17:17 Podcast

With so many different Bible translations out there, including the newly created "Gen Z" translation, how is a Christian supposed to know which one to read?! In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie answer a listener question around the history of Bible translations and what process we should take as believers in determining which translation we should be reading. We dive into...

Kirk Cameron recently spoke out regarding his belief in annihilationism, that those who perish in hell will actually cease to exist. This has garnered a lot of debate, but what is right? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie talk about the history of annihilationnism, how the Bible speaks of eternal life and eternal torment and whether or not there is room Scripturally to believe that...

Mary obviously gave birth to Jesus, but how important is she to the story? Is she sinless? The queen of heaven? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie talk about a variety of claims about Mary and dig into what Scripture says about each of them. We also look at the character of Mary and some things we could learn from her as we prepare for this Christmas season. The 17:17 podcast is a...

With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's easy to miss some of the obvious parts of Christmas that point to Jesus. There may be a few more out there than you think! In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie talk about a variety of Christmas traditions that have biblical roots and others that have early Christian roots. Our hope is that as you listen, you will learn s...

The Talmud is a historical Jewish book, but many Christians don't know much about it. Is this the key to understanding all of the context around the Bible? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie answer a listener question about the Talmud and whether or not Christians should read it. We look at exactly what it is, where it comes from, and the claims that it makes and check along w...

Should parents be their teenager's friend? Will boundaries lead them to rebel? What is discipline supposed to look like? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie answer a listener question about how Christians should venture on the tough task of parenting a teenager. We look into the parent's role in teaching and instruction their children to follow the Lord and His teachings....

Is it helpful or harmful to read religious texts like the Qu'ran and the Book of Mormon? What should Christians do? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie answer a listener question about whether or not Christians should spend time reading other the scriptures of other religions. We explore whether this is a beneficial use of time and if it generally helps or hinders the faith of...

What is the Book of Enoch, and does it have validity? Did Jude quote this book? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie answer a listener question about the Book of Enoch and we dive into what it is, its history, its claims, and some of the issues that scholars have with its authenticity. We look through what Scripture says about Enoch and how some of those claims compare with the Book...

How did animals spread around the world post-Flood? How could kangaroos possibly have gotten to Australia? What did carnivores eat if there were so few animals on the earth? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie answer a listener question around how animals spread around the earth after the Flood. We look at some natural theories that align with Scripture as well as some supernatural...

Halloween is upon us! Costumes, trick-or-treating, and plenty of controversy!  In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie look at whether or not witches and witchcraft are something Christians should be concerned with. Many costumes involve witches, but is it wrong to dress that way? We dig into the history of witches and witchcraft, dating all the way back to early biblical references. We...

Why are there so many denominations and where did they come from...isn't the church supposed to be unified? And why are we South Baptist? Is there a "best" denomination? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie answer a listener question about denominational history and we look into how the church has changed over the last 2000 years. We look at Scriptures around unity and...

Israel seems to be in the news every day and Christians need to know…should they be supportive of Israel? Will we be blessed if we support Israel and cursed if we don’t? Is Israel returning to glory a sign of the Second Coming? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie answer a listener question about Zionism, and more specifically, Christian Zionism. We look at the definition of Christia...

Mindfulness is a modern practice across secular and other religious communities, but what exactly is it and how are Christians supposed to practice it? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie answer a listener question related to the topic of mindfulness. We break down various definitions of this practice, then get into what biblical mindfulness looks like. We talk through Scriptures th...

Pastoral burnout is real, but is it avoidable? What is a sabbatical and is it reasonable? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie return from time away to talk through the idea of pastors going on extended sabbaticals and looking at the benefits it can have not only for the pastor, but also for their congregation. We then spend the last half of the episode going through what all Pastor...

Nimrod is a little mentioned man in the Bible, yet when digging through history, we find that he may have had a huge impact on many biblical events. Was he a good or evil man? Why does it matter? In today’s episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie talk through the history of Nimrod in the Bible, how he likely wasn't a good "mighty hunter," and a deep dive into outside sources that ma...

Public, Private, or Homeschool? Which one is the right choice? Are any of them wrong? In today’s episode, Pastor Jackie and Pastor Derek seek to answer the question of whether or not Christians should send their children to public school. We’ve heard of some of the agendas being pushed in public schools, but how much validity is there to those claims? Shouldn’t Christian kids go to public school s...

Spanking? Grounding? Time outs? Which way is the best way to discipline your children?  On this episode, we address the question, "How should I discipline my children?" And that's a BIG question. Much of the ills in our culture today can be traced back to a lack of discipline in the home. The Bible isn't silent on this topic. In fact, God the Father is the perfect example for u...

Is it necessary for Christians to have a “quiet time” with the Lord? What exactly should that look like? Should I have one even if my heart isn’t in it? In today’s episode, Pastor Jackie and Pastor Derek talk through what a meaningful quiet time looks like in the life of the average Christian, some examples of it in Scripture, and some very practical tips for how to kickstart your quiet time or ad...

It's the summer months and everyone is itching to get outside and to the beach for some sun...but with that comes a lot of skin and even more debate as to how people should dress. What is modesty and is it important or is it overemphasized? In today’s episode, Pastor Jackie and his wife, Carina, talk through the concept of modesty and how Christians ought to show (or not show) their bodies. T...

NFL or Sunday Church? AAU every weekend? FANTASY SPORTS?! What is a Christian to do? On today’s podcast, Pastor Derek and good friend of the show, Jordan Rossler, talk through what the Bible says about sports as well as how Christians should view them. Sports are so popular today, especially in America, and can teach a lot of great values to kids and adults alike, but what do we do when a love of...

COVID, infections, deaths, vaccine...this is all we seem to hear (and fight) about anymore, but how should a Christian respond to the pandemic? Should we buy into the hype? How would God have us respond? On today’s podcast, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie talk through a biblical perspective on COVID-19 and some practical steps on how we ought to view and handle the hype of this virus. This topic is...

Immigration laws, borders, Biden vs. Trump...so much controversy over illegal immigration, but where should Christians stand on this issue? In today’s episode, Pastor Jackie and Pastor Derek look at how God views immigration, how He tells us to treat immigrants/foreigners, and His expectations for immigrants who came to Israel in Bible times. Although the issue is very charged because it impacts r...

The Intertestamental Period. There may only be one page separating the OT and NT in your Bible, but what actually happened during that time frame and does it have much relevancy for the Christian? In today’s episode, Pastor Jackie and Pastor Derek talk through a listener question regarding the "400 years of silence" between the Testaments. We find that there are tons of relevant things t...

Dinosaurs in the Bible?! You better believe it! But how can dinosaurs and the Bible coexist if they came millions of years before humans? On today’s podcast, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie talk through multiple passages about dinosaurs in the Bible and the vivid description we are given of them. From there, we walk through Scripture to show how humans and dinosaurs would have lived on earth at the...

Did fallen angels make babies with women to make giants?! You may not be aware of the Nephilim, but these are giant humans mentioned throughout the Old Testament…but where did they come from? Why don’t we see them today? On today’s podcast, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie talk through the controversial origin story of the Nephilim that is first mentioned in Genesis 6. We spend time looking at a cou...