Podcast
BIBLE GEEKS
CONVERSATIONS IN BIBLICAL GEEK
WITH RYAN JOY & BRYAN SCHIELE
Join the conversation!
We’d love for you to be a part of the podcast! To submit a voice question for the us to answer on the show use this link to record your questions straight from your browser.
Robots Revisited — Part 1
300 | Geektober | "People in Our Pizza" | Guard Your Soul from Digital Shortcuts
Geektober gets dangerously digital! We're kicking off a two-part deep dive into artificial intelligence and the church by looking straight into the machine's dark side. Sure, AI can save hours of research, but what happens when we try to automate things that were never meant to be frictionless? Why did King David refuse to offer a sacrifice that cost him nothing — and what does that mean for generating a three-point sermon in three seconds? What happens when a chatbot tries to tell you, "As a pastor myself"? Can a predictive algorithm ever replace the Spirit-filled craftsmanship of Bezalel? And why is a growing generation of Christians starting to deeply distrust the synthetic sheen of AI-generated church content? Join us as we explore the difference between a helpful digital tool and an embodied faith!
Digging Into Bible Archaeology
299 | Geektober | "The Stele Dan" | Dig Into the World Beneath the Word
Grab your fedoras and trowels — Geektober rolls on! This week, we’re stepping into our archaeological time machine to dig up five game-changing artifacts that pull back the curtain on the world of the Bible. Why does reading ancient Canaanite myths from the lost city of Ugarit change how we understand Psalm 29? What can a smashed stone monument teach us about a pagan king spinning his military defeat into ancient propaganda? How does an Assyrian emperor’s boast about trapping Hezekiah “like a bird in a cage” accidentally verify the miraculous biblical account in Isaiah? What does an ancient Persian cylinder say about God using an unlikely ruler to bring His people home? And what was it like to unroll two tiny, 2,600-year-old silver scrolls carrying the exact priestly blessing we speak at the end of every episode? Join us as we explore how broken pottery, carved stone prisms, and ancient inscriptions anchor our faith in real-world history!
Spiritual Beings
298 | Geektober | “Stuck on the Witch of Endor” | Peer Into the Spiritual Realm
Grab your nerd glasses — Geektober is officially here! We're kicking off our annual monthlong deep dive by pulling back the curtain on the unseen realm to ask: what's the deal with spiritual beings? From angels and demons to cherubim, seraphim, watchers, and the divine council, why does the Bible give us so many mysterious names without handing us an official field guide? How can the Hebrew word Elohim describe both the Creator of the universe and the departed prophet Samuel conjured by the Witch of Endor? Why did Jesus disarm cosmic principalities at the cross like a TSA security checkpoint? And what does a massive unseen war have to do with losing your patience in the grocery checkout line? Join us as we break out our three sorting questions — allegiance, rank, and function — to make sense of the unseen realm and marvel at the King who rules over it all!
Boundary Crossings
297 | “Dude, Get a New T-Shirt” | Step Boldly Into Life's New Seasons
Grab your moving dollies and roll up your pant legs — the fall season is here! We're kicking things off on the muddy banks of the Jordan River in Joshua 3 and 4. Why does stepping into a new season paralyze us, and why does God so often wait until our feet are soaking wet before making a way forward? What can forty years of eating the exact same breakfast teach us about letting go of our comfort zones? How do we stop clinging to the relics of who we used to be? And what does it take to set up our own "Ebenezer" stones so we don't forget the God who brought us through the flood? Join us for a fun, vulnerable conversation about crossing our own rivers, saying goodbye to the past, and trusting the Lord with whatever is waiting on the other side!
Ordinary Holiness: Clothes by Ryan Joy
296 | Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular | Clothe Yourself in Ordinary Holiness
Surf's up for the grand finale of our Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular! To close out the series, Ryan Joy steps into the pulpit to share a lesson from his Ordinary Holiness series on a topic every single one of us engaged with this morning: what we wear. Moving far beyond legalistic checklists and ruler-measured hemlines, this sermon traces the theological thread of clothing from the garden of Eden to the foot of the cross. Why are humans the only creatures who wear clothes across every culture and climate? From the vulnerability of nakedness and shame in Genesis 3 to the social signals our outfits project, Ryan breaks down the what, why, and how of biblical dress. Discover how modesty is rooted in order and propriety, why generosity means looking at our overflowing closets through the eyes of John the Baptist, and how Jesus was stripped bare on the cross so that we could be clothed in His righteousness.
An Ezer Like Him by Bryan Schiele
295 | Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular | Stand With Your Helper
Surf's up for another entry in our Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular! Between cross-country moving logistics, hauling heavy furniture, and nursing sore backs, Bryan steps up to the pulpit to deliver a powerful lesson all about what it truly means to be a "helper." Starting in the Upper Room with Jesus' promise of "another Helper," Bryan unpacks four Old Testament and New Testament snapshots of God stepping into impossible situations when His people are outmatched and outgunned. But the lesson takes a dramatic turn back to Genesis 2. Exploring the Hebrew roots of Ezer(rescuer, strength) and Kenegdo (corresponding, eye-to-eye puzzle piece), alongside God's fierce, womb-like compassion (Rahamim), this Mother's Day sermon dismantles cultural misconceptions about biblical womanhood and calls us to honor the life-saving strength of the helpers in our lives.
Does God Actually Care? by Michael Eldridge
294 | Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular | Pray With Confidence to a Loving Father
Wax up your boards — the Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular rolls on! This week, guest speaker Michael Eldridge (widely known across the internet as Acapeldridge) joins the show to tackle a vulnerable and searching question: Does God actually care? Starting with the historical background of Enlightenment Deism and Thomas Jefferson's famous "scissor-snipped" Bible, Michael examines how easily a practical deism can creep into our own prayer lives. When our worries feel small, temporary, or insignificant compared to the vastness of the cosmos, does the Creator of the universe really stoop down to listen? From Jesus' gut-level compassion (splanchnizomai) toward grieving widows and suffering lepers to the powerful assurance given to Daniel that his prayers were heard from the very first day, this lesson will renew your confidence in a Father who desires true camaraderie and actively inclines His ear when you speak.
Pierce My Ear, Lord by Allen Greeley
293 | Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular | Choose Lifelong Servitude to the Master
Grab your surfboards and pack up your moving pods — the Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular continues! This week, podcast fan-favorite Allen Greeley returns to unpack one of the most bizarre and ancient laws in the Torah: the ear-piercing ceremony of Deuteronomy 15. Why would a released slave in ancient Israel voluntarily choose to remain a servant forever? By examining the historical context of debt slavery versus human trafficking, Allen shows how an awl driven into a wooden doorpost reveals the overwhelming goodness of a master. We'll trace this ancient ceremony straight into Paul's argument in Romans 6 to discover what it means to present our bodies as voluntary, lifelong "slaves to righteousness." If you're tired of serving God out of cold duty or fear, this sermon is a refreshing call to declare: "Pierce my ear, Lord — I want to stay in Your house forever!"
The B-I-B-L-E by Jeff O’Rear
292 | Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular | Stand Firm on the Word of God
Surf's up for another installment of our Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular! This week, our buddy Jeff O'Rear returns to take us back to Sunday School basics with a fresh look at a classic VBS childhood song: The B-I-B-L-E. In a digital age where the Scriptures sit on our smartphones right alongside social media, games, and house-hunting apps, Jeff asks a searching question: Do we treat the Bible as just another self-help book or convenience app, or do we revere it as the living Word of God? Moving from the delight of the blessed man in Psalm 1 to Ezra's three-step blueprint for spiritual leadership (study, do, teach), this sermon challenges us to rediscover the gritty depth of Bible stories, move past "first and second opinions," and stand firmly on the sufficient, inspired scriptures.
When You’re Spiritually Dry by Emerson Brown
291 | Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular | Find Hope and Refreshment
Surf's up for another entry in our Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular! This week, guest speaker Emerson Brown joins us to tackle a deeply relatable reality every Christian faces: seasons of spiritual drought. When prayer feels like a routine, worship lacks spark, and Sunday mornings feel exhausting rather than refreshing, it’s easy to worry that our faith is slipping away. Drawing from the raw emotional landscape of Psalm 42, Emerson shows why feeling dry isn't a sign of lost faith — it's an invitation to honest lament. From learning how to speak truth back to our own downcast hearts to discovering spiritual survival tips from backyard squirrels navigating ten inches of snow, this lesson equips us to stay anchored in faithful routines until the rain returns.
Every Perfect Gift by Ryan Goodwin
290 | Seven Sermon Summer Surfin’ Spectacular | Peel Back the Layers of God's Grace
Grab your sunscreen and a cold glass of homemade watermelon agua fresca — the Seven Sermon Summer Surfin' Spectacular is rolling on! This week, guest speaker Ryan Goodwin joins us to unpack a fascinating question: Why does James 1:17 make a distinction between "every good thing given" and "every perfect gift"? Through a beautifully illustrated lesson with Grandpa's baseball mitt, a hand-forged Roman iron spike, and a set of custom Russian nesting dolls, Ryan breaks down "the gift behind the gift." We'll explore how our human craving for sentiment, beauty, and relational depth completely dismantles pure materialism and serves as an undeniable, built-in proof of God's existence. Get ready to peel back the layers of God's perfect gifts!
James Inside-Out
289 | “There You Are” | Build a Whole Faith
What if faith isn’t mainly about what you know or what you say, but what’s happening inside you that inevitably works its way out into your everyday life? To close out the season, we’re diving into the book of James for a deep look at “blue-collar,” inside-out Christianity. With a high-stakes lightning round of “Jesus or James,” we see how heavily James borrows from the Sermon on the Mount. Then, we pull back the hood on all five chapters to map out how a wholehearted faith radically reframes our trials, transforms our words, and exposes the inner wars driving our outer conflicts. From practical tracking strategies in the brutal heat of life to using the tongue as a mechanical steering lever, this episode is a diagnostic check for the soul. Plus, stick around for a quick look at the road ahead as the show gears up for the Seven Sermon Summer Surfing Spectacular and a major cross-country studio relocation!
Mini: Imagining Home
288 | “Eutychuses Everywhere” | Think of Your Eternal Home
When you close your eyes and imagine eternity, does it feel a little fuzzy, blurry, or — dare we say — boring? Too many of us treat our final destination like a vague cloud-land instead of the vibrant home it’s actually designed to be. Inspired by a late-night question from Ryan’s daughter and a beautiful womb analogy, this mini-episode takes a sledgehammer to the misconceptions of the afterlife. We’re kicking open the door to Revelation 21 and 22 to look at the powerful “negatives” that reveal a beautiful positive. From the erasure of the chaotic sea and restrictive temples to the end of night, pain, and death, we explore how our eternal reality is filled with absolute access, deep relationships, and the ultimate joy of seeing Christ face-to-face. It’s time to stop settling for a blurry hope and start daydreaming about our true forever home!
Paul Upside-Down
287 | “That Doesn't Make Any Sense” | Live the Upside-Down Life
What does real strength look like in the kingdom of God? We live in a world obsessed with a scorecard of independence, power, polish, and visible success. But in this episode, we dive into 2 Corinthians to look at Paul’s completely inverted, upside-down life. From the shocking historical context of a Roman triumphal procession — where we discover we are actually the captured slaves walking behind the Conqueror — to the fragile reality of being a literal “shoebox” holding a priceless treasure, Paul flips our ideas of success completely on their head. We explore how to stop obsessing over “fixing the jar” and learn to embrace our thorns, our cracks, and our weaknesses so that Christ’s power can fill all things.
Blueprint for Unity
286 | “We Just Say Stuff” | Build the Body
We’ve all been part of a nightmare group project — whether it’s pulling an all-nighter sleeping on a lab floor or surviving a high-stress church event that tests your marriage. But while human collaborations constantly break down, Ephesians 4 gives us a flawless, practical blueprint for spiritual unity. This week, we’re diving into Jesus’ high priestly prayer to see what a “Trinitarian union” actually looks like in everyday church life. We talk about the difference between creating unity and maintaining what the Spirit already built, how to tell a load-bearing truth from a personal opinion, and why church leaders are more like sports coaches equipping a team. Finally, we look at what it means to “truth in love” so you can stop behaving like a relational wrecking ball. Strip off the masks, pull up a chair, and let’s find out where our churches need to grow!
Mini: Grace’s Unlikely Community
285 | “Receive Your Face” | Reclassify Strangers Through Shared Grace
We naturally drift toward people who look, think, and vote like us because echo chambers are comfortable. But the gospel does not find a community that fits; it creates a family out of people who do not. In this mini-episode, we play the “Galatians 3:28 Sledgehammer Game” to see how God's grace smashes through first-century status and identity walls. From the radical social reclassification of Philemon and Onesimus to the barrier-breaking dinner tables of Peter and Cornelius, we look at how grace functions as the ultimate social leveler. We also discuss historical insights from Pliny the Younger, an ancient prayer turned completely on its head, and what it practically means to be a “face receiver” in our modern, divided culture. Grab your sledgehammer and let's pull up a chair to grace's unlikely community!
Grace in the Old Testament
284 | “So Good, You Are the Worst” | Experience the Grace of the Old Testament
Think the Old Testament God is all thunder, lightning, and judgment while the New Testament God is all gracious and loving? Think again! This week, we're diving into the exact moment God defined Himself right after Israel's absolute worst failure — the golden calf incident. It turns out Exodus 34:6–7 is essentially the "John 3:16 of the Old Testament." We pull apart deep Hebrew concepts like “rachum” (visceral, gut-level compassion) and “hesed” (loyal, covenant love), explore why Jonah tried to weaponize God's goodness as a complaint, and discover that Jesus isn't a shift from the Father — He's the perfect, face-to-face reflection of who God has always been.
Bracket Winner: Esther
283 | “I Put On an Audiobook” | Walk by Faith Not Sight
Our Bible bracket has a winner, and it's none other than the cinematic, high-stakes Queen of Persia — Esther! But why is God's name totally missing from the script? This week, we're geeking out on the "shadow cabinet" of the Persian court, looking for the fingerprints of a God who works through insomnia, coincidences, and "reverse cards" to save His people. Whether you're dealing with your own Haman or feeling stuck in exile, Esther’s story reminds us that silence doesn’t mean absence. Ready to see how God's hidden hand is at work in your own "for such a time as this" moment? Tune in study with us!
Rescuing Romans 7
282 | “Retrain My Brain” | Find Hope in the Struggle
Ever feel like you’re stuck in a loop of doing the very things you hate? This week, we’re joined by our friend Allen Greeley to tackle what some call the “Mount Everest of Pauline issues”: Romans 7. From a debate that started on a ski lift to a deep dive into the “already, not yet” of our adoption as sons, we’re looking at how to navigate the very real struggle with sin without losing our hope in Christ. Whether you see Paul as a struggling Christian or a Jew under the law, one thing is clear: chapter 7 only makes sense when you flip the page to the "no condemnation" victory of chapter 8.
The Family Table
281 | “Thou Shalt Party” | Reclaim the Holiness of Your Table
Are you feeling more lonely than ever, even with all those digital connections? Why is it that God seems to do His best work when there’s food involved? This week, we’re exploring why “pulling up a chair” is a radical act of spiritual warfare against the isolation of our age. We’re diving into the “bread of presence,” Jesus’ scandalous dinner parties, and that incredible moment on the road to Emmaus where the breaking of bread changed everything. Whether it’s a “stinker” of a wedding or a cozy, imperfect “pitch-in,” the table is where we move from performance to presence. It’s time to drop the digital veil and get back to the “baked bean supper“ connection!