Return of the Jedi Live Q&A

Marty is back from sabbatical! We’re starting to integrate new approaches to communication into our old practices. One of the spaces we’ve always enjoyed utilizing are the live Q&A sessions.

We have no intentions of abandoning those rhythms, but we are going to be trying some new ideas in the final months of 2023. We’ll be toying with new streaming software and platforms. We’re considering bringing in some of the other podcast hosts as fresh voices for this Q&A format.

We’re also going to engage the content differently. We’ve been cataloging Bible questions that we receive over social media and email. We are still talking about what some of these approaches might be, but this next year will be a fun time of finding some things that work (and probably some things that don’t).

Here are the dates for the next few Q&A sessions:

October 23 (5 pm PT / 8 pm ET)

November 30 (5 pm PT / 8 pm ET)

December 13 (5 pm PT / 8 pm ET)

Join us in experimenting with how to make these efforts something where God can encourage us and we can learn how to embrace curiosity and critical thinking!

This is Lance.

Lance is a campus minister at Trine University. He says this about using BEMA with his college students:

I first learned of BEMA when Marty was a virtual speaker at our fall retreat in 2020. The podcast has helped me to see God and the Text in a different light. When we understand God’s relationship with humanity, that changes how we interact with God, others, and even ourselves.

I use BEMA with college students because I long for them to discover and experience what I did. They can come to understand what it means to love their neighbor and bring shalom. Our students are learning to ask better questions and wrestle through ideas in order to have a better walk. We are extremely grateful for the work of the BEMA team.

And the students love it. Here is a testimonial from one of Lance’s students:

Being able to learn about the historical background, cultural significance, and especially the literary aspects (e.g., chiasms) has been a great joy. The most impactful thing I have learned from the podcast is how much of an underlying emphasis there is on rest and Sabbath across the Bible, and has stirred me to want to start taking a Sabbath. It was also one of the first spaces for me to carry deep conversations about scriptural topics.

And another of Lance’s students had this to say:

BEMA has given me a newfound love for the Bible and I am just in awe of God and His character. It is often challenging to read, but after listening to BEMA, I have found that I’m much more excited to read the Bible, and I love talking about the episodes with others. It’s amazing how there will always be so much more to learn. BEMA is awesome!

Marty, Brent, or Brian may be coming to your neck of the woods. If more information is available, we will include some of that below. Full details on the BEMA website.

Many details are forthcoming as Marty returns from sabbatical and finalizes these events. Please check the BEMA website for the most up-to-date information.

OCTOBER 3–12: Brent in Sweden, Estonia, and Finland (details)

OCTOBER 23: Live Q&A at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET (platform TBD)

OCTOBER 27–31: Marty with Campus Christian Fellowship at Truman State (no events)

NOVEMBER 1–2: Marty in Oklahoma City (details)

NOVEMBER 3–5: Marty at First Presbyterian Church in San Angelo, TX (details)

NOVEMBER 6: Marty in Waco, TX (details)

NOVEMBER 7–9: Marty in the DFW area (details)

NOVEMBER 10: Marty in Lubbock, TX (details)

NOVEMBER 11–12: Marty in Amarillo, TX (no events)

NOVEMBER 16–18: Brian and Brent at ICOM

NOVEMBER 19: Marty preaching in Canadian, TX (details)

NOVEMBER 30: Live Q&A at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET (platform TBD)

DECEMBER 13: Live Q&A at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET (platform TBD)

DECEMBER 16–28: Solomons in Idaho/Montana seeing family for the holidays

Updates and additional details will be posted as they arrive at bemadiscipleship.com/news.

We are sharing links to the latest videos Marty is producing for those of you who don’t subscribe to his YouTube channel. (But please subscribe!)

• FESTIVAL EDITION: The Sweetness of Yom Teruah



• FESTIVAL EDITION: Tashlich & Tshuvah

• FESTIVAL EDITION: Shallow Faithfulness, Deep Roots

We also have a new BEMA YouTube channel with a handful of resources so far. We will continue to use this new channel in the future as we develop more of our ideas.