In today’s culture, intoxication and the reliance on substances like alcohol, marijuana, and other substances have become increasingly normalized, often portrayed as means of self-medicating, escape, coping, or recreation. For Christians, this presents a real challenge—how do we navigate a world where these substances are so accessible and even cel…

Why don’t churches sing the Psalms anymore? Are they too clunky? Too ancient? Or are churches being directly disobedient to the explicit commands of Scripture to do so? And while we’re asking bold questions... let’s talk about the brand-new Trump tariffs of 2025—what exactly does this mean for the economy, and how will it affect trade across the gl…

Is there a direct, unbroken line from the apostles to today's church leaders? In this episode, we’re diving deep into the doctrine of Apostolic Succession—what it is, where it came from, and why it matters. We’ll explore how the Catholic and Orthodox traditions view this unbroken chain of spiritual authority, what role the pope and bishops play, an…

What’s up Beards and Bible listeners. A while back, we did a series of episode in which we explored the topic of deconstruction and how it has become a trending in some of the younger generations. Since then, I’ve had several really amazing conversations with folks from all over the place about the topic. Some of whom have friends or family members…

It seems like everywhere you turn today-whether it's business, sports, self-improvement, or social media-there’s a resurgence of an ancient philosophy: Stoicism. From bestselling books like The Obstacle Is the Way to CEOs and Navy SEALs quoting Marcus Aurelius, this 2,000-year-old way of thinking is making a major comeback. But what exactly is Stoi…

In today’s episode, we take a deep dive into one of the most mysterious figures in the Bible: Melchizedek. Mentioned only briefly in Genesis 14, Psalm 110, and Hebrews 7, Melchizedek is described as both a king and a priest, with no recorded genealogy. Who was he, and why does the book of Hebrews compare him to Jesus? We'll explore key biblical pas…

The world is changing, and so is the church. What challenges are we facing in 2025? What opportunities lie ahead? From the shifting faith landscape of Gen Z to the decline of evangelism, church closures, and the mental health crisis among pastors, we’re diving into the biggest disruptive trends shaping the future of the church. How should we respon…

A topic that’s at the heart of the Christian life but is often misunderstood is the idea of forgiveness. Jesus teaches us to forgive seventy times seven and to love our enemies, but does that mean we have to put up with abuse, mistreatment, or harm? Is forgiveness the same as enabling someone to continually hurt us? And what does it look like to se…

Happy new year Beards and Bible listeners! We are so excited to open up our inbox and do our best to answer some super interesting questions that were all sent in by you as the listener. We've got questions about Numbers 5 and “the bitter drink” (the jealousy offering), the apocrypha, tips to establish a daily devotional routine, and whether Mark 1…

“How can an all-powerful, all-good God exist in a world filled with suffering?" It's one of the toughest questions Christians face. In this episode, we dive into the problem of evil and the powerful apologetic responses of something called, theodicy. Let’s get equipped to address our doubts, engage in meaningful conversations, and deepen your own f…

Right now, there are roughly five generations alive today have been labeled here in the U.S.- the Silent Generation (those born around 1945 or before, 78-96 years old), the Baby Boomers (1946-1964, 59-77 years old), Generation X (1965-1976, 44-59 years old) Millennials (1977-1995, between 28-43 years old), and Gen Z- 1996-2015 (between 9-27 years o…

Well, Beards and Bible listeners, we made it. Well, kind of. The ballots are counted (or are being counted), but questions still linger. Will the results be accepted? And as the dust settles, how do we, as a nation, move forward together despite the deep divides that remain? Join us as we unpack the uncertainty, the challenges, and the hope for uni…

The Protestant Reformation was a major religious movement that began in the early 16th century, fundamentally altering the landscape of Christianity in Europe and laying the groundwork for the modern church and Western civilization. The reformation was essentially a movement against perceived corruptions and excesses in the Roman Catholic Church. I…

“What is truth?” This is the question Pontius Pilate famously asked Jesus in the gospel of John. In our day and age, truth is defined as relative and open to subjective opinions, perspectives, and interpretations that vary based on someone’s experiences, contexts, or social class. It’s no wonder that in a context like ours, many Christians have beg…

Proverbs 18:21 tells us, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Words carry the power to divide, distort, and destroy, and in our divided and polarized society, the stakes have never been higher. Political rhetoric today inflames tensions, breaks down relationships, and spreads anger and fear. But as…

In today’s world, it seems like politicians have mastered the art of distorting the truth. They often use clever language and manipulative tactics to present themselves in the best possible light, while casting their opponents as completely unworthy of trust. The media, often driven by its own agenda, only adds to the confusion, making it difficult…

Scripture calls us as believers to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. We’re supposed to be ready at any time to give an answer to everyone who asks us about the reason we have hope, and we’re supposed to do it with gentleness and respect. We’re told that we’re Christ’s ambassadors, imploring people to be reconciled with Go…

On today's episode, we answer listener/viewer questions related to predestination and election, prayer labyrinths and their role within the church, and the 400 years of prophetic silence between the book of Malachi and Matthew's gospel. If you have any other questions, send us an email at [email protected]!…

It's been an interesting July, to say the least. On July 13, former president Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt while addressing a crowd at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. The aftermath of this event is still being talked about, as ripples have been felt throughout the political landscape here in the U.S. Then on July 26, t…

A common experience for many Christians is to encounter another believer who seems to think that their church is the only true church, and outside of that particular church (or ones like theirs who have similar names, traditions, or practices) there is no other true church. Some might go far as to say that others who belong to different churches ma…

There are now 17.8 million children in the U.S. without a biological father, step father, or adoptive father in the home. That’s nearly 1 in 4 kids. Research shows that when a child is raised in a father-absent home, they’re more likely to have behavioral problems, commit a crime, go to prison, become pregnant as a teen, get addicted to drugs and a…

On May 30, former president Donald Trump became the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime when a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election. After two days of deliberation, the 12-member jury pronounced Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts he faced. This h…

On this week's episode, Gabe and Josh talk of Gabe's upcoming baby, Josh's 13 year wedding anniversary, Josh's AIM screen name, and the gang answers some great questions sent in by listeners related to women in pastoral leadership and infant baptism.By JoshBrooker/GabeRutledge

We’re commanded in Scripture to be anxious for nothing, to not worry about our lives, and to cast all our cares upon the Lord. So…if we feel anxious or battle an anxiety disorder, are we in sin? What about depression? Does being a Christian mean that we’ll never get depressed or battle intense seasons of despair or discouragement? *****DISCLAIMER**…

Philippians 3:20 tells us that as believers, “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ”. 1 Peter 2:11-12 calls us as believers, “sojourners and exiles”. All throughout the Bible, it’s clear that the people of God have a primary allegiance to a different kind of Kingdom and a preeminent, sovereign King who r…

Beards and Bible podcast listeners, we have now reached 100 episodes!!! We are so incredibly grateful for all of our amazing listeners and fans who have made our podcast the thing that it has become over the past four years.To celebrate our 100th episode, we're dedicating the entire episode to our listeners by answering some of your awesome questio…

Different terms translated as dragon appear more than 20 times in the OT and four times in the NT. Not only that, nearly every major ancient culture has myths and legends about giant reptiles. How would these civilizations, continents and millennia apart, all come up with legends of giant reptilian creatures? In an epic crossover episode with our f…

What’s up Beards and Bible listeners, on today’s episode, both of us will respond to four separate questions (related to life, theology, ministry, or anything else) that we haven’t seen or heard about beforehand- so every answer we give will completely unscripted- for better or for worse. So this oughta be fun…what could go wrong?…

The relationship between churches, pastors, missionaries, ministries and money can be tricky. Ministries rely on the financial contributions of donors to sustain everything they’re trying to do. All throughout the Bible, both in the Old and New Testament, the people of God are told to be generous and give to the work of God through the church. So, …

You may have had an encounter with someone from a group called the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Maybe they left some of their literature in your mailbox, maybe they knocked on your door, or maybe you had an extended conversation with one of them at a park or public place. At first, it would seem that they’re a Christian group with an intense dedication to …

The Ark of the Covenant has been a fascinating topic of study for Bible scholars, historians, archeologists, and lovers of Indiana Jones for a long time. This sacred artifact has captured imaginations for centuries- but what was this mysterious chest, and why did it hold such profound significance for the people of ancient Israel? How was it built,…

Happy new year Beards and Bible listeners! We are so excited to open up our inbox and do our best to answer some super interesting questions that were all sent in by you as the listener. We've got questions about being a Christian in the military, disagreements between Calvinists and Arminians, the differences between Catholics/Protestants and the …

Happy holidays Beards and Bible listeners! I hope you all are having a fantastic and blessed holiday season, however you’re celebrating with your family and loved ones. Just wanted to hop on and say a huge THANK YOU to all of who have listened, subscribed, shared, and interacted with our podcast this past year. 2023 has been an incredible year for …

A new documentary was recently released called, “The Mission” tells the story of John Chau. In 2018, Chau, a young American missionary, was killed by arrows while attempting to contact one of the world’s most isolated Indigenous peoples on remote North Sentinel Island off the coast of India. The Sentinelese tribe are one of the six native and often…

The church in the United States is at an interesting crossroads. Surveys suggest that there are good things happening in churches across America- such as an increase in volunteerism, optimism among members and ministers, and a significant drop in church conflicts and intense dissensions. However, there are also still serious challenges for most chu…

What’s up Beards and Bible listeners! We don’t have a new episode for you this week (or next week because it’ll be Thanksgiving), but we do have a little something to hold you over until then. Our good buddy Jonathan Ciecka, who is the discipleship pastor at the Experience Community Church in Murfreesboro, is releasing a new video series on YouTube…

In recent years, the practices, traditions, and liturgy of the American Church has drastically changed. Things like stained glass windows, pews, and altars have been replaced by TV’s, lights, padded seats, and stages. Ministers who used to wear vestal robes now deliver messages in skinny jeans using IPads. It’s not that churches that embrace nontra…

What’s up Beards and Bible listeners! A lot has happened since the guys last sat down together, so on today’s episode we’ll talk about running a marathon together, the recent events in Israel and Gaza, and how this might have something to do with end times prophecy. Should be a good one!By JoshBrooker/GabeRutledge

What’s up Beards and Bible listeners, on our last episode we talked about gun ownership, self-defense, and the Christian ethics related to those issues. On our today's episode, we’re going to hear a different Christian perspective- one that advocates nonviolence, gun control, and Christian pacifism. Even though many American evangelicals are unfami…

There are a number of Christian traditions (Mennonites, Quakers, Adventists, Moravians, etc.) who hold to a position of non-violence/Christian pacifism and say that owning a gun for self-defense isn’t a Biblically supported position. They’ll quote verses like Matthew 26:52, where Jesus says “put your sword back into its place. For all who take the …

Leaders within the church are called by scripture to live and lead in a way that is above reproach- that doesn’t mean that they must be perfect (or we’d have no leaders), but it does mean that someone who leads must practice personal integrity, character, and godliness. The little things in life reveal character- and character matters in church lea…

In March of 2023, Tennessee Pastor Greg Locke released a documentary film entitled Come Out in Jesus Name. The film chronicled the ministries of deliverance ministers such as Alexander Pagani, Isaiah Saldivar, and Mike Signorelli. The movie features footage from real life “deliverance” services, where individuals allegedly manifest demonic spirits …

Howdy listeners! This week's episode is a bit different with Gabe traveling to Israel, but with a little bit of international date line maneuvering, we're still able to make things happen. So join us as Gabe checks in from Israel, Josh answers e-mail questions, and Jason Aldean dares you to try that in a small town...(whatever "that" may happen to …

In the year 325 at the First Council of Nicea, leaders of the early church adopted a very important statement of belief in response to a false teacher named Arius. Arius was an Egyptian presbyter from Alexandria who introduced a new theology that stated while Jesus was the Son of God, He wasn’t really God- he was a created being who had been given …

In 1990, 26-year-old Terri Schiavo fell into a persistent vegetative state after suffering cardiac arrest. A fierce highly public battle took place between her parents and her husband, who wanted to disconnect her feeding tube. Terri's husband argued that his wife would not have wanted her life artificially prolonged, with no hope of recovery. Terr…

In the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, there stood a statue near a city park of Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard, who himself was a native of St. Bernard Parish and grew up in New Orleans. The statue was placed there in 1915. Beauregard was an early proponent of equal rights in Louisiana, serving as the outspoken leader of the short-lived and ulti…

Amazon Prime recently released a limited docuseries exposing the truth beneath the wholesome Americana surface of reality tv’s favorite mega-family, The Duggars, and the radical organization behind them: The Institute in Basic Life Principles. The Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) is a nondenominational Christian organization that serves as…

Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, and it usually communicates some sort of message within that medium. Art can be painting, sculpture, literature, music, dance, drama, and it can be film. Film (motion pictures, television shows, streaming series, etc.) is a work of visual art that tells a story that simul…

In American Christianity especially, there is much confusion on the doctrine of eternal security (sometimes referred to as “once saved, always saved“). Some circles of Christianity, for example, might teach that one can lose his/her salvation and fall into the error of trying to keep his salvation by personal effort. According to scripture, this is…

John 10:34 “Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, ‘I said you are gods’? If he called those to whom the word of God came ‘gods’- and the Scripture cannot be broken- do you say, You are blaspheming to the one the Father set apart and sent into the world because I said: I am the Son of God?” Jesus’ point is this: you charge me with blas…