After Class Podcast

The guys are cruising into a brand-new series, ready to park in 1 Peter for a while. Rooted in the Old Testament, this letter shows us how the gospel still speaks directly into our lives today. As exiled brothers and sisters in Christ, scattered across the globe, 1 Peter delivers a timely word for each of us. In this episode, the guys check the mirrors with some historical context and then shift gears into a conversation about predestination. Were you predestined to listen to this episode? There's only one way to find out…

After 8 years or so of podcasts, we thought it might be a good idea to remind our listeners of what we do and why we do it. But instead of just telling you, we thought a top 10 list would be appropriate. So this episode pays homage to David Letterman and gives you "The Top 10 Ways NOT to listen to the After Class Podcast."

Today's episode wraps up our "Holy Humor" series. We finish with a few stories and statements in the New Testament and then end with each of the guys name what they think is the funniest book, story, and line. Prepare to roll right out of your chair with laughter.

Some of the best Bible stories can be found in Acts. Many of those stories include a humorous element – drunkenness, defying authority, left at the front door, and more! Check them out as we continue our Holy Humor series.

Today our series introduces some awkward humor into the discussion. Nothing like a streaker running around naked to make you laugh. Plus we get Luke's unique contributions to the gospel story, many of which are pretty humorous. Tune in as we continue our Holy Humor series.

Imagine if Jesus had a side gig as a stand up comedian. What kind of jokes would he tell? Where would he draw his material from? While there is no evidence that Jesus was a comic, he did like to entertain his audience with a joke here or there. As our Holy Humor series moves into the New Testament, we get a glimpse into "funny Jesus" who used humor to illustrate deeper theological points.

The Bible regularly decries idolatry, especially be prohibiting the use of idols. But what happens when an author decides to get clever and attempts a take down of idolatry? Humor ensues! Today's episode continues through different humorous episodes in the Bible and includes a satire of idolatry, humorous proverbs, and more!

What do bald heads, bears, bad drivers, and bad timing have in common? They all make for humorous episodes in the Bible. The guys delve into some pretty comical stories in today's episode and shed some light on some well known and some not very well known stories.

Oscar Wilde is credited with saying, "Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence." If true, then there were some smart people in the Bible! Today's episode continues our "Holy Humor" series and includes sarcasm, puns, and other humorous stories and statements from the mouths of Samson, Elijah, and more.

As we continue our humor in the Bible series, we turn our attention to the Gideon story. Now you might be saying to yourself, "How can that story be funny enough to earn it's own episode?!?" You'll just have to listen to find out.

The Bible is many things, but it is also the source of hilarity. Stories, witty comments, irony, sarcasm and more fill the pages of God's Word, yet we often miss it. This episode is the first of a new series that takes a look at those humorous passages in the Bible and hopefully brings a little levity to your life.

Is there a place in Christian faith for parties? Of course! Part of what helps make this life bearable is celebrating what God has done and is doing. In this episode the guys discuss the spiritual discipline of celebration and provide some concluding thoughts on the series.

Many of us yearn for the days of old when God would speak clearly to his people. But burning bushes, dreams, visions, and visitations seem to be in short supply. Does God still speak and guide His people? Find out what the guys have to say about the spiritual discipline of guidance in today's episode.

Many Christians get very passionate about worship and debate so many aspects—styles, songs, actions, and more. Yet, so much of what the modern church centers around is corporate worship. As the series on spiritual disciplines continues, the guys turn their attention to worship and emphasize the importance of submission and unity in corporate worship, debating the role of singing and the practical aspects of worship practices.

In a world where people keep their private lives private and their sins hidden, God's Kingdom is characterized by openness, honesty, and grace. But in order to experience those qualities, God's people must be willing to confess their sins to each other and hold each other accountable. In this episode, the guys talk about the benefits of confession and ways that we can make this spiritual discipline a part of our faith.

Servant leadership, service trips, servant's heart, served your way right away. Our culture talks a lot about service, but what does it look like as a spiritual discipline? Can people engage in service as a discipline without even knowing it? Find out on today's episode.

In a world where we don't like being told what to do, what does it look like to put yourself under someone else's authority intentionally and why would that even be a good, healthy act? Find out today as the ACP guys discuss the spiritual discipline of "submission."

Introverts – rejoice! There is a spiritual discipline just for you. Technically it is for everyone and might even be more beneficial for extroverts. Regardless, tune in today as the guys walk through the spiritual discipline of solitude to see how getting away from it all can open up our communication with God.

Springtime is the season for cleaning, decluttering, and the inevitable garage sales to aid those efforts. Could that be a spiritual discipline? Is simplicity a spiritual issue or it just a fad to figure out what "brings joy"? And furthermore, is it just about our stuff or could our schedules use some decluttering? Find out today as the guys talk about the spiritual discipline of simplicity.

If studying is just committing a bunch of factoids to memory, then what does it look like to be a spiritual discipline? Or maybe study as a spiritual discipline looks differently and has a different purpose. Tune in to today's episode as the guys discuss study and what it means to dedicate ourselves to God's Word.

While intermittent fasting has been shown to help with weight loss, should we also use it to draw near to God? What does fasting for spiritual purposes even look like? In this episode the guys consider the rationale behind fasting as a spiritual discipline and they might just challenge some of the modern practices among Christians.

What is prayer, really? Is it communication, conversation, connection — or something more? In this episode, the guys (with Todd) explore the rich spiritual discipline of prayer — not as spell-casting or performance, but as intentional dialogue with God. We talk dependence, posture, and why prayer isn't just something you do when you're in trouble.

Throughout the Bible we are encouraged to meditate on God's Word, but what does that really mean? Is it some mystic encounter with Scripture or with God? Do we need to hum while doing it? Find out today as we begin a new series on spiritual disciplines. Also, a special guest will join us for this series. Tune in to find out who!

The book of Acts narrates the birth and early history of the church. But this history is presented piecemeal and doesn't include all the drama that the individual churches went through. The Epistles give us one part of the "phone conversation" but plenty is left out. What would it look like to fill in the missing information? In this episode, the guys interview Frank Viola who has just produced a work that attempts to bring out some of these missing details. Check out their discussion about "The Untold Story of the New Testament Church." https://www.amazon.com/Untold-Testament-Church-Revised-Expanded/dp/0768461626

A new series has been released on Prime that dramatically depicts the life of David in 1-2 Samuel. The guys decided to watch the first few episodes and give their impressions and opinions. Is this latest attempt to bring the Bible to the big screen true to the story or just a cash grab? Check out this episode to see what the guys think.

As we conclude our walk through "Priestly Presence," the ACP guys interact with the idea of praise and worship. Though the function of "song leading" was not originally in the priestly job description, King David added it to their duties. So the priests used this new job to give words for the people to praise, but also to critique the kingship. So what does priestly praise have to do with the church? How can we speak to powers, and maybe even be subversive while also being pure of speech? Find out in today's episode.

Deuteronomy 6 commands parents to teach their children the Torah. But before the advent of scribes and Pharisees, who taught Torah to the parents? If you have been following along in this series, you already guessed it—the priests! God's intention was for the priests to teach Torah for the Israelites to be transformed to counteract the effects of sin in the world. In this episode, the guys talk about one aspect of the fall—the degeneration of nature and humanity's relationship with it.

The Levites went from Zeroes to Heroes when they stood up for Yahweh's covenant in the face of the golden calf. From then on, they were responsible for "stewarding the sacred" as it related to life and blood. What does it mean to be "pro-life" like the priests were and how does that impact how we view others? Find out as the guys discuss the concepts found in chapter 6 of "Priestly Presence."

Whether you like hosting people in your home or not, hospitality is part of our culture. In fact, it has been a major defining characteristic of cultures since the beginning of time and many cultures are judged based on their hospitality or lack thereof. The Israelite priests also practiced hospitality, often in generous and risky ways. In this episode, the guys discuss how their example challenges our notions of who and how we should treat those in our midst, especially the ones who society deems unworthy of hospitality.

Owning property and building a home on that land has been a goal for humanity since civilizations began. It remains a goal for most people even to this day. Yet the hassles and responsibilities that come with such ownership (like a mortgage!) often frustrate us. The Israelite priests lived as resident aliens amidst their own people, releasing them from many of those responsibilities and frustrations and freeing them up to function differently in their own society. What might that teach modern Christians? Tune in to today's episode to find out!

Do the clothes make the man? The high priest seemed to think so. But the priesthood was not just about fancy clothes and sacrificing animals. A holistic approach to being a priest takes into account many more duties. Join the guys in this episode as they unpack these duties and discuss how they expand the role of a priest. This study will also answer many of the cons that the priestly posture the church might take toward the world.

Have you ever wondered what kind of church you attend or what kind of church you would like to be a part of? As the guys continue their series taking a look at John's book, "The Fourfold Office of Christ," they investigate different priorities that churches have based on the 4 offices of Christ. What are the pros and cons of a church that focuses on speaking truth to powers, trying to initiate reform through power, serving the lowly and downtrodden, or trying to enable people to live out their holy calling? Tune in to find out!

A new year means a new After Class Podcast series! The guys take an initial look at John's new book "Priestly Presence" which they will use to guide this series. This first episode focuses especially on how Christians should relate to the world. They engage Richard Niebuhr's paradigm that he laid out in his book "Christ and Culture" to look for common ground as well as deficiencies. This should prove to be a practical series for Christians wondering how to navigate our tumultuous times.

Start the new year right by wrapping up last year's Micah series. In this final installment about Micah, the guys explore the closing chapter. Micah returns one final time to lament over the pervasive corruption, injustice, and betrayal in society, painting a bleak picture of human failure. Yet, even amidst this despair, a profound hope emerges. Micah transitions from judgment to hope, expressing unwavering faith in God's power to restore and forgive. Then the guys wrap up this series with some final observations and conclusions about Micah as a whole.

In today's episode on Micah 5-6, the After Class guys are dropped into a courtroom drama where God lays out His case against Israel. Through the iconic verses like Micah 6:8, we reflect on what it means to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. This episode unpacks the timeless relevance of Micah's challenge to align our lives with God's priorities. Join us as we reflect on how Micah's message calls us to hope and transformation in today's world.

In this very special episode, they guys turn their attention to Christmas…sort of. As they exegete Micah 4-5 they come across an interesting Messianic prophecy about Bethlehem which opens up a discussion about the nature of fulfillment and actually fulfillment in Jesus. Tune in to hear what they have to say about the role of Jesus this Christmas season.

As the guys take a look at Micah Chapter 3 through 4 verse 5, they encounter some serious imagery that Micah employs to lay into the leaders of the people. How bad are they? Apparently they are as bad as cannibals. They do not deserve to eat butterscotch discs. Wonder what butterscotch candies have to do with Micah's message? Check out today's episode.

As the guys dig into the text of Micah, they begin by talking about the clever Hebrew word plays that are easy to miss in translation. But these word plays have a purpose—to set up the nations for the judgment that is coming. Tune in today to see whether Micah's message of judgment has any relevance for today!

An 8th-century minor prophet with a major message! The guys dive into the book of Micah, the prophet from the countryside who prophesied to the southern kingdom—a people at the top, with the autonomy to decide how to use their financial and religious freedom. It is in this time of prosperity and freedom they find themselves drifting away from God and becoming more like the nations around them. Micah's message might be more relevant to our time than you think. Tune in this week as the guys lay the foundation for their new series.

There are laws that once were, but that we are no longer beholden to in Christ. Are we experiencing a shift in God's progressive narrative in our time? Do we have reason to believe that God is changing His view on sexual ethics? Find out why that is a flawed principle to begin with. In today's episode, the guys present their concluding thoughts and illustrate both the consistency and change we find in God as He reveals Himself through His Word and actions, engaging with and redeeming His creation, and some application points for us moving forward.

Did God give bad laws? Did He intentionally set His people up for failure to demonstrate His glory and grace? Does God change His mind about His moral standards? Was the Law given solely to terrify us? In today's episode, the guys unpacks these questions and shares why they believe there are better ways to interpret the texts in their original context and language.

Today, the guys discuss what they have experienced in their study of God and change, bringing their insights into conversation with conclusions drawn by others. While God experiences a dynamic relationship with His creation, does this mean He also broadens or changes His moral requirements for His people? Tune in today to find out!

So far, we have seen that God experiences change at some level while interacting dynamically with His creatures. Now, we consider the counter-evidence as we wrestle with the scriptures that reveal a broader perspective on how we might understand God and change. How do we deal with the apparent contradiction: does God change His mind or not?

Our host continue their discussion about what the Bible says about God changing his mind.

How do we interpret the language that depicts God as being provoked to emotion? What does this tell us about God and His changing mind? Is the language used univocal, equivocal, or analogical? The hosts wrestle with this in today's episode of the After Class Podcast.

The Bible sometimes depicts God as changing his mind, some have used this narrative to promote a view that God has changed his mind about sexual ethics in our time. While not dealing with this topic exclusively, the guys begin a new series investigating the question: What does the Bible say about divine change?

This week our hosts review the movie the Book of Eli.

Prayers, oils, elders, sickness, and sin: the guys unpack the power of prayer and oil and the various interpretations in today's episode as they conclude the book of James.

The USA presidential debate has just taken place. Interestingly, the guys did an episode on Kamala back in Season 2. Check out Episode 2.10 - Indecent Proposal. Today, they turn to the last chapter of the Book of James and Section Three of the address. Here, Sam, John, and Ron wrap up the 'slow to anger' dialogue and enter into the conclusion of James.

We're back at it again this week! The Guys continue the reading of James and dig into what John calls "section three" as they transition to the slow to anger section. When worldly ideology meets Kingdom ideology, sparks may fly! Check your blood pressure and tune into today's episode!