• 48 minutes 9 seconds
    Grace in the Old Testament | "So Good, You Are the Worst"

    284 | Experience the Grace of the Old Testament

    Think the Old Testament God is all thunder, lightning, and judgment while the New Testament God is all gracious and loving? Think again! This week, we're diving into the exact moment God defined Himself right after Israel's absolute worst failure — the golden calf incident. It turns out Exodus 34:6–7 is essentially the "John 3:16 of the Old Testament." We pull apart deep Hebrew concepts like “rachum” (visceral, gut-level compassion) and “hesed” (loyal, covenant love), explore why Jonah tried to weaponize God's goodness as a complaint, and discover that Jesus isn't a shift from the Father — He's the perfect, face-to-face reflection of who God has always been.

    The Big Idea: God’s grace isn't a New Testament update, it is the heartbeat of his character from the beginning.

    This Week's Challenge: Before you check your phone in the morning, let the God of Sinai define his heart toward you: merciful, gracious, and abounding in steadfast love.

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    21 May 2026, 8:06 pm
  • 41 minutes 32 seconds
    Bracket Winner: Esther | "I Put On an Audiobook"

    283 | Walk by Faith Not Sight

    Our Bible bracket has a winner, and it's none other than the cinematic, high-stakes Queen of Persia — Esther! But why is God's name totally missing from the script? This week, we're geeking out on the "shadow cabinet" of the Persian court, looking for the fingerprints of a God who works through insomnia, coincidences, and "reverse cards" to save His people. Whether you're dealing with your own Haman or feeling stuck in exile, Esther’s story reminds us that silence doesn’t mean absence. Ready to see how God's hidden hand is at work in your own "for such a time as this" moment? Tune in study with us!

    The Big Idea: God’s providence is often hidden, but his character is certain, and that’s enough as we walk in faith.

    This Week's Challenge: Look back at your own life and identify the "dominoes" where God’s hidden providence worked through seemingly random circumstances to bring about a good outcome.

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    14 May 2026, 11:30 pm
  • 43 minutes 34 seconds
    Rescuing Romans 7 | "Retrain My Brain"

    282 | Find Hope in the Struggle

    Ever feel like you’re stuck in a loop of doing the very things you hate? This week, we’re joined by our friend Allen Greeley to tackle what some call the “Mount Everest of Pauline issues”: Romans 7. From a debate that started on a ski lift to a deep dive into the “already, not yet” of our adoption as sons, we’re looking at how to navigate the very real struggle with sin without losing our hope in Christ. Whether you see Paul as a struggling Christian or a Jew under the law, one thing is clear: chapter 7 only makes sense when you flip the page to the "no condemnation" victory of chapter 8.

    The Big Idea: Christians don’t lead a life of sinless perfection, but of Spirit-led hope, power, and grace amid the struggle.

    This Week's Challenge: Read Romans 7 and 8 back-to-back this week, noting how every "wretched" moment in chapter seven finds its resolution in the "no condemnation" of chapter eight.

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    7 May 2026, 4:54 pm
  • 48 minutes 11 seconds
    The Family Table | "Thou Shalt Party"

    281 | Reclaim the Holiness of Your Table

    Are you feeling more lonely than ever, even with all those digital connections? Why is it that God seems to do His best work when there’s food involved? This week, we’re exploring why “pulling up a chair” is a radical act of spiritual warfare against the isolation of our age. We’re diving into the “bread of presence,” Jesus’ scandalous dinner parties, and that incredible moment on the road to Emmaus where the breaking of bread changed everything. Whether it’s a “stinker” of a wedding or a cozy, imperfect “pitch-in,” the table is where we move from performance to presence. It’s time to drop the digital veil and get back to the “baked bean supper“ connection!

    The Big Idea: God uses shared meals to break loneliness, build community, and reveal His presence in our lives.

    This Week's Challenge: Invite someone you only know digitally to share a simple meal in your home this week.

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    30 April 2026, 4:39 pm
  • 25 minutes 23 seconds
    Mini: Grace's Asterisks | "The Tingle Means It's Working"

    280 | Trade Your Asterisks for Confidence

    Do you find yourself believing God’s promises, but always with an asterisk attached? This week, we're diving into those common "Yeah, but" moments — like wondering if you can really know you're saved, feeling like you don't deserve grace, or worrying that God is still angry about your latest struggle. We'll walk through why your "faith-o-meter" isn't the point and why the "tingle" of struggling with sin might actually be a sign of growth. Join us as we stop trying to manage the conditions of God’s gifts and start resting in a grace that is, quite literally, too good to be earned.

    The Big Idea: We find freedom and peace when we trust the Bible’s words about God’s grace.

    This Week's Challenge: Identify a personal "Yeah, but" about grace and replace it with a specific scripture truth this week.

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    23 April 2026, 3:17 pm
  • 50 minutes 6 seconds
    Unveiled | "Not Diane Sawyer"

    279 | Behold the Lord and Be Changed

    Ever feel like your spiritual life is just a never-ending construction site full of sweat and long to-do lists? What if the Bible's real model for change isn't a renovation project, but a mirror? This week, Ryan’s playing “Diane Sawyer” and interviewing Bryan about his recent “Unveiled” preaching series in Plainfield, Indiana. We’re digging into why we're so obsessed with “image management” and why we keep snacking on the world's junk food when we’re spiritually bored. It turns out, we don't have to knuckle down to grow — we just have to take the veil off, stop pretending, and become what we behold.

    The Big Idea: Transformation isn't a project we’ll complete, it’s the image we reflect as we keep turning our faces toward Jesus.

    This Week's Challenge: Identify an area where you are performing or wearing a “mask” and take the veil off by being honest with God about that struggle.

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    16 April 2026, 3:02 pm
  • 39 minutes 32 seconds
    Unnamed Heroines | "To Quote Bob Marley"

    278 | Value Every Role in God's Kingdom

    What if the most important person in your favorite Bible story didn't even have a name? We’re wrapping up our regional deep dives by celebrating the "Nameless Notables" — the background actors and extras who ended up stealing the show. From a little girl pointing a powerful general toward healing to wise women saving entire cities just by speaking up, we’re seeing how small acts of faith create massive domino effects. We even dive into the "Hot Seat" to ask why Jesus used the word "dog" with a Canaanite mother and what really happened with Jephthah’s daughter. Grab your bracket and let’s remember that in God’s story, there really are no small parts!

    The Big Idea: In God’s kingdom, there are no insignificant roles, as even anonymous acts of faith can trigger a life-changing domino effect.

    This Week's Challenge: Look for an opportunity this week to speak up or step into the gap like the nameless heroes of Scripture.

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    9 April 2026, 2:49 pm
  • 21 minutes 53 seconds
    Mini: The Spy Who Funded Me | "Mole in the Room"

    277 | Invest in the Kingdom With Joanna

    Ever wonder how thirteen guys without jobs traveled around for three years without starving? We’re diving into the "shadow cabinet" of Jesus’ ministry to meet Joanna, the wife of Herod’s own household manager. It’s a story of "The Spy Who Funded Me," where we see God’s brilliant irony at work — using Herod’s resources to sustain the very Gospel he tried to suppress. But as we’ll see, Joanna wasn’t just a distant donor. She was a devoted disciple who stood by the cross and was among the first at the empty tomb. Let’s explore what it looks like to leverage our status for the Savior and find our true identity in following Him.

    The Big Idea: Joanna’s story reveals how God uses even the most unlikely political and financial connections to sustain and advance the work of the gospel.

    This Week's Challenge: Identify and reach out to an "unseen MVP" in your community whose behind-the-scenes service makes the mission possible.

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    2 April 2026, 2:58 pm
  • 44 minutes 45 seconds
    Hagar & the God Who Sees | "It's Great After That"

    276 | Encounter the God Who Truly Sees

    Ever felt like a background character in your own life, reduced to a role or pushed to the edges by someone else’s choices? This week, we’re looking at Hagar — the servant and foreigner who was treated like a shortcut but became the first person in the Bible to encounter the "Angel of the Lord". We explore how God calls us by name when others only see our status, and what it means that He "sees to provide" even in our driest wilderness seasons. From the meaning of Ishmael ("God hears") to the comfort of El Roi ("the God who sees"), we’re finding hope in the truth that God isn't just watching us — He’s looking after us.

    The Big Idea: The God who saw Hagar in the wilderness sees and hears us in our wilderness seasons.

    This Week's Challenge: Sing “I Am His Child” (link) and enjoy the assurance of his presence.

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    26 March 2026, 4:00 pm
  • 42 minutes 37 seconds
    Women of Valor | "Women Like to Be Fed"

    275 | Reclaim the Valor of Proverbs 31

    We're coming to on location (and a little disoriented) from the Pondering Studio in Plainfield, Indiana! Ever felt like Proverbs 31 was just a crushing checklist of impossible standards? We’re reclaiming that famous passage and looking at the "valiant warrior" heart behind the "excellent wife" persona. We also dive into the high-stakes drama of Exodus 1-2, where God used a bunch of courageous daughters to totally flip the script on Pharaoh’s murderous plot. Since when does a tyrant get outmaneuvered by a few midwives and a baby in a basket? Join us as we celebrate how daily diligence and quiet strength are actually God’s chosen weapons.

    The Big Idea: Scripture celebrates “women of valor” whose daily diligence and quiet strength become God’s chosen weapons to transform their communities.

    This Week's Challenge: Find a way to honor a woman in your life that reminds you of the Proverbs 31 woman.

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    20 March 2026, 12:39 pm
  • 29 minutes 58 seconds
    Favorite Bible Women Draft Wrap-up | "So Many Marys"

    274 | Draft Your Favorite Bible Women

    Voting is officially open! Before you cast your ballots in the Favorite Bible Women Bible Bracket, we're' wrapping up our draft with the final two regions. In Part 2, we tackle the "Friends and Followers" (the devoted inner circle of the early church) and the "Nameless Notables" (the anonymous women whose faith left a permanent mark on Scripture). We debate whether Mary Magdalene or Mary of Bethany deserves the overall #1 seed, and we marvel at how many of our most frequently preached sermons feature women whose names we don't even know. We finalize the bracket, share a few honorable mentions who almost made the cut (sorry, Gomer and Mary of Clopas!), and invite you to join the fun.

    The Big Idea: The stories of biblical women — from famous matriarchs to unnamed women of valor — are foundational examples of courage, leadership, and faith that still shape us today.

    This Week's Challenge: Pick one woman from the bracket whose story you aren't familiar with and read about her this week.

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    12 March 2026, 1:00 pm
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