Clearly with Jimmy & Kelly Needham
by Jimmy & Kelly Needham
Tackling the complex, confusing, and controversial stuff of the Bible and life.That pretty much sums up what we do here on Clearly: Helping demystify the Bible so you can discover the big-dealness of God. Cause when He becomes everything, everything gets better.Critically (really, they were very, very critical) acclaimed recording artist and pastor Jimmy Needham has always been drawn to things others overlook.His wife, author and speaker Kelly Needham, is a Bible teacher at heart. Join one or both of them each week for a dive into the parts of the Bible that scare you off and the areas of your spiritual life you’ve been avoiding. You just might find what was once blurry is coming into focus.
Episodes
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Is Lying Always a Sin?
Is lying always a sin, or are there moments when protecting life, loving our neighbor, and remaining faithful to God change how we think about truth-telling? We explore the Bible’s surprisingly complex treatment of deception, from Rahab hiding the spies and the Hebrew midwives deceiving Pharaoh…
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Age for Baptizing Kids, Sinning in Dreams & Evil Bible Heroes
How should we respond when the Bible gives us stories of people who loved God yet did terrible things? And how do we navigate questions about baptism, communion, cultural influence, and even sin in our dreams? Jimmy and Kelly Needham tackle listener questions about some of the Bible’s most...
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Do Miscarried Babies Go to Heaven?
Read Kelly's story and more in this helpful resource: Trying: Reflections on Faith through Infertility, Miscarriage, and Loss What happens to babies who die through miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion—and how can we grieve these losses in a way that honors both the child and God? We continue our...
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Miscarriage and the Faith Crisis
Read Kelly's story and more in this helpful resource: Trying: Reflections on Faith through Infertility, Miscarriage, and Loss What happens to our faith when God says no to something we desperately prayed for? We explore the painful reality of miscarriage, the physical and emotional grief it…
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Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? (Two Perspectives)
What does it look like to faithfully engage with Halloween as a Christian? We talk honestly about the different ways families can approach October 31st, from intentional abstention to using the cultural moment as an opportunity for gospel ministry. Kelly Needham and Phylicia Masonheimer share how...
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Women in Ministry: The Power of Influence
What if influence has less to do with having a position and more to do with how we use the influence God has already entrusted to us? We explore what Scripture shows us about the unique influence women can have—with or without a position of authority—and examine women such as Abigail, Esther,...
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Women in Ministry: The Main Complementarianism Failure
Help train up women in your church! https://teachequip.com/clearly What if complementarianism became known for what it celebrates, not just what it restricts? Jimmy and Kelly Needham explore how complementarian churches can move beyond defining what women can and cannot do and instead create a...
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Women in Ministry: Why You Should Have an Opinion
Should we have strong convictions about secondary issues like women in ministry—or should we simply agree to disagree and move on? We believe Scripture calls us to something more thoughtful: to study the Bible carefully, form settled convictions before God, and remain unified with Christians who...
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Women in Ministry: Preston Sprinkle Book Review
Teach Equip | We equip you to teach the Bible & HELP LOCAL CHURCHES DO THE SAME What does the Bible really say about women in leadership, and how should we think through the differences between complementarianism and egalitarianism? We take a deep dive into Preston Sprinkle’s From Genesis to…
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How To Explain the Trinity to Kids: The God Party
What if the Trinity isn’t just a complicated doctrine we need to explain, but an invitation into friendship with God? Jimmy and Kelly Needham explore how we can talk with kids about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in a way that is faithful to Scripture, accessible to children, and connected to…
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Gluttony Q&A
What if the way we eat is meant to point us to something—or Someone—far more satisfying than food itself? We continue our conversation about gluttony by looking at why food can become a substitute for Jesus, especially when we turn to it to satisfy stress, boredom, anxiety, or other spiritual...
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Gluttony Isn't What You Think It Is
What if gluttony is much broader than simply overeating? We explore why gluttony has become one of the least-discussed sin issues in modern Christian discipleship and how our relationship with food can reveal deeper questions about self-control, gratitude, worship, shame, and what we ultimately...
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The Potency of Poetry for Christians
Check out Jimmy's Spoken Word, The Damsel and the Villain! Poetry does more than sound beautiful—it shapes how we remember truth, feel truth, and worship the God who is worthy of our best words. Jimmy Needham explores why Scripture is filled with songs, psalms, and poetic language, and why the...
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5 Bible Study Hacks We Wish We Knew Sooner
What if the key to getting more out of Bible study isn't simply reading more, but learning how to slow down, ask better questions, and carry God's Word into everyday life? We share practical Bible study hacks that have helped us dig deeper into Scripture over decades of study, from asking "in…
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Is God Punishing You, Is Calvinism is Dumb, Can Sadness Be Sinful? Q and A
Big questions deserve thoughtful answers. In this Q&A, we tackle some of the most challenging questions our listeners have sent in, including whether all suffering is a form of God's discipline, how to recognize sinful sorrow, what Scripture means by "God-fearing Gentiles," and whether church...
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3 Ways Social Media Is Wrecking Your Friendships
Check out Kelly’s book, Friendish! Social media has transformed the way we connect—but has it quietly weakened our closest friendships? We explore three ways social media can reshape the way we relate to others: by expanding our social circles beyond what we're designed to sustain, fueling...
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What Is Friendship Idolatry? (And Are You In It?)
Marriage is meant to be unique—but what happens when a friendship starts taking its place? We explore what it looks like when friendships begin to mimic marriage, why friendship idolatry is more common than many Christians realize, and how the gospel offers a better way. We share the story behind...
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The Most Misunderstood Friendship in the Bible (David and Jonathan)
Check out Kelly’s book, Friendish! David and Jonathan may be the most misunderstood friendship in the Bible. Kelly Needham takes a fresh look at one of Scripture's most debated relationships, examining what their covenant actually meant, why it was formed, and what it reveals about biblical...
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8 Fixes for Small Groups
Check out Kelly’s book, Friendish! Small groups can be one of God's greatest gifts to us—and one of the hardest places to keep showing up. We've all felt the frustration: awkward conversations, shallow discussions, unresolved conflict, or the temptation to find a "better" group somewhere else.…
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My Small Group Isn't Working
Check out Kelly’s book, Friendish! Small groups can feel frustrating, awkward, and sometimes even disappointing. But what if many of the things we dislike about small groups are actually part of God's design for our growth? We sat down to explore why local church community matters, what the Bible...
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Jesus in Hell, Bible Translations Contradictions & When Unbelievers Die
Did Jesus go to hell after He died? Can Christians pursue excellence without becoming prideful? And how do we walk alongside someone grieving the loss of a loved one who may not have known Christ? In this Q&A episode, we tackle some of the most thoughtful and challenging questions our listeners...
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What Christians Get Wrong About Friendship
Check out Kelly’s book, Friendish! Friendship was never meant to carry the weight of being your god. We unpack the expectations we place on friends, why so many relationships end in disappointment, and what Scripture actually says we should look for in Christian friendship. Jimmy & Kelly Needham...
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You're More Ready to Disciple Someone Than You Think
Discipleship can feel intimidating. We wonder if we know enough, if we’re mature enough, or if we even have anything worth passing on to someone else. We shared stories from our own lives about the men and women who shaped our faith, the practical ways discipleship happened for us, and how…
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God Heals Based on Your Faith? James 5
Check out our James onepager! What if we’ve misunderstood healing, faith, and suffering all along? We wrap up the book of James by stepping into one of the most confusing—and often misapplied—passages in Scripture. We wrestle with big questions: Does sickness come from sin? Does healing depend on...
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End Times Made Easy(ish)
What if thinking clearly about the end actually gave us more hope for today? We wade straight into one of the most avoided (and debated) topics in Scripture—the end times—and refuse to either overpromise clarity or shrug it off as “theologians only.” Instead, we untangle what actually matters.…
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Stop Making Plans Like God Doesn't Exist: James 4 and 5
Want to join our Partner program click here! And check out our James onepager! What are we really staking our lives on—and what happens if it fails us? We wrestle with the tension between our carefully made plans and the reality that we’re not in control of tomorrow. As we walk through James 4–5,...
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Venting Is Gossip, Demon Offspring, and Your Mental Health
Want to join our Partner program click here! What do we do with questions that feel messy, awkward, or just plain hard to answer? We’re diving into a wide range of topics you sent in—from the tension between verbally processing and gossip, to how the gospel actually intersects with mental health,...
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The Real Difference Between Calvinism and Arminianism
Want to join our Partner program click here! A special thank you to Phylicia Masonheimer! Website Every Woman a Theologian Phylicia Masonheimer What happens when we slow down enough to have a real, thoughtful conversation about some of the most debated questions in theology—and refuse to turn…
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Biblical Conflict 101: James 3 and 4
Check out our James onepager! Conflict rarely starts where we think it does. As we continue walking through James 3, we begin to see James move from the power of our words to the deeper issue underneath so many of our conflicts: the kind of wisdom we’re actually living by. And James draws a stark...
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The Wild, TRUE History of the English Bible
A quirky printing mistake in the 1700s leads us into one of the most remarkable stories in church history: how the Bible made its way into the English language. We start with the strange tale of the “Vinegar Bible,” a beautifully printed 1717 Bible filled with errors that accidentally labeled…
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The Most Dangerous Part of Your Body
Check out our James onepager! Our words carry more power than we often realize. As we continue walking through the book of James, we come to one of the most convicting passages in Scripture about the tongue. James doesn’t soften the warning: the same mouth that praises God can also destroy people...
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The Verse That Made Luther Nervous
Check out our James onepager! We have arrived at one of the most tension-filled verses in the entire Bible — and we’re not looking away. As we continue walking through the book of James, we come face to face with James 2:24: “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”…
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Church Denominations Divide
We are tackling some of your biggest and most thoughtful questions. and nothing is off the table. Do denominations unite the Church… or divide it? How do we lovingly confront sin in a culture that hates lines? If God is sovereign, what’s the real point of praying? And where exactly does the Bible...
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This Faith Kills: James 2
Check out our James onepager! James finally says it out loud. After circling the issue for a chapter and a half, he looks it in the eye and asks the question many of us would rather avoid: Can that kind of faith save you? Not “Does faith save?” — but what kind of faith actually does? In this...
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The Sin We Don’t Call Sin: James 2
Check out our James onepager! James is not interested in what we call ourselves. He’s interested in what we actually do. In this episode, we turn to James chapter 2, where James confronts something most of us assume we’ve outgrown: favoritism. But as we slow down and look closely, it becomes…
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Bad Days Aren’t Accidents: James 1
Check out our James onepager! We officially step into the weeds of the Book of James with a deep dive into chapter one—a chapter that sounds simple at first and then quietly refuses to let us stay comfortable. James opens with a command that feels almost offensive in its honesty: consider it joy...
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James: Less Talkie More Walkie
It’s a new book, a new series, and a very different kind of challenge. In this episode, we kick off our deep dive into the Book of James—a short, punchy, no-nonsense letter that somehow manages to feel both incredibly simple and profoundly uncomfortable at the same time. We spend this overview...
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Bible Study Q&A
Want to try out the See For Yourself Bible study? Try it out today! Go here! In this Q&A episode, we respond to some of the most thoughtful and practical questions we’ve received about reading and studying the Bible. From Hebrew and Greek word studies to reading Scripture with non-believers,...
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Why You Stop Reading the Bible
Want to try out the See For Yourself Bible study? Try it free today! You can know how to study the Bible and still feel completely stuck when you actually open it. In this episode, we talk about the real obstacles that derail Bible reading—not lack of intelligence, tools, or training, but the...
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The 1 Thing Missing in Your Bible Study
Check out our Bible Study that teaches you to read all of God’s word. Art of Noticing bookmark 👉 Become a Patreon Partner In this episode, we tackle what we believe is the single most overlooked skill in Bible study — not better tools, deeper knowledge, or more information, but the simple...
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Four Ways to Improve Your Bible Study
Check out our Bible Study that teaches you to ready all of God’s word. Art of Noticing bookmark As we kick off a new year, we turn our attention to something many of us want to do more faithfully — reading the Bible — but often struggle to do with joy, clarity, or consistency. In this episode, we...
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Christmas: You Don't Need another Game plan
Christmas rom-coms, alternative universes, and Nicolas Cage — yes, somehow they all make it into this episode. We walk through Kelly’s Christmas message on Luke 2, exploring why God’s answer to our deepest brokenness wasn’t a strategy, a checklist, or a five-step plan… but a person. A baby. The...
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Our Favorite Things
It’s that time of year when people start panic-Googling “gift ideas that don’t feel like I bought them in the checkout line.” So we decided to help — Clearly style. Which means: we gave ourselves permission to talk about our favorite things, roast each other, confess our competitive board-game...
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Stop Calling Children Inconvenient
We are sponsored by America World Adoption Agency. Join us in moving God’s kingdom forward in supporting adoption by signing up for their emails here. We love our kids. We really do. We just don’t always love the sticky floors, the endless questions, the “surprise” tantrums in the Target parking...
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5 Sunday Worship Myths
We are sponsored by America World Adoption Agency. Join us in moving God’s kingdom forward in supporting adoption by signing up for their emails here. We love worship, and we also love ruining bad ideas about worship. Today we are looking at five myths every church musician has probably heard at...
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2 Corinthians: If You’re Not Weak, You’re Not Ready
We are sponsored by America World Adoption Agency. Join us in moving God’s kingdom forward in supporting adoption by signing up for their emails here. Second Corinthians is Paul at his most personal, most pastoral... and most sarcastic. In this episode, Jimmy and Kelly unpack a letter full of...
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Gaza’s Ceasefire, Why Circumcision, and When You Disagree with Your Spouse
This episode is sponsored by America World Adoption Agency. Join us in moving God’s kingdom forward in supporting adoption by signing up for their emails here. What do Gaza, foreskins, and your spouse’s eschatology have in common? This episode. In classic Q&A fashion, we jump from current events…
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Ghosts ARE Real
🧡 If You Don’t Who Will? It is easy to think someone else is going to step up but we NEED YOU! Help us continue to make episodes and we are dreaming big for 2026! Just a few perks: Our Growing Catalog of one pagers for every book of the Bible Hang out with us during our Live Recordings (and ask...
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Six Lies About Prayer
🧡 It’s Partner Month! We NEED your help to keep our content going and want you part of the partner team! Just a few perks: Our Growing Catalog of one pagers for every book of the Bible Hang out with us during our Live Recordings (and ask questions!) Access to our team Chat You get celebrated...
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How Chat GPT Can Ruin Your Spiritual Life
It is Partner Month. Join us in Equipping the Saints for the Work of Ministry: Patreon We’re talking about robots. Specifically, that charming, weirdly affirming robot known as ChatGPT—and what it means for your walk with Jesus. In this episode, Jimmy and Kelly tackle AI and the Christian life…
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About this show
Tackling the complex, confusing, and controversial stuff of the Bible and life.That pretty much sums up what we do here on Clearly: Helping demystify the Bible so you can discover the big-dealness of God. Cause when He becomes everything, everything gets better.Critically (really, they were very, very critical) acclaimed recording artist and pastor Jimmy Needham has always been drawn to things others overlook.His wife, author and speaker Kelly Needham, is a Bible teacher at heart. Join one or both of them each week for a dive into the parts of the Bible that scare you off and the areas of your spiritual life you’ve been avoiding. You just might find what was once blurry is coming into focus.
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Jimmy & Kelly Needham
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