Curt Harlow [00:00:00]:
Hello, my friend. I'm here with Dena Davidson and Kevin Thompson, two of our wonderful, incredible teachers here at Bayside Church. And we're going to be in Acts, chapter 19. So if you got a Bible, and I hope you do, turn there, unless you're driving your car, then you just listen because we don't want to be responsible for any insurance claims. But we're going to be in Acts, chapter 19, starting right there in verse 23. Our format is simple. We're going to read a part of the passage we're covering on all of our weekend services at our Bayside campuses. And then I'm going to ask, ask each one of these to pull out some Bible study tools, some observations about hermeneutics, the tools we use to get the right interpretation of the passage and exegesis, kind of the attitude, the heart that we bring to getting the original meaning of Scripture.
Curt Harlow [00:00:48]:
And then at the end we'll apply it, get some practical application. So let's get rolling. Acts 19:23 says this. About that time there rose a great disturbance about the way a silver myth named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. He called them together, along with the workers in related trades. And he said, you know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has conceived and led, astrayed a large number of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.
Curt Harlow [00:01:34]:
There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty. Now this is such a perfect passage to go on to because it's got all sorts of things that, you know, Western folks right now. It's got money, it's got idol making, it's got Greek gods in there, it's got the city of Ephesus, and it's got this great, incredible complaint by the silversmith. So, Dena, help us unpack this when we're reading this passage. What should we see here to help us get to the right interpretation of what's going on?
Dena Davidson [00:02:21]:
Sure. Okay, so what jumps out at me first is just this whole idea of why is Luke telling this particular story about Paul? And I think about the book of Romans and all that. We find out later about what happens to Paul, and no Spoiler alerts. But eventually, like, he goes to Rome and he stands on trial for these insurrections that they say he has been having, like, in every city he goes, riots and disruption happens. And so one of the things that Luke is eager to do is he's telling the story of why Paul is on trial. And so he's helping the early Christians to understand this is who Paul actually is. You've heard all these rumors, especially if you're in Rome and you're hearing there's this crazy Christian who's been doing. Doing all these things all over the world.
Dena Davidson [00:03:06]:
Well, why is this person causing a disruption to the peace? And so what we're getting here is Luke telling us the backstory. If you were maybe in Ephesus and you heard about this crazy riot, or you were even there and you were shouting in the temple of Artemis, you know, great is Artemis. This is the backstory of what led to that moment. And it wasn't Paul going in and riling people up. It was the gospel being proclaimed that riled people up. So I just think that's important to understand sometimes why an author is even telling this story in the first place.
Curt Harlow [00:03:39]:
I can't tell you how many people get a little bit of information about Bayside form a very strong opinion.
Dena Davidson [00:03:45]:
Yes.
Curt Harlow [00:03:45]:
And then Baysiders hear about it and come to me and say, why did we do this stupid thing?
Dena Davidson [00:03:49]:
100%. Tickets to Christmas. Why are you selling tickets to Christmas Eve?
Curt Harlow [00:03:52]:
Yes. You're peddling the gospel now we want to get everyone a seat. We gotta organize this.
Dena Davidson [00:03:58]:
The person who would wait for, like, three hours in the cold getting them.
Curt Harlow [00:04:00]:
Inside, you're saying Paul had a PR problem.
Dena Davidson [00:04:03]:
He really did. I mean, when you think about Christianity, you're hopefully not thinking about chaos. But everywhere Paul went, there was chaos. So what was behind that chaos? Is this man preaching a poor gospel? Is he, you know, creating all this disruption? Is there something behind Paul that's not good? Or could it be that the gospel itself was what was stirring up all this crazy opposition? And that's what we find that Luke is saying it was those who realized that their livelihood was going to be jeopardized and that their idolatry was being questioned. That's what caused this disruption.
Kevin Thompson [00:04:38]:
And specifically, I think, Dena, the great point that you make is, whenever I think about my own personal Bible study, where can I go wrong so quickly? Is I dig down too quickly into an individual verse, strip it of all context, and say, what does this mean to me? Right. I mean, you'll talk about this in previous episodes.
Curt Harlow [00:04:53]:
Kevin Thompson on the Bible says, well, that's my favorite thought so far.
Kevin Thompson [00:04:58]:
But what you're saying is, all right, let's first pan back. Let's ask the bigger question. What is going on in the book as a whole now? What is the point of this chapter now, this story? And then we can begin to zero in on some actual details of what's happening. But I think our fear is if we do that, that we're going to lose the meaning and the value of the kind of the feel goodness of the day. Not realizing that whenever we focus on our own feelings for the day, what we actually end up losing is God. The very point of the whole Bible study. And yet whenever we go big picture, first zero in down, we learn who God is, which ironically then pays off and it changes how we feel and think.
Curt Harlow [00:05:34]:
Yeah. Without getting to the 50,000 foot level here of going, what is the whole story? And I do, especially from chapter 16 on, there's this pattern. Paul preaches to the Jews, preaches in the marketplace to the Gentiles. Confrontation happens, danger happens.
Dena Davidson [00:05:51]:
It's like every city, it's about to go down. Like, you get that sense after reading so many chapters, like, oh, this is when it starts to go badly for them.
Curt Harlow [00:05:58]:
Yeah. And he's even, you know, the silversmith Demetrius, he's even saying, gosh, you guys, you heard what happened in Asia. This is right before they got here. They, they lit that place on fire. So you could actually read this without keeping that thought in mind that you just said and see it as justification to create mobs. Christian mobs.
Dena Davidson [00:06:21]:
Right, exactly.
Curt Harlow [00:06:21]:
Let's go tear that place.
Dena Davidson [00:06:22]:
Let's stir some people up.
Curt Harlow [00:06:24]:
Yes. Which is not what Paul was doing.
Dena Davidson [00:06:25]:
Let's go do some book burning like they did in the previous chapter.
Curt Harlow [00:06:28]:
Well, okay, well, that's. Please stay tuned in.
Dena Davidson [00:06:32]:
That's ripping it out of the context.
Curt Harlow [00:06:34]:
Book burning Pro. The pro book burning podcast depends on.
Kevin Thompson [00:06:37]:
Whose books were burning. As far as I'm concerned, who does.
Curt Harlow [00:06:40]:
Everything to make this work is off stage. She's kind of choking on her coffee right now that we're gone on, I'm.
Dena Davidson [00:06:45]:
Saying, okay, in case you didn't get the context, there's this chapter where in response to the gospel, people say, okay, there's all of these elements of rich witchcraft that teach us to follow after these false gods. So we're going to take these and we're going to get rid of them. And so if we rip that out of context, then we're Just going to go, you know, burn every book that we disagree with. So it's, it's to. More to Kevin's point, I'm not saying go burn.
Curt Harlow [00:07:08]:
Yes, I'm a big fan, especially in the book of Acts, of every time backing up and going, why is Luke telling the same story over and over again? By the way, Part of it is because that's the way it happened. Luke is very accurate as a story, but part of it is he's trying to go, guys, this is what happens when we preach the gospel fearlessly. It's not what we want to happen necessarily. It is what does happen. And to that point, Kevin, we were talking right before we push the record switch on here. There's a part of this passage. Well, just tell what is it strikes you about this passage that we need to know as good Bible study students?
Kevin Thompson [00:07:43]:
Yeah, Well, I think in part to kind of give a second point to what Dena was talking about is not only do we look at what's going on in this passage of the book of a whole, but let's go Bible as a whole, and specifically New Testament as well. Of whenever you read the book of Ephesians, come back and read Acts 19, because there's going to be such an impact and influence because these are the very people that Paul is now writing to. And it kind of makes you wonder, okay, whenever he talks about Ephesians 1:10, that the mystery of the Gospel has been held for so long that everything will come under the leadership of Jesus in 3, 10. It's his intention now that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God would be made known. Well, that all comes back to Acts 19 in what was taking place, that it was God's design that these people would understand how everything comes under the lordship of Jesus. Which means this goddess here is going to have to get kicked out, which means the silversmith, if he wants to come to Christ, is going to have to find a new profess and to begin to, as you read one book of the Bible, to realize we actually have the context in another book. And you can't really understand the book of Ephesians without having some understanding of Acts 19.
Curt Harlow [00:08:46]:
And it goes backwards and forwards. So I had a really great Bible teacher in my life named Michael Mowry, and he said you should write down Bible passages and leave out the chapters, the verses, the headings, the footnotes, and even the spaces and just write it out, because this is the way Greek works, but also because verse by verse is important and it's a Great way to approach. It's one really great way to approach it. But what's way better is truth by truth, theme by theme. And so this idea that I can't understand Ephesians, or I can understand Ephesians better if I understand where geographically we are, where in the. You know, we're halfway through the second missionary journey. We're in that season where this first Ephesian experience happens for Paul, Just even as you were saying that before we started recording, I thought, I've taught the verse in Ephesians, in your anger, do not sin. Ephesians 4.
Curt Harlow [00:09:46]:
Taught it a million times, always in that very marriage context, roommate context of like, you know. You know, when you guys have a spat with each other. Paul goes here and he preaches the gospel very innocently, an angry mob. And it says in the passage later, shouts at him for two hours straight. Is it two hours straight? And if you've been in this arena.
Kevin Thompson [00:10:11]:
It'S like hearing Mark Clark preach.
Curt Harlow [00:10:12]:
I mean, by the way, that was very good. Yes. Yeah. They're like, you're an idiot. You're an idiot for two hours straight. I was thinking of this weekend at Auburn. I would try to get like, 10 people right at the beginning of the sermon to stand up and just start shouting at me to experience what it would be.
Kevin Thompson [00:10:30]:
It's really what they do at lunch. It's just what actually doing it during the service. It's almost like the passage from Ephesians could almost read, in your anger, do not become a mob.
Curt Harlow [00:10:38]:
Yes. You know, Paul is. He has to be thinking this going. You know, there's one thing those Ephesians got that they might have to work on is quick to anger.
Dena Davidson [00:10:47]:
Yeah.
Curt Harlow [00:10:48]:
And, man, don't. In your anger, don't sin.
Dena Davidson [00:10:53]:
If you've not read Acts 19, you might be totally lost. Or. And we're in 20, right?
Kevin Thompson [00:10:58]:
19.
Curt Harlow [00:11:00]:
But welcome to the Bible study.
Dena Davidson [00:11:01]:
Bible study, guys. I am so in the Book of Acts, how many kids?
Curt Harlow [00:11:05]:
How many kids?
Dena Davidson [00:11:06]:
They're glorious.
Curt Harlow [00:11:07]:
And I remember three kid times. Yeah.
Dena Davidson [00:11:09]:
Okay. Acts 19, you might be thinking, they keep talking about a mob, but we didn't read about a mob. So let me catch you up to the rest.
Curt Harlow [00:11:15]:
Yeah. Thank you.
Dena Davidson [00:11:16]:
In case you're just like, whoa, haven't heard that part yet.
Curt Harlow [00:11:18]:
Giving context to the context, people.
Dena Davidson [00:11:21]:
Weekend message. So eventually, these small group of tradespeople, they become very influential, and they stir up this entire mob against Paul. They drag him into an arena, and they literally have the whole city rallied in a riotous mob against him. And you have to read the chapter. It's so good. Like, the way that God just ends up, like, getting rid of this mob. And Paul has to do nothing. It's crazy.
Dena Davidson [00:11:46]:
But it's this moment where you get to see, gosh, the. The gospel really does have the power to disrupt culture, to disrupt a person's life. The gospel itself is very disruptive. I think it's like the overall favorite.
Kevin Thompson [00:11:59]:
Verse to show the confusion and all that is 1932. It says, the assembly was in great confusion. Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people didn't even know why they were there.
Dena Davidson [00:12:10]:
Isn't that so true? Like, that's so relatable to the idea of a mob mentality.
Curt Harlow [00:12:14]:
Like, I don't know.
Dena Davidson [00:12:14]:
I just. I started following. They had a pitchfork. I grabbed mine. Like, that's what a mob is.
Kevin Thompson [00:12:19]:
We don't even know why we're angry.
Curt Harlow [00:12:20]:
We don't even know of every Arkansas sporting event I've ever been.
Kevin Thompson [00:12:24]:
100%. We're right on board.
Curt Harlow [00:12:26]:
Okay, so I want to jump into one little thing that I think is so what. What facilitates this? What's the match that lights this fire that we go on and read in this great angry mob? And by the way, this is one of the few times Paul wants to speak and his friends prevent him from speaking. That's how angry this mob is. And according to Demetrius the silversmith, it's. It's two things. And the first thing is there's a financial cost here. And I like what you just said a minute ago, Kevin. I've had a lot of great friends that were international students, and they come from a long way away to study here in America.
Curt Harlow [00:13:00]:
They encounter Christians, they see the goodness of Christ in their lives, and they start exploring Christianity. Well, it's a great cost to someone who's left one culture on one continent, all the way to students. I've met Muslim engineering students in some situations. Very dangerous. In another whole setting, you could come from Western Europe, extremely secular family, where anyone that actually believes a high level of inspiration of scripture is in a cult. And you call your mom and say, yeah, I've been going this Bible study with these Christians at the University Pacific or whatever. So there is this really dangerous, disruptive part when we teach, take the gospel seriously. So part of it is just that it's the nature of the gospel.
Curt Harlow [00:13:50]:
I had one teacher used to say to me, there's a personal offense. That's when you present the gospel arrogantly. And then there's the gospel. There's the offense of the gospel, which is unavoidable. It's saying, we're sinners and there's a Lord over your life, and he needs to be over your life. So part of that is that. Then there's two under reasons. One is the one I think we.
Curt Harlow [00:14:11]:
We focus on a lot. Hey, if these idols are false, he's ruining our whole industry. He's going to crash the economy. Almost like tariffs. Okay, too soon. I know, but the whole thing is the financial motive. Don't touch a person's money. That's understandable.
Kevin Thompson [00:14:26]:
Which is also a theme through acts. We've seen this multiple times through acts where the defense of the people could be primarily financial. You think about the woman that could define what was going on. Her handlers did not like the fact that she was healed because they lost their money. Real threat to us. We have to recognize that.
Curt Harlow [00:14:45]:
And Kevin, we could quickly condemn them and go, we wouldn't have done that. But you have to understand there. How is. This guy's ira.
Kevin Thompson [00:14:55]:
Yeah, right.
Curt Harlow [00:14:56]:
What. What. What was the stock market doing on his phone? Yeah, like, the financial insecurity of the first century is not the financial security of us in the United States in this century. So it's a real thing here. So it's. You have to almost go, okay, I get it that Artemis is a fake God and that the Silver Smith has made the God and then two seconds later told people to worship the God. But that financial security, you gotta identify with it to understand why that mob gets so rallied up that other people get caught into it without even knowing it. And then here's the other one.
Curt Harlow [00:15:32]:
This is the one that I think we have zero idea about. Or if we do, it's because we had some sort of history class our sophomore year in high school where they talked a little bit about Homer and the Iliad and we got a little Greek. But this idea that they're coming, Paul is coming against the God of their city, this God, who is a fertility God and a huntress. So if you want to have babies, you sacrifice to this God and you ask her, please do not stand in the way of me having babies. If you want game provided in your area, you want to be successful as a hunter, you say, please do not stand Baja. And the idea. So you have 12 Olympians. And these 12 Olympians, their gods, the major gods, they don't get along.
Curt Harlow [00:16:24]:
They are jealous. They fight with each other. They lie to each other, they cheat on each other. They come to the world of humans and have vacations and sleep with humans and have illegitimate children. They're extremely chaotic. Then there's another, I think it's 57 or 59 minor gods under the 12 Olympians. And all of these gods are immature, chaotic, they're your weird relatives. And so there was such a insecurity and fear of we serve these very unpredictable, mean spirited gods of the 12 Olympians.
Curt Harlow [00:17:01]:
There's very little sympathy for humans in those 12 of the 59 minor gods, there's like two of them that were known to have compassion on man. So you're in an adversarial relationship with the God who protects your city, gives you children, make sure your children don't get dragged away in slavery, actually provides food for you. And if you let, not even if you do it, if you let one offense come to this God, your city becomes incredibly vulnerable. And in their worldview, this was not theory. They had experienced natural disaster that they were like, we did something wrong for that God. And the reason this is important to learn about and teach is it's so different than the God of Paul. So we have this appeasement. God, I bring you sacrifice to keep you at bay and not punish me.
Curt Harlow [00:17:54]:
I bring you sacrifice and offerings and I seduce you with my generosity just to leave us alone, let us have children, let our crops survive. And Paul comes and he says, I got this different way. While you are still sinners, God loves you. From the beginning of time, your days have been numbered. You've been made in the image of God. Every one of you, woman, children, slave, landowner, every one of you has the image of God. And by the way, God has always had a plan, even before you. And his plan is Jesus Christ.
Curt Harlow [00:18:26]:
And here is the proof he has been resurrected. Find his body. You can't. It's such a big contrast. And I think we live in the world of assumed monotheism. I mean, we got, there's polytheists in our culture and there's, you know, Wiccan people and all that. And there is the sort of agnostic that goes, maybe there's many gods or it's he or she or whatever, but in general, monotheism is in a great position historically compared to where it's always been. And so we don't understand what it's like to live under an appeasement, chaotic, immature God.
Curt Harlow [00:19:03]:
And when we do, it makes us just go, who is this God?
Kevin Thompson [00:19:09]:
Psychologists tell us that there's some basic things that we need to operate in life, and one of those is certainty. Obviously we can never have absolute certainty. But there has to be some form of predictability about life or we're not going to be able to function. If we are literally just cast out and whatever happens, happens, we're not going to be able to get up in the morning. And so you can see what's being offered here by Artemis is this sense of predictability. Appease me and I will generally take care of you. There might be times in which I don't, but it will give some certainty to what's going on. Paul's coming in and saying, look, what you desire from her is not wrong.
Kevin Thompson [00:19:47]:
Matter of fact, it can be found, but it's found in somebody else. It's not found in Artemis. It's found now in the way of Jesus.
Curt Harlow [00:19:55]:
Your certainty is far less certain than you know.
Kevin Thompson [00:19:58]:
Yes. No, that's exactly right. The very thing that you're trying, that you think you're getting, you're not. And so I am willing, as disruptive as it is, to kind of crumble the foundations of that, allow you to experience the chaos that you're actually living in, to then provide the way of the opportunity of the solid foundation that is actually found in Jesus.
Curt Harlow [00:20:19]:
It's very good. All right. I can see our clock is coming to that magic moment, so we're going to try to keep these a little shorter. So you'll watch every single one. But, Dena, getting the right context and the right interpretation of the passage, so important. Going back and forth between different parts of the Bible, especially this New Testament, is so beautiful. Having an incredible understanding of the 50,000 foot view. Let's take it all the way down to me and you and Tuesday morning.
Curt Harlow [00:20:51]:
What should we do about this?
Dena Davidson [00:20:53]:
Yeah, I think the first thing that we should do about this particular passage is realize that there is money in religion. And this conversation shows us the secret puppet masters kind of pulling the strings that hide behind religion. And I just think it's a cautionary tale for us because sometimes we go and we worship and we do all of these things and we think they're right. And I think all of these people, so blinded and not knowing kind of the behind the scenes of what was going on to blind them from the truth. They're just going about their day. And I think there's probably a lot of people that may be listening who that might be the case for them. They've. They've followed this podcast, they followed this person, and they like what they say and they like what they post, but they have no idea that that person, that religious figure is not representing the true way of Jes.
Dena Davidson [00:21:44]:
Jesus, the true way of the God of the universe. They're just, they're just making some money. And so I think it's really important that we be aware of how much money can influence religion and religious conversations and always come back to the word of God and say, God, what do you say? Because I don't want to be influenced by people just chasing after the money that comes with religion. I want to know the actual God of the universe who's revealed himself to us.
Curt Harlow [00:22:12]:
Every emotionally powerful thing in life gets conscripted by financial gain. So dating and mating apps. Religion, of course, is all of it. How much money do lawyers make in divorce? And everything has a financial component and the more intense the thing. So it shouldn't surprise us that religion has money, but it is a super great reminder. And by the way, I'd just like to say if you want to learn more about that, you can sow a seed faith offering into Tina Davidson's ministry. 1-800-Religion and money. Got some handkerchiefs feet now.
Kevin Thompson [00:22:51]:
1, 800ft now.
Curt Harlow [00:22:53]:
I had a professor used to keep all the hokey religious money appeals and he bought them all. He would buy all the stuff and then he would teach on. It was so, so fascinating and so wonderful. Okay, so let's check our motives and especially the content we're getting. Let's understand that there is a financial aspect there and we need to come to the word without any of that coloring us. Very, very. Kevin, what should we do about this?
Kevin Thompson [00:23:18]:
I like to go back to the very first verse of verse 23. He uses this language of the way, which I think is so different than the language that we use where we really talk about decision. I want you to raise your hand. I want you to make a decision. I can tell you the day I made a decision. And here's what I see in my own life and I think it's true in the lives of others, there's very little disturbance in a decision. There's a great disturbance in the way. And so my life really will not be changed.
Kevin Thompson [00:23:43]:
If I just make a one time decision, nothing will really be impacted and nobody else's lives will be changed for the better because of that. If I make a one time decision, but if I begin to follow the way of Jesus, it will create a great disturbance in my own life. Things will be turned upside down. There will be things. New professions will have to be found, new habits, experience, old things let go. But then not only that, as I live life with other people, it will cause a great disturbance in their life as well, because it will challenge the very foundations upon which they're placing their lives. So very little disturbance in a decision, a great disturbance in the way.
Curt Harlow [00:24:17]:
The perspective of viewing all of Christianity as a way instead of one decision is so good. So Paul's teaching of the Old Testament is a different and better way of looking at the Old Testament. Paul's journey with this team is literally a way that they're doing. Paul's response to the crowds is a way he does it. Paul's strategy in every single city, first to the Jews, then the J. It's so good, Kevin. It's like on layer, on layer. They're thinking about lifestyle, not moment.
Curt Harlow [00:24:46]:
They're thinking about long term, not moment. They're very conscious, I think, to your point, of we're setting the foundations for the teaching of Jesus Christ. And yeah, think of the way. I would add a simple thought to that. I think you both have already covered it, but let me just throw my amen on top of it. I go right to verse 27. It says that Demetrius says to them, there is a danger, and the gospel is not a safe gospel. Following Jesus is not a safe thing.
Curt Harlow [00:25:18]:
If we're looking for security and safety, we're gonna get that eternally and we're gonna get that. Relationally, security and safety are really important to God. But functionally, in our obedience, there is danger. And I'd say this is the one thing I agree with about Demetrius. So. So. And here's why I say that. Here's the right way to read this passage.
Curt Harlow [00:25:42]:
Don't put yourself in Paul or his advisor's seat.
Dena Davidson [00:25:48]:
Everyone's against us.
Curt Harlow [00:25:49]:
There's a whole mob.
Dena Davidson [00:25:50]:
Yes.
Curt Harlow [00:25:50]:
What do we do when everyone's against us? This is my three strategies for handling a mob against me. Put yourself, and this is really repeating your point, Dena, put yourself in. Artemis, start there first and go, where have I put worry about my financial future above devotion to God? Where have I said, you know, I've made this decision out of financial fear or financial greed instead of obedience to the gospel. And I think if you do that, some dangerously good things will happen to you. And then the second one is, you know, not only is it, he's going to ruin our lifestyle, he's going to offend our God. So we all have idols. And a great way to apply this verse is to go, God, show me the things that I'm more devoted to than you. What do I get immediately? Mob.
Curt Harlow [00:26:40]:
Like when people question it what riles me up when people say, you don't need that or you shouldn't do that. Demetrius clearly believes that Ephesus cannot make it without Artemis. The goddess clearly believes this is no way we're going to survive without Artemis. What is that thing that even if God asked you to give it up for a short season, you'd go. That's probably exactly what God wants you to give up. So, you know, if you really want this to come alive, that's the sort of question you ask is, how am I like Demetrius?
Dena Davidson [00:27:14]:
That's right.
Curt Harlow [00:27:14]:
So good job, you guys. I mean, Kevin, you were like our fifth choice, and you really came through.
Kevin Thompson [00:27:23]:
What an absolute honor to be on. On the Bible study.
Curt Harlow [00:27:26]:
I. I like to kid Kevin, she's dying.
Dena Davidson [00:27:29]:
He's the first choice for chapter 19.
Curt Harlow [00:27:31]:
He was the first choice of this. Yes, he was. I was lying, everyone. I just like the kid Kevin because he's so brilliant. I just worry you got to keep his ego in check. Hey, I think next week, Bri, who's where? Who we're gonna have next week as we keep going through X, we're gonna.
Dena Davidson [00:27:43]:
Have Kevin back to atone.
Curt Harlow [00:27:45]:
Morgan May is coming. Morgan May. Morgan May. Morgan May.
Kevin Thompson [00:27:48]:
Truly correct it. I like what we do here.
Curt Harlow [00:27:52]:
She did a devotion in our all staff at Bayside. You guys, I wish we recorded these and put these somewhere.
Kevin Thompson [00:27:57]:
We do.
Dena Davidson [00:27:57]:
We do, but we don't put them anywhere.
Curt Harlow [00:28:00]:
It was one of the best devotions we've had.
Dena Davidson [00:28:02]:
Yes, it was.
Curt Harlow [00:28:03]:
I don't usually get caught off guard at the end. I usually know where the story's going. And she got me good. And I still am thinking about it. Anyway, we'll ask her about it on next week's episode. By the way, this. We did this for a long time right at the end of COVID this thing called the Bible study pod. And now we're rebooting it.
Curt Harlow [00:28:21]:
So what I need to do is get the word out. If you just want to hear great thoughts about the text and the original meaning and how to be a smart Bible study person. How not to project your feelings on the passage, but say, God, you have permission to speak to me the truth you've always meant by this passage. If that's you or a friend, I want to ask you to subscribe right now and maybe just forward this to a few people to send a text. Let them know, go ahead and put this on your story so that they can actually join in in the one thing that really helps all of us, which is the study of the Bible. Also, you're going to find a great amount of podcasts, including Kevin's.
Kevin Thompson [00:29:01]:
Kevin, your podcast is called Change the Odds.
Curt Harlow [00:29:03]:
Yes, Change the odds about marriage.
Kevin Thompson [00:29:04]:
Marriage and family were never meant to be a game of chance.
Curt Harlow [00:29:06]:
Oh, that's so good. That's so, so good. By the way, two thirds of Kevin's podcast is rated PG13, and 1/3 of it is rated Song of Solomon. It's where it is, so you don't want to miss that. Mark Clark, Ray Johnson, the Goes on and on the Thrive Network podcast here at Bayside Church. And just thank you for giving us some time. It really does mean a lot to us.