In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Dr. Alan Stoddard, who interviews me about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Does it happen simultaneously with salvation, or is it a subsequent experience? How should our understanding of the baptism with the Holy Spirit shape our practice in the church?
Alan is a pastor and church planter with over 25 years of ministry experience. Alan holds a Master’s Degree from Southwestern Seminary, and a Doctorate in preaching from Gordon Conwell. Both Nick and Alan serve as Adjunct Professors at Calvary Chapel Bible College. Alan also teaches at Rockbridge Seminary. Nick and Alan also serve on the Leadership Team of Expositors Collective. This year, on Easter Sunday, Alan launched a new church plant called Imagine Church in Cressen, Texas.
In this episode, Nick and Alan discuss the prepositional approach to understanding the Spirit’s work, and how it helps to address some common questions and even some misconceptions about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Does it happen simultaneously with salvation, or is it a subsequent experience? How should our understanding of the baptism with the Holy Spirit shape our practice in the church? In this episode, Pastor Nick Cady is interviewed by Dr. Alan Stoddard about this topic.Alan is a pastor and church planter with over 25 years of ministry experience. Alan holds a Master’s Degree from Southwestern Seminary, and a Doctorate in preaching from Gordon Conwell. Both Nick and Alan serve as Adjunct Professors at Calvary Chapel Bible College. Alan also teaches at Rockbridge Seminary. Nick and Alan also serve on the Leadership Team of Expositors Collective. This year, on Easter Sunday, Alan launched a new church plant called Imagine Church in Cressen, Texas.In this episode, Nick and Alan discuss the prepositional approach to understanding the Spirit’s work, and how it helps to address some common questions and even some misconceptions about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.Resources to check out: Perspectives on Spirit Baptism – book, recommended by AlanArticle by Nick: "Is the “Baptism in the Spirit” the Same as Being “Filled” With the Holy Spirit? Yes and No. Here’s Why"Subscribe to Theology for the People for more episodes.Visit the Theology for the People website and blog
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.”
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
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!)
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
In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I sit down with returning guest Shane to explore the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451), the fourth ecumenical council of the early church.
Recorded live in Colorado during an Expositors Collective training weekend, this conversation traces the events leading up to Chalcedon, its theological breakthroughs, and its messy aftermath.
From the fallout of the Council of Ephesus, to the clash between the Alexandrian and Antiochian schools of Christology, and the mess of Ephesus II, Shane breaks down the stakes: how do we understand the two natures of Christ—human and divine—in one person?
The episode also tackles the political power plays, the deposition of bishops, and the schisms that followed, including the rise of the Oriental Orthodox churches. Plus, hear why Shane sees Chalcedon as both a triumph and a tragedy—and what it still teaches us today.
Resources Mentioned:
The Definition of Chalcedon (available online for further reading).
In this episode, Nick sits down in person with returning guest Shane to explore the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451), the fourth ecumenical council of the early church. Recorded live in Colorado during an Expositors Collective training weekend, this conversation traces the events leading up to Chalcedon, its theological breakthroughs, and its messy aftermath. From the fallout of the Council of Ephesus to the clash between the Alexandrian and Antiochian schools of Christology, Shane breaks down the stakes: how do we understand the two natures of Christ—human and divine—in one person? The episode also tackles the political power plays, the deposition of bishops, and the schisms that followed, including the rise of the Oriental Orthodox churches. Plus, hear why Shane sees Chalcedon as both a triumph and a tragedy—and what it still teaches us today.Resources Mentioned:The Definition of Chalcedon (available online for further reading).Bruce Shelley’s Church History in Plain Language (Fifth Edition).Augustine’s The Unity of the Church on the role and limits of councils.Visit TheologyforthePeople.com
As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowds erupted in praise. They laid their cloaks on the road, waved palm branches, and shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9).
And yet, Luke’s Gospel tells us that while the crowds cheered, Jesus wept (Luke 19:41). He knew that the fanfare was not going to last, and that many of the people were going to reject the salvation He had come to bring.
The people of Jerusalem wanted a Messiah who could free them from Roman rule. Jesus had come to do something much bigger, and even better, than the best thing they could imagine in that moment. He had come to bring salvation for their souls and establish an everlasting kingdom.
One of the most important lessons we can learn from the events of Palm Sunday is what it means to truly worship Jesus.
1. True Worship Involves Honoring Jesus as King
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey was a deliberate declaration: By fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, Jesus was announcing that He was the long-awaited “Son of David,” the one who would restore the throne of David, which God had promised would be an everlasting house.
And yet, Jesus was also declaring that He was a different kind of king than what many people might have anticipated. Conquering kings ride warhorses. Jesus rode on the foal of a donkey—not even a full-grown donkey! He was coming not to make war against the Romans but to sacrifice His life.
As the people shouted “Hosanna” (“Save now!”), they acknowledged Jesus as their king, even if many of them underestimated the breadth of the nature of the salvation He had come to bring. And yet, they were right to acknowledge Him as their king! The essence of worship is surrender to Jesus as your king: to give Him the place of ultimate authority over every area of your life. True worship means surrendering our plans and expectations into His hands and entrusting ourselves wholly over to Him.
This Palm Sunday, it is worth asking yourself the following: Have I made Jesus my king?
My pastor, Tom Stipe, used to say, “I just want to be a penny in God’s pocket that He can spend wherever and however it pleases Him best.” The essence of worship is surrender, and like Isaiah, who saw a glimpse of God’s glory, when we really understand who God is—both His majesty and His grace—it causes us to respond to His call and surrender our lives to His will. To make Jesus your king means letting Him sit on the throne over you, and following His lead in every area of life.
2. True Worship Involves Receiving His Salvation
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the city was stirred (Matthew 21:10). The Greek word used here is seismos—the same word used for earthquakes. His arrival shook the city.
But rather than leading the crowds up to the Roman garrison at the Atonia Fortress to overthrow the Romans, Jesus led them up onto the Temple Mount, where He overturned the tables of the money changers and spoke out against the corruption of Israel’s religious elites.
The salvation that Jesus came to bring was not the salvation they had been hoping for. Truly, it was something better, but many of them were not able to see that yet. Similarly, there are times in our lives when God does not do what we expect or perhaps hoped He would. True worship in these cases involves walking with God by faith: trusting in His character, His promises, and His Word, and embracing His plan for your life, knowing that He knows what you truly need, and that He who did not spare even His own Son, but gave Him up for you, will surely work all things together for your good, since you are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28, 32).
3. True Worship Involves Yielding to His Purifying Work
When Jesus arrived at the Temple, He did something that surprised those who were gathered there: He overturned tables, drove out the money changers, and said, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers” (Mark 11:17).
The religious leaders had turned the “courtyard of the Gentiles” into a marketplace. Here, Jesus is quoting two Old Testament passages. The first, Isaiah 56:7, describes the coming of the Gentiles to worship the Lord in the Temple. The second, Jeremiah 7:11, describes how people in Jeremiah’s time wrongly assumed that they could escape God’s judgment for their sins by hiding out in the Temple. Rather than reaching out to the world with God’s love and truth, the religious leaders of that time had turned the space meant for welcoming outsiders to come near to God into a place that lined their own pockets with revenue from the fees paid by merchants who sold goods. By cleansing the Temple, Jesus was asserting that He is the Lord over the Temple, and He was reclaiming it for its true purpose.
In the New Testament, we are told that we are now God’s temple, both corporately, as the church, and individually as believers in whom God’s Spirit dwells (1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Peter 2:5). Just as Jesus cleansed the Temple back then, Jesus desires to cleanse and purify us as well, and claim us for the purpose He intends and desires for our lives and our churches to have.
Are there things in your life that Jesus desires to overturn and drive out—things that are not helpful, and need to go? Perhaps there are sinful attitudes or unhelpful practices that He wants to cleanse out of your life. Like the religious leaders, we can resist His purifying work. But when we yield to the cleansing He desires to do, we find greater joy, freedom, and increased effectiveness for His purposes in and through our lives.
How Will You Respond to Jesus this Palm Sunday?
The people of Jerusalem welcomed Jesus with praise—but when He didn’t meet their expectations, their worship faded into rejection.
How about you?
Will you honor Jesus as your King by giving Him the place of authority over your life?
Will you receive His salvation by putting your faith and trust in Him today? Will you yield to His purifying work, allowing Him to cleanse you from anything that is holding you back from living out the fullness of His purpose for you?
True worship is about surrendering every area of our lives to Jesus, trusting that His kingdom, His salvation, and His cleansing work are what we need most.
In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, we continue our series on the first four ecumenical councils of the early church, diving into the Council of Ephesus (431 AD).
Matthew Pursely, Executive Pastor at Park Hill Church in San Diego, CA, joins us again to explore the theological debates surrounding Nestorius, the nature of Christ, and the implications of the hypostatic union—Jesus being fully God and fully man.
We discuss how this council addressed Nestorianism, affirmed Mary as the “Theotokos” (God-bearer), and shaped Christian understanding of communion and humanity’s connection to Christ.
The Council of Ephesus (431 AD): Hypostatic Union, Nestorianism, & Theotokos – with Matt Pursely –
Theology for the People
In this episode, we continue our series on the first four ecumenical councils of the early church, diving into the Council of Ephesus (431 AD). Matthew Pursely joins us again to explore the theological debates surrounding Nestorius, the nature of Christ, and the implications of the hypostatic union—Jesus being fully God and fully man. We discuss how this council addressed Nestorianism, affirmed Mary as the "Theotokos" (God-bearer), and shaped Christian understanding of communion and humanity’s connection to Christ.Recommended ResourcesFor those wanting to dive deeper into the councils and related theology:Edward Siecienski – The Filioque: History of a Doctrinal ControversyAdonis Vidu – Exploring the Doctrine of Divine InseparabilityJohn Behr – The Nicene Faith (2 volumes) and John the Theologian and the Mystery of ChristKallistos Anatolios – Retrieving NicaeaJohn Henry Newman – Arians of the Fourth CenturyWilliam Bright – Notes on the Canons of the First Four General CouncilsTodd Miles – Superheroes Can’t Save You: Epic Examples of Historic Heresies (compares heresies to superhero archetypes—highly recommended entry-level read).Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Theology for the People podcastVisit the Theology for the People website at theologyforthepeople.com
How did the early church come to a clear understanding of who Jesus is and how the Holy Spirit relates to the Father and the Son? And why did it take more than one council to settle these questions?
In this episode, I’m joined again by Matthew Pursley, Executive Pastor at Park Hill Church in San Diego, CA, and an expert in historical theology. Last time, we discussed the Council of Nicaea, and in this episode, we continue the conversation by diving into the Second Ecumenical Council—Constantinople (381 AD).
We discuss why the Council of Constantinople was necessary even after Nicaea, the role of the Cappadocian Fathers in defining the Trinity, the Filioque controversy, and how this council still shapes our faith to this day.
How did the early church come to a clear understanding of who Jesus is and how the Holy Spirit relates to the Father and the Son? And why did it take more than one council to settle these questions?In this episode, I'm joined again by Matt Pursley, Executive Pastor at Park Hill Church in San Diego, CA, and an expert in historical theology. Last time, we discussed the Council of Nicaea, and in this episode, we continue the conversation by diving into the Second Ecumenical Council—Constantinople (381 AD).We discuss why the Council of Constantinople was necessary even after Nicaea, the role of the Cappadocian Fathers in defining the Trinity, the Filioque controversy, and how this council still shapes our faith to this day. Make sure to visit the Theology for the People website.
In the latest episode, I speak with theologian, author, and pastor Sam Storms about what it truly means to experience the love of God.
In a culture where love is often redefined and misunderstood, how can we anchor ourselves in the steadfast love that Scripture proclaims? We discuss how culture has distorted the meaning of love, the biblical concept of God’s covenantal and unshakable love, and why love is meant to be more than just a doctrine we affirm—it’s meant to be a reality we feel.
Sam and I also explore how God’s love transforms us, the tension between love and truth in our world today, and practical steps for keeping ourselves in the love of God.
What does it truly mean to experience the love of God? In a culture where love is often redefined and misunderstood, how can we anchor ourselves in the steadfast love that Scripture proclaims?In this episode, I sit down with theologian, author, and pastor Sam Storms to talk about his latest book, The Steadfast Love of the Lord. We discuss how culture has distorted the meaning of love, the biblical concept of God's covenantal and unshakable love, and why love is meant to be more than just a doctrine we affirm—it’s meant to be a reality we feel.We also explore how God's love transforms us, the tension between love and truth in our world today, and practical steps for keeping ourselves in the love of God.Resources Mentioned:The Steadfast Love of the Lord Sam Storms' website: www.samstorms.orgExpositors Collective Training WeekendVisit TheologyForThePeople.com
“Thou that hast giv’n so much to me, Give one thing more, a gratefull heart: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not thankfull when it pleaseth me, As if Thy blessings had spare days; But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.“ (George Herbert, “Gratefulnesse,” 1633)
There is a tendency I have noticed in myself: I am quick to pray and ask God for things that I need. In fact, if I were to categorize my prayers, the majority are requests. There is nothing inherently wrong with this; Jesus encouraged us to ask the Father for what we need (e.g., Matthew 7:7-11). When we ask God to do things that are beyond our capabilities, we honor Him because it shows that we believe in his power and ability, and it expresses our reliance on Him. I often encourage our church to honor the Lord by praying for big and great things rather than assuming that such things are “too big” for Him.
However, the tendency I have noticed in myself is that I often fail to stop, reflect, and thank God for the things that He has done, and the prayers He has answered. I am quick to move on to the next need or the next task without stopping to praise God for His provision and His faithfulness.
A Lesson from the Lepers (Luke 17:11-12)
In the Gospel of Luke, we read about a time when Jesus passed between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a certain village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and cried out to Jesus, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
These lepers were helpless, and they were hopeless. Their incurable disease not only destroyed their bodies but also made them outcasts from society. Cut off from their families, communities, and places of worship, their lives were characterized by isolation and suffering.
Leprosy is often recognized as a type, or a picture, of sin and what sin does in our lives. Like leprosy, sin leads to a hardening of the heart, a loss of feeling; it causes a person to lose parts of themselves, and it ultimately ruins them and leads to death. Because there was no cure for leprosy, the fact that Jesus healed lepers was a sign that He was the Messiah (Matthew 11:2-5).
Hearing their cries for help, Jesus had mercy on these ten lepers, and He healed them. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests so that the priests could inspect them according to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 13-14), to verify that they had been healed and pronounce them as clean so they could be restored to society.
Quickly, the ten lepers ran off, overjoyed and eager to have their cleansing verified by the priests — but one of them stopped and turned back. While the others ran off ahead, this one returned and “praising God in a loud voice, he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving thanks” (Luke 17:15-16).
To make the story even more surprising, Jesus points out that the one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan, a group whom many Jews considered themselves superior to. Jesus then expressed His consternation that, whereas ten were healed, only one returned to give thanks and praise God for what he had received.
Pausing to Praise and Give Thanks
This story challenges us to consider our own actions: When God hears your prayers, how do you respond?
Like those lepers, those whose faith is in Jesus have been cleansed from an incurable condition; we have been saved from death and destruction and given a new destiny. Additionally, we have experienced God’s faithfulness through His provision. God hears our prayers and has provided for our needs. How ought we to respond to this?
There is nothing wrong with making requests of God; not only does He invite us to do it, but we honor Him by doing so. However, what we see from this passage is the importance of returning to the Lord, acknowledging what He has done, and thanking Him and praising Him for His faithfulness and goodness.
For those who are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, we have the opportunity to do just that. May this Thanksgiving holiday be a reminder to us to stop and give thanks, and may it spark a habit of thanksgiving in our hearts that lasts throughout the year.
I thought this might be of interest to my readers, so check it out and feel free to share thoughts in the comments.
Many people may not realize that differences in verse inclusions across Bible translations often arise from the Greek New Testament edition chosen by the translators.
For instance, NIV translators didn’t “remove” verses present in the KJV; they were simply translating from different underlying manuscripts. These manuscripts have been compiled into two slightly different Greek New Testament editions.
Translation and textual criticism (determining which text is closest to the original) are related but distinct fields. Translation committees generally rely on the textual decisions made by textual critics who compile the Greek New Testaments used for translation.
Most Bible translations today are based on either the Textus Receptus (TR, or “Received Text”) or the Critical Text (CT, like the Nestle-Aland 28th Edition or United Bible Society 5th Edition). The KJV, NKJV, and MEV use the Textus Receptus, while the majority of other translations (such as the ESV, NIV, NASB, NLT, NET, and CSB) use the Critical Text.
Some translations, like the WEB and MSB, use a third option, the Majority Text (MT), which is less commonly known. Bible translations also vary in the number of textual footnotes they provide. For example, the NASB often includes fewer footnotes, while the NKJV has more than average, and the CSB, BSB, and WEB offer extensive notes (they’re the only translations I’ve seen with a note on the variant in Matthew 6:1).
A great resource for studying textual differences is the Text-Critical English New Testament: Byzantine Text Version, which shows the percentage of manuscripts supporting each reading. Sunday’s example was fascinating: most modern translations omit Matthew 17:21 (“But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting”) based on the Critical Text. However, a significant majority (87.7%) of Greek manuscripts do include this verse, whereas only a small fraction (0.6%) omit it.
While simply counting manuscripts isn’t necessarily the best way to determine authenticity, referring to 87.7% as merely “some” rather than “many” or “most” seems misleading.
It’s also unfortunate that the Majority Text and its close counterpart, the Byzantine Text, are so rarely discussed. God has blessed us with a rich manuscript tradition, and I think it’s important to consider the majority of these texts as part of faithfully stewarding this blessing.
Finally, I want to emphasize that I view all major modern evangelical translations as wonderful, reliable gifts from God. I use and recommend them all.
Theology for the People 