Verity by Phylicia Masonheimer

As we get close to the end of the early church series, we learn how persecution played a role in the spread of the gospel and how today's American culture parallels Ancient Rome. For more on the history of missions in the first 500 years, see this article: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=cgm_hist

In this special Christmas episode Phylicia shares two pieces from her Advent series on the problem of evil and a special devotional piece on the personal nature of God's grace. For more writing like this, join Phylicia's email list at phyliciamasonheimer.com/newsletter.

The early church developed quickly and expanded fast. How did they worship God in those early years? Many denominations claim to follow the pattern of the early church, but do they? In this episode we will look at how the early church "did" church at their gatherings, and how it laid the groundwork for what we do today.

The early church faced a lot of heresies in their first 500 years. Arianism, Gnosticism, and Docetism threatened the church's teaching and forced them to refine their teaching to match the gospel. In this episode, you'll journey through three major creeds and five major councils!

Dive into the history of the church as we look at the culture, governments, historical events and social shifts that shaped its first 500 years!

The parallels between the church of the second and third centuries and the global church today give us a glimpse of how we can live as Christians of conviction in a pagan world.

We are starting a new series this week! After a break to rest and study, Phylicia is back with a new church history series. In this introduction episode she discusses why we need history, specifically church history, and how studying it impacts our present day lives.

In this week's special edition episode, we have the Ask Anything LIVE panel from Verity Conference 2023 featuring Joel Muddamalle, Lisa Whittle, and Phylicia Masonheimer emceed by Johnny Whitcomb. Listen in as they answer questions like

• How do you establish appropriate boundaries?
• What is the best way to train up theologically sound leaders?

And even find out Phylicia's take on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. 

Stay up to date for the release of the entire Verity Conference session recordings and listen at your own pace by joining our email community at phyliciamasonheimer.com/newsletter

Special thanks to our sponsors Logos, Compassion, Viable Options, Samaritan's Purse, Dwell Differently, Crossway, the Old Testament Handbook by CSB Bible, TAG Coffee, and Vilah Bloom.

In this episode Phylicia breaks down the Levitical laws about purification after childbirth and answers the hard question of whether boys and girls were equal to God.

In the final episode of our mini-series on prayer, we discuss prayer requests! How do we entrust our requests to God? What do we do when he doesn't answer, and do God's answers rely on our faith?

Continuing our mini-series on prayer, this episode teaches why thanksgiving is an essential part of our prayer life and how to thank God when our life circumstances aren't what we hoped or dreamed.

What does confession look like in prayer? Rather than list out all we've done wrong or rack our brains for sins, confession is the grace of relationship. In this short episode Phylicia breaks down how to confess to God and why it's so important to a Spirit-led life. Biblical repentance: https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/product/what-is-biblical-repentance/

In this mini-series on prayer for the month of August, you'll learn how to pray in unique ways. We begin the series with adoration: adoring God through thanksgiving and praise. Phylicia talks about how to do this with Scripture and some practical tips for implementing daily. For more on spiritual disciplines, join Phylicia's newsletter here: https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/newsletter/

After a short break Verity Podcast is beginning a mini-series on prayer! We begin with the big question: If God knows everything, why should we pray? Prayer is for communion, for transformation and for opportunity to partner with God. Learn why we pray and how to start.

In this episode Phylicia breaks down biblical prophecy: What is it? How do we identify it? How does it go astray and how do we discern a biblical prophetic word from a false one? We will look at modern false prophecy in the world (psychics) and in the church (false teachers) and the process Jesus gave for handling such people.

In light of the Amazon hit series Shiny Happy People, this week's episode is about deconstructing legalism - and how to rebuild your faith when it all feels so messy. We look at progressive and conservative fundamentalism, why "check list" holiness is so deceitful and how to find true freedom on the other side. For the email series on SHP, sign up for Phylicia's newsletter

URLS:  Newsletter signup: https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/newsletter/

In this episode Phylicia discusses whether Christians should boycott Target or other secular companies when their values differ from the Christian worldview. We look at a history of pagan marketplaces and 1 Corinthians 8 to answer the question!

It's not easy out here in these dating streets! How do you ask good theological questions of a potential date? When do you give grace for differences and when you do draw the line? We talk about all this and more in this episode plus answer some listener questions on Christian Dating. Resources: 

How Relationships Have Changed with Dating Apps

44 Questions to Ask Before Getting Engaged

Short History of Dating

URLS:

How Relationships Have Changed with Dating Apps: https://scrippsnews.com/stories/how-relationships-have-changed-since-surge-of-dating-apps/#:~:text=Dating%20apps%20have%20expanded%20the,attitudes%20toward%20dating%20have%20shifted.

44 Questions to Ask Before Getting Engaged: https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/44-questions-we-asked-before-getting-engaged/

Short History of Dating: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/ztrptrd#:~:text=Dating%20%2D%20the%20term%20can%20fill,or%20a%20mixture%20of%20both.&text=The%20first%20use%20of%20the,getting%20turned%20by%20other%20men. 

After receiving multiple questions about consequences in parenting (and asking them herself) Phylicia dove into Scripture to see what it said about consequences, condemnation and punishment. Are they the same? Different? If different, how?

This episode looks at the Old and New Testaments for guidance on how God disciplines His own kids, which can in turn guide how we discipline ours.

After last week's episode about women teaching theology, a lot of questions came in about "shallow", pink fluff bible study settings.

How do we take them deeper?

Is it possible?

In this episode Phylicia shares some practical ways you can take a "social hour" bible study session to something with real meat. 

In this episode Phylicia confronts a question that caused a tizzy on the internet: Can women teach theology to other women?

We look at

• The definition of theology
• Whether men are the transmitters of spiritual authority
• What Scripture says about women prophesying
• How to teach theology in a healthy and biblical way

How do I identify prosperity gospel, and what does it mean? This episode breaks down the true gospel v. the one presented by the "word of faith" movement, discussing how this theology misinterprets key passages of Scripture and how we can discern through it. 

Phylicia discusses why Christians who are into theology can become so "mean" by looking at the call to both sound teaching and gracious delivery. We look at the three tiers of doctrine, the goal of maturity, and how to understand denominational differences.

This episode is based on the last chapter of Every Woman a Theologian. 

In this episode Phylicia looks at the three primary doctrinal stances on assurance of salvation, the primary texts regarding our eternal security, and then walks listeners through HOW to walk in true confidence that you are saved rather than doubt and chaos. Passages: John 3, 1 John 5, 1 John 1:9, John 15:8

Struggle with prayer?

This episode is for you! Phylicia shares ten practical ways we can integrate prayer into our daily lives. She also discusses the need to pray specifically and why prayer is not a formula to move God's hand.

Verses:

• 1 Thess. 5:16-18
• Romans 8:26
• Phil. 4

In this short episode, Phy discusses how to customize bible study to your unique learning style and find ways to make the Word a priority for your personality.

More on this topic can be found in Ep. 93: How to Succeed at a Bible Reading Plan.

• Learning Style Quiz
• Bible in a Year Highlighters

URLS:

Learning Style Quiz: http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml

Bible in a Year Highlighters: https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/product/5-bright-gel-bible-highlighters/

This bonus episode may sound a little different because it is a conversation that Phylicia had with Matthew Jacobson live on Instagram.

To watch this interview (and others) head over to Phylicia's instagram channel: @PhyliciaMasonheimer

Can I Really Say No to Sin? // The Every Woman a Theologian LAUNCH Series talks about sanctification and the Spirit with @faithfulman 👏🏼

This one is FULL of amazing truth. We talk about:

• how our identity changes in Christ
• why temptation has no real power over us
• why we are responsible to dress ourselves for battle
• how to obey the Spirit
• why “sinner saved by grace” isn’t a truly biblical view of our identity in Christ - and more!

In this episode Phylicia discusses Leviticus 19:28 and how to interpret tough passages in Leviticus in light of today's culture. You can watch the video breakdown of this topic on her Instagram highlight, Leviticus, and grab the book Every Woman a Theologian on Christianbook, Amazon, or Target!

Get your copy of Every Woman a Theologian today!

Every Woman A Theologian book: https://everywomanatheologian.com

Every Woman a Theologian is launching soon! Pre-order your copy today!

Every Woman A Theologian book: https://everywomanatheologian.com

Many Christians suffer intense fear and anxiety over the end times. But Revelation is a book of hope and victory - so where does this come from? In this episode we talk about persecution, God's wrath, and why God's loving justice and call to endurance should encourage all of us to view the end times with hope. From Chapter Nine of Every Woman a Theologian, available for preorder now!

Every Woman A Theologian book: https://everywomanatheologian.com

Every Woman a Theologian is launching soon! Pre-order your copy today!

Every Woman A Theologian book: https://everywomanatheologian.com

What did Jesus intend when He founded the church? Is American Christianity "it"?

In this episode Phylicia breaks down chapter seven of Every Woman a Theologian and how the church in Acts functioned - and how that translates to today. We also touch on the need for both reformation and revival and how our relationships with other Christians are a pivotal part of our witness.

Our listeners aren't dummies - but sometimes we need a super simple, practical, manual for understanding theological things! That's what today's episode is about: Pneumatology, or the theology of the Holy Spirit, and how He impacts our daily life.

If you grew up in a church that never talked about Him or in a church that only talked about His gifts, this episode is for you! Learning how to listen to His leading, bear His fruit, and most of all be a witness for Christ.

In this episode Phylicia discusses soteriology - the perspectives on salvation within Christianity. We talk about what it means to be "justified", why changed identity is central to salvation, and the four major viewpoints about being saved.

Is God choosing who is saved, or can we respond to God?

We'll learn a little about both sides and also discuss the origin and importance of denominations.

In this episode of the systematic theology mini-series, Phylicia looks at christology. Why does it matter that Jesus is human AND divine? Did He exist before He came to earth, and if so why? Did Jesus make a claim to be God or was that made up by His disciples? All these and more anwered in this episode of the Every Woman a Theologian launch series!

In this episode based on chapter 3 of Every Woman a Theologian, we look at cosmology, anthropology and hamartiology: theologies of the universe, humanity and sin. You'll learn about the actual nature of the serpent in the Garden, why humanity had to be free to sin, what would happen if God did not permit evil, and how this impacts your daily life!

• The Unseen Realm by Dr. Michael Heiser
• Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
• If God Why Evil by Norman Geisler
• Every Woman a Theologian by Phylicia Masonheimer

In the second episode of this mini-series on systematic theology, Phylicia digs into the "mean" Old Testament God and why we need a biblical view of *both* God's love and holiness to understand salvation through Christ. We talk about God's wrath, the redefining of love, and how God's holiness in the OT is what makes Him trustworthy today.

• how to know your repentance is genuine
• what to do if you repent, then sin again in the same way
• whether we need to repent of ignorant sins

• Milton Vincent's The Gospel Primer
• Berkhof's Systematic Theology

Can God truly satisfy? In this episode Phylicia talks about envy, discontent, and why the desire for satisfaction transcends our life stage. You'll learn why the affection of God frees us to live as satisfied people even when our circumstances haven't changed.

In this episode Phylicia breaks down the importance of laying aside legalism while also sharing her own journey.

She also explores how legalism can come from places you may not expect.

This week's episode is the audio from the Verity Conference 2022 Q/A Panel with Phylicia Masonheimer, Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez, and Jeremy Jenkins. Next year's conference will be in October 2022 in Petoskey, Michigan! Recordings of the full conference will be available for sale on phyliciamasonheimer.com.

At long last Phylicia compiled ALL her favorite church history books into a massive book list - for adults and kids! From Butler's Lives of the Saints to Foxes Book of Martyrs and everything in between, you'll find a book that fits your Christian history interests and reading style. Links to books will be in shownotes soon!

In this episode, we look at what Scripture says about prayer, why it is essential to Christian life, and how to begin cultivating a persevering practice of prayer.

Galatians 5 tells us to walk by the Spirit - but what does that look like practically? And why do we need to do it? This episode is a quick dive into pneumatology and why the Christian life is absolutely dependent on our relationship to the Spirit and His work.

Who doesn't love a good book recommendation?? In this episode Phy shares the highlights of her book list from 2022, including theology, nonfiction and fiction reads. Theological Books If You Will Ask St. Thomas Aquinas Warefare Prayer The Lord's Work in the Lord's Way / No Little People Faith in the Wilderness Other Non-Fiction Teach from Rest The Temperament God Gave Your Kids WayMaker The Brave Learner A Needle in the Hand of God Fiction Pride and Predjudice 

How do we know if what we're singing to God is truthful and good? In this episode, Phy explains the regulative v. normative principle of worship and breaks down four popular hymns/worship songs, comparing them to Scripture.

Every fall the posts and hot takes are flying: Should Christians celebrate Halloween?

In this episode, Phy breaks down the history of Samhain and All Hallowed's Eve, then discusses how to discern the celebration of this holiday and the options of imitation, abstention, or redemption. She also discusses magic in books and movies.

The early church fought to defend the core doctrines of Christianity, and one of the ways they did this was through the creeds!These statements of faith have been handed down over centuries.

Learn how these creeds impact us and what we can learn from the early church.

In this episode we look at how Scripture describes God's voice and how to hear Him in prayer. We discuss the Spirit's role in speaking, how to check a voice against God's word, and how God's nearness invites us to listen.

Who doesn't love a book recommendation? A new monthly episode of book recs is coming to Verity and we're starting with children's faith based books and bibles! Phy shares her top seven books for discipling her own kids, ages 2, 5, and 7.

--Books--

The Jesus Storybook Bible

The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible

The Biggest Story

Seek and Find: Old Testament Bible Stories

Bible Infographics for Kids

Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It

Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer

What do you look for in a church when moving, switching to a new gathering, or visiting for the first time? This episode breaks down just a few things to keep in mind and questions to ask during the church hunt process! 

Sexual addiction is more common than many of us realize. And in the wake of purity culture, many Christians don't know how to think well about sex and sexual sin. In this episode, Phy breaks down why sexuality deserves honor and the hope we have when we've fallen short.

Is your quiet time with God sustainable for your season? In this episode Phylicia talks about creating a time with God that is flexible for your lifestyle and life stage. 

In this quick Q/A episode Phylicia discusses whether sin causes sickness, why Jesus' physical body mattered to the early church, whether non-pastors should baptize, and how to choose a bible translation.

Josh and Phy are very familiar with this problem! In this episode they discuss how Phil. 2:4 informs our view of hobbies in marriage, how to communicate about activities, and how to grow together in having fun. They also discuss the impact of video games on marriage and how to communicate about them. 

It's launch week!!

In honor of The Flirtation Experiment launch on December 7th Josh and Phy revisit the original "experiment" Phy did and how Josh felt about it.

We briefly discuss Phy's reasoning for the experiment, pursuit and confidence for wives, and love languages. The book is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Christianbook and more. 

How does a couple choose a church?

How do you serve when you're so busy?

In this episode Josh and Phy talk about their own journey of finding and serving in church, how to choose one wisely, and the important role the body of Christ plays in your marriage.

• Unpredictable job schedules
• Job loss
• Financial setbacks
• Disease
• Surgery and more.

We talk about what we learned through the hardest years of our marriage and how God guides us through difficult transitions.

In this episode Josh and Phy discuss how husbands and wives can be considerate of one another during pregnancy and postpartum seasons, why birthing classes helped Josh have compassion, and a little discussion of sex after babies! 

How do we communicate well when emotions are running high?

Phy and Josh discuss their history of dysfunctional communication and cycles of fighting, and how addressing the underlying emotions helped them reach peace.

They also talk about the benefits of marriage counseling and why counseling isn't just for crisis situations.

In this episode Josh and Phy discuss Ephesians 5 again in light of sexual immorality. They share their own testimonies of sexual sin, how they have overcome these struggles, and what boundaries are in place to walk in holiness. Sexuality resources are in the show notes on the blog.

In this episode of the Honest Marriage series Josh and Phy look at Ephesians 5 and discuss how this controversial passage has played out in their own marriage. We also discuss "spiritual leadership" and what it's like for Josh to be married to a Bible teacher.

In this episode we look at the importance of the Trinity to Christianity and why this doctrine is fundamental to our understanding of the gospel.

We touch on some church history (the Nicene creed and early church fathers) then look at two errant teachings of the Trinity: modalism and eternal subordination of the Son.

Should Christians tithe? Why or why not? We explore the biblical proofs for tithing and how different groups of Christians interpret it, including how Josh and Phy have viewed giving from their days as college students to today. Further reading in blog show notes.

How did Jesus accomplish salvation on the cross? What was the purpose? Scholars have attempted to answer these and other questions about the power of atonement over the course of church history, and we're looking at a few of their conclusions in this episode. We cover ransom, Christus Victor, satisfaction, government, penal substitution, scapegoat, and moral influence theories. Sources on the blog!

In this quick question and answer episode Phy chats through Sabbath, sharing the gospel with kids, prayer at mealtimes, women pastors and Marvel movie marathons.

In this episode we discuss the contemplative tradition: where it came from, who the main players are, and whether spiritual disciplines like the Lectio Divina should be standard Christian practice. More links will be in show notes on the blog. ----Mentioned In This Episode----

• New Age practices to be aware of: https://doreenvirtue.com/2019/07/21/an-a-z-list-of-new-age-practices-to-avoid-and-why
• Overview of the Lectio Divina: https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fr._keating-classical_monastic_ld.pdf
• Prayer by Richard Foster (book)
• Beginning Contemplative Prayer by Kathryn Hermes (book)

Lutheran Views: https://www.lcms.org/about/beliefs/faqs/doctrine#baptism

Reformed Baptist Views: https://www.challies.com/articles/whats-the-purpose-of-baptism/

Six Views of Baptism: http://studies.travisechols.com/Six%20views%20on%20Baptism.pdf

Craig Blomberg on Baptism: https://denverseminary.edu/article/baptism-three-views/

Messianic View of Mikvah and Baptism: https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/mikvah-baptism-the-connection-between-immersion-conversion-and-being-born-again/

Catholic View: http://shamelesspopery.com/the-case-for-infant-baptism/

Fruitful, Gospel Conversations about Race Join Charaia Callabrass as we discuss understanding Black culture, CRT, how to navigate triggering terms for conservatives, and whether “just preach the gospel” is the best response to the issue of racism. Audio note: This episode was originally recorded on Instagram Live.

In this episode we do a rapid fire Q&A through your questions from Instagram's Ask Anything Monday! Thanks so much for submitting them. We discuss: my shopping fast, charismatic gifts and the New Age, and more.

Brenna Blain joins Phylicia to share her personal testimony of same sex attraction and how her faith in Christ interacts with it. We talk about how Christians can love and live well with SSA friends and family, how to respond to those who think acknowledging SSA means you don’t think Christ sanctifies/saves, and “hate the sin love the sinner”.

Is Easter actually a pagan holiday? If not, what about bunnies and eggs? This episode is an adventure through church history as we look at where Easter comes from, how it got its name, and how it was celebrated over the centuries. We also touch on Christian Passovers and the resource guide if you want to study further.

What's the down low on spiritual gifts? In this episode we do a high level view of the two primary views on the topic: cessationism and continuationism. We talk about the main proof texts for these views, some of the implications and the dangers, and why 1 Cor 13 is the guiding principle through it all. 

Join Amy Ford from Embrace Grace as we talk about supporting moms through unplanned pregnancies, changing the shame culture surrounding these pregnancies, and walking with women as they embrace God’s grace

In this episode we look at four eschatological viewpoints: historical premillennialism, postmillenialism, amillennialism, and dispensationalist premillennialism. We look at a little of the history behind these views, their implications, and why Left Behind can't be our lens for understanding final things!

Much requested!! In this interview with Wheaton College guest lecturer Alana Nelson we discuss the history of theology and music in the church, how to discern through worship, and what our heart posture should be as we approach the Lord.

What's a Calvinist? And what on earth is an Arminian? In this episode, you'll find out! With a quick overview of church history and the key players in this theological discussion, we lay the foundation for the different doctrines inherent to these two Christian views. Learn a little more about both, decide where you stand, and remember to show grace in your conversations with the other side!

Looking at 1 John 4 and testing the spirits, we discuss a reader question about discernment, discernment "ministries", and how to discern biblically without giving into a fault-finding, judgmental spirit. 

The Verity with Phylicia Masonheimer podcast is BACK for it's 4th Season! In this series Phylicia is changing things up a bit with new format. She will answer some of the many "random" questions she receives on her Instagram Ask Anything Mondays events.

I was thrilled to have Mike Winger of BibleThinker on to discuss charismatic theology, new apostolic reformation and the Passion Translation.

In this final episode of the Women's Issues series we wrap up with a question and answer you sent in from Instagram. We discuss head coverings, epidurals, gender-specific emotions, and whether or not to leave a church over its view of women. Show notes for all episodes are on the blog.

Don't cause a brother to stumble. It's a message most of us heard, at least if we grew up in purity culture. But is this what Scripture teaches about modesty? Is it just about sex and helping men stay pure? This episode delves into the issue of the "weaker brother", modesty as humility, and honoring the imago dei in ourselves and others.

This episode talks about women and work: what does Scripture say about work in and outside of the home? Is it okay for a woman to work? What cultural influences color our perspective on this topic? We get a glimpse of how Victorian culture sparked the early feminist movement and how that carries over to the church today.

Should a Christian woman call herself a feminist? Does Scripture support the feminism we see today? This episode talks about the nuanced issue of feminism, whether Jesus was a feminist, and whether or not we can admire the work of modern day feminist icons. Show notes and links on the blog at phyliciamasonheimer.com

What role can women play in the body of Christ? This is a topic of much debate in the church today. This episode breaks down some of the hard passages on women's authority, leadership and speaking. Also covered is the difference between OT and NT prophecy and how theology on spiritual gifts impacts female leadership in the church.

In this episode we dive into the mommy wars: the toxic culture surrounding motherhood and its decisions. Specifically, this episode deals with asceticism and our view of suffering in motherhood. How does God sustain us in this season? Why do we act as if certain decisions are "holier" than others? Audio taken from IGTV video on Phylicia's Instagram.

In this episode of our women’s issues series, we talk about the Scriptural approach to breastfeeding, but more so, how the gospel dismantles the mommy wars over this sensitive and often shame-filled issue. This topic is explored further in the Motherhood episode coming next. 

In this first episode of the women's issues series, Phylicia does a quick overview of our flawed understanding of Genesis 3 and how it impacts Christian discussions of fertility and birth. 

Announcing the upcoming season containing a series of episodes on one of my most asked about topics.

Originally an IGTV interview, Phylicia talks with Ayanna Mathis about the nature of repentance, grace, and why restoration to the church is not restoration to a position. Touches on abuse, cover ups, and how the church can better care for its own by adhering to biblical view of repentance.

Phylicia and pastors of Grace Innovation Church in London, UK, Emmanuel and Samantha Danso, talk through some of the most common questions regarding racism, Christianity, social marxism, and how believers can honor the image of God in others.

In this episode, we talk about the three “Is” of the Bible: Inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility. We also talk about the meaning of canon, why it matters, and how authority of Scripture affects us today.

One of the issues with legalism is that it tries to manufacture the spirit led life without the Holy Spirit. It removes the Holy Spirit and proof texts the scriptures.

There isn't this dichotomy between people who hold a Biblical sexual ethic and people who are sex-positive who believe that sex is awesome, wonderful, exciting, healthy and that you should be able to talk about it. These aren't two opposite camps. They aren't polar ends of a spectrum. 

The reality is faith in the living God has always been communal. When we understand that and begin to embrace it, we begin to grasp the importance of community as Christians.

We know that the Word of God is the Power of God. It transforms us. It strengthens us. It shows us who God is and how He interacts with man. It's how the Holy Spirit speaks to us primarily.

COMING SOON!