The internet is a tool that nearly everyone uses on a daily basis, but what impact does it have on us in regard to Christian discipleship?
In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Samuel James. Samuel is the associate acquisitions editor at Crossway Publishing. He is the author of Digital Liturgies, a regular Substack newsletter focused on Christianity, technology, and culture.
In this discussion, Samuel and I talk about how digital devices have transformed the way that communities and churches function, and what challenges these technologies pose for us as individuals seeking to follow Jesus.
Digital Liturgies: How the Internet Impacts Christian Discipleship – with Samuel James –
Theology for the People
The internet is a tool that nearly everyone uses on a daily basis, but what impact does it have on us in regard to Christian discipleship? How have digital devices transformed the way that communities and churches, function, and what challenges do these technologies pose for us as individuals seeking to follow Jesus?
Samuel James is the author of the book: Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in a Digital Age, and in this discussion we talk about strategies for faithful discipleship in an online age.
Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org
If you read the Bible in English, you may not realize all of the drama and sacrifices that went into getting the Bible translated into the English language.
In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Shane Angland of Ennis Evangelical Church in County Clare, Ireland. Shane holds a Master of Divinity degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, and specializes in historical theology.
Shane and I speak about William Tyndale: an English biblical scholar and linguist who became a leading figure in the Protestant Reformation, until he was executed for his beliefs. Tyndale created the first English translation of the New Testament from the original Greek text and was working on translating the Old Testament from Hebrew. Much of his work can still be seen in the way the Bible is translated into English to this day.
If you read the Bible in English, you may not realize all of the drama and sacrifices that went into getting the Bible translated into the English language.
William Tyndale was an English biblical scholar and linguist who became a leading figure in the Protestant Reformation, until he was executed for his beliefs. Tyndale created the first English translation of the New Testament from the original Greek text and was working on translating the Old Testament from Hebrew. Much of his work can still be seen in the way the Bible is translated into English to this day.
In this episode, my guest is Shane Angland of Ennis Evangelical Church in County Clare, Ireland. Shane holds a Masters of Divinity from Dallas Theological Seminary, and specializes in historical theology.
Are we as Christians allowed to practice contraception without sinning? I believe all Christians hold fast that abortion is always a sin, but can married people practice family planning (number of children, spacing)?
Creation and Stewardship
In the Book of Genesis, when God created the man and the woman, he gave them what is called “The Cultural Mandate”:
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:26-28
Part of this mandate included being fruitful, multiplying, and filling the Earth – as well as “subduing” it, i.e. managing and stewarding the use of its resources.
Just as God created, now we are called and empowered to thoughtfully bring more life into being. Obviously we can’t do this apart from God’s work, but it also requires our participation. Sometimes when someone says they are “praying for children,” it’s nice to remind them that it takes more than just prayer! 😁
However, it’s worth noting that God, in creation, at a certain point, ceased creating! He didn’t create everything He could; certainly God could have imagined and created many other creatures and plants than He did, but at some point, He deemed His creation complete and perfect in its design. This act of ceasing to create speaks volumes about God’s intentionality.
What this shows us is that God values not only the act of creation but also the stewardship of His creation.
He entrusts humans with the responsibility to co-create with Him, to participate in the unfolding of His divine plan for the world. Within the context of marriage, this stewardship extends to the realm of family planning. Just as God decided when to create, and when to cease creating, Christian couples are called to exercise discernment and responsibility in their reproductive choices. This includes considering factors such as physical health, emotional readiness, financial stability, and the well-being of existing children.
Contraception, when used responsibly and in accordance with a couple’s shared values and beliefs, can be a tool for fulfilling this stewardship.
Also worth keeping in mind is the fact that not all contraception is equal in nature. It’s worth considering whether the given method prevents conception, or terminates conception. Those forms of contraception that prevent contraception are ethical and can be used in good conscience by Christians.
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Who is the Holy Spirit, and how does an understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit contribute to our life and faith as believers in Jesus?
Fred has focused much of his theological work on the topic of the Trinity, so when it comes to talking about the person and work of the Holy Spirit, he has a unique and helpful perspective.
In this episode we talk about what the Bible says and doesn’t say about the Holy Spirit, whether it’s okay to pray to the Holy Spirit, and more.
Who is the Holy Spirit, and how does an understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit contribute to our life and faith as believers in Jesus?
Fred Sanders is professor of theology at the Torrey Honors College at Biola University. He is the author of a much sought-after series of theological comic books, as well as the recently published book, The Holy Spirit: an Introduction, which is part of the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series put out by Crossway Publishing.
Fred has focused much of his theological work on the topic of the Trinity, so when it comes to talking about the person and work of the Holy Spirit, he has a unique and helpful perspective.
In this episode we talk about what the Bible says and doesn’t say about the Holy Spirit, whether it’s okay to pray to the Holy Spirit, and more.
Make sure to visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org
The only autobiographical statement Jesus gave of himself was this one:
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.
Matthew 11:29 NASB
In that statement, one of adjectives that Jesus used of himself was “meek”.
Additionally, in the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared:
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5 ESV
Thus, it seems it is pretty important to understand what “meekness” is, so we can understand who Jesus is, and what He was saying in the Beatitudes, about who will inherit the Earth.
“Meek” in Greek – Language & History
The word “meek” is the English translation of the Greek word Praús.
The Greek military leader Xenophon used the word to describe war horses that were well-trained; strong and spirited, yet highly disciplined.
Socrates said that a meek person is one who can argue his case without losing his temper.
Plato used the word to describe a victorious general who was merciful to a conquered people.
Aristotle referred to a meek person as someone concerned about justice, but whose anger does not degrade into revenge or retaliation.
The common theme in all these uses of the word is: “Power under control” – which certainly describes Jesus. [1]
How was Jesus “Meek”?
The Bible tells us that Jesus, though He is the almighty creator of the universe, He humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant and submitting Himself to the Father. Though He was all-powerful, He set “emptied” Himself, becoming like us in all ways, in order to redeem us through His sacrifice for us.
What Does it Mean for Us to be “Meek”
For us to be meek means for us to bring ourselves, our intellects, our strengths, our agency, into submission to God’s call and commands for our lives. It means for us to use our strengths to serve Him and His mission, rather than to merely fulfill our own desires.
For more on the Beatitudes, here’s a recent sermon I taught on them at White Fields Church:
How should we, as Christians think about mental health and mental illness? Are there ways in which the Bible gives us insights into treating mental illness, that go beyond what modern secular scholarship can provide?
In our discussion, David talks about his own struggles with mental illness, and about how the Bible gives us the best possible framework for dealing with issues that are often both spiritual and physical in nature.
How should we, as Christians think about mental health and mental illness? Are there ways in which the Bible gives us insights into treating mental illness, that go beyond what modern secular scholarship can provide?
In this episode, I speak with David Murray. David Murray holds a PhD from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and has pastored churches in Scotland and the USA. He is also a counselor, and the author of several books, including the latest, which he co-authored, A Christian’s Guide to Mental Illness: Answers to 30 Common Questions.
In our discussion, David talks about his own struggles with mental, and about how the Bible gives us the best possible framework for dealing with issues that are often both spiritual and physical in nature.
Earlier this year I met with the team from Expositors Collective in the mountains of Southern California for a few days of meetings and recording our content into a video series.
During our time, we recorded a discussion for the Expositors Collective podcast, which turned out surprisingly well! We started off talking about pet peeves, but finished with a strong discussion about creating a discipleship pathway for your church.
Sometimes when people hear the word “discipleship,” it invokes an image in their mind of one-on-one mentorship, studying through a book together. Certainly this is one method of making disciples, but to conceive of discipleship only in this way is incredibly reductionistic.
Discipleship is a multifaceted thing, and requires multiple inputs and opportunities for growth. Everything from attending worship services, serving, taking Communion, participating in small group Bible studies – just to name a few – are ways that people are equipped as disciples of Jesus.
In this episode, Dr. John Whittaker (check out johnwhittaker.net) mentions the importance of creating a discipleship pathway, and I join in with my thoughts on why it is important. Shortly after this trip, I went to Ukraine and Serbia, where I spoke a lot with church leaders there about the importance of creating discipleship pathways for their churches. Upon returning home, we discussed this at our staff meeting at White Fields Church, and our Executive Pastor, Jason, put together this great infographic to share with our church. Maybe it can be helpful for you as well, as you think about creating a discipleship pathway for your church.
For many people, the study of the “End Times” can feel mysterious and disorienting. But, upon examination, what you find is that there are really only three main lenses through which people interpret the eschatological texts in the Bible.
In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, my friend Aaron Salvato from the Good Lion Podcast, interviews me about the end times passages in the Bible and I lay out the three different ways these passages have been interpreted, and why.
I outline the futurist, preterist, and idealist positions, and explain how they correspond to premillennialism, postmillennialism, and amillennialism. I also weigh the strengths and weaknesses underlying these different interpretations.
For many people, the study of the “end times” can feel mysterious and disorienting. But, upon examination, what you find is that there are really only three main lenses through which people interpret the eschatological texts in the Bible.
In this episode, my friend Aaron Salvato from the Good Lion Podcast, interviews me about the end times passages in the Bible and I lay out the three different ways these passages have been interpreted, and why.
I outline the futurist, preterist, and idealist positions, and explain how they correspond to premillennialism, postmillennialism, and amillennialism. I also weigh the strengths and weaknesses underlying these different interpretations.
Make sure to visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org
Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known and beloved passages in the Bible. It is often read at funerals, or at times when people are in need of comfort. And yet, there is more to this Psalm than many people realize.
According to David, Psalm 23 echoes the major themes of the Bible and foreshadows God’s saving work through Jesus – in a way that is wonderful, edifying, and encouraging. Rather than being a Psalm for death – he wants to show us how this is a passage about life, for those who follow Jesus!
Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known and beloved passages in the Bible. It is often read at funerals, or at times when people are in need of comfort.
And yet, there is more to this Psalm than many people realize. According to my guest, David Gibson, Psalm 23 echoes the major themes of the Bible and foreshadows God’s saving work through Jesus – in a way that is wonderful, edifying, and encouraging.
Rather than being a Psalm for death – he wants to show us how this is a passage about life, for those who follow Jesus!
David Gibson is the minister of Trinity Church in Aberdeen, Scotland, and the author of several books, including his latest: The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus Our Shepherd, Companion, and Host.
Make sure to check out the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org
Someone recently asked me to give them a list of the equipment and software I use for podcasting. I figured other people might be interested in this info as well, so here you go!
Finally, you’ll need some USB-C cables to connect the mixing board to your computer.
Software
For editing and production, I use Descript. It’s great, and it uses AI to transcribe the episodes, so you can easily edit them. You can also use it to make all kinds of clips with subtitles for social media.
For remote recording, I use Riverside.fm. What’s great about it is that it records locally on each computer, and them uploads the recordings, that way, if someone has a weak connection, it won’t affect the integrity or the quality of the recording.
For publication, I use Spotify for Podcasters. It’s a free service which distributes to all major podcast platforms and gives great analytics.
Theology for the People 