Beards & Bible Podcast

Revival in the Land, pt. 3- Azuza Street and the Jesus People

Today, there are more than 500 million Pentecostal and charismatic believers across the globe and it is the fastest-growing form of Christianity today. Most church historians agree that the events that took place at the Azusa Street Revival in 1906 in Los Angeles California are responsible for the beginning of what we know as the modern-day Pentecostal Movement. But what happened at Azuza street?
In the late 1960s/early 1970s, a movement began in California known as the “Jesus people”. Thousands of teenagers and young people came to faith in Christ, many of whom came from drugs, eastern mysticism, and the hippie subcultures of the west coast. The impact of the Jesus people movement is still felt today in mainstream American churches- from the birth of modern praise and worship music to the rise of more informal stylistic worship services. How did it all get started?
What can we learn from these both of these revivals? Can God do it again, and move in such a way in our generation?
 

Revival in the Land pt. 2- The Great Awakening & the 2nd Great Awakening

The Great Awakening (1730-1755) and the Second Great Awakening (1790-1840) were two religious movements that had a massive impact on the role of Christianity in America. The impact and results of both of these movements is still felt today- not only in our churches and understanding of religious practice, but also in the fabric and makeup of American society in general.
 
But how much of these movements can be credited to a supernatural move of God? And which things within these movements perhaps can be attributed to other things? What about the controversies that caused denominational splits and the rise of various cult groups? How do we seek to understand these things from an objective, unbiased, and nuanced perspective?

Revival in the Land, pt. 1: What is a Revival? Are they Biblical and how and why do they Happen?

A “revival” is a spiritual reawakening from a state of dormancy or stagnation in the life of a believer. It encompasses the resurfacing of a love for God, an appreciation of God’s holiness, a passion for His Word and His church, a convicting awareness of personal and corporate sin, a spirit of humility, and a desire for repentance and growth in righteousness.
Revival movements throughout church history have been understood as moves of God that result in waves of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or society, with a local, national or global effect. Proponents view revivals as the restoration of the church itself to a vital and fervent relationship with God after a period of moral decline.
But are revivals Biblical? If so, what does the Bible say about them? What about some of the more bizarre and controversial activity that seems to accompany modern revival movements? Is that from God too? Or from some place else?

It’s the Economy, Stupid: Stewarding God’s money well amidst inflation, recession, and economic uncertainty.

You’ve probably noticed at this point this past summer- your dollar isn’t going as far as it used to. Gas prices are up, grocery prices are up, and just about everything else seems more expensive. It’s not just your imagination- inflation is at a 40 year high. It’s risen 9% in one year’s time, and it rose 7% in 2021. Not only is inflation up, we’re either headed towards a recession or are already in one, depending on which economist you ask. The S&P 500 had its worst first half of a year since 1970, and it is down 19 percent since January. Things are bad. And they just might be getting worse.
But we’re Christians! Why should we even think about money? Shouldn’t we be just trusting God?
What does the Bible say about managing our money during economic uncertainty? And how can continue to be generous and trust God when we don’t know how much it’ll cost to fill up our gas tank this time next week?

Ready to Give a Defense: Christian Apologetics and How to Talk Reasonably about Your Faith

Many skeptics claim that Christians are naïve, unintelligent, and gullible people who blindly put their faith in a set of beliefs that aren’t at all supported by rational evidence.
Other skeptics say that there’s just not enough evidence out there to persuade any one to embrace the teachings of Jesus. So why even bother? Just embrace your own understanding of spirituality, pick the path that works for you, or don’t… just don’t worry about it. You do you.
Skeptics commonly bring objections to the Christian faith that are centered around the existence of God, the exclusivity of the Christian gospel, the inspiration of Scripture, the existence of miracles, and seeming the contradictions in the Biblical text and Christian thought.
So are they right? Are Christians naïve, gullible, unintelligent simpletons who blindly place their faith in a set of beliefs for reason at all, besides maybe, wishful thinking? How do we as Christians answer skeptics? How do we have conversations with others who may find our beliefs offensive?
And how we can do that with kindness, love, and grace?

How to Live as as Christian in a Post-Christian World- Staying Faithful as Strangers, Aliens & Exiles

A Post-Christian culture is a society in which Christianity is no longer the dominant civil religion. These societies may have been founded on values informed by Christian principles, but gradually assumed values, culture, and worldview that are not necessarily Christian. In many of these places, secular humanism replaces Christian thought to become the predominant worldview.
Many sociologists are now recognizing the fact that America may moving in this direction—and within a few years, we could also described a “post-Christian” nation. Our post-Christian values are reflected in our media and entertainment, our collective views of human sexuality, our views regarding the sanctity of life, and our pervasive consumerism.
How do we live as Christians in a post-Christian culture? And is it possible to live in a society and still be faithful to the teachings of Christ?  

What is a Woman? Sex, Gender, Identity, and the Logic behind the Gender Ideology Movement

Transgenderism, Gender Identity Disorder, or gender dysphoria is a feeling that a person’s biological sex does not match the gender they identify with and/or perceive themselves to be. Individuals who identify as transgender often describe themselves as feeling “trapped” in a body that does not match who they feel they are in the inside.
The transgender movement rises and falls upon the idea that gender and sex are two completely different constructs that might deeply intertwined with one another, but are altogether separate. Sex is a biological construct (unchanging and based on chromosomes).  Gender is a social construct or category (a perception, a feeling, or way of identifying, which is subjective and really more of an experience). Gender has now emerged as a continuum or spectrum where one can identify themselves as any gender identity. For millennia, human civilization has understood gender as binary- there are men, and there are women. But now, some say there are as few as 72 genders, while others say there are an infinite number of genders.
But is any of this true? Can a man just decide he’s a woman, and that makes him a woman? Can a woman just decide to be a man, and she’s magically a man? Are gender and sex two completely different things? What does the Bible have to say about these ideas? And how can we actually have coherent conversations about these ideas without resorting to name-calling, mud-slinging, or storming out of the room?

Under the Banner of Heaven- the School of Prophets, Joseph Smith, and the Violent History of the LDS Church.

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith is a nonfiction book by Jon Krakauer that was recently adapted and released as a limited streaming series on Hulu. In the book and TV series, two stories are examined: the origin and evolution of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and a modern double murder committed in the name of God by brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who subscribed to a fundamentalist version of Mormonism.
In the years prior to the murder, Ron and Dan Lafferty became increasingly interested in Mormon groups that accepted many beliefs of the original LDS church, including polygamy and direct communication with God.
Ron and Dan were charged for the throat-slashing homicides of their sister-in-law Brenda Wright Lafferty and her 15-month-old daughter, Erica, that occurred on July 24, 1984. Ron, a self-proclaimed prophet, claimed to have received a revelation from God in which he was instructed to "remove" several people, including the two victims.
Every church, every denomination and every religious group has its own broken past, scars and ugliness, but is the LDS church just like any other Christian denomination? Speaking of which, are Mormons just other Christians that happen to have a different form of practice and worship, like Baptists, Methodists, or Presbyterians? Or was the church actually founded on something completely different than Biblical Christianity?  

Spiritual Abuse- What is is, What it isn’t, and How to See the Warning Signs

Abuse could be defined as the improper use of something; unjust or corrupt practice; or cruel and violent treatment of another person.
Spiritual abuse is abuse administered under the guise of religion or spirituality, including harassment or humiliation, which may result in psychological trauma. Spiritual abuse may also include misuse of religion for selfish, secular, or ideological ends such as the abuse of a clerical position.
There are extreme examples of this found in sexual abuse coverups and in cult groups like the Branch Davidians and the People's Temple. But also doctrinally sound, Biblically based churches or ministries can sadly delve into the territory of routinely using fear, guilt, or manipulation to produce unquestioning obedience, a sense of elitism, uniformity, or inappropriate loyalty- which could qualify as forms of spiritual abuse.  
But does every bad church experience qualify as spiritual abuse? When it spiritual abuse, and when is it just the brokenness or immaturity of church leaders or members?

Roe vs. Wade, Abortion, and a Question of Logic- is Abortion Murder and an Unborn Child a Human?

On May 2, 2022, Politico published a leaked draft opinion authored by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, appearing to be the majority opinion for the case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The case deals with the constitutionality of a 2018 Mississippi state law that banned abortion operations after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy.
If the ruling stands, it would overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which would allow U.S. states to determine the legality of abortions for themselves. Analysts predict that abortion would immediately be banned in 23 states and territories if this happens.
Meanwhile, the debate surrounding abortion seems to have been re-sparked. The issue for many has less to do with the life of unborn children, and has more to do with concepts, “women’s rights”, or “reproductive choice”. In fact, the issue of abortion itself has been so reframed that honest, productive, logical dialogue about the issue itself becomes almost impossible. To oppose abortion is to be anti-woman, or even pro-rape.
But if we just stripped away all the controversy, vitriol, and red herring arguments- logically speaking, what are the ethics of terminating a pregnancy? Is an unborn fetus a human being? Why are so many Christians against abortion? And why are so many other folks for it?