We can get caught thinking that preaching or teaching is a burden, but really we should view it as a joy and privilege to share the Word of God. ----- 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bitesizeseminary 🎧 Listen to the podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bite-size-seminary/id1588657153 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6rzuso0r2D8XHOp0b8Cc4G?si=lt773C3cQaKFFeF-qB1GXw 💻 Check out www.bitesizeseminary.com for more resources.  📬 Connect with...

Reading and applying the Bible can be hard. JC Schroeder shares three keys for studying and applying the Bible well. These keys act like ground rules to our interpretation. They will provide a richer and more productive reading and application of Scripture. ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 0:31 Key #1 3:56 Key #2 7:57 Key #3 10:34 Conclusion ----- 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bitesizeseminary 🎧 Listen to the podcast: Apple Podcasts:...

In this video JC Schroeder reads and breaks down the first verse of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, in both Hebrew and Greek from the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Septuagint. 📚 Citations - Barry Bandstra, Genesis 1:1-11, Baylor Handbook on the Hebrew Bible (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2008) 42-43. - Hebrew text from Elliger, K. and W. Rudolf, eds. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1977. - Greek text from Rahlfs, Alfred and Robert Hanhart, eds. Septuaginta: Id...

How much did a New Testament letter cost in the first century? JC Schroeder shows the surprising cost for Paul's letters in the New Testament. 📚 Citations - New Testament letter cost from E. Randolph Richards, "When is a Letter Not a Letter?: Paul, Cicero, and Seneca as Letter Writers" in Paul and the Giants of Philosophy: Reading the Apostle in Greco-Roman Context, ed. Joseph R. Dodson and David E. Briones (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2019) 88-89. - Image of New Testament Manuscript of...

You want to read the Bible in Hebrew, but you also want to do it really, really well...like a professor. Matthew Delany from  Hebrew Bible Insights joins JC Schroeder to talk about  why Christian’s should learn Hebrew and how it affects the spiritual life. He also drops some awesome helps for learning Hebrew. Go check out Matthew's awesome YouTube channel and podcast Hebrew Bible Insights! 🔗 Hebrew Bible Insights Links 🔗 Website: https://www.hebrewbibleinsights.com YouTube:...

Since the Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, there is naturally a linguistic gap between those languages and our own. Word studies is one helpful way to bridge that gap. But in order to do this we need to know what are the best tools for the task. In this episode, JC Schroeder shares his favorite books for doing biblical word studies. ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 1:06 Basic Resources 4:11 Theological Dictionaries 8:13 Technical Dictionaries 13:01 Extra-Biblical...

Paradoxically, seminary and Bible college can be places where your spiritual life can grow cold. But it doesn’t have to be this way. JC Schroeder shares two practices to thrive spiritually while in school. ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 1:11 Practice #1 5:36 Practice #2 9:37 Conclusion 📚 Resources Mathis and Parnell, How to Stay Christian in Seminary Zacharias and Forrest, Surviving and Thriving in Seminary ------- 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bitesizeseminary 💻 Check...

In this episode JC Schroeder talks about how looking at the historical-cultural context of Scripture can help open up the Bible for us and our sermons. It helps us to see the connections and distinctions between the world of the Bible and the Bible itself. Having this material in our sermons can help to clarify the text and lead to greater love and transformation. 📚 Resources: John Walton, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament ------- 📺 Watch on...

In this episode JC Schroeder talks with Dr. Max Botner about his new book Beyond the Greek New Testament: Advanced Readings for Students of Biblical Studies published by Baker Academic. They talk about theological education, how to communicate that with others, as well as some tips and tricks for learning and advancing in Greek. ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 0:55 Who is Dr. Max Botner? 5:03 The Center for Bible Study and Online Theological Education 11:33 Why Go Beyond the Greek New...

There are two dangers we can fall into when studying the Bible. Depending on our personalities or backgrounds, we may be more prone to one or the other. We want more Bible, but if we don’t read the Bible the way it’s intended, that’s when we get into trouble. So let’s talk about these two dangers so we can hear the voice of God in Scripture. ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 0:33 Danger #1 4:27 Danger #2 8:35 Conclusion Check out www.bitesizeseminary.com for more resources.  📬 Connect with...

Ever wished for a tool that could unlock the deep cultural context of the Bible for you?  In order to read the Bible well and not import our own ideas into Scripture, we need to know about the world of the Bible or the historical-cultural context. In this episode, I share some of the best resources and tools to help us better understand the background to the Bible.  0:00 Introduction 0:58 Study Bibles 2:08 Background Commentaries 3:59 Overviews 6:50 Primary Source Reader 7:23 Atlas 8:11...

It is nothing new that Christians disagree about theology and how to interpret Scripture. But why does this happen? If we don’t assess our disagreements, our debates will only devolve. In this episode I review When Doctrine Divides the People of God: An Evangelical Approach to Theological Diversity by Rhyne Putman. It’s published by Crossway in 2020. This book is a helpful guide for thinking through the causes of theological disagreements in the church and helps to chart a course toward...

If we stop reading, we stop learning. And if we stop learning, then we stop ministering effectively. If we’re going to pour into others, we need to be poured into as well. Reading is an important tool toward fostering longevity in ministry and avoiding burnout. But reading is not just about reading more books but the right ones, good books.  0:00 - The Importance of Reading to Ministry 3:37 - Types of Books to Read 9:35 - Conclusion Check out www.bitesizeseminary.com for more resources.  📬...

Struggling to share your faith with others? Discover the seven C's for authentically  communicating your faith in this  episode. I discuss how to engage in genuine conversations without confrontation while keeping Christ at the center. I  explore how to be good neighbors and friends through honest and open dialogue while making Christianity intellectually and emotionally compelling. Our goal is to invite others into a relationship with Christ, not just win an argument. Evangelism is hard. But...

Have you ever wanted to learn to read the New Testament in Greek but didn't know where to start? In this episode I share 4 reasons why my favorite is Reading Koine Greek by Rodney Decker along with 2 negatives about the book. The book's streamlined morphology and use of the "4 quad chart" helps unlock Greek morphology. So if you're looking to learn or review Greek, this episode has a book for you! 0:00 Introduction 0:36 Reason #1 - Streamlined Morphology 2:45 Reason #2 - Up To Date 3:43...

God is very interested in our happiness and flourishing. Psalm 1 talks about how and where we can find the good life and true happiness. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/L3RSYc7mxiY Check out www.bitesizeseminary.com for more resources.  📬 Connect with JC:  Website | bitesizeseminary.com  Facebook | Bite Size Seminary Podcast  Twitter | @bitesizesem  YouTube |  @bitesizeseminary

The world is full of chaos and complexity. As we navigate life, we need the knowledge and skill to live well. We need wisdom. The book of Proverbs was written to fill that need. In it we’ll find not only our need for wisdom but also where to find wisdom. So in this episode we’re going to talk about how to read the book of Proverbs. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/q5olktr_afU ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 1:12 The Genre of Proverbs 6:41 The Writing and Ancient Near Eastern Influences...

When we read of the biblical commands to praise God, is this because God is egotistical or a narcissist? How should we understand the praise psalms found in the book of Psalms? In this video I talk about God's character and the real function of praise. The Bible reveals a God who is not self-absorbed but one who is beautiful, loves, and serves. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tq3JNN1uOFk ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 2:10 The Character of God 7:58 The Question of the Praise...

Why are there four Gospels in the Bible? How do we read these together? I share two simple approaches to reading the Gospels that helps us to read them well. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/O-mmcrEmJYU ⏰ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:04 Vertical Reading 3:37 Horizontal Reading 7:13 Conclusion Check out www.bitesizeseminary.com for more resources.  📬 Connect with JC:  Website | bitesizeseminary.com  Facebook | Bite Size Seminary Podcast  Twitter | @bitesizesem  YouTube | ...

Learning biblical Hebrew can be pretty hard at times, and sometimes you just need the right tools.  So I want to share 3 tools for learning biblical Hebrew that for me were life saving. And I think, they may be for you too. These help with Hebrew morphology and vocabulary. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/b87PIaINAus ⏰ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:34 1 - Biblical Hebrew Laminated Sheet 2:25 2 - Quizlet 3:57 3 - Parse It App 5:12 Conclusion Check out www.bitesizeseminary.com for more...

There are approximately 31,102 verses in the Bible, and yet the shortest verse is perhaps one of the most profound and beautiful though often overlooked and misunderstood. It frequently acts for us more as a piece of trivia (it even has its own Wikipedia page!). But we don’t give much thought to its meaning and significance. So in this video, I want to talk about the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11:35, and why it really matters for us. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0WeRMcKEaVo 📬...

The book of Revelation is a hard book to understand. It’s filled with striking and vivid imagery. It’s also a book that has captured our attention more than most books in the New Testament. But with all this attention, we struggle to know how to read it and read it well. In this video, I have 4 tips for how to read Revelation well. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CBZZrAczkew ⏰ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:22 - Tip 1 - Don't Practice Newspaper Eschatology 2:52 - Tip 2 - Don't Deny...

You want to improve your Biblical Hebrew, but you need help. These 6 books are great resources to help you level up your your Hebrew. Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oTeKxQ92qfE Check out www.bitesizeseminary.com for more resources. ⏰ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:22 - "A Workbook for Intermediate Hebrew" by Chisholm 1:36 - "A Guide to Biblical Hebrew" by Arnold and Choi 2:07 - "A Student's Vocabulary for Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic" by Mitchel 3:02 - "Baylor Handbook...

You want to be a better person. You want to lead a successful, productive life. But what does that even mean or look like? And how should a Christian process this conversation? Let’s talk about a Christian vision for a successful life. Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JgWfL-V6vG0 ⏰ Timestamps: 0:26 - Introduction 2:04 - Thesis 2:59 - Success and Identity 9:25 - Hustle Culture and the Church 11:10 - The Story and Logic of the Gospel 17:39 - Holy Ambition 19:27 - What About...