After Class Podcast

In a world where people keep their private lives private and their sins hidden, God's Kingdom is characterized by openness, honesty, and grace. But in order to experience those qualities, God's people must be willing to confess their sins to each other and hold each other accountable. In this episode, the guys talk about the benefits of confession and ways that we can make this spiritual disciplin...

Servant leadership, service trips, servant's heart, served your way right away. Our culture talks a lot about service, but what does it look like as a spiritual discipline? Can people engage in service as a discipline without even knowing it? Find out on today's episode. 

In a world where we don't like being told what to do, what does it look like to put yourself under someone else's authority intentionally and why would that even be a good, healthy act? Find out today as the ACP guys discuss the spiritual discipline of "submission."

Introverts – rejoice! There is a spiritual discipline just for you. Technically it is for everyone and might even be more beneficial for extroverts. Regardless, tune in today as the guys walk through the spiritual discipline of solitude to see how getting away from it all can open up our communication with God.

Springtime is the season for cleaning, decluttering, and the inevitable garage sales to aid those efforts. Could that be a spiritual discipline? Is simplicity a spiritual issue or it just a fad to figure out what "brings joy"? And furthermore, is it just about our stuff or could our schedules use some decluttering? Find out today as the guys talk about the spiritual discipline of simplicity.

If studying is just committing a bunch of factoids to memory, then what does it look like to be a spiritual discipline? Or maybe study as a spiritual discipline looks differently and has a different purpose. Tune in to today's episode as the guys discuss study and what it means to dedicate ourselves to God's Word.

While intermittent fasting has been shown to help with weight loss, should we also use it to draw near to God? What does fasting for spiritual purposes even look like? In this episode the guys consider the rationale behind fasting as a spiritual discipline and they might just challenge some of the modern practices among Christians.

What is prayer, really? Is it communication, conversation, connection — or something more? In this episode, the guys (with Todd) explore the rich spiritual discipline of prayer — not as spell-casting or performance, but as intentional dialogue with God. We talk dependence, posture, and why prayer isn't just something you do when you're in trouble.

Throughout the Bible we are encouraged to meditate on God's Word, but what does that really mean? Is it some mystic encounter with Scripture or with God? Do we need to hum while doing it? Find out today as we begin a new series on spiritual disciplines. Also, a special guest will join us for this series. Tune in to find out who!

The book of Acts narrates the birth and early history of the church. But this history is presented piecemeal and doesn't include all the drama that the individual churches went through. The Epistles give us one part of the "phone conversation" but plenty is left out. What would it look like to fill in the missing information? In this episode, the guys interview Frank Viola who has just produced a...

A new series has been released on Prime that dramatically depicts the life of David in 1-2 Samuel. The guys decided to watch the first few episodes and give their impressions and opinions. Is this latest attempt to bring the Bible to the big screen true to the story or just a cash grab? Check out this episode to see what the guys think. 

As we conclude our walk through "Priestly Presence," the ACP guys interact with the idea of praise and worship. Though the function of "song leading" was not originally in the priestly job description, King David added it to their duties. So the priests used this new job to give words for the people to praise, but also to critique the kingship. So what does priestly praise have to do with the chur...

Deuteronomy 6 commands parents to teach their children the Torah. But before the advent of scribes and Pharisees, who taught Torah to the parents? If you have been following along in this series, you already guessed it—the priests! God's intention was for the priests to teach Torah for the Israelites to be transformed to counteract the effects of sin in the world. In this episode, the guys talk ab...

The Levites went from Zeroes to Heroes when they stood up for Yahweh's covenant in the face of the golden calf. From then on, they were responsible for "stewarding the sacred" as it related to life and blood. What does it mean to be "pro-life" like the priests were and how does that impact how we view others? Find out as the guys discuss the concepts found in chapter 6 of "Priestly Presence." 

Whether you like hosting people in your home or not, hospitality is part of our culture. In fact, it has been a major defining characteristic of cultures since the beginning of time and many cultures are judged based on their hospitality or lack thereof. The Israelite priests also practiced hospitality, often in generous and risky ways. In this episode, the guys discuss how their example challenge...

Owning property and building a home on that land has been a goal for humanity since civilizations began. It remains a goal for most people even to this day. Yet the hassles and responsibilities that come with such ownership (like a mortgage!) often frustrate us. The Israelite priests lived as resident aliens amidst their own people, releasing them from many of those responsibilities and frustratio...

Do the clothes make the man? The high priest seemed to think so. But the priesthood was not just about fancy clothes and sacrificing animals. A holistic approach to being a priest takes into account many more duties. Join the guys in this episode as they unpack these duties and discuss how they expand the role of a priest. This study will also answer many of the cons that the priestly posture the...

Have you ever wondered what kind of church you attend or what kind of church you would like to be a part of? As the guys continue their series taking a look at John's book, "The Fourfold Office of Christ," they investigate different priorities that churches have based on the 4 offices of Christ. What are the pros and cons of a church that focuses on speaking truth to powers, trying to initiate ref...

A new year means a new After Class Podcast series! The guys take an initial look at John's new book "Priestly Presence" which they will use to guide this series. This first episode focuses especially on how Christians should relate to the world. They engage Richard Niebuhr's paradigm that he laid out in his book "Christ and Culture" to look for common ground as well as deficiencies. This should pr...

Start the new year right by wrapping up last year's Micah series. In this final installment about Micah, the guys explore the closing chapter. Micah returns one final time to lament over the pervasive corruption, injustice, and betrayal in society, painting a bleak picture of human failure. Yet, even amidst this despair, a profound hope emerges. Micah transitions from judgment to hope, expressing...

In today's episode on Micah 5-6, the After Class guys are dropped into a courtroom drama where God lays out His case against Israel. Through the iconic verses like Micah 6:8, we reflect on what it means to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. This episode unpacks the timeless relevance of Micah's challenge to align our lives with God's priorities. Join us as we reflect on how Micah's...

In this very special episode, they guys turn their attention to Christmas…sort of. As they exegete Micah 4-5 they come across an interesting Messianic prophecy about Bethlehem which opens up a discussion about the nature of fulfillment and actually fulfillment in Jesus. Tune in to hear what they have to say about the role of Jesus this Christmas season.

As the guys take a look at Micah Chapter 3 through 4 verse 5, they encounter some serious imagery that Micah employs to lay into the leaders of the people. How bad are they? Apparently they are as bad as cannibals. They do not deserve to eat butterscotch discs. Wonder what butterscotch candies have to do with Micah's message? Check out today's episode.

As the guys dig into the text of Micah, they begin by talking about the clever Hebrew word plays that are easy to miss in translation. But these word plays have a purpose—to set up the nations for the judgment that is coming. Tune in today to see whether Micah's message of judgment has any relevance for today!

An 8th-century minor prophet with a major message! The guys dive into the book of Micah, the prophet from the countryside who prophesied to the southern kingdom—a people at the top, with the autonomy to decide how to use their financial and religious freedom. It is in this time of prosperity and freedom they find themselves drifting away from God and becoming more like the nations around them. Mic...