It’s time for our deep dive into Season 5 of The Chosen. We have the Last Supper told in reverse; apocalyptic visions and prophesies; passive-aggressive political backbiting in high places; not to mention a chaotic temple-clearing. Join us as we dissect the drama, the wit and the poignancy of Dallas Jenkins’ retelling of the first Passion Week from Palm Sunday to Gethsemane.

Following up on our prophets draft in Podcast 366, we select our favorite disciples of Jesus, drawing from the gospels, Acts and the letters. It's a surprisingly large board generates some surprising picks. Who'd be on your team?

Do emotional affairs and parasocial online relationships break the Sixth Commandment? Does adultery require a physical betrayal, or are there other intimacy boundaries in Christian marriage that are just as sinful to cross? We go way back in our archive and follow up on Podcasts 110 and 111 on David and Bathsheba, but this we boldly (and anachronistically) reimagine the story to give contemporary overtones David’s fall into temptations of the flesh and spirit. And in true No Church Answers! spirit, Robert, the Professor, promises (at 31:30) a free copy of The Men We Need by Brant Hansen to any listener who claims, with details, to have covered this topic in a Sunday School class.

Do not confuse emotional response, or lack of one, as a measure of spirituality, advises author Brant Hansen in the final section The Men We Need. We think this is a vital message for men, especially in a time when church services accentuate show biz trappings over spiritual nourishment. Emotion has its place, but self-control is a fruit of the spirit. The fellows talk about better ways to gauge spiritual growth, such as loyalty to God, everyday integrity and a committing to action even when it's hard.

Whatever your age, the decisions you make now will have impact on you in the future. No one sets out to become a grumpy old man, but too many of us end up there. In The Men We Need, author Brant Hansen says wisdom has much more to do with opening your eyes than following your heart.

In The Men We Need, author Brant Hansen addresses the significance of the Christian marriage covenant and why it's more than just "a piece of paper." We discuss the need for new models of marriage that remain Christian yet are relevant in a time when young men and women are encouraged to delay marriage until they establish themselves professionally and financially. We debate whether this is a good idea and if not, should churches provide assistance to young couples who want to marry yet lack financial stability. Is marriage a cornerstone or a capstone?

Ambition, when directed correctly, is not a characteristic of toxic masculinity. In The Men We Need, author Brant Hansen states that even a simple man earns respect when he knows his worth, has specific goals for the growth of himself and his family, and puts in the time and effort to achieve them. And these goals should have little to do with wealth, power and prestige and everything to do his passion for the path the Lord has presented him. Yet as social dynamics force changes in household models, we also have an opportunity to apply the wisdom of the Gospel in this era when Moms outearn Dads, when gainful work means a part-time job and a side hustle, and there are lucrative career opportunities for men who choose not to attend college.   

Guarding safe space for your wife, children and community is a paramount role for men, says author Brant Hanson. We continue our study of Hansen’s The Men We Need, discussing the divine call to defend the weak and take up the cause of the oppressed. We look at the recent Internet hub-bub over “Phillies Karen.” Did the father wimp out or correctly assess the situation in choosing not to fight back? How much responsibility do you have for the safety of your neighborhood? Should you be the one to confront bullying, assault or child abuse in public when no one else will? And should you ever take a gun to church?  

Join us as we dive head on into a discussion of pornography addiction. Hardcore pornography is ubiquitous and has been all but normalized. For men ensnared in it, it is a compulsion driven by a need for dopamine hits, not “lust” or the desire to look at “dirty pictures.” We argue that caring congregations should shift from shaming porn users to offering the same counseling, treatment and caregiving they provide to drug and alcohol abuse: such as identifying underlying triggers that drive men to porn and finding healthy substitutes and outlets. In The Men We Need, author Brant Hansen says Christian men must commit to living a real life in the real world. Porn, as well as less controversial activities such as video games, scam users into embracing a fake world of fake relationships and fake achievements. We talk about breaking free of the temptation to “check out,” as Robert puts it, and finding purpose and self-work in the context of God’s plan for creation.

What is Christian masculinity? We begin a study of Brent Hansen’s The Men We Need, beginning with his assertion that Adam’s abject passivity in the face of evil was the primary reason for the Fall. What can we learn from Adam’s failure? Hansen says God’s purpose for men is to bring their gifts to bear in taking responsibility for nurturing and protecting their spouses, children and, by extension, their community, and actively fostering both earthly creation and the promised Kingdom of God.  Find The Men We Need: God’s Purpose for the Manly Man, the Avid Indoorsman, or Any Man Willing to Show Up, by Brant Hansen at Amazon or visit your local bookseller.  

No Church Answers! panelists Steve and Mike talk with Ken Hanning, executive director of development of the Christian Amoveo Group, about their June mission field trip to Dublin, Ireland. We talk about ministering to marginalized kids, plus methods that create effective, trusting partnerships between churches and faith-based organizations that assist with understaffed, underfunded government agencies. Visit https://amoveogroup.org/ for more information.

As Christians, we are taught to turn the other cheek, give to others sacrificially, never return evil for evil, and forgive rather than retaliate. So sometimes saying “no” to someone, or simply asserting our own needs, seems wrong to us. Still, the Kingdom of God is not here yet, and the world is filled with obnoxious, manipulative and outright toxic people. The Bible has no pithy verse that tells us how to deal with a bully or narcissist, but it does contain wisdom that helps us build a framework that allows us to set boundaries in a Christian way. In the last podcast before our summer break, we discuss Christ-affirming ways to stand up to the moocher, the entitled, the complainer, the drama queen, the bully, the narcissist, and the addict and enabler.

Two synagogues, two outcomes. In Capernaum, Jesus amazes attendees with the authority of his teachings and casts out an impure spirit. Back home in Nazareth, it's a different story. Just like the neighbors were unable to see past Jesus' background a carpenter, do we as Christians sometimes take Jesus for granted, holding onto familiar but unchallenging notions but missing the chance to greater growth in the spirit? John Opiyo, Ben Taub Hospital chaplain, joins us as we discuss ways to keep our faith refreshed and respective to the miraculous.

We look at the the raising of the daughter of Jairus, the synagogue official and the healing of the bleeding woman, commenting on the significance of both miracles as well as their presentation as a story-within-a-story.

"We must trust Jesus to quell the storms in our life," is the "church answer" to this story. We think this takeaway, while not wrong, is superficial. Like many episodes recounted in Mark, there is deeper significance in the way this miracle is reported, especially for men. To start, when we call on the Lord in a crisis, what exactly are our expectations?

How should Christians push against the modern "throwaway" culture that encourages both overconsumption and waste, be it with our land, material goods or human relationships? We discuss the virtue of simplicity in choosing value over cheapness, in living fruitfully but sustainably, and cultivating Bible-based stewardship in all we care for.

The fellows talk about the Second Coming, starting with the question of why there has to be one. Why wasn't God's plan of salvation and restoration accomplished all at once? Was the doctrine of the Second Coming tacked on after it became obvious the lion was not laying down with the lamb? If Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom of God on Earth, where is it?

Despite being a Bible study podcast, we've never taken up the fact of the sheer number of translations available. We remedy that oversight this week with a discussion about the history of Biblical translation, memories of Bibles we grew up with and what our preferences are now. This week's podcast is sponsored by Magic Mind. Visit www.magicmind.com/NoChurchAnswersAPR and use the discount code NoChurchAnswersAPR for 48% off your first subscription or 20% or your first purchase.

Inspired by last week's NFL draft, the fellows got together to draft their favorite prophets from the Old and New Testaments. Who made their teams? Moreover, who got left of the board? And what do our listeners think? Join us as we take a fresh look a some of the notable, and sometimes overlooked, figures who have spoken for God. And a big h/t to The Incomparable Mothership podcast for inspiring this week's episode. This week's podcast comes to you from Magic Mind. Take the Magic Mind challenge! Visit www.magicmind.com/NoChurchAnswersAPR and use the discount code NoChurchAnswersAPR for 48% your first subscription or 20% a one-time purchase.

Author Timothy Keller says it is the Trinity that makes God capable of love. It is a mystery, to be sure, and not always explicit, but from Genesis 1:1 on, scripture shows us one God but in three “persons” which all support and give freely in relationship with each other. Therefore, love began, or better still, has always existed, within the creator God himself, an idea unique to Christianity. We wrap up our study of Keller's The Reason for God with a discussion of the significance of a Trinitarian God. This week's podcast is sponsored by Magic Mind, the mental performance shot. Visit http://www.magicmind.com/nochurchanswers and use the code NoChurchAnswers for 48% off your first subscription or 20% off your first order.