Tag: Gospel

Seeing Jesus in the Psalms through Hebrews – with Daniel Stevens

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In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Daniel Stevens, who is Assistant Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Boyce College (the undergraduate college of Southern Seminary) and author of Songs of the Son: Reading the Psalms with the Author of Hebrews. 

In this episode, Daniel shares how his accidental dive into Hebrews sparked a decade-long passion, revealing how the Psalms prophetically point to Jesus. 
We talk about the question of who wrote Hebrews, and why it matters — and we talk about how reading the Psalms through the lens of Hebrews can deepen our worship and appreciation of Jesus.

Notable Quotes:
• Daniel on Hebrews’ Use of Psalms: “When the author to the Hebrews wanted to make an argument about Jesus, one of the most common places that he goes is to the Psalms.”
• On Christological Reading: “It’s not reading something into it, it’s reading what’s there and reasoning from it.”
• On Hebrews’ Argument: “It’s not comparing bad to good… it’s good to better.”
• For Believers: “If these Psalms aren’t first about us, but about a thing that Jesus has done for us… we can worship Him in finding them.”

More Resources: Follow Daniel on X

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Seeing Jesus in the Psalms through Hebrews – with Daniel Stevens – Theology for the People

Daniel Stevens is Assistant Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Boyce College and author of Songs of the Son: Reading the Psalms with the Author of Hebrews. In this episode, Daniel shares how his accidental dive into Hebrews sparked a decade-long passion, revealing how the Psalms prophetically point to Jesus. We talk about the question of who wrote Hebrews, and why it matters — and we talk about how reading the Psalms through the lens of Hebrews can deepen our worship and appreciation of Jesus.Notable QuotesDaniel on Hebrews’ Use of Psalms: “When the author to the Hebrews wanted to make an argument about Jesus, one of the most common places that he goes is to the Psalms.”On Christological Reading: “It’s not reading something into it, it’s reading what’s there and reasoning from it.”On Hebrews’ Argument: “It’s not comparing bad to good… it’s good to better.”For Believers: “If these Psalms aren’t first about us, but about a thing that Jesus has done for us… we can worship Him in finding them.”More Resources: Follow Daniel on XConnect with Us:Subscribe to Theology for the People for more episodes.Visit the Theology for the People website and blog

How God is at Work in Ukraine – with Zhenya Chekushkin

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In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Zhenya Chekushkin: a pastor from Western Ukraine and a longtime friend. Zhenya shares about his experience of growing up in a communist military family in the Soviet Union, coming to faith at age 13, and now leading a church through the ongoing war in Ukraine.

From the fall of the Soviet Union to the rise of evangelicalism and the current conflict, Zhenya offers a firsthand perspective on how God is moving amid chaos—and how listeners can join in.

How You Can be Involved and Support:
◦ Financially: Donate to the Ukraine Relief Fund at whitefieldschurch.com under the giving tab.
◦ In Person: Short-term mission trips (conferences, camps, building projects) or longer-term ministry—contact Jenia via White Fields or social media.
◦ Church Planting: Opportunities available with Calvary Chapel Ukraine’s support. See: cultivatechurchplanting.com
• Stay Updated: Email calvarychapelukraine@gmail.com to join Zhenya’s newsletter list (every 2-3 months).

Film Mention: The Book of Eli – A post-apocalyptic tale of a man preserving the Bible, reflecting on morality without God (not sponsored, just Zhenya’s pick!)

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

How God is at Work in Ukraine – with Zhenya Chekushkin – Theology for the People

Zhenya Chekushkin is a pastor from Western Ukraine and a longtime friend. Zhenya shares his unique story: growing up in a communist military family, coming to faith at 13, and now leading a church through the ongoing war in Ukraine. From the fall of the Soviet Union to the rise of evangelicalism and the current conflict, Zhenya offers a firsthand perspective on how God is moving amid chaos—and how listeners can join in.Support Options:Financially: Donate to the Ukraine Relief Fund at whitefieldschurch.com under the giving tab.In Person: Short-term mission trips (conferences, camps, building projects) or longer-term ministry—contact Jenia via White Fields or social media.Church Planting: Opportunities available with Calvary Chapel Ukraine’s support—reach out for details.Stay Updated: Email calvarychapelukraine@gmail.com to join Zhenya's newsletter list (every 2-3 months).Film Mention: The Book of Eli – A post-apocalyptic tale of a man preserving the Bible, reflecting on morality without God (not sponsored, just Zhenya's pick!).Connect with Us:Subscribe to Theology for the People podcastVisit the Theology for the People website at theologyforthepeople.com

The First Council of Nicaea: What Actually Happened & Why Does It Matter?

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When we talk about “the Early Church” many people’s minds immediately go to the first generation of Christianity, recorded in the Book of Acts and addressed in the New Testament. But what happened after that, and why does it matter for Christians living today?

Matt Pursley is the Executive Pastor at Park Hill Church in San Diego, California. He has a Masters in Christian History, and in this episode, Matt and I discuss the First Council of Nicaea: what led to it and what it produced.

We address many of the common misconceptions about Nicaea, and we discuss the early heresies of Marcionism, Gnosticism, and Arianism, and why it’s important for Christians today to understand those heresies, and why they were rejected.

Along the way we also talk about Jordan Peterson, who Matt says is a modern Marcionite, and how the errors of both liberalism and fundamentalism have a similar origin.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

The First Council of Nicaea: What Actually Happened & Why Does It Matter for Us Today? – Theology for the People

When we talk about “the Early Church” many people’s minds immediately go to the first generation of Christianity, recorded in the Book of Acts and addressed in the New Testament. But what happened after that, and why does it matter for Christians living today? Matt Pursley is the Executive Pastor at Park Hill Church in San Diego, California. He has a Masters in Christian History, and in this episode, Matt and I discuss the First Council of Nicaea: what led to it and what it produced. We address many of the common misconceptions about Nicaea, and we discuss the early heresies of Marcionism, Gnosticism, and Arianism, and why it’s important for Christians today to understand those heresies, and why they were rejected. Along the way we also talk about Jordan Peterson, who Matt says is a modern Marcionite, and how the errors of both liberalism and fundamentalism have a similar origin. Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

Youtube LIVE Update + Local Opportunities to Connect

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Last Thursday I hosted a YouTube LIVE Q&A for the first time, and it went better than I expected!

I answered questions about politics, the Holy Spirit, suicide, and demonic possession – and more people tuned in than I had anticipated!

Here’s the video of that recording if you’d like to watch back. If you turn on the comments, you can see people posting their questions and feedback.

We’re Doing It Again!

Since it went so well, we are going to be doing this more regularly; we’re currently aiming for doing it weekly on Thursdays – so please join us for that, and please help us spread the word about it, so more people can be part of it and ask their questions!

On this particular occasion, I will be going live from the clubhouse of a golf course because I already had a tee time scheduled before we decided to start doing these live Q&A videos! So please join me in praying that the wifi works well at the clubhouse! And if you want to see my golf attire, you’ll have to tune in!

Here’s the link for that scheduled video, and with this you’ll also be able to watch it (or re-watch it) afterwards:

This Weekend: Rhythm at Roosevelt + Live Q&A On Site!

This Saturday (September 21, 2024) is the Rhythm at Roosevelt festival in Longmont, at Roosevelt Park from 2-10 PM.

White Fields Church will have a booth there, so please come by if you attend. We will be handing out popcorn and free swag and hoping to connect with many people in the community.

As part of our time there, we will be doing a Live Q&A, which will be broadcasted on YouTube, and people will have the opportunity to ask questions in person as well.

Here’s the link for that YouTube event, if you can’t come out in person:

Golf Marathon for YoungLife in the St Vrain Valley

On Monday, Sept. 23rd I am participating in a fundraiser to support YoungLife in the St. Vrain Valley. To raise money, I will be playing a marathon of 45 holes of golf in one day!

My wife Rosemary volunteers with YoungLife and both my high schoolers attend their gatherings. YoungLife specializes in building relationships with teenagers, walking with them through the highs and lows of their teen years, and introducing them to Jesus. YoungLife establishes mentoring relationships between Christian adults and teens, many of whom have no connection to church.

If you would like to join in supporting this local ministry with any amount, you can do so by clicking here: St Vrain Valley YoungLife Golf Marathon 2024

A Biblical Theology of Spiritual Growth, & Creating a Discipleship Pathway – with John Whittaker

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What is a discipleship pathway, and how do you go about creating one? What is the process by which people grow spiritually, and how do we help them do that?

Dr. John Whittaker has served as a pastor and theologian for many years, in different capacities. He is the author of The Listener’s Commentary, an audio commentary of the Bible, that is available online. He is also the host of the Bible in Life Podcast. 

About half-way through the conversation, I show John our church’s discipleship pathway, and he gives his raw, unscripted feedback on it, so make sure to listen until then, to see if our discipleship pathway passed his test!

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

A Biblical Theology of Spiritual Growth, & Creating a Discipleship Pathway – with John Whittaker – Theology for the People

What is a discipleship pathway, and how do you go about creating one? What is the process by which people grow spiritually, and how do we help them do that? Dr. John Whittaker has served as a pastor and theologian for many years, in different capacities. He is the author of The Listener’s Commentary, an audio commentary of the Bible, that is available online. He is also the host of the Bible in Life Podcast.  About half-way through the conversation, I show John our church’s discipleship pathway, and he gives his raw, unscripted feedback on it, so make sure to listen until then, to see if our discipleship pathway passed his test! Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

A Biblical Vision for Leadership – with John Currie

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Leadership is a very popular topic in modern business discussions, but what does the Bible have to say about leadership? And is there a difference between the vision for leadership given in the Bible versus that which comes from the world?

In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with John Currie, who is professor of pastoral theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has also served as a pastor in different churches and denominations, and in these roles, he has seen that sometimes pastors thrive in preaching, but struggle with leadership, or vice versa.

In his recent book, The Pastor as Leader: Principles and Practices for Connecting Preaching and Leadership, John gives a biblical vision for a uniquely Christian approach to leadership.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

A Biblical Vision for Leadership – with John Currie – Theology for the People

Leadership is a very popular topic in modern business discussions, but what does the Bible have to say about leadership? And is there a difference between the vision for leadership given in the Bible versus that which comes from the world? John Currie is professor of pastoral theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has also served as a pastor in different churches and denominations, and in these roles, he has seen that sometimes pastors thrive in preaching, but struggle with leadership, or vice versa. In his recent book, The Pastor as Leader: Principles and Practices for Connecting Preaching and Leadership, John gives a biblical vision for a uniquely Christian approach to leadership.

Cultivating a Heavenward Mindset in an Epicurean World – with Cameron Cole

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Cameron Cole experienced every parent’s worst nightmare: they put their son to bed one night, and in the morning they awoke to find that he had died in his sleep. However, the message of the Gospel, is that their son did indeed wake up — in a greater and more profound way: he awoke to eternal life with Jesus, his Savior.

In the wake of his son’s death, Cameron did a deep dive into the passages in the New Testament where Paul the Apostle writes about Heaven and eternal life. That study gave birth to his recent book, Heavenward: How Eternity Can Change Your Life on Earth.

In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Cameron about what he learned through this experience, and how it made him more heavenly minded. Cameron also shares about how to the hope of eternal life ought to shape the way we live here and now.

Cameron’s ministry, Rooted, seeks to equip parents and churches to disciple children and students towards lifelong faith in Jesus Christ.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Cultivating a Heavenward Mindset in an Epicurean World – with Cameron Cole – Theology for the People

Cameron Cole experienced every parent’s worst nightmare: they put their son to bed one night, and in the morning they awoke to find that he had died in his sleep. However, the message of the Gospel, is that their son did indeed wake up in a greater and more profound way: he awoke to eternal life with Jesus, his Savior. In the wake of his son’s death, Cameron did a deep dive into the passages in the New Testament where Paul the Apostle writes about Heaven and Eternal Life. That study gave birth to his recent book, Heavenward: How Eternity Can Change Your Life on Earth. In our discussion, Cameron shares what he learned through this experience, and how it made him more heavenly minded. Cameron also shares about how to the hope of eternal life ought to shape the way we live here and now. Check out Cameron’s ministry: Rooted, which seeks to equip parents and churches to disciple children and students towards lifelong faith in Jesus Christ. Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

Does Baptism Play a Role in Salvation? – with Stephen Pomeroy

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Is baptism a requirement for salvation? There are some Christian groups who say that it is and others who say it isn’t. 

In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I am joined by Pastor Stephen Pomeroy of White Fields Community Church, and we look at the Bible verses and arguments which are central to the debate over “baptismal regeneration,” and aim to show you why we believe that every Christian should be baptized, but that, as Christians, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Does Baptism Play a Role in Salvation? – with Stephen Pomeroy – Theology for the People

Is baptism a requirement for salvation? There are some Christian groups who say that it is, and others who say it isn’t.  In this episode of Theology for the People, I am joined by Pastor Stephen Pomeroy from White Fields Community Church, and we look at the Bible verses and arguments which are central to the debate over “baptismal regeneration.” We aim to show you why we believe every Christian should be baptized, but that, as Christians, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

Theological Anthropology: What is It, and How Does It Shape Our Understanding of Ourselves & Others? – with Michael Payne

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Do you know what sex robots, racism, and gender identity all have in common? In addition to being topics that are discussed in this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, these topics are all related to the subject of Theological (or Biblical) Anthropology.

My guest in this episode is Michael Payne. Mike is the Worship Pastor at White Fields Community Church, and he is a graduate student at Western Seminary, where he is pursing a Masters in Theology.

In this episode we talk about what Biblical Anthropology is and how it shapes the way we understand ourselves and others, as well as how our view of anthropology shapes the way we live and interact in the world. 

Check out Michael’s music on Spotify here.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Theological Anthropology: What is It, and How Does It Shape Our Understanding of Ourselves & Others? – with Michael Payne – Theology for the People

Do you know what sex robots, racism, and gender identity all have in common? In addition to being topics that are discussed in this episode, these topics are all related to the subject of Theological (or Biblical) Anthropology. My guest in this episode is Michael Payne. Mike is the Worship Pastor at White Fields Community Church, and he is a graduate student at Western Seminary, where he is pursing a Masters in Theology. In this episode we talk about what Biblical Anthropology is and how it shapes the way we understand ourselves and others, as well as how our view of anthropology shapes the way we live and interact in the world.  Check out Michael's music on Spotify here. Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

Hard is Only Half the Story: The Role of Taking Steps of Faith in Spiritual Growth – with Wendy Zahorjanski

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Taking a step out into the unknown can be scary, and yet, when you do so led by God, it can lead to growth spiritually and benefits for your life.

In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Wendy Zahorjanski. Wendy is a missionary in Serbia, where she lives with her husband, who is Serbian.

I first met Wendy and her husband Danny back when I lived in Hungary, and they were studying at Bible College. Since that time, they have moved to a city in Central Serbia called Kragujevac, and they have planted a church there. I recently got to visit Wendy and Danny and see their church, and I’m excited to introduce you to them, and for you to hear more about God’s work in Serbia, and in their lives.

Wendy recently wrote a book about her experiences of stepping into unknown, both in Serbia and in Central Asia, where she spent time earlier. The book is called: Hard Is Only Half the Story: Real Adventures from My Journey into the Unknown. In this book, Wendy talks about the important role that taking steps of faith plays in our spiritual growth, and our relationship with God.

In our conversation, we talk about what it’s like to live as a missionary in Serbia, what makes Serbia unique, and some of the ways that taking steps of faith in obedience to God shapes us and helps us grow.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Hard is Only Half the Story: The Role of Taking Steps of Faith in Spiritual Growth – with Wendy Zahorjanski – Theology for the People

Taking a step into the unknown can be scary, and yet, when led by God, it can lead to incredible spiritual growth and benefits for your life. Wendy Zahorjanski is a missionary in Serbia with her husband, Danny, in the city of Kragujevac, where they planted a church. Wendy recently wrote a book about her experiences stepping into unknown, and she talks about the important role that taking steps of faith plays in our spiritual growth and relationship with God.