Way Word

Frustrated by her barren state, Sarai comes up with a solution to help her husband produce an heir: she will give her slave girl, Hagar, to him as a surrogate. But when Hagar conceives, she grows contemptive of her mistress. When Abram supports Sarai's power and authority over her slave girl, Sarai proceeds to abuse Hagar. It is a dark and uncomfortable story. But when the LORD's angel appears, th...

When the LORD answers a concern voiced by Abram, Abram responds in a very significant way that signals Abram is ready to level-up in his relationship with God. So God initiates a ritual that has ramifications for the historical long game of Scripture's story. I invite you to join me in today's episode as we explore the ceremonial certification of the LORD's relationship with Abram, and what that r...

Genesis 14 begins by treating readers to a fascinating piece of war drama. But when that war drama eventually sweeps up Abram's nephew, Abram musters his men to respond with a rescue mission. In the wake of his victory, Abram meets two very different kings who each possess very different views of how power is playing out in the land. I invite you to join me in this episode as we explore the role A...

When Abram and Lot's shepherds discover that two large herds cannot occupy the same fields, concerns of scarcity suddenly create conflict. These concerns soon incite Abram to make Lot an offer that actually put the land he was promised at risk. I invite you to join me in this episode as we explore how a relationship with God frames a mindset that transcends scarcity and visualizes how God's goodne...

As Abram journeys south, he is confronted by the first stress test of his faith. I invite you to join me in today's episode as we explore how, when Abram's faith first faltered, he learned that God's faithfulness to him does not.

Having received the LORD's call and promise, Abram must now respond. I invite you to join me in this episode as we explore what Abram's response is, and how that response puts him on a road to not just great expectations, but a great and unique relationship.

With today's episode, we mark the beginning of a new phase in our ongoing Bible Story Series. Over the episodes of recent months, our study of Genesis 1-11 has explored the establishing of creation, followed by the widespread corruption of creation. Now our study begins to look at how God plans to address and resolve that corruption. I invite you to join me on this episode as we see the LORD call...

In this fourth and final part of our week-long conversation on sin, I bring it back to the beginning with the question: Does the idea of sin still matter? I invite you to join me in today's episode as I review the various treatments of sin and see if what we have discussed over the past few episodes preserves sin as an idea still worth considering.

In this third part of our conversation on sin, we turn to explore how sin has impacted and shaped the realities of our world. Whether our privileged relationship with God, the sacred places of creation, the people of earth, or the purposes we pursue, sin has infiltrated them and pervasively reconditioned them. I invite you to join me in this episode as we explore various ways it has done so.

In this second part of our conversation on sin, our museful approach draws us into sin's origin story found in Genesis 3. As we navigate through that text, it gradually acquaints us with several inner workings that makes sin what it is. I invite you to join me in today's episode as our exploration begins to give us a sense of the reality of sin.

This episode is the first in a series of week-long conversations on sin. But before we can even have a conversation on the idea of “sin”, it may first be helpful to have a conversation on how the word or idea of “sin” gets used. In this episode, I will discuss four ways we might have seen the idea of "sin" get used, and then briefly suggest an alternative approach.

Before we conclude our exploration of the Scriptural Story's "Fall/Fallout" phase, the text provides just a few more stories that not only remind us of the state humankind has become, but lay the groundwork for God to begin working to resolve that state. I invite you to join me in this episode as I explore a son's indiscretion, a genealogy that is also geography, and a tower that blurred the lines...

The Way Word Podcast is getting new music! About eight years ago, I wrote a song titled "Dreams of Jesus". The song revolved around Jesus's gospel message that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, and that the saving redemptive reality of God's rule is being ushered into the world for its renewal. Going forward, this song will serve as the intro and outro music for The Way Word Podcast episodes.

In one of the most iconic stories of theological history, God addresses a world flooded with widespread wickedness by releasing a flood of His own. But besides the story details frequently fit for a flannel graph, what is the story of Noah and the flood about? I invite you to join me in this epic episode exploring God's judgment, God's salvation, and God's covenant of re-creation.

After Cain's exile, the text turns to a series of genealogies to continue telling the story. These genealogies reveal not only the initial generations that expand beyond the "first family", but curious details that indicate the kind of civilization these generations are giving shape to. I invite you to join me in today's episode as we explore the world Cain's actions set into motion.

In Part 2 of our "Cain and Abel" episode, I explore Cain's reaction to his disregarded offering. When Cain experienced an emotion for the first time, God counseled him. And when Cain acted upon that emotion, God again had words with him. I invite you to join me in today's episode as we discuss how Cain introduced one of the vilest things humankind has ever known.

In Genesis 4, the humans' story is passed to the next generation with the births of Cain and Abel. One is a farmer, the other a shepherd. At some point, these brothers choose to make offerings to the LORD. One offering is regarded, the other is not. This story raises several questions: Where might they have gotten the idea to offer sacrifices? Why might one offering have been disregarded? Why migh...

With the LORD God having clarified the consequences that will now ripple through reality, the text transitions. What comes next is the man and woman prepare to live out of their newly diminished roles in an unwelcoming world lying ahead. It is a sad and bitter moment. But it is not without hope.

Upon entering the garden and recognizing that the humans have disobeyed the command, the LORD God then steps in to describe what this new reality will entail. I invite you to join me in this episode as I discuss the consequences that will ripple through and reshape the relationships between God, the humans, and creation.

In the story of "the Fall", the woman and man eating the forbidden fruit is the impact point of the story. Genesis 3:7 is the first ripple to roll out. In this verse, we witness both the initial effect of their disobedience that takes shape, and their initial reaction to that effect. Their reaction raises the question of how we ourselves tend to react to our own failings, a dilemma that Scripture...

In today's episode, we explore the interaction between the serpent and the woman. And in order to appreciate the inner workings of how this interaction "disarms the firewall" God's command had put in place, I discuss four "moves" the serpent makes and the impact they cause.

As we begin the next phase to our Bible Story Series, the Fall, we immediately encounter a new character referred to as "the serpent". Traditionally, the serpent has been interpreted to be none other than Satan. But is that conclusion supported by the text? Could there be an alternative? And what might that mean for the question of evil in the garden? I invite you to join me in today's episode as...

In the previous episode, we discovered how the relationships between God, creation, and humankind frame and govern existence. In today's episode, we pause to ask "What keeps these relationships in good working order?" The answer might be found in Genesis 2:15-17. I invite you to join me in this episode that (finally!) concludes the "Creation" phase of our Bible Story Series.

Having explored Genesis 1-2, in this episode I'm going to pause and ask "What is the state of the Bible story at this point?" To help organize the content we've explored so far, I am going to borrow a framework of relationships to shape a coherent answer. Through these interactive relationships between God, creation, and humankind, I hope we can be on the same page of where the Bible story is curr...

Despite living in paradise with provision and purpose, something was not right. The man was alone. So the LORD God formed a series of animals; and yet, no partner could be found. Then the LORD God turned to the man's own likeness to bring about the one he finally recognized as a suitable helper. I invite you to listen in to today's episode as we meet "the woman".