Bucky Kennedy Podcast

The decline of Christianity is well documented. It’s not just that God is slowly being removed from our society, but that He’s being replaced with spiritualism and relativism. Bucky talks about why Christianity has so little influence on our culture these days; and how  you can protect your home against it. 

Jesus teaches about sexual sin in the Sermon on the Mount. Sex was God’s idea so it’s a good thing; but He also set boundaries around it. Bucky speaks frankly about where sexual sin starts and why it’s so serious. Then he outlines a strategy to fight sexual temptation and explains how to find forgiveness for sexual sin.

The Bible warns about certain attitudes arising during the last days. Many of these are taking hold today, even in churches. So what attitudinal issues point to the end times? And how do we guard against these attitudes personally? 

Even many professing Christians struggle to properly understand the seriousness of sin. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus broadened the definition of sin. He stressed the importance of understanding not only the seriousness of sin but the severity of its punishment.

Bucky talks again with Jeff Kinley, best-selling author and expert on Bible prophecy. They discuss why knowing biblical prophecy is important, and what current events point to the end times. Jeff has written books such as, Global Reset, God’s Grand Finale, and As It Was In the Days of Noah. Jeff also hosts two podcasts: Vintage Truth and Prophecy Pros.

People these days seem to sense that something different is going on. Believers and non-believers alike think we’re watching prophetic events take place. When Jesus’ disciples asked questions about end times, He answered them. And His answers shed light on the questions many are asking today.

What does the Bible say about salvation? We hear a lot about things like whether you can be a gay Christian, but those questions don’t address some basic facts about salvation. While it’s true that Jesus meets us right where we are, He doesn’t leave us there. So let’s talk about salvation.

God wants every believer to live an abundant and victorious life. Yet, far too many believers struggle to attain the kind of life that’s already been secured for them. Christianity should be synonymous with victorious living; anything less is a cheap imitation. So, what does living each day in victory look like? 

Bucky talks with Jeff Christianson, president of the International Association of Biblical Counselors. They discuss how biblical counseling addresses much of the mental health crisis in our country, and its role in Christian discipleship. Jeff is also Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel in Glenwood Springs, Colorado; Professor of Biblical Counseling at Calvary Chapel University, and the Founder and Ch...

Many believers think that the life of faith described in Scripture can only be experienced by an elite class of Christians. In reality, that life is given to us the moment we’re saved. God wants every Christian to experience this victorious life—the life of excessive righteousness.

Bucky continues his conversation with professor and apologist, Dr. Ergun Caner. In Part Two they discuss four questions every religion must answer, why pain and suffering exist, and more. Listen to Episode 216 to hear Part One of this interview.

Jesus didn’t say that Christians would grow into being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Salt and light are not things we become but what we are because of Christ. That means our lives should be distinctive, displaying His character. So, how can you influence and illuminate the world around you? 

Bucky talks with Dr. Ergun Caner, Dean of The Graduate School of Theology at Arlington Baptist University in Arlington, Texas. Dr. Caner is a well-known voice in modern apologetics. In his words, apologetics seeks to answer the nagging questions about the Bible and Christianity in a cohesive way. This is Part One of two. 

Why would the kind of people described in the Beatitudes be persecuted? Because the world only has a problem with humble, merciful, peace-making people who live in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Bucky gives four specific reasons Christians are persecuted; and discusses why you can be happy, even while being harassed. (Matthew 5:10-12)

Choosing a church is a very personal decision–a decision that requires discernment. So what criteria should you use? How do you know if your church is progressive? Bucky gives several warning signs that show up in almost every progressive church.

What Jesus taught in The Beatitudes was radically different from what the people of that day had ever heard; and it’s just as foreign to our culture today. Why? Because we cannot create in ourselves what only comes through Jesus. The Beatitudes in this message—mercy, purity of heart, and peacemaking—enable us to handle cruelty, corruption, and conflict in a Christlike manner.

There’s the news we hear, and then there’s the news we don’t hear. And what we’re not hearing is a cause for concern. The Washington Stand recently pointed out six big news stories that received little to no press last year. Bucky looks at why each of these stories doesn’t fit the cultural narrative pushed in the legacy media.

The first three Beatitudes have challenged us to empty ourselves of our old nature. Now come the pieces of our new life in Christ. Jesus starts with our spiritual diet, because what we crave is a huge indicator of our spiritual condition. Do you have a desperate craving for righteousness? Do you have a holy hunger? (Matthew 5:6)

There are some dangerous things happening in the Church these days. And it all starts with professing Christians, including pastors, who deny the authority and inerrancy of the Bible. Bucky talks through how this happened and where it’s leading.

Compared to 2020, this last year may have seemed calm. But that’s the problem—we’ve gotten used to chaos. And while chaos and confusion are easy to spot in culture it’s also happening within the Church. As always, the Bible speaks to the situation, telling us what to expect, what attitude to have, and what actions to take. (2 Timothy 3:1)

The events surrounding Jesus’ birth reveal three different attitudes about His coming. There’s the spirit of apathy, the spirit of agitation, and the spirit of adoration. And we still see each of these spirits in people today. A closer look at each one helps us ascertain which spirit dominates our own lives.

The third beatitude tells us, “Blessed are the gentle (the meek)…” Many believers automatically think this doesn’t apply to them because they think meekness a personality type. But every Christian has the capacity to be gentle because we have the nature of Christ. If you want to be a satisfied saint, then you need to understand what gentleness is and what it isn’t.

The second beatitude is often misunderstood. It’s a paradox that literally means, happy are the sad. But sad about what? In the Beatitudes, Jesus is building us from the inside out. And if we want to live out the character of Christ, then every wrong thought, attitude, and belief has to be destroyed. So what did Jesus mean by, “Blessed are those who mourn?”

The Beatitudes aren’t commands, but spiritual attitudes displayed by those who truly follow Jesus. Jesus started with being poor in spirit, which is having an attitude of brokenness. He gave them in a certain order for a reason. Because until you’re broken before the Lord, every other spiritual attitude Jesus described is unattainable. Brokenness isn’t a bad thing, it’s a blessing. 

What if a completely trustworthy person gave you a fool-proof plan for happiness? Well, that’s exactly what Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount. Of course, everyone wants to be happy but few have the courage to follow the plan Jesus prescribed. So what does it mean to be genuinely and authentically happy?