Naughty vs Nice: A Christian Podcast

45: Easter According to Isaiah: The Messiah Nobody Wanted

In Part 1 of this two-part Easter series, we take a deep dive into the crucifixion of Jesus—not through the Gospels, but through the prophetic lens of Isaiah 53. Written over 700 years before Christ, this chapter unfolds the suffering servantnarrative with uncanny precision, describing the Messiah’s rejection, punishment, and ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Join us as we unpack the historical context, Hebrew grammar, and theological depth of this Old Testament prophecy and show how Isaiah 53 wasn’t just a prediction—it was the blueprint for the crucifixion.
Was Jesus really “stricken by God”? What does it mean that He “bore our griefs” and was “crushed for our iniquities”? And why does this chapter shake the foundations of modern feel-good Christianity?
This episode is gritty, raw, and powerful—perfect for anyone wanting to understand the cross from the perspective of ancient prophecy and eternal purpose.

44: Faith vs. Works? Or Faith That Works? Paul, James, and the Gospel We Forgot

Romans 8:28 Isn’t a Magic Spell, and James 2 Isn’t Legalism
Think Romans 8:28 means everything in your life is going to feel good and make sense? Think James 2 teaches a works-based salvation? Yeah... no. In this episode of Naughty vs Nice: A Christian Podcast, Todd and Laura take a deep dive into two of the most misunderstood (and misquoted) passages in the Bible—Romans 8:28 and James 2.
We’re breaking down the grammatical structure, historical background, and cultural context behind Paul’s and James’ words to reveal what these verses actually mean—and spoiler alert: it’s way deeper (and more challenging) than the coffee mug version.
Whether you're trying to make sense of suffering or wrestling with the faith-vs-works debate, this episode will help you see scripture with clarity, depth, and a little sarcasm. Expect theology, word nerd moments, a few rants, and a lot of truth bombs.

43: Lost in Translation: How Grammar Changes Everything

What if a single Greek preposition could shake the foundations of the medieval Church? In this episode of Naughty vs Nice: A Christian Podcast, Todd and Laura dive deep into how reading Scripture grammatically accurate—yes, down to the tenses, cases, and conjunctions—was enough to send Martin Luther storming toward Wittenberg with a hammer and 95 reasons the Church had gone rogue.
We unpack the shocking impact of Romans 1:17 and that pivotal phrase "the just shall live by faith." Luther didn’t just skim it—he studied the original Greek and realized the Latin Vulgate had been selling a different gospel. This revelation about justification by faith alone wasn’t just theological—it was grammatical. And it launched the Protestant Reformation.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why grammatical accuracy in Bible study isn't nerdy—it's revolutionary
The difference between the Greek and Latin renderings of Romans 1:17
How one man’s obsession with Scripture’s original language changed history
Why modern believers should care about biblical grammar in a post-Reformation world
If you’ve ever been told “just read the Bible,” but want to know how to read it well—this one’s for you.

42: Unpacking Modern Christianity: Israel, the Church, and the Creeping Occult

In this eye-opening episode of Naughty vs Nice: A Christian Podcast, Todd and Laura take on the big theological questions many Christians are afraid to ask. How do occult ideas subtly slip into modern dispensational teaching? Why is there so much confusion about whether the Church replaces Israel—or if it even should? And why does dispensationalism insist on a future restoration of national Israel?
We also tackle the concept of the "Church Age"—are we in it, and what does that even mean? Plus, the big one: Did Jesus come to set up an earthly kingdom... and if so, did He fail?
This episode pulls no punches as we examine where these ideas came from, how they impact our understanding of Scripture today, and what the Bible actually teaches when you take off the modern lenses. Whether you’re wrestling with end-times timelines, confused by Christian Zionism, or just trying to sort out the mess of eschatology, this one’s for you.

41: Not Written to Us? Rethinking Scripture, Culture, and the Cross

🎙️ Not Written to Us? Rethinking Scripture, Culture, and the Cross
What if the Bible wasn’t written to you—but for you?
In this episode of Naughty vs. Nice, Todd and Laura dig into the often-overlooked reality that scripture came through a specific people, in a specific culture, with a specific language. And that matters. Because when we ignore the original lens God chose, we risk distorting the message He revealed.
From personal testimony to theological insight, we explore:
Why understanding the cultural context of Israel is essential to understanding scripture
How Todd’s journey through art school, false spirituality, and even the occult shapes his hunger for biblical truth
What Colossians 2 really means when it says Jesus disarmed the powers of darkness—and why that changes everything about Easter
This isn’t your average biblical reflection.This is where real-life mess meets redemptive clarity, and where the gospel shatters both religion and rebellion.

40: Spoiler: The covenant was for the whole world

If your understanding of the Kingdom of God involves waiting for a golden city to drop from the sky while the world burns... we need to talk. Dispensationalism has shaped modern end times theology with a version of God’s Kingdom that’s always “later”—after the rapture, after the tribulation, after the prophecy charts and dispensational timelinesfinish doing their thing.
But Jesus had a radically different message: “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” Present tense. Right now. In this episode, we unpack how dispensational theology misses the entire point of the biblical Kingdom of Heaven—how it splits what Jesus already inaugurated from what He will one day fulfill, and how that flawed theology impacts how we live, love, and engage the world today.
Spoiler alert: the Kingdom isn’t on pause. It’s not postponed until the apocalypse. The Kingdom of God is already breaking in—here on earth, in real time, and it’s calling us to live like it matters.

39: How Dispensationalism Flattened the Bible

So there I was—sitting with my Bible, a bad cup of coffee, and decades of churchy baggage—when it hit me: Wait a second… the New Testament isn’t just a prophetic decoding ring or a survival guide for the end times. It’s a manual for how to live in the Kingdom of Heaven—right now.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into Dispensationalism—its history, how it shaped modern evangelical theology, and why it completely misses the point of God’s Kingdom. From John Nelson Darby and the Scofield Reference Bibleto Left Behind theology and the obsession with the rapture, we’re unpacking how this framework derailed the church’s understanding of the gospel, covenant, and eternity.
This is also the story of my aha moment—realizing that Jesus didn’t come to give us a heavenly escape plan. He came to launch the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, and invite us to live in it now. Not after some future dispensation. Not after a tribulation timeline. Now.
If you’ve ever wondered, “What does the New Testament really say about the Kingdom of God?” or “Is the rapture even biblical?”—this episode is for you. It's time to rediscover the radical, world-shaking truth that the Kingdom of God starts now and continues into eternity.

38: Preparing for the Fire: Suggestions for Leadership

Walking Through the Fire: Equipping Church Leaders to Support the Divorced
Divorce is messy, painful, and all too common—even within the church. But is church leadership truly equipped to walk people through it with wisdom, grace, and biblical truth? Many pastors and ministry leaders feel unprepared when faced with divorce in their congregation, often resorting to either avoidance or rigid legalism. In this episode of Naughty vs Nice: A Christian Podcast, we dive into how church leadership can better prepare, educate, and equip themselves to minister to those experiencing divorce.
We’ll cover:🔥 Biblical foundations—What does scripture actually say about divorce and remarriage?🔥 Common missteps—Where churches unintentionally fail in supporting the divorced🔥 Practical training—How pastors and leaders can educate themselves for real-life ministry situations🔥 Creating a culture of healing—Fostering a church environment that offers truth and restoration, not shame and exile🔥 Resources for leadership—Books, counseling approaches, and strategies to provide informed, compassionate guidance
If you're a pastor, elder, or ministry leader (or just someone who wants to see the church do better in this area), this episode is for you. Let’s stop stumbling through divorce care and start leading with wisdom and Christ-like love.
🎧 Listen now! And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help others strengthen their ministry!