Rethinking Scripture

Rethinking Scripture Podcast Episode 49: Acts 5 - The Fate of Ananias and Sapphira July 10, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  There are a few times in Scripture where God hands down a death sentence for what we might otherwise consider a somewhat minor infraction. You might view the story of Ananias and Sapphira, in Acts 5, as one such story. Did they really have to die for what they did? But what if...

Friends, lend me your ears. No really… I need your ears! Would you be willing to be an Audiobook Beta Listener? My Rethinking Rest book is scheduled for release on Jan 19, 2023, and I’ve decided to record the audiobook myself! Needless to say… I’ve never done this before. But I’ve started the process and I’m needing some feedback. That’s where you can help! I’ve uploaded this excerpt from the firs...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast Episode 47: Acts 2-4 - Should We Be Counting Converts?  June 24, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  Counting converts has become a common practice within modern church culture. But who are we counting? And why such a focus on the numbers. It may be partly due to the events recorded in Acts chapters 2-4, and today we’ll look a little more closely at the numbers Luke recorde...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast Episode 46: Acts 2 - What Just Happened?  June 6, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  I recoded this episode on Pentecost Sunday. I was in "The Upper Room" (my recording studio) and covered the "what" of Acts chapter 2. What exactly happened on that Pentecost Sunday in Acts 2? And what relationship does that event have with Paul’s description of the gift of tongues in 1 Cor...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 45: The Homes and Help Initiative  June 1, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  In the regular episodes, we are making our way through the book of Acts. We’ll get back to that study in the next episode. But this is a bonus episode where I take a little time to introduce you to something I’ve been working on behind the scenes, The Homes and Help Initiative. And don...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 44: Acts 2 - The Day of Pentecost May 18, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  There’s possibly no passage in Scripture that is more hotly debated than Acts chapter 2. Arguments abound over who, what, where, how, and why. In fact, just about the only thing people agree on is the when of this passage. These events happened when the day of Pentecost had come. And to...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 43: Acts 1 - You're Going the Wrong Way! May 18, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  Several things occur in Acts chapter 1 that set up the well known events of the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. But don’t make the mistake of assuming that the content of this chapter is only an ellipse... or a placeholder with its only purpose to get to the story further down the ro...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 42: Introduction to the book of Acts May 8, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  The book of Acts is the story of how the witness of Jesus the messiah made it’s way from Jerusalem to the remotest parts of the earth. But we would be deficient if we just read these individual stories as disconnected events. Luke, the author, has organized these episodes so there are...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 41: The Rethinking Conversion Project April 25, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  In today’s church culture, someone’s conversion is surrounded by certain expectations. Conversion is often understood as a “personal decision for Christ” that happens at a church alter, or maybe an outreach event. And when that decision is memorialized by some rendition of the “si...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 40: The Rethinking Babel Project - Part 3 April 6, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  Today we go further down the theological rabbit hole of Babel theology… we’ve arrived at the Gift of Tongues. There is maybe not a more divisive topic in the church today… and unfortunately I’ll not going to be able to clear up all the confusion around the gift that was origina...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 39: The Rethinking Babel Project - Part 2 March 29, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  Biblically speaking, the confusion of our languages and, in turn, humanities general inability to communicate effectively with each other, is a practical expression and a tangible reminder of rebellion against God’s authority. Humanity once communicated with each other, and wi...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 38: The Rethinking Babel Project March 15, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  Some people think of the first eleven chapters of Genesis as only a prologue or filler to get to the story of Abraham. But it’s in those chapters where key the theme of rebellion is first introduced. In the beginning chapters of Genesis we are also introduced to the idea of exile. Thes...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 37: The Rethinking Eden Project February 28, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  There is nothing more theologically foundational than the events that happen in the garden of Eden. It’s in this garden that we are introduced to Adam and Eve, the serpent, and the biblical concept of exile. The garden contains a mighty river of life, and the tree of life. And with a...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 36: The Rethinking Rest Project February 21, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  Rest. We talk about it a lot, but it seems so elusive. Even when you get some rest… it seems like that refreshment just doesn’t last very long. But would you be surprised if I told you that there is a fully-developed theology of rest within the pages of Scripture? And it’s not what y...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 35: Intro to the Rethinking Scripture Projects January 31, 2022 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  You’ve heard someone say that everyone’s got a book in them. What would your book be titled if you wrote one? I’ve outlined several projects that I’ve been working on for years. These are biblical topics and themes that have captured my theological attention and engaged...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 34: End of Year Reflections  December 31, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  Thanks for listening. We’ve accomplished a lot in the first 6-months of the podcast. We introduced what Rethinking Scripture is all about. It’s about rethinking what we thought we already knew about the Bible. It’s about taking those things that have become entrenched in our mindset, an...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 33: Rethinking Advent - The Story December 24, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall Join me for a special rendition of the story of the advent of Jesus Christ. I've incorporated some of the details we've discussed in this series into the well known story of the birth. Gather your family around... turn up the volume... and let's start a new Christmas tradition. Let'...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 32: Rethinking Advent - The Gifts December 23, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall When we think of the advent of the Christ, many of our perceptions are based on the scene at the nativity. We have come to expect three kings, or wise men, bearing small gifts for a King. In this episode, we attempt to tie the reasons why the magi brought gold, and frankincense and...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 31: Rethinking Advent - The Magi December 22, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall When we think of the advent of the Christ, many of our perceptions are based scene at the nativity. We have come to expect three kings, or wise men, with the baby Jesus shortly after His birth. In this episode we look into the origin of these mysterious visitors. Referenced Resources...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 30: Rethinking Advent - The Nativity December 21, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall When we think of the advent of the Christ, many of our perceptions are based scene at the nativity. We in the Western culture often picture a barn housing the family that night. In the east, they prefer a cave setting. But does the text, and recent archeology give us any clues as...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 29: Rethinking Advent - The Timing December 20, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall When we think of the advent of the Christ, some of our perceptions are based in the timing of the events. While we celebrate in the middle of the winter season, that’s likely not the time when the events actually happened. We also have some assumptions as to the timing of Mary’s pr...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 28: Rethinking Advent - The Family December 19, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  We celebrate the birth of Jesus every year. It’s a story we know well, but how much of our version of the story truly reflects what actually happened? How well do our pageants, movies, nativity sets, and other icons represent what the Scriptures actually say? This Christmas season...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 27: The Restoration of Peter - Pt. 2 (John 21) December 16, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  At the end of John’s gospel there’s a funny little sentence that suggests that the world could not contain the books that could be written about the many other things which Jesus did. I’ve always taken that as a bit of an exaggeration… but what if its not? What If we’v...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 26: The Restoration of Peter (John 21) December 9, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  John chapter 21 is all about restoration. The disciples limped their way through events in the garden of Gethsemane and then disbursed and deflected their connection with Jesus through the rest of that weekend. This would have left all of them, but especially Peter, with some t...

Rethinking Scripture Podcast -  Episode 25: The Fulfillment of First Fruits (John 20) December 3, 2021 - Host: Dr. Gregory Hall  John 20 features the empty tomb. The resurrection of Jesus is the capstone of the good news. And there’s a subtle statement in the first verse that you’ve likely passed right by. Why haven’t you noticed it? Because you’re not from around there... and today we’ll take a c...