In this episode of The PRODCAST, we return at last to the book of Revelation—moving beyond chapter 1 and into the first of the seven churches: Ephesus.After establishing that Revelation is not a futuristic end-of-the-world prediction, but a first-century covenantal judgment on the Jewish Old Covenant world, we now watch that theology land in a real city, under real pressure, with real consequences for real Christians.Ephesus was the nerve center of Asia Minor—economically powerful, religiously saturated, and socially unforgiving. It was a city governed by fear, profit, ritual, and reputation. Artemis ruled its imagination. Rome enforced its order. The synagogue wielded legal and social leverage. And the church lived at the collision point of all three.Jesus’ letter to Ephesus (Revelation 2:1–7) is not abstract theology. It is judgment and comfort spoken into a hostile environment where faithfulness was costly, vigilance was necessary, and endurance slowly drained joy.This episode explores:Why Ephesus is addressed firstHow pagan religion, imperial power, and Jewish opposition convergedWhy the Nicolaitans were more dangerous than persecutionHow faithfulness can survive while love quietly thinsWhy Jesus rebukes a church that is orthodox, discerning, and enduringWhat it means to leave your first love without abandoning truthWhy Christ threatens not persecution—but lampstand removalHow covenant judgment on Jerusalem (AD 70) changes everythingWhy the church’s goal was never mere survival—but burning loveThis is a warning for churches under pressure—and a promise for those who overcome.Episode StructureIntroduction – Why Revelation must be read covenantallyPart 1 – The City of EphesusPart 2 – The Religion of Ephesus (Artemis, fear, and power)Part 3 – The Nicolaitans and theological accommodationPart 4 – The hidden cost of faithfulnessPart 5 – Reading Revelation 2:1–7 in full contextPart 6 – Jewish opposition, Roman leverage, and covenant judgmentPart 7 – Christ’s rebuke: losing love without losing truthConclusion – Survival vs. joy, endurance vs. delight, warning vs. hopeScripture FocusRevelation 2:1–7Deuteronomy 28Leviticus 26Acts 19Matthew 241 Thessalonians 2:14–16(All Scripture quotations from NASB 1995)Support the ShowIf this episode helped you:SubscribeShareLeave a commentBecome a memberYour support makes this work possible.Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD_3vCL8AM6U3sJIAzq9vnA/joinThanks for listening.See you next time on The PRODCAST.

In this conversation, Kendall Lankford sits down with Matthew Everhard to talk honestly about fear, courage, and the state of the modern church. Drawing from Matthew’s book Bold as a Lion, the two reflect on how recent cultural crises—especially COVID—exposed a deep failure of nerve among many Christian leaders. Rather than speaking in abstractions, they dig into what fear actually looks like in real life, how it quietly governs decisions, and why cowardice has become so respectable in the church.

Matthew presses the point that courage is not a personality trait reserved for a few bold men, but a Christian obligation rooted in the promises of God. They discuss the fear of man, the fear of death, the role of pastors in setting the emotional and spiritual temperature of a congregation, and how bad theology often produces timid Christians. The conversation closes with practical wisdom on identifying your fears, confronting them honestly, and learning to live with settled confidence in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is a bracing, clarifying conversation—especially for pastors, fathers, and men who want to lead faithfully in an age that rewards fear and punishes conviction.

Key Takeaways

• Fear touches every human being, but it should not rule the Christian life

• Bold as a Lion takes its title from Proverbs 28:1

• The COVID era revealed how much fear had already taken root in church leadership

• Christians, of all people, should be least afraid of death

• Cowardice is not merely unfortunate—it is spiritually dangerous

• Pastors must deal honestly with the fear of man if they want to lead well

• Cultural pressures often shape the church more than Scripture

• You cannot fight fear until you identify what you’re actually afraid of

• The gospel doesn’t just comfort us—it emboldens us

• Courage grows through obedience, clarity, and dependence on God

Quotes from the Episode

“Boldness is contagious—and it has to be led.”
“The Spirit of the Lord came upon him.”
“We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.”

Chapters

00:00 – Why courage matters
01:55 – The heart behind Bold as a Lion
03:30 – COVID and the collapse of pastoral nerve
06:36 – Luther, history, and fearless faith
10:16 – Why pastors must lead with courage
12:45 – The fear of man in ministry
15:22 – Cultural pressure and Christian compromise
20:52 – Eschatology and bravery
24:11 – Thinking like victors, not victims
28:19 – Different kinds of fear
30:42 – Naming and confronting fear
34:37 – How the gospel breaks fear’s power
38:46 – Practical steps toward courage
42:11 – Courage in everyday Christian living
47:48 – Standing firm in a fearful world

Keywords

fear, courage, Christian leadership, pastors, boldness, COVID-19, church, fear of man, gospel courage, living faithfully

Why Zionism Breaks Christian TheologyThis is the final episode in our four-part series on supersessionism—what Scripture actually teaches about Israel, the Church, and the covenantal finality of Jesus Christ.This episode assumes the groundwork laid in Parts 1–3, where we traced the biblical storyline from promise to fulfillment, worked carefully through Romans 9–11, identified Paul’s remnant as historical and first-century, and showed that the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 was a covenantal verdict from God—not a tragic accident of history.Rather than introducing new proof texts, this episode follows Zionism to its logical and theological end.What This Episode CoversIn this episode, we show that Zionism is not a harmless eschatological disagreement. Once introduced into Christian theology, it becomes a structural error that forces every other doctrine to bend in order to survive.Doctrine by doctrine, we examine the consequences:* How Zionism alters theology at the root by introducing covenant standing apart from Christ* Why it forces Scripture to speak in two voices—promise and postponement* How it undermines the finality and exclusivity of Christ’s finished work* Why it fractures the doctrine of God by requiring dual covenant programs* How it compromises the gospel by introducing ethnic exception clauses* Why it detonates covenant theology and the unity of redemptive history* How it fractures ecclesiology and turns the Church into a partial project* Why it renders the sacraments incoherent* How it poisons pastoral ministry by dulling repentance and evangelism* Why it ultimately denies God’s public covenant verdict in historyCore ThesisZionism does not preserve Christian theology.
It breaks it.By insisting that ethnic Israel retains covenant standing apart from explicit faith in Jesus Christ, Zionism requires Christianity to operate on two covenant logics—something the New Testament does not allow.Why This Is the Final EpisodeThere is nowhere else to go.Once the consequences are traced, the conclusion becomes unavoidable:
Jesus Christ is God’s final covenant with the world. Everything before Him pointed to Him. Everything beside Him has been judged. Nothing outside of Him still stands.This episode is not an attack on Jewish people.
It is a defense of Jesus Christ.Recommended Listening Order* Part 1 — The Biblical Framework* Part 2 — Romans 9–11 Explained* Part 3 — Covenant, Fulfillment, and AD 70* Part 4 — The Final Consequence (This Episode)If this series has been helpful, please share it, subscribe, and consider supporting the work so this kind of long-form biblical teaching can continue.