Faith Meets Academia
Welcome to Faith Meets Academia!
Struggling to connect your faith with everyday life, career ambitions, or academic pursuits? Hosted by a university professor and ordained minister, Dr. Adrian Reynolds, this podcast will help you translate your faith-based values into personal growth, professional development, and academic success. Faith Meets Academia emphasizes that faith and work can forge a mutually sustaining partnership.
Each episode breaks down complex academic concepts into everyday language and connects them with timeless spiritual principles for transformational learning and development. By the end of each episode, you will be equipped with practical tools to set the tone for a purposeful, productive week.
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Your host, Adrian Reynolds (Ph.D.), is an ordained minister, learning coach, and assistant professor of medical education at an R1 university. He is on a mission to merge educational innovation with biblical wisdom. Dr. Reynolds brings over two decades of teaching experience across the educational continuum: from working with underserved, high school students as a state-certified instructor of Spanish to coaching students in graduate and professional degree programs in evidence-based teaching skills and the science of learning.
Dr. Reynolds’ work is located within the rapidly growing field of applied learning sciences and is driven by both socio-cognitive and sociocultural approaches to learning and teaching. His preventive model of academic coaching has been published in journals such as Medical Teacher and Clinical Teacher. He has held over 1,000 (one-on-one) academic coaching sessions with medical students, residents, fellows, and pre-med students. Dr. Reynolds has developed numerous peer-teaching programs for medical students in addition to courses in the science of learning for residents, pre-med and high school students.
Dr. Reynolds has been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ for over 10 years both nationally and internationally. He has long been recognized to seamlessly intertwine academic concepts with biblical principles: His approach to preaching and teaching the word of God is centered around growth mindset (Philippians 4:13), transformational learning (Romans 12:2), and reflective, mindful practice (Philippians 4:8, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:97).
As a missionary ambassador, Dr. Reynolds has embarked on transformative journeys that bridge cultures and continents, bringing tangible support and hope to those in need. Most recently, in the fall of 2023, his dedication to humanitarian causes led him to Mozambique: From the bustling streets of Maputo to the serene countryside of Inharrime, through the unwavering support and sponsorship from faith-based leaders and communities, Dr. Reynolds has played a pivotal role in the allocation of humanitarian aid and educational resources, providing essential support to elevate community wellbeing.
Earlier that year, he engaged in a mission focused on cultural exchange and relationship-building in the Maputo province to better understand and address local challenges. Through these missions, Dr. Reynolds exemplifies the true essence of a missionary ambassador, integrating service, education, and faith into impactful action.
Faith Meets Academia
Episode 42 (Part 1) - Money Talks: What Is It Saying to You?
What if the key to a life of fulfillment isn't how much money you have, but how you relate to it? Today on Faith Meets Academia, we unravel the complexities of wealth, success, ambition, and contentment, challenging the often misinterpreted notion that money itself is the root of all evil. We explore the biblical teaching that it is the love of money that breeds all kinds of wrongdoing, as noted by Paul in 1 Timothy 6:10. This episode promises will shift your perspective on wealth by looking at how financial resources can be wielded as a force for good or become a catalyst for spiritual and moral decline.
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DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely my own and do not reflect or represent the positions, policies, or opinions of my employer, any organization or academic institution with which I am affiliated. This podcast is a personal initiative, and is not connected to my official/ formal duties and responsibilities as a university professor.
Hey friends, dear loyal listeners of Faith Meets Academia, it's so nice to have you back. Thanks for joining me again for episode 42. I hope you're well. I hope your family is well. I wish you a blessed, productive week and I pray that from this episode you'll take away some new insight.
Speaker 1:This one's going to be good Money talks. I'm sure you've heard that. Right, money talks, and then they say something else walks, you can fill. Going to be good Money talks. I'm sure you've heard that. Right, money talks, and then they say something else walks, you can fill in the blanks. Anyway, money talks. What is it saying to you? That's a question for you. What is it saying to you?
Speaker 1:Today we're diving into a topic that we're all familiar with money. We're going to get to the root of this thing and we're going to be having a discussion that will challenge how we think about success, ambition or aspirations and contentment. So you've heard the saying money is the root of all evil, and hopefully by now you know that that's not actually what the scripture says. First Timothy 6.10 actually says that the love of money is the root of all evil, and we're going to really dive deep into that. But let's be clear right away. Let's make this clear upfront. So keep in mind Paul never said that money itself is evil. He said the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
Speaker 1:And there's a big difference there. Money is just a tool that we use to achieve any number of things in life. It can be used for good or it can be used for evil, right? So the danger isn't about having it. The danger is when it starts controlling us, when it becomes the driver and we become the passenger. When wealth begins to control us, that's when we fall into greed, corruption and just spiritual decline. Have you ever thought, man, only if I had more money, you know, if I were to win the lotto, life would be so much easier. Well, life would only be easier. Well, more wealth or more money can lead to an easier life. More wealth or more money can lead to an easier life, depending on how we use it, depending on how we position it.
Speaker 1:I'm sure you've seen a lot of wealthy folks who have unfortunately become self-destructive. Yes, I'm sure you've seen people compromise their values and their integrity to chase after wealth. And, on the other hand, there are wealthy individuals who have been good stewards of their assets, their financial wealth, those who have become wealthy while still loving their neighbors as themselves, while still being kind, while still encouraging, uplifting, using their material assets, their wealth, for the good of humanity and not for evil. To build bridges, not walls. To uplift, not to tear down. Yes, money can be used to put food on the table, to support our families. It can be used to build houses, schools, infrastructure, advance healthcare and solve medical mysteries. It can be used to feed the hungry, create job opportunities, provide disaster relief, drive innovation, and the list goes on and on.
Speaker 1:But when it is misused, the love of money. But when it is misused, the love of money, and we'll talk more in just a few minutes about what love means in that context. The love of money can lead to destructive behaviors, it can destroy relationships, it can lead to corruption, it can fuel greed, it can lead to the oppression of an entire nation and turn hearts away from faith and divine purpose. In this episode, we're not demonizing wealth or saying it's wrong to be wealthy. We're just exposing the danger of treating money, wealth as if it were your God, wealth as if it were your God. So we're going to explore what scripture, psychology and real world events reveal to us about this delicate balance between your own goals and ambitions and contentment, or being fully satisfied.
Speaker 1:Okay, so let's take a look at 1 Timothy 6: 6 through 11. Here's what Paul tells us, and I'm reading from the New King James Version Now godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these, we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, o man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. So once again, gentleness. So once again, paul doesn't say money itself is evil. He's saying that the love of money leads to destruction. The main takeaway here is that true wealth comes from godliness with contentment, not from endless greed-driven pursuit of riches. Money should be considered a tool, not an idol that dictates or drives the choices that we make.
Speaker 1:Here are a couple of questions for you to reflect on. Have you ever felt dissatisfied, still dissatisfied, despite reaching a financial goal? Have you ever felt like the more money you make is the more money you lose, or the more you spend? How do you balance your own goals, your own ambitions, while appreciating, being grateful, thankful, enjoying what you already have? It's a balancing act, isn't it?
Speaker 1:In order for us to fully understand Paul's warning in 1 Timothy 6:10 about the love of money being the root of all evil, we really have to take a much closer look at the Greek word he uses for love of money. Why Greek? Well, greek, because that's the original language of the text. And in so many cases, in order to really appreciate and understand the intent behind the English translation, the intent behind the English translation, you have to go back to the original language in order to get a complete understanding, a clearer picture of the original meaning of the word. And that Greek word is philarguria. This word is made up of two parts, first part. This word is made up of two parts First part, which means fondness, or affection, or attachment, and arguros, which refers to silver or money.
Speaker 1:Now, at first glance, it might sound like Paul is simply talking about liking money right or loving money, you know at a surface level, but I want you to note that this isn't the selfless love of agape or the brotherly love of phileo, two Greek words used to describe another type of love, a healthier kind of love, if you will. The love of money in this context is an unhealthy attachment to the thing, a craving, a devotion to it, an unquenchable fixation on the accumulation of wealth that disrupts our priorities and erodes our faith. Paul isn't condemning money itself. He's condemning an obsession with it, a greedy, self-serving mindset that leads people to compromise their integrity and sacrifice relationships, lose sight of God as the supreme being.
Speaker 1:Who gives us the power to gain wealth? Moses makes reference to this in Deuteronomy 8:18. Israel and you shall remember the Lord, your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he swore to your fathers. As it is this day, god gives us the ability, the skill, to create wealth. There's nothing inherently wrong with financial success. It's about where your trust is. It's about where your first priority is. Remember James 1:17,. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Everything good, including financial success, including wealth, comes from God. So what's the key takeaway here? Money is not the enemy, greed is. The Bible doesn't condemn wealth, but it warns us never to let money control our hearts and our minds. It's okay to own money, it's okay to own your wealth, but it must never own you.
Speaker 1:Now, if you need more proof to illustrate that Paul is not being a hater or discouraging wealth accumulation, all you have to do is take a look at 1 Timothy 6:17-19. Just a few verses down from 1 Timothy 6.10, which we read earlier about the love of money being the root of all evil, this same Paul is expanding upon this theme and showing us how to put wealth in its proper perspective, how to balance being wealthy with being righteous and holy. Here's what Paul says to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6: 17 through 19. Command those he gives some specific instructions about this. Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, meaning arrogant or having a superior attitude based on what you own or what you have or what your title is, et cetera. Not to be haughty nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us richly, all things to enjoy. The Bible says the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. He has given us all things to enjoy. Paul continues let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life. What a beautiful connection between wealth, enjoyment, kindness, good works and, ultimately, eternal life. This one verse beautifully captures all the above. It's about having that balance and placing God first.
Speaker 1:Let's hear what the wealthiest, wisest man to have ever lived, king Solomon that is, had to say about wealth Proverbs 3: 9, and 10. Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the firstfruits of all your increase. So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats, which is a large storage container for storing wine and liquors, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Barns will be filled with plenty. That suggests abundance, sufficiency. Vats overflowing with new wine, that's prosperity. So extending the wealth to bless others leads to more wealth. How do I know that? Well, solomon confirms this in Proverbs 10:22 when he says that the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich. It maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it. So if your riches are keeping you up at night, I mean that's sorrow. That's not the kind of riches that we're talking about here. True prosperity and abundance comes with peace. It comes with joy, not sorrow and pain and regret.
Speaker 1:Let's dig a little deeper into this. The word rich as used in Proverbs 10:22, if you go to the original language of this text Hebrew, if you go to the original language of this text Hebrew it means to be enriched, to prosper or to have abundance, and so, in that sense, it's not just talking about material wealth or money. It includes that, but it's not only talking about that. It's speaking of prosperity and abundance in a holistic sense, holistic well-being, rich spiritually, emotionally. This type of richness, in this context, extends to spiritual and emotional richness. It's a type of wealth that includes being rich in peace, rich in faith, rich in wisdom, rich in righteousness, rich in wisdom, rich in righteousness.
Speaker 1:So, really, when we think about this money, regardless of how much of it you have or how little of it you have right, because it's all relative right you might see yourself as among the lower middle class, while those in other countries, who are struggling daily to find food to survive, may see you as extremely wealthy, they may see you as among the richest folks in the world. So when you can combine your money or your wealth building capacity, regardless of your socioeconomic status, with the fruit of the spirit Galatians 5: 22 and 23. Then we won't be led astray by financial greed. And just to remind you what Galatians 5, 22 and 23 says the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. Yes, money talks.
Speaker 1:What is your money saying to you? Is it just a tool to achieve a greater purpose that goes beyond you, or has it become your master? What is your money saying to you? Does it come with true peace and contentment, or is it fueling an endless selfish chase for more? What is your money saying to you? Is it blessing others and honoring God first, or is it just being hoarded without purpose? Take a moment to reflect on these questions. Take a moment to reflect on what we've discussed in this episode. What message is your money sending about your priorities? Stay tuned for part two of this conversation. Be sure to subscribe. You can find Faith Meets Academia on any major podcast platform, including Apple Podcasts, spotify, subscribe or follow the podcast so you won't miss any episode once it's released. Let's continue to grow in faith and wisdom and with purpose. Have a blessed day and enjoy the rest of the week.