The Analytical Preacher - Bible Discussions For The Modern World

Using the framework and guidelines of the Bible, what directions are Christians given concerning where and how to invest the money they save?  In this podcast, we use the general framework of the Bible to shine some light on questions such as 'should Christians earn interest on their money' and 'should Christians invest in the stock market'

The Bible speaks a great deal about money and how followers of God should view wealth and income.  So, what do the scriptures say about Christians putting aside some savings or even accumulating wealth through a 401K program?  A search beginning in the book of Proverbs provides us a definitive answer to this common question.

In almost every case in the Gospels when Jesus refers to Himself, He does so as 'The Son Of Man'.  But why?  Every word Jesus spoke was calculated and designed to provide deep meaning and maximum impact and the title He used for Himself was no different.  In this podcast, we survey scriptures from Daniel chapter 7 in the Old Testament to Romans chapter 5 in the New Testament to build our...

It is a common saying that we have to love ourselves - and if we don’t, then learn to love ourselves - before we can love others.  But if we use the Bible as our starting point, this is not necessarily true. Of course, we should understand that we have worth and value because we are made in the image of God.  But we should not wait until our self esteem and self love are at a certain level before...

The idea of life occurring in cycles and specifically the concepts of rebirth and reincarnation are common to manmade religions.  But what does the inspired scripture of the Bible have to say on these topics?  In this podcast, we explore what the Bible has to say about whether the universe is cyclical and what it teaches us about reincarnation.

The Bible says that God is love and that He loved the world so much He sent His only Son to save us.  So, why do the scriptures that speak so frequently of love also command us to fear the Lord?  What does it mean to fear the Lord?  In this podcast, we look at the word and its different meanings to paint an accurate picture of this concept.

What lessons are we to take away today from the account of the thief on the cross told in the Gospel of Luke?  If we say and do exactly as he did, will we be saved?  Unfortunately, this account has been misunderstood and misused at times.  In this podcast, we will explain the beautiful lessons that we are to take from this story but also clearly show where and how it is limited in its application...

If we survey the religious landscape of the world, it is easy to come to the impression that people in different geographies with different cultures each practice their own religions and those religions only grow because people in each area are born into that faith.  So, is the religion we practice just based on where we were born or where we live?  The answer is no and the reasons why are discuss...

Is it better to blow off steam occasionally rather than letting it build up until everything rips apart?  In our most agitated moments, it sure feels as though we need a release valve.  But the common idea that letting off steam when under pressure will help prevent something worse at a later time is incorrect and unbiblical.  In this podcast, we explore what the Bible has to say on the topic.

Many people, both believers and non-believers, wonder why Christians today don't follow all of the food and ceremonial laws in the Old Testament.  Within the Old Testament itself, though, scripture began preparing us for the replacement of the Old Covenant with the New.  The Bible tells us that Jesus accomplished and fulfilled the Old Covenant in ushering in the New.  And the book of Hebrews...

What did Jesus mean when He told us to take up our crosses daily and follow Him?  In this podcast, we explore the best way to apply this teaching to our lives today.

Hope seems to be in short supply today.  But Christians are told to be ready to give an account of the hope that is within them.  In this podcast, Andy describes why he is so much more hopeful than most and shares why he believes such hope should be contagious.

Jesus confirmed that the most important commandment found in all of scripture is to love God with everything we have?  But how do we do that?  In the same conversation about the greatest commandment, Jesus begins to answer that exact question for us.  In this podcast, we will look at the greatest commandment and explore how we can best live that out.

The death of Christ on the cross was one of the defining and most efficacious moments in all of history.  But the Resurrection is equal to it in importance and impact.  In this sermon, we examine what the scriptures say about the resurrection, its relation to the crucifixion and two of the main results of its occurrence.

The most important questions we must answer in life are "is there a God and can I know Him?"  A number of ways to answer that main question have been employed.  For example, the Greek philosophers used deductive logic to prove the need for an Uncaused Cause or Prime Mover.  The empirically based inductive reasoning of modern science has concluded that an infinite and eternal multiverse i...

Is Hell a real place or just a concept based on figurative language used in scripture?  If real, are those who end up there destroyed once and for all or do they exist in eternal torment?  The Bible has a lot to say about the final place of those who rebel against God and we use those verses to cover the topic in this podcast.

We all have a perception of what heaven will be like but those ideas don’t always line up with scripture.  Though the language about heaven is often figurative and symbolic, the Bible does have some powerful things to say about our final home with God.  In this podcast, Andy goes through the relevant Bible verses to paint as clear a picture of heaven as we can.

Anyone who has ever addressed a serious habit or addiction knows how difficult they can be to overcome.  As Christians, we must provide dedicated, prayerful support to those who are working through such struggles.  But in order to successfully address and conquer most habits and addictions, one needs to take a two-pronged approach.  We must address why we were driven to the habit in the first plac...

Should churches split their worship services based on the attendees preferred style of music?  Does this in any way (unintentionally) create a church consumer?  And, if so, does meeting that church member's consumer demands make them naturally resistant to the message of sacrificial love and service at the center of the Gospel?  In this podcast, Andy addresses the issue by providing some exam...

Evangelical Christians know that all people are sinners and every political party has (major) faults.  Though we must cast our vote for a single individual in each election, we understand that all politicians are imperfect.  But Evangelical Christians do tend to associate more with the Republican party and many people have asked why, especially since much of the Democrat's platform (assisting...

Many atheist claim the problem of teleological suffering and evil is a slam dunk against the existence of a loving God.  If an animal unintentionally evolved to where it must infect, eat the eyes of or kill a human host to reproduce, then that is just part of the world we have to live with.  But if a "god" intentionally created such parasites and the suffering they cause, he either isn&a...

What does the Bible mean when it says not to argue with a fool?  How do I apply that proverb to my life as a Christian today?  Perhaps even more important, how do I know if I am one of the fools of which scripture speaks?  In this podcast we explore those verses in the book of Proverbs and answer these questions.

It is often said that guilt and shame are bad emotions that serve no purpose and, therefore, those experiencing such feelings should work through them (with help when necessary) to eliminate them from their lives.  Shame, built off of the feelings of general, personal worthlessness and compounded by embarrassment and rejection are in fact bad.  We are all made in God's image and all loved by...

The Old Testament tells us that God is a jealous God.  But what exactly does that mean?  Isn't jealousy listed as a sin in scripture?  In this podcast, we breakdown how the Bible uses this term in relation to God and how it differs from the sinful human covetousness that the Bible criticizes.  There is a beautiful love behind the concept to God being jealous for us and we uncover and explain...

Was the purpose for the miracles Christ performed simply to help out a few folks in need 2000 years ago?  As we read scripture and see how it defines those acts - which are usually called signs in the New Testament - we get a fuller picture of what was going on.  Though individuals certainly benefited from the miracles Jesus performed on and around them, each of those signs points to a number of o...