Two Texts

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David talk about Peter's shadow. In Acts you could be forgiven for thinking that the Apostles are making some impressive things happen. But in chapter 5 we see that something else is driving this story. Or rather, someone else. Episode 75 of the Two Tex...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David discuss the slightly disturbing story of Ananias and Sapphira. The early church has begun in charity and commonality, how would it respond when that was challenged. And how would the Holy Spirit? What can we learn from a story that at first glance seem...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David discuss the deep generosity of the disciples in Acts. Exploring how they lived out the call of Jesus (and Torah), we discuss the disciples' behaviour and attitude towards the poor. Episode 73 of the Two Texts Podcast | Disruptive Presence 20 If yo...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David talk about how Acts shows us the holistic changes brought by the Holy Spirit. We often relegate Christian transformation into purely spiritual categories. However, in Acts 4:32f we see how the spiritual and the practical are impacted by what God is doi...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David talk about how prayers can be borrowed and should be. There's a pressure on us to always be fresh and creative in our prayers. Where did that come from. Often, as in Acts 4, when the early Christians prayed, they turned to the Psalms. We hope you...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David notice the unity of the early church in Acts chapter 4. Encountering some opposition drives these ordinary people towards each other and God. It seems that the lack of pretension amongst these young Christians allow plenty of space for God to work in t...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David discuss how the disciples are seen in Acts 4. The contrast between the lack of the formal training of the disciples with the academic weight of those asking them questions deeply skews the dynamics of their trial. But once again, Acts shows us that the...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David discuss Acts chapter 4. The follow up from the miracle in chapter 3 leaves the early Christians positioned between the power of God and the earthly authorities - how should they navigate this?  Episode 68 of the Two Texts Podcast | Disruptive Presence...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David discuss Peter's teaching to the temple crowd in Acts 3. What does this sermon tell us about how the early Christians saw the story of Jesus and how it shaped their view of the world? Episode 67 of the Two Texts Podcast | Disruptive Presence 14 If...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David get to chapter 3 of Acts! Peter and John arrive at the temple and encounter someone who needs their help. How has the Holy Spirit impact their lives in such a way that they engage with the needs of others? Episode 66 of the Two Texts Podcast | Disrupti...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David consider the implications of what the Holy Spirit did to life for the Early Christians. Acts 2:42 shows us how they had balanced and holistic view of what being in community meant for them. It might even be that they knew some things about Christian co...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David look at the results of the Holy Spirit arriving in Acts 2. We note that often we say "the Holy Spirit came and everyone spoke in other languages!" But is that all that happened? What if we looked more closely and saw that there was, maybe, st...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David consider the response to a sermon. Peter's sermon does a variety of things, but a good sermon should also include something that isn't from the preacher - the response. In Acts 2, Peter's sermon gets the response we should always ask. Ep...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David consider how Jesus is at the centre of everything in Peter's Acts 2 sermon. Peter's use of the Old Testament is interesting and illuminating, not just what he quotes, but how he uses it. Jesus is his lens to everything. Episode 62 of the Two...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David dive into Peter's quote from the prophet Joel. Does Peter just use this quote because it mentions the Holy Spirit, or is it that what Joel speaks of Peter sees happening around him. Is Pentecost part of the wholeness that God imagines for the worl...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David discuss Peter's sermon in Acts 2. The narrative from a timid voice distancing himself from Jesus to the transformation we witness here is a story in itself. Listen in as we consider what this sermon is telling us about sermons and Jesus. Episode 6...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David explore what's unfamiliar in a familiar story in Acts 2. Pentecost has often been used as a text that explains and defends particular views and perspectives. But what if Luke wants us to see that Pentecost is doing the opposite and warning us abou...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David finally arrive at Acts chapter 2. The account of the day of Pentecost has been hugely significant for the church throughout history. In this episode we explore why it being "on the day of Pentecost" is important. Episode 58 of the Two Texts P...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David reflect on Jesus' ascension in Acts 1. What does Acts have to say about what God is doing in the world and plans for the future? It often seems that when we reflect on what God is planning to do in the future it makes a little more sense of what J...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David find more to talk about in Acts 1:8. In this episode they discuss the range of welcome initiated by the Holy Spirit and what that might mean for the early church and us. Does God have an agenda for the Holy Spirit and the Church but human agendas can g...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David reflect on what's going on in Acts chapter 1 verse 8. In our rush to get to Acts 2 and all the "exciting stuff", do we sometimes miss how Luke is helping us understand what the Holy Spirit is trying to do in this book. How can we learn f...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David turn their attention to the book of Acts. In this new season of Two Texts we will explore this fascinating fifth book of the New Testament. What happens after Jesus? What did his disciples do and why... and even how. Episode 54 of the Two Texts Podcast...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David continue discussing John's latest book "Second Chance". Listen in as they explore a text at the end of John Mark's story that shapes why John wanted to write this book, and what we might learn from it. You can buy "Second Chanc...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David discuss John's latest book "Second Chance". Listen in as they explore a text at the beginning of John Mark's story that inspired John to write this book, and what we might learn from it. You can buy "Second Chance" at drjo...

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you’d like us to reply) In which John and David consider the response to Jesus' sermon in Nazareth. The reaction to Jesus' use of Isaiah 61 is stronger than expected for most modern readers. What can we learn from Luke 4 that might help us understand this story better. Episode 51 of the Tw...