Deeper In The Word

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We’re BACK for Season #7, y’all! Can you believe it? What started with a handful of listeners in June 2020 has grown into a multi-platform, award-winning podcast with listeners in over 45 different countries (seriously I don’t know ANYBODY in Morocco! BIG shoutout to Morocco, we love you!)! We’re coming up on our 6th year of this lil’ ol’ flagship podcast, and we couldn’t possibly be more grateful to you all for making us what we are! This show is what it is because of Y-O-U!And we’re kicking off Season 7 by highlighting an EXTREMELY important theme for us all…..and frankly, it’s one which you’re gonna hear us promoting repeatedly because of its HIGH DEGREE of significance: and that’s the theme of BIBLICAL LITERACY.Biblical literacy is the ability to read, understand, interpret, and apply the Bible's overall message and context, and the TRUTH which it holds. It’s more than just “having read the Bible”….it’s having read it AND UNDERSTOOD IT such that it starts to shape your worldview and CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK AND LIVE.But too many people are Biblically ILLITERATE…that is, they do not put a premium on reading the Bible and understanding what they’ve read such that they APPLY it to their daily actions. We’re supposed to “feed ourselves” on the Word of God….but too many times, it appears as if people have gone on a “hunger strike” from the Word, instead.Come fellowship with us as we kick off Season 7 as we discuss what happens when people deliberately refuse to feed themselves on the Word of God….and how, as a result, the Lord reacts TOWARDS that type of purposeful “Hunger Strike”!

We continue our “Fall Features” Series with another special guest interview…and it’s a topic with which our “Deeper in the Word” audience should be VERY familiar!Because this episode, we are joined by renown author, speaker and Bible teacher, Ms. Ava Pennington of Bible Study Fellowship International, who will discuss her new book, entitled Flourish: Grace-Centered Practices to Protect and Grow a Fruitful Life in Christ, which is designed to help readers grow in their Christian walk, specifically through fostering a greater understanding and applicability of the Fruit of the Spirit in their lives (as those nine attributes are outlined in the Book of Galatians 5:22-23).Join us as we learn how to cultivate these spiritual characteristics and disciplines in our lives so that we are effectively “Bearing Fruit” for the Lord!

Join us as we kick off our special "Fall Features" Series - where we will feature a special guest interview every week - with our first installment of the series, a discussion with award-winning Gospel recording artist Darius Paulk and a show we've entitled, "Must Be the Music!"

Yunno…if you’ve ever been involved in a custody battle – or know someone who has – you know they can be long and protracted…AND, they can get extremely ugly at times. Truly, custody battles often can and do get VERY bitter and bring out the very worst in people. Well, friends…..did you know that YOU AND as Believers I are engaged in a battle that goes on DAILY for our very souls? EVERY DAY there is a REAL custody battle going on for the soul of every Believer, where good and evil are LITERALLY fighting within EACH of us, for CONTROL over us So the REAL question becomes…….which one will you allow PARENTAGE to? Which one will YOU assign full parental rights, full custodial rights? Come fellowship with us and see how we can learn to pick the RIGHT custodial parent to assign our care and control over to, so that we don’t end up unnecessarily engaged in a “Custody Battle”!

When we speak about the “fruit of our labors”, we’re talking about the outcome or rewards of our efforts in doing something…..that is, you see that the work you put into doing something starts to pay off.Well, when we talk about following Christ and trying to live a Christlike existence, there are certain markers or qualities which prove whether or not you will see the fruit of your labors; that is, whether you’ll be able to tell if your efforts are paying off. They are known as the fruit of the Spirit, and these nine characteristics demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is present in your life. So how do you go about manifesting them, and how can you tell if you truly embody them?Come fellowship with us during this week’s episode of “Deeper in the Word”, as we explore the nine fruit of the Spirit in order to allow us to examine our lives and see if our efforts to live Christlike are proving the “Fruit of Our Labors”!

Question: do YOU think you’re going to Heaven when you die? Well, I guess the first question should be whether or not you first BELIEVE that Heaven is a real place. If so, then the issue of you going or not going becomes paramount. But perhaps what’s even MORE paramount is WHY you think you’re going to Heaven when you die…like, what’s your BASIS for thinking that? And are you SURE you’re correct in your reasoning? Because here’s the shocking truth: many Christians who THINK they’re going to Heaven when they die are going to be utterly dismayed and heartbroken when they discover that THEY AIN’T GOIN’. And that’s not me making a judgement about them, that comes STRAIGHT from the mouth of Jesus Himself! Come fellowship with us during this episode of “Deeper in the Word” as we challenge YOUR notion about whether or not you’re going to Heaven by giving you the FACTS associated with that invitation….because “Heaven Forbid” you meet Jesus and He ends up REJECTING you and DENYING your access to the Kingdom of God!

It’s Holy Week! A time when we celebrate the sacrifice which Christ made for us when he went to the cross and died for our sins for all time., and what our RESPONSE to that sacrifice should look like. In fact, there’s a particular posture we should ALWAYS take when it comes to the reverence and adoration we show to the Lord….one of continual and true WORSHIP. But what does TRUE worship even look like? How do we go about demonstrating it? So goes this Holy Week episode of “Deeper in the Word”, where we examine this important aspect of glorifying God, highlighting it in particular as we contemplate the coming of Easter. Come celebrate “The Super Bowl Week of Christianity” with us as we explore the foundations of true worship, WHERE that worship should originate, and the precise elements necessary to effectuate that worship!

As many of you know, “Deeper in the Word” and Benevolent Faith Ministries take very seriously our commitment to our international listeners, particularly those in countries where believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is prohibited or even illegal. The Bible tells us that we are ALL brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter what our geographic locations may be. That’s why what has been going on in Iran is of such importance to us…Christianity is spreading like wildfire in that country, and so of course the OPPOSITION to that spread has been just as intense. Fortunately, there are folks who are trying to highlight the atrocities occurring in that country, and sometimes through unorthodox means. That’s where this episode’s guest comes in….as an Iranian-American who is deeply entrenched within the entertainment industry, he’s using his platform to bring attention to the plight of Christian Iranians through a very unique manner. Come fellowship with us for this important episode and see how his efforts to improve Persian/Jewish relations are making an impact around the world. Topics include what the Bible says about Persian/Jewish relations, how the use of artwork in the form of murals (get it? Start of the ART?) is highlighting the struggles of Iranian Christians…AND, how a FIRE almost broke out during this very interview!

Whether singing in your car or singing praise and worship, sometimes we get so caught up in the music and in the moment, that we can’t help but to let loose in total joy. It may look weird to some, and it MIGHT be downright offensive to others…because some in the church are more concerned about what OTHERS think or what OTHERS will say if they let themselves go and freely praise God. This is the situation that King David faced in our text today, where the king’s wife, Michal, accused David of being undignified in public worship. But as David is going to show us, biblical worship involves AN AUDIENCE OF ONE, and God encourages His worshipers NOT to be ashamed or reluctant to display their faith publicly. Check out this latest episode of "Deeper in the Word" and learn HOW and WHY you should always come to a place where you’re giving God your BEST “Undignified Praise”!

Christianity is under attack! Listen, that’s not hyperbole, that’s FACT. Not only do people OUTSIDE of the community of God denigrate and disrespect it, but worse still, what we’re seeing today are people INSIDE the community of God causing havoc, as well, through false teaching and spreading heresies. So how do we RECTIFY this? How can such behavior be addressed? Well, fortunately for us, the Bible is very clear about the courses of action we should take with respect to defending our faith, including WHAT we need to defend, WHY we need to defend it and HOW we go about defending it. So join us for this episode of Deeper in the Word”, where we explore these issues and more, including discussions related to the letter written by Jesus’s half-brother (and we ain’t talkin’ about James, either) which outlines the way we should approach defending what we believe in!

You ever been cussed out by someone? You ever cussed someone ELSE out YOURSELF? In either instance, saying angry, offensive and profane words to another person isn’t exactly a pleasant experience. That’s why God’s Word instructs His children to AVOID using foul language at all costs….because there IS a cost to be paid for such disobedience in our speech. The Bible says that we WILL be accountable for every word which proceeds from our mouths, because the words you say will either (Matt. 12:36-37). So join us this episode as we explore the importance of monitoring our speech such that we watch what we say and aren’t speaking in ways that belie the faith we claim to have. Discussion topics include what we can learn from Turkish cranes (what?); how primetime TV has seemingly crashed out when it comes to censoring vulgar speech; and how cussin’/swearing dishonors your witness for Christ!

Sometimes life can truly throw some drama our way which makes us feel like we’re trapped….like we’ve been thrown into a lion’s den. Whether it’s the den of despair, the den of injustice or the den of hardship, we all can find ourselves in a space where the danger is very real and potentially life-threatening. Fortunately for us, there’s a guy in the Bible who went through this very thing and made it out unscathed, and what we can learn from his story will teach us how to deal with our own lion’s dens. Of course I’m talkin’ about the prophet Daniel and the famous biblical story where he gets thrown into a LITERAL lion’s den because of a specific group of haters who didn’t want to see him shine and who were jealous that the King favored him and not them. …..and we can ALL relate to that, right? Many of us have been thrown into some den of persecution due to being hated on, for whatever reason. That’s why the way which Daniel dealt with HIS haters in his situation is so valuable for us in terms of the lessons which we can glean from it. Come fellowship with us and see why this well-known story from the Bible offers plenty of valuable “Lessons From the Lion’s Den”!

We live in a society where people are more prone than EVER to do or say whatever they want. In fact, it’s almost considered “abnormal” when you exhibit any sense of righteousness in the world today. But even though the world is sinful, Christians still have to live IN it. We still have to interact with the lost (some of which may be in our own families) and we still have to deal with these world systems which represent “spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12) But just because we have to live AMONG unbelievers doesn’t mean that we have to live LIKE unbelievers. Come fellowship with us as we discuss how followers of Christ need to be DIFFERENT from the people around us, from the WORLD around us, how we have to act in a manner that SEPARATES us from the world so that people don’t have to ask “What’s the Difference?” between us and unbelievers!

If you love sports, you know what it’s like to be a fan of something….but there’s a difference between being a casual fan and being a diehard fan. It’s the same thing with being a Believer: there’s a difference between being a casual fan of Christ and being an avid follower of Him. Because fans can be fickle, right? One minute they love you, the next they hate you. Well, Jesus doesn’t need Believers like that, He only requires TRUE, dedicated Believers, ones who will stick with Him through thick and thin. Join us for this episode of Deeper in the Word, which finds RevRob discussing the importance of knowing the difference between this two ideologies – fandom vs. follower – when it comes to being honest about where you are in your walk with the Lord. Because Jesus needs true followers to serve as workers in His Kingdom….He’s not simply interested in adding more people to “The Fan Club”!

What makes Christians distinguishable from the rest of society? That is, how can people TELL that we’re God’s saved people and NOT amongst the unsaved peoples of the world? So goes this episode of “Deeper in the Word”, which finds RevRob exploring the biblical theme of SEPARATION. The Bible tells Christians to be “in the world, not of it”….that means even though we live on this planet, we don’t have to act like all the unsaved people who live AROUND us. So how DO we show the distinction between us and them? According to the bible, we do it by drawing a clear BOUNDARY – that is, a line of demarcation – between us and them which is manifested in the way we act and treat others. With that clear line of demarcation being drawn in our lives, however, we can sometimes blur the line between belonging to Christ and belonging to Satan, the ruler of this wicked realm. Come fellowship with us and learn how YOU can distinguish yourself as a follower of Christ and NOT as simply another worldly resident based upon your efforts to draw a “Line of Demarcation” between how YOU live and how the world WANTS you to live!

Anytime you build a house or other structure, you need a blueprint plan, which gives you the proper parameters for building or constructing something. And when we look at the state of the church today – God’s house – it becomes apparent that there is MUCH that needs rebuilding. Whether it’s the attitudes INSIDE the building or the attitudes OUTSIDE the building, the entire concept of what it means to BE the church needs a rebuilding and a rebranding. So goes this episode of "Deeper In The Word" which finds RevRob discussing the content and context of the Book of Acts 2:42​-47, where we find the ORIGINAL blueprint for what it truly means to BE THE CHURCH....and how the modern church needs to look to the EARLY church for the right example to follow! Come fellowship with us to hear a Word from God about how we go about recreating “The Blueprint" for the House That Christ Built!

Look, y'all….it's a FACT that the people of God need to be SEPARATE from the world. That doesn't mean that Believers should disassociate ourselves from others....just that we should NOT act like them. But when social media and other platforms keep us consistently tied to others who may think and believe differently than us, it's up to US to know when and how we must DISCONNECT, or unplug, ourselves from such people and from such worldly thinking and living. Join us for this episode of our flagship pocast as we examine the importance of Believers staying "Disconnected" from the world, even while we carry out God's work IN it!

Let’s face it…most people don’t like going to staff meeting, usually because they are either uninterested in the purpose of the meeting or they’re not too fond of a person (or people) who will be at the meeting, especially when that person or people are in leadership over them. But when it comes to the life and effectiveness of the house of God, church meetings are supposed to be approached with a different attitude. After all, the people at such meetings are handling GOD’S business and not their own, so they need to ensure that they have the proper disposition BEFORE such meetings ever begin. Fortunately, the Bible has given us some specific guidance about HOW we can go about ensuring that all of our church meetings are productive, positive and powered by God….and the Book of Acts is where we’ll be examining this guidance. Come fellowship with us and see how the Apostles laid the proper foundation for having a “Meeting of the Minds”!

....and no, this episode is NOT going to be about that well-respected newspaper of the same name, published by the Nation of Islam. Instead, our topic of discussion relates to the theological concept of eschatology; that is, the study of last things. Yes, we’re talking about the end times, friends. And of course, Jesus had a lot to say about the end times and what His followers could to do be prepared for them. Interestingly, Jesus correlates the events which transpired during the time of Noah with those of the end times, pointing out that there are circumstances and/or situations which were present during Noah’s era which are ALSO present today, in our current age. He’s telling us that there are aspects of the last days which we can see transpiring today, and that we should have a heightened awareness about it because, as His followers, we all have a mission to accomplish before we leave this world. Come fellowship with us and learn how to DISCERNABLY OBSERVE these aforementioned aspects in the world today when it comes to determining whether we are reaching “The Final Call”!

Friends, this episode of season six is truly historic in nature. For the first time ever, we have not one but TWO – count ‘em – TWO special guests, and they hail from a world-famous ministry which most likely has authored church studies that even YOU may have been apart of or taken! Listen…..there have been some famous family names throughout the Western history of Christian kingdom work, but almost none ring out quite as loudly as that of B-L-A-C-K-A-B-Y. Founded by the late great, world-renown evangelist, church planter and theologian Henry Blackaby, Blackaby International Ministries has – over the past several decades - impacted millions of lives in countless nations and communities around the globe through their discipleship and teaching work for the Kingdom of God. Today, that work lives on through the third-generation ministry of Mr. Blackaby’s grandsons, Mike and Daniel Blackaby, who are pastors preachers and Christian theologians in their own right and who have collaborated to write a new book, entitled “Straight From the Heart: Communicating the Gospel in an Emotionally Driven Culture”. The book expertly deals with the issue of how to minister the Gospel analytically and critically to those who are more prone to lead and/or respond emotionally. Join us for this special episode of “Deeper in the Word”, where we are thrilled to interview these two brothers and discuss their rich family legacy and its heritage in ministry. We also explore the book they’ve written, which deals with issues such as defining what “heart culture vs. head culture” means; why “living your truth” is the worst thing you can do, especially as a follower of Christ; and how it might shock you to know exactly WHO it is on some of these college campuses (*hint hint: PROFESSORS….I’m just sayin’…*) actively working to “undue” the work and influence which home churches (and the Lord) have had upon young Believers newly arrived to independent college living.

You ever had to run through an obstacle course? You know, where you had to run, jump, crawl, climb, hang, and swing through various obstacles as you competed for some goal or some prize? Well….doesn’t LIFE feel like that sometimes? Doesn’t it seem at times that the hurdles or other stumbling blocks which life places in our path make it OVERLY difficult for us to navigate through…..like you’re competing on an obstacle course of some TV game show? Well, the Gospels tell the story of one man whose friends were so dedicated to his healing that they sought the presence of Jesus in a most unusual way….and these men didn’t let ANY of the obstacles in their path stop them from getting their friend an audience with the Lord. Come fellowship with us and learn from the example set by these men….an example we can follow the next time WE face an “Obstacle Course” in our lives!

SEASON #6! Can you believe it? We’re over 125 episodes old, and we couldn’t thank you – our beloved listening audience – enough for tuning in these past four years to this lil ol’ podcast! So it’s only right that we kick off this season with another STELLAR special guest, speaking on another highly-relevant and important topic….and that’s the topic of international Christian mission work! However, we’re going to look at this work from an ENTIRELY different angle. Did you know that there are many countries in the world where you can go to JAIL for worshipping Christ? Or worse yet, where you can be KILLED for it? That’s the reality for literally millions of Christians worldwide, who live in nations where worshipping Christ is illegal. However, that doesn’t stop the Christians who live IN those countries from courageously sharing the Gospel and glorifying God in Christ ANYWAY. Thankfully, there are many Christian organizations committed to providing resources, education and prayer to those Believers secretly worshipping Christ in dangerous areas, and our special guest this episode is the CEO of one of the nation’s leading Christian organizations dedicated to providing these things and more internationally to those in need. Come fellowship with us and learn why the work that Open Doors US is so critical for ALL of us to emulate; which countries in the world are THE most dangerous for Christians; and, shockingly, what Open Doors is doing to bring the Gospel to….NORTH KOREA (yep, you read that right)! Don’t miss our spectacular Season Six kickoff episode!

Welp, we’ve done it again….another season of this flagship podcast in the book! Yes friends, we’ve reached the END of Season 5 of “Deeper in the Word”…..125 episodes in the books! What a journey it’s been! And we’re closing out Season 5 by discussing an important issue, which asks the question: ”why do so many people say they know and love God but don’t ACT like it?” See, our actions dictate what we know or don’t know…and if you “know” God, then you would ACT like you did by obeying what He tells us to do in His Word, the Bible instead of living in complete disobedience to it (there’s nothing worse than someone who says “I’ve read the Bible from cover to cover”, but yet they still act like devils!). So Believers should act like they’re “in the know” when it comes to what God has said and commanded…..and the Apostle Paul lets us know exactly how we go about doing that in the text we examine related to this subject. Come fellowship with us for our last episode of Season 5 and learn why followers of Christ must stand apart from the world and comport ourselves like we’re “In the Know” when it comes to being the way God WANTS us to be and not the way WE or the world want us to be!

When the Bible talks about our “flesh”, what does it mean, exactly? Is it talking about the skin that covers our skeletons? Is it talking about the people we’re related to? Is it talking about the meat we eat or certain parts of our bodies? Well, it’s actually talking about ALL of those things…and in fact, it’s talking about much MORE than just those things, as well, because many times when the Bible mentions our “flesh” it’s referring to our sinful natures. It’s referring to that part of us which doesn’t operate under the influence of the Spirit of God, but under the ways of the world and the devil. So when the Bible prohibits us from “operating in the flesh”, it’s telling us NOT to do all those worldly, sinful things which God frowns upon and which can PREVENT us from getting into heaven. It’s telling us to stay away from the WORKS of the flesh. But in order to stay away from the works of the flesh, we need to know WHAT those “works” are, exactly…so what are they? Come fellowship with us and learn how to avoid engaging in all those triflin’ old behaviors which God dislikes – that is, how to stay away from operating in the flesh – and instead grow your relationship with the Lord by following ONLY what His Spirit leads you to do and say!

Each year, we celebrate Father’s Day and honoring the men who reared and/or raised us…but sadly, many people never have the opportunity to celebrate that holiday due to the absence of fathers or father figures in their lives. Truly, fatherlessness is one of the top societal ills plaguing our nation, and it’s producing a generation of young people who suffer serious mental and spiritual issues as a result. Well…..this episode’s special guest is actually a friend of the show who has visited us before to discuss this troubling dilemma, and last time he visited us (Season 5, Episode 3) we ran out of time pontificating upon this critical issue. Well he’s back to continue our discussion about the work that his organization is doing to help eradicate the scourge of fatherlessness through his organization, Fathers in the Field, a Christian ministry dedicated to helping men recapture what it believes are their divinely-assigned roles as Pastor, Provider and Protector in the home. Come fellowship with us and learn what this ministry is doing to help men become all that God designed them to be as they combat their own brokenness, pain and anger due to lack of father figures….and precisely the type of work the ministry does to aid men in dealing with their “Daddy Issues”. [*NOTE: this episode was recorded a few weeks prior to Father’s Day*]

So, be honest…..you wouldn’t mind being RICH, would you? Well, how BADLY do you want to be rich? Because that’s the REAL question. Popular culture has coined the phrase “get rich or die trying”….but is that something people should TRULY be seeking after? Is getting rich above all else REALLY the best way to approach life? Not according to the Bible, it isn’t! In fact, the quest for being rich is actually one of the most damaging, most fundamentally WRONG things that a person could ever do in their life. Because it’s not the actual possession of money that the Bible frowns upon….it’s the PURSUIT of that possession, the “at all costs” sensibility associated with wanting to be rich. In fact, too many people MISINTERPRET what the Bible says about this very subject! Come fellowship with us and learn why we want to stay on the road to righteousness, and fellowship with Christ….and NOT swerve or veer OFF that road and end up instead end up headed down the “Road to the Riches”!

How absolutely CRAZY is the world right now? Wars, rumors of wars, disease, corruption, crazy weather patterns, widespread deception…..everything seems to be spiraling out of control everywhere you look. Fortunately for those of us who follow Christ and try to live our lives in obedience to God and His Word, the Lord has already given us a PLETHORA of promises which will not only help us to NOT be anxious about everything, but which also instructs us precisely in the way that we go about avoiding such anxiousness. Check out this episode of “Deeper in the Word”, where we examine three specific passages of Scripture which guarantee us that God’s desire is that our THOUGHT LIVES be conformed to only those things which are good and pleasant…..and NOT with the things that work to keep us “So Anxious”!

Yunno, the Bible is such an amazing book because its principles are timelessly applicable. In other words, things which ancient peoples went through thousands of years ago – and the lessons which they learned because of their actions - still apply to us today. So we need to learn from their mistakes and missteps so that we can avoid making them, as well, because many of the mistakes which those ancient peoples made ended up costing them dearly. And whenever we do something or engage in an activity where we may have to suffer the consequences for our actions later, we say that we’ll have to “pay the price” for doing that thing….which is precisely what happened to the Israelites back during the time of the Judges; they were acting in ways and engaging in behaviors for which they ultimately paid a high price. Join us for this week’s episode of “Deeper in the Word”, where we discover how the actions of the ancient Israelites are similar to actions people engage in TODAY…and how, as a result, the FATE they faced is the same fate that people today are in danger of experiencing as well!

WHOOOAAAAA!!  Listen, friends….we’ve done some absolutely amazing episodes and have had some incredible guests on this show over the last four years (can you believe we’re coming up on our FOURTH anniversary this June?!)…   …..and without casting aspersions on any of our prior spectacular guests, I think I can HONESTLY say that, without a doubt, this episode’s guest might be the most fascinating one we’ve ever had, because of his expertise on the TOPIC we’re discussing, and that’s ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (or “AI”).   Yes, y’all…this week’s episode might be one of our most important ones to date.  Point blank, AI is SCARY.  It’s a serious detriment and threat to our society, because of (a) its deceptive nature, and (b) its ability to become self-aware and think FOR us.   That’s why we’ve entitled this episode “Think Pieces”….because that’s what a think piece is, an article in a newspaper, magazine, or journal presenting personal opinions, analysis, or discussion, rather than bare facts, and its intended purpose is to SKEWER the facts to instead persuade you to think the way its AUTHOR or creator WANTS you to think.   And that’s EXACTLY what AI does, y’all…it represents what isn’t real, and purposefully presents it as reality for the purpose of influencing your thinking.  That’s why AI represents arguably the MOST perilous type of “think piece” ever conceived!   Join us for this INCREDIBLE episode with our special guest, author and theologian William Jefferson, who is a certified expert in the field of artificial intelligence and has written an incredible book that deals with this subject in a rather unique manner.  Mr. Jefferson talks about the dangers that AI poses not only to the Christian Believer, but to the world at large….and why we need to be on guard more than ever, before it’s too late!

You ever heard the phrase “the numbers don’t lie”?  Well, when it comes to the declining membership of and interest in the church, that phrase couldn’t BE more true.  More young people are walking away from the church, less people are attending in-person services, and even less people are giving and serving in God’s house.  Part of the issue has to do with the fact that there are too many churches these days which engage in habits and practices which are OUTDATED and no longer effective…and why would you keep doing something that no longer works?  Why keep following STALE practices instead of implementing FRESH ones?  You wouldn’t wanna eat STALE bread over FRESH bread, would you?   Join us for this episode of “Deeper in the Word’, where we discuss how churches and ministries worldwide need to DO AWAY WITH the old ways, practices and habits which AREN’T working anymore and implement NEW ones which go along with how the Lord is “doing a new thing” in the church in this modern age.   Come fellowship with us as we examine how to go “Out With the Old….”!

Y’all ever heard the phrase “birds of a feather flock together?” It basically means that people with like minds and like habits tend to frequently hang out and chill together, because of all the things they have in common….and sometimes, those things they have in common aren’t good or pleasant, but instead reflect negatively upon their character. That’s why Christians need to be so careful in who we hang out with, in the company we keep”…because fellowship with other Believers who share our mindsets and love of the Lord is paramount if we want to GROW in the Lord. Yunno….Jesus hand-picked twelve men to carry out the mission of spreading His message to the rest of the world, and He had very specific reasons for doing so, for choosing those particular twelve men. The model He established for doing so is the same model that we need to follow when WE decide about the people we’re gonna be hanging out and chillin’ with. Come fellowship with us as we learn from Jesus’s example in how and why to pick the proper folks that you hang out with as a Believer, because ultimately how you are judged will be affected by “The Company You Keep”!

Listen…..there is an ENTIRE generation of people who grew up on video games! Whether it was going to the arcade to pump quarters into their favorite game, or sitting for hours on end in front of the TV playing their favorite console, video games have ingratiated themselves into the fabric of our society over the last 30-plus years. However, we ALSO know that there’s always been debate and discussion about the EFFECT that video games have on young people, and it can’t be denied that they do have detrimental aspects and elements to it. The violence, negative images and overall debauchery associated with many video games have made them a target for heavy criticism and sometimes even being banned….and some of that has been warranted and necessary. BUT…. what if there were video games and online comics and related videos which promoted GODLY sensibilities to young people? What kind of LONG-TERM EFFECT would it have upon the youth of today if they had access to BIBLE-BASED GAMES in the SAME WAY that they have access to games which promote murder and mayhem? Fortunately there’s ALREADY a company hard at work to ANSWER those questions and set to REDEFINE what it means to be a video game and online content company…one that’s steeped in the LORD and not the WORLD. Join us for this special episode of “Deeper in the Word”, where we interview Mr. Brent Dusing, the CEO of TruPlay, a company which specializes in creating and promoting BIBLE-BASED games that are actually fun and engaging for kids and not just lame, boring retreads of the same ol’ types of Christian games we’ve been used to seeing!

Question: if God came to visit many churches today in person, do you think He would be pleased with what He saw? Do you think He would applaud or approve of the worship services? More importantly, do you think He would be happy with the ATTITUDES and BEHAVIORS of the people who frequent His house and claim to love Him? Well….back during the time of the prophet Amos, God made it CLEAR that He wasn’t too happy with the people or their worship towards Him. In fact, He sent Amos to tell them so….and the things Amos told the people should have shocked and embarrassed them, but it didn’t. I wonder if he’d get that same reaction from many churches today….. Come fellowship with us for this episode of “Deeper in the Word”, where we examine what it means to God when His people demonstrate a “Defective Devotion” to Him; that is, when the so-called people of God basically go through the motions to worship Him by making it look good INSIDE His house, yet by acting wickedly once they’re OUTSIDE it!

Man o’ man do we have a VERY SPECIAL episode in store for you this week! You see, this installment of “Deeper in the Word’ just so happens to drop during Black History Month! So in honor of that celebration, we present to you an episode about the hidden – or “forsaken” - contributions of Africa and Africans or Black people IN AND TO the Bible and to Christianity. Why are these contributions “forsaken”? Because history has either inadvertently or deliberately disregarded them and failed to teach us about them in our schools and educational systems. So we’ve set out to “set the record straight”, if you will, about the MANY influences which the continent of Africa – and Black people in general – have made to our faith throughout biblical history. So come learn about shattering misconceptions and myths held in the Black community for AGES; about reasons why Cush is significant and famous which have NOTHING to do with smoking; and how MANY of the early church fathers were Black men and you didn’t even KNOW it! Don’t miss this special, informative (and potentially controversial) episode! [**NOTE: during this episode, RevRob inadvertently refers to the Septuagint as the translation of Hebrew to Latin; it is actually the translation of Hebrew to Greek….we apologize for this oversight, as it was an unintentional slip of the tongue**]

Listen….what’s going on in Iran right now is VERY important….not only because people are coming to Christ, but because the events transpiring there are aligning with Biblical prophecy that was foretold thousands of years ago. And fortunately, our special guest this episode is a certified EXPERT when it comes to this subject. Meet Dr. Hormoz Shariat, known as “The Billy Graham of Iran”. He is almost single-handedly responsible for the rapid spread of Christianity in that country, having been dubbed “the most influential Iranian-American alive”. His ministry has been featured on worldwide platforms such as CBN’s 700 Club, Daystar, and TBN. He’s also the author of the book “Iran’s Great Awakening” which is the number one source of information about what is happening in Iran today. Come fellowship with us and learn about the great “Divine Awakening” that’s taking place in a country where following Christ can get you ostracized, jailed…or worse!

Welcome to 2024, friends! Our first show of the new year, and we couldn’t do it without y’all! Join us as we kick it all off with a discussion about the POWER and FINALITY of….a “Judge’s Decision”. Listen, if you’ve ever been to court – traffic court, civil court, criminal court, whatever – then you know what we’re talkin’ about. Once that gavel comes down, that’s IT – you’re not changing the judge’s mind. A judge’s decision is ALWAYS final and binding…..whether you like it or not! Well, that same sense of binding authority in judgment is even MORE important in the context of LIFE. Because we’re ALL gonna be judged one day by God….and HIS decision about what you DID or DIDN’T do in this lifetime is binding and authoritative, whether you like it or not! Come fellowship with us and see what in the WORLD Roy Jones, Jr. has to do with the Laodiceans….what your ATTITUDE says more about you TO God….and how you can avoid God’s judgment by following a biblically-based ideology called the “Triple T Doctrine”!

[Sea 5 / Ep 9] Do you know what’s “good for your health”? That means that something is “beneficial for your physical or mental well-being”. So many things can be good for your physical health….but what about those things which are good for your mental and spiritual health? Fortunately, so many organizations are doing Kingdom work which is good for the health of the community at large, if not the world community as a whole. This episode’s guest represents JUST such an organization…...and quite frankly, NOBODY’s model is doing it quite like theirs when it comes to addressing the physical, spiritual and mental well-being of Christians in PARTICULAR. Join us for a very INTERESTING discussion with Mr. Evelio Silvera, the Vice-President of Christian Care Ministry….an organization comprised of Believers who basically have “pooled their money” (for lack of a better phrase) to take care of each other’s health care needs, and beyond (including adoption needs!). Mr. Silvera will share some STARTLING information related to the health care industry, and will tell us all the best way for Believers to maximize their dollars while still receiving the type of quality health care that God’s people deserve! Don’t miss this special episode!

Life as we know it today is filled with important questions which need answering:  “when will the wars end?  How do we survive in this economy?  Are we living in the end times?….what am I gonna have for LUNCH today?” Well….maybe not so much that last one.  But you get the point.  HOWEVER, while everyone is asking questions, many people aren’t asking the most important question of all. So goes this week’s episode of “Deeper in the Word”, where we examine a famous Biblical story of how two men AVOIDED the chance to escape from prison….and how their FAITH compelled the guy guarding them to ask “The Million Dollar Question”. Come fellowship with us and discover how arguably THE MOST important question that has ever been asked in the history of the world is not asked often ENOUGH….and not by the right type of people, either!

There are over SIX BILLION people on planet earth. Because of that, many people feel a great sense of insignificance, like God doesn’t know them or wouldn’t have time for somebody like them. Yet the Bible teaches us that God knows everything there is to know about each of the six billion humans dwelling on the face of the earth today…..meaning that He DOES think about you. God spoke this Word to the people of Israel LONG AGO concerning their Babylonian captivity and the promise of their safe return to their homeland…..but there’s also application in it TODAY for the modern church. Come fellowship with us as we discovery why you should DEFINITELY be trying to get to know the Lord JUST AS MUCH as HE ALREADY knows everything about YOU!

Y’all ever been to an after party? Sometimes they can get pretty WILD, right? Meaning, the after party is usually the place where people REALLY unwind, get loose and yes, get drunk off their behinds. It’s the party AFTER the party. Well, the bible tells about a story which presents a bit of a different take on what an after party truly is…..because it tells about what happened AFTER THE PARTY that a king named Belshazzar gave, and NONE OF IT was good. See the problem with people having a “party all the time” sensibility is that they never think about WHEN THE PARTY WILL STOP, because they’re too busy living for the good times. So they end up ill-equipped to handle things when the time comes for the FUN and partying to end. Come fellowship with us and hear about a Babylonian king who started doing WAY too much; how God showed up to a party in the craziest way possible; why it’s never a good idea to mock or ridicule the creator of the universe; and…making death preparations?

Friends…fatherlessness is a huge crisis in our world, and if we’re really being honest, just about every deep-seeded societal issue we face is rooted in the systemic problem of fatherlessness. The numbers bear this out – for example, more than 18.4 million children in America live without a biological father, a stepfather or an adoptive father in their home, and we’re seeing the effects of this reverberate throughout the rest of society, because research FURTHER shows that fatherless children are more likely to live in poverty, suffer from a mental issues or engage in antisocial behavior, and more prone to have problems at school. Well, it’s time for the people of God to FIGHT BACK against this crisis, and this episode of “Deeper in the Word” hopes to kickstart JUST that! Because this episode’s special guest just so happens to SPECIALIZE in dealing with this topic and has dedicated his life towards what he describes has helping men heal from the trauma of fatherlessness “through the pursuit of masculine righteousness through forgiveness”. Come fellowship with us for a SPIRITED – some might even say CONTROVERSIAL - discussion that covers everything from biblical deadbeat dads to biblical forgiveness to addressing the controversial issue of the “demasculinization of manhood” and how that extends into the home….AND into the church! (UH-OH….lol)

Have you ever had "a mountain-top experience"? Yunno, that moment that had you on a high which made you feel like you were on top of the world? Like God Himself was with you at that very moment? Well, imagine that moment happening on an ACTUAL mountain-top! It did to the Prophet Elijah, and how the people on that mountain who witnessed what happened up there were forever changed by what they saw. Join us for another fun-filled week here at DITW as we discuss what we can learn from this famous Biblical story which will help YOU achieve "Your Mountain-Top Victory"! [***PRODUCER'S NOTE: RevRob erroneously refers to this episode as "Episode 2", but it is in fact Episode #4. We have aired some interviews out of order because we wanted to get them out to you, and this episode was recorded before those interviews.***]

Listen….when you travel to a foreign land, you usually get your money changed over to that of the local economy…..so you pay a conversion rate in order to change your money from one form to another. Saints of God….there’s a DIFFERENT kind of “conversion rate” going on in the nation of Iran these days, and it ain’t about changing your money. No, THIS conversion rate has to do with the high rate of conversion at which Muslims are becoming Christians in that country. Due to a tragic (and quite honestly, evil) incident in late 2022 now dubbed “Black Friday”, thousands upon thousands of Muslims are denouncing their faith and turning to salvation in Christ…and our guest this episode is with an organization that specializes in preaching the gospel to all Iranians, as well as planting churches, discipling believers and developing leaders to spearhead this monumental movement taking place in that nation. Join us and our special guest, Ms. Lana Silk of Transform Iran, as we talk about a Black Friday that has nothing to do with discounts or savings, and what it’s like to evangelize in a region where doing so could get you arrested or killed!

When you work in ministry – and ESPECIALLY if you preach the Word of God or pastor others – you’re held to a much higher standard than Believers who don’t do such work (that ain’t even me saying that, it’s biblical…see James 3:1-12  and 1 Tim 5:19-25).  So there’s a REAL danger associated with misrepresenting the Lord, engaging in fraudulent activity or otherwise misleading people who you are SUPPOSED to be helping to lead to the Christ.   But what if you spent a large portion of your LIFE doing just that?  What if your family made MILLIONS of dollars off of people’s naivety, simply because you TRICKED them into believing that you had a connection to God that you never actually had?   Join us for this VERY special episode of “Deeper in the Word” with our amazing guest, Pastor Costi Hinn.  Pastor Hinn is the nephew of the internationally-renown televangelist and “faith healer”, Benny Hinn.  Pastor Hinn shocked the Christian community back in the early 2000s when he “defected” from the family, renounced their practices, and then came to the knowledge of who Christ and the Holy Spirit TRULY are.  Come hear his incredible story and testimony, including tales of living the life of the rich and famous….all off of people’s DONATIONS; how the Spirit of God often gets treated like the stepchild in the corner; and how his new book will help set the record STRAIGHT about the true identity and nature of the Holy Spirit!   If you’ve NEVER listened to this show before, trust me…..THIS is the episode to get at us!

Season five….LET’S GOOO!!!! And to quote that notable poet, Sean Carter: “You…are…NOT….ready…” – Jay-Z Listen…I been TELLIN’ Y’ALL that this season is gonna be our biggest one ever…and it starts NOW, as we kick off our fifth season with a VERY special episode entitled “Self Defense Tactics”. No, we’re not about to teach you boxing or wrestling moves to PHYSICALLY defend yourself….instead, we’re gonna learn about how you can defend what you believe in (also known as apologetics). And right now you’re probably like, “Okay….but what’s so SPECIAL about any of that?” Oh, did I mention that we are HONORED to be joined this episode by NBC Dateline Cold Case Investigator and leading Christian Apologist, Mr. J. Warner Wallace, founder of Cold Case Christianity? Yes, Mr. Wallace is BACK to help us kick off the new season with an enlightening discussion about making a proper defense for the faith we hold dear. So JOIN US as we learn about why we should STOP calling it “apologetics” and instead call it “Christian case making”; how you can QUICKLY make the case for Christ….like, LITERALLY in a few minutes; how social media can oftentimes be a LOUDER voice that a young person listens to more than anything else (including that of their parents); and how YOU can purchase the book that started it all and which contains the EXACT TOOLS you need in order to activate your “faith defense system”!

Wow. We made it, y’all. A HUNDRED episodes of “Deeper in the Word”….three years and a lotta sweat and tears. We can’t thank y’all enough for all your support over the years….this show DOES NOT exist without YOU, our faithful listeners. So on this special 100th episode, we wanted to INVOLVE you – and so we asked you to submit to us your TOP questions for me to answer about this podcast and the 99 episodes we’ve done so far, and y’all come up with some good ones! Join us for this special retrospective episode of “Deeper in the Word” as we celebrate 100 episodes by answering YOUR questions. It’s a celebration, y’all!

IT’S A CELEBRATION….sort of. See, we’re celebrating our 99TH EPISODE of “Deeper in the Word” with this episode….but the REAL celebration is in the fact that we’re ONE EPISODE AWAY from 100 EPISODES!! So again, we’re celebrating…but only KINDA. No worries…that won’t stop the QUALITY of this lil’ ol’ flagship podcast of Benevolent Faith Ministries, as we bring you this episode’s topic of FAMILY AFFAIRS. What ARE “family affairs”, exactly? Does that phrase even mean the same thing to EVERY family? Because it could mean anything from a planned family gathering to the details that a family DOESN’T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO KNOW about (as in, “it’s a family affair”, and therefore none of your business). But when it comes to the Bible and followers of Christ, the phrase “family affairs” takes on an ENTIRELY new meaning and substance…and in a few different ways. Come join us for this special 99th episode of our podcast which, at its core, explores the concept of working to help your FAMILY MEMBERS seek Christ. Because YOU might be saved….but are your family members and loved ones saved? Is that even important to you? Topics of discussion include how Jesus actually redefined the concept of “family” in stark contrast to the beliefs of His time; how one’s BLOODLINE and lineage/genealogy meant EVERYTHING when it came to the recognition and reputation of your FAMILY in biblical times; how our struggles against Satan really ARE like being in “The Matrix”; and what God promises us will happen if we pursue salvation for our family members in earnest!

If you’ve ever been to a swap meet, or a flea market, or even a MALL, then you know what it’s like to experience the marketplace….and it was always a vital location in ancient biblical times.  The marketplace was the place where merchants sold and traded goods, where people congregated and conversed, and where new ideas and ways of thinking and living were promoted. Friends, in our modern times, I believe that the world wide web – the internet – is the NEW marketplace.  Think about it, you can buy and sell anything and everything on the internet…..including selling FALSE ideologies and phony doctrine.  That’s why it’s critical for Believers to know how to navigate the marketplace so that we can AVOID certain things that are not of God. Join us for this episode of “Deeper in the Word”, where RevRob examines the story of the Apostle Paul at the marketplace in Athens, Greece and how the manner in which Paul responded to what HE saw and encountered there should serve as the example by which WE model ourselves whenever WE’RE engaged in OUR modern marketplaces!  Topics include going to swap meets in San Diego; the good and bad of the internet; why disrespect towards God should piss you off; and how you have a DUTY to share the truth about God whenever YOU’RE involved in the marketplace!