Plain Bible Teaching Podcast

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The Plain Bible Teaching Podcast is returning later this month. In the meantime, here is a bonus episode with a sermon I recently preached while we were traveling in Arkansas. This sermon was preached on December 25, 2019 at the Spring Park church of Christ in Heber Springs, AR.

As was previously announced, the revamped podcast will now be centered around answering listener-submitted questions. So if you have a question you would like to hear addressed in a podcast episode, please fill out the form at the following link:

Questions for the Plain Bible Teaching Podcast

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

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The Plain Bible Teaching Podcast is returning in January!

First of all, I want to thank all of you for listening to the podcast and following Plain Bible Teaching. I’ve been taking a break from the podcast since the end of July, but I am happy to report that new episodes will be released again starting after the first of the year.

The biggest change to the podcast is that it will now be centered around answering listener-submitted questions. So if you have a question you would like to hear addressed in a podcast episode, please fill out the form at the following link:

Questions for the Plain Bible Teaching Podcast

Thanks again for listening! Lord willing I’ll be back on the podcast to talk with you again in January.

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

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This is the announcement that I am taking a break from producing the Plain Bible Teaching Podcast. I explain the reasons for this decision and what’s next in the episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Plain Bible Teaching Podcast Listener Survey
• Subscribe to the Plain Bible Teaching Weekly Newsletter
• Eastside church of Christ – This is the church where I preach in Morgantown, KY. The sermon audio is posted on the website each week.

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

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In this season, we’re discussing social issues – problems that are facing our society and what the Bible has to say about these issues.

Many of the topics we have discussed in this study are controversial and can elicit strong emotional responses from individuals. Because of this, we may be tempted to avoid any type of discussion on these issues, especially if we know there will be disagreement.

However, as we have discussed, there are Biblical principles that apply to these topics. Therefore, discussions on these sorts of issues can provide a way to direct others – especially those who are not Christians – to what the Bible teaches. So we should not avoid discussing these things altogether, but we do need to understand the proper way to discuss contentious topics.

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

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In this season, we’re discussing social issues – problems that are facing our society and what the Bible has to say about these issues.

Busyness is familiar to all of us. It is the condition in which we have a great deal to do. This could be due to actual responsibilities, perceived duties, self-imposed obligations, and time-wasting activities.

Those who argue in favor of busyness will often do so by contrasting it laziness or idleness, even though these are not exact opposites. Those who view busyness as a virtue typically believe they are simply making the most of their time rather than wasting it.

Mentioned in this episode:

• A recent study of parents with school-aged children found that families spend less than 45 minutes together on a typical weekday; 60% of parents describe their daily lives as “hectic.”
• In 2016, the average employee in the United States worked 38.7 hours per week and 46.8 weeks per year. 40% regularly work more than 50 hours per week. 20% regularly work more than 60 hours per week.
• A 2013 poll found that 40% of Americans get less than 7 hours of sleep a night.
• Despite a busy and hectic schedule, the average adult in the United States spends almost 6 hours watching video (includes TV, DVD’s, streaming, apps, computer, etc.).
• Children’s Bible Class survey

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

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In this season, we’re discussing social issues – problems that are facing our society and what the Bible has to say about these issues.

Social media refers to the online networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) that allow users to communicate with one another via text posts, photos, videos, and more. It is one of the more significant technological breakthroughs of our time.

Like any technological advancement, social media is not good or bad in itself – it depends on how it is used and what our attitude is toward it. Some will avoid social media altogether, possibly even discouraging or condemning others for using it. Some will immerse themselves in social media to the point of excess to the detriment of their personal relationships, work responsibilities, and overall health.

Mentioned in this episode:

• A 2016 survey found that 79% of Americans use Facebook (and 86% use the internet in general).
• In 2015, about 100 million hours of video were watched on Facebook every day.
• A 2017 report found that the average person will spend approximately 116 minutes a day on social media.
• A 2014 study found that 18% of social media users cannot go even a few hours without checking Facebook.
• Plain Bible Teaching on Facebook
• Plain Bible Teaching on Twitter

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

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In this season, we’re discussing social issues – problems that are facing our society and what the Bible has to say about these issues.

Socialism can take various forms, but the most common way it is used today is to describe a particular political ideology. In a nutshell, socialism is the belief that a central, national government ought to oversee and control all aspects of the economy, rather than leaving private businesses and individuals to conduct their business as they see fit. It is rooted in the notion that all property and wealth is to be shared and the national government is the entity which determines how they are to be shared. Of necessity, socialism demands a strong centralized government to be able to function in this way.

Those who argue in favor of socialism will often claim that it is the fairest way for a society to function economically and that it protects individuals from wealthy individuals or big corporations. Many will even attempt to use the Bible in order to defend this idea. One alleged example of socialism that is commonly given is that of the early Christians who sold their property to share with those who were in need (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35).

Mentioned in this episode:

• A 2018 Gallup poll found that 37% of Americans had a positive view of socialism.
• Among young Americans (ages 18-29), 51% have a positive view of socialism compared to 45% who view capitalism positively.
• Civil Government by David Lipscomb
• The Evils of Socialism by W. F. Lemmons

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

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In this season, we’re discussing social issues – problems that are facing our society and what the Bible has to say about these issues.

Atheism is the belief that there is no God. It is related to humanism and secularism. Humanism is the philosophical belief that values human reasoning over religion and superstition. Being opposed to religion, humanism embraces secularism.

Those who argue in favor of atheism will claim that there is no evidence for the existence of God. Those who embrace atheism and humanism believe that society is better off without religion. They believe that the universe came about by chance and that we are the product of evolution. Some atheists/humanists are indifferent toward religion while others are openly antagonistic toward “people of faith.”

Mentioned in this episode:

• A 2014 study found that just 3.1% of Americans identified themselves as atheists.
• However, the “nones” – a category which includes atheists, agnostics, and those who say their religion is “nothing in particular” – grew to 23% of the United States population in 2014. The same study found that the “nones” are becoming less religious.
• About 62% of Americans believe that humans evolved over time, but just 33% believe that humans and other living things evolved solely through natural processes.
• Daniel Sommer on the Foolishness of Atheism
• Plain Sermons by Daniel Sommer

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

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In this season, we’re discussing social issues – problems that are facing our society and what the Bible has to say about these issues.

Drug abuse is a broad topic. It includes illicit drugs (marijuana, cocaine, heroine, etc.), legal drugs (alcohol and tobacco), and even prescription drugs. This lesson is not about the medicinal use of drugs but the recreational use of such substances.

Those who argue in favor of recreational drug use (including “social drinking”) will often argue that as long as they remain in control and do not use these substances in excess or to the point of harming themselves or others, it is perfectly fine. As a way to justify their behavior, it is common for those who want to defend drug and alcohol use to liken it to eating unhealthy foods.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Drug Abuse Symptoms, Facts, and Statistics

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

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In this season, we’re discussing social issues – problems that are facing our society and what the Bible has to say about these issues.

Racism can take on different forms and exist in various degrees. A milder form of racism may simply mean that one views his own race as superior to other races (or possibly over one race that has been singled out in particular). More extreme forms of racism can include hostility and even violence against others based on their race.

Those who argue in favor of racism will often cite common prejudices or negative stereotypes as the basis for looking down upon a particular race. Personal anecdotes are often used to support racist arguments (a negative experience with one person can be used to portray everyone of that race in the same light). Some will even use the Bible (more accurately, they will misuse it) to argue in favor of racism.

Mentioned in this episode:

• In a 2017 study, 58% of Americans viewed racism as a “big problem in our society.” Breaking down this number, 81% of blacks said racism is a big problem in society today compared to just 52% of whites.

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.