Shows
The Eden Podcast with Bruce C. E. Fleming"Why Does One Verse Matter?" 3/16 Day Keynote 2024, Joanne HagemeyerWhy Does Genesis 3:16 Matter? This was the 2024 316 Day Keynote Address by Joanne Hagemeyer. Joanne was a long time Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) Teaching Leader and was the recipient of the first Tru316 Medallion Award for her service in "tru-ing" the verse through her work with the Tru316 Foundation (Tru316.com). In our coming episodes we'll play for you highlights of the 2025 Tru316 Day Celebration, including the Keynote Address by Dr. Jennifer Holloran, President/CEO of American Bible Society of Philadelphia and former COO of Wycliffe USA.Give now? Click Tru316.com/donate
The Tru316 F...2025-03-2322 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: LydiaIn thinking about Lydia’s story, five divisions seemed to emerge.Lydia’s destiny, Lydia’s career as a dye merchantLydia’s desire to establish her own householdThe dream God gave Paul to evangelize in MacedoniaAnd the dignity God settled on women in first century Palestine, and on Lydia, and the dignity the Apostle Paul also conferred on women and on LydiaI Destiny, Acts 16:14II Dye Merchant, Acts 16:14III Desire, Acts 16:14IV Dream, Acts 16:6-12V Dignity, Acts 16:13-15And through Lydia we learn tha...2024-06-2621 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: Tabitha (Dorcas)Tabitha’s story begins in Joppa, an ancient seaport along the Mediterranean. This is harbor city as the place Jonah fled to when he heard God’s call to Nineveh. Joppa’s international anchorage so well represented, Jonah knew he could board a ship to the farthest reaches of the west—in the opposite direction of Assyria—as soon as he arrived. Further back in its history, Joppa represented the territory allotted to the tribe of Dan in the book of Joshua. Centuries afterward, when Solomon built his palace and the temple, the massive cedar logs he conscripte...2024-06-1921 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: Mary of BethanyMartha, Lazarus, and Mary were all disciples of Jesus, people who loved and followed Jesus, opened their home to Him, shared their table with Jesus in fellowship and enjoyed Jesus’ friendship as well as lived by Jesus’ teaching. Each had their own unique relationship with the Lord, yet together, as a family, they displayed all the aspects of a church.Especially the sisters, Martha and Mary, teach you and me about blessing God as a whole body of believers.Studying the Bible, learning the doctrines of the Christian faith, do not make a person wise, or s...2024-06-1223 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: Martha of BethanyYears and years ago, when I was in a high school writing class, we were asked to write our own obituary. I remember us all laughing nervously, it sounded so macabre! But it was the teacher’s sideways device to get us to write about our hopes and dreams. What would we want to be remembered for someday?And it made me wonder what Martha would have wanted to be remembered for?Most of us remember the Martha depicted in Luke’s Gospel, the busy beaver who is reprimanded by Jesus, and chastened to be more...2024-06-0522 min
New Hope ChapelDiscipleship Part 1Joanne Hagemeyer begins a 4-part series on discipleship. This week she reviews the themes and concept of discipleship in the Hebrew Bible, the Christian Testament, the early church, and the Reformation. She then looks at contemporary perspectives in biblical discipleship. **Recording Delay: We join Joanne just after she asked the question, What is a disciple?2024-06-0242 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: The Woman at the WellThe story of the woman at the well comes right after Jesus made a blockbuster statement to the Pharisee and Sanhedrin member Nicodemus: God loves not just Pharisees, not even just Judeans, but the whole world. And, to illustrate this very point, Jesus made his way to some of the most despised people in the region, the Samaritans.Now, as Jesus and his disciples arrived at Jacob’s famous well, they decided to take a break. Jesus sat down to rest, and the disciples went into the nearest town to buy food, most likely a very unsettling pr...2024-05-2924 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: Women Disciples, the ConclusionMatthew, Mark, and Luke acknowledge the women who traveled with Jesus. Matthew and Mark do not mention these female disciples until they are found at Jesus’s cross. Luke gives more details about them, describing them as ministering to Jesus, and along with Jesus, from their own resources and ability. These women received teaching and revelation from Jesus along with his other disciples and were given Jesus’s call to proclaim the truth they received. The Gospel of John’s less formal and more detailed portrayal provides an organic view of Jesus’s call to discipleship and apostlesh...2024-05-2213 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: Mary of Magdala, a Disciple of JesusThough Mary of Magdala is a well-known figure in the gospels, she is not introduced by name until Jesus’s crucifixion in John’s Gospel (John 19:25). John doesn’t explain who she is, or what her relationship is to Jesus or his family, but there she is, with John and Mary, Jesus’s mother. That alone says how important she was to Jesus’s inner circle.In fact, Mary of Magdala is the only other woman besides Jesus’s mother who is identified in all four Gospels. In total, she is mentioned twelve times, with her name almost alway...2024-05-1528 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: The Samaritan Woman, A Disciple of JesusThis is a six-part series, and this is the fourth installment, exploring how the calling narrative found in the Gospel of John, chapter 1 is repeated in the story of the Samaritan Woman in John chapter 4, and in Mary of Magdala's story at the end of John's Gospel, chapter 20.There are twelve calling elements to Jesus's call to discipleship and apostolic mission portrayed in the calling of Jesus's first five disciples: Andrew, John, Peter, Phillip, and Nathanael. The synoptic gospels key in on twelve men, eleven of whom became apostles. But there were many more disciples than that...2024-05-0826 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: Twelve Marks of Jesus Call to DiscipleshipWe don’t often think of Jesus gathering disciples together as a rabbi starting a school, but the shape of what Jesus did very much is the shape of a school. Jesus did depart from the traditional rabbinical model of his day in a few significant ways. For instance, unlike other schools, Jesus kept his table fellowship open to everyone, people in every stratum and sphere of life. And, Jesus chose as his disciples some unexpected people. Apart from the Twelve, there is evidence Jesus had women disciples, some of whom also traveled with him and ministered al...2024-05-0125 min
The Eden Podcast with Bruce C. E. Fleming316 Day Keynote Address: Why does one verse matter? by Joanne HagemeyerJoanne, a former BSF Teaching Leader, takes us through the history of interpretation errors on men and women. She points us to Dr. Joy Fleming's doctoral dissertation (available for purchase at Tru316.com/shop). You can see the excleent graphics she used for this presentation on the @Tru316 YouTube Channel.
The Tru316 Foundation (www.Tru316.com) is the home of The Eden Podcast with Bruce C. E. Fleming where we “true” the verse of Genesis 3:16. The Tru316 Message is that “God didn’t curse Eve (or Adam) or limit woman in any way.” Once Genesis 3:16 is made clear...2024-04-2822 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: Did Jesus Call Women to Discipleship?Did Jesus call women into discipleship in the same way Jesus called men? Or did women simply start following Jesus of their own accord, with no formal call? Can we say, for instance, that Mary of Bethany was actually a disciple, or was she simply acting like a disciple when she sat at Jesus’s feet?In the same way, was Mary of Magdala only acting like an apostle to the apostles, as she is sometimes called, or was she actually sent by Jesus as an apostle?Three years ago, as I...2024-04-2422 min
Her StorySeason 7, Leaders in the Cause of Christ: Women Disciples, an IntroductionThe debate continues as to whether Scripture endorses, or at least permits, or rather forbids women from certain roles within the Body of Christ. May women be deacons? May women be elders? May women be pastors? May women be bishops? May women teach or lead in church?At stake, of course, is how to live rightly before God, how to do what God has in mind, and to live within the space and the design God has laid out for humankind. And, questions of women's roles—whatever they may be—within the Body of Christ, as experienced in c...2024-04-1715 min
Her StorySeason 6, Christ's Ministry: Jairus's DaughterThe story of Jairus’s daughter and the woman who suffered from a bleeding disorder are told together in all three of the synoptic gospels—the gospels that more or less track with each other, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. I am going to be teaching out of Mark’s gospel, who has the most detailed account of these two stories. I believe this to be a true story, but it is a story that also reveals startling truths Jesus was teaching his disciples, revealing to the crowds of people who followed him, and driving home to the religi...2024-04-1023 min
Her StorySeason 6, Christ's Ministry: Mary of MagdalaThroughout his ministry, Jesus gathered around him men and women who became a community of 120 people joined in their love for and faith in Jesus. And one of those women was Mary of Magdala. She is mentioned fourteen times, in all four Gospels, and her name is almost always placed first, seemingly implying she was first in service, first in support. However, Mary’s most significant story appears not during Jesus’s ministry, but rather at his resurrection.In this twenty minute talk, we’ll first follow Mary through the years she was a student and supporter of Jes...2024-04-0321 min
Her StorySeason 6, Christ's Ministry: The Cross, Symbol of VictoryIs the cross a symbol about death or life? defeat or triumph? humiliation or glory? Or all those things?As I searched for answers, I became drawn to how Christians depicted crosses a thousand years ago and more, and that search became this fifteen minute video on the ancient symbols of Christianity.From the eight-hundred-year old Batllo Majsty, now residing in in the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, to the gorgeous Basilica di Sant’Apollinare, Ravenna, Italy, the fifth century, Mausoleum of empress Galla Placida, to Celtic crosses in Ireland, ringed crosses in I...2024-03-2717 minNew Hope ChapelJonah 2:1-10Jonah is associated with the giant fish, a reluctant prophet of hope to the enemies of his people. In chapter 2, Jonah’s repentance brings redemption. Taken on its own merit, the Psalm in chapter 2 is quite beautiful. Skillfully woven into this poem are ancient theologies of God’s character and presence, God’s holiness, redemption, and sovereignty. Because it is a Psalm, it was meant to be heard, with music, so in preparation for Sunday worship, please read this chapter out loud with instrumental music playing. What do you hear?"Grace and PeaceJoanne G. Hageme...2024-03-2433 min
Her StorySeason 6, Christ's Ministry: The Wife of PilateOf the several influential women in the Bible who are not given names—Job’s wife, comes to mind—the wife of Pilate is perhaps the most shadowy. All that is known of her from the scriptures is her relationship to the Procurator Marcus Pontius Pilate, and the message she sent to him while he was sitting on the Seat of Judgment in the Praetorium the morning Jesus of Nazareth was tried for treason.Yet her message, and its impact, have been felt for the two thousand years since it was delivered, and some arms of the church...2024-03-2022 min
Her StorySeason 6, Christ's Ministry: The Widow's MiteIn the passage just before this one, Mark talked about the scribe who had asked Jesus about the greatest commandment and was impressed with Jesus’ answer. Jesus was also pleased. He told the scribe he was very close to entering the kingdom of heaven. With such a warm endorsement from a scribe, this was a rare teachable moment, the right moment, in today’s passage (Mark 12:35-44), for Jesus to talk about Messiah, and to teach His disciples the difference between a false reading, and a true reading of scripture.To view the...2024-03-1336 min
On the Way with Max Botner: A Podcast of the Center for Bible StudyTelling the Stories of Women in the Bible: A Conversation with Joanne HagemeyerDr. Botner sits down with Joanne Hagemeyer ( @GraceandPeaceJoanne ) to discuss her incredible work on Women in the Bible. She discusses the importance of paying careful attention to the stories of women in the Bible, how to read with sensitivity the complex dynamics in biblical narrative, and how to approach texts that describe injustice and sexual violence against women. She shows that the key to reading these texts well is both a careful reading of the biblical text (with the arch of redemptive history) and a sensitive ear to the stories and experiences of women.
Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer, retired Teaching Le...2024-03-1150 min
Her StorySeason 6, Christ's Ministry: The Sinful WomanWe don’t know this woman’s backstory at all, whether she was young or old, her culture or clan. Some in our Bible study thought perhaps she was the woman who had committed adultery and was forgiven privately by Jesus after everyone had left (John 8:11). Maybe! We really have no information on her at all but what is given in this text.Back in 591 A.D. Pope Gregory preached an Easter sermon in which he combined the stories of Mary the Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and the woman in this story, whic...2024-03-0722 min
Her StorySeason 6, Christ's Ministry: Woman Caught in AdulteryMost Bibles point out that the earliest manuscripts do not include this story, and sometimes it appears in Luke However, Jerome, in 383 AD, included it in his translation of the Gospel of John, right after chapter 7, where it is usually found today. Jerome noted that many ancient Greek and Latin manuscripts at his disposal had this story, in its usual position.Ambrose of Milan, and Augustine confirmed Jerome’s report, and Augustine, in 403 AD, wrote “…certain persons of little faith, or rather enemies of the true faith, fearing I suppose, lest their wives should be given impunity in sin...2024-02-2825 min
Her StorySeason 6, Christ's Ministry: HerodiasHerodias’ story is introduced in both Matthew’s gospel and Mark’s with Herod Antipas hearing reports about Jesus’ astonishing miraculous powers."Some were saying, 'John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.' But others said, 'It is Elijah.' And others said, 'It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.' But when Herod heard of it, he said, 'John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.'"Mark 6:14-16 (NRSV)In spite of others’ reassurances to him about Jesu...2024-02-2124 min
Her StorySeason 5, Kings and Queens: EstherThere is some debate as to whether the book of Esther is historical, or possibly written as a play or allegory. Haman’s seventy-five foot gallows, the difficulty in establishing which king—and more notably, which queen—Esther’s story describes, and the depiction of a few unlikely scenes such as a massive, three-day civil war which is completely absent from Persian sources, move many scholars to suggest Esther is a dramatized story.That said, I am going to treat the story as it is presented. Whether this is dramatized history, or historicized drama, the author was seeking...2024-02-1421 min
Her StorySeason 5, Kings and Queens: HuldahHave you ever even -heard- of Huldah? I bet not!Most timelines for the history of ancient Israel place prophets alongside the kings they advised. Even prophets without their own books, such as the prophet Nathan who counseled King David, are listed. But as much as I look for her, I have yet to see the prophet Huldah listed as well.It is a strange choice, to leave her out of Judah’s timeline, as she was perhaps the most influential prophet of her day. The fate of her people, her nation, and he...2024-02-0723 min
Her StorySeason 5, Kings and Queens: JezebelJust the word “jezebel” evokes a whole evil, erotic, seductive mystique, doesn’t it? I looked “jezebel” up in the dictionary, and here’s what Webster-Merriam has to say: “an impudent, shameless, or morally unrestrained woman.” According to other definitions,A jezebel is a wicked, evil, scheming female who is manipulates her victims into giving her wealth, status and power. She is often beautiful and knows it, using her looks to her advantage to “lure in” her preyShe very much has to be the center of attention but also doesn’t have many real friends because of how shallow...2024-01-3121 min
The Eden Podcast with Bruce C. E. FlemingTru Team: PART ONE. Joanne. Church doors were closed to her.Joanne Hagemeyer recalls how doors were closed to women for ministry in many ways. "I didn’t have a place in the church but I had a place in this Bible study." (It was Bible study Fellowship where eventually she was a Teaching Leader for many years). She has continued to use her gifts where there was an open door. Joanne Hagemeyer went on to build up the Tru316 ministry by launching the @Tru316 YouTube Channel, writing the Study Guides for the 4 books in The Eden Book Series and also Dr. Joy Fleming's book, Man and Woman in...2024-01-2919 min
Her StorySeason 5, Kings and Queens: BathshebaBathsheba had grown up admiring the handsome, charismatic king David. It had been an exhilarating time in Israel’s history, and her dad Eliam, one of David’s might men, had been all wrapped up in the thick of it, close with David ever since the young shepherd had been on the lam, running from King Saul. Her grandfather, the godly and spiritual Ahithophel, was one of David’s most trusted advisors, whose godly wisdom was deeply valued. What must that have been like for those young families, living in tents, the air crackling with anticipation, watching the mi...2024-01-2422 min
Her StorySeason 5, Kings and Queens: AbigailAbigail’s story begins during a traditionally joyful time, the sheep shearing festival. Many guests had gathered, and there was much feasting. Abigail was well-known for her gracious hospitality, and all the tables were generously supplied.As the celebration wore into the evening, ten plainly dressed men entered the pavilion and came to address Nabal. Would he be willing to share some of the festival food with a fellow Judahite, David? For David, along with his 600 warriors, had not only protected Nabal’s herds from marauders and wild animals all throughout the year, he had made sure Naba...2024-01-1722 minNew Hope Chapel1 John 3:18-241 John 3:19-20 is one of the more puzzling passages in John's first letter. It seems like circular reasoning. What's more, John talks about deeds and truth together. We often keep our theology strictly about truth. Especially to us today, with our penchant for linear logic, John's statements can seem impenetrable. Our whole text will be 1 John 3:18-24--what do you think it means?Grace and Peace,Joanne G. Hagemeyer2024-01-1423 min
Her StorySeason 5, Kings and Queens: MichalEmbedded within the story of David, Israel’s most beloved king, and of whom the Lord said was a man after God’s own heart, is the tragic story of Michal, a Benjamite princess and daughter of king Saul.Her story begins in Late Bronze Age Canaan. The twelve tribes of Israel were still in the throes of coalescing into a kingdom, beleaguered by battle after battle with the powerful Philistines, until representatives from across the tribes came to the prophet Samuel and insisted a king be found to lead them to victory. King Saul was...2024-01-1022 minNew Hope Chapel1 John 3:12-17At first read, it is an alarming warning. 'Do not be like Cain,' John wrote to his congregations, and says to us today. But, Cain? How could a believer ever be like Cain? Doesn't that collide with what we believe about salvation? That's what we're going to talk about. Why would Cain's story be the best example John could think of when he was talking about love in the family of God?Grace and Peace,Joanne G. Hagemeyer2024-01-0736 min
Her StorySeason 5, Kings and Queens: The Witch of EndorProbably the main point of the story, and why it was included in King Saul’s narrative, is to show how truly far he had sunken. At one point, King Saul is depicted in a dead faint of hunger, weakness, and terror, with the Witch of Endor stooping over him urging him to get up and eat. But this unnamed woman could teach you and me a thing or two about what it means to give sacrificial love. The juxtapositions are striking: • The king of all Israel cowering in terror while a lowly subject tries to help h...2024-01-0323 min
Her StorySeason 4, The Birth of Christ: Anna the ProphetHow long have you been waiting for the longing you have been praying about to be fulfilled? A longing you have felt certain God has invited you to pray about, that you feel certain God has indicated will be fulfilled? Anna's story can be told in three stages: There was tragedy early in her life, then came the temple where she lived most of her life, and finally came the testimony God gave her towards the end of her life. Simeon, most likely a priest in the temple, had been hoping all his life on...2023-12-2722 min
Her StorySeason 4, The Birth of Christ: The MidwifeShe is an imagined character, but she was surely there, a midwife to help the young Mary give birth to her first baby.What if the midwife was local to Bethlehem? What if she had already helped the aging Elizabeth give birth to her one and only child?Even though the character is imagined, there is historical material throughout this episode.I lose my accent somewhere in the middle--oops!--and this was originally presented on a Sunday morning at my church, and I spoke too loud for the mic right in t...2023-12-2032 min
Her StorySeason 4, The Birth of Christ: Virgin MaryAs the most written about woman in the whole Bible, what is your impression of Mary? There are thousands upon thousands of images of her, the beatific and holy Madonna, mother and child, otherworldly in her serenity; and the grieving mother holding her crucified son, again beatific, serene, otherworldly.We might get the impression that as a young girl, being visited by Archangel Gabriel she was soft, submissive, gentle, meek. And certainly, she had these qualities, but is it possible we’ve missed the real person underneath the patina of two thousand years’ worth of iconography?...2023-12-1322 min
Her StorySeason 4, The Birth of Christ: ElizabethWhat fascinated Luke, the scientist and doctor, was Jesus’ special emphasis on prayer, the activity of the Holy Spirit, and joyfulness and in his account of Jesus’ birth he highlighted the Holy Spirit’s activity in the lives of five people in these first two chapters. Luke’s chronicle of Jesus’ life is the longest of the four gospels, and many of the details surrounding Jesus’ birth are found only in Luke, including the story of Elizabeth, which he most likely received from Mary herself.Elizabeth’s story is amazingly rich, and is told in seven strophes:Ge...2023-12-0621 min
Her StorySeason 4, The Birth of Christ: Bonus Episode, Advent Candle of JoyHave you ever wondered why the third candle in the advent wreath is pink? Why pink? Why the third Sunday? The short answer is joy! But the long answer is fascinating, and it has something to do with Lent, and something to do with an early Gnostic movement that dismissed Jesus as a real human person.This bonus episode on the Advent Candle of Joy carries the theme of the birth of Jesus, and the transcendent joy each of the women involved in Christs first coming experienced.To view the YouTube...2023-11-2925 min
Her StorySeason 3: Exodus Pioneers: Bonus, Thanksgiving#Thanksgiving #1Thessalonians #Gratitude #Gratefulness #Appreciation #BibleStudy #Bible1 Thessalonians 5:16-18"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."* Paul was no stranger to pain and hardship. He knew what it was to be hated, persecuted, beaten and left for dead. He did time in prison, dealt with chronic physical disability, and extended emotional distress. Sometimes, Paul was left holding the bag, when all his friends and fellow workers simply abandoned him. There was a...2023-11-2212 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: Hannah#Hannah #Archaeology #AncientFood #FoodinAntiquity #Samuel #1Samuel #BibleHas there ever been a time when you found yourself in a group of people enjoying themselves and you felt utterly alone? Maybe unseen, certainly not noticed, no one knew what you were feeling, there was no one to relate to. It’s like going to a party, that for you ends up being a test of endurance, not the fun it was supposed to be. That’s at the heart of Hannah’s story, found in 1 Samuel 1:1-20. It’s story that starts out in misery, but it ends...2023-11-1523 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers, Bonus: Psalm 73 Psalm 73 was written by one of the four Levites King David had put in charge of the worship music. As soon as the ark was brought back to Jerusalem, and replaced in the tabernacle, David wanted regular times of worship with a full orchestra and choir. Asaph was one of the Levites put in charge of the instruments. But, it turns out, he was truly gifted at song writing, too. He evidently now lived within the palace complex in Jerusalem, and having most likely come from humble means -- since, typically, Levites did not have mu...2023-11-0831 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: Delilah“A staggering story of strength... And seduction... of the mightiest mortal who ever lived!” so claimed a poster touting Cecil B. DeMille’s masterpiece theater, “Samson and Delilah.” “A story as timeless and tumultuous as the violent age it spreads before you,” claimed another poster, quoting from Judges 16, “And the lords of the Philistines said unto Delilah, “entice him . . .”And for the last two thousand years, at least, according to two first century Jewish historians, Josephus and Philo, that’s how the story of Delilah, found in the book of Judges, chapter 16, has been read. The mighty Samson, unconquerable...2023-11-0122 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: RuthDeath is one of the more tragic losses all of us experience in life, that final goodbye with someone we love dearly, and the long years of their absence to come. Even though death is part of every life, it can still feel like an affront, and more often than not, you and I are just not ready. Not ready to let go of that relationship, that person.So it was for Naomi, and surely for her two daughters-in-law. Death had robbed them of their husbands, but also their places in society. Widowed, with no children, there...2023-10-2526 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: Daughter of Jephthah#Judges11 #JephthahsDaughter #DaughterofJephthah #WomenoftheBible #HolyVowOne of the slowly dawning realizations I’ve had, reading the Bible, is about the celebration of powerful women in the Book of the Judges. There are some famous women—Delilah, Deborah and Jael all immediately come to mind—but there are also not-so-famous women whose stories are worth reading and retelling.On of those women is Jephthah’s daughter, and hers is a fascinating story, well worth the read, in the Book of Judges, chapter 11. Jephthah’s daughter has unsettled theologians and scholars for thousands of years.How co...2023-10-1801 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: Deborah#Judges4 #Judges5 #Deborah #Jael #JudgeDeborah #DeborahinJudges #DeborahofJudges #DeborahtheJudge #Sisera #BarakDeborah is maybe the most famous woman depicted in the Book of Judges, besides Delilah. And what sets Deborah apart from perhaps every woman in the entirety of the scriptures—both the Hebrew and Christian Testaments, is the astonishing position she held in Israel.As Judge, Deborah held civic authority over all who came to her for justice, men and women, village elders and all other leadership.As Prophet, Deborah was anointed by God to deliver the word of the Lord to the pe...2023-10-1101 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: The Stories Rahab HeardThis is a little bit of a longer episode because it encompasses an overview of Exodus 1-11 with a look at the Big Picture. It is this big picture that had such a great impact on Rahab, and that continues to have impact today on the lives of everyone who puts their faith in God.How does the big picture of Exodus together? What has God accomplished? We know God’s intention. God had the whole thing worked out when God made God's covenant with Abraham. “Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be alien...2023-10-0436 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: Rahab#Rahab #Jericho #BibleStudy #Joshua #BookofJoshua #Tamar #Judah #Ruth #Boaz #Bible #BrokenSearchingTrustedPowerfulAs Rahab stood in the foothills of Canaan, watching Jericho burn, she was seeing everything she knew, her whole life, and what should have been her story, going up in smoke. But for the grace of God. . . .that would have been her.She may have wondered to herself, so many years later, “How is it that God saved me? How is it that my life story took such an unexpected, wrenching, and yet ultimately beautiful turn, loved as I am by God, and by Go...2023-09-2722 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: Song of Miriam and Moses#Miriam #Moses #SongofVictory BookofExodus #Exodus #Exodus14 #Bible #BiblestudyIn Exodus 14, God’s people stood stunned on the opposite shore of the Red Sea as they watched God cause the waves to come crashing in on the mighty armies of Egypt. Hebrews, Egyptians, slaves from other countries, they were all now irrevocably changed, they were now the nation of Israel, saved completely. Only a little over a year ago, they had been staggering under crushing captivity, enslaved to cruel oppressors, so discouraged they had lost all hope. Then came the plagues, God’s mighty contest with the g...2023-09-2038 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: Miriam#BibleStudy #Miriam #Prophetess #Exodus #BookofExodus #Leprosy #Moses #Aaron #Bible #BrokenSearchingTrustedPowerfulAs the book of Exodus opens, life was bitter for the Hebrew people. They were treated harshly and cruelly, dreaded by the Egyptians who enslaved them. Only two sympathetic midwives stood between the Hebrew baby boys and death, and now came Pharaoh’s edict to all Egyptians – throw the Hebrew baby boys into the sacred Nile. It was a risky time, an awful time, to bring a child into the world.Yet that is just what happened in Miriam’s family.Our stories shape...2023-09-1325 min
Her StorySeason 3, Exodus Pioneers: Puah and Shiphrah#BibleStudy #Archaeology #PuahandShiphrah #Exodus #Exodus1 #Book of Exodus #Pharaoh #Bible #BrokenSearchingTrustedPowerfulWe don’t often talk about the story of Puah and Shiphrah, though their story is one of courage and mettle, standing together against forces of evil seeking to destroy a nation. We’ll first take a look at where they lived, the country of Egypt, then explore the career they entered into, and how their life and work prepared them for God’s call when it came.Egypt was old by the time this story takes place. Theirs was a magnificent culture, military might...2023-09-0622 min
Her StorySeason 2, Time of the Matriarchs: Wife of Potiphar#WifeofPotiphar #Genesis #BibleStudy #Genesis20 #Potiphar #Joseph #Bible #BrokenSearchingTrustedPowerfulWhen we talk about the patriarchs, we think of the three that are so often mentioned together: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But there is a fourth patriarch, of sorts: Joseph. Two of Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, received Jacob's blessing and inheritance in the Promised Land. But it is not Joseph's wife who was so directly instrumental in Joseph's destiny. No, that place goes to another man's wife. The story of Potiphar’s wife is all wrapped up with the story of a foreign teenaged boy whose je...2023-08-3023 min
Her StorySeason 2, Time of the Matriarchs: Leah#Leah #BibleStudy #Jacob #Rachel #Genesis #Bible #BrokenSearchingTrustedPowerfulLeah was married to a man who didn’t love her, who even felt he had been defrauded and manipulated into marrying her. No matter how many babies Leah had, she continued to live in the enveloping shadow of the woman her husband did love, and favored. Her situation left her despondent.As Leah stood at the edge of the precipice, powerless, bereft, broken, and alone, with despair yawning below, she was presented with an inner choice. Would she allow despair's gravity to pull her in, or would she...2023-08-2323 min
Her StorySeason 2, Time of the Matriarchs: Wife of Lot#BibleStudy #WifeofLot #PillarofSalt #Lot #Genesis #Sodom #Gomorrah #SodomandGomorrah #Bible #BrokenSearchingTrustedPowerfulThe story of Lot’s wife is famous, retold countless times, important life lessons are drawn from the tragedies she experienced and the fateful decision she made in the last hour of her life. And even though we never learn her name, we only have a glimpse of who she was, there is still much we can find out.We begin by watching two wealthy men, one elderly, one young and virile, looking out over the cities of the plain, located near what is today th...2023-08-1622 min
Her StorySeason 2, Time of the Matriarchs: Hagar#Hagar #BibleStudy #Ishmael #Genesis #Bible #BrokenSearchingTrustedPowerfulIt is hard for many of us to understand what it means to be taken from our home, friends, and family against our will, to become enslaved, and to have no rights at all, not even over our own bodies.But there surely was a time in your life, and in mine, when we felt trapped in some way, when we felt powerless, or isolated, unknown and uncared for. All of these elements go into Hagar’s story.Ancient Jewish commentators add that Hagar was given to Sa...2023-08-0923 min
Her StorySeason 2, Time of the Matriarchs: BONUS, The Example of Sarah, 1 Peter 3#1Peter3 #Hupotasso #AbrahamandSarah #ChristianWives #ChristianHusbands Peter enjoined Christian wives married to men who did not share their faith to live in a [Godfearing] pure manner of life in the same way Jesus did, using Jesus’ life as the example for their own. By doing so, their husbands—who were not believing or obeying the Word (logos) might be won over without a word.Peter offered some practical ways to live honorably, by making their transformed life their chief “adornment” rather than their jewels, fine clothing, and costly hair styles. Now, Peter would point to Sarah, the foun...2023-08-0218 min
Her StorySeason 2, Time of the Matriarchs: Sarah#Sarah #Abraham #BibleStudy #Genesis #Bible #BrokenSearchingTrustedPowerfulSarah’s character and faith were going to be put through several severe tests over the course of her marriage, trials that would include long years of travel, homelessness, risk to her life and to her honor, turmoil in her home, even internal soul-searching.As middle age became old age, the heavy burden of truth bowed both Sarah’s shoulders and her will. Finally, she capitulated to the Law of Ur-Nammu’s clause, and offered her husband a surrogate to have their child. Yet God had so much more planned for Sa...2023-07-2622 min
Her StorySeason 1, The Dawn of Time: Wife of Noah#Naamah #Noah #NoahsFlood #NoahsArk #TheGreatDeluge #Ham #Shem #Japheth #AntediluvianImaginations have been gripped for thousands of years by the story of Noah. How long ago did this neolithic family live? What was the scope of the cataclysmic deluge described in their story? Was the building of the ark, the gathering of animals two-by-two, the repopulation of earth with only eight people allegory?Metaphor?Was it literal?Tribes in New Guinea, India, Brazil, China, Norway, Mexico, and North American First Nation peoples all have a flood story. Each story tells of a...2023-07-1922 min
Her StorySeason 1, The Dawn of Time: Wife of Job#Book of Job #Job #Wife of Job #Old Testament #Bible #Bible Study #Bless #CurseWas she a villainess or a heroine? It is one of those questions theologians, Hebrew scholars, and Bible commentators have lined up for on both sides.When I first taught the book of Job, I was squarely on one side of this question. But, over the years, learning Hebrew, reading a wider selection of scholarly works, my positioned has been changed, and I share all that research in this twenty minute talk.As an aside, the week I was...2023-07-1222 min
Her StorySeason 1, The Dawn of Time: Eve, Part 2#Eve #AdamandEve #Genesis3 #Genesis4 #Cain #CainandAbel #MaryMagdalene #MaryofMagdala #TheMagdaleneAs the narrative of her creation, union with Adam, the disastrous circumstances of the Serpent’s deception, and the breakdown of all that Eve held dear is translated and interpreted down through the millennia, our own stories today are shaped. To get Eve’s story right is to lay a firm foundation for all the other stories of women—and men—in the scriptures.There is some very new teaching in here–for me. I have been learning a lot from Bruce and Joy Fleming, and their most...2023-07-0523 min
Her StorySeason 1, The Dawn of Time: Eve, Part 1#Eve #AdamandEve #Genesis2-3 #Genesis2 #Genesis3 #Serpent #GardenofEden #TreeoftheKnowledgeofGoodandEvilEve’s story is perhaps the most iconic for all women, as she is the first of us, the one from whom all of us have come, and her story becomes, in a certain sense, the source of our stories as well.First, we will lift back the mists of time and watch as God brought forth humanity as the Lord’s crowning act of all creation. Then we will enter into paradise, as it were, the birthplace of Eve, see the Serpent’s seduction, watch how th...2023-06-2823 min
Her Story"Her Story" By Grace and Peace, Joanne LLCHer Story with Grace and Peace Joanne seeks to retell the stories of women who were divinely called and empowered to do great things. Many of them rose to the occasion, and a few very famously did not. Often, the tragedies and triumphs in their lives are missed, their accounts sidelined, and their portrayals given from perspectives that dismiss the honor and dignity they deserve. Excavating their narratives from millennia of obfuscation, we now meet the freshly restored, valiant, vivid, and sometimes villainous women of the Bible.2023-06-2701 minNew Hope ChapelHebrews 12:12-17Joanne Hagemeyer wrote, "It's only six verses long, but there are some Big Ideas in this small passage. And the story the writer used to illustrate the message may take some time to unravel. If you've got time, see if you can find a couple of different translations of this text, or even better, look it up in the Blue Letter Bible app and work through the definitions of the words--like 'repentance' (for who?) 'profane' (in the context of a Christian?) and what's going on with those hands and knees and lame bits.” Listen as Joanne leads us as we...2023-06-0441 min
A Cup of GratitudeSeason 5 - Episode 16 - Finding Gratitude in Grace and PeaceThis week I speak with Joanne Hagemeyer. When she received her own Bible at the age of nine, she read the whole book, from preface to concordance, with transcendent joy, knowing these were the very words of God. Today, Joanne continues in God’s call to teach, counsel, mentor, and train in God's word and Spirit through retreats, Bible studies, and online classes. After leading and teaching a Bible class of 350–500 students from 2003 to 2013, Joanne retired in 2018 as an advisor and mentor to eight Bible classes in the Maryland area through Bible Study Fellowship. She began teaching and spea...2023-04-171h 13