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Citizen of Heaven

379 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratings

I am Hal Hammons, a citizen of heaven. I broadcast regular reports of what it is for a child of God to live in Satan's world. My reports typically break down into four segments:"What I've been preaching" -- a point I have made in a recent sermon."What I've been reading" -- A brief breakdown of a book of the Bible or other reading material that has helped me in my understanding or application of the Bible."What I've been hearing" -- news from the internet or other sources about what is going on, either among brothers and sisters in Christ or out in the world at large."What I've been playing" -- how I've been entertaining myself in my spare time, and some spiritual points I have been able to extract.

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Episodes

PLANS: God laughs. "Silas Marner." "Lord willing." Five Tribes.

March 26, 2024 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MB

This is the last episode of Season 5 – thanks to everyone for coming along for the ride. Getting ready for Season 6 has gotten me in the mood to talk about planning. This week we’ll discuss how our plans bring out God’s sense of humor; how God’s planning process and ours don’t always coincide; why we say “Lord willing” when we pray, and what we should mean when we do; and three different ways to plan a path to victory. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive chur...

SAILING: Winds of teaching. "Charting the Sea of Darkness." Christopher Cross. Humboldt's Great Voyage.

March 19, 2024 07:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MB

If money, time, self-discipline, and my wife’s fear of drowning were non-factors, sailing would be the hobby for me. And so, I remain landlocked. Today we’ll discuss how to sail with Jesus instead of going with the prevailing winds; how a quest doomed to failure cost Henry Hudson his life; how the king of yacht rock still calms my spirit; and how knowing the ocean currents can help you sail into the winner’s circle. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church ...

PRAISE: The song of the rocks. "Holy Roar." "Praise This." Steam Up.

March 12, 2024 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MB

As God’s child, you have the obligation and the privilege of praising Him. Do it well, or do it poorly. As always, you get to choose. Today we’ll discuss actual “rock music” that is in the Bible (please forgive the play on words); a careful venture into the Hebrew language to learn what praise really is; the idea of worship as a competition – an idea from Hollywood, to no one’s surprise; and a game whose praises I sang prematurely, and how I managed to literally avoid paying the price. Hal ...

INSPIRATION, part 3: with the Book Fare podcast

March 07, 2024 08:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MB

This is part 3 of my discussion with the ladies of the Book Fare podcast — links and book suggestions are included in the show notes. We close with a short but exciting game of Bring Your Own Book — a game I figured would click with them. Turns out, I was right. Everyone brought their own book to the game, just like we all bring our own preconceptions to our discussions with others. Can we be so enamored of our own ideas that we are blinded to new ones? Let’s find out.  Books we discussed: ...

INSPIRATION, part 2: with the Book Fare podcast

March 06, 2024 08:00 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MB

We continue our discussion with Tricia Culp, Amanda Payne and Elizabeth Nowlin, co-hosts of the Book Fare podcast. That’s F-A-R-E, by the way. Find them wherever you get your podcasts. If you want fun, casual, and, yes, inspiring discussion about books, these are your girls. In this segment we discuss inspiration on a more general level — what lifts us up to a better, more noble lifestyle. Get some pen and paper; recommendations are coming. Books we discuss include: An Uphill Climb, by Dave...

INSPIRATION: with the Book Fare podcast

March 05, 2024 08:00 - 20 minutes - 14.2 MB

What inspires you? And what exactly is “inspiration” anyway? To help me find the answer, I brought on some ladies who have been inspiring me of late — the hosts of the Book Fare Podcast — Tricia Culp, Amanda Payne, and Elizabeth Nowlin. A link is in the show notes. In the first part of our conversation we discuss the Bible as the epitome of inspiration, and how well or how poorly our human efforts have been in replicating that. Books we discussed:  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith M...

PIANO: The loud and soft God. "The Piano Shop on the Left Bank." Sonatas. The "Big" keyboard.

February 27, 2024 08:00 - 16 minutes - 11.4 MB

The piano, perhaps more than any other instrument, changed the way music is played. As with a lot of things I tried as a child, I’d be a better person now if I had worked harder at it. Today we’ll discuss where the piano got its name and what it has in common with God; the challenge for an American trying to buy a piano in Paris; the pressure that comes from playing the toughest music in the world, and how to overcome it; and a game that won’t fit in my house but that I would gladly play – e...

MOZART: Prodigies. "Mozart and Constanze." Too many notes. Lacrimosa.

February 20, 2024 08:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MB

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of those great ones, like Ludwig von Beethoven, where the last name is all you need to identify him. Like Einstein, or Shakespeare, or Washington. This week we’ll discuss childhood genius and the good and bad things that come with it; Mozart’s less than ideal marriage and its lessons for us; the precise number of notes that a piece of music should include (if there is one – spoiler alert, there isn’t); and a way you can build on the work of Mozart today on your...

BEETHOVEN: Deafness. "Beethoven: The Composer as Hero." "Wellington's Victory." Symphony No. 9.

February 13, 2024 08:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MB

Ludwig von Beethoven is one of two names that come up more than any other when the topic of “history’s greatest composer” is discussed. Herr Mozart gets his day next week, Lord willing. This week we’ll discuss Beethoven’s battle with deafness and how losing it helped him win the war; the heroic nature of his work and how it can help you be a hero today; one of the worst pieces of music Beethoven ever wrote and why I love it so much; and a game I shoehorned into this space because I needed an...

SONGS, part 3: with Michael Eldridge and Brian Rainwater

February 08, 2024 08:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MB

This is the final installment from my conversation with Brian Rainwater and Michael Eldridge on the topic of songs. And this is likely what you came to hear — two experts on congregational song music weighing in on what makes a good hymn, which ones have impacted them in a particular way over the years, and what makes the special hymns so special. Brian teaches music at Florida College; Michael performs music at acapeldridge.com.  Check the show notes for appropriate links. Michael Eldridge...

SONGS, part 2: with Michael Eldridge and Brian Rainwater

February 07, 2024 08:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MB

Here’s more of my discussion with Michael Eldridge and Brian Rainwater. Here we talk more particularly about the songs we sing as the people of God, old hymnals vs. newer collections, old-style hymns vs. modern radio fare, how we learn songs and whether it’s worth the effort, and much much more. Apologies ahead of time to Hillsong and their song “Oceans,” which some might think we are picking on. Brian teaches music at Florida College; Michael performs music at acapeldridge.com.   Check out...

SONGS: with Michael Eldridge and Brian Rainwater

February 05, 2024 08:00 - 22 minutes - 15.4 MB

As Music Month kicks off, I thought it would be best to consult a couple of musicians. Michael Eldridge is a hymn writer and vocalist, perhaps best known for “When I Go Home”; check out his work at acapeldridge.com. Brian Rainwater is Director of Bands at Florida College, and quite the hymn writer as well. In the first part of our discussion we address the power that comes from pairing beautiful music and inspiring words, especially in pursuit of the cause of Christ. www.acapeldridge.com ...

VISION: God's failed visions. "The Prophet and the Astronomer." "Be Thou My Vision." Libertalia.

January 30, 2024 08:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MB

They say seeing is believing. But what does it really mean to “see” something? Is it possible to visualize something conceptual? Something futuristic? Something heavenly? This week I say yes. We’ll discuss the times when God’s vision of the future is wrong, or at least seems to be; an unbeliever’s view of prophecy and the blinders he puts on himself; a musical insight into realms beyond what mere eyes perceive; and my constant inability to see around the corners of my gaming table. See a pl...

UNUSUAL: The Levite and the concubine. "The Bookshop that Floated Away." Bagpipes. Hand-to-Hand Wombat.

January 23, 2024 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MB

Whether you’re talking about the Bible, the bookstore, the music you hear, or the games you play – it can get pretty strange. But sometimes the strange parts are the most interesting parts. Today we’ll discuss perhaps the most disgusting chapter in Israelite history (and that’s saying something); the oddest bookstore in the world and its piece-of-work proprietor; the world’s most maligned musical instrument; and the piles of fecal matter being left on my game table of late (and no, that’s no...

WEAKNESS: Weaker wives. "unQualified." Weak love. My pewter chess set.

January 16, 2024 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MB

I started writing this episode planning to describe weakness as being not nearly as awful as you might think. I wound up deciding weakness isn’t a bad thing at all. Not if we see it as God sees it. This week we’ll discuss what makes wives weaker than their husbands (that’s enough to know it’s not a bad thing right there); the weakling God used to build a nation; the weakness deliberately designed by engineers that saves lives every day; and the most easily damaged game I own – and why I’ve k...

COMFORT: The God of comfort. "Watership Down." "Danny's Song." Upstairs.

January 09, 2024 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MB

My dad’s funeral is this week. So comfort is on my mind. I’ve gotten a lot over the last few weeks, so I’m here to share some with you. This week we’ll discuss Paul’s counterintuitive and yet foolproof recipe for contentment; my own favorite “warm and fuzzy” book, which in places is anything but warm and fuzzy; perhaps the music industry’s best example of a feel-good song; and the place I go for comfort and the effort I’m willing to expend to get there. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and sh...

STRESS: Don't worry. "Putting an X Through Anxiety." Medication. Jenga.

January 02, 2024 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MB

Maybe we should have done this episode before the holidays. Then again, maybe you have just as much stress now but with more bills to pay. If so, I’m here to help. This week we discuss embracing the simple truth about stress; celebrating a tiny book on a huge subject; considering whether medicine is the problem or the solution (spoiler alert: it’s both); and playing a game that need not create as much stress as perhaps it has. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Dr...

YEAR END: My Best Books of 2023

December 30, 2023 08:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MB

We’re finally at the end of the road — the best books I’ve read in 2023. Here I discuss 10 books I read in the back half of the year and mix in the best from the first half. From self-help to Jesus allegories to nuclear apocalypse, you’ll find a little bit of everything here. Enjoy.  Books that made the list (*=appeared on one of the Halfway Point lists): Salt: A Global History The Blood of Heroes * East of Eden, by John Steinbeck The Pearl, by John Steinbeck QBQ: The Question Behind the Q...

YEAR END: My Most Thinky Books of 2023

December 28, 2023 08:00 - 35 minutes - 24.3 MB

Books that make you go “Hmmmm” are my favorite kind of books. Whether I’m challenging my current mode of thinking or simply investigating the other side of the argument, more information is almost always better than less. And if what I read can help me understand who I am and who I am trying to become, even help me get there a bit more efficiently, that’s a good use of my time and money. I shared this list with Heaven Citizens, my Facebook group, earlier this week. Some of it got through; so...

PARTIES: Social drinking. "The Birth of American Politics." Factiousness. Spyfall.

December 26, 2023 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.8 MB

It’s that time once again. Christmas, New Year’s Eve, the college football playoffs. Fun, food and fellowship in abundance. Truly, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” This week we’ll discuss the parties that get a bit too festive; political parties and whether they are really necessary; the party spirit that dominates far too many churches today; and a game we break out at parties that will leave you wondering where in the world you are. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd f...

YEAR END: My Most Surprising Books of 2023

December 20, 2023 08:00 - 27 minutes - 18.9 MB

These are the biggest surprises, mostly good ones, that I got in the second half of 2023. Since I’m going back and editing the livestream I shared with my Facebook group, Heaven Citizens, I get to make an important correction. One of the books on the list was not in front of me; in fact, I never actually bought it in the first place. And since I didn’t see it, I skipped over it. So if you actually counted down with me, you may have noticed there were only nine slots mentioned instead of ten....

SIGNS: Destroying the temple. "The Day the Sun Stood Still." Merging. Mille Bournes.

December 19, 2023 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MB

Signs are everywhere, from giant words in the sky to the fuzzy green stuff in your refrigerator. God gives you signs, too. Ignore them at your peril. This week we’ll cover the greatest sign Jesus ever performed and why people completely missed it; three authors’ ideas about how dense people can be in the presence of absolute proof; the road signs that bring out either the humility or the selfishness in all of us; and the longest 1,000-mile road trip in the history of gaming.  Hal Hammons s...

YEAR END: My Most Disappointing Books of 2023

December 15, 2023 08:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MB

Back in May, when I listed my best, most disappointing, most surprising and thinkiest books I had read to that point, I had no idea what I was in for. Since that time I have averaged a bit more than one book a day. That translates to, well, a lot of books. And they weren’t all winners. I was able to derive some benefit from everything I read. However, some of my choices did not deliver nearly as much as I had hoped. These are those books. Enjoy.  10. The Map that Changed the World, Simon Wi...

SIZE: David and Goliath. "War and Peace." The Dollar General theory. Rise of Augustus.

December 12, 2023 08:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MB

Is bigger always better? That depends on what we’re measuring, and how we are defining “big.” (Wait a minute. Am I talking about context again?) This week we’ll cover the real giant who fought in the valley of Elah; the biggest book I have ever read and whether it was worth the exercise carrying it to Florida; the “Dollar General theory” of churches and whether it has any merit; and the most expensive and frustrating air I’ve ever bought, and why I don’t regret it at all.  Hal Hammons serve...

GREATNESS, part 3: with Adam Shanks and Reagan McClenny

December 07, 2023 08:00 - 20 minutes - 14.1 MB

What does the next level of development look like in the cause of Christ? How do we know we are getting there and staying there? This is the topic in the last part of my conversation with Adam Shanks and Reagan McClenny. If I do say so myself, I thought their comments were pretty great. Find out more about my guests respectively at edenhollow.com and TimberlandChurch.org. Links are in the show notes.  Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Ge...

GREATNESS, part 2: with Adam Shanks and Reagan McClenny

December 06, 2023 08:00 - 28 minutes - 19.9 MB

 We’re back with more greatness from Adam Shanks and Reagan McClenny. In this segment of our conversation we discuss the book they both urged me to read, how they were right (of course), and how we can create some “atomic habits” in our walk with Jesus that will keep us on course and drive us toward greater success. Find out more about my guests  respectively at edenhollow.com and TimberlandChurch.org. Links are in the show notes.  Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoo...

GREATNESS: with Adam Shanks and Reagan McClenny

December 05, 2023 08:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MB

Are Adam Shanks and Reagan McClenny the greatest preachers I know? Let’s just say they are part of a big logjam at the top. So I brought them back this week to talk about what true greatness is, especially in God’s eyes. In part one of our conversation we discuss the one Jesus singled out for greatness and how he can be a model for us today. Find out more about my guests  respectively at edenhollow.com and TimberlandChurch.org.  Find out more about Adam Shanks and his work at edenhollow.com...

MAIL: Biblical letters. "The Postman Always Rings Twice." Junk mail. "Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig."

November 28, 2023 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MB

It’s Reading Month here on the podcast, and I’m taking you down to the mailbox this week to see what lessons we might find there.  We’ll discuss the “snail mail” that served the apostles so well in the First Century and that serves us still today – if we read it correctly; a murder scheme that has absolutely nothing to do with the postman or how many times he rings the bell; the blessings and burdens of the envelopes I usually never open at all; and the price I am willing to pay to preach th...

SCI-FI: The Biblical UFO. "Out of the Silent Planet." Proof of alien life. Mission: Red Planet.

November 21, 2023 08:00 - 18 minutes - 12.8 MB

We continue Reading Month with one of my least favorite genres. I’ll traverse the galaxy to find a good topic for the podcast if I have to. And this week I have to. We’ll cover what one Bible character did upon seeing a legitimate UFO; C.S. Lewis’s attempt to get us to find Jesus on a different planet; the “proof” of alien life and why no one seems to care very much; and my own “close encounter of the board-gaming kind.” Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive ch...

MY GILLIGAN'S ISLAND BOOK LIST

November 15, 2023 08:00 - 22 minutes - 15.6 MB

In part 3 of the “Books” episode, which aired earlier this month, I asked my guests, Edwin Crozier and Elizabeth Nowlin, to give me their list of books other than the Bible they would want to take with them if they were going to stay indefinitely on a desert island. If you haven’t checked it out, please do, along with the other two parts of the episode. Now it’s my turn. I shared my list live  with the Heaven Citizens Facebook group, and now I’m sharing it with you. Enjoy. Hal Hammons serv...

SATIRE: Isaiah's take on idols. "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." Weird Al. Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia.

November 14, 2023 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MB

“Reading Month” turns to Satire this week, defined as the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity. And the Bible is full of it. This week we will discuss the fun God’s prophets had at the expense of idolators; a different take (to say the least) on the Pride and Prejudice story; the madcap adventures of my favorite musical satirist; and how you turn dystopian lemons into your faction’s favorite flavor of lemonade. Hal Hammons serves as preac...

BOOKS, part 3: with Edwin Crozier and Elizabeth Nowlin

November 09, 2023 14:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MB

Instead of shoehorning a game into this segment, I’ve decided to make my own. It’s called “Gilligan’s Island,” and here’s how it works. You’re going to spend an indefinite period of time isolated from everything and everyone. You can take five books with you, other than the Bible. And for reasons I can’t get into now, the books can’t be about building boats, satellite dishes, or luxury getaway resorts. Which ones do you choose? Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Lord of the Rings by J....

BOOKS, part 2: with Edwin Crozier and Elizabeth Nowlin

November 08, 2023 08:00 - 34 minutes - 24 MB

This is part 2 of my conversation with Edwin Crozier and Elizabeth Nowlin. Edwin is the co-host of the Text Talk podcast and preaches for the Livingston Road church in Lutz, Florida. Elizabeth is a member at Livingston with Edwin, and she co-hosts the Book Fare podcast. Links are in the show notes. Here we discuss the character we build and/or reveal through the books we read.  Books mentioned on this segment of the podcast include: Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe The Great Gats...

BOOKS: with Edwin Crozier and Elizabeth Nowlin

November 07, 2023 08:00 - 33 minutes - 23.3 MB

This is the first part of my conversation with Edwin Crozier and Elizabeth Nowlin, as we kick off Reading Month. Edwin is the co-host of the Text Talk podcast; Elizabeth co-hosts the Book Fare podcast. They worship together at the Livingston Road church in the Tampa, Florida, area. Here we discuss the value of reading, beginning with the apostle Paul and continuing right to your bedside table. Books cited in the first segment include:  Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder Th...

ROBOTS: Subcontracting. "I, Robot." Old Glory Insurance. Aquasphere.

October 31, 2023 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MB

Are robots taking over? Probably. Are you in imminent danger? Probably not. How bad will it get? That remains to be seen. This week we will discuss how much of your life you should turn over to a machine; how just following directions poses problems for both robots and humans; whether you should trust a TV spokesperson to sell you robot insurance; and how to put tech to work fixing up your underwater habitat and/or your real life. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods...

TOP TEN STARTER BOARDGAMES

October 26, 2023 07:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MB

Recently I shared with the Heaven Citizens Facebook group my list of ten games I recommend if you are thinking about starting a game collection. Whether you’ve never played a game in your life, or if you think entertainment begins and ends with checkers, I think you’ll find some information that might make your days in Satan’s world a bit more manageable. The list includes: (extra) The Mind 10. Love Letter 9.  No Thanks 8. Werewords 7. Sushi Go! 6. Just One 5. Kingdomino 4. Machi Koro 2 3. ...

ZOMBIES: Men like trees walking. "World War Z." Sleep deprivation. Dead of Winter.

October 24, 2023 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MB

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I. Hate. Zombies. Don’t bring up the Walking Dead with me. Don’t tell me how the zombies in your show or movie are different. I don’t care. This week we will discuss the “walking dead” among the Lord’s apostles; the global impact (or lack thereof) in one particular zombie apocalypse; the zombies you face every Monday at the water cooler; and how to choose between dying and living to fight another day against the hordes of evil. Hal Hammons serves ...

WEREWOLVES: Nebuchadnezzar. "The Werewolf of Paris." Trick or treat. One Night Ultimate Werewolf.

October 16, 2023 21:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MB

The story of the werewolf is a metaphor for the battle of good and evil within all of us. Are you human, or are you an animal? You get to choose. This week we will discuss the closest thing to a werewolf the Bible has to offer; the original werewolf and his modern kinfolk; my own checkered history with Halloween and trick-or-treating; and a dark, stormy night full of werewolves that brought a smile to the face of all the Hammonses. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewo...

VAMPIRES: The leech. "Dracula." Vampiric preachers. Fury of Dracula.

October 10, 2023 07:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MB

Vampires are evil beings that find their sustenance by sucking the life force out of their unsuspecting victims. They are not fictitious. They are all too real. This week we will discuss the bloodsucking parasites that afflict us daily; the three sorts of victims vampires seek out and how you can avoid being two of them; vampiric preachers and the havoc they wreak on local churches; and a game I’ve never played that promotes an ethic I always promote. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and she...

TERROR, part 3: with Jared Bollman and Brian Haynes

October 05, 2023 07:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MB

This is the third and final installment of my conversation with Jared Bollman and Brian Haynes. Jared preaches for the Fifth Street church of Christ in Beaverton, Oregon, and hosts the Man Up podcast and the Biblically Speaking YouTube channel. Brian preaches for the Cornelius church of Christ in Hillsboro, Oregon. Together they host the Biblically Speaking podcast. Check ’em out. Today we focus on cartoony versions of evil things and how dangerous they are or are not.   Hal Hammons serves ...

TERROR, part 2: with Jared Bollman and Brian Haynes

October 04, 2023 07:00 - 28 minutes - 19.4 MB

Today we have more from my conversation with Jared Bollman and Brian Haynes from the Biblically Speaking podcast. Both men preach in western Oregon, the land of my birth — Jared in Beaverton, Brian in Hillsboro — so there’s an extra connection there. Here we discuss Frankenstein and the implications it has for people today who would try to build a bigger, better human according to their own plan instead of trusting in God’s plan.  Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewood...

TERROR: with Jason Bollman and Brian Haynes

October 03, 2023 07:00 - 23 minutes - 16.5 MB

We begin Monster Month on the podcast with a conversation about the fears that Satan’s world brings out in us, the sort of treatment we can expect from Satan and from God along the way, and how we can find faith to survive and thrive. My guests are the cohosts of the Biblically Speaking podcast, Jared Bollman and Brian Haynes. Make sure to check them out, as well as the Biblically Speaking YouTube channel.  Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ...

TOP TEN BIBLE VILLAINS

September 28, 2023 20:00 - 33 minutes - 23.3 MB

Today I’m sharing with you my list of my favorite bad guys from the Bible. I shared the list with my Facebook group, Heaven Citizens, and now I’m sharing it with you. Feel free to agree or disagree as you like. Enjoy. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive i...

TREES: The king of the trees. "The Magnolia Story." Strangler figs. Arboretum.

September 26, 2023 07:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MB

Autumn always makes me think of trees, with the changing of the colors. Of course, trees have been changing color in Texas for a couple of months, and autumn has nothing to do with it. This week we will discuss the surprising rise to the top of the king of the trees; Joanna Gaines’s horrible judgment in trees and why I forgive her; a tree with no trunk that is as beautiful as it is deadly; and the prettiest and meanest card game we own. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the L...

SWORDS: Plowshares. "1356." Damascus steel. Medieval Academy.

September 19, 2023 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MB

They say the pen is mightier than the sword. Me, I’ve never seen a pen that can cut a sword in half. Swords are powerful things; the more we know about them the better.  This week we will discuss the road from weapons of war to weapons of peace, and back again; a sword of myth and legend that may be too powerful to use; the cool stripy marks on really fancy swords and what it means for the church; and a cardboard sword I sacrificed for the good of the children. Hal Hammons serves as preach...

WHINING: Children of God. "Who Moved My Cheese?" Referees. Risk.

September 12, 2023 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.8 MB

This week’s episode is for all the football fans out there. If you are a friend and you think I’m talking about you, you’re probably right. Today we will discuss the kind of children who don’t whine, and why you should be one; a pair of mice and what they can teach us about the maze of life; the extreme unlikelihood of college football referees actually being bought and paid for; and how pitching a hissy fit can help you conquer the world. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for th...

ATHENS, part 3: with Phillip Martin and Brent Moody

September 07, 2023 07:00 - 29 minutes - 20.1 MB

It’s nice, if a bit intimidating, to be in the room with people smarter and better read than you. That’s how I felt in this week’s conversation with Phillip Martin and Brent Moody. We wrap up by discussing how to build a library. You may be surprised at some of the suggestions they make. Fewer books. Getting rid of Bible dictionaries and concordances. Nice words about the NIV. You’re going to want pen and paper nearby for this one. Links for some of the resources cited follow: Effective Bi...

ATHENS, part 2: with Phillip Martin and Brent Moody

September 06, 2023 07:00 - 29 minutes - 20.2 MB

Two good friends of mine help me cap off our five-week trip around the globe this week. Phillip Martin serves as preacher and shepherd for the Eastside church of Christ in Sharpsburg, Georgia. Check out his work at gospeldefender.com and tacticalpreacher.com. Brent Moody preaches for the Decker Prairie church of Christ in the suburban Houston area.  In the second part of our conversation, we discuss Paul’s short preaching visit to Athens, and the role education plays in our walk with Christ...

ATHENS: with Phillip Martin and Brent Moody

September 05, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes - 19 MB

Two good friends of mine help me cap off our five-week trip around the globe this week. Phillip Martin serves as preacher and shepherd for the Eastside church of Christ in Sharpsburg, Georgia. Check out his work at gospeldefender.com and tacticalpreacher.com. Brent Moody preaches for the Decker Prairie church of Christ in the suburban Houston area.  In the first part of our conversation, we discuss Paul’s short preaching visit to Athens, and the role education plays in our walk with Christ ...

SAN FRANCISCO: Lombard Street. "San Francisco is Burning." The Emperor of the United States. Embarcadero.

August 29, 2023 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MB

San Francisco is perhaps the most unique city in the United States, for better or for worse. Probably both. This week we will discuss the short and winding road, and how San Franciscans have turned it into a blessing instead of a problem; the disaster of 1906 and how humans’ best efforts made it far, far worse; Norton I, emperor of the United States, and his relationship with his subjects; and the bigger business you can build by sinking your existing business into San Francisco Bay.  Hal ...

Books

A Christmas Carol
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