OneLife Nashville: Rare but vital conversations about Jesus

The story of Jonah is often remembered as a children’s tale about a runaway prophet and a great fish. But when we slow down and read Jonah within the larger biblical story, it becomes something far more interesting. In this episode, we begin not with the book of Jonah itself, but with Jonah’s first appearance in 2 Kings 14:23–29. There, Jonah is introduced as a prophet who announces the future mil...

In Acts 2, Peter stands up on the day of Pentecost and boldly declares that what the crowd is witnessing is the fulfillment of Joel 2:28–32. But a closer look reveals something curious—and profoundly instructive. Peter quotes the prophecy, yet he doesn’t quote all of it. He stops short. Why? In this episode, we explore the complicated nature of prophecy as illustrated by Peter’s use of Joel. Rathe...

When we hear the prophecy that God will “pour out His Spirit,” we often rush straight to prophecy —predictions, words, or inspired speech. But in Joel’s vision, prophecy is only one expression of something far larger. The outpouring of the Spirit is fundamentally about revelation: God sharing His own perspective with human beings. In this episode, we explore how Joel frames dreams, visions, and pr...

In this episode, we explore the promise in Joel that God would “pour out” His Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28–29) and explore how radically relational this language truly is. We begin in the Old Testament, where “pouring out” can refer to offerings, libations, judgments, or even the outflow of a person’s own life. Against that backdrop, Joel’s usage stands out: he applies the imagery to God Himself...

In this episode, we delve into one of the most intriguing, yet potentially perplexing, themes in the Bible - the Day of the Lord. We and explore how this idea first crystallizes in the book of Joel. Likely the earliest of the written prophets, Joel speaks into a moment of national fragility near the end of Queen Athaliah’s reign (2 Kings 11), during those shadowy years between verses 3 and 4, when...

In this episode we enter the conflicting world of 2 Kings 11:1–21, where political ambition, idolatry, and God’s faithfulness shape the future of Judah. Our initial focus is Queen Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and granddaughter of Omri, whose marriage to King Jehoram of Judah extended the influence of Baal worship into the southern kingdom of Judah, replicating the idolatry of Northern Israel in...

This episode explores the surprising connection between Elisha’s healing of Naaman the Syrian (2 Kings 5:1–19) and Jesus’ bold sermon in Nazareth (Luke 4:22–30). Naaman—an enemy commander from a nation repeatedly at war with Israel—becomes the unlikely recipient of God’s mercy. His cleansing shatters the stereotype of Israel’s God as purely nationalistic. Instead, we see a God committed to the flo...

In this episode, we explore one of the most dramatic transitions of spiritual leadership in the Scriptures—Elijah’s departure and Elisha’s commissioning in 2 Kings 2:1–15. As Elijah is taken up into heaven, Elisha asks for something bold, something deeply rooted in Israel’s understanding of how God’s Spirit empowers His servants: “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.” Far from being an...

In this episode, we explore the curious encounter between Elijah and Elisha in 1 Kings 19:19–21, a moment that reshapes how we understand prophetic succession and calling. This is the first time in Scripture that a prophet is said to anoint another prophet as his successor—yet Elijah never actually pours oil over Elisha’s head. Instead, he throws his mantle upon him. What does it mean to be clothe...

In this episode, we step into one of the most vulnerable moments in the life of Elijah—the prophet fleeing for his life from Jezebel in 1 Kings 19:1–18. It’s a scene of exhaustion, fear, and despair, but also of divine correction and renewal. Elijah, fresh from calling down fire from heaven, now runs into the wilderness, wishing for death and claiming he’s the only faithful one left. Yet this clai...

In this episode, we explore the story at the beginning of Elijah’s ministry where he raises the widow’s son from the dead in 1 Kings 17:17–24. This moment reveals the deeply human side of grief—how we can say irrational things when we’re in pain, like the widow who lashes out in sorrow. Yet it also shows us something profound about the prophetic calling: the prophet enters into another person’s su...

In this episode, we explore the beginning of Elijah’s prophetic journey in 1 Kings 17:3–13 . God leads Elijah through strange commands—first to be fed by unclean ravens, then to depend on a Gentile widow in Sidon. Each step teaches him trust, obedience, and dependence on God’s word. Both Elijah and the widow receive only part of God’s instructions, forcing them to keep coming back to Him for more...

In this episode, we explore the mysterious origins of Elijah the Tishbite from 1 Kings 17:1, where the prophet first appears without introduction—“Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead.” We dig into the linguistic and conceptual clues embedded in this single verse to uncover what it reveals about Elijah’s background, identity, and calling. We begin by unpacking the meaning of Elijah’s name, E...

In this episode, we explore the chilling rise of King Ahab as recorded in 1 Kings 16:29–34, where he is introduced as the most wicked king in Israel's history up to that point. Ahab doesn't just walk in the sins of Jeroboam—he escalates them by marrying Jezebel, the Sidonian princess, and bringing full-blown Baal worship into the heart of Israel. His 22-year reign becomes a long, tragic de...

In this episode, we trace the dark and deadly road that leads to the rise of King Omri in Israel. The northern kingdom had already seen a rapid succession of kings—Nadab, Baasha, Elah, and Zimri—each one assassinating the previous and wiping out entire households to secure the throne. These weren't just political power plays; they were acts of defiance against the warnings and judgments declared b...

In this episode, we explore the tragic decline of King Asa’s reign as recorded in 2 Chronicles 16. Once a faithful king who turned to the Lord in the face of overwhelming armies from Ethiopia and Libya, Asa’s story takes a sorrowful turn when King Baasha of Israel threatens Judah by fortifying Ramah—a city on a vital mountain trade route leading into Jerusalem. Rather than seeking the Lord as he h...

In this episode, we journey into the reign of King Asa as recorded in 2 Chronicles 15:1–19, where we find a remarkable story of spiritual transformation—both personal and national. Sparked by a prophetic word from Azariah son of Oded, Asa leads Judah into a season of renewed covenant loyalty, tearing down idols, restoring worship, and calling the people to seek the Lord with all their heart and so...

In this episode, we examine the short yet tragic reign of Abijam in 1 Kings 15:1–8 , exploring how God's enduring faithfulness to the Davidic Covenant shapes His dealings with unrighteous kings in Judah. Despite Abijam’s clear failure to walk in the ways of David, the kingdom is not torn from his line. Why? Because of God’s promise to David. We explore how this divine loyalty can create the appear...

In this episode, we explore the often-misunderstood theme of God’s wrath by diving into the story of Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12:1–12. After three years of faithfulness, King Rehoboam and the people of Judah drift into two years of unfaithfulness—and only then is God's wrath mentioned. This delay is key: it shows that God is slow to anger, not quick-tempered or impulsive. When God “forsakes” R...

In this episode, we explore the fall of Rehoboam as recorded in 1 Kings 14:21–31 and the unique way the writer of Kings presents God's response to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. While Northern Israel’s rebellion often led to swift judgment, Judah’s kings were disciplined differently—not because they were better, but because of the Davidic covenant. God had pledged that every person sitting on the...

In today’s episode, we explore the interesting world of prophets in the Old Testament by comparing and contrasting three key Hebrew terms: nabi , ra'ah , and hozeh —all often translated as "prophet" or "seer." Drawing from 1 Samuel 9:9, we unpack the linguistic and historical evolution from ra'ah ("seer") to nabi ("prophet")—a shift that appears to b...

In this episode, we dive into the sobering story of Jeroboam’s rebellion and the prophetic judgment spoken through the aging prophet Ahijah in 1 Kings 13:33–14:18. Jeroboam’s sins—establishing idols, appointing illegitimate priests, and turning his back on the Lord—weren’t just political missteps; they were like a spiritual cancer that metastasized through the whole of Northern Israel, and this ca...

In this episode, we journey into one of the darkest turning points in Israel’s history: the sin of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, as recorded in 1 Kings 12:25–33. Although he was appointed by God and promised a lasting dynasty, Jeroboam leads with fear and insecurity. Driven by the anxiety that his people might return their allegiance to Jerusalem and the house of David, Jeroboam crafts an alternative re...

In this special 200th episode, we’re stepping out from behind the script to give you a personal look at what it’s really like to walk through the Bible together — as a married couple, as disciples, and as podcast hosts. We pull back the curtain on the tools and process that go into producing each episode. Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or just recently joined, this episode is our w...

In this episode, we explore the explosive moment in Israel’s history when the northern tribes, led by Jeroboam, revolt against Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. At the heart of their complaint is a surprising indictment: Solomon’s reign, for all its glory, left behind a legacy of unbearable burdens. This moment exposes the darker side of Solomon’s leadership—one built on forced labor and heavy taxation—and...