Nathan Finocchio is a Canadian-born theologian, author, and teaching pastor. He s the founder of Theo, Theosu, and Theoseminary institutions dedicated to providing an accessible, theologically sound biblical education. His latest book, 30 Day Shred is a devotional reading for the entire Bible in a month.
00:01:33.000And also, give me cues, cos otherwise I, like, sort of, like, yo, Russell, and just chat to me, like, normally, cos otherwise I'm, like, I feel like I'm...
00:02:54.000Theosu, because there's so many conversations about semantics at the moment, and it's only really mouth noises, but mouth noises could be an expression of the Holy Spirit.
00:03:35.000We've accrued so much success reaching people that otherwise might not have the benefit of learning the deep truths that are available to us in the Holy Book.
00:03:45.000But before we get into it, I've still got a bit more of the introduction.
00:03:47.000This is still the introduction phase, Nathan.
00:05:03.000So why do you think it's sort of satanic and satanine?
00:05:08.000But reading in a month, I'd have to do, but I'm just going to use maths here, I'd have to do 12 times as much reading per day, and I'd have to do it every day.
00:06:58.000I suppose, Nathan, there are many ways that you could contextualize something, even contextualization itself, which feels like a general appeal to find objectivity, like context, like this is it as an object in context.
00:07:12.000But see how something like the bishop, I can't remember her name, but the bishop that gave the sermon the other day, I reckon, I've not looked.
00:07:24.000Although I have looked at some internet, but I've not looked at so much internet as to overwhelm me.
00:07:30.000I bet there's some people saying that scripturally what she did was spot on and correct, and other people saying that it was sort of heretical or disrespectful or something.
00:07:46.000The only way that I would be able to travel through such a subject would be, as you've just described, and using the Chesterton example.
00:07:57.000Jeff Cavins said to me, I think on this show, the plain things are the main things, and the main things are the plain things.
00:08:06.000So, and also experientially when I'm encountering scripture, like if I sort of go, if I like word by word, break it down, not that I don't enjoy that when people tell you the Greek root and the various ways that could have been translated.
00:08:17.000If I was trying to do that on my own every day, I think I would freak out.
00:08:21.000But when all of a sudden after sort of just reading and trying my best to sort of go, okay, this is just narrative.
00:08:26.000Say if it's Matthew or if it's something like demanding from the Old Testament where it could, say when it just suddenly does a lot of lineage and sort of history.
00:08:38.000I'm like, oh, this is pretty demanding.
00:08:40.000And then out of nowhere, I'll get hit with something that's like, oh, you're speaking to me deeply now.
00:08:47.000Like, even today, in today's, I mean, Bible in a year, which you're now suggesting might be satanic worship, Nathan.
00:08:56.000Like, when I was reading that this morning, it was like, he's saying, our Lord, he's saying...
00:09:46.000And I really felt like permission to be who I am from him.
00:09:49.000And it's not like all, you know, like then the next bit, like because he's doing Old Testament as well, it was a bit of, it was a little bit where Joseph, Joseph's brothers have come to see him and he's like...
00:10:01.000I would say messing with their heads a bit.
00:10:15.000Aspect of Joseph that is, you know, I understand narratively why that might be because of their actions, but biblically, scripturally and spiritually didn't entirely get hit by it.
00:10:25.000So I can see, Nathan, the validity of that approach, even with this new book.
00:10:29.000Now, would you take us through the Eucharist or communion or break bread with us?
00:10:55.000I went sacramental in my 20s, meaning like I was raised in the Pentecostal tradition where the elements were sort of reduced to mere Symbolism.
00:11:47.000this happens at the last supper yeah and so there's every time you eat a bit something's going to happen um in first corinthians 11 uh you know you got people that are dying in this church spiritually physically because they're not eating at the table of the lord in a in a worthy manner but rather in an unworthy manner And I remember that really messing with me.
00:12:13.000And so, you know, in 1 Corinthians 10, yeah, you read this and you're like, okay, I'll never eat communion again.
00:12:19.0001 Corinthians 10, Paul calls it the cup of blessing.
00:12:23.000But then in 1 Corinthians 11, it becomes the opposite.
00:13:13.000And some people would be like, well, I'm not an Old Testament Christian.
00:13:17.000I don't need to worry about that because I'm on the other side of the cross.
00:13:20.000It's kind of like there's Old Testament God, there's New Testament God, and Old Testament God is beating you with a phone book.
00:13:26.000You know, in the interrogation room and then Jesus comes in and he's like, you know, hauling the father off of you and he gives you a cigarette and you're just like, thank you for saving me from that guy.
00:13:36.000And that is sort of the dichotomy that many have with the Old Testament, New Testament.
00:13:39.000But then if you continue to read the New Testament.
00:13:42.000People keep dying at worship services.
00:14:05.000The way not to eat is to go, this is all about me.
00:14:11.000Contextually, in 1 Corinthians 11, when people are eating at the table of the Lord in an unworthy manner, rich people were eating all the food, they're getting drunk, they're leaving nothing for other people, and they were making essentially Christianity or church, spirituality, all about themselves, about manifestation, rather than coming in and going, I'm a hot mess, I need God.
00:14:32.000And I think that when we come to the table of the Lord and we break bread, And we eat the bread and we drink the wine and we go, God, in the Catholic Mass, there's this scripture that they read together and they say, they recite it before they take the Eucharist.
00:14:52.000Lord, I'm not worthy that you should enter my home.
00:14:54.000Only say the word and my soul will be healed.
00:14:57.000And if we have that posture, then taking communion isn't just remembering Christ's death.
00:15:03.000It's eating and drinking grace and power into your life that literally changes you.
00:18:06.000I feel like I'm experiencing Christ in ways that are really astonishing and surprising me.
00:18:11.000This is as best as I can understand it.
00:18:13.000There was a day where I was in an airport in Nashville, Nashville Airport, a couple of weeks ago, and I felt like this is how it came in my mind.
00:19:02.000And there's other things happen where I'm seeing in people, in others, I'm pointing at Jake here, who I work with, who produces the show, where I sort of see the sort of valor and strength of Christ and feel like, oh, there's such beauty in people.
00:20:11.000I mean, because Theos U and Theos Seminary, good, but the books in particular, Hearing Good, Eliminate Myths, Encounter Meaning and Killer Church, and 30 Day Shred, good names.
00:20:26.000Even though I might have my criticisms of the name, and what do I know?
00:20:30.000Sorry, because they might watch this one and go, we've worked hard on that name!
00:20:34.000Meredith, who runs that organization, that build adapted homes for war veterans, as well as the veterans I met there that day, Daniel, Amos, Jason, Ox, many others.
00:20:47.000It was a beautiful and overwhelming experience that pulled together so many things.
00:21:17.000Now, I recognize that scripturally there is a day of rest, and there will be one.
00:21:21.000But today, I have an appointment with Nathan, and I do my appointment with Nathan, because if you get a gas bill for $60, that's God's way of saying, pay a gas bill for $60.
00:21:32.000Unless you've concluded that there's an evil government, you know, sort of controlled by Luciferian forces, in which case you might want to oppose them.
00:21:42.000Which side of government you would evaluate?
00:21:45.000Unless you've surrendered to God absolutely, then you wouldn't even have an opinion on that, seeing it as somehow trivial.
00:21:51.000Anyway, so at that event, they're helping a hero, home for a hero, help a hero, help a hero have a home, where they build adapted homes for war veterans.
00:22:00.000I met double amputees and a man, Zero, with facial burns from an explosion.
00:22:26.000And because they were so robust in him and so powerful.
00:22:29.000And it struck me that the warrior's life is more pronounced and concentrated and that's why in culture we're drawn to warriors and criminals and why their stories and narratives are so fascinating.
00:22:38.000And to hear of such extreme and bizarre and awful suffering and then to see its results clarified in me what the nature of suffering is about and where suffering can take you.
00:22:54.000And I felt so gifted and blessed to be with them.
00:22:59.000After, like, the lady Meredith who was running the event sort of went around the room pointing at, and this is Jason, and he's now sort of an athlete for the Warriors events, and this is Oz, and he lost his leg.
00:23:13.000Like, you know, I'm not remembering the correct injuries to person, but I, like, was starting to get, like, emotional, right?
00:23:47.000It was this feeling that I got from this young man.
00:23:52.000I was at the stage, and I'd already been up on the stage.
00:23:54.000I'm talking at an event, and I've been funny for five minutes, and I've been sort of wacky appropriately, and I've established rapport and intimacy well in the room, just so you know.
00:24:03.000And then I recognised that this is about talk to people, talk to people, and hear this stuff.
00:24:08.000And you know if you're in church, or for you, or at an event, I suppose also for you, Nathan, If you are touched, it can be kind of beautiful to show that, like to reveal that you are touched because what is that feeling?
00:24:23.000That's some Holy Spirit gear right there, like something passed between us, something passed between us.
00:24:28.000But there's a point where if you tip over the threshold, like it might become, well, frankly, unprofessional.
00:24:35.000And I nearly moved from, oh my God, that's so beautiful, to my own sorrow being unlocked.
00:24:40.000And when I was right on that edge of that, right, I'd sat back down again in my chair.
00:24:45.000And this geezer, Amos, he was standing and I was sitting and he put his arms round me.
00:24:57.000Like if someone's giving you a ride and you might give them a hug to thank them for the ride and you're both sitting down, it's almost like you might as well have a French kiss.
00:25:06.000Like the body language can be so terrible.
00:25:08.000And a hug between people that are sitting and standing can be difficult.
00:25:11.000But instead of letting it be awkward, he just sort of pulled me up.
00:25:15.000He pulled me up and held me up like that.