Theology for the Rest of Us

Latest Episodes:

287: How Much Money Should I Be Giving? Oct 31, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, Kenny answers the question: “How Much Money Should I Be Giving?” In essence, Kenny makes it clear that there’s no precise set amount that we ought to give, but instead we ought to give generously and seek to invest in the things that lead to effective ministry.

Christians ought to seek to give cheerfully. There is no need to feel obligated or guilty about giving, but instead we ought to seek to be prayerful and missional.

Related Episodes:

41: Why Should Christians Stop Tithing Immediately?

122: Should Christians Give to Charities?

Recommended Resources:

The Treasure Principle (by Randy Alcorn)

286: What Does it Mean to be ‘Saved’? Oct 29, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, Kenny tackles the word “saved” and how it’s utilized by many contemporary evangelicals.

In addition, Kenny covers the prominent Christian adage that “we are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved.”

285: Why Did God Allow Sin? Oct 17, 2019

Show notes

People often ask, “Why did God allow Adam to sin in the first place?” Many have wondered, if God knew that sin would cause such devastation to humanity, and such eternal consequences, then why did God did allow it happen? Couldn’t he have stopped it? Couldn’t God had created Adam without the ability to sin?

This is the same line of thinking that came from a regular listener by email, and Kenny tackles this topic herein this episode. This is a tough question. It’s sobering in a lot of ways. But ultimately, the answer to this type of question reminds us of God’s perfect sovereignty.

In this episode Kenny explains how the glory of God and the proclamation of his supremacy are the most important elements of the Christian life. Therefore, if God’s glory could have been known to its fullest in a world with no sin, then it is likely that God would have stopped sin. However, the very fact that God has allowed sin, clearly shows us that the glory of God, and the proclamation of Christ’s supremacy over all things, is shown most in the midst of a world with sin (otherwise, God would have prevented it altogether).

Honestly, we recognize that this is a hard topic for humans to wrap our minds around, but it’s essential for us to grapple with. Other episodes which deal with similar topics are listed below.

Related Episodes

59: Why Didn’t God Just Create Us in Heaven?

18: Why Doesn’t Just God Kill Satan Today?

16: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

19: If God is Good, Why is There Evil in the World?

Resources

Spectacular Sins (by John Piper)

284: What Types of Things Should We Pray For? Aug 12, 2019

Show notes

This episode is a sequel to the previous episode. In episode 283 Kenny responded to an email that had asked about how Christians ought to pray. Here in this episode, Kenny explains how the Lord’s Prayer (Mt. 6:9-13; Lk. 11:2-4) is a road map and template for how Christians ought to approach God in prayer.

“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Resources

Complete Works of EM Bounds on Prayer (by EM Bounds)

The Prayer that Turns the World Upside Down (by R. Albert Mohler)

283: Should We Recite Specific Prayers? Aug 08, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, Kenny answers an email from a regular listener about prayer. The email asked if Christians ought to recite specific prayers, such as the Lord’s Prayer or other prayers modeled for us in the Bible, or whether it is okay to pray for informal prayers. Kenny makes clear that the prayers that we pray to God are less about reciting specific words, and are more about the sentiments of our hearts whenever we are engaging in prayer.

282: Did Christianity Copy From Pagan Religions? Aug 06, 2019

Show notes

Some skeptics claim that Christianity stole its fundamental claims from preexisting pagan religions. In this episode, Kenny responds to this claim, making it clear that there is absolutely no scholarly or authentic evidence for any such assertions or conclusions.

Kenny outlines some of the examples that some skeptics bring up, showing clearly how we know that such attacks are false. Kenny even makes the point that there are no major contemporary atheistic scholars making any such claims, because they lack any credibility of any kind. These sorts of attacks do not come from respected scholars, but instead they typically come from the world of pseudo-scholarship or from some person who simply has some sort of personal vendetta again Christianity.

Resources

Do the Gospels Borrow from Pagan Myths? [Article]

Jesus Wasn’t a Pagan God: Debunking Zeitgeist and Religulous [YouTube Video]

Is Jesus Just a Copy of the Pagan Gods [YouTube Video]

Bart Ehrman & Robert Price Debate – Did Jesus Exist? [YouTube Video]

When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on Christian Evidences (by Norm Geisler)

281: Did Jesus Really Exist? Jul 25, 2019

Show notes

Was Jesus a real person? Did he actually exist? Is there evidence that Jesus was a real historical person?

Yes, Jesus was indeed a real person. And, yes, there is plenty of evidence for this. In fact, the evidences for this is overwhelming. Jesus being a real historical person has not ever been in question throughout history until very recently. Even religious skeptics throughout the ages have accepted the reality of a man named Jesus that lived in Palestine in the first-century.

In this episode, Kenny gives the reasons and evidences for the historical Jesus.

Works Cited

What is the historical evidence that Jesus Christ lived and died? [article by Dr. Simon Gathercole]

Jesus: Evidence and Argument or Mythicist Myths? (Maurice Casey)

Contra Celsum [Wikipedia entry]

Josephus on Jesus [Wikipedia entry]

Pliny the Younger speaks about Christians [Wikipedia entry]

Tacitus mentions Jesus [Wikipedia entry]

Manuscript evidence for superior New Testament reliability [article by Matt Slick]

“Minimal Facts” Approach to the Resurrection [lecture from Gary Habermas]

Additional Recommend Resources

The Evidence for Jesus [article by William Lane Craig]

Is there proof that Jesus existed? [article by Matt Slick]

The Resurrection of the Son of God (NT Wright)

The New Testament in Its World (NT Wright & Michael Bird)

The Case for Christ (Lee Stroebl)

Is There Any Evidence That Jesus Didn’t Exist? [YouTube video from William Lane Craig]

Did Jesus Even Exist? Responding to 5 Objections Raised by @rawstory [article by Michael J. Kruger]

Did Jesus Really Exist? [article by Paul L. Maier]

The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (by Gary Habermas and Michael Licona)

TEDx Talk: “How to be a Great Mentor” Jul 13, 2019

Show notes

In May 2019, Bethany Global University hosted a TEDx event. At that event, Kenny Ortiz was one of the communicators. TEDx Talk entitled: “How to be a Great Mentor.”

Watch on YouYube: http://bit.ly/OrtizTEDx2019

280: Do We Need Scholars to Really Understand the Bible? Jun 28, 2019

Show notes

There have been moments when some well-meaning evangelicals have challenged certain scholars merely on the basis that those scholars just so happen to be scholars, as if scholarship itself is bad. Sometimes certain Christians act as if scholars are all bad, or that scholarship is somehow the enemy of quality spiritual experience.

The reason why some Christians advocate against scholarship is because they sometimes feel frustrated that they may be forced into feeling dependent upon scholars. Others get frustrated that scholarship can twist conservative Christianity. Many evangelicals then ask, “Do we ourselves need to be scholars to truly understand the Bible?” or “Do we now always need scholars to tell us what certain passages mean?” These are valuable questions which Kenny tackles in this episode. Kenny gives insights about how we should think about Christian scholars and he gives a poignant challenge to those that would claim scholarship is unnecessary.

279: Is God in Hell? Jun 21, 2019

Show notes

In this episode Kenny answers a question from a listener about the omnipresence of God, and whether or not God is in hell.

Sometimes modern evangelicals frequently use the term “separated” from God to explain the state of those in hell, but herein Kenny explains that God is actually indeed in hell and that the torment of hell is actually originating from a portion of God that unrepentant sinners rightly face, mainly God’s wrath.

Scriptures References

Psalm 139:8

Matthew 13:42-50

Matthew 25:41-46

Matthew 7:19

Revelation 19:20

Revelation 20:13-14

Revelation 21:8

Hebrews 10:31

Hebrews 12:29