Cognitive Model is?  Do you think you have one?  Does it affect how we do church, or how we view other churches?  I think the answer is yes. I want to talk to you about this topic today, and hopefully, challenge you to think about how you view the church and the world around you.

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Have you stopped learning?  Did you graduate from seminary or Bible college and feel like now you were the teacher and your congregation is the student body?  In this episode, I want to talk to you about some of my recent ruminations on life and learning as a result of my first child graduating from high school. 

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