Bible Study Podcast

Wes McAdams, Travis Pauley, and Caleb Kirkwood discuss the idea of “servant leadership” and what Jesus really has to say about being a leader and becoming a leader. How is leadership different for servants of God’s kingdom? This discussion was prompted by this question from one of our listeners, “One of my concerns has been the move away from the idea of ‘ministry’, or ‘being a servant’ to being a ‘leader’. So far I’m stuck with an impression that Jesus didn’t talk about ‘leadership’, except to state that the ‘first’ (or leader) shall be last. Jesus talked a good deal about ‘serving’ and this seems to be reflected in the New Testament. Modern Church thinking seems to promote the idea of ‘leadership’, emphasizing ‘service’, whereas my reading of the New Testament seems to place the emphasis the other way round, with an emphasis on ‘service’, one aspect of which may be ‘taking the lead’. I’d be interested to know your thoughts.” Special thanks to Beth Tabor for the transcribing this episode: What Does Jesus Say About Christian Leadership?           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

What do people mean when they refer to a sinful nature? Do we have a sinful nature? If so, how do we overcome our sinful nature? The Lord said, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21). What did he mean by this? These are some of the questions Wes McAdams, Caleb Kirkwood, and Travis Pauley discuss and study in this episode of the Bible study podcast. We hope you are encouraged by this Bible study.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

Is there a sin that is unforgivable? What did Jesus mean when he said, “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:32)? Wes, Travis, and Caleb Kirkwood discuss a question from a listener concerning “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit,” the unforgivable sin. We hope you are encouraged by this Bible study. Special thanks to Beth Tabor for transcribing this episode. Click here to read transcript.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

Concerning the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself” (1 Corinthians 11:29). What does it mean to discern the body? Are we to think about the body of Christ on the cross or the body of Christ, the church? Is “Communion” about communing with the Lord or communing with each other? These are the questions we consider and study in today’s Bible Study Podcast. We hope you are encouraged by this Bible study. Special thanks to Beth Tabor for transcribing this episode. Click here for transcript.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

Wes McAdams and Travis Pauley discuss a listener’s question concerning Romans 5:3-5, which says, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” They compare Romans 5:3-5 with a well-known saying, “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny” (Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching). * What does it mean that character produces hope? * Are we supposed to be developing character or are we supposed to be developing hope? * What role does suffering play in our development? * How should we respond to suffering? We hope you enjoy this Bible study.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

Reading a whole book of the Bible in one sitting is easier, and more rewarding, than you might think. After all, if you received a letter from a friend, you would likely not read it one sentence at a time, but rather the entire letter all at once. The vast majority of New Testament books are letters, written to individuals and church families. They were intended to be read in one sitting. Travis and Wes discuss the power of reading books this way and also read through the book of Philippians from beginning to end. If you are looking for a way to read through the Bible this year, you might enjoy this Bible Reading Plan, which takes you through one book at a time. Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse was written as he documented his Bible reading following that plan. We hope all of this encourages you to try reading through whole books of the Bible a little more often.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

In this sixth and final episode of our series, “What is the Kingdom of Heaven?” Wes and Travis discuss Jesus’ words in Matthew 13:52, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” What does Jesus mean by treasure that is new and treasure that is old? What is a scribe that that has been trained for the kingdom of heaven? We hope you enjoy this Bible study on Matthew 13:51-52.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

As Jesus continues to unfold hidden truths about the nature of heaven’s kingdom, he describes the kingdom as a net that is spread across the whole world. What does this parable reveal about God’s kingdom? What does this parable reveal about the way God deals with evil? How would this parable change our lives if we took its implications seriously? We hope you enjoy this Bible study discussion with Wes McAdams and Travis Pauley. Special thanks to Beth Tabor for transcribing this episode for us! Click here for full transcript.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

As we continue our ongoing discussion about the nature of the kingdom of heaven, Wes McAdams and Travis Pauley discuss Jesus’ parables about the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value (Matthew 13:44-46). What do these two parables teach us about the nature of the kingdom? What do these two parables teach us about how we are to receive the kingdom? We hope you are encouraged by this conversation.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

As Wes McAdams and Travis Pauley continue their series on, “What is the Kingdom of Heaven,” they discuss the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (Matthew 13:31-33). What does it mean that the kingdom of heaven is like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a large tree? What does it mean that the kingdom of heaven is like leaven hidden in dough? And how do Jesus’ revelations about the kingdom of heaven change our perception and our lives? We hope you are encouraged by this conversation. Special thanks to Beth Tabor for transcribing this podcast for us (What is the Kingdom of Heaven – Part 3).           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

In the second episode of our series, “What is the Kingdom of Heaven?” Wes and Travis discuss Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). Perhaps the most surprising feature of the kingdom of heaven is that it will overlap the kingdoms of the world for a period of time. Though the kingdom of heaven has come, we continue to deal with the seeds the evil one has sown in the world. We hope this Bible study encourages you to seek the kingdom of heaven.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

What is the kingdom of heaven? Over the next several episodes, Wes McAdams and Travis Pauley will discuss several parables from Matthew 13, which reveal the nature of the kingdom of heaven. On this episode, Wes and Travis discuss how we should think about parables, as well as the first parable in Matthew 13, “The Parable of the Soils” (also called, “The Parable of the Sower”). The text for today’s Bible study comes from Matthew 13:1-23. We hope this Bible study encourages you to seek the kingdom of heaven.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

In this episode of the Bible Study Podcast, Wes and Travis continue their discussion on asking better Bible questions. Questions like these are discussed: * What is an assumption? * What assumptions do we make when we study the Bible? * What can the Sadducees teach us about making assumptions when we study the Bible (Mark 12:18-27)? * How can we develop better assumptions? It is inevitable that when we study the Bible, we will make assumptions. The key is to allow “inductive” Bible study to shape and mold the assumptions we are making. We hope you are encouraged and edified by this conversation. If you missed part one of this conversation, “Asking Better Bible Questions (Part One),” you might want to listen to that as well. Click here for the full transcript of this episode. Special thanks to Beth Tabor for transcribing for us.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

On this episode of the Bible Study Podcast, Travis and Wes discuss how to ask better questions when we are reading and studying the Bible. * How are we supposed to approach scripture as followers of Jesus? * What’s the difference between deductive and inductive Bible study? * Does the Bible answer all of our questions? But the primary question of this conversation is, are we looking to change others with what we read, or are we letting scripture change us as we read? This is the first in a series of episodes on the subject of asking better Bible questions, so make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast (either through your podcast provider or through email) to hear the next episode in the series. Click here for the full transcript of this episode. Special thanks to Beth Tabor for transcribing for us.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book, Beyond the Verse: What I Discovered Reading the Bible One Book at a Time.  And if you’re new to Audible and choose this book as your first book, you can listen to it for free! Logos Bible Software You can help support this podcast by checking out Logos Bible Software. Logos has partnered with us to give our listeners a great discount. Just visit RadicallyChristian.com/logos. Connect: If you enjoyed the Radically Christian Bible Study podcast, be sure to check out: www.facebook.com/radicallychristian www.facebook.com/theccmr www.twitter.com/wesmcadams

In this week’s episode, Wes continues his conversation on racism in the early church with Andrew, the host of the popular “Post-Apostolic Church” YouTube channel. Racism, classism, and other forms of discrimination have plagued our world for centuries. Not only is the church wrestling with these issues today, Christians in the First, Second, and Third centuries dealt with them as well. We will allow some of the theologians and leaders from the early church to help us think through how we should treat one another as followers of Jesus. If you missed Part One of this conversation, you can find it here. One quote, from Lactantius (A.D. 310), that is shared in this episode: “The first office of justice (peity, religousness) is to be united with God, the second (equity, fairness) with man. The former is called religion. The second is named mercy or kindness, which is familiar to the just person and to the worshippers of God, because this alone comprises the principle of common life (equality). For God, who has not given wisdom to the other animals, has made them more safe from attack in danger by natural defences. But because He made mankind naked and defenceless–in order that He might rather furnish him with wisdom–He gave him this feeling of kindness. So that man should protect, love, and cherish [his fellow] man, and both receive and give assistance against all dangers. Therefore, kindness is the greatest bond of human society. And he who has broken this is to be considered impious and a murderer of family. For if we all derive our origin from one man, whom God created, we are plainly of one blood. Therefore, it must be considered the greatest wickedness to hate a man, even though [he may be] guilty. On which account God has commanded that hostilities are never to be contracted by us, but that they are always to be removed, so that we soothe those who are our enemies, by reminding them of their relationship [with us]. Likewise, if we are all inspired and animated by one God, what else are we than brothers? Indeed, the more closely [we are] united, because we are united in soul rather than in body….On account of this relationship of brotherhood, God teaches us never to do evil, but always good. And He also instructs us in what is doing good: in giving aid to those who are oppressed and in difficulty and in bestowing food on those who are destitute. Because God is kind, He wishes us to be a social animal. Therefore, we ought to think of ourselves in the sense of other men. We do not deserve to be set free in our own dangers, if we do not set others free, and we do not deserve assistance, if we refuse to give assistance.” If you have a passage or topic you would like us to study, please send Wes an email or call and leave a short message at 707-238-2216. We may play your message on an upcoming episode of the Bible Study Podcast. Click here for the full transcript. Special thanks to Beth Tabor for transcribing it for us.           Audio Book If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, you might enjoy the audio version of Wes’ book,