show episodes
 
Contact us at www.nochurchanswers.com. We're not pastors, just regular guys. Engaging, deep and often humorous looks at faith in today's world by our panel. The No Church Answers! podcast began as Man Up a Spiritual Oasis for Men in 2017, launched by Bill Cox, actor and DJ, and four regulars, Steven Titch, Robert Cocheu, Michael Cropper and Earl Lloyd--all from different faith backgrounds. Our focus is on ways men could use their Christian faith to drive their goals, leadership and action. W ...
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show series
 
God’s plan is to save man through the gospel – the written inspired word. Has God’s word been preserved for us today? Has it been corrupted? Can we trust that what we have is what God wanted us to have? Through His providence, God has ensured that we have His entire word preserved for us today.
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In 1 Kings 20, the Syrians made the mistake of suggesting that the Israelites defeated them because God was only powerful in the hills, and not the plain. When they fought them in the valley, God showed them He is almighty God everywhere. We can learn from this that God deserves our praise and faith at all times – high and low, good and bad, etc.…
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We unpack one of the strangest yet most colorful episodes in the Bible—Jacob’s all-night wrestling match with a God, who takes on a proto-incarnate form. The encounter will permanently change Jacob, who emerges with a new name—Israel—and a limp to serve as a reminder of the contest. We look at both the literal narrative as well as how it symbolical…
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Jesus told the Pharisees, “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.” (Matthew 12:41) What does it mean that they “repented at the preaching of Jonah?” The context shows the powerful demand and meaning of repentance.…
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If you thought Jacob was a piece of work, wait ‘til you meet his Uncle Laban. We look at the 20 years Jacob spends working for his mother’s brother, who cheats and exploits him every chance he gets. Over time, however, Jacob gains both family and wealth, as well as knowledge through hardship. All men deal with career and family struggles at points …
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In 1 Kings 22, king Ahab sought king Jehoshaphat’s aid in taking Ramoth of Gilead from the Syrian army, and Ben-Hadad. When a true prophet of God was asked whether God willed this effort, it was revealed to both kings that He did not, and it would fail. Regardless, they went to Ramoth Gilead, and Ahab perished. Why do men reject the truth? This acc…
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Jacob's dream-vision has inspired artists and songwriters for centuries. We examine the symbolism of the dream and what it tells--and foretells--us about God. In the context of Jacob's story, we discuss how it marks the beginning of a gradual change in the patriarch's relationship with God, who will make new demands of him. When stealing Esau's bir…
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Jacob steals his brother Esau's birthright and later, his father's blessing. Yet how complicit is Esau in this? How gullible was Isaac? We examine the dysfunction in Isaac's household, where resentments fester, favorites are chosen and used against each other, and to what degree, if any, this was part of a greater divine plan. Do scholars try too h…
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The Hebrew epistle is addressed to Christians experiencing difficult times of adversity. They were being persecuted for their faith. They allowed this to shrink their faith. They had “forgotten the exhortation which speaks to [them] as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For w…
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We begin a study of Jacob, scoundrel, cheat, con-man and ultimately God's choice to be founder of the Nation of Israel. We start with his dubious birth and immediate rivalry with his older twin and apparent pre-natal wrestling foe. Sunday school lessons like to focus on the morally virtuous figures of the Old Testament. While some men walk with God…
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For our Holy Week podcast we look at the miracle of Cross of Christ. Why is the cross so central to Christian faith? Why do Christians put faith in an incarnate God who came not to rule humanity but to willingly surrender to a humiliating death at the hands of earthly powers? And why, above all, was all this necessary? The panel discusses the admit…
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In the second part of Bill and Steve's discussion of living full until the very end, Bill talks about how to build a Bucket List while Steve addresses the other important list--decluttering your life not only of material things, but of spiritual and psychological weights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…
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When it comes to classic church answers, "It's God's will" arguably ranks at the top. Yet throughout the Bible, there are examples of God's willingness to change his plan. While God may have a perfect divine will, he also seems to have an acceptable or permissive will. Can we negotiate with God? What degree of agency do we have as citizens of his K…
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The fellows look at prayer from perspectives that range from Richard J. Foster to Lulu Roman. Prayer might be the primary means of accessing the Holy Spirit, yet most of us find it difficult. In Romans, Paul says the Spirit will find the words when we can't. We discuss the importance a prayer life and ways to cultivate it. Hosted on Acast. See acas…
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With Peter's encouragement to the early church as a background, the panel talks about the importance of taking service and leadership roles in their churches. Bill talks about starting the Man Up men's discipleship ministry that led directly to this podcast. Mike, a one-time bass guitarist, talks about moving from music ministry to Bible study. We …
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Peter thought the Second Coming was imminent. But even if, as Jesus said, no one knows the day or the hour, it doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared for judgment. Peter writes that we be "alert and of sober mind." That means discerning the most important ways of spending what time we have. Hint: it's not judging others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c…
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Suffering in life is inevitable; the founders of the Church knew that. They may have been the first to understand that suffering does not define us as victims, but that the Holy Spirit can transform our suffering into Christian witness, particularly by giving us the strength to be survivors. We talk about ways to deal with suffering that avoids old…
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Happy Valentines Day! Are there divinely ordained roles in marriage, or have we just slapped a doctrinal label on mythologized notions of men's and women's "work?" What does "submission" mean when it's the wife, not the husband, who is chief earner? Does a Christian have a responsibility to bring a non-Christian spouse to the Lord? What can the Bib…
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Both Peter and Paul say Christians should submit to earthy authorities, but they lived at a time of emperors and kings whose word was law. In a modern republic or democracy, when and how should Christians exercise their right stand up to authority? We talk about balancing faith and activism, touching on how the Biblical counsel to "honor" and "subm…
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Before giving a detailed consideration of Christ’s High Priesthood, the Hebrew writer had to admonish his readers for their negligence in spiritual growth (cf. Hebrews 5:12-14; 6). Ironically, the subject he would find it difficult to explain to them because of their immaturity was the very thing that could help them through their tough situation. …
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What do we mean when we say Christ is our cornerstone? Peter is pretty harsh when he tells early Christians they must put all worldly values aside and build their faith on the permanent and eternal foundation of Jesus. Some worldly values are easy to forsake--drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, affluence--but other cultural idols maybe more difficult to a…
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