Ponder Anew Podcast

Robert Myallis
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Pastor Rob's Bible Study Podcast

  1. May 29

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Philemon

    In honor of the shortest of Paul's letters, we take up the biggest of questions:  How do Christians respond to evil?  Should and can this response be political?   1) I argue that although Jesus challenged political leaders, he was not interested in change through political means. Does this seem fair? How might you describe Jesus' attitude towards politics to a non-Christian?  2) What are issues -- dare we call them evil -- where your faith makes you feel summoned and inspired to combat them on a person level? Where you actively seek to help people through time, treasure and talent, who are impacted by X, Y or Z.  3) What are issues -- dare we call them evil -- where your faith makes you feel summoned and inspired to combat them politically? Where you actively seek to help people through advocacy, voting, donations to campaigns or even running for office?  4) Do you think local congregations should be most focused on   a) cultivating Christians who can fight evil outside of church   b) creating caring communities that include people on the margins (don't fight the world, create a counter balance to the world)  c) engaging in direct aid to local people who are suffering   d) engaging in advocacy for local issues (township, city or school board)  e) engaging in advocacy for statewide or even federal issues  5) What is your response when pastors discuss politics?    6) I spend a lot of time talking about the rise of bishops from upper class families. Just curious for your response to this reality. Does this church need leaders who can play "chess" as the world does?  7) People in Paul's day couldn't see the problem with slavery because it was so woven into the fabric of his culture. What things about our culture might future generations look at as terribly evil even though we assumed they were normal?

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Philemon

  2. May 15

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Titus

    Is obedience a virtue?  How do we square the modern command: "Be yourself" with Paul's strong sense of social order, obedience and self-restraint?  As we continue reading through the New Testament, we come to Titus.  It is a short letter, but it gets at a question of vital importance for us in the age of authenticity:  What do we do with the Bible's uplifting of obedience? 1)  Would you agree we are a society that values individual expression?  What is evidence of this? 2)  Would you agree we are a society that distrusts institutions?  What is evidence of this? 3)  What is lost and what is gained in a world in which corporal punishment is no longer used?  What is lost and what is gained in a world in which obedience is a second tier virtue? 4)  What might be attractive about a church or Christianity that highly valued self-expression?  What might be problematic about this? 5)  What might be attractive about a church or Christianity that highly valued obedience and strong pre-existing roles for people in society?  What might be problematic about this? 6)  What might be ways forward of a middle path, that avoids the excesses of self-expression"ism" and also avoids the pitfalls of repressive and rigid religion?

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Titus

  3. May 10

    Reading the Bible in a Year: 2 Timothy

    Paul didn't write just one, but wrote two letters to Timothy.  We use this opportunity to reflect on Paul's relationship with Timothy, namely, that of a mentor.  We reflect on what it means to be a mentor, especially a spiritual mentor? 1)  Who have been key mentors in your life?  What made them good mentors? 2)  Whom have you mentored? What have you learned about yourself, life or even your "trade" through this mentoring? 3)  Do you have a relationship with a godparent or a godchild?  What made this meaningful (or not!)? 4)  Who have been your spiritual mentors?  How is this kind of mentoring different? 5)  What could your church to do better foster spiritual mentorship?

    Reading the Bible in a Year: 2 Timothy

  4. Apr 30

    Reading the Bible in a Year: 1 Timothy

    Why do people not get along on teams, in businesses and in organizations or even churches? As we work through the Bible in a Year, we turn to Paul's first letter to Timothy.  In this letter, Paul is seeking to help his mentee, Timothy, manage the church.  It may surprise us to consider that so early on in the church life, they needed to develop clarity around church leadership positions.  However, if anyone has ever been a part of an organization that is bigger than a single household, you know how important structure and leadership expectations are! Some questions to consider 1)  What are times in your life where you have experienced conflict due to a lack of clarity about expectations? 2)  What are times in your life where you have experienced conflict due to a lack of clarity about boundaries and lanes? 3)  Have you been a part of religious organizations that have handled staff and volunteer expectations well?  What kind of expectations have you ever had of yourself made clear to you? 4)  What kind of behavior do you expect out of your clergy?  5)  How can a religious organization have expectations but also grace for the humanness of their leaders? 6)  What did you think of Pastor Rob's definition of immaturity as a lack of awareness about our reaction to stress? 7)  How do you help people see their immaturity?  What has helped you become more aware of how your reaction to stress impacts others? 8)  What has helped you become a more self aware person who can better navigate stress?  What tools have you developed?

    Reading the Bible in a Year: 1 Timothy

  5. Apr 24

    Reading the Bible in a Year: 1 Thessalonians

    The oldest written evidence of what the first Christian communities look like is... Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians! One of the themes that emerges in this letter is Paul's concern for Christians returning/assimilating to the broader culture around them.  He quite often reflects on the idea of holiness in the letter. 1)  What do you think about when you hear the word "holiness"? 2)  What do people mean that the Bible is "holy"?  In what way do you consider the Bible "Holy"? 3)  What is gained by having a written record of biblical events and stories?  Is anything lost by moving from an oral to a written tradition?  What might we lose or gain in a post-reading culture? 4)  Do you think that for most people their idols are concrete things or more typically abstract things (like their career, or their kid's success)? 5)  What pieces of Christian art do you find moving? 6)  Do you think it is important for Christian community to have a different standard for sexual ethics than the surrounding community? 7)  Do you think that sexual ethics should be one of, if not the, defining holiness issue for Christians?

    Reading the Bible in a Year: 1 Thessalonians

  6. Apr 17

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Colossians

    Probably the briefest book of the Bible that will get its own podcast in our reading of the Bible:  Colossians.  But, wow, there is so much in this short epistle! Some questions: 1)  What did you make of Pastor Rob's claim that Christianity demands theology? 2)  Do you consider the Gospel writers to be theologians?  How might you answer the question:  How do Matthew, Mark, Luke and John distinctly answer the question "Who is Jesus?" 3)  What are the biggest mysteries of the Christian faith in your mind?  4)  Do you think Christianity needs to lean more into the mystery or clarity of teaching when presenting the Gospel to our world? 5)  What might it mean for Jesus to be the "Image of God"? 6)  In what ways is Jesus like us as humans?  In what ways is Jesus not like us as humans? 7)  How important is having common doctrine to have a healthy community?

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Colossians

  7. Apr 10

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Ephesians

    "Paul seems different than Jesus!"  Sometimes Paul says things in his letters that don't quite resonate.  In fact, they confuse, if not even offend us.  As we continue working through the Bible, one book at a time, we come to Ephesians.  We will use this letter to take up the question of what we make of Paul today, when some of the things he says seem to come from a galaxy far, far away and a long, long time ago. 1)  What are parts of the Bible you struggle with? 2)  What are ways you justify ignoring those particular parts of the Bible? 3)  What do you think of the argument that Paul did not write Ephesians or other letters in the Bible?  (Feel free to do other internet research!) 4)  When you read Paul, are there moments when you say to yourself:  "This man was truly inspired by God!" 5)  Does Ephesians 5 and what Paul says about marriage inspire you?  What can we gain from Paul regarding marriage?  6)  What do we make of "Slaves and Masters" talk in the Bible?  What gives us permission to ignore parts of the Bible that acknowledge the reality of slavery? 7)  What might be a helpful filter for determining what we "take" from the Bible and what we "leave" as a cultural relic from a distance place?

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Ephesians

  8. Apr 1

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Philippians

    As we head into Easter, we resume our weekly podcast, picking up with the book of Philippians.  This is admittedly not the directly next book in the Bible, but Philippians 2 is part of the Holy Week readings and as the podcast reveals, Pastor Rob has an argument to make:  Paul is not responsible for American Christianity's focus on the individual, the transactional nature of religion and its escapism.  Questions:   1)  What do you think it means to have the same mind among you as Christ Jesus? 2)  Would you say your faith tends to be more personal or more communal?  Are both necessary?  Can you have a personal relationship with Jesus if you don't have a community of faith?  Can you have a community of faith without people having an individual relationship with Jesus?  Can you nurture both at the same time? 3)  For people today, what do you think is the significance of Paul's argument that Jesus was not like other Greco-Roman gods? 4)  Would you say the best way to introduce people to Christianity is by talking about it in terms of transaction or in terms of transformation?  Or even in terms of conformation? 5)  How has Jesus Christ conformed you to his life of death and resurrection? 6)  Do you believe that Christianity is inherently escapist -- get me outta here? 7)  Do you find there are times when you are ready for heaven? 8)  Did Pastor Rob convince you that Paul is NOT to blame for the problems of American Christianity?  Or are there other problems that need to be addressed!

    Reading the Bible in a Year: Philippians
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Pastor Rob's Bible Study Podcast

Information

  • Creator
    Robert Myallis
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    153
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Ponder Anew Podcast