This week, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James will wrap up our series on a talk given by Hudson Taylor to several missionaries in the late 19th century. His main emphasis throughout the talk was the significance of the missionaries living a life that aligns with their teaching. While we are focused on living consistent lives, we also have to be aware of the contradictory nature of the Christian life. But the contradictions aren’t between teaching and life. They are between what is happening to us and how we respond. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:8-10, “We are treated as impostors, and yet are t ..read more

This week we continue discussing a talk Hudson Taylor gave to a group of missionaries in the late 1800s. His talk was grounded in 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 and focused on the importance of leading a life consistent with the teachings of Christ. There is so much to highlight, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James couldn’t fit it all into one episode (or even two). So today they take a deep look at what it means to commend oneself to the world. We do not do so to bring glory to ourselves, but to show the world our message is true and can be lived upon. There are other fruits beyond evangelism. By living in ..read more

Hudson Taylor is no stranger to anyone who has been through a Media Gratiae study. He was a pioneer missionary to inland China and founded the Inland China Mission. There is a great deal we could say about his life and ministry, but Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James wanted to spend the next two weeks walking through a particular talk Taylor gave to his missionaries in the 1880s. The talk is recorded in “Days of Blessing in Inland China” and the story of its creation is worth noting, as John does in the podcast. But the heart of his focus is 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 where Paul is teaching that Christi ..read more

his is the final episode of our series focusing on Christians fulfilling our responsibility to speak God’s words carefully, accurately, and timely. We started last week looking at our ultimate example in our Lord Jesus Christ. He perfectly spoke the words the Father gave Him to speak. He spoke comforting words to the hurting, convicting words to the lost, and glorifying words to the Father. We are called to do the same. But how was He able to do that? This week Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James look at the tools Jesus used to learn how to glorify God in His life. How did He know what would pleas ..read more

In what was supposed to be our final episode of the current series, John and Teddy are in the studio again discussing the type of person who can be trusted with God’s words. The conversation begins by asking how we should view conversations on the Internet. Are we commanded as Christians to answer every question we see on social media? Are we to respond to every criticism of Christianity? Or are we merely adding to the noise by doing so? After this, John and Teddy move to the central point of the episode: following the pattern of Christ in being a person entrusted with God’s words. Jesus had t ..read more

See the new study here: https://shop.mediagratiae.org/collections/christ-our-treasure   We have spent the last four episodes dealing with the types of people God will and will not entrust with His words. But how can we, a fallen, weak, and sinful people know that we are capable of accomplishing the tasks or delivering the messages God has entrusted to us? God leads His children to difficult, and even impossible, situations every day. This is nothing new. In this week’s episode, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James come together again to share three such examples from Scripture. God led Moses ..read more

We have been discussing the type of person God has and will entrust His Word and His messages to. These are those who do not turn a blind ear to the truths of God, those who find application to HIs Word in their lives, those who repent when truth shines light on sins. We have also discussed those who God will not trust with His words. Those who harbor idols, those who have the form of religion without the power. This week we take a look at a strange passage of Scripture, Psalm 119: 43, “And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I wait for Your Ordinances.” It is as though ..read more

This week Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James are continuing our series on looking at the people God entrusts with His words. Though we spent the last two episodes examining the type of people God does entrust with His words, this week we examine the negative example. In Ezekiel 14, and 33, we see a scene where idolators are coming to the prophet to hear a word from the Lord and God refuses to speak to them because they have idols in their hearts. A natural question that arises from this passage is what an idol actually is and how can we identify idols in our lives? The duo follow these Old Testam ..read more

very Christian wants have the right words to deliver to their family, friends, children, coworkers, and fellow church members. We want to speak timely truths in love. But some things can hinder this and make our words weightless. Last week Dr. John Snyder introduced us to our new series and this week he is joined by Teddy James, the guy who belongs behind the camera. They discuss the reality that if we want to be a people who are listened to by those we love, we must be a people who listen well. That means primarily two things: First, we must be active listeners to God. Whether it is reading S ..read more

Last week we teased an interview Teddy had with Greg Jones, president of the Martyn Lloyd-Jones Trust. This week we can deliver it to you. During the discussion, Greg and Teddy discuss the purpose and mission of the MLJ Trust, where Greg would recommend people begin with Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ sermons, and how you can pray for the team behind the trust and the work they do. We pray the episode is a particular blessing to you. Make sure to check out their website, apps, youtube channel, and more. The MLJ Trust website: https://www.mljtrust.org The MLJ Trust App (Android): https://play.google.com/stor ..read more