Why They Did That
27 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 317 ratingsThe Bible can seem boring, but not if you ask the right questions. Why They Did That explores the motivations of biblical characters and how their choices can guide yours.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Why Does God Kill?
September 18, 2020 22:59 - 49 minutes - 67.9 MB“Thou Shalt Not Kill” is a very straightforward commandment - but does God follow it himself? The Old Testament has a number of accounts where it seems as though God acts harshly - and out of anger. Is this so? Join Dean and Dr. Wolfgang Stefani as they tackle perhaps the harshest of all Old Testament Casualties - The Death of Uzzah.
Jesus In The Mosque
August 28, 2020 07:00 - 55 minutes - 76.8 MBAdam Patel, our guest that brought us this Season’s “Losing Your Fire” episode, is back with a testimony of biblical proportions. Join him and Dean as they head back in time to recall the incredible lengths that God went to add flame to this candle.
Quarantine Mini-Series // The Son That Stayed - EP4 w/Narlon Edwards
April 18, 2020 01:00 - 6 minutes - 6.2 MBOur Quarantine Series continues with Narlon Edwards bringing the testimony of Paul's protege Timothy to light.
Quarantine Mini-Series // The Teacher's Pet - EP3 w/Gem Castor
April 10, 2020 07:00 - 3 minutes - 3.41 MBDid Jesus have favorites? Was it Peter? James? John "The Beloved"? Did this great Rabbi have a teacher's pet? Join Gem Castor as we look at one of Jesus' closest friends, and how the relationship they share is available to us too.
Quarantine Mini-Series // The Mysterious Naked Man - EP2 w/Adam Patel
April 03, 2020 07:00 - 4 minutes - 4 MBAdam Patel uncovers the identity of the Mysterious Naked Man, and it might just shock you to find out who it is... Watch this episode on our YouTube channel as well!
Quarantine Mini-Series // A Son Of Encouragement - EP1 w/Dee Casper
March 27, 2020 07:00 - 3 minutes - 4.89 MBJoin Dee Casper as he kicks off our Quarantine Series with a fascinating tale about the lives of Barnabas and John-Mark. Watch this episode on our YouTube channel as well!
What My Father Taught Me
March 13, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutes - 57.9 MBIn this episode, Dean is joined by a returning guest, Narlon Edwards, as they discuss what it means to be a true man through the story of Solomon. It is commonly known that Solomon was the wisest man to ever live, but there is more to the story of his world renown wisdom than meets the eye. Join Dean and Narlon and they seek to find biblical answers to the questions and desires intrinsic to a man’s heart.
Anything But That
February 28, 2020 08:00 - 51 minutes - 71.4 MBIn this episode, Dean is joined by Pastor Jeff Walper as they discuss the mutual calling they have as pastors with that of Jeremiah. Dean and Jeff find themselves strongly resonating with many of the emotions Jeremiah seemed to struggle with—the common insecurities and doubt that seems to paralyze us. Whether or not God has called you to pastoral ministry or another ministry avenue, the principle still applies: God ordained you for a calling and a purpose from before you existed. He intends t...
Train Up A Queen
February 14, 2020 08:00 - 53 minutes - 73.3 MBWhat does it mean to be the representative of God to a child? How can we earn our teen’s respect and friendship? We have thousands of books on the shelves, experts on every talk show, courses with personal consultants —everyone seems to know how to parent. What does the Bible say about this topic? In this episode, Dean is joined by Melanie Quion, a wife and mother who has found golden nuggets of biblical parenting truths in the story of Esther.
When Left Is Right
January 31, 2020 08:00 - 36 minutes - 50 MBIn this episode, Dean is joined by Adam Ramdin as they delve into the curious story of Ehud. The bible specifically mentions the fact that Ehud is left handed—a detail that is not often included in bible stories. So... why? Perhaps to show us that God can use anyone, and that our perceived limitations and obstacles are often some of His most valued assets. God used Ehud, a man of apparent defect and disadvantage, to deliver His people from captivity. Unlike Ehud, many of us let our service fo...
When God Doesn't Make Sense
January 17, 2020 08:00 - 32 minutes - 45.2 MBIn this episode of the Why They Did That Podcast, Gem Castor take us on a faith trip. “What do you do when God doesn’t make sense?”
Losing Your Fire
January 03, 2020 20:00 - 39 minutes - 54.5 MBIn this episode, Adam Patel invites you to follow David through a journey of trial and apparent defeat. For what seems like an eternity, David had been running from Saul—not in a game of hide-and-seek, but for the preservation of his very life. Now completely exhausted and worn beyond what he has ever experienced, David runs toward the people, the very enemies He had once boldly slain for the honor, glory, and vindication of God. David—like many of us—had one foot in, one foot out; but the m...
Running From God
November 15, 2019 14:00 - 40 minutes - 55.9 MBIn this episode, Pastor Doug Batchelor expounds on a biblical narrative more commonly recognized as a children’s story. However, this plot twisting and persistently convicting story is not only the recounting of a human much like ourselves—self-assured, “wiser than God Himself, as it were—but also one of God’s persistent pursuit of His child’s heart. So, to quote Pastor Batchelor, “what do you do when God asks you to do something that, quite frankly, you’d rather not?” Episode Spons...
A Brief Announcement
March 15, 2019 07:09 - 2 minutes - 3.91 MBHey everyone! We’ve got some exciting new that we wanted to let you––our listeners––know about first. You could be a part of shaping the future of Why They Did That! Listen to this short announcement for more details.
Season 1 Finale: Why We Did This
February 08, 2019 10:13 - 28 minutes - 39.5 MBDean is joined by Why They Did That producer, Christian Freed. Together they head back to March 2018 to share with you just where the idea for this podcast came from, how they came up with the name, what inspired them to create content based around Bible characters––in other words, all the details on starting the show. Thanks for joining us on this incredible journey. Keep an eye out for our Kickstarter campaign so that Season 2 can become a reality!
Duty or Devotion?
January 25, 2019 09:39 - 47 minutes - 64.7 MBIn the penultimate episode of Season 1, Dean is joined by Amy Ratsara, a lawyer from Michigan that simply loves the story of Martha. Martha is often relegated to a background character — someone whose life is juxtaposed to that of Mary’s and her intimate devotion to Christ. However, Jesus didn’t see Martha as “an extra” — their friendship is expounded on through the narrative of her brother Lazarus’ death, and while Jesus shows up to call Lazarus from the grave, He also shows up to reach out ...
Will God Ever Leave Me?
January 11, 2019 11:34 - 40 minutes - 55.6 MBJacob is the product of a very dysfunctional family; his parents — although both believers — have vastly different opinions on how to go about being followers of God, and this lands their son Jacob in a lot of hot water, resulting in him cheating his father and stealing his brother’s blessing. Dean is joined by Mark Quion in this episode, where they look at the results of living out your parents’ religion without ever making God your own. How far can you go before enough is enough and a final...
The Season to Reason
December 21, 2018 09:53 - 15 minutes - 20.8 MBJoin Dean in this special Christmas Episode as he looks at the tale of the Magi that visited Baby Jesus on that momentous day. How did they know where–and more importantly-when to find Him? Did their famous gifts have more significance than we may have realized? And which Old Testament prophet reluctantly played a part in this world-changing event? Learn of all this and more in this special Christmas episode.
The Audience of One
December 07, 2018 08:01 - 45 minutes - 62.5 MBYou’ve heard the story of Joseph numerous times already, but have you ever heard it like this? Forget the dreams, the technicolor dream-coat and the prison. Let’s get to the part of the story where the struggle is the most relatable: Potiphar’s House. How do you resist temptation when no one is watching? How do you get to the point where you’d rather die than sin? How can you truly live your life for the audience of One? In this episode Dean is joined by Charlene Coutet, and together they pee...
Depression’s Cave
November 23, 2018 10:03 - 41 minutes - 57.6 MBElijah was used by God in mighty ways. He called a three and a half year drought, rained fire down from heaven, and spoke weighted words of rebuke to the entire Israelite nation. Yet, Elijah fled from the threats of Jezebel and eventually found himself in a place where suicidal thoughts plagued him, and he wanted nothing more than for God to take his life. In this episode, Dean is joined by Pastor Don Mackintosh, Chaplain of the Depression and Anxiety recovery program at Weimar Institute. Tog...
The Voice of Blood
November 09, 2018 08:01 - 39 minutes - 56.4 MBBlood speaks—whether it be the spilt blood of martyrs throughout the ages or the blood of Jesus Christ offered on Calvary’s cross. In this episode, Dean is joined by church historian Dojcin Zivadinovic, as they delve into the blood-stained life of Cain. Raised with a literal God-complex, the first son of Adam & Eve offers us a picture of just how far sin can take a man.
Preaching from the Grave
October 26, 2018 07:18 - 48 minutes - 66.5 MBIn our first ever “testimony” episode, we’re invited to step back in time to April 1994 as Dr. Phodidas Ndamyumugabe walks us through his miraculous survival of the Rwandan Genocide. In what may be the most amazing testimony you’ll ever hear, Phodidas recounts the incredible miracles he witnessed as God stepped in to save his life on numerous occasions – even as he dug his own grave!
The Telescope of Tears
October 12, 2018 07:01 - 35 minutes - 49.9 MBHave you ever wondered why Job treats his second set of daughters better than his first? Most people haven’t. In this episode, Karl & Dean look at how suffering can be used as a powerful tool to instigate change in your life and in the lives of others! So listen in and join Job, as he looks through The Telescope of Tears.
Heart Music
September 28, 2018 07:01 - 42 minutes - 59.8 MBAside from God Himself, no one is mentioned more in the Bible than David. Whether shepherd boy or leader of a nation, one thing remained constant – his love for music. Psalm after psalm after psalm, showing us a man, who throughout his entire life, turns to music as an outlet to express his relationship with God. In this episode, we explore the relationship between David and Saul, and what separated the the son of Jesse from so many other musicians.
The Power of Influence
September 14, 2018 05:55 - 42 minutes - 58.9 MBWhat impact is your life having on others? How are you influencing your friends? Maybe a better question is this: how are your friends influencing you? In this episode, we dive into the story of Daniel and whether or not Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah will stand for their God, or just for their friend.
Why Do Good People Suffer?
August 31, 2018 00:53 - 40 minutes - 57.6 MBHave you ever wondered why there’s so much suffering in the world, especially if there is a seemingly benevolent, all-powerful God that watches over us all? Karl & Dean take the story of Job—a man who’s sufferings were extensive to say the least—and peer behind the curtain into the great cosmic conflict in search of answers.