Theology for the People

On this episode of Theology for the People, we dive into the topic of Russian Orthodox Christianity. 

My guest is Shane Angland. Shane is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, and he was also a missionary in Eastern Ukraine. 

The Raskol of 1666 was a schism that took place in the Russian Orthodox Church, which highlights some of the distinctive features of Orthodox theology, and Russian Orthodoxy theology uniquely. Furthermore, we talk about how Russian Orthodox theology plays a role in the current war in Ukraine.

On this episode I speak with Shane Angland about the Radical Reformers of the 16th Century, and how the ideas of the Radical Reformation, though they were initially met with opposition — they have had an incredible impact on Christianity as we know it today, including how the church relates to the government and society as a whole. Furthermore, we discuss some of the lessons we can learn today from the mistakes and missteps of the radical reformers, as well. 

Shane Angland is a Teaching Elder at Ennis Evangelical Church in County Clare, Ireland. He spent several years as a missionary in Ukraine, and is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. 

On April 19, 2023 I had a snowboarding accident which left me with two broken ankles and a traumatic leg injury. In this personal update I talk about what happened and how you can be praying for me. Additionally, I talk about what to look forward to in coming weeks on the podcast.

How do we know when the books of the New Testament were written? Is it important?

In this episode, I speak with Shane Angland about the dating of the Gospels and Revelation, and why the answer to that question might be more important than you think. We look at some of the evidences for why we can be confident that the Gospels were written shortly after Jesus' life and ascension. Additionally we talk about the Book of Revelation, and how the dating of Revelation actually determines how we interpret it.

Shane ss a teaching elder at Ennis Evangelical Church in County Clare, Ireland. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.) and holds a BA in History and Politics from the University of Limerick. Shane also served for several years as a missionary in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

In this episode, Nick Cady and Michael Payne discuss what is at stake in regard to Jesus' resurrection, as well as some alternative explanations for Jesus' missing body that have been proposed. Finally, they share some of the strongest evidences for why Christians believe that Jesus did in fact rise from the grave.

Shane Angland is a teaching elder at Ennis Evangelical Church in County Clare, Ireland. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.) and holds a BA in History and Politics from the University of Limerick. Shane also served for several years as a missionary in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

On this episode, Shane shares some of his research about the Irish monastic approach to Bible study in the "Dark Ages" and what made it unique, as well as what we today can learn from their practices.

László (Laci) is a pastor in Budapest, Hungary. In addition to pastoring a local church, he leads a ministry which helps those caught in human trafficking to escape prostitution and experience lasting freedom. 

The south side of Budapest, where Laci ministers, is a working class area, known for high levels of crime and prostitution.

In this episode, we discuss the theological foundations for "mercy ministries" and how Laci got involved in practical ministry to the poor and oppressed. 

What does the Bible say about wealth? Why is it that so many wealthy people are not "whole" - and what is the solution?

Jeff Gipe is a pastor in Franklin, Tennessee. He was a successful businessman in Southern California, who left the business world to plant a church in the area where he lived, which happened to be one of the most affluent communities in the world. 

He is a graduate of Western Seminary, and has put in a lot of work theologically and practically into thinking biblically about the topic of money and how it relates to God's vision for human flourishing.

Steven and Teresa Yeats have been missionaries in Eastern Europe for many years. They currently live in Chisinau, Moldova. Steven is a pastor and a church planter, but a few years ago he started a business in Moldova, and in this episode he talks about the spirituality of money and the reasons for considering doing business as a form of mission. We talk about sustainable church planting and unique needs that exist in the developing (majority) world.

Additionally, Steven and Teresa share about how the war in Ukraine has affected their lives and their ministry in Moldova. Finally, they share how we can be praying for their ministry and the church in Moldova.

Welcome to Season 3 of Theology for the People!

Gluttony is one of the "Seven Deadly Sins" - but why is gluttony a sin? And what constitutes gluttony? Is calling gluttony a sin actually a form of "fat-shaming" - or it is actually a danger to your soul?

In this episode I speak with Mike Neglia about the origin of the Seven Deadly Sins and what the Bible has to say about gluttony. 

In this episode, Michael Payne and Nick Cady speak with George and Sharon Markey, missionaries in Ukraine. George tells the story of how his family moved to Ukraine in 1992, and Sharon tells her story of meeting George and joining him on the mission field. They talk about their family's experience in evacuating from Ukraine when the war began and how they are continuing to reach out with the love of Jesus to the Ukrainian people, and how the mission of God is progressing even in the midst of the current calamity.

In this Bonus Episode, Conor Berry and I discuss some questions we received regarding our previous episode on fasting:

Mason Mortimer is a graduate of Calvary Chapel Bible College and has worked in the financial services industry for 17 years.

In this episode we discuss what the Bible has to say about money, wealth, and poverty. How should we think biblically about financial matters, including investments and retirement?

We discuss how Christians have related to money historically, such as those who take vows of poverty. Finally, Mason gives us some very practical advice about stewardship, investment, and financial planning.

If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content.

In this episode Aaron Salvato interviews Nick Cady about how hypocrisy can be a barrier to people embracing Christianity, and what the solution is to this problem. 

In this episode, Nick Cady and Michael Payne discuss Jesus' ascension into Heaven and why it matters for the gospel and for us. 

Is the ascension simply something that happened, which we acknowledge, or did it actually accomplish something which could not have happened otherwise? How did the early Christians and the Church Fathers understand the ascension? What difference should the ascension make for our lives today?

If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content.

March 17 is St. Patrick's Day. What is the true story of St. Patrick? Shane Angland (MDiv, Dallas Theological Seminary) joins the podcast today to help us know the difference between what is myth and what is historically true when it comes to St. Patrick.

Did Patrick really drive the snakes out of Ireland? Did he face off with druids? Did he use the shamrock as a teaching tool to explain the Trinity?

Shane explains how we can know the difference between what is true about Patrick and what is fable, and how the true story of Patrick is much better than the legends.

Recorded in Budapest, Hungary this week with Pastor George Markey of Kyiv, Ukraine, originally for KWAVE Radio in Southern California. George has lived in Ukraine for the past 30 years, and is the overseer for Calvary Chapel churches in Ukraine. 

In this episode, George shares his perspective on what is going on as Russia is attacking Ukraine, as well as stories of how God is working in the midst of it. 

We also discuss needs, what is currently being done, and how you can get involved and help.

Finally, George shares how he personally prays for Ukraine right now.

Many people assume that the Protestant Reformation was something that only affected the Western, or Roman Catholic Church, but in this episode, Shane Angland (Mdiv, Dallas Theological Seminary) shares the incredible story of how the Reformation reached the East. 

Shane explains how Martin Luther actually referred to the Eastern Orthodox churches as examples of Christianity which were not subject to the dictates of Roman papal authority, and he tells the story of Cyril Lucaris, the Greek Orthodox theologian and patriarch of Constantinople, who was highly influenced by the Reformation and its principles.

Dr. Roy Collins returns as a guest to the podcast to share his difficult experiences as a young pastor, and how they have led to the dual conclusions that a congregation has a responsibility to a pastor, both to train and to support them, and that a person in ministry has a responsibility to pursue ongoing training in order to stir up the gifts that God has placed within them, so they can serve people well. 

In this episode, Dr. Collins speaks candidly about some of his experiences, and Nick shares some current training initiatives that can help provide support for the very areas which Dr. Collins addresses as being needs.

For more information on these programs, visit:

Nate Medlong is a pastor and missionary in Kharkiv, Ukraine. He and his wife Diana have fostered and adopted several children, and in this episode Nate and I discuss how adoption is a picture of the gospel.

Not only is adoption a picture of the gospel, and the practice of adopting children is an outworking of the gospel, but we discuss how parenting adopted children helps a person to grow in their understanding of and appreciation for what God has done for us in Christ, by making us his children and adopting us into his family.

In this episode Nick Cady and Michael Payne speak about how Christians should relate to things which originate outside of Christianity, such as yoga, psychology, Christmas, drums, or rock music. 

This discussion can be traced all the way back to a historical argument between Tertullian and Justin Martyr which can be summarized by Tertullian's classic question: "What Has Athens to Do with Jerusalem?"

Pastor and author David Guzik joins the podcast this week to talk about the topic of Christian liberty. 

How do we make sense of "gray areas," things like drinking alcohol, tattoos, smoking tobacco, music choices, etc. about which some Christians have strong convictions that Christians should never do those things, whereas others feel that they can enjoy these things in moderation without any conflict with their fidelity to following Jesus? How do we honor one another without being held hostage by every person's personal whim? David helps shed some light on these and other questions related to this topic.

Is it true that "all truth is God's truth"? What does it mean when the Bible talks about a "mystery" that has been revealed?

This week Gino Geraci joins the podcast once again to discuss the topic of "revelation," and the question of how we know what we know about God, including His will for us, our lives, and the world. 

The Bible talks about two specific kinds of revelation: general and specific. In this podcast we give some examples of each and answer questions like: Does one have greater value than the other? What are the benefits of each, and what, if any, limitations do these different forms of revelation carry?

In last week's episode, we talked about what it means that we are created in the "image of God" and what the implications would be if we were not created in God's image. That discussion ended with a comment that the doctrine of the Imago Dei (Image of God) hinges on the question of revelation. In this episode we delve into that question. 

Gino Geraci is a pastor, Bible teacher, and syndicated radio show host. He is the founding pastor of Calvary South Denver in Littleton, Colorado, from which he recently retired and is now focusing fully on his radio and online ministries.

In this episode, Gino and Nick speak about what it means when the Bible tells us that we, as human beings, have been created in the image of God (Imago Dei in Latin). What are some of the implications of this doctrine as relates to the value of human life, and what would be the implications if this were not true?

Shane Angland (MA Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary), joins the podcast to talk about Bible translations and what makes some translations better than others.

Shane is the lead preaching elder at Ennis Evangelical Church in Ennis, Ireland. A native of the west coast of Ireland, Shane served as a missionary in Ukraine with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, and later earned a Masters Degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, where the focus of his studies was on Textual Criticism.

In this episode, Shane explains what Textual Criticism is (and is not), and explains the important elements involved in Bible translation, such as translation philosophy and source documents. He also dispels some common misconceptions about Bible translations, such as that newer translations remove content from the Bible, or that they are less accurate than older translations.

This week Nick Cady and Mike Neglia respond to some objections to Christ-centered hermeneutics.

Is Christ-centered hermeneutics actually ego-centric, in that it focuses on what Jesus has done for “me’? Does Christocentricity fail to honor the trinitarian nature of God by focusing primarily on the Son? Does it fail to teach what the text actually says in an attempt to make every message about Jesus?

Nick and Mike respond to these, and other questions in this episode, which is Part 2 of a 2-part series on Christ-Centered Hermeneutics. In Part 1, we laid the foundation for what Christ-Centered Hermeneutics is, and whether it is a true and faithful way to read the Bible.

In this episode Nick Cady sits down with Benjamin Morrison, pastor of Calvary Chapel Svitlovodsk, Ukraine, as well as the coordinator for City to City Ukraine and a member of the leadership of City to City Europe, to discussion cross-cultural ministry and the topic of contextualization.

When we "contextualize" the gospel, or any other biblical message, do we run the risk of changing it? What is the goal and purpose of contextualization, and how can we be sure that we are doing it well, without watering down the message on the one hand, nor adding unbiblical elements on the other? 

In this episode Ben and I share stories from our experiences in Eastern Europe, where I served for 10 years in Hungary, and where Ben has served for 19 years in Ukraine.

In this episode, Nick and Mike discuss the topic of "theological method", which involves the study of how people arrive at theological conclusions based on how they use the "sources of theology" in relation to each other.

We discuss the 5 commonly recognized sources of theology, explain different theological methods that exist, and how they relate to interpreting the Bible in light of our ever-changing world.

Can anyone pick up the Bible, read it and understand it? Is Scripture "clear," and if it is: about what and for whom is it clear?

I wrote my Masters dissertation on the topic of the perspicuity, or clarity, of Scripture. This is an important topic, because whether or not we view Scripture as clear affects how we handle and use the Bible and how we relate to church traditions, and how we view the world in the midst of a culture in which many long-held beliefs and assumptions are being challenged.

In this episode, Nick and Mike discuss the concept of the perspicuity of Scripture, looking at the history of this concept and what is at stake in this debate. 

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Nick and Mike discuss the process through which the New Testament was recognized as Holy Scripture.

At what point were the books of the New Testament recognized as Scripture? Who was involved in that process, or who made that determination? What about the disputed books, and why was the Gospel of Thomas kept out of the Bible?

We answer these questions and more in this episode.

In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Nick and Mike discuss some common misnomers and conspiracy theories regarding the formation of the New Testament canon.

What happened in Nicaea? Did Constantine play a role in the formation of the New Testament canon? If so, is there anything we should be concerned about?

In this episode I'm joined by Pastor Jon Markey from Ternopil, Ukraine. Along with being a pastor and missionary, Jon is a musician and producer. We discuss how the resurrection infuses our lives, including our work and art, with meaning and purpose.

Sometimes people have the idea that if the world is going to burn anyway, then there is no point in trying to invest time and energy into work or art in this world; it would simply be akin to hanging curtains in a house that is on fire. However, as Jon and I discuss, Jesus' resurrection changes that story in a big way.

Check out Jon and Steffie's work at Room for More:

In Matthew 27:52-53 it says that when Jesus died, "The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many."

Why did this happen? And what happened to these "walking dead": did they ascend into Heaven with Jesus, or did they die again at a later date? What was the meaning and significance of this?

In this episode Nick and Mike discuss what it means in Ephesians 4:14 where the Apostle Paul talks about “winds and waves of doctrine.” What are they? How do we recognize them before it’s too late? And how do we avoid being carried away by them?

Along with some examples of winds and waves in the recent past, we discuss the “deeper things” of Christianity: what many people mean when they use that phrase and what the deepest things are in reality.

Why is it that in the Bible, sometimes God punishes some people severely for their sins, but other people receive no punishment for similar actions?