Discover Your Roots

In Acts 10 , Peter receives a vision in Joppa —a sheet lowered from heaven, filled with animals once considered unclean—and hears a command that changes everything: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Moments later, Peter is summoned to Caesarea , the Roman seat of power, where Cornelius and his household become the first Gentiles to receive the gospel. This story hits even deep...

In Jesus’ final days, nearly every step happened within sight of the Temple Mount. From the Mount of Olives—where He entered Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna”—to the Garden of Gethsemane—where He prayed in agony and surrendered to the Father’s will—to Golgotha—where He was crucified and the temple curtain tore in two. In this episode of Discover Your Roots , Avery Chenault is joined by Dr. Eric Tur...

What happened when Jesus cleansed the Temple in Jerusalem—and why does it still matter today? In this episode of Discover Your Roots, we explore the Temple Mount, the center of Jewish worship during Jesus’ life. From overturned tables to Jesus’ declaration that God’s house should be a house of prayer for all nations, this powerful moment reveals God’s heart for true worship. Host Avery Chenault is...

At Caesarea Philippi—a city filled with temples, idols, and imperial power—Jesus asked His disciples the most important question of all: “Who do you say that I am?” In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Avery Chenault is joined by pastor and professor Bobby Moss to explore how this striking setting deepens Peter’s confession and the foundation of the Church. Set near the headwaters of the Jordan...

Step onto the Sea of Galilee—the setting of one of the most dramatic moments in Jesus’ ministry. In this episode of Discover Your Roots , Avery Chenault is joined by biblical scholar and pastor Jared Ulrich to explore the story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:35–41. Why were storms on the Sea of Galilee so sudden and dangerous? What made this lake uniquely prone to violent winds and waves? An...

What happened when Jesus preached His first sermon in Nazareth? Why did His hometown try to throw Him off a cliff? In this episode of Discover Your Roots , we explore Luke 4:16–30 from the breathtaking overlook of Mount Precipice . Join host Avery Chenault and New Testament scholar Dr. Eric Turner as they stand above the Jezreel Valley to unpack one of the most dramatic moments in the Gospels. Fro...

What happens when a divided people are forced to choose—and heaven responds with fire? In this episode of Discover Your Roots, host Avery Chenault journeys to Mount Carmel, the dramatic ridge where the prophet Elijah stood alone against 450 prophets of Baal and called down fire from heaven. Joined by biblical scholar Dr. Luke Bray, this episode brings the geography, history, and spiritual weight o...

Step into the cool, dark waters beneath Jerusalem and discover how one hidden spring ties together two incredible Bible stories—700 years apart. What connects an ancient water tunnel carved to protect Jerusalem from invasion and a blind man who received sight from Jesus? In this episode of Discover Your Roots, host Avery Chenault is joined by biblical scholar and worship leader Jared Ulrich to tra...

Step into the wilderness of En Gedi—a breathtaking oasis in the Judean Desert where David once hid from King Saul. In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Avery Chenault is joined by pastor and professor Bobby Moss to explore how this unique landscape of caves, waterfalls, and wild goats brings fresh depth to 1 Samuel 24 and the words of Psalm 23. Why did David run to En Gedi? What does this place...

Step into Shiloh — Israel’s first national worship center and the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant. In this episode, we discuss the significance of Shiloh, where the 12 tribes of Israel were split up and where the tabernacle rested. Join Avery and our guest, Dr. Luke Bray, as they unpack Shiloh’s geography, its role in Israelite history, and the important lessons Christians can learn today...

In this episode, we discuss two Biblical water crossings, crossing the Red Sea and the Jordan River, and the significance of these bodies of water in ancient times, and the connections between these two stories and the coming of Jesus. Our guest for this episode is Dr. Luke Bray. Dr. Bray is a biblical scholar, author, and educator with a Ph. D. in World Religions. A former pastor and U.S. Army ve...

In this episode, we travel to Be’er Sheva, the “Well of the Oath” — where Abraham made a covenant that marked the southern edge of the Promised Land. Through the geography of this desert region, we explore how faith often takes root in dry and uncertain places, and how the physical land of the Bible helps us understand the spiritual story unfolding within it. Our guest today is Jared Ulrich, who l...

Welcome to the first episode of a new season of Discover Your Roots: Tracing the Map of God’s Story! In this episode, we explore why Christians should understand Biblical geography, its significance for our Christian faith, and provide helpful tools for understanding God’s story. In this episode, we’re joined by Bobby Moss, a pastor from Chicago and professor at the Moody Bible Institute. Bobby ha...

In the final episode of Discover Your Roots Season 3, Mattanah DeWitt, Passages’ Visiting Scholar Dr. Luke Bray, and special guest Anna Babcox discuss the importance of prayer and showing up in tangible ways to support the Jewish people. Thank you for joining us for this season of Discover Your Roots. The journey doesn’t have to end here! To learn more about Passages visit www.passagesisrael.org o...

In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar Dr. Luke Bray welcome special guest Anna Babcox to discuss the history of antisemitism and why Christians should stand against antisemitism today. Anna serves as Associate Director of Advocacy and Strategy at Passages. She is passionate about Jewish-Christian relations and advocating for the Jewish community as...

In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar Dr. Luke Bray discuss how Christians think about the Jewish people theologically, and why Christians should respect and care about the Jewish People. To learn more about Passages visit www.passagesisrael.org or follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael. If you like this episode, please subscribe to this podcast and...

In this week’s episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar Dr. Luke Bray discuss whether Christian advocacy actually helps or hurts others. Dr. Bray shares from his expertise regarding Christian advocacy in the Middle East, and they discuss the need for Christian advocates to be sensitive to cultural differences, collective memory, and trauma and the importance o...

In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar Dr. Luke Bray discuss the difference between intercessory advocacy and embodied advocacy and why it is important to show up for others.    To learn more about Passages visit www.passagesisrael.org or follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.     If you like this episode, please subscribe to thi...

In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar Dr. Luke Bray explore how prayer is essential to our relationship with God, our view of the world around us, and Christian advocacy.       To learn more about Passages visit www.passagesisrael.org or follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.     If you like this episode, please subscribe t...

In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar discuss what prophetic witness is in the context of the church and how it impacts Christian advocacy and the Church.     To learn more about Passages visit www.passagesisrael.org or follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.     If you like this episode, please subscribe to this podcast and leav...

In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar Dr. Luke Bray discuss what Biblical love is and what it is not. They discuss how true Biblical love informs how we should advocate for those in need.     To learn more about Passages visit www.passagesisrael.org or follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.     If you like this episode, please s...

In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar Dr. Luke Bray discuss God’s perfect justice and how this influences Christian advocacy today.    To learn more about Passages visit www.passagesisrael.org or follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.     If you like this episode, please subscribe to this podcast and leave a review. 

In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages' Visiting Scholar Luke Bray discuss the importance of seeing people as made in the image of God and how that influences the way we advocate for others and view the world around us.     To learn more about Passages visit www.passagesisrael.org or follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.     If you like this epis...

In this episode of Discover Your Roots, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar Dr. Luke Bray discuss what an advocate is and how Christians can learn from biblical examples of advocacy like Jesus and the Holy Spirit.     To learn more about Passages visit www.passagesisrael.org or follow us on Instagram @passagesisrael.     If you like this episode, please subscribe to...

Welcome to Discover Your Roots: Season 3. This season focuses on Christian advocacy. Join us as we unpack how theology influences Christian advocacy, explore what the Bible has to say about advocacy, and discuss why Christians should advocate for the Jewish people.    In this episode, Mattanah DeWitt and Passages’ Visiting Scholar Luke Bray discuss what theology actually is. They give an...