God‘s Story Podcast

Brent is joined by Jennifer Holberg to talk about another poet – this time Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her ‘Sonnets from the Portuguese’. Jennifer is professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing.  She’s also the author of the book ‘Nourishing Narratives’.  (2:00) Who was Elizabeth Barrett Browning? (6...

To what extent is film noir about redemption? Brent talks with Hannah Long about the 1944 movie ‘Double Indemnity’ starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson. Hannah is a passionate cinephile.  She writes cultural commentary and film criticism for a number of publications including ‘The Despatch’,‘Angelus News’, ‘The Bulwark’ and ‘First Things’.  (0:58) What is film noir? (4:...

Brent is joined by Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States to discuss Zechariah chapter 8. Is there any significance to the number 10 in this chapter?    (0:55) Chapters 7 and 8 as a bridge; (1:20) 10 oracles; (2:40) Significance of the number 10? (3:30) The mountain imagery; (6:00) Sabbath and Jubilee themes; (6:50) The jealousy of the Lord; (9:20) Jeremiah; (10:30) East and...

How is Zechariah 7 concerned with the perversion of justice? Brent is joined by Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States to talk about ‘Revelation – The Prequel’ – the very exciting book of Zechariah!   (0:30) Chapters 7 and 8 as a bridge in the book; (3:10) 2 years on; (4:25) Persia and a Persian king; (5:40) Bethel; (6:35) The Feasts; (10:50) The 70 years in v 5; (12:10) Ver...

Brent talks with pastor Brian Schmelzenbach from the Luke Commission. Dr. Harry and Echo VanderWal founded the Luke Commission in 2005 during the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic after moving to Eswatini in Southern Africa.  What started as the husband and wife team and 8 local staff has today grown into a team of over 700 serving the most isolated and underserved people of southern Africa. Brian i...

Has moral knowledge disappeared from our society? Brent talks with Steven Porter, Senior Research Fellow and Executive Director of the Martin Institute for Christianity and Culture at Westmont College and an Affiliate Professor of Theology and Spiritual Formation at the Institute for Spiritual Formation and Rosemead School of Psychology. Steven talks about an important book by his teacher Dallas W...

What do you want to hear on your deathbed? Brent talks with Joshua Farris about a recent article published on the ‘Spiritual Media Blog’. Joshua is an ordained priest with the Diocese of Kagera and ACMI and a Canon Theologian in Missio Mosaic.  He’s the director and founder of Soul Science Ministries and Spiritually Driven Leadership.    (0:50) What do we want to hear on our deathbeds? (1:40) Secu...

What’s the importance of theology? Brent is joined by Joshua Farris to discuss his recent ‘Christianity Today’ article ‘It’s a Theological World After All’. Joshua is an ordained priest with the Diocese of Kagera and ACMI and a Canon Theologian in Missio Mosaic.  He’s the director and founder of Soul Science Ministries and Spiritually Driven Leadership.  (1:00) The crisis in theological education;...

What did John Wesley and George Whitefield believe about conversion? Brent talks to Sean McGever, the author of a Lexham Press book called ‘Born Again: The Evangelical Theology of Conversion in John Wesley and George Whitefield’. Sean is an area director of Young Life in Phoenix, Arizona, and adjunct faculty at Grand Canyon University.  He’s the author of several books including ‘Ownership’.  (0:5...

Brent is joined by Samuel Parkison the author of a new IVP book ‘To Gaze upon God: The Beatific Vision in Doctrine, Tradition and Practice’. Today the doctrine of the beatific vision has been woefuly forgotten within the church and its theology. Samuel is Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Gulf Theological Seminary in the United Arab Emirates.  He’s the author of several books.    (0:45...

How do you rebuild your life after it falls apart? Brent talks to Dawn Mann Sanders about her new IVP book ‘When Your World Ends: God’s Creative Process for Rebuilding a Life’. Dawn is an associate minister at First Baptist Church of Glenarden where she serves as the director of the sermon based life groups ministry.  Dawn has written and taught extensively on overcoming adversity and creating a n...

Did Tolkien’s philosophy of war arise from his appreciation of beauty? Brent talks with Graham McAleer about his new book from the Catholic University Press of America called ‘Tolkien, Philosopher of War’. Graham has a doctorate from Louvain, Belgium, where he wrote on medieval philosophy and theology.  Graham is the author of books on ethics and moral theology.  He’s a member of the Judicial Ethi...

Brent talks with Joshua Farris about his ‘Mind Matters’ article ‘Finding Common Ground: Exploring Near-Death Experiences and Beyond’. Joshua is an ordained priest with the Diocese of Kagera and ACMI and a Canon Theologian in Missio Mosaic.  He’s the director and founder of Soul Science Ministries and Spiritually Driven Leadership.  (1:00) Bernardo Kastrup and near death experiences; (4:55) What do...

Do you want to cut through the noise and feel safe in who you are before God? Brent talks with the Rev. Chris Lee, Britain’s viral vicar about his new Tyndale House book ‘Know You Are Beloved: Press Pause, Breathe Deeply, and Be Known By God’. Chris is the vicar of a growing church in London.  He’s passionate about prayer and helping people discover their identity in God.  He’s been called ‘the in...

Brent is joined by Joshua Farris to dicuss a recent ‘Mind Matters’ article called ‘New Podcast Asks, Is the World Really Enchanted – or Disenchanted?’ Joshua is an ordained Anglican priest in the Diocese of Kagera and ACMI and a Canon Theologian on Missio Mosaic. He's the Director and Founder of Soul Science Ministries and Spiritually Driven Leadership. (0:50) Megan O’Gieblyn; (2:30) What does it...

How can Christians think about politics? Brent talks with Miranda Zapor Cruz about her new IVP book ‘Faithful Politics: Ten Approaches to Christian Citizenship and Why It Matters’. Miranda is professor of historical theology at Indiana Wesleyan University.  She holds a Phd in religion, politics and society from Baylor University’s J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies and a Masters of Divi...

Brent is joined by Hannah Long to review the 1993 American Civil War classic ‘Gettysburg’. Hannah is a passionate cinephile.  She writes cultural commentary and film criticism for a number of publications including ‘The Dispatch’ and ‘Angelus News’.   (2:00) Historical background and the cast; (4:10) Production values and the beards! (5:50) How accurate is the movie? (9:10) Location shooting; (11:...

How do the 4 sets of horses in Zechariah 6 compare with the 4 horses in Revelation 6? Brent talks with Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute about Zechariah 6.  (0:30) The 8th night vision; (1:30) The 4 chariots and the number 4! (4:15) The 2 mountains and the their symbolism; (7:00) The Temple as a symbolic model of the cosmos; (9:55) The color of the horses; (13:40) The 4 winds of heav...

Brent is joined once again by Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute to discuss the weird night visions of Zechariah 5. A flying scroll and some flying women!  (0:30) The night visions; (2:25) The flying scroll; (3:34) The dimensions; (5:05) What does the scroll symbolize and why is it flying? (8:05) The 7th vision; (10:30) The eye or iniquity in v 6; (11:25) The leaden cover; (13:20) The...

Brent is joined by Jennifer Holberg to discuss Robert Browning and his dramatic monologue about a psychopathic duke called ‘My Last Duchess’. Jennifer is professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing.  She’s also the author of the book ‘Nourishing Narratives’.  (0:57) Who was Robert Browning? (5:10) Eliza...

‘As a successful technology author and software consultant, David Tucker is immersed in the world of technology.  As a husband and father of 3, however, he sees the confusion and pain it’s causing families.  He created digitalparenting.com as a calling to make effective guidance totally accessible to parents’. Now there’s a book called ‘The Digital Parenting Guidebook: 7 Essential Steps for Buildi...

There are roughly 2.4 billion Christians in the world.  Which one irritates you the most? ‘As brothers and sisters in Christ, we want to love each other well, but problems inevitably creep in, causing divisions.  Yet God has called us to belong to Him and to each other’. Brent talks with pastor Brady Boyd about his new book from Our Daily Bread publishing called ‘Life-Minded: 8 Practices for Belon...

Is it better to conform than to be famous? Should fame be linked to talent and to significance? Brent is joined by Hannah Long to discuss the actress Judy Holliday and her 1954 comedy ‘It Should Happen To You’ with Jack Lemmon and Peter Lawford and directed by George Cukor. Hannah is a passionate cinephile.  She writes cultural commentary and film criticism for a number of publications including ‘...

How do we engage with our Christian nationalist neighbors? Pastor Caleb Campbell has watched as Christian nationalism has taken over large swathes of the United States. And he’s suffered the relational fallout of standing against it, both in his community and in the church. Now he’s written a book published by IVP called ‘Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor’.  It’s desi...

Can we KNOW God is real? Brent talks with Roy Clouser about his forthcoming book ‘Can We KNOW God Is Real? – the Nature of Religious Belief’. Roy is Professor Emeritus of the College of New Jersey.  He’s served as professor of philosophy, religion and logic at the college since 1968.  He also serves (among other things) as the resident philosopher of Christian Leaders Institute.   (1:00) Religious...