The BEMA Podcast

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are back with Reed Dent to continue the introduction to the prophecy of Isaiah and consider Walter Brueggemann’s ideas about the prophetic imagination.The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann“What Prophecy Is For” — BibleProject PodcastThought of the Day: Prophetic Imagination — Marty Solomon, YouTube

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are with Reed Dent to begin a journey deep into the prophecy of Isaiah by considering what we can learn from Abraham Joshua Heschel about the prophetic pathos.The Prophets by Abraham Joshua HeschelIsaiah: History — Reed Dent, Campus Christian FellowshipA Collision or (3+4=7) by David Crowder*BandCollected Poems of W. H. Auden (see Part IX)Lost in the Cosmos by Walker PercyNIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible“I Have a Dream” (Martin Luther King Jr. speech) — Wikipedia“I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” (Martin Luther King Jr. speech) — Wikipedia

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings return to “Ordinary Time” on the podcast and prepare for some fresh studies of the Text.BEMA 190: Session 4 CapstoneBEMA News & EventsImpact Campus MinistriesBEMA Discord

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings wrap up Session 7 of the podcast by hearing about Marty’s sabbatical experience and reflecting on what we’ve all been through in this season of rest.“Closing Time” (Marty’s sabbatical recap blog post)Meet the Solomons: Sabbatical Recap — Marty Solomon, YouTubeIgnatius of Loyola — WikipediaBEMA 350: Kat Armstrong — Storyline BibleBEMA 351: Sabbath Reflection Music“Birdsongs alleviate anxiety and paranoia in healthy participants” by E. Stobbe, J. Sundermann, L. Ascone & S. Kühn — Scientific ReportsSound Escapes PodcastFasting by Scot McKnightBeholding by Strahan Coleman

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are back with Dallas Jenkins to mull over the questions that arose from Seasons 2 and 3 of The Chosen.The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDb5&2 T-Shirt — The ChosenAncient Israel by Roland de VauxGrafted on YouTubeAdditional audio production by Gus SimpsonSpecial Guest: Dallas Jenkins.

Brent Billings, Reed Dent, and Elle Grover Fricks pontificate on the practice of prayer.Presentation for Sabbath Practice — Prayer (PDF)“Patient Trust” by Pierre Teilhard de ChardinSpiritual Direction by Henri NouwenPrayer by Richard J. FosterThis Is Water by David Foster WallaceEvery Moment Holy, Volume I by Douglas Kaine McKelveyEvery Moment Holy, Volume II by Douglas Kaine McKelveyTo Bless the Space Between Us by John O’DonohueThe Ignatian Examen — Jesuits.org“How to Make Ringtones for iPhone” by Don Reisinger — Tom’s Guide“How to Create Custom Ringtones for Your Android Phone” by Cameron Summerson — How-To GeekSilence (2016 film) — LetterboxdThe Cast of Rogue One — Wikipedia

Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks traverse the topic of fasting.Didache — WikipediaBasil of Caesarea — WikipediaJohn Wesley (Holy Club section for fasting) — WikipediaJewish Fast Days — Chabad.org“Fasting for Religious Observance” — Brandeis University“Intermittent Fasting 101: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide” — Healthline

Brent Billings is considering the practice of friendship with Reed Dent and his best friend and ministry partner Derrick James Rohr III.CCF Truman StaffThe Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich BonhoefferThe Four Loves by C. S. LewisAdditional audio production by Gus Simpson

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings explore Marty’s spiritual practices and see what has changed or evolved for him over the last seven years.BEMA 24: Creating a SpaceThought of the Day: Two Hands of Faith — Marty Solomon, YouTubeThe Universal Christ by Richard RohrAsking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon“Is It Time to Quit ‘Quiet Time’?” by Dru Johnson and Celina Durgin — Christianity TodayHudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor (via Jim Feicht)A Day in the Life: Spiritual Practices — Marty Solomon, YouTubeThought of the Day: Writing the Text — Marty Solomon, YouTubeFinding Our Way Again by Brian McLarenThe Practice of the Presence of God by Brother LawrenceShaping Faith #5: Fasting sermon — YouTube

Brent Billings and Josh Bossé discuss his spiritual practices and how they have evolved throughout his journey with God.Schottenstein Interlinear Complete Chumash by Rabbi Menachem Davis

Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks chat about her spiritual practices.Discussion Video for BEMA 353Notebook Classic — LEUCHTTURM1917SHARPIE S-Gel Pen, Medium Point (0.7mm), Black Ink“Advantage of Handwriting Over Typing on Learning Words” by Aya S. Ihara et al. — Frontiers in Human Neuroscience“Is the News Making Us Unhappy?” by Natascha de Hoog and Peter Verboon — British Journal of Psychology

Brent Billings and Reed Dent consider a different framework for spiritual practice and explore how Reed engages his own practices.Discussion Video for BEMA 352BEMA 24: Creating a SpaceGrasslands National Park — WikipediaVisiting Grasslands National Park — Brent BillingsBig Bend National Park — WikipediaFour Quartets by T. S. EliotThe Books of Scott CairnsDaily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community by Pádraig Ó TuamaPoetry Unbound PodcastMaking All Things New by Henri NouwenEat This Book by Eugene H. PetersonCommon Prayer by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and Enuma OkoroEndless Life by Scott CairnsEvery Moment Holy, Volume I by Douglas Kaine McKelveyEvery Moment Holy, Volume II by Douglas Kaine McKelveySpiritual Direction by Henri Nouwen“Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins from The Apple That Astonished ParisThe Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen“Your Kids Aren’t Too Old for Picture Books, and Neither Are You” by Pamela Paul — The New York Times

Brent Billings offers an extended track of music and sounds for spending time in reflection. To maintain a reasonable file size for downloads, this music is presented at a slightly reduced quality compared to the original Sabbath Reflection episodes.Source Music for Session 7 — Soundstripe

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Kat Armstrong, a Bible teacher and ministry leader who holds a master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. She is the author of the Storyline Bible Studies and is the cofounder of the Polished Network.Discussion Video for BEMA 350Mountains by Kat ArmstrongStoryline Bible Studies by Kat ArmstrongThe Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing by Jonathan T. PenningtonTree of Life Series — BibleProject PodcastThe Art of Reading Scripture by Ellen F. Davis and Richard B. Hays (contains “Reading Scripture as a Coherent Story” by Richard Bauckham)Bono by University PressReading the Bible for a Change by Ray LubeckNo More Holding Back by Kat ArmstrongThe In-Between Place by Kat ArmstrongKat Armstrong on InstagramPolished NetworkKat Armstrong’s websiteAdditional audio production by Gus SimpsonSpecial Guest: Kat Armstrong.

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings discuss the ultimate episode of Season 3 of The Chosen.(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 349The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDbBEMA 71: The Prophetic TableAddendum to BEMA 80 [on Pharisees] — Marty Solomon, YouTube

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings conclude this series of reflection by working to apply the lessons of trust from the Mishkan.Presentation for Sabbath Reflection VII — Trust (PDF)(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 348BEMA 331: Sanctuary — Resting with the MishkanStoryline Bible Studies by Kat Armstrong

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings discuss the events of the penultimate episode of Season 3 of The Chosen.(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 347The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDb

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings continue this series of reflection, considering the wonder of God’s redemptive, saving work, which isn’t ours to control.Presentation for Sabbath Reflection VI — Wonder (PDF)(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 346BEMA 330: Sanctuary — Traversing the Mishkan

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are introduced to Pilate and watch with the crowd as Jesus does everything except get John the Baptist out of jail.(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 345The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDbRabbi Akiva — Wikipedia

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings continue a series of reflection, considering our approaches to sin and how we occupy different places.Presentation for Sabbath Reflection V — Place (PDF)(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 344BEMA 329: Sanctuary — Moving the Mishkan

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings see Jesus engage the act of healing in new ways.(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 343The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDbBEMA 103: Healing in His Wings

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings continue this series of reflection, working to consider the different ways in which we teach others.Presentation for Sabbath Reflection IV — Teaching (PDF)(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 342BEMA 328: Sanctuary — Listening by the Mishkan

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings see the disciples utilize their healing power and then process what happened.(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 341The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDbBEMA 332: Andrew DeCort — Flourishing on the Edge of FaithBEMA 124: Statement of TriumphBanias Archaeological Dig of 2020 — YouTube

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings continue this series of reflection, working to apply the lessons of community from the Mishkan.Presentation for Sabbath Reflection III — Community (PDF)(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 340BEMA 327: Sanctuary — Feasting at the Mishkan

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings watch as Jesus returns to Nazareth to become a prophet without honor in his hometown.(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 339The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDb

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings continue through this series of reflection, working to apply the lessons of love from the Mishkan.Presentation for Sabbath Reflection II — Love (PDF)(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 338BEMA 326: Sanctuary — Entering the Mishkan

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings return to The Chosen to watch as the disciples are commissioned as apostles and sent out in pairs.(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 337The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDbCohortes Urbanae — WikipediaThe Kingdom (Teaching Series) — Marty Solomon, YouTubeAddendum: James Who? — Marty Solomon, YouTubeBEMA 259: Kevan Chandler — We Carry Kevan

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings start a series of reflection, working to apply the lessons of the Mishkan once again.Presentation for Sabbath Reflection I — Truth (PDF)(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 336BEMA 325: Sanctuary — Waking Up in the Mishkan

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings jump back into The Chosen with the first episode of Season 3.(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 335The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDbBEMA 21: With All Your Soul & “Very”Machaerus — Wikipedia

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings venture into new territory and approach the podcast with a different perspective for a season.“The Sabbath Year” by Marty Solomon

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings wrap up Session 6 of the podcast and reflect on where we’ve been.Marty on GoodreadsThe Kingdom (Teaching Series) — Marty Solomon, YouTubeBook Tour Recap blog postBook Tour Recap on YouTubeBEMA 307: Tohu va Vohu (State of the Podcast)

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Andrew DeCort, author of Flourishing on the Edge of Faith. He holds a Ph.D. in Religious and Political Ethics and is the founder of the Neighbor-Love Movement and the Institute for Faith and Flourishing. Andrew has taught at a variety of universities around the world, and he and his wife, Lily, live and work between Ethiopia and Chicago.Discussion Video for BEMA 332Flourishing on the Edge of Faith by Andrew DeCortBEMA 275: Kate Schmidgall — BitterSweetThe Neighbor-Love MovementThe Institute for Faith and FlourishingComing soon: What Is Christianity? by Andrew DeCortAndrew DeCort’s WebsiteAndrew DeCort on FacebookAdditional audio production by Gus SimpsonSpecial Guest: Andrew DeCort.

Brent Billings, Josh Bossé, and Elle Grover Fricks muse on the mysteries of rest and holiness, and conclude the anthology on the tabernacle.Presentation for Sanctuary — Resting with the Mishkan (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 331Strong Bad Email #58: Dragon — YouTubeThe Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel“When You Believe” from The Prince of Egypt — YouTube“Doubting Doubts” by Citizens & Saints — YouTube

Brent Billings, Josh Bossé, and Elle Grover Fricks gather once again around the fire and wrestle with the radical implications of putting the Divine Image into practice.Presentation for Sanctuary — Traversing the Mishkan (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 330“Man as the Image of God in Genesis in the Light of Ancient Near Eastern Parallels” by Edward Mason Curtis — University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommonsImage of God — WikipediaBEMA 248: Joy and Lot’s Untitled Wife w/ Elle Grover Fricks

Brent Billings is with Josh Bossé and Reed Dent to see how God’s presence shows up in surprising ways throughout the tabernacle.Presentation for Sanctuary — Moving the Mishkan (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 329BEMA 294: John — Sacrifice, Suffering, and Joy

Brent Billings is with Josh Bossé and Reed Dent to consider the role of priests in the tabernacle through their clothing.Presentation for Sanctuary — Listening by the Mishkan (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 328A Commentary on the Book of Exodus by U. CassutoDiary of a Country Priest (1951 film) — Letterboxd

Brent Billings and Josh Bossé examine the communal life and stability found in the sacrificial altar.Presentation for Sanctuary — Feasting at the Mishkan (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 327Ship of Theseus — Wikipedia

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are back with Josh Bossé to consider the boundaries established for the tabernacle and the love hidden within them.Presentation for Sanctuary — Entering the Mishkan (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 326Symbolism of the Biblical World by Othmar KeelInspiration and Incarnation by Peter EnnsJoin the BEMA Slack

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Josh Bossé to begin a series on the tabernacle of Exodus and the parallels it has to the Creation story, turning those spiritual principles into tangible practices.Presentation for Sanctuary — Waking Up in the Mishkan (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 325Tabernacle — Wikipedia“What’s So Special About the Tabernacle?” — BibleProject PodcastBEMA 286: John — The Test of Bread

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Anita Grace Brown. She has been using yoga for 25 years to heal from trauma, fear, and spiritual struggles. She engages nature and uses art to help others find redemption.Discussion Video for BEMA 324Grooveology WebsiteIt’s 5 o’clock Somewhere PodcastKamikaze Yogi by Anita Grace BrownChristians Practicing YogaThe Yoga AbbeyI’m Gonna Stress You Out — Online CourseAdditional audio production by Gus SimpsonSpecial Guest: Anita Grace Brown.

Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks finish out the series by turning their attention to two figures in the book of Revelation.Discussion Video for BEMA 323Cinnabar — WikipediaLitter (vehicle) [palanquin] — WikipediaEpiphanius of Salamis — WikipediaHippolytus of Rome — WikipediaIsis — WikipediaBEMA 300: John — The Migdal

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Elle Grover Fricks to survey the forgotten women of the New Testament.Learning Greek with Elle — Servant (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 322Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty SolomonTrireme — WikipediaDidache — WikipediaJunia (New Testament person) — WikipediaBEMA News & Events

Brent Billings, Elle Grover Fricks, and Josh Bossé draw their chairs closer to the fire of the accounts of women who may have been overlooked in the Hebrew Bible.Discussion Video for BEMA 321Binders Full of Women — Know Your MemeBEMA 209: Midrash — Noah’s Backstory and the Nephilim

Brent Billings and Elle Grover Fricks study sages and wise women of the Text.Discussion Video for BEMA 320Nadītu — Wikipedia

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Elle Grover Fricks to discuss how to navigate the dangers of presentism and primitivism as we start a series on the forgotten women of the Bible.Presentation for The Forgotten Women — Presentism and Primitivism (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 319Sapiens by Yuval Noah HarariHomo Deus by Yuval Noah HarariBEMA 240: Sin and the Archaeology of Joshua w/ Elle Grover FricksLevant — WikipediaThe Red Tent by Anita DiamantBEMA 308: The Chosen S2E9 — “The Messengers”BEMA 310: The Nativity StoryBEMA 297: Kat Armas — Abuelita Faith

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Alonzo Felder, author of Discovering A. S. J. Allen. Over the course of his career as an IT analyst at Duke University, Alonzo became an expert in a number of research methods and has done extensive work on his own family history.Discussion Video for BEMA 318Discovering A. S. J. Allen by Alonzo Felder“Do You Know” ScaleReview of Discovering A. S. J. Allen — Marty Solomon, GoodreadsComing soon: Online Course for Family History ResearchComing soon: Documentary Film/SeriesMy Roots FoundationAdditional audio production by Gus SimpsonSpecial Guest: Alonzo Felder.

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Erin Geiselman, leader of the launch team for Marty’s book Asking Better Questions of the Bible, to discuss what the experience of writing a book was like for Marty.Discussion Video for BEMA 317Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty SolomonBEMA 207: J. R. Briggs — The Sacred OverlapThe Writing Life Course — Kairos PartnershipsFrom Novice to Expert by Patricia BennerBEMA 57: Lamentations — Lament and HopeErin Geiselman on TwitterAdditional audio production by Gus SimpsonSpecial Guest: Erin Geiselman.

Brent Billings and Reed Dent talk about the story of the unforgiving servant and the end of bookkeeping and seeing our enemies as ourselves.Discussion Video for BEMA 316BEMA 121: The Key to Your Own PrisonThe Parable of the Unforgiving Servant — Reed Dent, Campus Christian FellowshipNIV Cultural Backgrounds Study BibleFree of Charge by Miroslav VolfJoin the BEMA Slack

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are back with Reed Dent to discuss the lost son of Luke 15 and what it means to be lost.Discussion Video for BEMA 315The Pharisees by Joseph Sievers and Amy-Jill LevinePoet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes by Kenneth E. BaileyKingdom, Grace, Judgment by Robert Farrar Capon

Brent Billings and Reed Dent talk about the story of the rich fool and the dynamics of money and relationships.Discussion Video for BEMA 314Tell It Slant by Eugene PetersonHope: The Prophet Candle — The BEMA Liturgy“Tripping Billies” by Dave Matthews Band — YouTubePoet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes by Kenneth E. BaileyThe Parable of the Rich Fool — Reed Dent, Campus Christian FellowshipJoin the BEMA Slack