Gravity Leadership Podcast

We’re continuing our mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message. In this series, we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don’t realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don’t have immediate access to. Today’s topic: Jesus versus the Greek Gods.Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then picked up German and French while compl

We’re continuing our mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message. In this series, we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don’t realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don’t have immediate access to. Today’s topic: Jesus versus the Apocalyptics.Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then picked up German and French while com

We talked with BEMA Podcast host Marty Solomon about what it means to be human. Many of us have inherited a theology that says being human is our main problem, something for us to overcome, but what if being human is actually the point of the gospel? What if God is inviting us to see our humanity as, in fact, very good news? In The Gospel of Being Human, Marty Solomon and Reed Dent invite you on a journey of curiosity, attention, and wonder--asking better questions about who we really are and what Scripture actually says about our identity.Marty Solomon is a theologian, president and director of discipleship for Impact Campus Ministries, and the creator and executive producer of the BEMA Podcast. He and his wife Rebekah live in Cincinnati with their two children. Marty's previous book was titled Asking Better Questions of the Bible: A Guide for the Wounded, Wary & Longing for More. Find out more about Marty at www.martysolomon.com.Connect with Gravity Commons:Leave us a message or ask a question abou

We’re continuing our mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message. In this series, we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don’t realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don’t have immediate access to. Today’s topic: Jesus versus the temple.Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then picked up German and French while completin

Ben and Christy talk about St. Patrick's Day and how to celebrate it.Connect with Gravity Commons:Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we’ll answer it on a future episode.Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week on the podcast, we continue our mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message. In this series, we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don’t realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don’t have immediate access to. Today’s topic: Jesus versus the revolutionaries.Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then picked up Ger

We’re continuing our mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message. In this series, we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don’t realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don’t have immediate access to. Today’s topic: Jesus versus the separatists.Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then picked up German and French while comp

We’re continuing our mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message, where we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don’t realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don’t have immediate access to. Today’s topic: Jesus versus the wealthy.Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then picked up German and French while completing a Ph.D.

Ben and Christy talk about Lent: what Lent is, what fasting is for, and how to create more space for Grace to meet us.SHOW NOTES:The article Ben referenced about Lent and fasting: gravitycommons.com/how-to-fast-for-lent/Connect with Gravity Commons:Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Timothy McCain is back on the podcast to talk about his new book Jesus Can't Fix Racism, where he argues that racism has survived in the Church not because Christians failed to pray, but because they refuse to change.Timothy McCain is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in leading and developing initiatives across various sectors. He is the founder and CEO of TMM Publishing, which focuses on helping professionals and through leaders turn ideas into books and scalable platforms, emphasizing ownership and sustainability. McCain's work includes consulting, coaching, and public speaking, guiding individuals and organizations from vision to implementation.SHOW NOTES:Good Lord Rose Kickstarter campaign: http://kck.st/4qavaUBConnect with Gravity Commons:Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to a

We're starting a new mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley (yes, Christy's husband!) about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message. In this episode, we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don't realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don't have immediate access to. Today's topic: Jesus Vs. the Rabbis.Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then

We talked with philosophy professor Michael W. Austin about how Christian nationalism is contrary to Christian virtues AND American values, and offers us a better form of civic engagement. In his book American Christian Nationalism: Neither American Nor Christian, Michael accessibly explains the meaning and history behind nationalism and systematically shows how the ideology contradicts American values like liberty, equality, and justice as well as Christian virtues like humility, faith, hope, and love. Ultimately, he argues that the Beloved Community, first developed by Martin Luther King Jr. and others, offers a better model for an authentically Christian and American community.Michael W. Austin is Foundation Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University and Bonhoeffer Senior Fellow of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership of Hebrew College. He has published 12 books, including Humility: Rediscovering the Way of Love and Life in Christ and QAnon, Chaos, and the Cross: Christi

We talked with pastor and author David Swanson about the work he and his church have done in Chicago to respond to the presence of ICE in their neighborhoods: bearing witness to violence and terror, calling for repentance, and seeking to nonviolently resist physical attacks on Christians and clergy, the lawlessness of federal agents, MAGA's politics of death, and the overt racism of our president's mass deportation agenda.David Swanson is the founding pastor of New Community Covenant Church and the founder and CEO of New Community Outreach, a non-profit organization dedicated to healing community trauma through restorative practices. He has written Rediscipling the White Church: From Cheap Diversity to True Solidarity and Plundered: The Tangled Roots of Racial and Environmental Injustice. David lives with his family on the South Side of Chicago. He keeps track of what he’s reading here and on most Tuesday mornings you’ll find him wandering around Jackson Park looking for birds.Connect with Gravity Com

We talked with Dr. Yolanda Pierce about what we do with our wounds - our own, others', and a nation's? In her book The Wounds Are the Witness, Pierce weaves together her own memories, vignettes from Black life, and scenes from scripture, especially the passion of Christ to create an indelible meditation on Black faith, suffering, hope, and the healing possibilities of justice. Yolanda Pierce is a professor and Dean of Vanderbilt University Divinity School. She is a scholar of African American religious history, womanist theology, and religion and literature, as well as a public theologian, columnist, and activist. She is the author of the books Hell Without Fires, In My Grandmother's House, and The Wounds Are the Witness.You can connect with Yolanda on her website: yolandapierce.com.Connect with Gravity Commons:Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our lis

Christy and Ben talk about all things Epiphany: how it fits in the liturgical calendar, what it means, and a few ways you can celebrate: chalking your door, making a king cake, and turning your Christmas tree into a cross.Show notes & links:Door chalking liturgyKing Cake recipePhoto of Christmas tree crossConnect with Gravity Commons:Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

As the year draws to a close, Christy, Ben, and Matt reflect on the year, Christmas traditions, gifts, and more.Connect with Gravity Commons:Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Matt, Ben, & Christy take a look at what Gravity Commons has done over the past year and share what's coming in 2026, including Matt's sabbatical, what we are doing well, what we need to do differently, and why we need your support.Connect with Gravity Commons:Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We talked with pastor Zach Lambert about how to read the Bible in ways that lead to healing and wholeness, because the Bible has been weaponized to subjugate women, justify racism, bash LGBTQ+ people, cover up abuse, and exclude people who speak out against these injustices. Zach's new book Better Ways to Read the Bible: Transforming a Weapon of Harm Into a Tool of Healing offers a path forward to reclaim the Bible's life-giving message. You can connect with Zach and his work on his website zachwlambert.org.Zach Lambert is the lead pastor and founder of Restore Austin, a church in Austin, Texas. Under his leadership, restore has grown from a launch team of five people in 2015 to more than 1000 members today. He has a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and is pursuing his doctorate at Duke Divinity School. Zach is the cofounder of the Post-Evangelical Collective and serves on the boards of Restore Houston, Hub Garage (a nonprofit for single moms), the Austin Church-Planting Network, an

We talked with Kelsey McGinnis and Marissa Burt about the history and ideological underpinnings of popular Christian parenting literature for those trying to "grow kids God's way," and how these resources offered promises built on invisible beliefs, assumptions, and separatist impulses. Their book The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Failed a Generation of Evangelicals offers lots of insight into the history of Christian parenting advice, and hope for parents looking for a new way forward.Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, PhD (University of Iowa) is a musicologist, educator, and correspondent for Christianity Today, writing on worship practices and Christian subculture. She is an adjunct professor at Grandview University in Des Moines and previously worked at the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights.Marisa Franks Burt has an MA in Theological Studies and is a novelist, editor, teacher, and cohost of the At Home with the Lectionary podcast. She lives in a small town in the greater S

We talked with Ronald Pierce and Karen Keen about a different way to approach the disagreement over LGBTQ affirmation and inclusion in the church. In their book Christlike Acceptance across Deep Difference, they bring together a broad range of contributors--scholarly and pastoral; affirming and traditionalist; evangelical, mainline, and Catholic--who demonstrate a more constructive response to LGBTQ concerns. Despite their differences, the contributors unite in their commitment to biblical authority and Christlike love of neighbor. They invite the church to join them in this new and better way.Karen R. Keen (ThM, Duke Divinity School) is a biblical scholar and spiritual care provider at the Redwood Center for Spiritual Care and Education. Her books include Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships and The Word of a Humble God.Ronald W. Pierce (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) taught theology at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, for over forty years. He is the author of Partn