Best Tim Gombis Podcasts (2024)

In this episode, I give some updates about the last month or so, and Steve and I talk about the football playoffs and about our experiences in public education.

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Tim Gets Some Perspective 53:01

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7M ago53:01

53:01

In this episode, Steve and I talk about a bunch of different topics, but especially some recent lessons in perspective.

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Gaining Perspective on Our Suffering 54:23

8M ago54:23

54:23

In this episode, Steve and I talk about how holding onto a right perspective helps us deal with our suffering.

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Doing What You Love & Maintaining Perspective 44:21

8M ago44:21

44:21

In this episode, we ended up talking quite a bit about Johnny Marr's autobiography, Set the Boy Free, and the sort of person Marr embodies. He stayed focused on what he loved--playing guitar--and remained committed to those around him, which kept him from losing his perspective on life. I also mentioned a few books: Underland, by Robert Macfarlane;…

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Long Walks & Laughter 46:27

8M ago46:27

46:27

In this episode, Steve and I talk about some of the healing dynamics associated with our practice of taking long walks and the healing power of laughter.

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The Challenges of Our Intellectual Journeys 48:29

8M ago48:29

48:29

In this episode, Steve and I reflect on our personal transformations over the last 25 years, and the emotional, relational, and intellectual dynamics involved in those.

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The Place of Pain and Suffering in the Pursuit of Happiness and Wholeness 49:24

9M ago49:24

49:24

In this episode, Steve and I talk about how painful situations can be catalysts for growth, and under what conditions that can happen.

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The Quest for Certainty in an Uncertain World 41:23

9M ago41:23

41:23

In this episode, Steve and I talk about certainty and uncertainty, reflecting on Mark C. Taylor's comment, in his book, After God, that "Certainty is the symptom of death; uncertainty, the pulse of life."

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Tragic Violence in the Middle East & The Importance of Memory 50:53

9M ago50:53

50:53

In our conversation, Steve and I mention a few books: Mark Tessler, A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; Elias Chacour, Blood Brothers: The Dramatic Story of a Palestinian Christian Working for Peace in Israel; Sandy Tolan, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East; Ari Shavit, My Promised Land: The Triumph and Trag…

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The Origins and Expressions of Individualism in American Protestantism 48:48

9M ago48:48

48:48

Steve and I talk about why and how American Protestantism--especially white evangelicalism--is so individualistic. We mentioned a few books: Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations; Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America; Ijeoma Oluo, Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America.

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Conspiracies, Intellectual Humility, and Arrogance 46:11

10M ago46:11

46:11

In this episode, Steve and I talk about some articles we've read recently on conspiracy theories, and relate those to intellectual humility and arrogance. We also mention the following books and articles: "Google Isn't Grad School," by Arthur Brooks, from The Atlantic, July 2023; "What Conspiracy Theorists Don't Believe," by Tim Harford, from The A…

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True Grit: Navigating a Cold, Indifferent Universe 55:55

10M ago55:55

55:55

In this episode, Steve and I discuss the novel and the film adaptations of "True Grit"--their similarities and differences, and how the Coen version fits their vision of life in a cold, indifferent universe.We mention this article about the film by Stanley Fish, and the book by Adam Nayman, The Coen Brothers: This Book Really Ties the Films Togethe…

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Pursuing Happiness, Wholeness, and Healing, Pt. 2 41:40

10M ago41:40

41:40

In this episode, Steve and I continue talking about happiness, with some references to the Book of Job and A Serious Man.

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Pursuing Happiness, Wholeness, and Healing: Introducing Season 5 1:06:41

10M ago1:06:41

1:06:41

In this episode, I begin a series of conversations with my best friend, Steve Watkins, about pursuing happiness, wholeness, and healing. We mentioned a few books in this episode: Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (Harper, 2015), and Pema Chödrön, Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Comp…

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Evangelism Is Not the Task of the Church 1:09:26

11M ago1:09:26

1:09:26

In this episode I talk about how I came to the view that evangelism is not the task of the church.

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Concluding Season 4 31:13

11M ago31:13

31:13

In this episode, I talk about my big move and new location in Louisville, and answer a few listener emails.

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Reading New Testament Letters, Pt. 3 42:44

12M ago42:44

42:44

In this episode I finish talking about interpreting New Testament letters as occasional literature.

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Reading New Testament Letters, Pt. 2 35:00

12M ago35:00

35:00

In this episode, I recommend my friend Max Botner's book, Beyond the Greek New Testament: Advanced Readings for Students of Biblical Studies (Baker Academic), and I talk about New Testament letters as occasional literature.

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Reading New Testament Letters, Pt. 1 44:35

1y ago44:35

44:35

In this episode, I recommend Louis Menand's new book, The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021), and I begin talking about reading and interpreting New Testament letters.

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Reading Biblical Narratives, Pt. 3 52:27

1y ago52:27

52:27

In this episode, I catch up with the 17 listeners on what I've been up to the last few months, I recommend Beth Moore's new memoir, called All My Knotted Up Life (Tyndale Momentum), and I finish talking about some features of biblical narratives.

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Reading Biblical Narratives, Pt. 2 54:57

1y ago54:57

54:57

In this episode, I recommend a brilliant new book by Daniel G. Hummel, The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle over the End Times Shaped a Nation (Eerdmans, 2023), and I talk a bit more about reading biblical narratives.

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Reading Biblical Narratives 58:22

1y ago58:22

58:22

In this episode, I catch all 17 listeners up on what I’ve been doing the last month or so, and I talk a little about reading biblical narratives.

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The Bible Is a Library, Pt. 2 1:10:21

1+ y ago1:10:21

1:10:21

In this episode, I recommend Nijay Gupta's new book, Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church (IVP Academic, 2023), and I talk a bit more about why it’s so important to understand the different kinds of literature in the Bible.

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The Bible Is a Library 1:05:04

1+ y ago1:05:04

1:05:04

In this episode, I recommend Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past, edited by Kevin M. Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer (Basic Books, 2023), and I talk about how important it is to reckon with the various kinds of literature found in the Bible.

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The Questions the Bible Asks of Us 1:13:28

1+ y ago1:13:28

1:13:28

In this episode, I recommend Gabor Maté's brilliant new book on trauma and healing, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture Avery, 2022), and I address some of the questions raised by the series on the big story of the Bible.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 15 52:17

1+ y ago52:17

52:17

In this episode, I talk about the current moment of the biblical story in a sub-series on engaging with Scripture that went on a whole lot longer than I thought it would.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 14 58:45

1+ y ago58:45

58:45

In this episode, I talk about the early church and how that fits into the biblical story.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 13 1:00:12

1+ y ago1:00:12

1:00:12

In this episode, I talk about Jesus and how he fits into the biblical story.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 12 35:13

1+ y ago35:13

35:13

In this episode, I try to provide some backdrop to the historical dynamics that shaped the culture to which Jesus arrived.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 11 57:02

1+ y ago57:02

57:02

In this episode, I finish talking about God’s call of Israel and what that means for God’s aim to reclaim the world for his glory.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 10 51:37

1+ y ago51:37

51:37

I recommend Bono’s new memoir called Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story (Knopf, 2022), and I talk about God’s call of Israel and what that means for God’s aim to reclaim the world for his glory.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 9 43:47

1+ y ago43:47

43:47

In this episode, I talk about God’s call of Israel and what that means for God’s aim to reclaim the world for his glory.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 8 1:03:39

1+ y ago1:03:39

1:03:39

I begin talking about God's plan to reclaim what was lost when humans failed in their commission to manage creation's flourishing.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 7 54:05

1+ y ago54:05

54:05

I recommend the book by Justin E. H. Smith, The Internet is Not What You Think It Is: A History, A Philosophy, A Warning (Princeton University Press, 2022), and I talk a bit more about the big story of the Bible.I also mention the soon-to-be-released book by Isaac B. Sharp, The Other Evangelicals: A Story of Liberal, Black, Progressirve, Feminist, …

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 6 1:03:21

1+ y ago1:03:21

1:03:21

I relay some of the excellent meals I've enjoyed recently, and I continue talking about the big story of the Bible and how humans made a mess of things in Genesis 3.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 5 1:05:59

1+ y ago1:05:59

1:05:59

I recommend Jenny Odell's wonderful book, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy (Melville House, 2020), and I draw out some implications about humanity from Genesis 1-2.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 4 1:07:08

1+ y ago1:07:08

1:07:08

In this episode, I recommend Mel Brooks's wonderful memoir, All About Me! My Remarkable Life in Show Business (Ballantine Books, 2021), and I talk about the opening chapter of the biblical story (Genesis 1-2).

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 3 1:09:52

2y ago1:09:52

1:09:52

In this episode, I continue talking about the opening chapter of the Bible’s big story.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 2 1:38:22

2y ago1:38:22

1:38:22

I recommend Merve Emre's book, The Personality Brokers: The Strange History of Myers-Briggs and the Birth of Personality Testing (Anchor Books, 2019), and I talk a bit more about the narrative dynamics going on in Genesis 1-2.

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The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 1 59:19

2y ago59:19

59:19

I respond to some questions I've received, I recommend Katelyn Beaty's new book, Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits are Hurting the Church (Brazos Press, 2022), and I begin talking about the big story of the Bible.

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Putting the Testaments Together 1:03:09

2y ago1:03:09

1:03:09

In this episode, I recommend a wonderful work of fiction, called Dear Committee Members: A Novel (Doubleday, 2015), and I talk about two approaches to Scripture: Lectio Divina and the Law/Gospel contrast.

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Thinking with Scripture 49:00

2y ago49:00

49:00

In this episode, I recommend Hillary McBride's wonderful new book, The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection through Embodied Living (Brazos Press, 2021), and I talk about critical thinking when it comes to engaging with Christian Scripture.

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Introducing Season 4 51:00

2y ago51:00

51:00

After a longer layoff than I had anticipated, I begin this fourth season by talking about what I've been up to over the last 3 1/2 months, note some of the books I've been reading, and give an overview of what I intend to explore in the upcoming season.

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Wrapping Up Romans 1:08:50

2+ y ago1:08:50

1:08:50

In this episode, I wrap up season 3 and the exploration of Paul's Letter to the Romans.

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The Closing of Paul's Letter to the Romans 57:51

2+ y ago57:51

57:51

A brief update on two books I'm reading--The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity, by David Graeber and David Wengrow, and The Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community, by Stephanie Spellers. I also talk about the closing section of Paul's letter to the Roman Christians.…

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Tim Gombis Podcasts

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