The Analytical Preacher - Bible Discussions For The Modern World

People ask all the time "how should I study the Bible"?  Perhaps you need a new approach to learning from the scriptures yourself.  In this podcast, Andy discusses a few popular approaches to Bible study and really focuses in on one method that helps us directly grow as Christians by understanding better who God is and what our response should be to who He has made us in Christ.

Do Christians need to go to church?  Can believers worship God alone and grow in their faith without formal religion?  Does the Bible directly tell us to go to church?  Many believers have a standard set of arguments they employ when challenged about their church attendance but are those arguments Bible based or opinion based?  Are our reasons for not attending church logical and consistent or mor...

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus as a baby to a human mother, Mary.  But why did Jesus need to be born as a human in the first place?  In this Christmas sermon, Andy explains the necessity and benefits of Christ being born and living as fully human, though He was also fully God.

If Jesus had to die to pay the sin debt of humanity, then how were people saved before Jesus came to earth and died on the cross?  For example, how were people in the Old Testament saved, how could they go to heaven if not through Jesus?  In Genesis, God told Abraham that his faith had been counted to him as righteousness. What does that mean?  In what did Abraham have faith?  And how did that fai...

How should I act as a Christian? How do I grow as a Christian?  To mature in our faith we must do more than read our Bible and stop lying and cussing.  A maturing Christian will also seek out ways to both serve others and encourage others.  But what does the Bible mean when it instructs us to encourage one another and build each other up?  In this podcast, we look at some straight forward yet very...

John 3:16 is the most popular and the most searched for Bible verse on the internet.  It is a beautiful summary of the message of the entire New Testament and many of us know it by heart.  But what, exactly, is meant by the words that whoever believes shall have eternal life?  How are we to respond to the declaration that is John 3:16?  As always, the Bible defines its most important words and con...

What is the "god of the gaps" issue and why does it not apply to Bible-based religions?  For centuries, scientific progress has been squeezing one manmade god after another out of existence by filling in the gaps in human understand about how the natural world works.  These "gods of the gaps" as they have been called show the futility of mythologies and human derived religions....

Who am I?  What am I supposed to do with my life?  Do I belong?  Where do I fit in?  How can I make a real difference?  Questions such as these fundamentally challenge and define us.  Even when we are not conscious of the identity we carry around, it still drives the most important decisions we make.  Of course, how we see ourselves, our identity, should come from the Bible.  And our biblical iden...

Though we should all read the Bible on a regular basis, including reading it from beginning to end a number of times in our lives, is there a simple way to provide a survey of the entire message of scripture?  Is there a TL;DR summary of what God is conveying to us in His word?  In this podcast, Andy zeros in on the main theme and focus of the 66 books of the Holy Bible, revealing the beautiful pi...

The Bible teaches that one of the most important factors in our Christian walk is the motivation behind our actions.  This is true regarding how we worship in song.  But does the Bible allow, prohibit or stand neutral on the use of instruments in worship?  Of course, there are a number of non-instrumental churches around the world who say the use of instruments is not only not preferred but is act...

Within Christianity, there are young earth creationists and old earth creationists. Why the split? Does the Bible teach us how old the earth (universe) is?  If so, then what does  it teach?  But in any case, why do so many Christians find the answer to this question so important?  In this podcast, Andy provides an overview of the debate on the age of the earth and provides an explanation of the im...

In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus taught us to ask for forgiveness of our trespasses.  And in the letter of 1st John, the Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness.  But if we fail to confess a specific sin, will we remain unforgiven for that sin?  If we fail to confess each trespass, do we risk going to hell?  In this podcas...

The Bible says God made humans in His image and after His likeness.  Since it obviously doesn’t mean that we are a physical replica of God, what does it mean to be made in His image?  We can use the Bible to help us understand what this means and what it doesn’t mean.  in this podcast, we list out a number of biblical points related to what it means to be made in God's image.

When should a person be baptized?  Of course, there are certain beliefs one must hold before being immersed but exactly what are they?  Are there any other requirements to which a person should adhere?  How do I know when I am ready to make that step?  In this podcast, Andy looks at a number of relevant scriptures to clearly explain the simple answer to this question.

Of the institutions God ordains to structure and manage society, the family is the first and most important.  It seems today, however, that forces from politicians, to schools to non-profit social justice organizations are working against the traditional family to weaken or even replace it.  Some politicians say we need to focus public policy around equity metrics while others say the metrics shou...

Why did the Catholic Church fight Galileo about the sun being at the center of the solar system, especially since the Bible does not state that the earth is at the center?  Though Catholic leaders (mis) used Bible verses in their arguments, the issue was more about earthly control and influence than it was about the Bible or Christianity.

In looking at the world around us, we see what we define as different races or ethnicities.  But the Bible teaches that all humans are descended from the first two people, Adam and Eve.  So, why aren't we all of the same race or ethnicity as each other (and the same as those first two humans)?  The Bible answers these questions in Genesis chapters 10 and 11.  In this podcast, Andy takes us th...

The Bible says the devil has been in the presence of God (Job chapter one, for example) and has spoken to God.  So, in a very real sense, Satan must believe in God, if we define belief as just a mental understanding of a possibility.  But is that how the Bible defines belief?  And if the devil believes in God and Jesus, then why does the Bible teach that he is destined for hell?  In this podcast,...

Does God have a chosen people in the world today?  If so, is America God's chosen nation?  In this podcast, Andy examines the scriptures to give a direct and definitive answer to those questions.  In the process, he calls for more participation in and support of local churches and increased prayer and effort toward the unity of God's worldwide Christian Church.

As we deal with the emotional struggles and stresses of life, we all too often develop coping mechanisms which are unhealthy and even counterproductive.  Though it is easy to try and convince ourselves that sexual attraction and activity is normal for adults, it is also a trap those struggling with emotional stability can fall into.  In this podcast, Andy gives a poignant example of two individual...

Could there have been enough water in the time of Noah to have covered the entire earth?  If so, where did the water come from and where did it go?  Scripture directly answers both these questions, though not in the same book in the Bible.  In this podcast, we will look at the account in Genesis and some of God's commentary in one of the Psalms to retrieve the straightforward answer.

The phrase 'separation of church and state' is found nowhere in America's founding documents.  Why, then, is it so often used?  Furthermore, that popular phrase implies that it is religion and the practice thereof that is being harnessed when the First Amendment in our Constitution's Bill of Rights actually provides for freedom of religion at the expense of overreaching governm...

Though the disagreements between atheist scientists and people of faith are myriad, there is one factor - one word really - that explains the entire divide.  That word is DESIGN!  What would we expect if everything from the universe at large to biological life on a single planet were all the random act of an explosion and what would we expect if they were the intentional act of an engineer or crea...

Why does the Bible state that Jesus was angry at some sinners and loving and compassionate toward others?  In our daily walk as believers, what should be our attitude toward those who are transgressing God's law (especially given our understanding that we are transgressors ourselves)?  Should Christians hate sinners and be angry at them?  If so, when and why?  This podcast addresses this topi...

Science teaches us that in our universe something can't come from nothing.  So where did God come from?  Is He created?  How does the logical fallacy of infinite regress fit into the picture?  In a world where we think about everything having a preceding cause, the question of God's origin looms large.  In this podcast, Andy weaves scientific knowledge, some foundational concepts of logi...