True Grace Ministries International

n this episode of Down to Earth: Theology Matters, Pastor Bryan Threlkeld and Dr. Jason Peters remind us that the Biblical writers had a specific purpose for every word they wrote... and our job is to figure it out.  By studying a passage in context, and learning the way language works, we will be able to read Scripture more faithfully, clearly, and confidently, without making Bible study feel technical or intimidating.

Pastor Bryan Threlkeld and Dr. Jason Peters explain why nobody comes to the Bible as a neutral reader and why faithful Bible study begins by recognizing the assumptions we bring to Scripture. This episode helps viewers think more clearly about truth, interpretation, and how God’s Word reshapes us.

How to Study the Bible Wisely, with Dr. Jason Peters
Episode 2
Can ordinary Christians study the Bible well without going to seminary or learning Greek? In Episode 1 of Down to Earth: Theology Matters, Pastor Bryan Threlkeld sits down with Dr. Jason Peters to explore how everyday believers can read Scripture with clarity, humility, and confidence, while avoiding common mistakes that happen when verses are taken out of context.

Introduction
Down to Earth: Theology Matters is a Christian podcast designed to make deep theology clear, practical, and accessible for everyday believers. Through biblical teaching, meaningful dialogue, and engaging interviews, each episode helps listeners better understand God’s Word and apply it to real life.

Pastor Bryan Threlkeld continues the “silence of God” discussion by facing the problem of evil and suffering. He points to a fallen world, human freedom, and Jesus sharing in our pain at the cross... then contrasts Christian hope with the bleak silence of a no-God story.

Pastor Bryan Threlkeld explores the “silence of God” and why God does not force belief through overwhelming displays. Using the Bible, including Luke 16 and Jeremiah 29, he explains how God calls people to seek Him with their whole heart and why faith is about trust and relationship, not just admitting God exists. He also begins addressing a second barrier to belief: why Christians can be such poor advertisements for Christianity.

Pastor Bryan Threlkeld explains three destructive ways doubt can harden the heart: skepticism, cynicism, and unbelief. Using Scripture, he contrasts honest doubt with a refusal to trust, and calls listeners back to a life that leans on God instead of self-protection.

Pastor Bryan Threlkeld begins a new teaching on faith, doubt, and trust by showing how relationships depend on trust, and how doubt can turn destructive when it attacks God’s character. Using the Bible, especially Genesis 3 and the story of Doubting Thomas, he explores skepticism as one form of “doubt gone bad” and explains how Jesus meets honest questions with truth and grace.

Pastor Bryan Threlkeld teaches that doubt is not the opposite of faith but often the environment where faith grows. He explains why everyone lives by faith, why certainty is not required to follow Jesus, and how honest questions can lead to deeper trust and greater faithfulness.

Pastor Bryan Threlkeld shows how God speaks through Scripture and why the Bible should be read as one cohesive story with five acts that culminate in the life of Jesus and the establishment of His church. He explains how this framework brings clarity to the law, strengthens confidence in God’s Word, and helps believers move forward with guidance and hope.