Only until Saturday. Ebook.
Rome, A.D. 64. A Roman warrior and his Jewish servant are ordered by the evil emperor Nero to track down a secret Christian document that undermines the Roman empire and predicts the end of the world. But they’re not prepared for the spiritual warfare they’ve unleashed. The truth behind the origin of the most controversial book of the Bible: Revelation. A historical conspiracy thriller with angels and demons.
I was just on the podcast Church and Other Drugs.
It was a very good in depth talk about the addiction to End Times speculation and my new novel Resistant.
We talked about Josephus, the Beast & The Harlot, mystery Babylon, Daniel, and exactly what DOES the bible have to say about the end of days?
Check it out online here: PlayerFM
Or check it out on iTunes here.
Mark Joseph’s fascinating third book in a trilogy about the difficult and oftentimes damaging relationship of Christian musicians with the worlds of mainstream secular music and Christian music.
I’m a friend and colleague of Mark Joseph, so when he asked me to read his book and give an honest review, I was a bit worried. I’m always worried in these cases because I face a potential conflict: If the book is good, no problem. If the book is bad (or worse, boring), I won’t lie and say it’s good. I owe that to God, the writer, and the public. But if that’s the case, then I worry about my relationship with my friend whose book I’ve just trashed.
So I just pray that it’s good and hope that they prefer honesty to boot-licking.
Whew. Rock Gets Religionis not only good, it’s excellent. It’s a well told tale, or rather an episodic series of entertaining tales about some of the most popular musicians in mainstream music and their struggles with integrating their Christian faith or background into their music.
We’re talking the likes of Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Lacrae, Chance the Rapper, Megadeath’s Dave Mustaine, Kendrick Lamar, Avril Lavigne, Kay Perry, Miley Cyrus and others.
That’s right, fascinating details about the spiritual journeys of some who I never realized were Christians, and others who have, shall we say, somewhat altered their beliefs after becoming famous.
But there are also many insightful stories about so-called cross-over artists who were able to bridge the gap into the mainstream with their music despite their explicit “Christian” expression: Mercy Me, Switchfoot, Stacie Orrico, Evanescence, Mumford & Sons, The Fray and others.
Full disclosure, I was raised on the original Christian Rock of the 1970s and early 80s: Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, DeGarmo and Key, Stryper, Daniel Amos, Steve Taylor. But I lost interest in that world in the 90s and have not kept up with any Christian music beyond the popular worship songs that show up at my church. I saw some of the changes going on but I just haven’t cared much about it. Not for any spiritual reason. I just changed in my musical interests.
But what I found fascinating about Rock Gets Religionwas how author Joseph chronicles the very important philosophical/religious/moral struggle that artists go through in bridging those worlds of faith and music.
Sure, he addresses the moral fall that so often accompanies the consequences of success within the mainstream world of secular entertainment. And the all-too-common loss of faith exhibited be some of those very artists listed above.
But more importantly, this book wrestles with the philosophical struggle of what it means to integrate your Christian faith into your art, without being compromising or propagandistic. Every Christian artist knows this struggle.
One quote sums up the insightful exploration of this generational struggle well: Continue reading
I was on Parker’s Comparables, a podcast that engages differing interpretations of the Bible. Hosted by the wonderful hostess Parker J. Cole.
This one was on the book of Revelation. Are the prophecies of Revelation for our future or were they for the first century?
Then we focused on: Who is the Harlot that rides the Beast of Revelation?
Is she a symbol for modern America, as Doug Woodward believes?
Or is she a symbol for the first-century apostate Jewish priesthood as I argue for?
The discussion is mostly friendly until Doug breaks civility at one point and slanders me with a false ad hominem, an attack on the person instead of the idea or argument. But I called him out on it. I turned the tables on him, and then we got back to civility. Eschatology can get exciting! 🙂
I am telling you, this debate is an excellent example of why it is important to stick to Scripture rather than speculations when you want to understand prophecy.
I just released the third novel of my series Chronicles of the Apocalypse, that actually show you how the Harlot and the Beast play out in the first century.
Click on the picture above if you want to check out my new novel release.
Careful. You are entering the DEEEEEEEP zone here. If you don’t like thinking, then pass this by.
I was a cohost on this Peeranormal podcast with Michael Heiser and other cohosts, including a theoretical physicist. ( Mike Heiser, Trey Stricklin, Doug Overmyer, Natalie Howdeshell, Doug Van Dorn, Brian Godawa – along with our very distinguished guest, Putty Putman)
This episode launches a series on quantum mechanics and its presumed relationship to metaphysical ideas, religion, theology, and the paranormal. During the series we’ll be joined by Dr. Rob (“Putty”) Putman, who holds a PhD in theoretical quantum physics, but now pastors a church in Illinois. In this first episode, we survey the history of quantum mechanics and talk about how some of the important ideas are used to make metaphysical statements about all of reality—statements that are inherently theological and religious. Are such statements accurate? What can we really say about the nature of reality and God on the basis of quantum physics?
Book 3 in the series. A.D. 67. Nero’s Roman armies plunder the land of Israel. Christian doctor Alexander and his wife Cassandra return to Jerusalem to help the sick, wounded and orphans of war. The Two Witnesses begin their proclamation of God’s judgment as the Roman abomination of desolation approaches the holy city.
The Trumpets are sounding, the Seals are breaking, the Bowls are poured out.
Historically accurate, theologically provocative, action and romance, spiritual warfare.
Here are some Advance Readers’ responses about the series after reading Resistant:
“From the beginning, to the end, The Chronicles of the Apocalypse brings the hard-to-read parts of Revelation to life in a way not seen before.”
Jeremy Eng
“Brian Godawa’s Chronicles of the Apocalypse series is a binge worthy, fast-paced exhilarating thriller of what happened historically and in the unseen realm of AD 67 Jerusalem. Fantastic work!”
Kwame Antwi-Boasiako
“Brian Godawa’s Chronicles of the Apocalypse, is a highly entertaining series that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you experience the spiritual warfare in the earthly and spiritual realms that may have caused the events leading up to and including fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in 70AD.
Mark Gerger
“Once again Brian has weaved his excellent storytelling and in-depth research into the best documented and most enjoyable historical biblical fiction I have ever read.”
Jeff Hopper
Jerusalem, AD 67. The trumpets sound. The seals break. The bowls poured out…
Okay, I admit the headline is provocative and hyperbolic (just like Bible prophecy). I was only joking, Doug.
Actually, It was a VERY friendly discussion more than a debate. And it was more about discussing how the two viewpoints may differ rather than fighting out for who is right and who is wrong.
In fact, in light of the lack of civility today, I’d say this would be for people who want a more fair and open dialogue instead of everyone accusing everyone else of heresy.
Douglas Woodward took the more futurist position and Brian Godawa took the partial preterist position on the VERY FIRST PODCAST OF…
Parker’s Comparables! Parker is a friend and smart cookie podcaster. I think she’s onto something here.
You can watch it here.
This is an un-retouched screen grab of Amazon’s Top 10 in Biblical Fiction.
7 out of 10 are Godawa’s Chronicles of the Nephilim or Chronicles of the Apocalypse.
The facts speak volumes for themselves.
Don’t you want to know why?
They’re fantastical, supernatural, theological, imaginative and very Biblical.
And readers are consuming the Chronicles with ravenous spiritual hunger.
Brian Godawa is a Christian and respected biblical author. The Chronicles deal with an amazing biblical storyline missed or ignored by many Christians: The War of the Seed. That’s the Seed of the Woman vs. the Seed of the Serpent. The supernatural story of Christ’s victory over the powers.
Here is what Bible scholar Michael Heiser says about the Nephilim Chronicles:
“A stirring tale of gods and men that confronts us with biblical reality through mythical fantasy. Noah Primeval is what Tolkien called “sanctifying myth” that we need in our own place and time.”
– Michael S. Heiser, PhD, Hebrew and Semitic Languages
Academic Editor, Logos Bible Software
Take a look at the books here at Amazon
Get the Best-selling first book, Noah Primeval for only 99¢ here.
The true story of the apostle Paul’s last year of life before martyrdom in Rome. Luke the physician visits him as Christians in Rome struggle with secrecy and survival in the midst of great persecution.
I recorded a podcast on the movie with Nate Sala’s A Clear Lens here.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have my notebook with me when I saw the movie. And I don’t have time right now to detail everything, but we touched on everything in the podcast.
I wanted to write this for the headline: This persecution of Christians is what we have to fear coming true again, NOT the ridiculous delusion of The Handmaid’s Tale that will never happen.
This is a must-see film for Christian believers. Well-written and well-acted profound wrestling with the issues of persecution and retribution, violence and non-violence, in the context of the Neronic persecution of the first century.
Realistically biblical dialogue that captures the language of the Pauline epistles and makes it come alive in a way that I have not seen done before. Paul’s most theologically rich phrases, like, “to live is Christ, to die is gain,” and “Christ in me,” etc. are woven into the dialogue in a way that are satisfyingly realistic and illuminating. It gives flesh to abstract theological concepts.
This is not a feel-good movie. This is a profound spiritual exploration of suffering. Its theme is about finding the victory of faith in Christ in the midst of suffering and persecution; an ironic paradox that unbelievers cannot grasp, and even most believers have a hard time living out. That’s why this story is so valuable.
It is a low budget movie, and though it deals with the Neronic persecution, we don’t get to see the full brutality of the arena, which would have hit home the visceral depth of evil done against Christians. But it does a great job of capturing the internal and spiritual struggles faced by those under assault, and how faith in Christ carries one through to the end.
Paul: Apostle of Christ is an excellent example of how Christians can make better movies with better quality and integrity. Support it, so we’ll get more of them.
To get the big picture of the first century suffering of the early church, you can read the novel Tyrant: Rise of the Beast, which chronicles the details of Nero’s persecution of the Christians in a way that speaks the Gospel to Power. It’s the big budget version I wished these filmmakers would have been able to afford.
