BeachCast.TV: Bible Exploration, Apologetics and Church History with Dr. Chase A. Thompson:

Paul says that Christians smell like death to some people - turning them off and smell like the fragrance of beautiful life to others - pointing them to Jesus. How can this be? How can we smell one way to some, and a different way to others?

David is on the run from a powerful enemy who desires to murder him. This enemy, Saul, has almost killed David several times before, and his determination seems to be growing. Further, David finds himself in the territory of his greatest enemy, the Philistines, and they are holding him captive. With great reason to fear, David writes, "When i am afraid, I will trust in God." HOW DO WE DO THIS OURS...

Fascinating story in 2 Samuel 6: David dances with all his might before the Lord in a way that utterly embarrassed his wife, and she criticizes him sharply, and hates him for it. Was David right to worship God with such exuberance, or was his wife Michal right to try and rein his passion in?

1st Corinthians 15 details the most important event in human history: the resurrection of Jesus. In recent years, scholars believe they have discovered a hidden creedal message buried in the text of this chapter - one that gives great evidence to the resurrection of Jesus and the earliest church's belief in that event. + A Weet-Bix cereal review for you Aussies and Kiwis.

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul commands believers to eagerly pursue spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. Is this command still active and relevant for today? Should Christians still seek to prophesy? If so - what does the gift of prophecy indicate - is it the prediction of the future, or something deeper than that? Today we hear from Wayne Grudem's book on Prophecy and his excellent System...

Today we talk about one of the most well known passages in the Bible: 1st Corinthians 13 - is it underrated, overrated, or properly rated? We will find that love is critical, central and indispensable for the Christian life. We will also hear some wonderful stories of love from John Newton, The Apostle John and writer Greg Lucas.

The Body of Christ - The Church - is not meant to be a one man show, nor an organization where a few stars rise to the top and do all of the public ministry, and the rest sit back and spectate. The church is to be a body where every person - every member - has a supernatural empowerment for ministry and a crucial role to play. Today we talk about the importance of spiritual gifts and hear a select...

How should the Lord's Supper/Communion be taken? Is this merely a meal to be had in church? A fancy ritual to be done in an exact order? When we actually read what Jesus and Paul taught about communion, we see that it isn't a ritual but a proclamation of the good news and an opportunity for the church to love one another in an obvious and powerful way.

Today we discuss the dangers of shallow Bible reading, and also the appearance of God and other spiritual beings in the Old Testament. Our focus is in a wonderful promise from the Psalms that God is our refuge and strength. Charles Spurgeon helps us to see how that beautiful truth applies to our lives.

Two big topic today, one spiritual and important, and the other a little more X-Filesish. Paul states that his evangelism strategy to reach the world with the good news of Jesus was to 'become all things to all people.' What does this mean, and what does it look like for us to emulate? Also - today we read 1 Samuel 28 where a medium called the Witch of Endor supposedly raises the 'ghost' of Samuel...

Does God promise to completely protect and prosper all of the really, really good people that follow Him? No, He doesn't, and today we look at a seemingly hopeless Psalm and see how the apostle Paul found great hope and encouragement in it.

1 Corinthians 7 contains lots of practical and intimate advice for those married and those who are single. Paul urgest married people not to deprive each other sexually, and gives some surprising reasons to avoid doing that. He also discusses singleness and gives several reasons why it is better to be single...while also saying that it is good to be married. How can this be - and why?!

Many think all sins are the same, but Paul dispels that myth utterly and completely in 1st Corinthians 6, noting that some sins have eternal consequences, and that sexual sins are quite different than others. What is it that makes sexual immorality different, and why is this important for us to consider?

Excommunication is a word that almost sends a chill down your spine. Kicking people out of the church sounds so severe, when so many churches try so hard to get people IN the church! Is there ever a time for church discipline or excommunication?

So many denominations and division! Why are churches so divided? Is the Catholic church the one original and true (and only!) church on the earth right now? Are all Protestants guilty of dividing the Body of Christ? How important are denominations, and how dangerous are they?

Jesus prays for His disciples to be one, and Paul commands the church to seek unity, as do many other Bible passages. Why then do we see disunity in the church sometimes? Why are there so many denominations? Is this a sign that Catholics are correct and Protestants are breaking away from the one true church?

Many times in the Bible, Paul speaks of the long hidden mystery of God. In fact, he says that his whole ministry is focused on proclaiming that mystery. What is the mystery of God, and why is it such a central part of the message and teaching of Paul? Also are there cuss/swear words in the Bible?

The Psalms are wonderful books of the Bible that contain incredible worship, prayers that make the heart soar, and the most genuine of gut-wrenching cries to the Father for deliverance. Some Psalms - called the imprecatory Psalms - contain prayers asking God for violence and judgment against the Psalmist's enemies. Should Christians pray such prayers against OUR enemies, or has Jesus taught us a d...

Sometimes the darkness doesn't lift fast enough, the trial doesn't end soon enough, and it seems like we are utterly abandoned and hopeless. Jeremiah was facing such a situation in Lamentations - probably a trial worse than any most of us have faced. He had been unjustly imprisoned, his house lost, his city burning, his King blinded and in captivity, and himself kidnapped and forced to go where he...

David and Goliath is one of the most famous Bible stories out there, and with that popularity has come lots of myths about the story that are not consistent with what the Bible account says. How did Goliath die? Was David just a child? And, perhaps most importantly, does this story mean that you and I should go out and defeat our own personal Goliaths - or is there a deeper meaning?

Brave, tall and mighty King Saul has been rejected for disobeying God repeatedly, so God sends Samuel to anoint a new king - one of Jesse's sons. Samuel, upon seeing the striking Eliab, assumes that this kingly looking young man is the one to succeed Saul - but that assumption, based on outward appearance, is false. God teaches Samuel (and us!) a valuable lesson...He doesn't care about outward app...

We know how to put on clothes, or gloves, or a hat, but Paul tells Christians in Romans 13 to 'put on Christ.' What does this mean - is it a reference to salvation, or to something that a Christian should do in their relationship with Christ. Charles Spurgeon gives reasons that Paul is talking about the latter option on today's podcast.

Have you noticed how divisive things are lately? Republicans vs. Democrats, maskies vs. non-maskies, tp on the outside vs. on the inside, etc. It seems rhetoric has really ramped up. In the midst of all of the hatred and attack, how are Christians supposed to act towards their enemies and political opponents? The answer might just challenge you!

King Saul was amazing to behold - he was several inches taller than any other Israelite, and was also brave, strong and bold. In addition - at least at the beginning of his reign - he seemed to be winsome, humble, self-effacing, and an admirer of Samuel, the righteous man of God. Unfortunately, very early in his reign, Saul did something that on the surface might seem like a minor transgression, b...

Samuel was mighty in the Lord, even from early childhood. When it was time for him to 'retire' from leading the Israelites, he left his post with a challenging speech that closed with an amazing and underrated exhortation to the people of God. We would do well to hear Samuel's counsel and follow it even today!