So We Speak

Timothy was one of Paul's co-workers and proteges. In this letter, Paul instructed him in all kinds of things concerning the household of God, from elders and deacons to widows and quarrels. Today, 1 Timothy is like a manual for navigating the extended family of God that is the church. Cole and Terry do an overview of the book, talk about difficult texts, and apply the letter to today.    For more...

Questions in this episode: Does every symbol have an explanation?  In 2:7, letter to Ephesus; What is the paradise of God?   In 2:10, letter to Smyrna; What is the crown of life?   In 2:14, letter to Pergamum; What is sexual immorality?   In 2:17, letter to Pergamum; What is the white stone?   Which is your favorite of the 7 letters? Which one is the most difficult? 

In this first episode, we answer these questions:  Did the early church think Jesus was coming back in the first century?  Who are the angels to the seven churches?  What research and resources are you doing for this series?

The parable of the ten virgins is rarely taught. Ten women wait for the bridegroom who delays into the night. When he comes, five have oil and the others don't. What does it all mean? In this episode, Cole and Terry cover this difficult text, looking at Jesus's teaching on the second coming, perseverance, and being watchful in the meantime. 

Starting next week, Terry Feix will begin a 15-week study of the book of Revelation on Wednesday nights at Crossings Community Church. In addition to that, we'll be answering your Revelation questions on Fridays on the So We Speak podcast. Text questions during the lesson or email us at info@sowespeak.com . 

Can we trust the Bible? How do we know that what we're reading today is what God actually said thousands of years ago? John Meade and Peter Gurry answer these questions in their new book  Scribes & Scripture: The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible . In this episode, Cole talks with John about the history of the Bible, the manuscript tradition, how we know we have the right books, and what trans...

Who were these mysterious magi that came to worship Christ? Were they three kings from the orient? Were they magicians? In this Christmas episode, Cole and Terry discuss the different theories and clues about the identity of the Magi. 

Cole's Favorite Books:  Rogues - Patrick Radden Keefe Scribes and Scripture - John Meade and Peter Gurry The Life We're Looking For - Andy Crouch The Existence and Attributes of God - Stephen Charnock Churchill & Son - Josh Ireland    Terry's Favorite Books: Innovation - Peter Ackroyd Leadership - Henry Kissinger  A Non-Anxious Presence - Mark Sayers  Strange New World - Carl Trueman    Post your...

The story of Joseph is the capstone of the book of Genesis, but it also points forward to many things to come, including the story of Daniel and Christ's death on the cross. In this episode, Cole is joined by Sam Emadi to talk about his book From Prisoner to Prince: The Joseph Story in Biblical Theology. They discuss the role of biblical theology, how to see the big themes of Scripture, and the im...

Were people in Corinth being baptized on behalf of dead people? 1 Corinthians 15:29 is just an example in Paul's argument, but it has baffled commentators and Bible readers ever since. Cole and Terry discuss whether the Corinthians were actually doing baptisms on behalf of people who have died or if there is another explanation of this verse. 

If you read through the gospels, you quickly encounter a very strange feature of Jesus's ministry. He keeps instructing people not to talk about who he is and what he's doing. Why is that? How does it square with the Great Commission? This facet of Jesus's ministry has come to be known as the "Messianic Secret." In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss the different ways of understanding the secret...

The Thessalonians were wondering what would happen to those who died before the second coming. Paul's response answered that question but raised several others. What happens when we die? Do we go straight to heaven or sleep until the second coming? Is there a rapture or is Paul talking about the second coming? Cole and Terry work through these questions and others about the end times in this lates...

If you've ever been in a small group or a Bible study, election has undoubtedly come up. How can God elect some for salvation and still be just? How can he find fault with us? These are precisely the questions Paul takes up in Romans 9. In this difficult text, Cole and Terry talk about how to read this passage, Calvinism, Wesleyanism, and God's mercy in election. 

The Rich Man and Lazarus is a popular text in Luke for preaching and teaching. Like so many of Jesus's parables, it immediately sticks in your mind, but it also has much more to it than meets the eye. First of all, is it a parable or a true story? Is Jesus's description of the afterlife what we should expect or just for the story? Finally, what's the takeaway from this parable and how should we ap...

No one likes to talk about death, but until Christ returns we'll all taste death. Lance Ward has done more than 300 funerals in his roles as a pastor and chaplain. In this episode, Cole and Lance talk about walking through seasons of sorrow, caring for the dying, and a few dos and don'ts of funerals. 

As an opening example, Jude mentions angels who left their proper position and rebelled against God. In the end, he reminds the reader that God will punish this group of angels for their false teaching. But what is he talking about? When did this happen? Connection Genesis 6, Psalm 8, and Jude 6, Cole and Terry discuss rebellious angels and the supernatural realm.

In this episode, Cole and Terry reflect on what they learned by doing book overviews for every book in the Bible, discuss Bible reading plans, and make recommendations for reading the Bible every day. 

The book of Hebrews ties the storylines of the Bible together. Jesus is the true and better Moses, Melchizedek, and High Priest. But why does the author make this grand argument? Dive into the background, original audience, and the timeless message of the "word of exhortation" to the Hebrews. 

What is the Song of Songs? Is it an allegory of Christ and the church? Is it a description of Christians and their sex lives? Is it good marriage advice? In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss Song of Songs as wisdom literature and the implications that has for our vision of love, sex, and intimacy. 

Ezekiel can lay claim to being the strangest of the major prophets. His life became his message and he prophesied through the worst period of Israel's history. But his message wasn't all lament and woe. Captured by the glory of God, Ezekiel foretells the restoration and redemption of Israel, a time when they will have new hearts and new Spirits to live with God forever. 

Ruth is one of the great short stories in history. People have called it a Cinderella tale from the Old Testament. Each character gives an insight into the faithfulness of God. They model righteousness in difficult circumstances. In the end, we get an incredible picture of God's plan to redeem and to save through his Son Jesus. 

Why do we have 1 & 2 Chronicles, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings when they all relate similar events? In the Hebrew Scriptures, Chronicles is the last book, a kind of recap of the history of Israel and a message of hope for those coming back from the exile. What can we learn from the similarities and differences? Why does the Chronicler focus on the Levites and the Temple? The answers to these quest...

What do these short letters offer the church today? At the end of John's life he was still pastoring. In 2 John, he addresses a church, and in 3 John, he addresses a church leader, instructing them and encouraging them to live out their faith in the midst of opposition and false teaching. These short encouragements to the church are packed with implications for our lives today. 

In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss the fourth installment of Tim Keller's essay, " The Decline and Renewal of the American Church. " They touch on reasons for decline and strategies, promises, and glimpses of renewal. 

Leviticus may not be anyone's favorite book of the Bible, but it is central to understanding how and why we worship God. Cole and Terry discuss the outline and purpose of Leviticus and draw lessons for our worship today.