The BEMA Podcast

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

Brent Billings is joined by Reed Dent and Elle Grover Fricks to talk about the story of the Good Samaritan and what it looks like to love people we’d rather not.Discussion Video for BEMA 313Elle Meets John Piper“On Priests and Jericho in the Second Temple Period” by Joshua Schwartz — ResearchGateThe Parable of the Good Samaritan — Reed Dent, Campus Christian Fellowship

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are bringing in Reed Dent to launch a miniseries on parables, starting with a discussion about what a parable is and why anyone would want to teach in that way.Discussion Video for BEMA 312Tell It Slant by Eugene PetersonThe Great Spiritual Migration by Brian McLarenKingdom, Grace, Judgment by Robert Farrar Capon“Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins from The Apple That Astonished ParisPoet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes by Kenneth E. BaileyThe Orthodox Heretic by Peter RollinsJoin the BEMA Slack

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Keith Simon, co-author of Truth Over Tribe, who co-planted The Crossing, a politically diverse church where he is the co-lead teaching pastor. He hosts a podcast by the same name, Truth Over Tribe, and teaches on Ten Minute Bible Talks.Discussion Video for BEMA 311Truth Over Tribe by Patrick Miller and Keith SimonTruth Over Tribe PodcastTen Minute Bible TalksBEMA 309: On Social MediaAdditional audio production by Gus SimpsonSpecial Guest: Keith Simon.

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Maggi Billings to discuss Marty’s favorite Christmas movie.Discussion Video for BEMA 310The Nativity Story (2006 film) — AmazonThe Nativity Story (2006 film) — JustWatchBEMA 89: Written in the StarsWhen God Was a Boy by C. T. GilesFestival Edition: The Birth (w/ Katie Del Rocco) [Adaptation from Frederick Buechner] — Marty Solomon, YouTubeSpecial Guest: Maggi Billings.

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings address the Twitter-sized elephant in the room, talk about how each of them use social media, and consider ways all of us can engage this part of our world in a healthy way.Discussion Video for BEMA 309BEMA Poll/Survey (valid through 26 April 2023)“Twitter suspends @ElonJet plane-tracking bot after Musk pledged to leave it up” — Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica“Elon Musk offloads another $3.6 billion of Tesla stock” — Dave Lee, Financial Times/Ars Technica“One More for the ‘Everything Is Going Just Fine at Twitter’ File” — John Gruber, Daring Fireball“Musk brings back Twitter Blue with new features to prevent impersonation” — Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica“On the Prevalence of Hate Speech on Twitter” — John Gruber, Daring Fireball“Goodbye, Twitter” — Ken White, SubstackBrent’s Tweet on Sabbath“Platformer: Twitter Considering Making Personalized Ads and Location Sharing Mandatory” — John Gruber, Daring FireballThought of the Day: The Social Dilemma — Marty Solomon, YouTubeBrent’s Tweet on Playback ControlsTweet Thread on Infinite ScrollingBEMA 2: Knowing When to Say “Enough”Thought of the Day: Social Media Beatitudes — Marty Solomon, YouTubeThought of the Day: Disagreement — Marty Solomon, YouTubeBEMA on FacebookBEMA on TwitterMarty on InstagramBrent on InstagramBrent’s Mastodon Invite LinkTHINGS THAT TRANSPIRED BETWEEN RECORDING AND PUBLISHINGElon’s Poll for Leadership of TwitterBrent’s Tweet Commenting on How This Episode Quickly Became OutdatedDave Lee’s Tweet on Linking to MastodonAaron Levie’s Tweet on External Linking Policy

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Maggi Billings to discuss The Chosen S2E9 (the 2021 Christmas special), “The Messengers.”(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 308The ChosenThe Chosen (TV Series) — WikipediaThe Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDbFestival Edition: The Birth (w/ Katie Del Rocco) [Adaptation from Frederick Buechner] — Marty Solomon, YouTubeThe Nativity Story (2006 film) — AmazonThe Nativity Story (2006 film) — JustWatchSpecial Guest: Maggi Billings.

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Brian Truschinger, Elle Grover Fricks, Reed Dent, and Josh Bossé, all together for the very first time to discuss what is happening with BEMA and what we hope for the future.Discussion Video for BEMA 307BEMA Poll/Survey (valid through 26 April 2023)The BEMA LiturgyTell It Slant by Eugene PetersonElle’s Website for Hebrew ClassesThe Text In Us PodcastJosh’s Beard Progress (surgery > shaved > 1 month > 3 months)Sermon with Brian’s Toilet Story“How to Speed Listen (for Students or Podfasters)” by Hugh Rayner — University of MelbourneSpecial Guest: Brian Truschinger.

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Brian David, who spent 37 years coaching people in software, and 25 years coaching high school sports, but now finds himself “coaching” the Text.Chiasms in John by Brian David (PDF)Discussion Video for BEMA 306BEMA 28: Images of the Desert — Ar'ar and TamariskPoet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes by Kenneth E. BaileyStar Wars Ring Theory by Mike KlimoJesus and the Eyewitnesses by Richard BauckhamJoin the BEMA SlackAdditional audio production by Gus SimpsonSpecial Guest: Brian David.

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by special guest Dr. Gary Burge, author of Interpreting the Gospel of John, and one of the foremost authorities on John. He was a professor at Wheaton College for 25 years and now serves as a New Testament scholar at Calvin Theological Seminary.Discussion Video for BEMA 305Gary M. Burge, Professor of New Testament — Calvin Theological SeminaryInterpreting the Gospel of John by Gary M. BurgeJames Dunn — WikipediaThe Anointed Community by Gary M. BurgeSociety of Biblical LiteratureC. H. Dodd — WikipediaJohn Robinson — WikipediaThe Gospel of John: A Commentary by Rudolf BultmannJohn’s Wisdom by Ben Witherington IIIActs: An Exegetical Commentary by Craig S. KeenerThe Gospel of John: A Commentary by Craig S. KeenerThe Historical Reliability of John’s Gospel by Craig L. BlombergJesus the Purifier: John’s Gospel and the Fourth Quest for the Historical Jesus by Craig L. BlombergJohn: The NIV Application Commentary by Gary M. BurgeThe Letters of John: The NIV Application Commentary by Gary M. BurgeThe New Testament in Antiquity by Gary M. Burge and Gene L. Green“The Fifth Gospel — Interview with Gary Burge” — GTI Tours Podcast #4“Why Context Matters — Interview with Dr. Gary Burge” — GTI Tours Podcast #45Gary Burge’s websiteBanias Archaeological Dig of 2020 — YouTubeAdditional audio production by Gus SimpsonSpecial Guest: Gary Burge.