Beards & Bible Podcast

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 celebrated? In the first installment of a three-part series, we’ll be exploring this topic and how it relates to alcohol and what the Bible has to say about it. The Bible mentions drinking alcohol almost 300 times. It repeatedly warns against drunkenness, lack of self-control, and the spiritual dangers of dependence on anything other than God (Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 20:1). Christians must ask: Am I using this to escape something God wants me to face? Is this substance mastering me in any way (1 Corinthians 6:12)? Does it hinder my witness, my clarity, or my ability to love others well? These aren’t just moral questions, but deeply spiritual ones that call us to reflect on what rules our hearts and minds. So…who’s up for a little candid discussion about a mildly controversial topic?

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 globe? And finally... Pope Francis has died. What legacy does he leave behind, and where does the Catholic Church go from here? And also, should you be so inclined as to place a bet on who the next pope will be, what are the betting odds?

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, and how this idea developed throughout church history. But we’ll also ask: Why don’t Protestants hold to this view? Is it biblical? Is it essential? Whether you're Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant—or just curious—hopefully this conversation will challenge you to think critically and historically about church leadership, unity, and authority.

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 who are in the process of deconstructing, some who were deconstructing but have since returned to their faith, and others who are currently deconstructing or have maybe even de-converted. I’ve learned a ton and have benefitted a lot from listening to people’s faith journeys and sharing with them my thoughts on the person of Jesus and why I believe we must hold firm to the key doctrines of the Christian faith. Recently, I got a chance to sit down with a friend of mine from college who has had a very interesting faith journey, to say the least. I got a chance to share with him my thoughts on the Christian faith and hear where he’s at, and hopefully our conversation was helpful and life-giving to him. I hope and pray that this conversation is beneficial and helpful to you. Here’s my conversation with my friend Forrest.

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 Stoicism? At its core, it teaches that we should control what we can, accept what we can't, and cultivate an unshakable inner peace. Sounds practical, right? But here’s the question: How does this align-or clash-with Christianity? In this episode, we’re diving into: Why Stoicism is experiencing a massive revival in modern culture. The powerful Stoic concept of the Dichotomy of Control-and how it compares to trusting in God. The idea of Anti-Fragility-growing stronger through hardship-and whether that lines up with a biblical view of suffering. And ultimately… Can Christians learn something from Stoicism, or is it a competing worldview?