The Teaching Series With Brad Gray

Episode 128 – The Journey Pt 1: It’s Not About the Destinationi.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-1{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-1:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-1.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Genesis 12:1-4, Hebrews 11:8, Exodus 3:9-10, John 1:35-36, 1 John 2:6Abraham is often held up as a model of faithfulness because when God told him to go, he went. No questions. No “yeah buts.” He didn’t even know where he was going. But he started moving anyways. Abraham understood something about God many of us miss: God is the God of the journey, not the destination. And trusting God as we walk into the un

@media only screen and (max-width:1000px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-9{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:30px!important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-9{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}Episode 127 – Ask, Seek, Knock@media only screen and (max-width:1000px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-10{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:30px!important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-10{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-5{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-5:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-5.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #101018, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #101018, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1),

Easter isn’t a day we celebrate. It’s a way of being in the world. It’s a posture of heart that announces, “What Jesus accomplished at the cross and empty tomb changes everything!” In this resurrection episode, we’ll look at the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus—a story only Luke records in vivid detail—and see how Luke’s subtle use of Scripture makes the bold claim that, in Jesus, everything that had been torn apart was finally being put back together. This episode will help you see connections from the resurrection story that are often overlooked. But, more importantly, Jesus’s actions at Emmaus remind us that in a world of shattered hope, we can live as people who have burning hearts of hope because He is risen!

@media only screen and (max-width:1000px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-25{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:30px!important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-25{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}Episode 125 – Who’s the GOAT? Jesus vs. Caesar@media only screen and (max-width:1000px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-26{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:30px!important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-26{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-13{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-13:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-13.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #101018, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #101018, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rg

@media only screen and (max-width:1000px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-37{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:30px!important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-37{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}Episode 124 – Rabbis and Disciples Pt 8: Jesus’s Yoke@media only screen and (max-width:1000px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-38{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:30px!important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-38{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-17{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-17:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-17.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #101018, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #101018, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0

In the culture of Jesus’s day, one was forbidden to receive payment for the teaching of God’s Word. Which is why every rabbi had a trade or occupation. Jesus had one, but the term “carpenter” doesn’t nearly do it justice. In fact, Jesus’s occupation is filled with surprises that perfectly explain how his trade prepared him for his ministry. Speaking of which, the Text implies that once Jesus launches his ministry, he devotes himself entirely to his disciples and teachings. If he wasn’t working and rabbis couldn’t receive payment for teaching God’s Word, how did Jesus and the disciples pay the bills? Let’s find out, and in doing so, let’s gain a deeper appreciation for the way God uses the details to bring about His purposes in our lives. 

In the Gospels, people were always commenting on Jesus’s authority. It was clear to everyone that he had it. Some marveled at it, while others scoffed at it. The Scribes and Pharisees even questioned it. But what exactly did they mean by authority? How did Jesus understand it? And does that enhance our understanding of what happens with the Great Commission in Matthew 28? Without question! Welcome to an explosive episode where you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Jesus’s biblical authority and how discipleship with Jesus’s authority leads to the life that God desires for us all. 

Jesus walking on water is one of the best-known stories in the entire Bible. But we often miss the point because we fail to see the discipleship component at play. When we see it, we learn that the story has less to do with Jesus walking on water and more to do with Peter’s actions and Jesus’s response. But the story isn’t just about Peter. It’s about you and me, and all of the ways we doubt ourselves. By the end of this episode, you’ll have deeper confidence because you’ll know God is with you. You’ll be more willing to face your fears and take holy risks because you know God believes in you. And you’ll grow in your trust that God won’t call you to something and then fail to equip you for it.  

Christmas is a season of hope. 2020 has been a season of grief. How do we hold hope and grief in creative tension? Because when things get hard, we feel overwhelmed. And when we’re overwhelmed, our tendency is to check out, numb out, and wish the moments or seasons away. But in our confusion, heartache, and disorientation, God is working in subtle and often unseen ways. By the end of this episode, you’ll be inspired to hold the gratitude and grief of 2020 in tension so that you don’t numb out, but instead embrace this season and the God who is with us in it.

The Jewish educational system in Jesus’s day was astounding. Growing up in that culture was about total immersion in the Scriptures. It was about learning and memorizing God’s Word so that it shaped everything you did. It was also about learning to ask really great questions and debating with your teachers. But much like professional sports, only the best of the best got to keep going and eventually become disciples. Which raises some fascinating questions: What might the Jewish educational system of Jesus’s day reveal to us about his disciples? What might it teach us about God’s intentions for our discipleship? By the end of this episode, you’ll recognize the subtle hints in the Scriptures you’d missed all along and have a deeper appreciation for Jesus’s explosive words, “Come, follow me.” Note: This is a jam-packed 25-min episode. There’s a lot of information in this one. With that said, our goal was to provide you with the single, best resource for understanding the Jewish educational system in Jesus’s da

One of the biggest mistakes followers of Jesus can make is believing they have Jesus figured out. How do we resist the temptation to become too familiar with him? We believe one of the main answers is found in understanding that Jesus came as a Jewish Rabbi (or Sage). In this new mini-series Rabbis and Disciples, we’ll explore why this matters so much, and how understanding it can transform us into more effective disciples. But first, we must start by familiarizing ourselves with key aspects of the first-century world that help shed significant light on Jesus’s life and ministry.

Sometimes the Bible speaks right to our hearts by encouraging or challenging us in just the right way. Other times, we walk away uninspired and discouraged, feeling like we didn’t get anything out of it. What do we do in those moments? In this episode, we explore the practice of placing God's Word upon our hearts, so that when the time is right, and our hearts are ready, they will be available to us. Because the Bible wants to do something in us. It wants to challenge us. It wants to confront us. It wants to help us. But if we get discouraged and disengage, we will miss out on what God’s Word wants to do in our lives. And none of us want that to happen.

Being intentional with God’s Word is essential to living a deep and meaningful life. In the biblical period, God’s people were called to not only dig into the Scriptures but also to have an ongoing discussion with their friends and family about them. For many of us, our time with God’s Word often stops with reading it and we miss out on the critical responsibility of discussion. In this episode, we explore why it’s so crucial to be intentional about our relationship with the Bible so that it permeates every facet of our lives.

Storms are a guarantee in life. We lose jobs. Relationships end. Money gets tight. And we’re left feeling anxious and fearful. And the reason we feel those things is because storms expose what we really trust. We may say we trust God, but a crisis here and a pandemic there, and we’re confronted with the hard truth that our trust lies elsewhere. Which is why Jesus addresses this with a brilliant metaphor in the Sermon on the Mount that will help you diagnose what you really trust in and how to start building on a firmer, more trustworthy foundation.

Jesus was a master at navigating the polarized social context of the First Century with wisdom and skill. In this third and final episode in our teaching series, “The Dignity of Difference”, we’ll examine how to be  Christ in the chaos. There’s a lot of chaos and division right now. Racism. Politics. Wear a mask. Don’t wear a mask. How are we to respond? By watching Jesus, we’ll learn to live by leading with sacrificial love. We won’t get caught in polarizing categories. And we’ll understand the importance of diversifying our relationships. By the end of this episode, you’ll have new tools to help you navigate the complexity of your world and to be Christ in the chaos! WARNING** This episode is slightly longer than our normal length (29 minutes). However, because of the weight of the conversation, we felt it warranted the few extra moments, and we believe it will be extremely helpful to you.

Things are heated right now. Tensions are high. People are on edge. And justice is the battle cry of so many. “We want justice for ________!” But what is justice? How does the Bible portray it? And who is responsible for pursuing it? Welcome to the essence of this episode. Justice and Righteousness are two of the most explosive themes in the Bible, and they’re always attached at the hip. But when we fail to understand what they mean, how they relate to one another, and why they’re at the core of Jesus’s ministry, we begin to think they’re optional. For followers of Jesus, they’re not an elective; they’re core curriculum. And they’re what’s needed to heal a broken world. Watch this episode to find out why. 

God is a God of unity, not uniformity. In this episode, Brad Gray discusses how there is a dignity to difference. As a result, diversity isn’t the aberration; it’s the expectation when it comes to the kingdom of Christ.   Our world is deeply divided right now. Whether it’s politics, race, or the latest headline, our cultural default seems to be an “Us vs. Them” mentality. What’s fascinating is that this was as true in Jesus’s day as it is in our own. For example, Brad demonstrates how Jesus’s own disciples reflected the vast diversity and difference in his world. As a result, Jesus chose such a group that grew because of their unity, not uniformity.   Furthermore, Brad shares how at the heart of the Scriptures is this idea: God wants his followers to live unified through love and respect, and welcome the diversity. This is part one in a series that will explore Jesus’s rich tradition of honoring the dignity of difference. We must come together as a human race to thrive in the world today.  Watch the previo

Life can be gut-wrenching. And when the bottom falls out, we need people who know how to hold and honor our pain. Unfortunately, most of us don’t know how to respond well to the pain of others. In this episode we explore Jesus’s response to a desperate situation in Mark 9, and how his first impulse wasn’t to fix the pain, but to feel the pain. And if we can emulate this in our lives, we’ll understand how to serve one another well, especially in difficult seasons. 

We’re often oblivious to and annoyed by distractions and interruptions because we inhabit a culture obsessed with speed, efficiency, and productivity. But hurry is trouble for the soul. “Hurry,” said Dallas Willard, “is the great enemy of the spiritual life.” This teaching explores how Jesus led an interruptible life, and how our willingness to slow down and entertain the interruptions can allow us to do the same and not miss out on the “holy interruptions” that come our way. 

Too often, we live with divided hearts. On the one hand, our hearts are devoted to God. We want God’s best for our lives. We want God’s kingdom to come. On the other hand, we continue to allow places in our lives where evil and sin persist. This episode explores the life of King Asa and our deeply human tendency to be devoted to God without tearing down the high places in our lives. By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to identify the high places in your life and begin the process of demolishing them for good.