On The Phone With Josh

Paul’s famous passage wrestling with the power of sin has often been understood as a revealing self-description of Paul’s own struggles. Yet, we don’t think that’s what’s really going on here. Listen in as we make our case and then let us know what you think.   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh https://www.instagram.com/onthephonewithjosh/ https://www.threads.net/@onthephon...

We use this verse ALL the time. It’s on t-shirts, Bible covers, knick-knacks, and even tattooed in ink. But what does it really mean? Is this a personal motivator for accomplishing great things? Or is Paul up to something else when he says that “I can do all things through him who strengthens me”? Listen in on this conversation and then join us on social media to keep the conversation going!   Fol...

Can I trust my Bible? With so many translations out there, how can I know which one is the “best”? And how can I figure out which one is “right” when they don’t say the same thing? These questions and more prompt us to dive into the world of Bible translations – what is involved in making them and how we can make better sense of their differences. For this conversation, we welcome special guest, J...

We’ve all been told we should read our Bibles, but why exactly? If we come right down to it, are we satisfied with our own answers? What does our track record tell us about our belief in our own answers? Let’s dive into this topic and see if we can find an answer that will actually satisfy us. And after you hear our answer, let us know your thoughts!   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnTheP...

What is the role of discipleship? Is it just to make other disciples? If not, what role does discipleship and evangelism play in the life of a disciple? Join us as we discuss these ideas and try to bring some clarity out of many terms that often get lumped together. Then come join the conversation to let us know what you’re thinking!   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh http...

What are we aiming for as we grow in faith? Are we aiming for more certainty or more ambiguity? Are we aiming for better theology or a better relationship? And how do these questions relate to the idea of deconstruction? In this episode we want to start a conversation about what to do when our old answers no longer satisfy us. Tune into this conversation and let it spark one of your own for this a...

As we grow in Christ, we inevitably pass through various stages of growth. But sometimes it’s easy to get stuck in a stage and fail to progress. What are the various stages of faith, and how do we continue to press into them? What role does our community play in navigating these stages? Come join us for this raw and revealing discussion and then let us know how you see your own journey in light of...

There is a difference between confessional theology and practical theology – what we believe vs how we live day by day. In this episode, we take some time to soak in the character of God. Rather than try to take in new information, we sit with the information we already have and try to work it into the deeper recesses of our soul.   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh https:/...

The new year is a time to look back and to look ahead. As we reflect on what is going well and what we’d like to change, there is no more helpful conversation that to determine how really to accomplish our goals. Today we take a look at some of our own goals and the challenges that beset them. We also discuss practical ways to face down the things that really hold us back.   Follow us on: https://...

This Christmas Eve, we take a moment to just read the Christmas stories from Matthew and Luke in order to take an opportunity to reflect on what God is saying to us this Christmas. 

This year, we scientifically, definitively, and conclusively determine what our Christmas song really is. It may have been hidden beneath layers of middle-aged grumpiness, but this year we dive deep within ourselves and the depths of the internet to determine once and for all the Christmas song that lays deep within us. Come enjoy a little Christmas silliness with us.   Follow us on: https://www.f...

Today we channel our middle-aged crankiness and vent about a few holiday gripes. Nothing serious here. This is just plain ol’ catharsis at the holidays. Listen in on our conversation and then share some of your own holiday gripes on social media.   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh https://www.instagram.com/onthephonewithjosh/ https://www.threads.net/@onthephonewithjosh

The season of Advent has so many pressures and obligations that we thought we’d lighten up the mood this year with some fan fiction. We take some well-known and well-loved movies, smash them together, and riff on what a movie like that would be like. Come shed some stress and have a little fun with us this Christmas season!   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh https://www.in...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This year, we chose to take a light-hearted approach to the season. If you need to just unwind and enjoy a little fun this year, tune on in. The title says it all. Not much to take seriously on today’s episode!   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh https://www.instagram.com/onthephonewithjosh/ https://www.threads.net/@onthephonewithjosh   Books Me...

What is Jesus’ worst parable? If you had to name one, would it be the same as the one we discuss today? Tune in to find out what we believe to be Jesus’ worst parable and what it means for us today. Then come share your thoughts and reactions on social media!   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh https://www.instagram.com/onthephonewithjosh/ https://www.threads.net/@onthephon...

All will agree that Baptism has a central place in the life of a believer. But what does Baptism actually imply? Can you do it more than once? What about being baptized as an infant and then as an adult? What about taking a once in a lifetime trip to the holy land and being baptized again in the Jordan River? Is that ok? We invite you to let this episode be a catalyst for your own conversation abo...

Witness is more than just sharing the propositional truths of our faith. Witness is a way of life lived in community in a kingdom in which Jesus the Lamb is King. In this concluding episode of our Revelation series, we talk about this crucial topic because of its centrality in the book. Join us as we take a closer look at witness as worship in community.   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/On...

The rapture, the millennial reign, and the importance of Israel are all central concepts to a dispensational reading of Revelation. Yet, our series on Revelation hasn’t mentioned any of them. In this episode we talk about the popularization of dispensationalism and its affects on us as we try to study the book of Revelation today.   Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh https:/...

It took until episode 4 in this series for us to ask the most fundamental of all questions! In every other book of the Bible, we ask ourselves what the book teaches us about God. Why do we not ask the same question when it comes to the book of Revelation? With Richard Bauckham as our wise guide, we dive into some of the specifics of what the book of Revelation teaches us about our trinitarian God....

Imagination is seldom used as a tool for engaging God or the Bible. Yet, it has a significant role to play in both our worship and in our reading of the Bible. Eugene Peterson embodies this reality in all of his writing – perhaps none more so than in his book on Revelation.  Come join us as we use Peterson as a jumping off point to discuss Revelation through the lens of worship and imagination.  ...

Revelation is full of symbolism, which has often led to wild speculation and confident “definitions” of each symbol. How can we make sense of the rich symbolism of this book in a way that is both faithful to the text and helpful to our present lives? Today we’ll look at some of these symbols along with an overview of the book’s structure and Revelation’s use of the Old Testament. Come join the con...

Reading Revelation responsibly requires attention to both genre and the central themes of the book. As we begin this 5-part series on the book of Revelation, we use Michael Gorman’s excellent book Reading Revelation Responsibly to dive into these foundational details. We invite you to both join the conversation and the reading. The book of Revelation is far richer than either of us ever imagined....

From defending Christian values to arguing theology, we Christians sure do a lot of fighting. But what if our ferocity really is fighting like hell would fight? If we were to take our clues from Jesus, how might we fight differently? Come join this crucial conversation as we seek to apprentice ourselves to Jesus in how we respond to those with whom we disagree.   Follow us on: https://www.facebook...

The Bible only gives a glimpse into the answer of what happens after we die. With the few pieces of information we can gather, what kind of sense can we make of it? What are the concepts of Scheol or Hades and how might they inform an intermediate state to which we go before the final judgment? We invite you to wrestle with these issues with us and share you thoughts on social media.   Follow us o...

Raising teenagers to love Jesus is a delicate job. Of course, we want our kids to follow Jesus, but how exactly do we go about that? And how to we measure up to all of the expectations around family devotions, prayer, Bible reading, and other spiritual disciplines? And how to we balance these against the developmental needs of our teens who are slowly taking the reigns of their own lives? Today we...