What if the most important person in your favorite Bible story didn't even have a name? We’re wrapping up our regional deep dives by celebrating the "Nameless Notables" — the background actors and extras who ended up stealing the show. From a little girl pointing a powerful general toward healing to wise women saving entire cities just by speaking up, we’re seeing how small acts of faith create massive domino effects. We even dive into the "Hot Seat" to ask why Jesus used the word "dog" with a Canaanite mother and what really happened with Jephthah’s daughter. Grab your bracket and let’s remember that in God’s story, there really are no small parts!

The Big Idea: In God’s kingdom, there are no insignificant roles, as even anonymous acts of faith can trigger a life-changing domino effect.

This Week's Challenge: Look for an opportunity this week to speak up or step into the gap like the nameless heroes of Scripture.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 278 (VIDEO)
• Vote in the Bible Bracket (LINK)
• Naaman and the Young Hebrew Maid (PASSAGE)
• The Canaanite Woman's Faith (PASSAGE)
• Jephthah's Vow and His Daughter (PASSAGE)
• The Wise Woman of Tekoa (PASSAGE)
• The Wise Woman of Abel (PASSAGE)
• The Widow of Nain (PASSAGE)

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Ever wonder how thirteen guys without jobs traveled around for three years without starving? We’re diving into the "shadow cabinet" of Jesus’ ministry to meet Joanna, the wife of Herod’s own household manager. It’s a story of "The Spy Who Funded Me," where we see God’s brilliant irony at work — using Herod’s resources to sustain the very Gospel he tried to suppress. But as we’ll see, Joanna wasn’t just a distant donor. She was a devoted disciple who stood by the cross and was among the first at the empty tomb. Let’s explore what it looks like to leverage our status for the Savior and find our true identity in following Him.

The Big Idea: Joanna’s story reveals how God uses even the most unlikely political and financial connections to sustain and advance the work of the gospel.

This Week's Challenge: Identify and reach out to an "unseen MVP" in your community whose behind-the-scenes service makes the mission possible.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 277 (VIDEO)
• Vote in the Bible Bracket (LINK)
• Joanna and the Supporting Women (PASSAGE)
• Joanna at the Empty Tomb (PASSAGE)
• Women at the Crucifixion (PASSAGE)
• Plainfield Ponderings: Women in 1 Timothy (PODCAST)

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Ever felt like a background character in your own life, reduced to a role or pushed to the edges by someone else’s choices? This week, we’re looking at Hagar — the servant and foreigner who was treated like a shortcut but became the first person in the Bible to encounter the "Angel of the Lord". We explore how God calls us by name when others only see our status, and what it means that He "sees to provide" even in our driest wilderness seasons. From the meaning of Ishmael ("God hears") to the comfort of El Roi ("the God who sees"), we’re finding hope in the truth that God isn't just watching us — He’s looking after us.

The Big Idea: The God who saw Hagar in the wilderness sees and hears us in our wilderness seasons.

This Week's Challenge: Sing “I Am His Child” (link) and enjoy the assurance of his presence.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 276 (VIDEO)
• Vote in the Bible Bracket (LINK)
• Hagar’s First Wilderness Encounter (PASSAGE)
• Hagar and the Well of Life (PASSAGE)
• The God Who Searches and Knows (PASSAGE)
• Emmanuel: God With Us (PASSAGE)
• I Am His Child (SONG)

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We're coming to on location (and a little disoriented) from the Pondering Studio in Plainfield, Indiana! Ever felt like Proverbs 31 was just a crushing checklist of impossible standards? We’re reclaiming that famous passage and looking at the "valiant warrior" heart behind the "excellent wife" persona. We also dive into the high-stakes drama of Exodus 1-2, where God used a bunch of courageous daughters to totally flip the script on Pharaoh’s murderous plot. Since when does a tyrant get outmaneuvered by a few midwives and a baby in a basket? Join us as we celebrate how daily diligence and quiet strength are actually God’s chosen weapons.

The Big Idea: Scripture celebrates “women of valor” whose daily diligence and quiet strength become God’s chosen weapons to transform their communities.

This Week's Challenge: Find a way to honor a woman in your life that reminds you of the Proverbs 31 woman.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 275 (VIDEO)
• Ryan’s Sermon “Woman of Valor” (SERMON)
• Ryan’s Sermon “Providence & Parenting” (SERMON)
• Vote in the Bible Bracket (LINK)
• The Valiant Woman (PASSAGE)
• God's Deliverance Through Daughters (PASSAGE)
• Plainfield Ponderings: Women in 1 Timothy (PODCAST)

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Voting is officially open! Before you cast your ballots in the Favorite Bible Women Bible Bracket, we're' wrapping up our draft with the final two regions. In Part 2, we tackle the "Friends and Followers" (the devoted inner circle of the early church) and the "Nameless Notables" (the anonymous women whose faith left a permanent mark on Scripture). We debate whether Mary Magdalene or Mary of Bethany deserves the overall #1 seed, and we marvel at how many of our most frequently preached sermons feature women whose names we don't even know. We finalize the bracket, share a few honorable mentions who almost made the cut (sorry, Gomer and Mary of Clopas!), and invite you to join the fun.

The Big Idea: The stories of biblical women — from famous matriarchs to unnamed women of valor — are foundational examples of courage, leadership, and faith that still shape us today.

This Week's Challenge: Pick one woman from the bracket whose story you aren't familiar with and read about her this week.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 274 (VIDEO)
• Vote in the Tournament: Bible Bracket: Women of Faith
• Mary Magdalene at the Empty Tomb (PASSAGE)
• Mary of Bethany Chooses the Better Part (PASSAGE)
• Martha's Confession of Faith (PASSAGE)
• The Woman at the Well (PASSAGE)
• The Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus (PASSAGE)
• The Widow's Two Mites (PASSAGE)

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Happy Anniversary to us! We’re kicking off Year Eight of the Bible Geeks podcast with March Bracketology. This year’s 64-seed bracket honors our Favorite Bible Women. Before official voting opens on March 12th, we're drafting our ultimate squads. In Part 1, we tackle the "Women of Valor" (brave tacticians like Rahab and Abigail) and the "Matriarchs and Leaders" (foundational voices like Mary and Esther — and don't worry, we didn't pit sisters Rachel and Leah against each other!). We debate the seeding and challenge you to read up on a biblical woman you aren't familiar with this week!

The Big Idea: The stories of biblical women — from famous matriarchs to unnamed women of valor — are foundational examples of courage, leadership, and faith that still shape us today.

This Week's Challenge: Pick one woman from the bracket whose story you aren't familiar with and read about her this week.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 273 (VIDEO)
• Vote in the Tournament: Bible Bracket: Favorite Bible Women (Voting begins March 12, 2026!)
• Rahab the Courgaeous (PASSAGE)
• Abigail's Wisdom (PASSAGE)
• Deborah the Judge (PASSAGE)
• Mary, Mother of Jesus (PASSAGE)
• Queen Esther (PASSAGE)
• Sarah and the Promise (PASSAGE)

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It’s time to roll out the red carpet! In the grand finale of our Winter Watch Party, we’re wrapping up The Chosen Season 2 with the ultimate season review. Before Jesus steps up to deliver the greatest sermon ever preached, we dive into the art of His sermon prep. Did Jesus use His disciples as thinking partners? How did He perfectly balance the hard, abrasive truths with profound comfort? Next, we put our Bible Geek knowledge to the test with a rapid-fire trivia challenge all about the newly completed roster of the 12 Disciples. Finally, we hand out the prestigious Golden Sandal Awards! We're celebrating our favorite newly appreciated characters, crowning our Best Supporting Actors, and sharing the "I'm Not Crying, You're Crying" moments that absolutely wrecked us. Grab your golden spreadsheet (we're looking at you, Matthew) and join us as we close out the season and look ahead to March's upcoming Bible Bracket!

The Big Idea: How we listen to Jesus determines how we follow him.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 272 (VIDEO)
• The Chosen: Season 2, Episode 8 - "Beyond Mountains" (VIDEO)
• The Sermon on the Mount (PASSAGE)
• Jesus Calls the Twelve Apostles (PASSAGE)
• Nathanael Under the Fig Tree (PASSAGE)
• Philip Asks to See the Father (PASSAGE)
• Judas and the Moneybag (PASSAGE)

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Dun dun! In the criminal justice system of first-century Israel, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the Romans who enforce the laws, and the disciples who accidentally break them. These are their stories. Welcome back to the Winter Watch Party! In this episode, we’re opening the case file on The Chosen Season 2, Episode 7 ("The Reckoning"). The show turns into a full-blown police procedural when Jesus and the disciples are detained by Roman authorities. We review the "suspect lineup" to see who cracks under the pressure. Peter is spiraling, Andrew is ready to start a riot, but Matthew and Mary step up to keep the crew level-headed. We also break down the surprisingly complex Roman characters (shoutout to Atticus and Quintus) playing good cop/bad cop with a perfectly calm Jesus. Finally, we look at how Jesus prepares the Beatitudes amidst the chaos, ending with the ultimate mic drop: teaching His stressed-out followers the Lord's Prayer.

The Big Idea: Peace isn't the absence of conflict; it's the presence of Jesus in the middle of the interrogation room.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 271 (VIDEO)
• The Chosen: Season 2, Episode 7 - "The Reckoning" (VIDEO)
• The Lord's Prayer (PASSAGE)
• The Beatitudes (PASSAGE)
• Jesus Teaches His Disciples to Pray (PASSAGE)

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Swap out the HR cardigans for your favorite professorial Letterman sweater (or just stay in your sweatpants) — we're diving into some heavy theology! In this installment of the Winter Watch Party, we're breaking down The Chosen Season 2, Episode 6, where two massive themes collide head-on: God's law and God's grace. Ryan puts Bryan in the "Hot Seat" to untangle a messy question about ethics: what's the difference between just doing whatever feels right in the moment and actually discerning God's will? We're talking King David eating the forbidden showbread, Jesus healing on the Sabbath, and the ancient rabbinic throwdown between the schools of Shammai and Hillel. (Yep, we went full Bible Geek on this one!) But it's not all high-level debates. We also get real about Mary Magdalene’s emotional return to the camp and tackle a tough "Reach Out" question: Why is grace so hard to accept? Spoiler alert: learning to dish out a little more grace to the people around us might just be the secret to finally accepting it for ourselves.

The Big Idea: Following Jesus means learning how to discern rightly — and learning how to live forgiven when we fall.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 270 (VIDEO)
• The Chosen: Season 2, Episode 6 (VIDEO)
• David Eats the Showbread (PASSAGE)
• Lord of the Sabbath / Plucking Grain (PASSAGE)
• The Two Great Commandments (PASSAGE)
• I Desire Mercy, and Not Sacrifice (PASSAGE)
• Houses of Hillel and Shammai (ARTICLE)

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The wheels have officially fallen off the bus. In this episode of our Winter Watch Party, we break down The Chosen Season 2, Episode 5 ("Spirit"). It’s a "spiritual thriller" full of chaos: a demon-possessed man terrorizing the camp, Roman spies in the bushes, and John the Baptist causing a PR nightmare. We put on our cardigans to act as the "HR Department for Galilee," reviewing the incident reports — from John's "scorched earth" policy to Mary Magdalene's heartbreaking relapse. We discuss the realism of backsliding, the terror of the demonic, and the powerful moment Jesus delegates the rescue mission to Peter and Matthew — forcing enemies to become partners in grace. Finally, we challenge you to be the one who makes the call to bring someone back to the Lord.

The Big Idea: When a believer falls, our job isn't to judge the failure — it's to go into the dark and find them.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 269 (VIDEO)
• The Chosen: Season 2, Episode 5 - "Spirit" (VIDEO)
• John the Baptist's "Brood of Vipers" Speech (PASSAGE)
• Jesus on John the Baptist (PASSAGE)
• The Return of an Unclean Spirit (PASSAGE)
• Sending Them Out Two by Two (PASSAGE)
• Where Can I Flee From Your Spirit? (PASSAGE)

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Does God want to heal you, or do you want to be healed? In this episode of our Winter Watch Party, we explore The Chosen Season 2, Episode 4 ("The Perfect Opportunity"), where Jesus asks a paralytic who's been waiting 38 years for a miracle one of the strangest questions in the gospels: "Do you want to be healed?" We start with a "Bible Fact Check" to see what’s fact (the pool of Bethesda, 38 years) and what’s fiction (Simon the Zealot’s brother, the name Jesse). Then, we dive into four profound questions Jesus asks in the Gospel of John — questions designed not to gather information, but to act as a mirror for our souls. Finally, we challenge you to pick one of these questions to sit with this week as if Jesus were asking you directly.

The Big Idea: Jesus doesn't ask questions to get answers; He asks them to act as mirrors that reveal our true desires and awaken our faith.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 268 (VIDEO)
• The Chosen: Season 2, Episode 4 - "The Perfect Opportunity" (VIDEO)
• The Healing at the Pool of Bethesda (PASSAGE)
• Jesus Asks: "What Are You Seeking?" (PASSAGE)
• Jesus Asks: "Do You Believe This?" (PASSAGE)
• Jesus Asks: "Do You Not Know Me?" (PASSAGE)
• The Zealots (ARTICLE)

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Grab a marshmallow and pull up a log — it's time for The Breakfast Club with swords and sandals. In this episode of our Winter Watch Party, we break down The Chosen Season 2, Episode 3 ("Matthew 4:24"). It’s a classic "bottle episode," meaning no set changes, no travel montages, and 100% character development as the disciples sit around a campfire waiting for Jesus. We play a game of "Bad Teams," debating who would be the worst pair to build IKEA furniture (looking at you, Peter and Matthew) or run a three-legged race. But amidst the bickering, we explore the hard work of unity — realizing that unity isn't about "sameness," but about choosing to love despite our different files on each other. Finally, we look at the creative choice to show an exhausted Jesus, reminding us that He "emptied Himself" for us — and that it’s okay to need a nap.

The Big Idea: Jesus didn't just take on a human body, he took on human limitations — proving that exhaustion isn't a sin and needing rest is part of being human.

This Week's Challenge: The "Nap Challenge" — If Jesus needed help taking off his sandals after a long day of ministry, you’re allowed to stop. Find one moment this week to admit you are at your limit and simply rest.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 267 (VIDEO)
• The Chosen: Season 2, Episode 3 - "Matthew 4:24" (VIDEO)
• Healed by Jesus (PASSAGE)
• Maintaining the Unity of the Spirit (PASSAGE)
• He Emptied Himself (PASSAGE)
• He Gives His Beloved Sleep (PASSAGE)

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When was the last time you felt truly seen? In this episode of our Winter Watch Party, we explore Season 2, Episode 2 of The Chosen, where we meet Nathanael — a man feeling completely unseen until Jesus meets him with three simple words: "I saw you." We dive into the subplots, including Matthew and Mary’s struggle to catch up on their Torah learning and Peter’s jockeying for leadership. But the heart of this discussion is evangelism. We break down how Philip’s simple invitation — "Come and see" — might be the best model for sharing Jesus in the entire Bible. Plus, we play a game of "Three Degrees to Jesus" to trace who connected us to the Lord (spoiler: it usually starts with a grandma or a friend at a KFC table).

The Big Idea: We don't need a theology degree to share our faith — just a simple invitation to "Come and see."

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 266 (VIDEO)
• The Chosen: Season 2, Episode 2 - "I Saw You" (VIDEO)
• Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael (PASSAGE)
• Jacob’s Ladder (PASSAGE)
• Behold the Lamb of God (PASSAGE)
• Mary Listening at Jesus' Feet (PASSAGE)
• Come and See (PASSAGE)

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Welcome to the Winter Watch Party! We're filling the gap between seasons with a low-stress rewatch of The Chosen Season 2. Today, we're discussing Episode 1, "Thunder," where we encounter road rage in Samaria, cranky disciples, and the "Sons of Thunder" trying to call down fire from heaven. We introduce the "Golden Sandals Awards" to honor the best (and most unbiblical) moments, including the "Simon Peter Award" for putting your foot in your mouth. From Jesus' patience with prejudice to John's writing process, we explore how Christ redirects our zeal from destruction to love.

The Big Idea: Jesus meets our impatience and judgment not with rejection, but with a patience that transforms our "thunder" into living water.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 265 (VIDEO)
• The Chosen: Season 2, Episode 1 - "Thunder" (VIDEO)
• James and John Call Down Fire (PASSAGE)
• The Good Samaritan (PASSAGE)
• Jesus Talks with the Samaritan Woman (PASSAGE)
• Sons of Thunder (PASSAGE)

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Every time a bell rings, does an angel get his wings? Probably not. In this season finale, we're' separating the Hallmark movie myths from the biblical reality of angels. We kick things off with a round of "Angel Jeopardy," debunking chubby cherubs and shoulder angels, before diving into the "Hot Seat" to answer the big questions. Do angels still work in the world today? Do we actually have "guardian angels," or is that just a nice thought? And what does it really mean to "entertain angels unawares" — are we dealing with celestial "secret shoppers"? Join us as we look behind the curtain at the invisible armies encamped around us.

The Big Idea: Angels are God’s powerful servants, carrying out his purposes and ministering to us!

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 264 (VIDEO)
• It's a Wonderful Life - "Teacher says..." (VIDEO)
• Ministering Spirits (PASSAGE)
• The Angels of the "Little Ones" (PASSAGE)
• Peter's "Angel" (PASSAGE)
• Entertaining Angels Unawares (PASSAGE)
• Abraham's Visitors (PASSAGE)
• Elisha's Invisible Army (PASSAGE)
• The Angel Encamped Around Us (PASSAGE)
• Shepherd of Hermas (WEBSITE)

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Is Philippians 4:13 the ultimate spiritual cheat code for winning football games and acing math tests? In this Bible Geeks Mini, we’re rescuing one of the most famous verses in the Bible from the locker room and putting it back where it belongs. We explore why Paul wasn't looking for a "Sylvester Stallone-style" triumph, but rather the strength to endure prison with peace. We dive into the "secret of contentment" — learning to be okay whether we're full or hungry, rich or poor. It turns out the true power of this verse isn't about achieving our dreams, but finding the otherworldly strength to choose joy in whatever situation we face.

The Big Idea: The "secret" of contentment isn't a superpower to achieve all our dreams, it's learning to find Christ's strength sufficient in all our circumstances — whether we have plenty or are in need.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 263 (VIDEO)
• The Secret of Contentment (PASSAGE)
• Rejoice in the Lord Always (PASSAGE)
• Do All Things Without Grumbling (PASSAGE)
• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's "But If Not" Faith (PASSAGE)
• Tim Tebow's eye black Bible verses: A guide (ARTICLE)

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Have you ever opened your mouth and heard your parents come out? It happens to the best of us! This week, we’re looking at the "base operating system" of our families to see if there are any glitches we need to fix. We dive into the "copy and paste" drama of biblical families, asking why Abraham’s deceit and Isaac’s favoritism kept showing up in the next generation. Is it nature, nurture, or just a lack of updates? Thankfully, we don't have to stay stuck in a loop. We explore how Joseph "flipped the script" and how Jesus — the ultimate pattern breaker — offers us a total reboot as a "new creation". It’s time to identify the baggage we’ve inherited and let God start "reparenting" us for the better.

The Big Idea: The gospel empowers us to break bad patterns and pass on better ones.

This Week's Challenge: Identify one unhealthy family pattern and one positive pattern. Pray about them and take one step this week to break the bad and reinforce the good.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 262 (VIDEO)
• 1 Peter 1:18 (PASSAGE)
• Abraham’s Deception (PASSAGE)
• Isaac and Jacob’s Favoritism (PASSAGE)
• Nathan Rebukes David (PASSAGE)
• Ezekiel 18 (PASSAGE)
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 (PASSAGE)
• As For Me and My House (PASSAGE)
• Peter Scazzero (WEBSITE)

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This week, we’re hitting "peak Bible Geeks" territory. Is God actually at work in your life, or did He just set the world spinning and walk away? We tackle the heavyweights — providence, miracles, and the mystery of God's will — without getting bogged down in the philosophy. We explore the meaning of "providence," the "salami sandwich" of Proverbs 16 (where man plans but God establishes the steps), and the story of Joseph to see how the Lord governs the world. We also ask: Are miracles still happening today, or is there a distinction between apostolic signs and God’s mighty works in response to prayer? Join us as we look at Romans 8:28 and the power of the word "perhaps" to guide us through uncertainty.

The Big Idea: God still personally and purposefully works to quietly direct ordinary events toward his good and eternal purposes.

This Week's Challenge: This week, pause once each day to name one “ordinary” event and thank God for how he might be using it for good — whether or not you can see the outcome yet.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 261 (VIDEO)
• The "Salami Sandwich" of Planning (PASSAGE)
• God Meant It for Good (PASSAGE)
• The Secret Things Belong to God (PASSAGE)
• Working Together for Good (PASSAGE)
• The "Perhaps" of Providence (PASSAGE)
• Praying for the Sick (PASSAGE)

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Happy Thanksgiving, Bible Geeks! In this special holiday Mini, we're taking a break from the turkey and pie to play a game we call the "Gratitude Gauntlet." The rules are simple: we throw disaster scenarios at each other — from dry turkeys and family drama to crushing sports defeats — and challenge each other to find the hidden blessing in the mess.Can you find gratitude when your favorite team gets obliterated or you're stuck working on the holiday? We also get real about the deeper things we're thankful for this year, like the "no" answers from God that turned into blessings and the joy of watching our kids grow up. Join us for a bite-sized dose of encouragement to help you "give thanks in all circumstances".

The Big Idea: True, biblical gratitude isn't just a feeling reserved for big blessings — it's a spiritual muscle we can train to find God's grace and goodness even in the middle of everyday frustrations.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 260 (VIDEO)
• Give Thanks in All Circumstances (PASSAGE)
• Rejoice Always (PASSAGE)
• Christmas Vacation Turkey Scene (VIDEO)

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Boundaries can feel like barriers, but they're actually God's way of teaching us how to love and live more freely. We explore the spiritual tightrope between sacrificial service and self-destruction, asking: How can we take up our cross without letting it lead to burnout? We dive into Galatians 6 to distinguish between bearing our own "rucksack" (personal load) and carrying a brother's crushing "burden". We cover discernment, the idol of approval, and why saying "no" out of love is necessary to avoid falling into co-dependence or resentment. Let's find the freedom God offers within his established limits.

The Big Idea: Healthy boundaries are love in action — honoring God’s design so we can love others wisely and live within our limits.

This Week's Challenge: Ask yourself: “What am I truly responsible for — and what am I simply trying to control?” Watch for an unwise “yes” that should be a gentle “no.”

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 259 (VIDEO)
• Galatians 6:2-5 (The Two Burdens) (PASSAGE)
• Philippians 2:4 (Look to Others' Interests) (PASSAGE)
• God Sets the First Boundary (Genesis 2:16-17) (PASSAGE)
• Our Discussion on Burnout (EPISODE)
• Jules Renard Quote on Freedom (ARTICLE)

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Welcome to our first-ever Bible Geeks Mini — a new, bite-sized episode for your busy week! We're kicking things off with a rapid-fire conversation on Prayer: Hacks and Hot Takes. First, we share practical tips to keep your prayer life fresh, from a simple app that helps you remember your prayer list to using the Lord's Prayer as a powerful daily template. Then, we serve up some "mildly microwaved" hot takes: Does your physical posture in prayer actually matter? And why do we really end every prayer with "in Jesus' name, amen"? (Spoiler: it's not a magic password).

The Big Idea: A healthy prayer life is less about following a rigid set of rules and more about finding a creative, honest rhythm of conversation with God.

This Week's Challenge: Pray through the Lord’s Prayer along with us.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 258 (VIDEO)
• Prayer Apps and Prayer Lists (BLOG)
• PrayMinder App (WEBSITE)
• The Lord's Prayer (PASSAGE)
• Lifting Up Holy Hands (PASSAGE)
• Ask In My Name (PASSAGE)
• The "Amen" Through Him (PASSAGE)
• Do Not Heap Up Empty Phrases (PASSAGE)

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Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the ultimate Old Testament face-off! In this corner: Joshua, the iconic leader who brought down the walls of Jericho. And in this corner: Caleb, the rugged warrior who waited 45 years to claim his mountain. These two titans of faith were the only spies who believed God's promise, but their paths were very different. Is it harder to be Joshua, the "front of house" leader stepping into Moses's massive sandals, or Caleb, the "back of house" mountain man who had to patiently wait 40 years in the wilderness? Join our friendly debate as we explore their unique strengths, their vital partnership, and why the very essence of faith might just be learning how to wait.

The Big Idea: The complementary faithfulness of Joshua (the leader) and Caleb (the loyal warrior) provides a powerful, two-part model for how to follow God wholeheartedly, both in seasons of action and seasons of waiting.

This Week's Challenge: This week, ask yourself: In my current season of life, is God calling me to a "Joshua moment" (to step up, lead, and take new ground), or a "Caleb moment" (to be patiently faithful, trust God's promises in a season of waiting, and finish strong)?

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 257 (VIDEO)
• Give Me This Mountain (BLOG)
• Priscilla and Aquila (PASSAGE)
• The Story of Ruth and Naomi (PASSAGE)
• The 12 Spies & Caleb's "Different Spirit" (PASSAGE)
• Joshua Crosses the Jordan (PASSAGE)
• The Commander of the Lord's Army (PASSAGE)
• Caleb Claims His Mountain (PASSAGE)
• Joshua's Final Challenge (PASSAGE)

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Nephilim, Rephim, Anakim! Oh, my! For our Geektober finale, we're grabbing our nerd glasses and going on a "crypto-biblical expedition" to track down the Bible's giants. Where did the mysterious Nephilim of Genesis 6 come from? How did they lead to the "grasshopper syndrome" of Numbers 13? And how does Goliath, the final boss, tie into the Bible's ultimate story of Christ defeating the enemy? Join us for a fun dive into one of Scripture's weirdest rabbit trails (with a healthy dose of The Princess Bride).

The Big Idea: The Bible’s giants highlight God’s power as his people overcome colossal obstacles.

This Week's Challenge: This week, identify a "giant" in your own life — an insurmountable obstacle, a persistent sin, or an overwhelming fear and meditate on God’s power to protect you.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 256 (VIDEO)
• The Princess Bride: "Anybody want a peanut?" (VIDEO)
• The Six-Fingered Giant (ARTICLE)
• Who Were the Nephilim? (ARTICLE)
• Og's Iron Bed (ARTICLE)
• They Might Be Giants (WEBSITE)

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Did the Bible just drop from heaven as a set of golden tablets? Nope! This Geektober, we're pulling back the curtain on the original Bible geeks: the Scribes! These unsung heroes were the "original programmers" of Scripture, meticulously counting every single word and letter to preserve the text. We debunk the "game of telephone" myth and explore how the painstaking work of groups like the Masoretes — confirmed by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls — is one of the most powerful arguments for the Bible's reliability.

The Big Idea: The surprisingly meticulous and worshipful work of ancient scribes is one of the most powerful arguments for the Bible's preservation and reliability.

This Week's Challenge: This week, when you read your Bible, take an extra 30 seconds to simply be thankful for the physical book in your hands (or on your screen).

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 255 (VIDEO)
• It Wasn’t Magic ... It Was Better (BLOG)
• Our "Square One" Series (SERIES)
• "Meet Your Bible" Sermon (EPISODE)
• The Masoretes (ARTICLE)
• The Dead Sea Scrolls (WEBSITE)
• The Oxyrhynchus Papyri (Ancient Libraries) (ARTICLE)
• They Might Be Giants (WEBSITE)

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Geektober is getting weird! This week, we're exploring the Bible's "ancient rage tracks"—the imprecatory psalms. How can followers of Jesus, who are called to bless their enemies, also pray these Spirit-inspired psalms that call for judgment? Are these just "flyover psalms" we should skip, or do they give us a powerful way to be brutally honest with God, process our pain, and trust His justice without becoming vindictive villains ourselves? Join us for a deep dive into the Bible's dark corner to find out!

The Big Idea: Honest prayer trusts God with our pain.

This Week's Challenge: Pray one imprecatory psalm this week (Ps. 58, 94, or 109). Bring your anger, grief, or injustice to God. Pray honestly — and then watch for the pivot into trust and praise.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 254 (VIDEO)
• "Today" by The Smashing Pumpkins (SONG)
• "Hurt" by Johnny Cash (SONG)
• Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop (BOOK)
• The Message of the Psalms by Walter Brueggemann (BOOK)
• Original Sin by P.D. James (BOOK)

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253 | Geektober | Unmask the Dragon

Geektober continues! If the Bible were a fantasy novel, it'd have it all: a talking serpent, a multi-headed sea monster, and a great dragon at the end. But this isn't fiction, so what's with all the hissing and fire-breathing? How did biblical writers "flip the script" on ancient myths to tell the true story of chaos? And how is the entire Bible one epic dragonslayer story pointing to Christ's ultimate victory over evil? Grab your sword of the Spirit and join our quest to understand one of Scripture's most powerful symbols.

The Big Idea: The Bible uses snakes and dragons to help us see God's epic victory over evil.

This Week's Challenge: Memorize Romans 16:20.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 253 (VIDEO)
• The Fantasmic! Dragon at Disneyland (VIDEO)
• The Serpent and the Serpent Slayer by Andrew Naselli (BOOK)
• Leviathan in Mythology and the Bible (WEBSITE)
• The Babylonian Creation Epic (Enuma Elish) (WEBSITE)
• The "Christus Victor" View of Atonement (ARTICLE)
• The Challenge: Romans 16:20 (VERSE)

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252 | Geektober | Put AI to Work for the Kingdom

Grab your nerd glasses — our monthlong Geektober deep-dive is officially here! First up we head to the workshop to explore Artificial Intelligence. Is AI a faithful "digital servant" for your Bible study, or a rogue robot that hallucinates answers? We're giving you the guardrails to use this powerful tool wisely, showing you why it's a great research assistant but a terrible rabbi. Join us for a fun, nerdy, and practical guide to making AI your servant, not your master, in your walk with God!

The Big Idea: Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that Christians can leverage for kingdom work, but it should be treated like a helpful servant, not a replacement for critical thinking.

This Week's Challenge: This week, put an AI to work as your Digital servant. Then, evaluate the result. Ask yourself: "How did this information help me to think more deeply and personally about the text?"

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 252 (VIDEO)
• Welcome to GEEKTOBER! (WEBSITE)
• The New Yankee Workshop with Norm Abrams (WEBSITE)
• The Plinko Game from The Price is Right (VIDEO)
• Google's NotebookLM (WEBSITE)
• Steve Jobs: A Bicycle for the Mind (VIDEO)

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Ever feel completely gassed, even after a huge win? The prophet Elijah sure did. Fresh off his spiritual Super Bowl on Mount Carmel, he crashed so hard he was ready to quit for good. But God's response wasn't a pep talk — it was a hot meal and an invitation to take a nap. What does this story teach us about the anatomy of burnout and the problem with "hustle culture"? Join us for a surprisingly practical and personal look at finding God's grace — and maybe a good nap — when you've hit the wall.

The Big Idea: When you're spiritually and emotionally exhausted, God's first response isn't a demand for more strength, but an invitation to receive His gentle, practical care.

This Week's Challenge: Identify one thing you can do to address physical or emotional exhaustion — take a nap, go for a quiet walk, have a restorative meal.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 251 (VIDEO)
• Finding Jesus: Matthew 11:28-30 (VERSE)
• Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins (BOOK)
• The Biblical City of Ai (WEBSITE)

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Ever felt like Ezekiel is a locked door? In this workshop episode, Ryan takes us on his journey teaching through this bizarre and beautiful "flyover book". What can we learn from a prophet who ate a scroll and whose wife's death became a sign? How does this book balance God's terrifying judgment with his patient grace? What do the gyroscopic wheels of eyes look like? And what are the practical keys — from immersion to asking the right questions — that unlock its message about Jesus? Get your toolkit ready to confidently tackle one of the Bible's most rewarding books!

The Big Idea: Unlocking an intimidating book like Ezekiel reveals a powerful and accessible message about God's relentless faithfulness.

This Week's Challenge: Read the one chapter Ryan recommended — Ezekiel 37. As you read, don't worry about understanding every detail. Instead, ask one question: "What does this story show me about the power of God?"

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 250 (VIDEO)
• Eat the Scroll (BLOG)
• Ryan’s Top Chapter: Ezekiel 37 (VERSE)
• The Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 1-24 by Daniel I. Block (COMMENTARY)
• The Message of Ezekiel by Christopher J.H. Wright (COMMENTARY)
• The Bible Project: Ezekiel Classroom (VIDEO COURSE)
• Ezekiel by Robert Harkrider (WORKBOOK)
• Ezekiel, NIVAC by Iain Duguid (BOOK)
• The Book Of Ezekiel by Jim McGuiggan (BOOK)
• Episode 4: Fully Infused (PODCAST)
• Image #1 - Line Art Drawing (IMAGE)
• Image #2 - Prog Rock UFO (IMAGE)
• Image #3 - AI Generated Art (IMAGE)

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Fire up the DeLorean! In this time travel episode, we explore the time traps we all fall into. How does Jesus redeem our past, freeing us from the magnetic pull of regret and nostalgia? What's the difference between tactical concern and getting stuck in a state of worry about the future? And what does it really mean to "redeem the time" — not just managing our schedule, but wisely and gratefully living in the present moment? Join us for a conversation that helps us escape the loops of yesterday and tomorrow to live fully in today!

The Big Idea: Christ redeems our past, secures our future, and fills our present with purpose.

This Week's Challenge: Bring whatever’s snagging you, your past, present, or future to God in prayer. Then pay attention to what he does as he works in your life going forward.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 249 (VIDEO)
• Trapped in Time? (BLOG)
• Jesus Said: Matthew 6:34 (VERSE)
• Frequency (MOVIE)
• Groundhog Day (MOVIE)
• The Riddle of Experience vs. Memory (TED TALK)

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Rejoice! We're back for a new season with "Happy Days Ahead"! First up, we're untangling the relationship between joy and happiness. Is it okay for Christians to just be happy, or is happiness a shallow goal we should avoid? How can joy be a choice we make, yet also a fruit of the Spirit we receive? And what does it mean to "abide in the vine" to find the full joy that Jesus promises — the kind that can coexist with sadness? Join us as we explore appreciating happiness while building a life on unshakable joy!

The Big Idea: We can appreciate happiness as a gift, but we must foster joy to carry us through.

This Week's Challenge: This week, instead of chasing a feeling of joy, abide in Christ and gratefully notice his blessings throughout your day.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 248 (VIDEO)
• More Geek, More Joy! (BLOG)
• Jesus Said: John 15:11 (VERSE)
• Finishing Each Other's Sandwiches (VIDEO)
• Rate and Review the Show (APPLE PODCASTS)

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We're closing our "Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular" by opening the vault! This episode is a time capsule: our very first recording together from an old radio show — our "naked baby pictures" episode. Inspired by "National Back to Church Sunday," we ask a bigger question: What does it mean to go back to the church of the Bible? How does the New Testament's pattern for work, worship, and organization compare to today? And why is unity under Christ's authority so crucial? Join us for a foundational discussion that's still relevant today!

The Big Idea: Rather than choosing a church based on preference, we are called to find and be a part of a local body that faithfully follows the New Testament's pattern.

Show Notes

• Back to Church (BLOG)
• Our About Page (with a photo from this recording!) (WEBSITE)
• National Back to Church Sunday (WEBSITE)
• Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular (WEBSITE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)

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We welcome our friend Allen Greeley back for his final sermon in our "Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular"! This week's lesson, "Betrayal of a Close Friend," gets personal. How did King David's psalms give voice to Jesus's heartbreak over Judas hundreds of years before it happened? In what ways did the betrayal of David by his own trusted advisor serve as a haunting prequel to the gospel story? And what does it mean that in the moment of betrayal, Jesus still called Judas "Friend"? Join us for a powerful look at the human cost of betrayal.

The Big Idea: The psalms foretold not just the event of the betrayal, but the real, human pain Jesus would feel as a friend.

Show Notes

• Friend, Do What You Came to Do (BLOG)
• Plainfield Ponderings Podcast (PODCAST)
• Allen Greeley (GUEST)
• Macbeth (WIKI)
• Hamilton (MUSICAL)
• Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular (WEBSITE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)

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Surf's up for our "Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular"! This week, Ryan offers a proper introduction in his sermon, "Meet Your Bible". Ever felt like you know about the Bible, but haven't been formally introduced to this library of books? Why is it crucial to remember this collection was written for you, but not directly to you? And how can we stay curious about a book we think we know so well? Join us for a friendly reintroduction, designed to build your confidence and help you fall in love with it all over again!

The Big Idea: To read the Bible well, see it not as one book, but as a whole library telling one great story.

Show Notes

• Meet Your Bible (BLOG)
• YouVersion Bible App (APP)
• Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular (WEBSITE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)

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We're stoked to have our friend Allen Greeley back for our "Summer Surfin' Spectacular"! This week, he tackles a biblical puzzle in "The Priesthood Face-off." If Old Testament priests and kings came from different tribes, how could Jesus be both? Who was the mysterious priest-king Melchizedek, and why was he considered greater than Abraham? And what happens when the flawed, law-breaking priesthood comes face-to-face with Jesus at his own trial? Grab your board and join us for a deep-dive into God's plan for his ultimate priest-king!

The Big Idea: From its first pages, the Bible builds a case that the flawed human priesthood would one day be replaced by a perfect Priest-King.

Show Notes

• Torn Robes and a Silent King (BLOG)
• Plainfield Ponderings Podcast (PODCAST)
• Allen Greeley (GUEST)
• Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular (WEBSITE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)

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Welcome back to our “Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular”! This week, Bryan dives into a sermon on "Worship and Holy Living". You might know the slogan "Because you're worth it," but have you ever thought about worship as "worth-ship" — giving God what he is truly worth? What does it mean to be God's "fine china," set apart for his purpose yet meant to be used? And if we’re his temple, how does that change how we live on our "holy ground" every day? Join us for a practical look at honoring God's incredible worth!

The Big Idea: When you see God for who he truly is, a life of worship and holiness is the only natural response.

Show Notes

• More Than a Feeling (BLOG)
• Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular (WEBSITE)
• Cross Training Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)

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Welcome back to our “Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular”! This week, we're stoked to have our good friend Allen Greeley share his sermon: "The Human Satan Crusher." Ever wonder where the gospel story really begins? We go way back to Genesis 3 to find the first promise of a hero who would defeat evil. How does this ancient, "weirdly worded" prophecy point to Jesus's birth? And why was his humanity just as important as his deity in the plan to win this spiritual war? Jump on board with us for a discussion that will build your faith and encourage your heart!

The Big Idea: In the midst of humanity's first curse, God graciously inserted the first promise of a Savior who would crush our enemy.

Show Notes

• The Human Satan Crusher (BLOG)
• Plainfield Ponderings Podcast (PODCAST)
• Allen Greeley (GUEST)
• Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular (WEBSITE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)

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Welcome to our "Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular"! Our first sermon comes to us from Ryan! This week, we're all spiritually "Under Construction" and living in the messy middle of God's DIY project. But when is it wise to pause our busy lives to "sharpen the axe" instead of just producing? Are you reaching for spiritual "duct tape and aspirin" when you really need a foundational fix? And how can you be a solid support for others if you're not standing on firm ground yourself? Join us for a fun-filled way to spend our summer break, looking at our ongoing spiritual renovations!

The Big Idea: God wants us to do good work, but first he wants us to work on ourselves.

This Week's Challenge: n/a

Show Notes

• Building a Life That Lasts (BLOG)
• Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular (WEBSITE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw (WEBSITE)
• Stephen Covey (WIKI)
• Center for Courage & Renewal (WEBSITE)
• Quote from "Let Your Life Speak" (QUOTE)

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What's something you love to make – like, really, really love? And why does Peter’s call to build on our faith remind us of a delicious festive side dish? In this final Square One episode, we're asking the big question: “What’s next?” Discipleship is about consistent growth, staying moldable on the potter's wheel, and allowing the Lord to make changes in your life. Ever struggled with patience or consistency in your daily walk with God? We’ve been there too! Tune in as we wrap up Square One and look ahead to a life of discipleship! Thanks for joining us on this epic journey this season!

The Big Idea: Daily training as Christ’s disciple leaves us looking more like him every day.

This Week's Challenge: Through the week, begin taking small steps each day to be in the Word, prayerful, active, and connected to the church.

Show Notes

• What’s Next? (BLOG)
• Jesus Said: Luke 6:40 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 13 (GUIDED STUDY)

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We're almost at the finish line of our Square One series, and in Session 12, we're tackling a big one: "What about everyone else?" We'll dive into how your relationships might change when you commit to Christ and why that's not something to fear. Plus, we're talking about the "chill and very relaxed priesthood" that every Christian is a part of. Get ready to discover your special purpose and mission in the world, not as a secret agent, but as someone radiating God's light!

The Big Idea: God sends us into the world to reflect his light in the darkness.

This Week's Challenge: Tell someone you care about something important you've learned in these discussions.

Show Notes

• What About Everyone Else? (BLOG)
• Jesus Said: Matthew 5:13-16 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 12 (GUIDED STUDY)

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What’s a “Macho Nacho Cheesio”? And what should you do with the leftover pieces of an Ikea desk? We’re back for session 11 of our Square One series to answer those questions, and — most importantly — to ask another: "Why do I need the church?" Join us as we reflect on our own baptism experiences and dive into why the church isn't an optional add-on, but an essential component in your journey with Jesus. We'll explore the early church's radical community in Acts 2 and discuss powerful metaphors like the church as a family, a flock, and a body. What are your impressions of the church, and how do you see being part of a local church helping your walk with Christ?

The Big Idea: Our Lord never intended us to make this journey alone.

This Week's Challenge: Make a list of questions about local church membership and ask them next time.

Show Notes

• Why Do I Need the Church? (BLOG)
• Jesus Said: John 17:21-23 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 11 (GUIDED STUDY)

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It’s the question we've been building towards all season! It’s session 10 of our Square One series, where we're tackling the ultimate question: "What do I need to do to be saved?" We'll discuss the powerful commitment Jesus asks of us, unpack the incredible story of the Ethiopian eunuch from Acts 8, and look at life-altering "What shall we do?" questions throughout the Bible. It’s a "come to Jesus" episode in the most literal sense, laying out what it means to declare your faith, commit to following Jesus, and be baptized. Are you ready to give your life to Jesus?

The Big Idea: Jesus gave his life for us, and now he invites us to give ours to him.

This Week's Challenge: If you're ready, declare your faith in Jesus, commit to following him, and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.

Show Notes

• What Do I Need To Do To Be Saved? (BLOG)
• Jesus Said: Luke 14:33 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 10 (GUIDED STUDY)

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Wouldn’t it be nice to fast-forward some parts of life that seem too slow like the dentist chair or a cringeworthy moment? But would you do that with your spiritual development that sometimes feels slow? You know God is at work, but it's hard to see real progress day-to-day. In this session of our Square One series, we're tackling one of the biggest questions in the Christian walk: "How will God work in me?" We dive into some powerful images from Scripture to get at the answer, like the vine and branches, walking in the Spirit, and what it means to go back to the garden. Transformation happens when we die to the old self and are raised to a new life where God partners with us. It’s about his power, not just our effort. Join us for the discussion, and get ready to envision the new person God wants to help us become!

The Big Idea: God will work in you as you yield to him in faith.

This Week's Challenge: Remember that sheet of paper where you listed all the unhealthy things you were ready to let go of? Now, on the right side of that same paper, make a list of all the wholesome, new things you’re ready for God to create in your life.

Show Notes

• How Will God Work in Me? (BLOG)
• Jesus Said: John 15:5 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 9 (GUIDED STUDY)

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What’s the story with baptism? In Session 8 of our Square One series, we’re giving into the deep end of this important topic. From the Nintendo reset button to the profound transformations described in scripture, we’ve got it covered. We break down Romans 6:1-14 and explore how the story of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection becomes our story. Plus, we dive into Old Testament stories that foreshadow baptism. Listen along as we consider how God changes our identity through baptism and prepares us for a new life in Christ. Hope you enjoy the episode!

The Big Idea: Baptism is both an ending and a new beginning, as we die and are born again.

This Week's Challenge: Throughout the week anytime you use water to clean something, think about how God brings a spiritual transformation in baptism beyond anything we could clean with water alone.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: John 3:1-10 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 8 (GUIDED STUDY)

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Ready for a difficult discussion about repentance? We’re into Square One session 7 exploring how life changes when we get closer to a relationship with Christ. It’s about living a new life in faith by shedding old, destructive, and unhealthy habits. How does the prodigal son’s story teach us about repentance and God's joy in our return to him? We consider personal life changes, the struggles of taming the tongue, and the importance of continually aligning ourselves with God's will. And why certain foods make us a little … uncomfortable?! Get ready for some real talk on transformation and faith!

The Big Idea: The life change God wants for you begins with your decision to follow Christ.

This Week's Challenge: Draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. On the left side, make a list of all the hard, hurtful, and wrong things you're ready to break with and let go. Leave the right side blank for now.

Show Notes

• Finding Jesus: Eph. 4:17-23 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 6 (GUIDED STUDY)
• “Just As I Am” by Ryan Joy (SERMON)

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What's so great about Jesus? Here in Square One session 6, we reflect on Matthew 27-28, share our thoughts on the characteristics of true friendship, and unpack the story of Lazarus from John 11. From Jesus' compassion, unwavering commitment, and wise counsel, join us as we uncover why Jesus is the ultimate friend we all need. Plus, we discuss our favorite friendship stories, chat about how Jesus' love changes our lives, and pose a thought-provoking question: If you could ask a friend to help with something important in your life, what would it be? Let's grow closer to Jesus together!

The Big Idea: Once you know Jesus and his love, your life will never be the same.

This Week's Challenge: Reflect on this question: If you could ask a friend to help you with something important in your life, what would it be?

Show Notes

• Finding Jesus: John 15:13-15 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 6 (GUIDED STUDY)
• Plainfield Pondering by Allen Greeley (PODCAST)

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Would you rather hear the good news or bad news first? Good news — we're into session 5 of our Square One series, tackling a massive question: How does Jesus change things? Understanding the bad news of our sin helps us appreciate the incredibly good news of Jesus! He’s the center of everything and we watch what his suffering accomplished in Isaiah 53. Are you starting to see how Jesus’ story can change yours? Check out Matthew 27:32 to 28:20 this week and visit our website for more resources!

The Big Idea: Jesus has conquered sin and death to bring hope, peace, and joy to our lives.

This Week's Challenge: Read Matthew 27:32-28:20.

Show Notes

• Finding Jesus: Luke 2:10-12 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 5 (GUIDED STUDY)
• The School of Christ: Learning Character from Jesus by Jacob Hudgins (BOOK)

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We’re back for Session 4 of our Square One series. We tackled the huge question: "Why believe in Jesus?" How does the historical evidence for Jesus' resurrection, like the empty tomb and the disciples' transformed lives, provide a solid foundation for faith? Is blind faith a thing? We dug into 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul details eyewitness accounts, including over 500 people seeing Jesus alive, and shared how skeptics often agree on key historical facts surrounding these events. If Jesus really rose from the dead, what does that mean for you?

The Big Idea: We can trust in Jesus because of the historical fact that he rose from the dead.

This Week's Challenge: Take some time to write down your thoughts to the question, "What does it mean if Jesus raised from the dead?"

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: John 20:29 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 4 (GUIDED STUDY)

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Ready to dive into our third conversation in the Square One series? This week, we're tackling the question: What's the Bible all about? Looking at the overarching story of the Bible, SPOILER ALERT — the focus is on Jesus! What’s the best Bible translation? How does John 1 expand our understanding as we piece together the Bible's grand narrative? Mind-blowing revelations ahead — tune in as we unravel the scriptural mysteries that all point to Jesus. And don't forget to check out the links for more resources and follow along with our Square One series!

The Big Idea: All of Scripture points to Jesus.

This Week's Challenge: Read Luke 24:1-35.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: John 5:39-40 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 3 (GUIDED STUDY)

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Get excited, we’re into the second session of our Square One guided study! It’s the Bible Geeks talking about ... the Bible! What it is, why it matters, and how it answers life's biggest questions. How’d this amazing guidebook for our lives come to exist, and why is it still relevant today? Plus, we provide “definitive evidence” (or not?) for all those mysterious topics like the Bermuda Triangle and the Loch Ness Monster. Join us on this journey to better understand the Bible and its significance to our lives. Let's get into it!

The Big Idea: The Bible answers our biggest questions about who we are and why we're here.

This Week's Challenge: If you haven't already, get a Bible or download a Bible app, and orient yourself to how it’s organized.

Show Notes

• Like the Teacher: Matthew 4:1-11 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 2 (GUIDED STUDY)
• Hidden in Plain Sight by Ryan Joy (SERMON)

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Welcome to the “extended version” of our back-to-basics Square One guided study, starting with session one, “Why are things so messed up?”' We reflect on personal struggles, the brokenness we see around us, and the need for spiritual healing. We also discuss the powerful imagery in Isaiah 59 and how it relates to some heavy words like iniquity, transgression, and sin. Plus, we share our thoughts on leading and participating in these soul-searching conversations. Join us as we administer a spiritual physical and explore our need for Jesus' healing together.

The Big Idea: Humanity has slipped into some terribly unhealthy patterns — and if we’re honest, we can see that brokenness in ourselves.

This Week's Challenge: Let’s watch this week for both healthy and unhealthy things in the world.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: Matthew 9:12 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 1 (GUIDED STUDY)
• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)
• Getting to Square One Study Guide (PDF)

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The voting is over and the people have spoken! We’re diving into the surprising results from this year's Bible Bracket. We cover the upsets, nail-biters, and the ultimate winner that stood tall from all the Favorite Bible Verse matchups. How does the Bible's imagery from Romans 12:2, Revelation 21:4, Psalm 118:6, and the grand champion — John 14:6 impact you? Plus, we share some heartfelt thoughts on the verses that have deeply impacted our lives. Join us for a March Madness recap of biblical proportions.

The Big Idea: The Bible is living and active, changing our hearts in new ways and in new circumstances every day.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 227 (VIDEO)
• Meditating on Four Favorite Verses (BLOG)
• Bible Geeks Bracket - Draft Results
• Romans 12:2 (VERSE)
• Revelation 21:4 (VERSE)
• Psalm 118:6 (VERSE)
• John 14:6 (VERSE)
• Square One (GUIDED STUDY)

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In this episode, we're wrapping up our "Getting to Square One" Guided Study and giving you some real talk and practical tips on how to actually get started with a Square One study (or any gospel-focused conversation, really!). We're diving into questions like how to invite someone, how much to prep, and what to do if you get a tough question. Plus, don't forget to get your votes in for the Bible Bracket! Today's the LAST DAY to vote for your favorite Bible verses! Head over to biblegeeks.fm/bracket to make your voice heard. We're super excited about diving into the full Square One series soon, so this episode is all about getting you ready to lead the way. Thanks for tuning in!

The Big Idea: Focus and commitment in someone’s spiritual growth goes a long way in leading a successful gospel-centered conversation.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 226 (VIDEO)
• Guiding Gospel Conversations (BLOG)
• Jesus Said: Mark 6:7-13 (VERSE)
• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One (GUIDED STUDY)
• Bible Geeks Bracket - Draft Results

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It's DRAFT TIME! Join us for another exciting Bible Bracket, this time drafting our Favorite Bible Verses. We're playing 64 single — ahem — verses in four regional categories: Timeless Wisdom, Precious Promises, Hard Truths, and Trust Builders. Why are these verses meaningful? Where did we get the idea for the Trust Builders regional? And what happens when we mess everything up? Find out and go vote for your favorites at biblegeeks.fm/bracket to get in on the action! Plus, stay tuned for news on our 'Getting to Square One' series and more.

The Big Idea: The Bible is full of timeless wisdom, precious promises, hard truths, and trust building verses.

Show Notes

• Bible Geeks Bracket - Draft Results
• Watch Episode 225 (VIDEO)
• It's Draft Time! Bible Verses Edition (BLOG)
• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)

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We're back at it! After a long break, we’re ready to dive into some exciting updates. On this episode, we chat about vacations, personal projects, and how we’ve been revamping the website and resources. In typical Bible Geeks fashion, we explore our themes for the new year, honing in on how the gospel brings clarity and resolution. Then we share our “Favorite Things” from the off-season and introduce new podcast features like video episodes and the chance for you to submit audio questions! Tune in as we Find Jesus in the Bible and celebrate the good news.

The Big Idea: It’s good to be back for another season focused on the gospel of Jesus!

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 224 (VIDEO)
• Finding Jesus: Acts 10:34-43 (VERSE)
• Favorite Things from the Off-Season (BLOG)
• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)
• New Studies in Biblical Theology (BOOK SERIES)
• The IVP Bible Dictionaries (BOOK SERIES)
• Dictionary of Bible Themes (BOOK)

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How do you help someone make a decision to follow Christ? In our season finale, we answer the big question, “What do I need to do to be saved?” It’s the third and final checkpoint in Square One — a series of conversations designed to have with non-Christians. We try to balance the cost of committing to Jesus with the blessings he invites us to enjoy. We also take a Closer Look at some salvation questions asked in the Bible and read about the Ethiopian eunuch’s conversation. We’re SO excited about all that’s still ahead in the full Square One series, coming next year. And as we wrap our season, we’re giving thanks for so much, praising God for all of you who listen and encourage us!

The Big Idea: Jesus gave his life for us, and now he invites us to give ours to him.

This Week's Challenge: If you're ready, declare your faith in Jesus, commit to following him, and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.

Show Notes

• Finding Jesus: Luke 14:25-33 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 10 (LINK)
• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)
• Getting to Square One Study Guide (PDF)
• Beyond Bullet Points by Cliff Atkinson (BOOK)

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How does Jesus change things? In our second checkpoint in the Square One series, we discuss how Jesus brings hope. It’s the hinge of these conversations designed to bring someone to Christ, in between our “bad news” talk about sin and our next checkpoint, where we’ll invite them to make a decision and follow the Lord. We tell the Story of Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and reign, and consider how Isaiah 53 explains his saving work. Look for more resources like videos and guides to help you lead these discussions in 2025.

The Big Idea: Jesus has conquered sin and death to bring hope, peace, and joy to our lives.

This Week's Challenge: Read Matthew 27:32-28:20 on your own and reflect on this important moment in Jesus' story.

Show Notes

• Finding Jesus: Luke 2:10-12 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 5 (LINK)
• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)
• Getting to Square One Study Guide (PDF)

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We’ve talked all season about leading gospel conversations with unbelievers. This week we introduce the first of a series of discussions we’ve designed to take someone from Square One to conversion. In this kickoff episode, we ask why things are so broken in our world. Where did we go wrong? Recognizing the problem is the first step toward understanding the solution Jesus offers. We discuss the bleak picture in Isaiah 59:1-13 and the Heavy Words the Bible uses for sin. After walking through the guided discussion, we take a Closer Look at some tips for leading a dialogue like this with someone in your life. We pray that as we shine a light on the gospel, God will use these discussions to expand his kingdom.

The Big Idea: Humanity has slipped into some terribly unhealthy patterns — and if we’re honest, we can see that brokenness in ourselves.

This Week's Challenge: Let’s watch this week for both healthy and unhealthy things in the world.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: Matthew 9:12 (VERSE)
• Square One Guided Study (GUIDED STUDY)
• Square One - Session 1 (LINK)
• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)
• Getting to Square One Study Guide (PDF)

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This week we finish up Season 1 of The Chosen with a conversation about episode 8, “I Am He.” Reflecting on Jesus' interactions with the Samaritan woman, we (fittingly for our recent episodes!) find lots of insights about evangelism and disciple-making. We also discuss what Jesus Said in Matthew 9:10-13 about God’s desire for mercy!

The Big Idea: Jesus’ mission was to show mercy to broken people, and ours should be the same.

Show Notes

• The Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Jesus Said: Matthew 9:10-13 (VERSE)
• Watch the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Where to Stream the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• The Chosen - S1E8 - “I Am He” (WIKI)

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This week we take a Closer Look at our Adventures in Evangelism, sharing some of the approaches we’ve used and what we’ve learned. As usual, we start out by talking about Christ, learning from what Jesus Said about the connection between discipleship and disciple-making. We explore the metaphor of “fishing for men” from Matthew 4:19 and delve into effective evangelism approaches. We also explain the upcoming Square One series, designed to guide evangelistic conversations.

The Big Idea: Prayer and personal connection are powerful tools in sharing our faith with those who don’t yet know Jesus.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: Matthew 4:19 (VERSE)
• Manipulative & Mechanical Approaches to Evangelism by Berry Kercheville (ARTICLE)
• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)

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On the heels of our 'Getting to Square One' mini-series — and before introducing our next series — we’re pausing to watch some TV! The Bible Geeks AV Club is back as we talk through 'The Chosen' Season 1, Episode 7. As always, our goal is to ground the show’s events in the relevant Biblical truths and events. We focus on Jesus' dialogue with Nicodemus in John’s gospel. What does it mean to be born again of water and the Spirit? What does the Bible really say about Nicodemus? We go through his story in a segment we call, “Hello, My Name Is…” and then we close with a Reach Out conversation. Building on a noteworthy comment by Jesus in the show, we discuss how we’ve each had to “Get used to different” as disciples.

The Big Idea: Keeping your faith tucked in your pockets for fear of offending or alienating someone leads to regret and lost opportunities.

Show Notes

• The Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Jesus Said: John 3:3-15 (VERSE)
• Watch the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Where to Stream the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• The Chosen - S1E7 - “Invitations” (WIKI)
• Episode 21 - “That’s Bad Advertising” (PODCAST EPISODE)
• Square One (GUIDED STUDY)

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In this episode, we finish our “Getting to Square One” Guided Study by discussing disciple-making practices. We open with a focus on the way Jesus asked questions. Then, we share a few of our Favorite Things to guide gospel-centered dialogue. It’s interesting how even our common, everyday conversations connect with the “holy conversations” we want to engage in as we bring God to the forefront and work through life’s most important issues. We pray this series has built you up and contributed to your efforts to share the good news. Go to biblegeeks.fm/squareone for videos, study guides, and more.

The Big Idea: Through love, we learn to lead a different kind of conversation, a holy conversation.

This Week's Challenge: Ask someone a spiritual question to start a conversation.

Show Notes

• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)
• Like the Teacher: John 5:6 (VERSE)
• Like the Teacher: Luke 9:18-20 (VERSE)
• Like the Teacher: Mark 12:35-37 (VERSE)
• Like the Teacher: John 3:12 (VERSE)

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What lie does Satan try to sell you about evangelism? And how does Jesus reframe our approach to evangelism? Here in session two of our Getting to Square One guided study, we examine our disciple-making paradigms. Whether you’ve tried selling salvation like Ginsu Knives or given up thinking people don’t care, an A-Team of evangelists like Ananias and Philip can teach us a better way. We want to make disciples Like the Teacher, so this week we rethink our timelines, strategies, and beliefs about it.

The Big Idea: Most people need more than just the facts; they need someone to help clear a path to the Lord.

This Week's Challenge: Have a conversation with someone about what does and doesn't work well in evangelism.

Show Notes

• Getting to Square One (GUIDED STUDY)
• Like the Teacher: John 4:1-45 (VERSE)
• Like the Teacher: Luke 19:1-10 (VERSE)
• Like the Teacher: Luke 8:42-48 (VERSE)
• Like the Teacher: John 21:15-19 (VERSE)

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This week we launch a 3-part guided study called Getting to Square One, all about the problems, paradigms, and practices of disciple-making (Matt. 28:19). If you’ve ever struggled leading others to Christ, you might relate to some of the gaffs we share in a new segment we’re calling Super Slo-Mo. We play “Monday morning quarterback” with each other’s evangelistic missteps, then we share the obstacles that others needed to overcome to teach and convert us. As always we start with Jesus, learning from some correction he gave to the “sons of thunder.” Later this season, we’ll move from “Getting to Square One” to “Square One,” a series of conversations designed for Christians to engage with non-Christians.

The Big Idea: Making disciples is challenging but it's easier if we get out of our own way.

This Week's Challenge: Have a conversation with someone about what does and doesn't work well in evangelism.

Show Notes

• Like the Teacher: Luke 9:51-56 (VERSE)
• Getting to Square One - Session 1 (LINK)
• Irresistible Evangelism by Steve Sjogren (BOOK)
• Evangelism Made Slightly Less Difficult by Nick Pollard (BOOK)
• Tactics by Greg Koukl (BOOK)

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What do Jesus’ miracles have to do with our greatest problem? And why is faith so hard for some people to get their minds around? We’re discussing one more episode of the Chosen before launching a new guided study next week. This week we watched Season 1, Episode 6 — “Indescribable Compassion” — then connected the dots from the plotlines to the gospels. In Luke 5, the leper, the lame, and the lost all find hope in Christ and we learn lessons from all of them. We hope you’re blessed by the conversation and look for session 1 of our evangelism study, “Getting to Square One,” next week!

The Big Idea: We find hope and comfort in Christ’s compassion for the lost.

Show Notes

• The Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Jesus Said: Matthew 8:1-4 (VERSE)
• Watch the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Where to Stream the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• The Chosen - S1E6 - “Indescribable Compassion” (WIKI)

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The Bible Geeks A.V. Club is back as we return to our popular series, talking through the TV show The Chosen. This week, we dive into the Bible background for the episode “The Wedding Gift” (Season 1, Episode 5), from young Jesus in the temple (Luke 2:41-52) to the wedding where he turned water to wine (John 2:1-12). What’s the significance of that early miracle? What do we notice about Mary in these accounts? As we watch Jesus react to stressful situations with such poise, we ask ourselves: How can we, as his disciples, keep cool under pressure?

The Big Idea: Joy is at the heart of our service to the King.

This Week's Challenge: Watch The Chosen S1E6

Show Notes

• The Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Like the Teacher: Luke 2:41-52 (VERSE)
• Watch the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Where to Stream the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• The Chosen - S1E5 - “The Wedding Gift” (WIKI)

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What do a group of lepers, an adulteress woman, a dead, rich man, and a former demon-possessed strong man have in common? We’re excited to be back for a new season of Bible Geeks! This season will focus on evangelism. This week we introduce a new segment we call “Bible Headlines” and zoom in on some unlikely evangelists. Thanks for jumping back in and listening!

The Big Idea: You don’t have to be the most eloquent or well-read disciple to share the good news about Jesus.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: Luke 16:27-28 (VERSE)

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What are your favorite qualities of your best friend, and how have your friends changed you? As we conclude this season of Bible Geeks, we finish up our Two by Two study with a celebration of God’s gift of friendship. We begin with a moment where Christ looked to a dear one to care for his mother after his death. Then, we go Flyin’ Through the Book of Third John, with its portraits of Gaius, Demetrius, and Diotrephes. Why does John give Christians the moniker “the friends” (3 John 15) and how does his prayer exemplify what we want for each other (3 John 2)? We’ll be gone for a couple months on break, but look forward to returning in August with a new guided study and lots of other good stuff! Until then, we hope you’ll take advantage of the resources at biblegeeks.fm (including the full Two by Two study guide and videos) and keep in touch!

The Big Idea: Some relationships change us in ways we won't even realize until we look back.

This Week's Challenge: Pick up the bill for dinner with a close friend.

Show Notes

• "An Epic Adventure" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Like the Teacher: John 19:25-27 (VERSE)
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How would your life's biggest trials have turned out without a friend to bear your load? Scripture says “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity” (Prov. 17:17). This week, in the penultimate episode of this season (and of our Two by Two study), we reflect on the support we find in good companions when everything falls apart. We build an A Team of Friends Through Adversity, learning from the examples of Bible all-stars Ruth & Naomi and Aaron & Hur. Finding Jesus in Galatians 6 leads us back to a Martin Luther sermon about Jesus carrying us on his shoulders. And we reflect on bad days with friends — and how we somehow wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Find all the goodies that go with this series at biblegeeks.fm/twobytwo.

The Big Idea: The hard things in life are made a little bit easier with friends you can count on.

This Week's Challenge: Ask someone how you can carry their load or share yours with them.

Show Notes

• "Filthy Fun Runs" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Gal. 6:1-5 (VERSE)
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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Everybody loves getting poked in the eye, right? No, it’s never fun on either end of those “we need to talk” moments between friends, yet the Bible calls a friend’s wounds “faithful” (Prov. 27:6). So session 7 of our Two by Two study focuses on how friends sharpen each other like iron on iron (Prov. 27:17). It may sound like we’re contradicting ourselves after we just discussed a “circle of safety,” so we ask “What’s the Deal?” with that and harmonize these two crucial aspects of friendship. We also learn from Jesus’ example of telling it straight to the young ruler. And we share what we’ve each learned about having difficult conversations. As you work towards stronger bonds in YOUR life, spend some time with the first seven sessions of this 9-part guided study at biblegeeks.fm/twobytwo.

The Big Idea: A foundation of trust lets us say — and hear — the hard truths.

This Week's Challenge: Consider how to stir up a friend to love and good works this week.

Show Notes

• "Friends Don’t Let Friends ..." (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Like the Teacher: Mark 10:17-22 (VERSE)
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How are fickle companions like imaginary friends? In session six of our friendship study, we explore how trust, loyalty, and honesty change our interactions. One of the gifts of friendship is knowing someone has your back and feeling safe to share what’s really happening in your life. So this week we dig into Four Proverbs on dependable friends, learning how gossip makes us clam up and how someone’s investment in you makes you want to hear their counsel. We also look to Jesus, the perfect friend, and hear how he redefines the word. Check out the study guides and videos at biblegeeks.fm/twobytwo.

The Big Idea: A true friend is someone you can count on.

This Week's Challenge: Tell someone, "Thank you for being a friend."

Show Notes

• "Blanches and Roses" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Jesus Said: John 15:12-16 (VERSE)
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How can we give our friendships a boost by lending an ear? Where did Eli go wrong and where did he get it right with Hannah? And what’s the deal with those brackets around John 7:53-8:11 in modern Bibles? Session 5 of the Two By Two study focuses on listening as a core friendship trait. We look at the story of a woman caught in adultery and one about a woman accused of drunkenness. In both, we notice the value of waiting to speak. Find more of this study — like videos and study guides — at biblegeeks.fm/twobytwo. And as always, thanks for … listening!

The Big Idea: Listening is one of the purest expressions of love and connection.

This Week's Challenge: Focus your conversations this week on asking good questions and listening to the answers.

Show Notes

• "The Bahamas" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Like the Teacher: John 8:1-11 (VERSE)
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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The results are in and the votes counted. This year’s Bible Bracket has gone from a field of 64 beloved Bible stories down to one. On this episode we walk through some lessons learned from our Final Four and celebrate the life-changing power of Scripture’s many rich stories. We also share our own personal favorites and upsets and discuss what Jesus Said about his parables. A big thank you to all who shared, commented, and participated in this year’s tournament. Go to biblegeeks.fm/bracket to see the full bracket.

The Big Idea: Scripture’s stories pierce us like a two-edged sword.

This Week's Challenge: Ask someone about their favorite Bible story.

Show Notes

• Bible Geeks Bracket - Draft Results
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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What happens when you expect a friend to never let you down or have a fault? How do we stay steady and reliable in our love for others? Here, in session four of our Two By Two study, we get to the heart of friendship. We work through how we look out for each other — from demonstrating mercy to friends to saying “I love you” without making it weird. We’re breaking out some of Scripture’s greatest hits — like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and Paul’s great Love Chapter (1 Corinthians 13) — to apply Christlike love to the people in our lives. Go to biblegeeks.fm/twobytwo for all the videos and study guides. And don’t forget to vote at biblegeeks.fm/bracket as we wrap up this year's Bible Bracket on favorite stories!

The Big Idea: Love and compassion are the super glue that binds a friendship together.

This Week's Challenge: Ask a friend, "How can I be a better friend to you?"

Show Notes

• "World’s Strongest Adhesive" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Jesus Said: Luke 10:25-37 (VERSE)
• Scripture du Jour: 1 Corinthians 13 (VERSE)
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How do our fears, anxieties, and differences get in the way of forming new and deeper relationships? In session three of our “Two By Two” study of friendship, we face the fact that sometimes making friends isn’t easy. We share some Deep Thoughts about Paul’s great ode to humility in Philippians 2:1-11. We also look to the example of Jesus and his diverse collection of followers and share our own struggles with growing close to different groups of people. Go to biblegeeks.fm/twobytwo for the study guides and videos. And don’t forget — the Bible Bracket moves onto the Sweet Sixteen this week, so we’d love it if you’d go to biblegeeks.fm/bracket and vote for your favorite Bible stories!

The Big Idea: Limiting friendships to people just like you severely shrinks your pool of possible partners.

This Week's Challenge: Leave your comfort zone and invest in someone else's interests.

Show Notes

• "Bible Bracket" (WEBSITE)
• "Make a Picture" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Like the Teacher: Mark 3:13-21 (VERSE)
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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Spring is in the air, March Madness is on TV, and you know what that means over here at the Bible Geeks: It’s Bible Bracket time! This year’s bracket focuses on “Favorite Bible Stories,” celebrating the greatest hits of the world’s greatest book with four “regionals”: Profound Parables, Ancient Heroes, Sunday School Classics, and Jesus in Action. On this episode of the podcast, we draft the 64 stories that we’ll encourage everyone to vote on in the bracket. In a few weeks, we’ll have another episode featuring the results and talking through these wonderful stories (especially the Final Four). In the meantime, we encourage you to rock the vote, share the bracket with others, and talk to your family and friends about these amazing stories and why you love them! Go to biblegeeks.fm/bracket to vote!

The Big Idea: The Bible’s stories make a profound impact on God’s people.

Show Notes

• Bible Geeks Bracket - Draft Results
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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Is it just us, or is it hard to find room for all the friendships you want to maintain? Sometimes we feel guilt over not being close to everyone in the church, and other times we wonder how we’ll make the time to connect with anyone at a substantive level! So here, in session 2 of our Two by Two guided study, we notice how Jesus tended to friendships and take a Closer Look at Paul’s band of close partners. We discuss some particular challenges each of us has run into and learn to make what one brother called friendship “shepherd’s pie.” As we work towards closer relationships, you can find each session of this 9-part guided study at biblegeeks.fm/twobytwo.

The Big Idea: You can't be everyone's best friend, but you can make time to invest in close relationships.

This Week's Challenge: Schedule a day on your calendar this month to get together with a friend for coffee or a meal.

Show Notes

• "Jesus' Greatest Miracle?" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Like the Teacher: John 11:1-11 (VERSE)
• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker (BOOK)

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We’re back and excited to start a new guided study on friendship called “Two By Two.” This first study comes from the Bible’s encouragement to value and invest in building these bonds. Four Proverbs on Friends remind us to choose our companions carefully and value quality over quantity. We learn from how Jesus sent the disciples out that he wants us to team up, and we ask, “What gets in the way of the kind of close friendships we want?” We pray this series enriches your relationships as you study along with us!

The Big Idea: A strong circle of Christian friends is invaluable on our heavenward journey.

This Week's Challenge: Perform a social audit, rating the interactions you have with others as “+” or “-“ in your journal.

Show Notes

• Two By Two Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• "Two is One" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Like the Teacher: Mark 6:7-13 (VERSE)

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Today — as this drops — it’s the fifth anniversary of our first show’s release. And since it’s also our 200th episode, we took some time to look back and share our Favorite Things about doing Bible Geeks (including a few favorite clips!). We kick it off with a “meta” Finding Jesus, talking about why we always start with Christ. Then we get into why we’re still here and don’t plan to stop anytime soon. To anyone who has ever listened, engaged with us, or supported us, we want to offer a HUGE thank you! You have made this a fun and encouraging journey, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

The Big Idea: Thanks for sticking with us for five years of Bible Geeks!

Show Notes

• Bible Geeks Patreon (WEBSITE)
• Her Strength in Him (PODCAST)

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“If the Messiah is here, the Romans don’t matter—anything is possible now!” The AV Club is back with a Chosen episode that challenges us to hold onto our faith when life’s problems overwhelm us and we don’t understand God’s commands. From all-nighters to Matthew’s unique outlook, the episode sparked a lot of questions and a few Deep Thoughts. Simon Peter’s story is so relatable, with his bold personality, his doubts and fears, and his powerful conversion. We hope you walk away from this talk reaffirming your commitment to do what Peter did, leaving behind who you were to follow the One who changes everything.

The Big Idea: Faith isn't faith if we keep it separate from the issues and questions of our lives.

Show Notes

• The Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Like the Teacher: Luke 5:1-11 (VERSE)
• Watch the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Where to Stream the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• The Chosen - S1E4 - “The Rock On Which It Is Built” (WIKI)

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Ever wanted a straightforward process for learning from your past and planning some growth and goals for the future? Well, “take a look! It’s in a book!” The Bible Geeks Book Club is back with part 2 of our discussion of Michael Hyatt’s Your Best Year Ever. This week we share a few of our Favorite Things, highlighting Scriptural principles like grace, clarity, and order — as they relate to this goal-setting process. We also share some themes that have begun to show up in our own planning for 2024. We hope this conversation blesses you, as you prayerfully set out to make 2024 a fruitful year!

The Big Idea: There’s wisdom in ordering our lives with purpose and planning.

This Week's Challenge: Spend time in prayer, dedicating all your work to God, and let him establish your plans for 2024 (cf. Prov. 16:3).

Show Notes

• Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals by Michael Hyatt (BOOK)
• Watch the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Where to Stream the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• The Chosen - S1E4 - “The Rock On Which It Is Built” (WIKI)

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If your past year were a movie, what genre would it be? And what do gratitude and belief have to do with setting goals? This week we look backward and forward with the help of a book fit for a new year, as the Bible Geeks Book Club returns. Michael Hyatt’s Your Best Year Ever, a resource Ryan had used for years, leads us through a process for “catching up” with the past and planning the year ahead. We consider what Jesus and the book of Proverbs teach us about planning. Then we go Flyin’ Through the Book, before slowing down to reflect on what limiting beliefs threaten to hold us back as we move forward into 2024.

The Big Idea: Looking back helps us look forward.

This Week's Challenge: Look back on the past year and note some lessons learned, some successes, and any changes you want to make going forward.

Show Notes

• Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals by Michael Hyatt (BOOK)

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What does Jesus' work have to do with his desire to "let the little children come" to him (Matt. 19:14)? The Bible Geeks A.V. Club is back to discuss season 1, episode 3 of The Chosen! After a brief recap of the story, we take a Closer Look at the Scriptural background for the episode's plot. We learn from two moments in Mark 9 and 10 when Jesus engaged with children (Mark 9:35-37; 10:13-16) and examine our engagement with kids in light of the Savior's example. There's more to think about on this subject than you may realize! We hope you enjoy reflecting on these dramatizations of Jesus' life as much as we've enjoyed talking about them!

The Big Idea: Our Master’s willingness to take time for children should affect our choices.

This Week's Challenge: Watch The Chosen - S1E3 and talk about it with a friend.

Show Notes

• The Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Like the Teacher: Mark 9:35-37 (VERSE)
• Watch the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Where to Stream the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• The Chosen - S1E3 - “Jesus Loves the Little Children” (WIKI)
• The Chosen - S1E4 - “The Rock On Which It Is Build” (WIKI)

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How should a Christian dress? After several weeks off, we’re back with a special guest to talk about modest apparel. Ryan’s wife, Adrienne, joins the show to help answer a question submitted to us by a young woman who listens to the show. We take a Closer Look at two key passages and the Bible words used there. Then we get into some practical questions every disciple faces when choosing what to wear.

The Big Idea: Our first guiding principle when choosing clothing is to glorify God — just like every other part of our lives.

This Week's Challenge: Start a conversation about this topic with someone who might be able to give you a slightly different perspective.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: John 8:54 (VERSE)
• Ask Us a Question! (WEBSITE)

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Peace, Love, Grace, and Faith. As we wrap up this 13-session study of Ephesians, Paul’s closing blessing (6:21-24) points us to these four Heavy Words. We can’t help but wax poetic a little when we reflect on God’s overflowing goodness — talk of waterfalls, oceans, and mountains abound. But we also reflect on the lasting impression and practical takeaways this study has left us with. We hope Talking Through Ephesians has strengthened you as well! The full 13-session study guide and lots of other resources are available for you to put to use now, check it out at biblegeeks.fm/ephesians.

The Big Idea: God wants every Christian's life to overflow with peace, love, faith, and grace.

This Week's Challenge: Pick a favorite verse in Ephesians and memorize it.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 13 (PDF)
• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Complete Guide (PDF)
• "Still Science Fiction" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 6:21-24 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How can we stand in temptation and trial? This week we dive into Paul’s great text on spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10-20. Introducing a new segment, we take A Closer Look at each part of the “armor of God.” The study reminds us of our true enemy and our superior fire power. We end with a Reach Out discussion of the gaps in our armor that highlights our need for hope, knowledge, and trust. As Bryan likes to say, this is our PENULTIMATE session in this guided study of Ephesians, so catch us next week for the conclusion and download the whole guide at biblegeeks.fm/ephesians.

The Big Idea: God equips us to stand firm with the same armor he wears in battle.

This Week's Challenge: Ask a friend if there’s an aspect of their spiritual warfare you can pray for.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 12 (PDF)
• "Battle-Tested" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 6:10-20 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How do we apply church-like submission and Christ-like headship in our marriages? And what should Christians take from the servant / master commandments (and do those commandments mean that Christianity is pro-slavery)? This week we ask a lot of big questions in a Do You Understand segment focused on the Household instructions in Ephesians 5:22-6:9. Here in session 11 of Talking Through Ephesians, we ask, “WWYDFJ?” (that’s “What would you do for Jesus?”) and discover a secret strength like Samson. We also discuss how our view of marriage has changed over the years and take on a “top secret” mission in this week’s challenge. Find all the resources for this series at biblegeeks.fm/ephesians.

The Big Idea: The secret strength behind Christian relationships is our love and honor for Jesus.

This Week's Challenge: Find a way to do something extra at work without letting anyone know about it.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 11 (PDF)
• "Playing House" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 5:22-6:9 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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This week we discuss replacing old habits with a new way to walk, including some specific changes. What is “proper” behavior for a Christian? And practically speaking, how do we get filled with the Spirit? It’s a conversation about wise choices and discerning the light through “evil days.” We get into the difference between applying Scripture’s principles and commands versus making up our own rules. And we find that life without Christ is sleep-walking and conversion is like waking up. You can find all the resources for this series at biblegeeks.fm/ephesians.

The Big Idea: God wants us to follow his lead by replacing destructive sinful activities with wholesome ones.

This Week's Challenge: Note three times you've chosen wisely today in your journal or to a close friend.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 10 (PDF)
• "Texas Switch" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 5:1-21 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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We’re Talking Through Ephesians 4:17-32, a pragmatic look at how we put off the old and put on a new way of life. We take on some big questions, like: What’s the deal with grieving the Holy Spirit? And what does not letting "the sun go down on" our anger have to do with giving opportunity to the devil (4:26-27)? We figure out how to speak as fits the occasion and what it means to be tenderhearted. Yes, we somehow get into some gross illustrations, but we hope you still find the conversation edifying and helpful, as we focus on applications “where the rubber meets the road.” You can find the study guide, videos, and episodes for this Guided Study at biblegeeks.fm/ephesians.

The Big Idea: A Christian's lifestyle change comes from a changed mind.

This Week's Challenge: Put a note by your bed reminding you: "do not let the sun go down on your anger" (Eph. 4:26).

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 9 (PDF)
• "You Smell" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 4:17-32 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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We're in Session 8 of our Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study, getting super-practical with Eph. 4:1-16. We examine our role in a superhero team and the importance of unity and working together in the church. We share our Top Four Proverbs on responding gently to conflict and how we both struggle with humility and patience. And we encourage you to build unity within the Lord's church today, becoming like "Glue Guy" — sticking brothers and sisters together with long-lasting bonds. Find this series's study guides and videos at biblegeeks.fm/ephesians.

The Big Idea: Though we all bring something unique to our role in the church, Jesus calls us to join forces and grow stronger together in love.

This Week's Challenge: Commend a brother or sister for their work as a "peacemaker" this week.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 8 (PDF)
• "Forces Combine" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 4:1-16 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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What gets in the way of us comprehending Christ’s love? Here in session 7 of Talking Through Ephesians, we discuss the difference between worth and worthiness and what marriage has taught us about God’s love. We reflect on Paul’s inspiring prayer for insight and power in Ephesians 3:14-21, but we also look to our other favorite passages and hymns about love, turning to some of Scripture’s greatest hits. We believe that meditating on Christ’s love for you is one of the most empowering practices a Christian can engage in, so we hope this episode propels you to contemplation and praise! Find the study guides and videos for this series at biblegeeks.fm/ephesians.

The Big Idea: *Knowing Christ’s love renews and strengthens us. *

This Week's Challenge: Give someone a note or card reminding them how much God loves them.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 7 (PDF)
• "The Power of Love" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 3:14-21 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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What should we take from Paul's positivity in prison? How do we connect our circumstances to our story and — through the eyes of faith — see that we're a part of God's great story? In our sixth episode Talking Through Ephesians, we celebrate the mystery now revealed in Christ, as Paul proclaims access to God for all the nations. Finding Jesus in this week's text, we imagine swimming in riches like Scrooge McDuck and enjoy our "freedom of speech" before God. And as fantasy football draft parties happen across the country, we're going in a different direction in this week's A-Team, drafting Gentiles Paul impacted in his ministry. Go to biblegeeks.fm/ephesians and check out all the videos, guides, and episodes as we talk through Ephesians!

The Big Idea: Paul's suffering and imprisonment paled compared to the privilege of preaching God's eternal plan to the Gentiles.

This Week's Challenge: Ask a believing friend to join you in talking to a stranger about the Lord.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 6 (PDF)
• "Hidey-Hole" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 3:1-13 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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What threatens church unity today? What do East Berlin and airline amenities have to do with the temple veil? And how does life in God’s presence change us? This week in session 5 of Talking Through Ephesians we explore the last half of chapter two. We walk through the story of the temple, from the garden to the tabernacle; and from Solomon to the church and the New Jerusalem. We find Jesus in the doorway, the corner, the mortar, and everywhere else in the house, and discuss what it means that “he himself is our peace.” Along the way we learn about God’s nearness and holiness, and the privilege of access to the most guarded, sacred room that exists. Find the videos, guides, and episodes at biblegeeks.fm/ephesians.

The Big Idea: People who once couldn't enter the temple have now become God's holy house.

This Week's Challenge: Reconcile with any brother or sister you don't have peace with.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 5 (PDF)
• "Second-Class Citizens" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 2:11-22 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How are we created FOR good works but not saved as a result of works (Eph. 2:9-10)? And how are people like zombies wandering around malls? This week we talk through Ephesians 2:1-10, finding good reason for humility and joy in God’s love and grace! We imagine the view, looking out from an open tomb and celebrate the truth that we now sit with Christ in the heavenly places. And we begin the discussion of our “walk” — a conversation that we’ll consider through the remainder of the book. It’s session 4 of Talking Through Ephesians — go to biblegeeks.fm/ephesians to find the videos, guides, and more!

The Big Idea: Without God's love and grace, we'd still stumble through our days, dead in our sins.

This Week's Challenge: Write out all the verses with the word "walk" in Ephesians.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 4 (PDF)
• "The Walking Dead" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 2:1-10 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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This week we unfog the privacy glass to see with hope and power. We’re Talking Through Ephesians with a conversation about the last half of chapter one, a prayer to let the light in. We define Heavy Words like enlightened, inheritance, and the heavenly places, learning why Christians aren’t rogue individuals and what kind of treasure awaits us. In our Reach Out question, we explore why informed hope is so important in a dire, dysfunctional world. And we find out where Jesus’ feet stand, what he fills, and what it all has to do with us. Go to biblegeeks.fm/ephesians for the guides, videos, and more!

The Big Idea: Through faith, the eyes of your heart can perceive the hope awaiting you and God's power toward you.

This Week’s Challenge: Let someone know how often you pray for them.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 3 (PDF)
• "Zooming Out" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
- Finding Jesus: Ephesians 1:15-23 (VERSE)
- Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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When do you struggle to remember God’s rich blessings? Do you understand predestination, the Holy Spirit’s work, and what it means to be “in Christ”? Here in session two of Talking Through Ephesians, we discuss the spiritual blessings Paul praises God for in chapter one. After Finding Jesus described as “the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6), we explore what it means “to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:10). We also talk about finding a place to belong at God’s family table, how that table IS and ISN’T exclusive, and how Jesus’ victory is like David slaying Goliath. Go to biblegeeks.fm/ephesians to find the study guide, video, and all the other info for this study.

The Big Idea: Jesus brings us together into a new spiritual family who lives to honor God for his incredible salvation.

This Week's Challenge: Ask a friend what spiritual blessings they're most grateful for.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 2 (PDF)
• "Gatorade Shower" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 1:3-14 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How would your life change if you could — like Elisha’s servant — see into the unseen realm? And what does Ephesians tell us about the meaning of life, the universe, and everything? This week we launch our new guided study, Talking Through Ephesians, with an introduction to this “mind-blowing” letter. Somehow, we also talk about Steve Jobs and Jesse Owens, about what it really takes to make a scratch apple pie, and the idea of being watched by loved ones in heaven. Finding Jesus in Ephesians, we discuss why Paul emphasizes the title Christ and what it means to see Jesus as the church’s husband. Then, Flying Through Ephesians, we go from the debate over the recipients, to insights from each section, to the main theme of the book. We’re super excited to get ok into this book and invite you to find a friend or group to talk through the book with as well! Go to biblegeeks.fm/ephesians each week to find the videos and guides.

The Big Idea: Your choices are central to God's eternal purpose for everything.

This Week's Challenge: Invite someone to talk through Ephesians with you over the next few months.

Show Notes

• Talking Through Ephesians Study Guide - Session 1 (PDF)
• "Zooming Out" (CONVERSATION STARTER)
• Finding Jesus: Ephesians 1-6 (VERSE)
• Talking Through Ephesians Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How can Peter say, both “look at us” and “stop staring at us” in the same story (Acts 3)? And for that matter, how does Jesus tell us to both, “let people see your good works” and NOT to do them “to be seen” in the same sermon (Matt. 5-7)? How do we practically pivot to Jesus from ourselves? We get into a lot of challenging questions this week in a Do You Understand segment drawn from the lame man’s healing at the temple gate. It takes us from the purpose of miracles to setting our spiritual GPS to the right destination. We hope you find it encouraging and helpful!

Show Notes

• “Stop Staring” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Like the Teacher: Acts 3:4-6 (VERSE)

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It’s Acapeldridge week at the Bible Geeks! We’re excited to welcome our dear friend, Michael Eldridge, to this conversation all about spiritual songs and how they impact us. If you’re not familiar with Michael’s singing and hymn writing (@acapeldridge on YouTube) you’re missing out on some beautiful and edifying music. So we enlisted his help building an A-Team of beloved hymns. And along the way we talk about our secret un-favorite songs of the church and some stories about how spiritual music weaves into every part of our lives.

The Big Idea: Spiritual songs are life-bringing treasures worth spending time with each day.

This Week's Challenge: Sing!

Show Notes

• Like the Teacher: Hebrews 2:11-12 (VERSE)
• Acapeldridge (WEBSITE)
• Acapeldridge on YouTube (YOUTUBE)
• Timeless Psalter (WEBSITE)
• “It Is Well With My Soul” (HYMN)
• “El Elyon” (HYMN)
• “In Christ Alone” (HYMN)
• “Abide With Me” (HYMN)
• “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand” (HYMN)
• “On Zion’s Glorious Summit” (HYMN)
• “My Soul Waits” - “Timeless: Ancient Psalms for the Church Today” (HYMN)
• “My Soul Waits” - “Timeless: Ancient Psalms for the Church Today” (HYMN)
• “The New Song” (HYMN)
• “Soldiers of Christ Arise” (HYMN)

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What traditions help you build connection with others? What did people mean when they said Jesus was a “friend of sinners”? It’s our second week in a row of the Bible Geeks AV Club, as we work our way into episode two of The Chosen. We kick things off with a conversation about which of these Sabbath meals we would probably find ourselves in, then we dive into a Like the Teacher discussion based on Matthew 11:19. At the heart of this episode is the statement of Mary, “I was one way, and now I am completely different.” Any disciple of Christ could surely say the same, and we explore the way the Lord touches each of these lives differently in a segment we call Deep Thoughts. You can find The Chosen on most streaming services or for free on The Chosen app (see link in the notes below). Looking ahead, don’t miss next week’s conversation about great hymns with special guest, Michael Eldridge, of Acapeldridge.

The Big Idea: No one is forgotten by Jesus, the friend of outcasts and savior of sinners.

This Week's Challenge: Connect with someone over a meal.

Show Notes

• The Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Like the Teacher: Matthew 11:19 (VERSE)
• Watch the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Where to Stream the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• The Chosen - S1E2 - “Shabbat” (WIKI)

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The next two weeks, we’re kicking off the Bible Geeks A.V. Club — our chance to watch films and shows and talk about them — with a conversation about the first two episodes of The Chosen. If (somehow) you haven’t heard of it, The Chosen is a historical drama about Jesus’ life that has caught people’s attention in a big way, with reportedly over 100 million viewers generating lots of conversations about — our favorite subject — Jesus. So this week we go Finding Jesus in a passage quoted throughout this episode, Isaiah 43:1. And after recapping the story, we share a few of our Favorite Things and discuss the place of media like this in our modern religious landscape. If you haven’t watched the show, you can check it out on the free The Chosen app, or almost any major streaming platform (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Peacock).

The Big Idea: When Jesus becomes part of our story, he changes us.

This Week's Challenge: Find a way to start a conversation about Jesus.

Show Notes

• The Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Finding Jesus: Isaiah 43:1 (VERSE)
• Watch the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• Where to Stream the Chosen (WEBSITE)
• The Chosen - S1E1 - “I Have Called You By Name” (WIKI)
• The Chosen - S1E2 - “Shabbat” (WIKI)

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How can God’s word interrupt our internal dialogue and focus us on what matters? And what’s better than a “360 degree turnaround”? This week we complete the Talking to Yourself guided study. First we discuss what Jesus Said in his six “But I say to you” statements in Matthew 5. Then we dive into the parable of the Rich Fool in a Here’s the Story that leads us to reexamine our lives in light of eternity. From Swifties to monkeys, basketball blocks to the Emperor’s Groove, we cover a lot of ground but the focus is on the way Jesus’ teaching redirects our thinking. Go to biblegeeks.fm/talkingtoyourself for all the videos and guides for this study.

The Big Idea: The best thing that can happen to our inner dialogue is to bring God into the conversation.

This Week's Challenge: Write a helpful memory verse on a slip of paper and repeat it to yourself throughout the week.

Show Notes

• Talking to Yourself - Session 3 - Study Guide(PDF)
• Talking to Yourself - Session 3 - Conversation Starter (VIDEO)
• Talking to Yourself Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• Jesus Said: Matt. 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44 (VERSE)
• Here’s the Story: The Rich Fool (VERSE)

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What’s the problem with advice that starts with, “All you have to do is just ...”? How are our struggles like epic beetle battles? And how do we find our special hiding place in God? In this week’s Jesus Said, we draw encouragement from the Lord’s words to Peter as he sank into the sea. And we set Poetry in Motion with two psalms that repeat the refrain, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” (Ps. 42 & 43). Then in our Reach Out segment, we talk about the quicksand in our own lives, from obsessing over sickness and death to spiraling in our doubts and relationship struggles. The big theme of the episode is God’s faithfulness and strength to deliver, and it’s a message worth returning to again and again. Find the study guide and videos for this series at biblegeeks.fm/talkingtoyourself.

The Big Idea: God can calm our fears, anxieties, and crippling uncertainties.

This Week's Challenge: Lift someone up by offering them an encouraging word.

Show Notes

• Talking to Yourself - Session 2 - Study Guide(PDF)
• Talking to Yourself - Session 2 - Conversation Starter (VIDEO)
• Talking to Yourself Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• Jesus Said: Matt. 14:31 (VERSE)
• Poetry in Motion: Psalm 42 (VERSE)
• Poetry in Motion: Psalm 43 (VERSE)

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This week we're starting a new 3-session Guided Study called "Talking to Yourself," where we probe the depths of our thoughts. Caution: things get "really real" as we start to tell ourselves the truth! What do we learn from Jesus' teaching style about eyes and ears that don't work correctly? How does this simple phrase, "Do not be deceived," pop up throughout the Scriptures? And what are we not seeing clearly in our own lives? And as a bonus, don't miss Ryan's true feelings toward beets and Bryan's thoughts on the combination of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream. Find this Guided Study at biblegeeks.fm/talkingtoyourself!

The Big Idea: We get to choose which inner voice we obey.

This Week's Challenge: Acknowledge any falsehood in your heart and ask God to forgive you.

Show Notes

• Talking to Yourself - Session 1 - Study Guide(PDF)
• Talking to Yourself - Session 1 - Conversation Starter (VIDEO)
• Talking to Yourself Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• Like the Teacher: Matt. 13:13-15 (VERSE)

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How are our thoughts like looping commercials? And how is your heart like a fish tank? We’re thinking about thinking again this week as we kick off a new guided study called Talking to Yourself, all about what we say in our hearts. We kick it off with what Jesus Said about the source of evil. Then we share some Deep Thoughts about what people in Scripture say to themselves. Look for five short videos in this series to break next week on our YouTube channel, Facebook page, and website. And then follow along with the whole series of studies at biblegeeks.fm/talkingtoyourself.

The Big Idea: What we tell ourselves can impact us in ways we don’t even realize.

This Week's Challenge: Catch a conversation with yourself in progress and notice if it’s edifying or unproductive.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: Mark 7:21-23 (VERSE)
• “No!” (WEEKLY EPISODE)
• I Love Lucy and the Chocolate Factory (YOUTUBE)

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And we have a winner! This week we wrap up our 2023 Bible Bracket, surveying the life and writings of Paul the Apostle, who voters identified as a Favorite Figure of Faith (biblegeeks.fm/bracket). We’re also excited to have Jeff O’Rear join us on this week’s episode. Jeff is an evangelist with the Judson Road church of Christ in Longview, Texas, and seemed like the perfect guest co-host for a review of the Bible Bracket. Together, we talk about our biggest upsets (Barnbabas!!!), why we appreciate Paul, and who else has impacted us by their example in Scripture. We hope you find the conversation encouraging!

The Big Idea: God preserved the stories of the faithful so we can reflect on them and learn.

This Week's Challenge: Ask someone about their favorite figure of faith.

Show Notes

• The Bible Bracket: Favorite Figures (WEBSITE)
• “From A to Z” (EPISODE)
• Working with the Word (PODCAST)
• Judson Road YouTube (YOUTUBE)
• Finding Jesus:1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1 

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Why’s it so hard to simplify our lives? How could unanswered prayers instruct us? Did the early church practice fasting? And what’s wrong with needing to see results in our service? Last week we kicked off our Bible Geeks Book Club by Flying Through a book called Celebration of Discipline, by Richard J. Foster. Here in part 2 of that discussion, we each identify our Favorite Things from the book and where we need to grow, bringing some of these disciplines into our lives more.

The Big Idea: We can become more like Jesus by imitating his habits.

This Week's Challenge: Choose a spiritual discipline to practice this week.

Show Notes

• “No Sir! Uh-uh!” (WEEKLY EPISODE)
• The Bible Bracket: Favorite Figures (WEBSITE)
• Executable Outlines on Fasting (WEBSITE)
• Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster (BOOK)
• Celebration of Discipline Resource Guide (PDF)

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Introducing the Bible Geeks book club! This week we reflect on spiritual disciplines like Bible meditation, prayer, fasting, confession, and service, as we discuss Richard J. Foster’s Celebration of Discipline. We start by anchoring the discussion in our imitation of Christ, as his disciples. Then we go Flyin’ Through the Book, touching briefly on all twelve disciplines Foster encourages. It’s a conversation that raises topics from simplifying our possessions to what happens when we worship together. As the author says in closing, “The classical Disciplines of the spiritual life beckon us to the Himalayas of the Spirit. Now we stand at timber line awed by the snowy peaks before us. We step out in confidence with our Guide who has blazed the trail and conquered the highest summit.” Let’s start climbing!

The Big Idea: We can become more like Jesus by imitating his habits.

This Week's Challenge: Spend some time reading and reflecting on the spiritual disciplines.

Show Notes

• Living Water - The Bride by Ryan Joy (YOUTUBE)
• The Bible Bracket: Favorite Figures (WEBSITE)
• Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster (BOOK)
• Celebration of Discipline Resource Guide (PDF)

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Who’s your favorite figure of faith? This week we build an A-Team of Biblical royals and prophets, priests and disciples, all for an event we call the Bible Bracket. Don’t worry if your March Madness bracket’s busted, we have something better than basketball (at least for a Bible geek)! And after listening to us build the bracket, you can vote for the first round of match-ups at biblegeeks.fm/bracket or on our Facebook page. We hope the bracket leads to some fun and edifying conversations about these encouraging examples!

The Big Idea: God preserved the stories of the faithful so we can reflect on them and learn.

This Week's Challenge: Vote for your favorite figures of faith in our upcoming Bible Bracket.

Show Notes

• The Bible Bracket: Favorite Figures (WEBSITE)
• Finding Jesus: Hebrews 11:32-40 (VERSE)
• Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster (BOOK)

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We ended last week’s Ask the Geeks episode with a “to be continued,” and this week we pick it right back up with our final two listener questions. We start with a big one … what does Jesus say about divorce and remarriage? Then we consider what it means to “visit orphans and widows” today. They’re heavy issues worthy of serious thought and prayer. We’re grateful for the listener questions and we hope the discussion contributes to your understanding of these topics.

The Big Idea: The Bible doesn’t answer every question, but it does hold the answers to life’s most important questions.

This Week's Challenge: Identify any Bible questions you have and search God’s word for their answer.

Show Notes

• Cube Rule for Food Identification (Website)
• Finding Jesus: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (VERSE)
• Grace to Growth by Bryan Schiele (SERMON)
• Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanly (BOOK)
• Sacred Selections (WEBSITE)
• Bible Geeks Contact Form (WEBSITE)
• Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster

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Is it insincere to pray without action? What’s the key to preaching without notes? And most importantly, is a hot dog a kind of taco? In our first ever “Ask the Geeks” episode, we discuss listener questions. In these episodes we’ll discuss questions about prayer, preaching, divorce, and how we “visit” orphans and widows today. As usual, we kick things off with an icebreaker and then go Finding Jesus in a classic text about Biblical inspiration. If you have a question for a future episode, we’d love to hear it! Drop it to us at biblegeeks.fm/contact.

The Big Idea: The Bible doesn’t answer every question, but it does hold the answers to life’s most important questions.

This Week's Challenge: Identify any Bible questions you have and search God’s word for their answer.

Show Notes

• Cube Rule for Food Identification (Website)
• Finding Jesus: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (VERSE)
• Grace to Growth by Bryan Schiele (SERMON)
• Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley (BOOK)
• Bible Geeks Contact Form (WEBSITE)

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It’s been four years since we started the podcast, so this week we decided to press pause on the upcoming guided studies to step back and take a look at where we are, where we’ve come from, and where we want to go next. We start with what Jesus Said about how we’re drawn to him, and end with a Reach Out question about areas of the show we hope draw listeners closer to The Lord. We also invite you to help us shape the future of the show — what would you like to hear about? Do you have any Bible questions we could help answer? What subject would you love to have a study guide on? We’re grateful for the input! And whether you’ve just discovered the show or have been with us since the start, thanks for listening! May the Lord grow and develop us all as we follow him!

The Big Idea: Spiritual conversations with close friends are an incubator for our development in Christ.

This Week's Challenge: Let us know where you’d like to see the show go next.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said: John 12:32 (VERSE)
• What’s Good Study Guide (PDF)
• Series & Recurring Segments (WEBSITE)
• Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster
• Guided Studies (WEBSITE)

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Well, we’ve come to the end of the What’s Good study, and we hope it’s highlighted some of the many reasons we have to praise and thank our God. He has filled our world and our lives with his excellence. May we notice and appreciate it every day! This week’s conversation focuses on “whatever is pure” (Phil. 4:8). We start with what Jesus Said about the pure in heart (Matt. 5:8) then dive into a classic example of purity, in a segment we call, “Hello, My Name Is … Daniel.” Along the way we talk about how we can practice purity in quiet simplicity, how sin is like a virus attacking your system software, and how purity is like a password for entry into God’s presence. Find a PDF of the full 13-session What’s Good study guide and all the videos and resources at biblegeeks.fm/good.

The Big Idea: Filling our hearts and minds with goodness leaves no room for the filth of sin.

This Week's Challenge: Take time to be holy this week.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 13 (PDF)
• "Snow in November" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Jesus Said: Matthew 5:8 (VERSE)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• What’s Good Study Guide (PDF)

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Is it possible to be proud of something … in a good way? And what does it mean to be “a servant of all”? This week we meditate on the praiseworthy virtue of humility. We go Finding Jesus in the Servant Song in Isaiah 42, making sense of the “broken reed” he won’t break and the challenge of wielding power justly. And in a Psalm 34 edition of Poetry in Motion, we consider David’s invitation to “taste and see” the Lord’s goodness for ourselves. As we prepare to conclude the What’s Good guided study next week, remember you can find all the videos and study guides at biblegeeks.fm/good.

The Big Idea: When we lift ourselves above others, we forget that our King lowered himself for us.

This Week's Challenge: Put someone's interest before yours by doing something they want to do.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 12 (PDF)
• "Happy Debtors" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• “The Bonds of Brotherhood” by Ryan Joy (SERMON)
• Finding Jesus: Isaiah 42:1-9 (VERSE)
• Poetry in Motion: Psalm 34 (VERSE)
• Humility by Andrew Murray (BOOK)
• "Snow in November" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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What are your roadblocks to truthfulness, sincerity, and integrity? How do we hold onto both love and truth when talking to each other about important issues? And what does honesty have to do with Chris Paul, gas lines, and life guards? This week’s Scripture du Jour is Ephesians 4, a power-packed passage full of guidance in how to “speak the truth in love.” Taking a cue from Paul there, Bryan compares us to kids in a riptide, as we recognize both the dangers of deception and the security we find growing in Christ. We also spend time unpacking what Jesus Said in John 8:32, learning to abide in the truth and live free. It’s session 11 in the What’s Good guided study — all about honesty — and you can find all the goods to have these conversations with your own group at biblegeeks.fm/good.

The Big Idea: We love truthful words because they’re the language our God uses to speak to us.

This Week's Challenge: Notice someone's sincerity and acknowledge it.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 11 (PDF)
• "World’s Best Cup of Coffee" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Jesus Said: John 8:32 (VERSE)
• Scripture du Jour: Ephesians 4 (VERSE)
• "Happy Debtors" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• “Who Is Your Daddy?“ (WEEKLY EPISODE #142)
• Conviction Versus Mercy by Gardner Hall (BOOK)

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This week we encourage everyone to “be nice!” Actually, we aim to show how the Biblical virtue of “kindness” is much more than politeness and niceties. Our discussion quickly moves from our favorite unkind fictional characters to several Biblical figures who showed kindness — David with Mephibosheth and Abigail with David. We go Finding Jesus in that example of David with Jonathan’s son. And then — in a fun but challenging Here’s the Story segment — we go back to that moment in David’s life when his men needed food and one woman’s care and wisdom made all the difference. We also notice how kids can teach us the power of simple kindnesses, as getting over our selfishness to “be kind” is the central, early ethic we try to instill. And we close with a challenge to be “an undercover agent.” Have a listen and you’ll see what we mean! This is session 10 of the What’s Good study, and you can find the videos and guides for the series at biblegeeks.fm/good.

The Big Idea: God teaches us to appreciate kindness by pouring his unimaginable love and mercy into our lives.

This Week's Challenge: Be an undercover agent of kindness for someone this week.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 10 (PDF)
• "The Magic Word" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Finding Jesus: 2 Sam. 9 (VERSE)
• "World’s Best Cup of Coffee" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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What advice might “Younger You” have for you today? What’s the difference between a typical January resolution and an effective goal? And how can sharing a commitment with a brother or sister give you a rocket boost toward success? Here, in session 9 of the What’s Good guided study, we take a hard look at the difference between satisfaction and striving. Or to put it another way, between plateauing and pursuing excellence. Something Jesus Said shows us how the church is a City of Excellence where everyone tries to “be excellent to each other.” And we spend some time with arete — the Heavy Word the New Testament often translates as “excellence.” We both left this conversation challenged to press on to “higher ground,” and we think you will too! Find the guide for this conversation and all the other resources for this series at biblegeeks.fm/good.

The Big Idea: Though we're not perfect, we glorify God by stretching daily to be better and do better.

This Week's Challenge: Share a short-term goal with a friend and ask them to check in with you soon.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 9 (PDF)
• "Cheese Doodles" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Jesus Said: Matthew 5:14-16 (VERSE)
• Young Folks (EPISODE SERIES)
• "The Magic Word" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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What’s the difference between valuing someone and having a friendship with them? How does humor lighten our load? And what does the old metaphor of “investing” in someone like a bank account teach us about the “brother born for adversity”? We go Finding Jesus in third John and also find how much that short book tells us about good friends. And from communicating without a word to late night conversations, we count down some of our Favorite Things about friendship. It’s session 8 of What’s Good, and all the resources are at Bible geeks.fm/good.

The Big Idea: Through consistent acts of loyal love, we stockpile trust that friends draw on for a lifetime.

This Week's Challenge: Make a list of a few friends you're thankful for and pray for them.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 8 (PDF)
• "An Odd Couple" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Jesus Starter (VERSE)
• "Cheese Doodles" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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How does God provide for us through our loved ones? What does Ruth teach us about prayer? And how do our familial roles change as we get older? This week, in session 7 of our What’s Good study, we appreciate God’s gift of family, from blessings like our moms and kids to our brothers and sisters in Christ. What Jesus Said about honoring parents in Matthew 15:3-6 leaves us thinking about the false dichotomies and how serving God leads us to serve our families. Flying Through the book of Ruth, we see a picture of family lost and restored as folks find the kindness of family in surprising places. You can find the video and study guide for this conversation (and lots more) at biblegeeks.fm/good.

The Big Idea: Family bonds can give us love and acceptance that reflects our Heavenly Father's.

This Week's Challenge: Share with a family member how they've blessed your life.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 7 (PDF)
• "Grandma Nine-Pies" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Jesus Said: Matthew 15:3-6 (VERSE)
• Flying Through the Book: Ruth (VERSE)
• "An Odd Couple" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• “Turned Tables” by Bryan Schiele (SERMON)
• XKCD — False Dichotomy (WEBSITE)

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Is “dill pickle” Christianity God’s way? Does he want us permanently somber and stoic, embracing asceticism and austerity? Or is there a place in God’s will for enjoying his blessings? This week, we challenge these ideas with a look at celebration in Scripture. We start with what Jesus Said about the joy in heaven over the return of a sinner, learning to smile at what makes God happy, and to be there for each other in happy times. Then it’s time for some Deeeep Thoughts on enjoyment. Along the way, we learn that the Christian life is both a festival and an adventure. We hope you find it encouraging as you “go on your way rejoicing” (cf. Acts 8:39). Go to biblegeeks.fm/good for all the guides, videos, and other resources for this series.

The Big Idea: It pleases and glorifies God when we gratefully enjoy his blessings together.

This Week's Challenge: Get together with a friend to share a meal.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 6 (PDF)
• "Party Planning" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Jesus Said: Luke 15:3-10 (VERSE)
• "Grandma Nine-Pies" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• Rock Springs Cafe (WEBSITE)

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How have hymns shaped your thinking? What songs have gotten you through tough times? This week’s conversation is a celebration of singing! First, we look to an example of Jesus singing a hymn before his betrayal, imagining what it was like in that upper room. Then we bring back one of our favorite segments, as each of us drafts an A-Team of praise songs in Scripture. What an amazing gift God gave us in music! And what a difference spiritual songs make in the life of his church! Find the starter video, the guide, and all the resources at biblegeeks.fm/good.

The Big Idea: Singing expresses what's inside us — what we believe, feel, and decide.

This Week's Challenge: Ask a friend to sing a meaningful song with you this week.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 5 (PDF)
• "Bursting Into Song" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Like the Teacher: Mark 14:26 (VERSE)
• "Party Planning" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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Have you ever thought about how many blessings you enjoy because of the God-given talents of others? Or about the strange and wonderful mix of different abilities and interests people have? This week we continue our What’s Good guided study with a discussion of God’s gifts of talents. We go finding Jesus in the Bible’s “body” passages, noticing how often we fail to appreciate other people’s gifts — and our own! Then we dive into a character study of two inspired craftsmen who built masterworks for God. Find the study guide and all the videos and resources for this 13-session study at biblegeeks.fm/good.

The Big Idea: God manifests his wisdom and glory in the diversity he has filled his good world with.

This Week's Challenge: Mention someone’s unique talent to them, and thank them.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 4 (PDF)
• "Teenage Talents on Tape" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Finding Jesus: Rom. 12:3-8 (VERSE)
• Finding Jesus: 1 Cor. 12:12-26 (VERSE)
• "Bursting Into Song" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• “Sudden Skill” by Bryan Schiele (SERMON)

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We know biblical rest means more than taking a break, but what’s it really about? What would a weekly Sabbath communicate to a bunch of former Egyptian slaves? And What’s The Deal with God resting on the seventh day of creation? This week we continue the What’s Good guided study, pausing to appreciate God’s gift of rest. We learn to get away from it all Like the Teacher, Jesus, did in Mark 6:30-32. And we share what keeps us from relaxing, realizing we’re still learning how to rest. Go to biblegeeks.fm/good for the guides, videos, and all the What’s Good resources.

The Big Idea: Work is good, but God also created us to enjoy the sweetness of rest.

This Week's Challenge: Give someone you love a break.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 3 (PDF)
• "Stop!" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Like the Teacher: Mark 6:30-32 (VERSE)
• "Teenage Talents on Tape" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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Who’s the boss in your life? Who really signs your paychecks? And is work a curse or a gift? This week, we take on session 2 of the What’s Good guided study, celebrating God’s gift of work - both ours, and the work of others. We count down our Top 4 Proverbs on work and discover a surprising “destroyer.” And after Finding Jesus in a commandment to slaves, our Reach Out question looks at the source of our work ethic. From the tasks you secretly love to those frustrating aspects of your job, Scripture gives a lot of direction and leaves no doubt that work is a blessing from our loving God! Go to biblegeeks.fm/good to find the study guide and all the resources for this What’s Good study.

The Big Idea: The chance to do good work and appreciate the work of others is worth celebrating.

This Week's Challenge: Identify and do a task at work specifically for God.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 2 (PDF)
• "Off to Work I Go" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Finding Jesus: Col. 3:22-24 (VERSE)
• "Stop!" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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What do creepy bugs, bubbling paint pots, and acorn woodpeckers have in common? They’re all part of God’s created world, and all part of this week’s episode. Here in session one of our new “What’s Good” series, we start exploring God’s good gifts with a discussion of the natural world He’s made for us to enjoy. What Jesus Said in Matthew 6:28-30 gets us thinking about bird watching and all that we can learn by looking around. Then we set Poetry in Motion, moving through Psalm 148 and wondering at the idea of angels, “dragons,” and inanimate objects praising the Lord. We hope that after this episode you — like us — can’t wait to step outside and take in God’s amazing creation, meditating on the unimaginable power, wisdom, and love of the One who made us all.

The Big Idea: When we don't take in the natural world, we miss a window into the wonder of God's goodness and greatness.

This Week's Challenge: Go on a nature walk and meditate on God's wondrous works.

Show Notes

• What’s Good Study Guide - Session 1 (PDF)
• "Samurai Squirrels" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Jesus Said: Matt. 6:28-30 (VERSE)
• Poetry in Motion: Psalm 148 (VERSE)
• "Off to Work I Go" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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It’s been awhile, but we’re excited to be back to our normal recording schedule, starting this week. And we’re introducing our next big, thirteen-session Guided Study, called “What’s Good.” Our goal with the series is to direct our attention to some of the “pure ... lovely ... commendable” things we should “think on” (Phil. 4:8). Because in the midst of “this present darkness” (Eph. 6:12), can’t we all use some help focusing on the light? So on Monday, we’ll start three weeks of Daily Download videos — fifteen short videos on good things worth dwelling on. Then we hope you’ll join us for our regular, weekly episodes each Thursday over the next quarter, as we talk about God’s good gifts and some virtues worthy of reflection. In this episode, we kick the series off with what Jesus said about healthy eyes and then a dive into Philippians 4:8, our Scripture du Jour. Thanks everyone for your patience and for coming back as we start up this encouraging, new series!

The Big Idea: The Lord doesn't just want us to do good things, he also wants us to think about good things.

This Week's Challenge: Change your environment to support praiseworthy thinking.

Show Notes

Gamechanger: Dwell on the Good (SERMON)

Training Wheels Guided Study (PDF)

What’s Good Guided Study (WEBSITE)

Steve Jobs’ iPhone Keynote (VIDEO)

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Completing our parenting series the week of Mother's Day, it seems appropriate to acknowledge all of the work godly moms devote to training their kids! And isn't it fitting to spend this episode talking about the honor kids give to parents — and the honor parents give to kids? So this week, we close Training Wheels by looking forward to the "one shining moment" when our Lord becomes our child's Lord. Like Paul, we want to say, "what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?" (1 Thess. 2:19). Along the way, we discuss our best Father's Day presents, how our relationships change as kids get older, and why Jesus calls obedient believers his "brother and sister and mother" (Matt. 12:50). We define and apply a Heavy Word, learning that "honor" is about giving weight and worth. And we close the series with a prayer for our kids to have a "heart of wisdom" (Prov. 10:1). We plan to take a brief hiatus after this episode, but we pray that this series blesses your parenting, and we look forward to the next guided study.

The Big Idea: What a gift it is to call your child a "brother" or "sister" in Christ.

This Week's Challenge: Give encouragement to a young person who has honored their parents by their faithfulness.

Show Notes

• Training Wheels Study Guide - Session 13 (Color PDF)
• Training Wheels Study Guide - Session 13 (B&W PDF)
• "The Greatest Gift" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Jesus Said ... Matt. 12:46-50 (VERSE)
• Training Wheels Guided Study (WEBSITE)
• Dale Schiele’s Memorial Page

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How do we teach our kids to ask, "How do I want to serve when I grow up?" This week we look at two different parents that Scripture places side-by-side as a "Do This" and "Don't Do That" contrast. We notice Jesus in two songs of mothers-to-be, reflecting on how God turns the tables on the lowly and the proud. Then, in a segment we call "Hello, My Name Is," we dive into a character study of Hannah. What change does Hannah undergo when she believes the Lord has heard her prayer? How is she the ultimate lender? And how does her faith set the tone for her son's life? We close with a discussion of becoming "empty nesters" someday, and then a weekly challenge and a prayer. With only one more session after this, we're rounding third base and heading home in our Training Wheels series, aiming to complete these conversations with an emphasis on the lasting direction we want to give our kids. Find the whole series at biblegeeks.fm/trainingwheels.

The Big Idea: Our kids were created for his glory, not ours.

This Week's Challenge: Check in with a young person about how they want to serve God when they grow up.

Show Notes

• Training Wheels Study Guide - Session 12 (Color PDF)
• Training Wheels Study Guide - Session 12 (B&W PDF)
• "Mona Lisa Smile" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Finding Jesus: 1 Sam. 2:1-10 (VERSE)
• "The Greatest Gift" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Training Wheels Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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What is "lawnmower parenting" and is failure really "not an option"? This week, as we talk about guiding our kids through their troubles, Jesus shows us the perfect parental prayer in John 17:12-19, particularly demonstrating what NOT to ask of the Lord. We also learn how Bryan almost blew up his house as a child — a story worth tuning in for all by itself! And we return to one of our favorite segments, Here's the Story, following the prodigal son down his tragic spiral. It gives us a chance to observe the incredible love of his father, drawing some surprising lessons from the parable's depiction of God's parenting. May we all learn from our Heavenly Father's patient restraint, and his gracious readiness to receive his repentant children!

The Big Idea: As we send our children into the world, we can't protect them from every danger.

This Week's Challenge: Make a plan with your spouse about how you'll handle your own "prodigal moments," before they happen.

Show Notes

• Training Wheels Study Guide - Session 11 (Color PDF)
• Training Wheels Study Guide - Session 11 (B&W PDF)
• "Bubble Wrap" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Jesus Said ... John 17:12-19 (VERSE)
• "Mona Lisa Smile" (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Training Wheels Guided Study (WEBSITE)

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