The Big Deal Podcast

Did God really command the Israelites to commit genocide? The conquest of Canaan is one of the most difficult and controversial accounts in the Bible, raising serious questions about God's justice, goodness, and morality. In this episode, we examine the biblical commands to destroy the Canaanite nations, the historical and cultural context of ancient warfare, and the ethical challenges these p...

The Bible is filled with events that sound almost unbelievable: a worldwide flood, angels appearing to humans, demons confronting Jesus, seas parting, the dead being raised, and miracles that defy the ordinary workings of nature. Are Christians simply expected to believe these stories without question? In this episode, we tackle some of the Bible’s most extraordinary claims and ask what it means t...

Does the Bible really contradict itself? Critics often point to passages that appear to disagree—different accounts of Judas’s death, conflicting genealogies of Jesus, differences in the resurrection narratives, and more. In this episode, we examine 10 of the most commonly cited Bible contradictions, look carefully at the passages in context, and ask whether they represent genuine contradictions o...

Can we really trust that the Bible we have today says what the original authors wrote? In this episode, we explore the manuscript history of Scripture and examine the evidence behind the biblical text. We discuss ancient manuscripts, how the Bible was copied and preserved, textual variants, and the methods scholars use to determine the earliest recoverable wording of the text. Along the way, we ta...

Jesus claimed to be the way, the truth, and the life—but does that mean He is the only way to God? In this episode, we examine one of Christianity’s most controversial claims: that salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone. We’ll look at what Jesus and the apostles actually taught, why Christianity makes an exclusive truth claim, and how Christians can hold to that conviction with both confidence a...

If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good, why does evil exist? In this episode, we explore the  problem of evil , one of the oldest and most challenging objections to belief in God. We’ll consider why suffering and evil seem to pose such a serious challenge to the Christian faith, examine the difference between moral and natural evil, and discuss how Christians have responded to the...

The reality of Hell has generated lots of questions about the nature of God and justice, especially among those who have deconstructed their faith. Would a loving God torment people? Does the punishment fit the crime? What would God do if people changed their mind in hell? Can they change their mind?

We're starting a new podcast series this week called Help My Unbelief. Our goal with this series is to take a close look at some of the biggest objections to Christianity from people who claim to deconvert or deconstruct their faith. These are legitimately hard questions, concerns and objections. But they have great answers that maybe you've never been exposed to. Every episode is going to...

Today on the podcast we're covering some of the most mysterious theological topics in all of scripture. It seems like everyone has opinions about angels and demons but what does the Bible actually say? What about the origins of Satan? When did he rebel? Are demons fallen angels? All this and more!

Today on the Podcast we're talking about the doctrine of the church - Ecclesiology. What does the Bible actually say about it? Do we actually need to go to church? Who can be it's leaders? All this and more!

The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is called Pneumatology. It's really important, but often not in the ways the modern church would imagine. Today on the podcast we're looking at what the Bible actually says about the Holy Spirit and all of the weird things people say about him.

This is part 2 of the doctrine of salvation. Today on the podcast we're looking at salvation in the New Testament. How does the NT talk about the work of Christ? What words are used? What do we get wrong?

This is the first of 2 podcast episodes looking at the doctrine of salvation. In part 1, we're looking at salvation from the Old Testament perspective. How were people saved form their sins before Jesus? What is the purpose of the sacrificial system in the Old Testament?

It's no surprise that Jesus is a BIG DEAL in Christian theology. Jesus is a big deal in all of history, psychology, sociology, and basically every other -ology. Today we're looking at what the Bible specifically says about Jesus. Did he ever claim to be God? Is that just Christian legend?

One of the core features of Christianity is the insistence that there is something wrong with this world and the people who live in it. Today on the podcast we're talking about what the Bible calls Sin. Every single thing in this world is corrupted by it, even some of our favorite things!

The doctrine of humanity, or anthropology, is one of the most existential issues in our world. What is my purpose? Why am I here? Where did humans come from? What about the potential for sentient aliens? Trans-humanism? Humans are a big deal. So, let's talk about it.

Today we're talking about...God! What is he like? How is he different from us? How are we like him? What does the Bible say about his attributes and characteristics? These are deep questions with answers that can drastically change how you view God, yourself, and what he's done to save you from your sins.

Trinitarianism is a foundational doctrine in Christianity. It can also be frustrating and difficult to imagine. Today we're going to dig into the Bible passages involved, the fact that the word "trinity" is not in the Bible, the common analogies and their limitations, and the early history about how Christians developed their doctrine.

We're talking all things Bible today on the Big Deal Podcast. Its origins, authors, meaning, validity, and so much more!

Season 4 has started! Theology can be daunting. There's so much to learn. Who is right? Who is wrong? How can I know the right things to believe? This season we're doing a deep dive into all of the major theological topics. Our goal is to make these wonderful topics accessible and fruitful for your life! Of course, we have to start the discussion with the proofs for the existence of God. T...

Today's podcast is a one off on all things Easter! Where did we get the name Easter? Is it pagan? Did Jesus truly rise from the dead or is it a myth? All this and so much more!

We're finishing up the Calvinism & Reformed Theology Series today! Our biggest topic of discussion on the podcast today is Expository Preaching. What exactly is that? Why do we practice it? What is the difference between expository and topical preaching? And most importantly, why does that matter for your spiritual life?

Today on the Big Deal podcast we're talking about the Lord's Supper and Baptism. These are traditionally referred to as sacraments or ordinances depending on your tradition. But what exactly takes place when we participate in these rituals? Is the bread and wine actually the body and blood of Jesus? Are saved from our sins and truly cleansed when we are baptized?

Today on the Big Deal Podcast, we're talking about Reformed Church Polity. Who is responsible in the church? Can women be pastors? What is the difference between an elder and a deacon? All of this and more this week on the Big Deal!

Today we're we're talking about assurance of salvation. Is our salvation fragile or assured? What about the unpardonable sin in Matthew 12 or the warning passages of Hebrews? In reformed theology, this is called the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. Hope you guys enjoy!