Faith Recovery Podcast

In today’s episode we begin a series discussing the contents of Nathan’s book called Essential Faith, and today we explore the “quest for the core” of the Christian faith that animates many new movements within Christianity and how this relates to Nathan’s thesis.

The post Quest for the Core – Essential Faith #1 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we discuss how Jesus solves our ultimate problem and paves the way for us to follow him into that solution.

The post The Death Cure – Themes in John #13 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we discuss Christ as the depiction of God’s leadership model bequeathed to his successors until his return.

The post The Good Shepherd(s) – Themes in John #12 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In today’s episode we discuss the sovereignty of God as seen in the themes of light and darkness in the Gospel of John.

The post All in Good Time – Themes in John #11 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode, “The Fountain Free”, we learn from the Gospel of John how access to God’s immediate presence is now guaranteed to all through the Holy Spirit.

The post “The Fountain Free” – Living Water Part 2 – Themes in John #10 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we examine the pattern of suffering followed by exaltation as seen in the prophet Isaiah and later in the Gospel of John.

The post The Messianic Pattern Part 2 – Themes in John #8 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we explore the gospel as depicted in the ministry of John the Baptist and as embodied in Christ’s Passion.

The post The Messianic Pattern – Themes in John #7 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we continue our discussion of the role of Israel in the salvation of the world, as seen in the Gospel of John.

The post “An Israelite Indeed” Part 2 – Themes in John #6 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we explore the role of Israel as a nation in the salvation of the world, as seen in the Gospel of John.

The post “An Israelite Indeed” – Themes in John #5 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we continue our discussion of the Gospel of John’s emphasis on knowing by personal encounter.

The post “Come and See” Part 2 – Themes in John #4 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we discuss personal testimony as the invitation to personal encounter. We explore the Gospel’s epistemology as hearing, seeing, knowing.

The post “Come and See!” – Themes in John #3 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we examine how the image in Isaiah 55 of God’s word going forth provides a backdrop to the Gospel of John’s presentation of Jesus.

The post Christ as the Word Sent from God – Themes in John #2 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we range across several passages in the Gospel of John, exploring an understanding of God as a self-existent community–and an understanding of Christ as the expression and agent of that relationship sent to bring humans into it. 

The post The Fellowship of Life – Themes in John #1 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

Today we just check in to let you know we’re working on a new series on John, beginning next week.

The post Fooled ya! – Checking in between Series first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

Continuing our discussion of how the Gospel shapes all the facets of our lives, in this episode we discuss how the Gospel directs us to rest and restoration. This may challenge our culture’s emphasis on achievement, on the one hand, but it may also confront another cultural idol of self-indulgent leisure.

The post Lazy Days – The Voice of the Shepherd #17 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In today’s episode we explore how the freedom we have through the Gospel can enable us to use technology in ways that are helpful, rather than be enslaved to it in ways that are harmful.

The post Slave to the Machine – The Voice of the Shepherd #16 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we explore how the Gospel enables us to strike a healthy balance between our culture’s dueling obsessions with pleasure, on the one hand, and fitness and heath, on the other.

The post Health(y?) Obsession – The Voice of the Shepherd #15 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In today’s episode we explore what the Gospel tells us about managing money. Are we supposed to sell it all for Jesus? Are we supposed to make as much as we can for Jesus? As we face decisions to make money, save money, give it away, we can look to the Gospel story for guidance.

The post The Gospel as Financial Advisor – The Voice of the Shepherd #14 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In today’s episode we ask what it means to train our kids “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”. What is the nature of a child? How does raising kids with the gospel in mind change the way we parent?

The post Gospel-shaped Parenting – The Voice of the Shepherd #13 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we discuss how the Gospel speaks to career planning. How does the Gospel inform our decision-making about job opportunities and earning potential? Often the Gospel is seen as directing us to more seemingly spiritual careers like ministry. But are there other considerations and a bigger picture that it offers?

The post Designing your Life, Gospel-Style – The Voice of the Shepherd #12 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we contrast practicing religion with practicing the faith of Christ. Religion prescribes a set of beliefs and practices to bring us closer to God. According to that definition, is the true Christian faith a religion or not?

The post When Religion Gets in the Way – The Voice of the Shepherd #11 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we explore how the Gospel informs our relationships in church when we find that we hold different political views from one another. In our culture today churches divide over political ideology, but the Gospel unites people who are different if they’ll truly follow Jesus as Lord.

The post Politics in the Church? – The Voice of the Shepherd #10 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we continue our discussion of marriage and explore how a Gospel ethic might apply to the challenging question of gay marriage inside the Church?

The post Gay Marriage in the Church? – The Voice of the Shepherd #9 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

Following on the previous episode about divorce and remarriage, in this episode we begin a discussion of the nature and historical development of marriage as it relates to the questions of gay marriage and the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual practice.

The post What is Marriage? – The Voice of the Shepherd #8 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

Today we discuss a question about Jesus’s teachings on divorce and remarriage, as it relates to our series on living under the law-free (but not lawless) ethic of the gospel.

The post A Legal Loophole? – The Voice of the Shepherd #7 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we examine the ethical implications of membership in the body of Christ.

The post The Body Ethic – The Voice of the Shepherd #6 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

The gospel teaches that believers have experienced a death and resurrection by the power of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, they are a new order of humankind remade through the indwelling Holy Spirit in the likeness of Christ, who is the exact representation of the Father. Ethically, we should express our new nature in our attitudes…

The post Holy Vessels – The Voice of the Shepherd #5 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

If you’re free in Christ, then does that freedom look like following your desires? Or were you set free from slavery to your desires, just as you were set free from slavery to rules and regulations?

The post The Freedom Ethic – The Voice of the Shepherd #4 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In our series we’re claiming that the Christian’s way of life is not determined by any written code. But does that mean we are lawless? Does it mean we have no defined ethic?

The post Law-free but not Lawless – The Voice of the Shepherd #3 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

Paul told the Colossians that if they have died with Christ — and have been raised with him — then that means they should (and they can) live a new way. What’s that mean? It means the gospel provides us with an ethic. In this episode we explore what it means to live differently, not…

The post “If then…” – The Voice of the Shepherd #2 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this series we seek to understand the gospel as the ethical standard for the Christian life. As distinct from the Bible generally, or traditional morality, can the message about Christ provide the culturally flexible, yet objectively clear pattern that we need for living a life that glorifies God?

The post The Voice of the Shepherd #1 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we compare differing visions of “the end of the world.” In the biblical vision, rather than being the end of God’s creation followed by an immaterial eternity, it’s actually the beginning of a new creation where the redeemed will live (and work!) in new bodies with God in a renewed universe.

The post Kingdom Come – Redefining Faith #14 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

Today’s discussion ranges from demonic possession to the difference between Hades and Hell. We also explain how the gospel changes the after-life experience for those who believe.

The post To Die is Gain – Redefining Faith #13 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we take a second look at the typical teaching that hell is eternal conscious torment and ask whether this view is actually biblical, or if in fact there is different understanding available to us — one that is both more biblical and more satisfying.

The post Hell? No! – Redefining Faith #12 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we redefine church, moving from a consumeristic model where we transact with the institutional church to provide us with goods and services, to a relational model, in which we worship God by mutually serving one another and doing good in the world.

The post Here is the Steeple – Redefining Faith #11 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we redefine the person and work of the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity who indwells Christians to incline and empower them to become like Christ in their actions and character.

The post Living Water – Redefining Faith #10 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we redefine sanctification, arguing that instead of reducing sins and increasing good deeds, it is instead our ongoing salvation from the way of the world through the faith of Christ we received by believing the gospel.

The post God’s Gym – Redefining Faith #9 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

In this episode we redefine salvation as liberation from sinful society and from its destination.

The post From What I’ll Do To You – Redefining Faith #8 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

Jesus did not merely appear to be a human — a view of Jesus many Christians implicitly hold. No, he had to be fully human in order to live by faith and thus become the “pioneer and perfecter of faith” that the New Testament says he is for us.

The post Not Just a Skin Suit – Redefining Faith #7 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.

As we continue our series that seeks to redefine Christian doctrines, today we explore whether predestination could mean something different from what we have been told.

The post Reserved Standing – Redefining Faith #6 first appeared on Faith Recovery Podcast.