Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the ultimate Old Testament face-off! In this corner: Joshua, the iconic leader who brought down the walls of Jericho. And in this corner: Caleb, the rugged warrior who waited 45 years to claim his mountain. These two titans of faith were the only spies who believed God's promise, but their paths were very different. Is it harder to be Joshua, the "front of house" leader stepping into Moses's massive sandals, or Caleb, the "back of house" mountain man who had to patiently wait 40 years in the wilderness? Join our friendly debate as we explore their unique strengths, their vital partnership, and why the very essence of faith might just be learning how to wait.

The Big Idea: The complementary faithfulness of Joshua (the leader) and Caleb (the loyal warrior) provides a powerful, two-part model for how to follow God wholeheartedly, both in seasons of action and seasons of waiting.

This Week's Challenge: This week, ask yourself: In my current season of life, is God calling me to a "Joshua moment" (to step up, lead, and take new ground), or a "Caleb moment" (to be patiently faithful, trust God's promises in a season of waiting, and finish strong)?

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 257 (VIDEO)
• Give Me This Mountain (BLOG)
• Priscilla and Aquila (PASSAGE)
• The Story of Ruth and Naomi (PASSAGE)
• The 12 Spies & Caleb's "Different Spirit" (PASSAGE)
• Joshua Crosses the Jordan (PASSAGE)
• The Commander of the Lord's Army (PASSAGE)
• Caleb Claims His Mountain (PASSAGE)
• Joshua's Final Challenge (PASSAGE)

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Nephilim, Rephim, Anakim! Oh, my! For our Geektober finale, we're grabbing our nerd glasses and going on a "crypto-biblical expedition" to track down the Bible's giants. Where did the mysterious Nephilim of Genesis 6 come from? How did they lead to the "grasshopper syndrome" of Numbers 13? And how does Goliath, the final boss, tie into the Bible's ultimate story of Christ defeating the enemy? Join us for a fun dive into one of Scripture's weirdest rabbit trails (with a healthy dose of The Princess Bride).

The Big Idea: The Bible’s giants highlight God’s power as his people overcome colossal obstacles.

This Week's Challenge: This week, identify a "giant" in your own life — an insurmountable obstacle, a persistent sin, or an overwhelming fear and meditate on God’s power to protect you.

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 256 (VIDEO)
• The Princess Bride: "Anybody want a peanut?" (VIDEO)
• The Six-Fingered Giant (ARTICLE)
• Who Were the Nephilim? (ARTICLE)
• Og's Iron Bed (ARTICLE)
• They Might Be Giants (WEBSITE)

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Did the Bible just drop from heaven as a set of golden tablets? Nope! This Geektober, we're pulling back the curtain on the original Bible geeks: the Scribes! These unsung heroes were the "original programmers" of Scripture, meticulously counting every single word and letter to preserve the text. We debunk the "game of telephone" myth and explore how the painstaking work of groups like the Masoretes — confirmed by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls — is one of the most powerful arguments for the Bible's reliability.

The Big Idea: The surprisingly meticulous and worshipful work of ancient scribes is one of the most powerful arguments for the Bible's preservation and reliability.

This Week's Challenge: This week, when you read your Bible, take an extra 30 seconds to simply be thankful for the physical book in your hands (or on your screen).

Show Notes

• Watch Episode 255 (VIDEO)
• It Wasn’t Magic ... It Was Better (BLOG)
• Our "Square One" Series (SERIES)
• "Meet Your Bible" Sermon (EPISODE)
• The Masoretes (ARTICLE)
• The Dead Sea Scrolls (WEBSITE)
• The Oxyrhynchus Papyri (Ancient Libraries) (ARTICLE)
• They Might Be Giants (WEBSITE)

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