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What does the flood narrative teach us about God? Does God love creation or is he angry and quick to destroy? And what does the flood say about the state of humanity? Are we precious image-bearers or subjects of wrath? While it is one of the more challenging stories in Genesis, the flood tells us the truth about God’s judgment and how the hope is always that it will result in salvation.

When Cain kills his brother he unleashes the power of hatred into the world. And while we may not relate to the impulse to murder, none of us are immune to following the way of Cain. Once we make someone an enemy we naturally fall into blame and eventually we begin to give ourselves over to hateful thoughts and hateful actions. But Jesus has come to set us free from the power of sin so it is no longer our master. As he does this he teaches us that yes, we are one another’s keeper, and when we remember this we stop seeing others as enemies.

The idea of sin has become highly individualized in the Western Church. Many believe that sin is all about the bad choices individuals make and the consequences that come as a result. But the truth about sin is that it is cosmic. Its effects can be seen in all of creation. God is the initiator of our salvation. Because of Jesus, we are free from the bonds of sin. In Jesus, humanity is restored.

We are made in the image of God, and Genesis tells us what that means: We are created to govern (like God) We are essentially communal (like God) We are foundationally good (like God) Jesus fixes what we break - by God becoming human. Join us in this deep dive on what it means to be created in the image of God.

Can the creation story in Genesis 1 be validated by modern science? How can light exist without the sun? Was the earth created in 7, 24-hour days? Is there a dome that separates the heavenly waters from the earthly waters? Asking these kinds of questions of Genesis 1- 2:3 demonstrates that modern readers are missing the point. The ancient writers of Genesis were not trying to communicate how, when, or where the creation of the world took place - but who did it and why.

Is Genesis 1-11 trying to tell us history, biology, or geography in the modern scientific sense? What does Genesis have to say about science? What does a faithful reading of Genesis look like? Join us as we kick off Season 3 answering your questions on how to read the book of Genesis truthfully.

Join The Well as they answer all your questions about those taboo topics in the church: Tattoos, Drinking, Swearing, and Sex!

Political tensions are higher than ever in our nation with the assumption that if “they” win then ultimate disaster will fall upon our democracy. The church has not been immune to this division resulting in many pastors and people leaving the church because of political stances. As followers of Jesus we have to ask: what is our responsibility when it comes to politics? How can we work for the flourishing of all people not matter who happens to win an election or hold worldly power?

War may be a necessary evil when it comes to the kingdom of the world, but how should followers of Jesus think about it? Should Christians support or participate in war, even when it is considered a just cause? When we look at the life and teaching of Jesus as well as the witness of the early church we see a radically different mindset when it comes to peace and violence. Following the Prince of Peace requires us to reimagine how we treat our enemies and where we give our allegiance.

This week The Well Staff is joined by Hank Johnson, lead pastor of Harrisburg BIC in Harrisburg, PA to talk about race. We see God’s kingdom tears down walls of division and puts an end to enmity, and yet we still live in a world and a nation where racial hostility persists and systems of injustice continue to dehumanize people. God’s vision for his kingdom is one where we see unity amidst diversity and a new humanity where the dignity and worth of all people is upheld.

Paul praised and valued female leadership in the church. Yet Paul also put restrictions on women in some of his letters. What do we make of the disparity? Does God call women to lead and teach the people of God? When it comes to male and female, what would an outpost of the Kingdom of Heaven look like in our society? Bringing heaven to earth in regards to male and female implies that woman and men serve and lead together, celebrating, appreciating, and bridging their differences.

God’s first instructions to his people were to steward and care for his creation. One of the results of cosmic sin was that humanity forgot its assignment and lorded over creation instead- using and abusing it for its own gain. How can believers partner with God to help restore creation’s harmony so that it can reveal the glory of God? Bringing heaven to earth in regards to creation means taking our Genesis 1:26-28 assignment seriously and leading in harmony with creation.

As followers of Jesus it is easy to feel conflicted about wealth. How much is too much? Am I supposed to sell all my possessions? Is it is a sin to be rich? As a human creation, money easily takes the place of God in our lives as we look to it for our worth and security. But in the end, money is uncertain and unreliable and when we make it our life goal to pursue money we often end up miserable. Living into the kingdom of heaven here on earth moves us from loving money to loving with money, and in that we find treasure with eternal worth.

When Jesus teaches us to pray he tells us to long for the reality of heaven here on earth. What he doesn’t tell us to ask for is to escape earth so we can go to heaven. When we see that we are called to be citizens, ambassadors, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven here on earth we begin to see that our hope is not to leave this place but to set up outposts of goodness and beauty right where we are that point to the kingdom yet to come.

Deconstruction: What is it? Should it worry us or is it a natural part of our walk with Jesus? How do we support those who are going through it or have gone through it? On this episode we tackle all of this as well as the baggage around the term "deconstruction" in both Christian and secular culture as well as providing some helpful resources for wherever you are on your faith journey.

"The unborn" are a convenient group of people to advocate for. They never make demands of you; they are morally uncomplicated, unlike the incarcerated, addicted, or the chronically poor; they don't resent your condescension or complain that you are not politically correct; unlike widows, they don't ask you to question patriarchy; unlike orphans, they don't need money, education, or childcare; unlike aliens, they don't bring all that racial, cultural, and religious baggage that you dislike; they allow you to feel good about yourself without any work at creating or maintaining relationships; and when they are born, you can forget about them, because they cease to be unborn. It's almost as if, by being born, they have died to you. You can love the unborn and advocate for them without substantially challenging your own wealth, power, or privilege, without re-imagining social structures, apologizing, or making reparations to anyone. They are, in short, the perfect people to love if you want to claim you love Jesus but actually dislike people who breathe. Prisoners? Immigrants? The sick? The poor? Widows? Orphans? All the groups that are specifically mentioned in the Bible? They all get thrown under the bus for the unborn. - Dave Barnhart

We've seen the devastation of gun violence in America on high display in the last several weeks and it's time we talk about God & Guns. We know this topic can be extremely divisive and political for many but this conversation is seeking the Two Kingdom approach and not the Two Party approach. Is gun-ownership a disputable matter for Christ Followers? Does Jesus' warning of "live by the sword and die by sword" apply to guns? How do our constitutional rights effect our faith? Listen along and join this tough conversation.

When we experience a break in relationship it is easy to go either go on the offensive or defensive, but either option leaves us more estranged. Jesus has given us the ministry of reconciliation, meaning it is His mission to restore and renew broken relationships of all kinds. But how do we approach reconciliation when the other side is unwilling? What about in cases of abuse? Join us as we talk about the realities of reconciliation, how the church has failed victims of abuse in the name of reconciliation, how to draw boundaries, and more!

When it comes to judging we often feel like we are left with only two choices: a punitive approach that leads to canceling and vengeance or a permissive approach that makes excuses and lets people off the hook. As followers of Jesus it is our responsibility to discern between right and wrong both individually and communally. Redemptive judgment requires responsibility, offers compassion, and results in redemption.

Division can be seen in all areas of society, including the Church. Sadly, many of us have become “lazy listeners,” seeking to be right more than we are seeking to be righteous. In this episode we discuss how being better listeners can help us build bridges in order to step in towards one another in love.