EPISODE #115 - How to Read the Bible Like Jesus

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If you’re like us, you’ve cracked open the Bible, read a bit, understood little, and then closed it to move on with your day. Reading and understanding the Bible can be so easy sometimes and so hard at other times. In this episode, Jeff and Collin discuss how understanding the big picture of the Bible will immediately help you understand the specific verses or passage you’re reading.

EPISODE #114 - Is Your Sanctification Up to You or God?

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Is your growth in the Christian life up to you, up to God, or is it the result of God teaming up with you?

Our views of how sanctification takes place in our lives greatly affects our practical, daily lives and it can even affect our understanding of our justification. It is vital to understand who is sanctifying who in the Christian life. Let’s talk about it!

EPISODE #112 - Say The Prayer and Surrender All

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Whether it’s praying a certain prayer, walking an isle, or cleaning your life up by surrendering all, we are tempted to think we can secure God’s acceptance of us. We think we can justify ourselves to some degree. In this series Jeff and Collin will discuss popular ways we try both justify ourselves (i.e. secure God’s acceptance) and sanctify ourselves (i.e. become more like Christ).

EPISODE #111 - Why You Must Know About the Invisible World

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Our American culture has opened itself back up to the idea that there might be much more to our world and reality than meets the eye. But Christians have known this from the beginning and Christians must understand the invisible world. The Bible regularly talks about it and ultimately does so for our encouragement and comfort. In this conclusion to this series Jeff and Collin will discuss the invisible realm and why we must understand it.

EPISODE #110 - Angels and the Invisible Realm

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What are angels and how should we think about them? Our American culture has opened itself back up to the idea that there might be much more to our world and reality than meets the eye. But Christians have known this from the beginning. In this series Jeff and Collin will discuss the invisible realm in general and demons and angels in particular, so buckle up!

EPISODE #109 - Demons and the Invisible Realm (Part 2)

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What are demons and how should we think about the invisible realm? Our American culture has opened itself back up to the idea that there might be much more to our world and reality than meets the eye. But Christians have known this from the beginning. In this series Jeff and Collin will discuss the invisible realm in general and demons and angels in particular, so buckle up!

*Please forgive some audio issues on this episode.

EPISODE #108 - Demons and the Invisible Realm (Part 1)

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What are demons and how should we think about the invisible realm? Our American culture has opened itself back up to the idea that there might be much more to our world and reality than meets the eye. But Christians have known this from the beginning. In this series Jeff and Collin will discuss the invisible realm in general and demons and angels in particular, so buckle up!

Check out our Theology After Dark video recording on angels and demons here.

EPISODE #104 - A Church's Approach to God on Sunday

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On our last episode Jeff and Collin discussed our personal approach to God. But how should a local church on Sunday morning approach God? We are not asking what components should be included in worship but rather how should those aspects of worship actually be done. Should the music only sound joyous? Should the responsive readings only be somber? Is there any room to acknowledge that we are humans coming from all sorts of backgrounds with all sorts of realities at play on Sunday morning? Let’s talk about it.

EPISODE #103 - Do Calvinists Violate the Character of God?

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Christians agree to disagree on all sorts of topics. In the debate between Arminian and Calvinist theology, Arminians think Calvinists violate the character of God, making him out to not be as loving and merciful as the Bible teaches. In this episode Collin responds to that objection.

EPISODE #102 - Fear God or Enjoy God?

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Should we approach God with fear, reverence, and awe because He is high and lofty or should we approach him comfortably and casually because He is our Father? Many churches and many in the church communicate that we should approach him with both fear and comfort, balancing the two. And sometimes our definitions of fear and joy before God are unbiblical. So, how do we approach God…with fear or comfort? Should we feel stunned or safe? Should we focus on His majesty or mercy? Our answer: yes.

EPISODE #101 - Arminians and Calvinists Disagree on...Where Faith Comes From

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Christians agree to disagree on all sorts of topics and one of those is the topic of how someone comes to have faith in Christ. Some people believe in Jesus. Others don’t. A key question is: why? On this episode Collin discusses how Arminians and Calvinists both affirm strongly and clearly that faith is a gift of God and brought about by God’s grace. However, the Arminian theology and Calvinist theology diverge significantly at a crucial point.

EPISODE #100 - Being on the Forefront of Christianity

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We are all longing for glory. The Bible says Christians are headed towards glorification, life with God in glory where there is no sin, sadness, or death. Life with God. This longing can drive us to want something more in the Christian life and to seek to be on the forefront of Christianity or find a secret no one else knows. We can think we are on the forefront of Christianity because of our spiritual disciplines schedule, small group structure, theology accuracy, or because we think we found the secret key to unlocking the power of the Holy Spirit. On this episode, Jeff and Collin discuss what that looks like and how we should respond.