Podcasts

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Confession refers to a public acknowledgement. The New Testament describes two specific contexts in which Christians confess, and we will touch on both. We will discuss what it means to call Jesus your Lord, my takeaways from my very first Russian novel, the distinction between confessing sins and confessing sin, and a bit of a confession of my own regarding my gaming habits. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in George

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Podcast Sep 29, 2020

Do With Your Heart

What is the hardest part of good Bible study? Observation? Interpretation? By far it is the final step - Application. Everything is pointless unless we do what God says. But there is so much more to application than saying "just do it." Why do we sometimes struggle to apply the Bible? Are there any pitfalls we must avoid? How do we overcome them? Resources mentioned in this episode: Book: Knowable Word by Peter Krol Intro song - "Faith" by Vibe Tracks Outro song - "New Year" by Bad Snacks

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Podcast Sep 28, 2020

Character of Friendship

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Before man was created, the Godhead existed. A friendship between three eternal beings, who shared in things, were there for one another, and knew all about the others. They were the first model for friendship. Adam was created to be like them, so it comes as no surprise that he was not good alone. God created a connection with another, and from there families were formed. God wants you to enjoy great friendships. It is not good for you to be alone. But how do you get a friendship started. And maybe more importantly, how

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Podcast Sep 25, 2020

Four teens and an Internet discussion

Send us Fan Mail Okay, this week I'm talking to my seventeen-year-old son and some of his friends. They talk about how they see the Internet, how people around them are trying to frame the Internet for them, and how they can see Christianity better using the Internet. Instead of talking about Generation Z, this is a conversation with it. Support the show

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Podcast Sep 24, 2020

Episode 79 - "Who Do You Love?"

Run From Loving the World What do you love? This week we look at some of the objects of affection the Bible directs us away from, and which ones it points us toward. Along the way we talk about the Borg and Big Ten Football, long distance relationships and kids finally cleaning their rooms. Today’s Scripture du Jour (1 Peter 1) holds up a mirror. And we find encouragement in some fundamentals of the faith when we go Finding Jesus in this week’s reading, 2 Timothy 2-4 and 1 Peter 1-2. The Big Idea: What we love propels us toward particular attitudes and choices. Weekly Challenge: Identify what

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Podcast Sep 22, 2020

LANGUAGE: Fun with prepositions. Eats, Shoots, and Leaves. Implications/inferences. Bring Your Own Book.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Communication is both my vocation and my avocation, and language is the tool of my trade. This week I am taking you behind the curtain to show you a bit of how my mind works. A terrifying prospect, that. We’ll discuss the least appreciated part of speech, why we have punctuation at all, the differences between inferences and implications and why you should care, and how you can prove your point with literally any book in the world. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons serves as preacher and sh

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Podcast Sep 22, 2020

Open Your Mind

After Observing what the text says, the next step is to Interpret what it means. This step may sound difficult or subjective, but we suggest it is neither. The goal of interpretation is not to read our own meaning into the text, but discover God's intended meaning within the context of Scripture. Intro Song - "Faith" by Vibe Tracks Outro Song - "Computer Bounce" by Geographer

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Podcast Sep 21, 2020

Through The Dip

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Everyone wants to be successful. Whether in business, relationships, or life, we want our work to pay off. Especially with regard to faith, we want to live for God and receive the great reward of heaven! But not many people make it, really not in any of these categories. Far too often people start working, and get immediate results, but then... it gets hard. The experience the inevitable dip. Most people give up. But not those who find success. Not those who build great marriages. Not those who see heaven! Let's talk abou

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Podcast Sep 18, 2020

Why digital discipleship?

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I discuss why digital discipleship is so important to Christians. Support the show

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Podcast Sep 17, 2020

Episode 78 - "I Mean It!"

I Mean It! What do you consider the most “essential workers” on the planet today? This week we set our sites on understanding what Paul says about overseers (1 Timothy 3). What does church leadership look like, and what’s the point of all those qualifications? We also learned some stuff about money from our Scripture du Jour (1 Timothy 6) — both the good and the bad. And we kick things off with Christ’s “good confession” and some reflections on the reason we can happily suffer, in our Finding Jesus segment. Join us for a listen, and let us know any feedback or questions! The Big Idea: We recei

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Podcast Sep 15, 2020

MUSIC: Harmony. "Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement." "Africa." Encore.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! We’ll cover the parallels between musical harmonies and the unity of the Spirit, how worship music can actually push people away from God, the most frequently covered song in all of YouTube, and a game in which too much talent can ruin everything. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through

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Podcast Sep 15, 2020

Open Your Eyes

The first step in good Bible study is Observation. Start by immersing yourself in the text of Scripture. In this episode we discuss the importance of reading often and purposefully. We also highlight common roadblocks to good observation (there are more than you think). Finally, we offer motivation and practical tools to help you get started. Intro Song - "Faith" by Vibe Tracks Outro Song - "Computer Bounce" by Geographer David Maxson Material - http://embryhills.us/adult_class_material/how_to_study_the_bible_and_enjoy_it_david_maxson.pdf Color Bible Marking YouTube Channel - https://www.youtu

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Podcast Sep 14, 2020

The Ripple Effect

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Everyone knows about the Ripple Effect. But have you thought about it recently? Have you considered that this is actually a principle? I mean, the impact of actions on others is ongoing. It is a reality of your life, whether you know it or not, whether you believe it or not. So we might as well make sure we own this reality. The things we say and do matter. They matter in the moment. And they continue to matter in the moments that follow and among people far beyond yourself. And while everyone knows this, there is somethi

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Podcast Sep 11, 2020

Online Christianity: An interview with Wyatt Taylor

Send us Fan Mail This week I talk with Wyatt Taylor about digital discipleship and how he helped bring one church online. Support the show

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Podcast Sep 10, 2020

Episode 77 - "Check Yourself"

Be Sound in the Faith What does it mean to be “sound”? This week we consider what spiritual health and wellness requires, when we look at an important Heavy Word. We ask, “what is the goal of a Bible class?” and “what’s the point of church discipline?” And we go Finding Jesus in this week’s reading — which points to a common need we share with all humanity. The Big Idea: Teaching that is faithful to the Word of Christ brings spiritual wellness. Weekly Challenge: Think about Jesus’ standard this week and how your life measures up. Show Notes Into the Book - Week 36 Into the Book Preview - “Titu

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Podcast Sep 8, 2020

Evaluate Your How

How do you actually do good Bible study? The Bible deserves our utmost respect and care, so we should honestly evaluate how we approach it. Do we have any bad habits that misuse Scripture? Is there a better way to study? In this episode we suggest a simple, common-sense, three-step process.

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Podcast Sep 8, 2020

HISTORY: with guests Michael Walls and Josh Collier

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching about heroes. The Bible is full of them, and we’ve never needed heroes more than we do today. What are some of the issues confronting the people of God today, and what Biblical heroes can we emulate while trying to address them? I’ve been reading biographies — some focusing on spiritual activity, some not. One of the most satisfying things about the experience is finding a way to connect with individuals from the past and learn from their experiences. The trouble is, I sometimes think I’m just reinforcing the ideas

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Podcast Sep 7, 2020

Experiencing God's Hand

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! It is important to grow and learn and do great things for God. But it is crucial to remember that the power to do so is not in you. On our own we are wayward, weak and lost. But with God's power, anything is possible... everything is possible! We must see God near us. We must visualize Christ right here in the room with us. When God's hand is upon us, and we tap into it, we can change lives and honor His name! To demonstrate this, let's look into the life of a man named Ezra. You know his name, not because of his personal

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Podcast Sep 4, 2020

Balancing your Life, an Interview with Dr. Russell Clayton

Send us Fan Mail This is an interview I have with my friend Dr. Russell Clayton about work/life balance. Russell's book is entitled In Search of Work-Life Balance. It's an excellent book. Russell writes short, and his insights are simple and profound. Support the show

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Podcast Sep 3, 2020

Episode 76 - "I Go for the Coffee"

workingwiththeword · Working with the Word

Prepare for Spiritual Warfare This week, we’re going to war! What does spiritual warfare look like? What is the “ armor of God ” (Eph. 6:10-18) all about? And who is the real enemy? And as we discuss Ephesians 2-6, we find a challenging standard for maturity and a stabilizing love in Christ. Then we talk about sleeping and submitting in an Ephesians 5 edition of Scripture du Jour. And by the way, “Ephesians Week” is as good a time as any to start reading the New Testament with us, just one chapter a day! Either way, hope you’ll join us for a listen and find some encouragement for your walk wit

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Podcast Sep 1, 2020

Find Your Why

So you want to become a better Bible student? That's great, but slow down! Before you jump into the "how" of good Bible study, you need to evaluate your "why" by asking questions like, "Why do I study? What motivates me?" Jeff and Emerson talk about why this first step is essential for fruitful study.

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Podcast Sep 1, 2020

GIANTS: Nephilim. What It Is, Is Preaching. Giant footprints. Kingdomino.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about the Nephilim. Greatness in this life is usually incompatible with greatness in the eyes of God. I’ve been reading … What It Is, Is Preaching, the memoirs of Robert Turner, one of the true giants of the faith I was privileged to know. I’ve been hearing … fossilized giant footprints have been found all over the world. Your attitude toward so-called proof says more about you than it says about the prints. I’ve been playing … Kingdomino, with the Age of Giants expansion. If you dare strive for greatness, you are

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Podcast Aug 31, 2020

Build Steel Men

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

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Podcast Aug 28, 2020

Interview with Kris Emerson