The Good Life

Moving Mountains with Ross Byrd

My guest today is Ross Byrd, a writer, musician, surfing instructor. Recently he wrote a series of articles called "On Moving Mountains: Why Miracles are Not What We Think." It captured my imagination and I have been meditating on it for several weeks. It was a delight to talk with Ross about why moving mountains is more than a nice metaphor, why "cause-and-effect" is not as straightforward as we think, and the real reason why God was angry with Moses when he struck the rock rather than spoke to it. 

Ross's Writing

• On Moving Mountains - Part 1
• The Cosmic Middleman - Part 2
• In the House of Tom Bombadil - Part 3
• The Master Soil Tiller 

Leadership in a Change of Age with Dr. John Seel

I've been looking forward to this interview for a long time. Dr. John Seel is a writer, entrepreneur, teacher, administrator, and cultural analyst. He is the son of a medical missionary whose life was changed at the age of eighteen by an short meeting with Dr. Francis Schaeffer. Later he worked with Os Guiness, James Davison Hunter, and quite a few others in the areas of cultural research. He has written books on leadership, discipleship, and manhood, and has his finger on the pulse of American religion culture. 

Today we discuss what it means that we are in a changing age and why leaders can't rely on 20th century models of leadership as their guide. We even got around to discussing AI and why Christians must not forgo our responsibilities to be good stewards of technology. 

Books (Be sure to check out the links - these books are not currently available on Amazon.)

• Liminal Leadership
• Aspirational Masculinity
• Network Power: The Science of Making a Difference

Articles

• The Garden, the Tower, the Temple, and the City
• The Game is Hearts, Not Spades
• A Change of Age
• Beyond the Culture of Nihilism

Glenn Sunshine - Learning to See the Grandeur of God

Hello! Today I welcome Glenn Sunshine from the Theology Pugcast to talk about re-enchanting our worldview. The word "re-enchantment" is prominent right now and there are many poor interpretations of what it means, but as Glenn points out, it has nothing to do with paganism or the occult. We discuss why our modern view of the world is insufficient and why simple practices like prayer, meditation on God's word and world, and paying close attention to the seasons of the year can help us regain a sense of the greatness and grandeur of God. 

• Glenn's Substack page
• Every Square Inch Ministries 
• Glenn's books

 

 

A Christmas Message

This is a brief message of gratitude for all of you who listen.

 

Book Recommendation

• Winter Fire - Ryan Whitaker Smith

The Home as a Place of Formation with Ryan Pugliese

Ryan Pugliese is a husband, father, and history teacher in New Jersey. Recently he wrote an article called "The Modern Home is Anti-Catechism" on his Substack site, Pugliese's Paideia. We had a great discussion on what makes a home, what influenced Ryan toward teaching history, and why busyness is a false religion. 

The Torah - Deuteronomy

In our last lesson on the Torah, we look at the book of Deuteronomy, the final sermons of Moses to prepare Israel for entering the land. Moses reminds them of their past, their special calling from God, and the blessings and curses that come as a part of their covenant with Him. We even answer the question, "Which part of God's law still applies?" 

The Torah - Numbers

By the end of Leviticus, God had finished giving His ceremonial laws to His people. Now it was time for them to enter the Promised Land. Except they weren't ready. Instead they rebelled and had to face the consequences. The book of Numbers is the story of their rebellion and God's faithfulness in bringing them to maturity despite their sin. 

The Torah - Leviticus, Part 2

Why did God give us holidays? In this second lesson on Leviticus, we discuss the major holy days of ancient Israel. We focus especially on the Day of Atonement and what it tells us about our lives now, as well as how the holy days were a guide to the future of God's people. 

The Torah - Leviticus, part 1

Today we look at the first part of the book of Leviticus, a book the discourages many in their Bible reading because of its complexity. We dig into the early chapters, particularly the five offerings and the purity laws, discussing how they are viewed in the New Covenant. 

The Torah - Exodus 18-40

Today we consider the second and lesser-known half of Exodus. We consider the purpose of the law, the building of the tabernacle, and the relevance of both to Christians today.