BEMA Episode Link: 205: Session 6 Intro
Episode Length: 48:30
Published Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2021 01:00:00 -0800
Session 6
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings talk about Session 6, what they hope to accomplish, and some of the things you can expect to find in the next chapter of the BEMA Podcast.

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Transcript for BEMA 205

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 205: Session 6 Intro - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 205 - Session 6 Intro Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Introduction to BEMA Session 6, the podcast’s evolution, personal testimonies, and future direction

This episode serves as the gateway to Session 6 of the BEMA Discipleship Podcast, marking a significant transition from the linear biblical narrative (Sessions 1-5) to an ongoing series of deeper dives, character studies, and topical explorations. The hosts reflect on BEMA’s evolution, share personal transformation stories, announce new merchandise, and outline the vision for Session 6 as an indefinite continuation that will explore prophets, the Midrash, character studies, and guest interviews while maintaining the core mission of discipleship and biblical literacy.

Key Takeaways

  • Session 6 represents a new chapter in BEMA’s journey, moving from linear biblical narrative to topical deep dives and character studies
  • Sessions 1-5 (Episodes 0-204) remain the core body of work, meant to be consumed in linear order from Genesis to Revelation
  • BEMA has evolved from an angry, deconstructive tone to a grace-filled, constructive approach over its development
  • The podcast’s transformation power extends beyond individual listeners to marriages, families, and multi-generational discipleship
  • Community engagement through discussion groups, reviews, and thoughtful sharing amplifies BEMA’s impact without requiring world domination
  • BEMA merchandise is now available through TeePublic, with special edition designs for those who completed all five sessions
  • Session 6 will feature guest interviews, deeper exploration of prophets, Midrash studies, and character-focused episodes
  • The material remains accessible for college students while expanding to serve learners at all life stages
  • Monthly giving partnerships enable full-time ministry work and content creation
  • The emphasis has shifted from focusing on human sinfulness to celebrating God’s created goodness

Main Concepts & Theories

The Evolution of BEMA’s Tone and Posture

The episode reveals a significant maturation in how BEMA approaches difficult topics. Early iterations were characterized by:

  • Anger at church traditions and theological frameworks
  • Heavy-handed deconstruction of familiar practices (example: Christmas trees and paganism)
  • A confrontational posture that inadvertently created division in families
  • Passion that sometimes overshadowed grace

The evolved approach emphasizes:

  • Holding beliefs loosely while maintaining conviction
  • Extending grace to those at different places in their journey
  • Recognizing that God continually works on people at all ages and stages
  • Packaging truth in ways that don’t unnecessarily alienate or wound
  • Moving from “Bible thumping” certainty to humble curiosity

This evolution wasn’t accidental but intentional, shaped by observing how students adopted their teacher’s tone and recognizing the destructive potential of self-righteous certainty.

Session 6 as “Postscripts”

The concept of “Postscripts” captures the nature of Session 6:

  • An indefinite continuation rather than a bounded narrative arc
  • Additional insights and clarifications that build on the foundation of Sessions 1-5
  • Freedom to explore topics based on listener requests and ongoing learning
  • A more flexible format that can accommodate guest perspectives
  • Parallel to Genesis 1’s seventh day that “goes on indefinitely”

Unlike the carefully structured journey through Scripture in Sessions 1-5, Session 6 represents ongoing conversation, perpetual learning, and responsive teaching that meets listeners where new questions arise.

The Power of Shared Language in Marriage and Community

Brent’s testimony highlights how BEMA creates shared vocabulary for Kingdom living:

  • Terms like “alien, orphan, and widow” become shorthand for missional values
  • “Trusting the story” provides a framework for navigating uncertainty
  • “Ayin tovah” (good eye) offers a Hebrew perspective on extending grace
  • Shared frameworks enable couples to stay “on the same page” while maintaining different approaches

This shared language functions as more than jargon—it becomes a tool for alignment, communication, and mutual discipleship within relationships and communities.

Multi-Generational Discipleship Formation

The episode reveals BEMA’s impact across generations:

  • Brent’s transformation from internal “Bible thumper” to grace-filled believer
  • Maggi’s skeptical validation process eventually leading to full engagement
  • Darius (Brent’s son) reciting Genesis 1, learning goodness before sinfulness
  • Intentional reversal of traditional evangelical emphasis on human depravity
  • Focus on God’s creative goodness as the foundation of identity formation

This represents a deliberate counter-narrative to evangelical traditions that emphasize human sinfulness as the starting point for understanding God and self.

The Democratization of Biblical Scholarship

BEMA’s approach makes previously inaccessible scholarship available to ordinary believers:

  • Complex topics like chiasms, Midrash, and Hebrew wordplay become accessible
  • Academic insights filtered through relatable teaching
  • Emphasis on context, culture, and original audience meaning
  • Listeners equipped to read Scripture with new eyes
  • Challenge to simplistic, proof-texting approaches to Bible reading

This democratization empowers laypeople to engage Scripture with depth typically reserved for seminary students and scholars.

Examples & Applications

Christmas Trees and Pedagogical Evolution

The “Christmas tree controversy” provides a concrete example of BEMA’s tonal evolution. Early teaching about pagan origins of Christmas traditions created household tension when students went home convicted but unable to articulate nuanced positions to family members. Maggi Billings’ pushback helped Marty recognize the need to:

  • Present information without unnecessarily pulling the rug out from under people
  • Consider the impact on those not present for the full conversation
  • Balance truth-telling with pastoral sensitivity
  • Acknowledge complexity rather than demanding immediate behavioral change
Israel Trips as Shared Formation Experience

The Israel and Turkey trip served as Maggi’s entry point into BEMA, demonstrating how experiential learning can:

  • Overcome barriers created by secondhand information sharing
  • Provide shared reference points for couples and communities
  • Transform skepticism into engaged participation
  • Create “you had to be there” moments that bind groups together
  • Offer immersive education that surpasses classroom learning
Discussion Groups as Multiplication Strategy

The network of “hundreds” of discussion groups worldwide represents:

  • Organic, grassroots multiplication of BEMA’s impact
  • Local ownership of learning communities
  • Diverse perspectives enriching material understanding
  • Geographic reach beyond what centralized ministry could achieve
  • Sustainable model that doesn’t depend on constant teacher presence
Donor Partnership Model

The financial support structure illustrates:

  • Monthly donors as ministry partners rather than consumers
  • Small gifts ($7-10) collectively enabling full-time vocational ministry
  • Large one-time gifts providing stability and growth capacity
  • Donors as “lightsaber givers” enabling others to join the story
  • Non-coercive invitation to participate based on individual leading
Darius Reciting Genesis 1

This closing vignette powerfully demonstrates:

  • Early childhood Scripture memory as foundation-building
  • Focus on creation goodness rather than fall narratives
  • Family discipleship as natural overflow of parental transformation
  • Intergenerational transmission of healthy theology
  • The “adorable” factor creating emotional connection to content

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

The Prophets in Depth

Session 6 promises deeper exploration of prophetic literature, particularly Isaiah and others who received limited attention in Session 2. This could include:

  • Understanding prophetic metaphor and hyperbole
  • The prophets’ role in covenant lawsuit language
  • Connections between prophets and Torah
  • Messianic prophecy interpretation within original context
  • The prophets’ social justice emphasis
Midrash and Rabbinic Interpretation

The episode mentions forthcoming Midrash discussions, suggesting exploration of:

  • What Midrash is and how it functions in Jewish tradition
  • How early Christians used Midrashic methods
  • The relationship between peshat (plain meaning) and derash (interpretive meaning)
  • Specific Midrashic texts that illuminate New Testament passages
  • The role of oral tradition in biblical interpretation
Character Studies Methodology

The promise of character studies (like Peter) invites questions about:

  • How to trace character development across biblical narrative
  • The difference between character-focused and passage-focused study
  • What we learn about discipleship from biblical figures’ trajectories
  • The relationship between biblical characters and theological themes
  • How character studies complement thematic or chronological approaches
The Holy Spirit in Biblical Theology

Mentioned as a potential topic, the Holy Spirit deserves exploration of:

  • Hebrew and Greek concepts of Spirit/Ruach
  • The Spirit’s role in creation, prophecy, and empowerment
  • Differences between Old and New Testament Spirit theology
  • The Spirit’s work in community versus individual experience
  • Pentecost in its Jewish festival context
The Tension Between Deconstruction and Construction

The episode raises important questions about:

  • How to challenge unhelpful theology without causing harm
  • The role of anger in prophetic ministry
  • When conviction becomes self-righteousness
  • How teachers can model humility while maintaining authority
  • The pace of theological change in communities and individuals
Ministry Sustainability and Vocation

Brent’s transition to full-time BEMA work invites reflection on:

  • Bi-vocational versus full-time ministry models
  • The ethics of donor-supported ministries
  • How to maintain integrity when receiving financial support
  • The relationship between calling and compensation
  • Alternative models for funding theological education and resources

Comprehension Questions

  1. How has BEMA’s tone and approach evolved from its early classroom iterations to the current podcast format, and what factors contributed to this evolution? What does this teach us about the relationship between a teacher’s posture and their students’ formation?

  2. What is the purpose and intended structure of Session 6 (Postscripts), and how does it differ from Sessions 1-5? Why might the hosts have chosen to continue with an indefinite session rather than ending the podcast after completing the biblical narrative?

  3. Describe Brent Billings’ personal transformation through BEMA engagement. How did his journey from “Bible thumper” to grace-filled believer parallel broader themes in the podcast’s mission? What role did Maggi play in refining how BEMA material is presented?

  4. What are the various ways listeners can participate in and support the BEMA mission beyond passive consumption? Why do the hosts emphasize cautious, relational sharing rather than mass promotion?

  5. How does the example of Darius reciting Genesis 1 illustrate BEMA’s approach to multi-generational discipleship and theological formation? What is significant about emphasizing God’s creative goodness before teaching about human sinfulness?

Personal Summary

BEMA Episode 205 serves as both a celebration and a launching point. After 204 episodes spanning Genesis to Revelation and church history, the hosts pause to reflect on the journey before embarking on Session 6’s indefinite exploration. What emerges is not just a podcast evolution but a testimony to transformation at multiple levels—personal, relational, familial, and communal.

The most striking theme is the maturation of BEMA’s voice. From angry deconstruction to grace-filled construction, from pulling rugs out to building bridges, the podcast has learned what many believers must learn: truth-telling requires pastoral sensitivity, and conviction must be held with humility. The Christmas tree story becomes a parable for how we can wound even when we’re technically right, and Maggi Billings’ skeptical validation process reminds us that not everyone should or will immediately embrace new perspectives.

Brent’s testimony anchors the episode’s power. His journey from self-righteous certainty to humble openness mirrors what BEMA hopes to accomplish in all listeners. His marriage to Maggi demonstrates how shared language and values can keep couples aligned while honoring their different approaches. And his fatherhood reveals the ultimate goal: raising children who know God’s goodness as their foundational identity.

Session 6’s “Postscripts” concept perfectly captures the nature of discipleship itself—an ongoing conversation that continues as long as there are questions to explore and depths to plumb. The format’s flexibility allows for responsiveness to listener needs while maintaining the core mission established in Sessions 1-5.

The episode concludes with practical invitations to participate: give financially, host discussion groups, share thoughtfully, write reviews, and engage community. These aren’t manipulative tactics but genuine invitations to join a movement larger than passive consumption. The Obi-Wan/lightsaber metaphor, though playfully extended, captures something true—everyone who supports BEMA enables others to wield tools of biblical literacy and theological depth.

Perhaps most moving is Darius’s recitation of Genesis 1. In his toddler voice, we hear the future BEMA is working toward—a generation formed not by shame and sin-consciousness but by the knowledge that God looked at creation and called it good. This is the legacy worth building, and Session 6 promises to continue that work for as long as God gives opportunity.

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