In this 3rd and final bonus episodes recorded during my summer RiseU class series, I discuss some of the key cultural values that distinguished people in the Greco-Roman world from how so many of us think today, shedding light on how those different values shaped how they heard and understood the message of Jesus and His followers.

Specifically, we focus on the nature of a Group-Based culture (verse our current Individualistic one), an Honor & Shame driven community, and a highly stratified society that separated and distinguished between social classes and made life difficult for the poor (who were the majority of people Jesus spoke to and live among.)

In this 2nd of 3 special bonus episodes recorded during my summer RiseU class series, I discuss the religion of the Jewish people, what their core beliefs were and how that related to their interaction with their pagan neighbors, as well as how they would have perceived (and often disagreed) with Jesus and His teachings.

We also discuss some of the different religious sects among the Jewish people, like the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Zealots, and how the common, average Jewish person fit into all the simmering tensions in 1st Century Palestine.

In this 1st of 3 special bonus episodes recorded during my summer RiseU class series, I walk through the history of the Jewish people all the way throughout the Old Testament as well as what is known as the Inter-Testamental period - the 450 years between Malachi and the arrival of Jesus.

The goal of this first class is to set the stage for understanding what the first hearers of the Gospel message would have been awaiting and expecting in a coming Messiah (if some were at all).

It's been a while since I've been able to do a new Like Stars Episode, but I thought this discussion on reading and interpreting the book of Revelation and how that applies to the way Christians approach politics might be a fun listen for you. Enjoy!

Among the most difficult issues people often have with the Bible is the way in which is appears to support the of institution of slavery. The Old Testament Law makes clear allowances for it, Jesus often spoke about slaves without ever condemning the practice, and some New Testament authors, like Paul even seemed to go as far as to encourage the behavior, blatantly calling for slaves to submit to their masters and forcing a runaway slave to return to the very household that held him in bondage.

So what are we to make of this apparent contradiction, an evil, dehumanizing institution being not only present, but openly discussed and referred to in the Scriptures without ever once blatantly calling it out for the sin and wickedness we all know it to be today? Isn’t this all the proofanyone needs to simply reject any and all claims of the Bible being the inspired word of a truly good and moral God?

In this episode of the Like Stars Podcast, I continue on with another in a short mini-series of topics covering some of these most difficult issues that arise within the teaching and life of Jesus. Specifically, why didn’t Jesus condemn slavery when he clearly knew it was going on all around him?

Join me as I discuss some of the ways in which we SHOULDN’T try to answer this question, including making the claim that ancient slavery wasn’t really that bad, nor simply accepting that the Bible is in fact just in favor of the institution. Rather, that the Biblical authors mostly accepted it as a part of their broken world and instead of immediate change, planted the seeds that would one day grow into abolishment. It’s not an easy topic to cover, but it is an important one so check it out!

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this issue further, leave a comment or shoot me an email pete@risecitychurch.com

And don’t forget to pick up your copy of LIKE STARS on Amazon today!

Should Jesus have been cancelled for being racist when calling a Canaanite woman a dog? This is just one more example of some the more “difficult” aspects of Jesus’ words and ministry that can sometimes lead people to think he wasn’t always a very good or nice person…at least, until we dig deeper and explore more of what’s happening behind the scenes.

In this second of a 4 part series looking at some of the most problematic teachings of Jesus, I break down the concept of race and ethnicity in the ancient world of the Greco-Roman Empire, the extent to which similar ideas pervaded even the Jewish people themselves, and how Jesus was most likely using this situation in order to turn the social expectations of “keep others out” on its head.

As you will see, Jesus did not come to make everyone look, talk, and act the same. But it did come to bring down all the walls and social/ethnic barriers humans want to keep building up between each other. Jesus’ disciples and later followers would be marked by a radical commitment to love one another, regardless of where they came from, what they looked like, or how much money they had. I also leave us all asking, how is the church doing with that today?

Like Stars the book – exploring the way God’s wisdom brings about true life to the fullest as we trust and follow Jesus – is available now on Amazon AND as an audiobook on Audible. Check it out today! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNWTQRZX

You can also find more on my website www.likestars.us

For some people, the picture of Jesus they have in their head is of a super nice, friendly guy who smiled all the time and went around hugging everyone. He would never say anything harsh, critical, or offensive and would most certainly never hurt anyone’s feelings … and then they actually read the Bible. Suddenly they read Jesus saying some pretty harsh stuff and aren’t sure quite what to do with it?

Did he really just say I have to hate my parents to follow him? Did he really tell someone they couldn’t even go to their father’s funeral or that we can’t even say goodbye to our parents if we want to follow him? And what should we make of all that fire he was spitting at the Jewish religious leaders? Was Jesus actually kind of a mean person?

In this episode of the Like Stars Podcast, I am kicking off a 4 part “mini-series” looking at some of the hard and difficult aspects of the picture the Gospels paint of Jesus - including race relations, slavery, being wrong about his own return, and in this case, not always speaking in what we would think of as a kind and compassionate manner.

I also introduce the first of 4 free ebook/audiobook giveaways to my YouTube Subscribers. Make sure and check that out!

And if you have any questions or comments for a future episode, email me at pete@risecitychurch.com or leave them in the comments section.

Is going to church a necessary, required part of being a Christian? Church attendance has been in a steady decline over the past decade (and even more so following COVID) but surprisingly this isn't necessarily a reflection of people's beliefs. In fact, a vast majority of those who no longer regularly attend a church continue to say they still "believe" and generally think of themselves as Christians. They aren't giving up on Jesus per se, just regular church attendance. So what are we to think of this phenomena? Is it a requirement of what it means to actually be a Christian? Or was the idea that one had to regularly attend a church service to be a Christian something to be challenged and re-examined, possibly one more passe idea that needs to be deconstructed? In this episode, I tackle the question by examining the differences between a destination (the goal and purpose of Christianity) and the journey itself (things we do and engage in to help us reach the goal.) Church attendance, as you'll hear, should most likely be considered part of the journey, more than what it actually means to be a Christian. However, that doesn't mean there isn't still a strong case to made for why it's an important part of the journey that we should be extremely wary of removing from our lives. Something may not be "necessary" but can still be extremely beneficial. I also discuss the release of my new book, aptly titled Like Stars, available for purchase now on Amazon. https://a.co/d/asc4n4A Find more content on the Like Stars YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/@likestarspodcast

Got a question for a future episode? Leave it in the comments section!