Podcasts

Episode 87 - "Phantom Menaces"

Ryan Joy · Bible Geeks Podcast

Be Confident in Uncertain Times What do Craftsmen Tools and the Phantom Menace have to do with our confidence in Christ? With all the uncertainty around us, it seems like the perfect time to focus on what we can KNOW from the book of 1 John. Why does healing require honesty and why does prayer require give and take? This week’s reading in Hebrews 13 and 1 John 1-4 shows us how to deal with misplaced guilt and fear, how to confidently pray, and how what we love defines our stability. The Big Idea: Living in God’s love leads to confidence. Weekly Challenge: Do something to show someone your love

Daily Bible Reading with Mark Roberts

Jeff · Working with the Word

Mark Roberts joins us for an interview on reading the Bible every day. He encourages us to not think of Bible reading as marking off a checklist or posting an Instagram photo, but as an indispensable time for drawing near to God. Check out Mark's Bible reading plan and guide here: Five Day Bible Reading And more of Mark's writing and teaching at these places: Romans for Everyone Westside Church Pressing On Magazine Intro song - "Faith" by Vibe Tracks Outro song - special thanks to John Tadlock for letting us use "The Starry Night" from his brand new album The Sight of the Stars

THANKSGIVING: Gluttony. Pilgrim's Progress. Shutdowns. Ticket to Ride.

Hal Hammons · Citizen of Heaven

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! This season is devoted to the giving of thanks to God. But as always, we often make things all about ourselves. I’m trying to do better this year, and I hope I can encourage you to do so as well. This week we will discuss the very real problem of having too much of many, many good things; the story of one who got everything he could hope for and was strong enough to get rid of it; the way to find blessings when you believe they are being withheld from you; and the one game above all for which I am the most thankful. Check out Hal on Yo

What Is Truth?

Kris Emerson · Excel Still More

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! What a fantastic question! "What is Truth?" You will find that a lot of people don't ask it anymore. They think they know the truth already, like the Pharisees. There are others like Pilate, who ask the question, but don't put in the work to answer it. They end up with a lot of uncertainly. And then there are those like Peter who do ask and answer but aren't strong enough to apply it when the time is right. We can learn from all of these people. And we must learn from Jesus in John 18. How we ask, answer and apply will sh

Power of Gratitude

Kenny Embry · Balancing the Christian Life

Send us Fan Mail This week we discuss the importance and power of gratitude to the Christian life. I start out by talking about my younger son, Kent. He's a case of "still waters run deep." He's very bright, quiet and thoughtful. I mention in today's episode a foundational book.: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (affiliate link) If you haven't read this book, you should. Viktor Frankl was imprisoned at a concentration camp during World War II. A psychologist, he noted how some found hope and some completely lost faith. His observations are profound. Support the show

Episode 86 - "Stay Off My Lawn!"

Ryan Joy · Bible Geeks Podcast

Walk with Faith and Integrity This week, in a Psalm 15 edition of Poetry in Motion, we learn that God wants to host people in his home, but not everyone can enter. We discuss how the tabernacle is like LEGOs, character is like a key card, and seeking God is like dating (it made sense when we said it!). Plus, we answer questions like: Does God really want us to despise “vile” people? Is it wrong to do good things because we want the reward? And how can we say, “All is well,” when our circumstances seem “anything but.” Hebrews 11 is our Scripture du Jour and we’re Finding Jesus in this week’s re

CLEANLINESS: Baptism. Isaiah 1:18. "Next to godliness." Five Tribes.

Hal Hammons · Citizen of Heaven

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Cleaning yourself is one of the first jobs we learn. It helps keep us healthy, and it makes us more pleasant to be around — and that was true long before COVID-19 came along. This week we will discuss the ritual washing known as baptism; how filthy the job of priest must have been; how cleanliness may actually be next to godliness, or at least pretty close; and how carelessness destroyed one of my family’s favorite games and changed the way we play games forever. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal H

Alright Alright Alright

Kris Emerson · Excel Still More

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Matthew McConaughey is a big celebrity around these parts. He graduated about an hour from here and lives in Austin. He is known for three words: "Alright, Alright, Alright." He is also known for a demeanor and attitude that is laid back and positive. However, in his new book "Greenlights," he reveals that there are some things that are non negotiable in his family. There are three things that are not alright. He was raised not to say three things, and he now is raising his three kids the same way. While McConaughey may n

Talking sports with Jason Romano

Kenny Embry · Balancing the Christian Life

Send us Fan Mail This was a great interview with Jason Romano. Jason was a 17 year ESPN producer who became an author and podcaster. In his first book, Live to Forgive, Jason talks about his struggles with his alcoholic father and then his struggle to become one, himself. In his journey, he meets his Heavenly father who helps him understand what true fatherhood is about. Along the way, Jason talks about how meeting his boyhood hero, Darryl Strawberry, was a dream come true, and an unexpected blessing. Jason has written two books, Live to Forgive and The Uniform of Leadership.. I heartily recom

Episode 85 - "The Soft Underbelly"

Ryan Joy · Bible Geeks Podcast

Overcome Your Spiritual Struggles Where are your spiritual “growing pains”? This week, we had a frank conversation about some of the difficulties that have threatened to pull us off course spiritually. From the magnetic pull of the comfortable to the isolation of feeling you’re on your own, there are so many ways to get discouraged and stop growing. Our current reading in Hebrews 3-7 exhorts a group of Christians to keep growing and keep holding onto the Lord. Join us as we dive into the Scriptures with an eye toward maturing in Christ! The Big Idea: God calls us from our easy comforts to an a

Daily Bible Reading - a Really Big Deal

Jeff · Working with the Word

You've heard preachers, Bible class teachers, maybe even your parents emphasize "read your Bible every day" - but why? What's the big deal with daily Bible reading? In this episode we get back to the basics of having a daily interaction with God through His Word. Along the way, we share some of our own struggles and victories in this discipline. Resources mentioned in this episode: American Bible Society "State of the Bible" survey https://news.americanbible.org/blog/entry/corporate-blog/american-bible-society-releases-10th-annual-state-of-the-bible-survey Intro song - "Faith" by Vibe Tracks O

JAZZ: Decently and in order. Blue Like Jazz. Music for sleep. Fluxx.

Hal Hammons · Citizen of Heaven

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! One jazz master put it this way: If you know the basic chords, you can improvise and create all sorts of music. But you have to know the chords. If Jazz is freedom, then good jazz is knowing how to have freedom without chaos. This week we will discuss what rules, if any, should apply in our worship, whether “Christian spirituality” has anything to do with the bible, what music puts me to sleep and why, and how you play a game with constantly changing goals — if there is a goal at all. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com

Five Thousand Times

Kris Emerson · Excel Still More

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Tony Robbins once spoke of success in these terms: success is not doing 5,000 things, it is doing the few right things 5,000 times. He is speaking of the power of daily habits over time. It reminds us that every decision you make is an investment in your future, IF you repeat those good decisions day after day. There are no shortcuts to success. But it doesn't have to be momentous, expensive, grand gestures. In fact, those represent doing a thing. We can do better. We want to become someone better. This is found in a few

Exploring Bible Lands: An Interview with Barry Britnell

Kenny Embry · Balancing the Christian Life

Episode 84 - "Winking at a Girl in the Dark"

Ryan Joy · Bible Geeks Podcast

Honor God’s Incredible Son What is your defining metaphor for life? What does it tell you about Jesus that as he hung on the cross, he put plans in place for a trusted disciple to look after his mom? And how is hidden love like winking at a girl in the dark? This week we go Finding Jesus in our weekly reading from the Into the Book reading plan — John 19-21 and Hebrews 1-2. Then we share 4 Proverbs that give a Better Way. Join us for a listen, and as always, don’t hesitate to contact us with topics, questions, and feedback! The Big Idea: *When we look closely at Jesus, we see what it means to

POLITICS (part 2): with guests Ty Clevenger and Reagan McClenny

Hal Hammons · Citizen of Heaven

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! This is the second half of my conversation with Ty Clevenger and Reagan McClenny; please check out the first part if you have not done so already. We covered the topic of tolerance in the first part; here we turn to the war climate in our country that is quickly and perhaps inevitably coming to a boil, much like it did a century and a half ago. We will also discuss the downside to a win-at-all-costs mentality, whether it is in board games or in life. Keep up with Ty's work at www.lawflog.com. Listen to Reagan's sermons and subscribe to

A Rising Tide

Kris Emerson · Excel Still More

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! The Excel Still More podcast is heavily invested in self improvement. We want these episodes to help you be disciplined, make great decisions, and reap incredible benefit. But let's be clear, none of this works if I am only concerned with myself and my growth. A much more rewarding goal is to help others around you grow. What if you could make changes that are designed to create an environment for change? As a result, not only do you grow, but you make it possible from every member of you family to grow with you? - How do

POLITICS (part 1): with guests Ty Clevenger and Reagan McClenny

Hal Hammons · Citizen of Heaven

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! This is the first part of my conversation with Ty Clevenger, a New York attorney well known for his political activity; and Reagan McClenny, the pulpit preacher for the Timberland Drive church of Christ. In this segment we discuss tolerance -- whether Democrats and Republicans can coexist in the Lord's church, and how we might go about helping that happen. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is t

An Interview with Intimate Covenant (we talk about Christian sex and intimacy)

Kenny Embry · Balancing the Christian Life

Send us Fan Mail This week in the podcast, I talk with Matt and Jennifer Schmidt about their podcast, Intimate Covenant. This episode deals frankly but not explicitly with sex in Christian marriage. This is NOT an episode for children, but an important topic which often gets ignored. You can visit their website at: https://intimatecovenant.com Support the show

Episode 83 - "Just Inventing a Metaphor"

Ryan Joy · Bible Geeks Podcast

Connect with Christ Have you ever asked, “Why did God make me?” This week, we discuss our purpose, our relationships, and the source of all our accomplishments, drawing from this week’s readings in John 14-18. What’s the difference between a servant and a friend, and why does Jesus call his disciples friends? And what kind of friendship with one another does that call us into? Plus, we look at a story where Jesus literally knocks an army down with two words, and we share a few of our Favorite Things about John’s gospel. The Big Idea: Rather than standing at a distance, Jesus reveals himself to

CONFUSION: Charismatic worship. J.D. Tant (4). "Any reasonable person." The Palaces of Cararra.

Hal Hammons · Citizen of Heaven

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! God is not the author of confusion, we are told; but His people create a great deal of it on their own in His name. This week we will discuss why modern charismatic worship is unscriptural (and selfish to boot), the crude language we could do with more of, the confusion we use to do what we want instead of doing what He says, and the only game I own that is not in English. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetow

Practicing Sound Teaching

Jeff · Working with the Word

In our final episode on Titus, we talk through the text of chapter three and Paul's final encouragement to Titus, especially regarding all Christians' role to apply the gospel to ourselves. We discuss how God's grace is at the center of our lives, not only saving us from our sin but producing the good deeds that should fill our lives. We wrap up with a quick sneak-peak of our next mini-series on Daily Bible Reading. Episode title based on New Testament Books Outlined by Derrel Shaw Intro song - "Faith" by Vibe Tracks Outro song - special thanks to John Tadlock for letting us use "The Starry Ni

Meet The Person

Kris Emerson · Excel Still More

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! The blame game only leads to loses. Everyone wishes some things in their life was different. Maybe for you it is many things. And while it might be easy to blame others for the circumstances, and express how change can't happen because of things outside yourself... it won't help. In fact, that attitude will only hold you back. Today I want you to meet the person responsible for your life. This person is powerful, especially when they are walking by faith in Christ and doing things that please God. This person is why you a

A very personal interview

Kenny Embry · Balancing the Christian Life

Send us Fan Mail You'll have to indulge me this week. I'm interviewing my dad, a retired physician from Kentucky. This was the first interview I did for the podcast. It's a little rough around the edges, but it's very sentimental for me. Support the show

Replay — "It's a Trap"

Ryan Joy · Bible Geeks Podcast

Programming Note: This week, we're replaying one of our favorite episodes from the past. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Believe in Jesus’ Power to Raise the Dead We have big questions on our minds, as death looms over this week’s passages. Questions like: How can we put God in a box, even when we trust him in the big stuff? Does the famously brief verse, “Jesus wept,” display Christ’s humanity or his deity? And Jesus Said he holds the keys to Hades in Revelation 1:17-18, but what does that mean for us? Throughout our seventh “Here’s Your Sign” segment, we consider how the ra