Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! This episode represents the final section of my conversation with Josh Everett, professor of British literature at Central Texas College, and Edwin Crozier, preacher and co-host of the Text Talk podcast. If you have not checked out the first two installments, please do so. Here we discuss the literary legacy J.R.R. Tolkien has left for us, and the legacy of faith we inherit from those who came before and leave to those who come up afterward. “Generic fantasy” is a term boardgamers often use to describe the sort of quasi-human creatures
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! This week I am sharing my conversation with two Christians who know Tolkien far better than I. Josh Everett is a professor of English literature at Central Texas College in Killeen; Edwin Crozier is an evangelist with the Livingston church of Christ in Lutz, Florida, and the co-host of the popular Text Talk podcast. Thank you for coming back for part two of my conversation with Josh Everett and Edwin Crozier. We discussed the existence of evil in the first segment; please check that out if you have not done so already. In this segment,
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! J.R.R. Tolkien has to be considered one of the most influential authors of the 20th Century — especially by Christians. His stories speak directly to great spiritual and moral truths for those inclined to listen. This week I am sharing my conversation with two Christians who know Tolkien far better than I. Josh Everett is a professor of English literature at Central Texas College in Killeen; Edwin Crozier is an evangelist with the Livingston church of Christ in Lutz, Florida, and the co-host of the popular Text Talk podcast. In part 1,
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Who am I? That’s the most basic question there is. We spend our entire lives trying to find the answer. And Jesus gives it to us by telling us who we were in sin and who we are capable of becoming by His grace. This week we will discuss Jesus’ true identity and the implications it has for us; what a true Christian is, according to C.S. Lewis; what being a Christian means with regard to our other relationships; and how, despite our best efforts, the truth of our identity always comes out. Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Dr
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! It seems the more we are blessed by God, the more discontented we get. Why is that? The problem is, we have fallen into the trap of building our house on the world’s sand instead of Jesus’ rock-solid promises. The quicker we realize that, the sooner we can find the joy He has promised us. This week we will discuss the secret to contentment, which isn’t much of a secret at all; Dennis Prager’s version of “Mo’ money mo’ problems”; The odd phenomenon of whiny Christians; and how someone with my huge and growing game collection has the ner
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I talk a lot on this podcast about achieving, about striving for improvement, about not settling the achievements of the past. But sometimes you need to go back to square one and remember why we are here in the first place. This week we will talk about how we reorient ourselves in times of stress; how the most important of the Ten Commandments may not even be one of the ten; how the word “Basic” has taken on brand new meaning; and why we still need to play checkers and play it well. Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive c
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Get three preachers to comment on a combination of the gospel and sports, you’re bound to go long. And we did. So here is the second half of my conversation with Brent Moody, preacher at the Decker Prairie church of Christ in Houston, and David Osteen, preacher for the O’Connor Road church of Christ in San Antonio. In this final segment, we start with Bocce and move on to topics including Tom Brady, Nick Saban, and a certain podcaster of mutual acquaintance whose name must remain unspoken. Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Running, boxing, wrestling—sports metaphors are all over the Bible. If you’re a sports fan, the Bible speaks to you in your own language. I’m joined this week by Brent Moody, who preaches for the Decker Prairie church of Christ in suburban Houston, and David Osteen, who preaches for the O’Connor Road church of Christ in San Antonio. We discuss giving ourselves a chance to win God’s race; taking lessons from Bible underdogs; and maximizing our scoring opportunities instead of settling for mediocrity. Hal Hammons is the preacher for the
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Somehow I made it through more than 100 episodes without talking about my home state. But I’ve been back in my ancestral homeland for close to a year now, and that’s long enough. So saddle up. This week we will discuss stereotypes and whether we truly deserve them; the strange bedfellows that Texas politics makes; the pros and cons of secession; and the Texas domino game we can’t get anyone else to play. Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven po
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Every day is a learning experience — or at least it should be. When we position ourselves to learn, we grow; when we don’t, we stagnate. And when the subject is our walk with Christ, that can be tragic. This week we will discuss Jesus’ frustrations with His own apostles, the simple answer to the JFK assassination, some suggestions for carrying on conversations via social media, and the excellent game I almost quit on before I even started playing. Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! “How is ‘bears’ a topic for a Bible-based podcast?” some of you are already asking. I’ll admit, it’s a bit of a hodgepodge this week. But I kept seeing things I wanted to address that had to do with bears one way or another, and finally I decided to just go with it. So here we are. This week we will discuss the dangers that come with laughing at bald people, the weirdest moment in all of Shakespeare’s plays, the perils of “Florida man,” and an all-bear zoo on your dining room table. Bears feature prominently in all of the above. Hal Ha
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! This is Season 3 of the Citizen of Heaven podcast — episode 106a, Parenting (uncut). I am Hal Hammons, and I am a citizen of heaven, and your embedded correspondent in Satan’s world. Thanks for checking in. Is it possible to rear godly children in an ungodly world? Absolutely. God’s people have been doing it for centuries. But we have to do it God’s way, no matter what the world may tell us. I am joined today by Rickie Jenkins, preacher and shepherd for the Campbell Road church of Christ in Garland, Texas — also by Phil Robertson, the
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Is it possible to rear godly children in an ungodly world? Absolutely. God’s people have been doing it for centuries. But we have to do it God’s way, no matter what the world may tell us. I am joined today by Rickie Jenkins, preacher and shepherd for the Campbell Road church of Christ in Garland, Texas — also by Phil Robertson, the preacher for the Glen Springs church of Christ in Gainesville, Florida. Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podc
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Foolishness is running wild in the world today, and Jesus is here to help. The problem is, we often define “foolishness” and “help” very differently than He does This week we will discuss Jesus’ commentary on financial planning; who the “fool” of Psalm 14 truly is; how “lawnmower parenting” is cutting our children off at the knees; and how my family conspires to keep me from winning a game I’m actually good at. Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of He
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! If you are a Christian, that means you have volunteered to serve in the army of Jesus Christ. Like many volunteers, you may not have known the full scope of the war that is going on. But believe me, it is terrible. But it is worth the fight. This week we will discuss who is our true enemy (and it’s not your neighbor), the philosophy that under-girds the enemy’s every effort, inspiration for the fight from the music of Peter Tchaikovsky, and a game from my childhood that was more philosophical than I knew. Hal Hammons is the preacher fo
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! The existence of suffering is one of the oldest arguments against the existence of God. But God has always wanted different things for us than we wanted for ourselves. People of faith accept and embrace that — even when it hurts. This week we will discuss the purposes pain plays in our lives; the historical connection between the absence of pain and the presence of problems; the last and perhaps greatest message from Johnny Cash; and how you can build a spaceship that will make it to port without breaking in half. Hal Hammons is the pr
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Adventure means excitement for a child. To an adult it usually means something complicated at best, terrifying at worst. They’re both right. The key is not to embrace or avoid adventure; it’s choosing the right one. This week we will discuss the challenges that come with walking by faith; the impact of two bicycle repairmen from Dayton, Ohio; the parallels between Abraham’s adventure and ours; and the level of commitment we are willing to show for Jesus. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons se
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Is the internet the irresistible and desirable future for the church, or is it the church’s doom? What are “social influencers,” who are they influencing, and for what purpose? We cover this and more in the second half of my conversation with Kris Emerson and Dr. Kenny Embry. Kris preaches for the Lindale church of Christ in Lindale, Texas, and hosts the Excel Still More podcast. Kenny is an associate professor of communication at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Florida, and hosts the “Balancing the Christian Life” podcast. Check ou
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! It’s a new world out there, for better or worse. And the internet is its university, its playground, and its courtroom. There’s no point in pretending otherwise. We will explore the pros and cons of the internet with my two guests. Kris Emerson preaches for the Lindale church of Christ in Lindale, Texas, and hosts the Excel Still More podcast. Dr. Kenny Embry is an associate professor of communication at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Florida. In part 1, we discuss the echo chamber effect we experience online; and we consider the p
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! To celebrate 100 episodes, I tried to pick out the things above all others that I like to preach, read, hear and play. I’m not sure I was successful, but what follows is the best I could do. So today we will discuss our own wandering in the wilderness and our anticipation of Canaan land; lessons in governing we can learn from fictitious, sentient rabbits; my fascination with four Italian guitar players; and my incessant, and largely unsuccessful, efforts to get better at Great Western Trail. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.yout
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! We need goals to stay motivated and on course. Maybe it is a particular number on the bathroom scale. Maybe it is getting all the way to Revelation chapter 22 this year. In any case, the goals need to be reasonable and measurable if we are to maximize our chances of success. This week we will discuss how we “do” the Christian Graces of 2 Peter 1, what makes a truly great president, why heaven should NOT be your goal as a Christian, and how having fun with a game directly interferes with my efforts to win. Check out Hal on YouTube at ht
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Cowboys are part of American history — and even more than that, American folklore. It’s a lifestyle: play by your own rules, answer to your own conscience, and ride quietly off into the sunset at the end of the day. Noble hero or ruthless outlaw? Depends on who is making the movie. This week we will discuss the difference between herding cattle and tending sheep; the legacy of Texas legend Judge Roy Bean; the music of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings; and why my daughter beats me regularly in my favorite game — and the surprising reas
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! 2 Timothy 3;16-17 promises that God’s word will make us adequate in all spiritual things — including “training in righteousness.” So we have the equipment. How to go about using it, that’s another matter. Today, to help us understand what it means to train and to be trained in the things of God, I’m joined by Stephen Russell, evangelist for the Pepper Road church of Christ in Athens, Alabama; and Aric Russell (no relation), who preaches for the Spring Warrior church of Christ in Perry, Florida. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.y
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Everyone wants to be happy. But most of us aren’t — at least it seems that way. For people in Satan’s world, that’s understandable, and even good — maybe they’ll search for a better way. We as Christians, though, have no excuse. This week we will discuss why pursuing happiness is actually part of the problem; where Chip Gaines finds that smile he’s always wearing; why Mike Rowe is more right with his philosophy of work than he knows; and why playing a game that doesn’t give you joy misses the whole point. Check out Hal on YouTube at ht
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! No, I’m not quitting this podcast. Nor am I quitting my job, my marriage, or my faith. But many people do. And depending on the situation, that can be disastrous. This week we will discuss one preacher’s unfortunate approach to adversity, What drove Chip and Joanna Gaines to abandon their hit TV show, the various rocks people are lobbing at Donald Trump these days and their implications for us, and why quitting a game is not the same as quitting gaming. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons ser