Have you ever been reading the Bible when, all of a sudden, WHAM!, you run into a verse, paragraph, or section that straight-up baffles and/or offends? (If you haven't experienced this, then you're either a biblical savant or you aren't reading the Bible much!) When that happens, we only have a certain number of responses available to us: 1) Pretend we totally understand and move on, 2) Admit we don't understand and move on, 3) Admit we don't understand and give up, or 4) Admit we don't understand and dig in.

On this episode of the podcast, Andrew and Josiah discuss strategies for handling, interpreting, and understanding the difficult passages of Scripture. Andrew has recently been writing a series of blog posts on our website in which he models what he does when he, like all of us, arrive at passages of Scripture that seem to confuse.

Faith is a word that's gets mentioned in all aspects of Christian life: We're saved by faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), invited to walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), appreciate the gift of faith (1 Corinthians 12:9), and commanded to contend for the faith. But often, while we rightly use the word "faith" with great regularity, we don't talk much about what it really is or what it really means. 

Join Josiah and Andrew on this episode of the podcast as they seek to remedy that possible deficiency, discussing the various ways we use "faith": as a gift, a choice, a discipline, and more, inspired by a recent sermon by Dr. Jim Rennie.

Each and every Christian is called, invited, and empowered to help others find ("evangelism") and follow ("discipleship") Jesus Christ. While these relationships can be found in any number of places (for example, where we worship, work, study, or play), more often than not we need not look further than our own families to find opportunities to help people grow in Christ. 

Today on the podcast we welcome a long-time member of the Oakridge family, Judy Wragg, to help us think through how to intentionally leverage family relationships for the glory of God and, more specifically, how the role of grandparent can be as blessed as it is influential, as privileged as it is impactful.

As we conclude our time in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:13–27, we turn our focus to an unshakable foundation. Join with Josiah and Andrew as they chat about the inevitable storms of life and how to prepare by choosing the right paths, listening to the right voices, and trusting the right measurements; and what can happen when we do the opposite. The storms are coming. Are you ready?

It's all about relationships today! Join Andrew and Josiah as they talk about Matthew 7:1–12, the pursuit of true righteousness, and how that changes the way we interact with God's people, God's opponents, and God himself. On this episode the duo discuss some of the most misquoted and misunderstood verses in the New Testament today with the goal of coming to a practical understanding of how to pursue this kingdom ethic here and now while still longing for its full arrival in the future. What does it look like to pursue righteousness in our relationships? Let's find out!

If you missed the sermon that sparked this conversation, you can find that on our website.

As perennial as weeds in a garden, issues of wealth and worry crop up in every Christian's life at one time or another. Join Andrew and Josiah as they discuss what Jesus had to say about these topics in Matthew 6:19–34 and how we can fight against the draw towards idolatrous living (as well as a little sidebar about the authority of all Scripture and not just the red letters!).

Much of what we do as Christians, by its very nature, is visible to those around us. Yet how do we reconcile that with the warning in Matthew 6 to avoid practicing righteousness in front of other people? How do we check our motivation and live like One (that is, the One) is watching? What does this all have to do with eternal rewards, unity within the body of Christ, and even our evangelistic efforts?

Join Josiah and Andrew as they discuss these issues and more as we return again to the importance of faithfulness and the dangers of fearing men over God.

If you missed the sermon that sparked this conversation, you can find that on our website. For the first in the series of blog posts mentioned by Andrew at the close of the episode, click here.

As Oakridge prepares to move back into our Sunday study of Matthew's gospel, Josiah recruits some outside help to re-set the stage. 

John Oglesby is a student and faculty member at Calvary University and executive vice president of Vyrsity under Agathon Educational Group. He also serves as a guest lecturer at the Word of Life Bible Institute where he teaches a variety of biblical books, including the first gospel account. The conversation that follows will aid in reacquainting us with this particular and unique book of the Bible, warn us of some potential hazards to avoid in our exploration, and highlight some important and exciting themes we shouldn't miss. 

Anyone out there feeling a little worn down, frustrated, or just plain weary? If so, you've got company. 

The last number of months have taken many of us to the brink of our emotional, physical, and spiritual bandwidth, demonstrated for us afresh that we're creatures with limits, and highlighted yet again that we need a God who is without. What can we do when we're weary? Where can we turn for strength and comfort? How can we endure?

Andrew takes the wheel in this latest offering of the podcast as he and Josiah discuss Psalm 61 and how king David's desperate-but-hopeful words ring true for us today. (If you missed last Sunday's sermon, be sure catch up here.)

This week on the podcast, Andrew and Josiah flesh-out some of the potential implications from Sunday's message on Romans 12–15, a text that seems particularly timely. 

While there are many potential reasons for division, frustration, and isolation today—e.g., Do masks actually work? When must the church disobey the government? Should Christians risk their physical health to nourish their spiritual health?—God calls his people to sacrificially serve one another (Romans 12:3–8),  love one another (12:9–13:14), and accept one another (14:1–15:13). These are church-unifying, body-building, nutrient-rich fruit that, according to the apostle Paul, can only grow and flourish off of a healthy root (12:1–2). But what does it look like to offer our bodies as living and holy sacrifices? What does it mean to have our minds transformed? How do we tend the root in order to grow the fruit!? All this is on the docket for discussion.