The Word Without Walls Podcast

In this episode I discuss the Christian education materials I developed for pre-K through high school graduation, and am now preparing in a format that anyone can use.  It's called "Dwelling in You Richly," and the first stage--year one of high school studies--is now complete!   Its 35 sessions discuss the first ten books of the Old Testament, the Ten Commandments, and Apologetics.  The format is...

This episode introduces the release the first edition of a new educational curriculum— Dwelling in You Richly!   I wrote it when I first began as a parish pastor; the goal was to immerse children in the Living Water of God's Word.   The title itself refers to that goal; it is based on Colossians 3:16: "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom...

As the student questions series concludes, I'm taking one final look at ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we conclude by considering chapter 15--Last Things. Some thought prompts for discussion: What are the four things that we can and should know when we talk about the book...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe  by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue looking at chapter 14, the Christian in Society. Some thought prompts for discussion: If I were selling seasickness medicine on a ship, how would I want the weather...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe  by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue looking at chapter 14, the Christian in Society. Some thought prompts for discussion: How is marriage killed?  What is its current state in society, and how did it g...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue looking at chapter 14, the Christian in Society. Some thought prompts for discussion: What are we not allowed to talk about, and why? What is being accepted and promo...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we begin looking at chapter 14, the Christian in Society. Some thought prompts for discussion: What does it take to love and serve other people, and what prevents that? (Consider...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we begin looking at chapter 13, the church. Some thought prompts for discussion: There is no such thing as a green pyramid and a red arc world.  (Note: For reference, you can rea...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe  by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue with chapter 12, which discusses the means of grace. Some thought prompts for discussion: Neither closed nor open communion are consistent with the will of God or Hi...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue with chapter 12, which discusses the means of grace. Some thought prompts for discussion: I've heard it said, "We baptize babies because they can't believe."  What wo...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we turn to chapter 12, which discusses the means of grace. What are the means of grace?  And how do we respond to the claim that the sacraments are only symbolic?

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe  by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue looking at chapter 11, which discusses sanctification. Some thought prompts based on this chapter: In God's creation, the way is the destination.  What does that hav...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue looking at chapter 11, which discusses sanctification. Some questions to get people talking: Contentment versus insatiability--where do we see this in the world aroun...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we turn to chapter 11, which discusses sanctification. Some questions to get people talking: What is the distinction between justification and sanctification? What is holy?  What...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue looking at chapter 10, which discusses conversion. Some questions to get people talking: What does the redeeming work of God look like in the life of an individual? W...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we begin chapter 10, which discusses conversion. Some ideas to get people talking: What does it take to convert someone? Is conversion ethical? What does anthropology have to do...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe  by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue to look at chapter 9 of the book, which deals with justification.  Some ideas to get people talking: Justice demands equity.  What if equity can't be provided?  What...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe  by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue to look at chapter 9 of the book, which deals with justification.  Some ideas to get people talking: Why doesn't God destroy the wicked?   How can God demand us to b...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue to look at chapter 9 of the book, which deals with justification.  Some ideas to get people talking: What is necessary to restore creation to the image of God? Can yo...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we begin a look at chapter 9 of the book, on justification.  Some ideas to get people talking: Our view of the universe needs to change from geocentric to heliocentric.  What wou...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue looking at chapter 8 of the book, which discusses the person of Jesus Christ.  This episode asks: Does Jesus really have no mind, words, will of his own, but only the...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue looking at chapter 8 of the book, which discusses the person of Jesus Christ.  What if we started a discussion by making the following statement, "Jesus Christ is no...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we begin looking at chapter 8 of the book, which discusses the person of Jesus Christ.  Every bit of this topic has to do with our life, hope, and future.  The big question for d...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe  by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue working through chapter 7 of the book, which discusses sin.   Some discussion prompts related to this passage can include: The human ego since Adam is determined to...

As the student questions series continues, I'm talking through ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine– Called to Believe  by Steven Mueller. In this episode we continue working through chapter 7 of the book, which discusses sin.   Some discussion prompts related to this passage can include: Consider the Bible passages in Matthew 7;...