Beards & Bible Podcast

The New Testament is full of commands for Christians to gather together regularly for encouragement, discipleship and community. Not only that, we’re told as Christians 59 separate times to honor, care, love and serve one another within the context of the Church. According to the Bible, being involved in a local church and pouring our lives out for other believers in service and love is really a b...

As of October 8th, 2025, the U.S. government is shut down. Lawmakers in Washington are deadlocked over federal spending — House Republicans pushing for deeper cuts and stronger border security, while Democrats are pushing back, warning that essential services and federal paychecks could be delayed if an agreement isn’t reached soon. It’s another reminder of how divided and fragile things can feel...

On Wednesday, September 10, right as we were recording and releasing our last episode, political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on the campus of Utah Valley University. This was a shocking, horrifying tragedy that absolutely rocked our nation. For Gabe and I personally as pastors, this was a really big deal. The same rights that gave Charlie the freedom to share his beliefs openly on colle...

More and more people today say, “I’m spiritual, but not religious.” But what does that actually mean, and why is it so common in our generation?   In this episode, we explore why one in three Americans now identify as SBNR, six defining aspects of this mindset and why they matter, and why practices like crystals, energy healing, and horoscopes have become so attractive. We’ll also look at the surp...

Catholics call her the Queen of Heaven. The Orthodox call her Theotokos, the God-bearer. Both traditions pray to her, sing hymns to her, and ask for her intercession. But here’s the question: Is Mary truly meant to be our mediator—or have centuries of devotion blurred the line between honoring the mother of Jesus and worshiping her? Where did these beliefs come from, when did they start, and how d...

For over 400 years, the King James Version of the Bible has shaped the English-speaking world—one could argue that it’s been the single most influential and important book in the English-speaking world. But for some Christians today, it’s more than just a trusted translation—it’s the only legitimate translation. The King James Only movement insists that all other English translations are flawed, d...

For years, the narrative has been the same: Christianity is dying in the West. Churches are empty. Faith is fading. Some even predicted that Christianity would be extinct in the UK by 2067. At the same time, people have looked at the younger generations—especially Gen Z—and dismissed them as spiritually disengaged, screen-addicted, and uninterested in anything deeper than memes and dopamine. But t...

Artificial intelligence, in a broad sense, is any task performed by a program or a machine that, if a human carried out the same activity, we would say the human had to apply intelligence to accomplish the task. Things like planning, learning, reasoning, problem solving, knowledge representation, perception, motion, and manipulation and even, to a lesser extent, social intelligence and creativity...

On June 12, 2025, Israel launched a series of aerial strikes (codenamed Operation Rising Lion) into Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, Revolutionary Guard command centers, missile production sites, and officials — including nuclear scientists and senior IRGC leaders — citing an imminent nuclear threat. While Israel says the goal is to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program and degrade its missile capab...

The Bible never directly mentions tobacco or caffeine. There's no verse that says, "Thou shalt not smoke" or "Thou shalt not be addicted to caffeine." Instead, we're left to discern principles from Scripture that guide us in making wise choices about our health and habits. What does it means to honor God with our bodies and not be mastered by anything? What’s the difference between sinful actions...

It’s fair to say we’re in the midst of what some might call a “cannabis craze.” With legalization spreading rapidly across the U.S. and other countries, cannabis (or marijuana) and other THC derivatives are becoming more mainstream—not just for medical use, but recreationally, and even in wellness products like oils, gummies, and skincare.   In the U.S., cannabis/marijuana use among adults has nea...

In today’s culture, intoxication and the reliance on substances like alcohol, marijuana, and other substances have become increasingly normalized, often portrayed as means of self-medicating, escape, coping, or recreation. For Christians, this presents a real challenge—how do we navigate a world where these substances are so accessible and even celebrated? In the first installment of a three-part...

Why don’t churches sing the Psalms anymore? Are they too clunky? Too ancient? Or are churches being directly disobedient to the explicit commands of Scripture to do so? And while we’re asking bold questions... let’s talk about the brand-new Trump tariffs of 2025—what exactly does this mean for the economy, and how will it affect trade across the globe? And finally... Pope Francis has died. What le...

Is there a direct, unbroken line from the apostles to today's church leaders? In this episode, we’re diving deep into the doctrine of Apostolic Succession—what it is, where it came from, and why it matters. We’ll explore how the Catholic and Orthodox traditions view this unbroken chain of spiritual authority, what role the pope and bishops play, and how this idea developed throughout church histor...

What’s up Beards and Bible listeners. A while back, we did a series of episode in which we explored the topic of deconstruction and how it has become a trending in some of the younger generations. Since then, I’ve had several really amazing conversations with folks from all over the place about the topic. Some of whom have friends or family members who are in the process of deconstructing, some wh...

It seems like everywhere you turn today-whether it's business, sports, self-improvement, or social media-there’s a resurgence of an ancient philosophy: Stoicism. From bestselling books like The Obstacle Is the Way to CEOs and Navy SEALs quoting Marcus Aurelius, this 2,000-year-old way of thinking is making a major comeback. But what exactly is Stoicism? At its core, it teaches that we should contr...

In today’s episode, we take a deep dive into one of the most mysterious figures in the Bible: Melchizedek. Mentioned only briefly in Genesis 14, Psalm 110, and Hebrews 7, Melchizedek is described as both a king and a priest, with no recorded genealogy. Who was he, and why does the book of Hebrews compare him to Jesus? We'll explore key biblical passages that reference Melchizedek, breaking down th...

The world is changing, and so is the church. What challenges are we facing in 2025? What opportunities lie ahead? From the shifting faith landscape of Gen Z to the decline of evangelism, church closures, and the mental health crisis among pastors, we’re diving into the biggest disruptive trends shaping the future of the church.   How should we respond? What does it mean to stay faithful in a rapid...

A topic that’s at the heart of the Christian life but is often misunderstood is the idea of forgiveness.   Jesus teaches us to forgive seventy times seven and to love our enemies, but does that mean we have to put up with abuse, mistreatment, or harm? Is forgiveness the same as enabling someone to continually hurt us? And what does it look like to set healthy, Christ-honoring boundaries while stil...

Happy new year Beards and Bible listeners! We are so excited to open up our inbox and do our best to answer some super interesting questions that were all sent in by you as the listener. We've got questions about Numbers 5 and “the bitter drink” (the jealousy offering), the apocrypha, tips to establish a daily devotional routine, and whether Mark 16:9-20 belongs in the Bible.

“How can an all-powerful, all-good God exist in a world filled with suffering?"   It's one of the toughest questions Christians face. In this episode, we dive into the problem of evil and the powerful apologetic responses of something called, theodicy. Let’s get equipped to address our doubts, engage in meaningful conversations, and deepen your own faith as we tackle one of philosophy's biggest ch...

Right now, there are roughly five generations alive today have been labeled here in the U.S.- the Silent Generation (those born around 1945 or before, 78-96 years old), the Baby Boomers (1946-1964, 59-77 years old), Generation X (1965-1976, 44-59 years old) Millennials (1977-1995, between 28-43 years old), and Gen Z- 1996-2015 (between 9-27 years old). It’s no secret that often the younger generat...

Well, Beards and Bible listeners, we made it. Well, kind of. The ballots are counted (or are being counted), but questions still linger. Will the results be accepted? And as the dust settles, how do we, as a nation, move forward together despite the deep divides that remain? Join us as we unpack the uncertainty, the challenges, and the hope for unity after Election Day, 2024.

The Protestant Reformation was a major religious movement that began in the early 16th century, fundamentally altering the landscape of Christianity in Europe and laying the groundwork for the modern church and Western civilization. The reformation was essentially a movement against perceived corruptions and excesses in the Roman Catholic Church. It sought to reform church practices and doctrines...

“What is truth?” This is the question Pontius Pilate famously asked Jesus in the gospel of John. In our day and age, truth is defined as relative and open to subjective opinions, perspectives, and interpretations that vary based on someone’s experiences, contexts, or social class.   It’s no wonder that in a context like ours, many Christians have begun to question if the Bible is trustworthy. Afte...