Stephen returns from a much-needed sabbatical and family vacation to tell you about that, and to express his vision for the ongoing nature of this podcast.
In this episode, Stephen shares some of the things he has learned about what he calls a "Divine Rendezvous", commonly called a quiet time or personal devotional. He addresses what it is, what is important about it, and practical ways to get started.
In this episode, Stephen talks about the importance of understanding what is meant by "expository" when it comes to reading and preaching of the Bible.
In this episode, Stephen asks "what is the Bible", not only in its inspired content but also its inspired forms. He defines the Scriptures as "A multi-genre anthology of inspired literature telling the story of God's redemption." What does this mean? What difference does this make?
In this episode, Stephen addresses the issue of "mindfulness", a concept that is quite popular in culture and in the field of productivity. Acknowledging that much of the popularity is due to the influence of Eastern Mysticism, he raises the question as to whether this has any truth to it, and if there is something Christians can relate to it.
The Bible gives strong warnings against the wisdom of the world. Does this mean that we can't learn anything significant from other sources? Can we receive genuine insights from philosophy, psychology, economics, the arts, etc. In this episode, Stephen makes a biblical distinction between worldly wisdom and wisdom in the world.
Stephen talks about some of the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches to Word ministry, then recommends a holistic and multi-faceted approach to Christian discipleship.
In this episode, Stephen explains his definition of Relational Discipleship as "mutual transparency and accountability around the Word of God and prayer for the purpose of transformation and multiplication in a relationship of love."