Faith & Family Bible Podcast with Steve Wood

What are the Beatitudes, and why do they seem so paradoxical and counter-cultural? In this episode, we explore Jesus’ opening words of the Sermon on the Mount and how they reveal what a renewed world truly looks like. Drawing from Matthew 5 and the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI, this study explains the Beatitudes as the Kingdom of Heaven breaking into the present—end-time realities already at work in daily Christian life. Learn how Jesus speaks to both the crowds and committed disciples, calling believers into a new relationship with God shaped by the values of the coming Kingdom. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In this episode of Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood offers a crucial caution about teaching the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. Using the familiar “ladder to heaven” metaphor, he explains why framing salvation as moral ladder-climbing leads to fear, burnout, and failure—especially for modern Catholics. Drawing on Scripture, the Catechism, and Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, this episode clarifies the primacy of grace, showing that the Sermon on the Mount is not about self-salvation but about Christ living His life in us through a living union with Him. Visit us at www.BibleforCatholics.com for more resources.

In Part II of this youth discipleship series, Steve Wood explains why parish-based large-group programs alone cannot form lifelong Christian disciples. Drawing on Scripture, real-world experience, and the teaching of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, this episode lays out a clear, four-part framework for authentic youth discipleship—beginning with parents as the primary disciplers. Learn why family catechesis is irreplaceable, how camps and small groups can support real spiritual growth, and what’s fueling today’s widespread youth disengagement from the faith. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In this episode, Steve Wood explores youth discipleship through the lens of Jesus’ own method—being with His disciples from Matthew 4 to the Great Commission in Matthew 28. Drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and lived experience, this talk explains why classroom-only religious education often leads to dropout Catholicism, while intentional family-based disciple-making forms lifelong faith. You’ll hear why parents—especially fathers—are the primary youth discipleship leaders, why 60 minutes a week can’t form a disciple, and how the contrast between a “family motel” and a true disciple-making Catholic home shapes the faith of future generations. Featuring wisdom from Scripture and the powerful witness of St. John Paul II, this episode challenges Catholic families to recover a way of life that passes on faith in a hostile culture. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In this episode of Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood explores discipleship as the central strategy Jesus used to change the world. Beginning with Jesus’ call to the first disciples in Matthew 4:17–22 and ending with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20, this study shows how the Gospel of Matthew is framed by one clear command: make disciples. Steve explains why Jesus prioritized close, relational training over formal education, why the first disciples were likely much younger than we often assume, and what this means for parents, families, and youth formation today. This episode lays the biblical foundation for building authentic, long-term discipleship that truly transforms lives. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In this episode of Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood walks through Gospel of Matthew chapter 4 and shows how Jesus models the way Christians are called to face serious temptation. Examining the three temptations of Christ in the wilderness, Steve explains how Jesus resists the devil not with arguments or miracles, but with Scripture properly understood and internalized. From resisting the misuse of sonship, to refusing to test God, to rejecting Satan’s offer of worldly power, Jesus reveals the pattern every disciple must follow. Drawing from both the Old and New Testaments—including the Psalms, Deuteronomy, and Revelation—this episode highlights why Scripture memorization is essential spiritual armor, especially in a world growing darker and more deceptive. Visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com for more resources.

In this episode of Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood challenges parents and teachers to examine how Christian children are being formed. Drawing from Gospel of Matthew 3, he contrasts outward religiosity without repentance—exemplified by the Pharisees—with authentic, Spirit-filled faith. Steve explains why much modern catechesis emphasizes religious facts and behavior while failing to touch the heart, contributing to the widespread falling away of youth. The key to true spiritual formation, he argues, is a lived experience of adoption as sons and daughters of God through baptism, as taught in Epistle to the Galatians. The episode calls parents to pray for a full awakening of their children’s baptismal inheritance and to surround them with believers alive in the Holy Spirit. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In this episode of Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood explores how prodigal sons and daughters can return to a living relationship with Jesus through true repentance. Focusing on Gospel of Matthew Chapter 3, Steve explains John the Baptist’s call to repentance as an inner change of heart that leads us back to God the Father. Drawing on Psalm 32 and the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Gospel of Luke Chapter 15, this episode shows that repentance is not despair, but hope—a movement from sinful self to the Father who welcomes His children home with mercy and joy. A powerful encouragement for anyone who feels far from God or longs for a fresh start in their faith. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In this episode of Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood highlights the most important word in the Gospel of Matthew: Jesus. Drawing from Matthew 1:21, Steve explains that the name Jesus—meaning “YHWH saves”—summarizes the heart of the Gospel and the New Covenant. This episode emphasizes two essential truths: forgiveness of sins is central, and Jesus does the saving—we do not save ourselves. Steve warns against reducing Christianity to moral effort or self-salvation and shows how forgetting the primacy of grace can lead to spiritual burnout, especially for families and children. Referencing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, he underscores that authentic Christian living flows from Christ working in us. A powerful reminder to keep Christ—not performance—at the center of faith, catechesis, and daily life. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In today’s episode of Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood continues his study of the Gospel of Matthew, focusing on the Wise Men from the East. Discover who the Magi were, why their journey matters, and what their worship reveals about Christ the King. To dive deeper into the Scriptures, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In this episode of Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood explores St. Joseph, the just and obedient man God chose to be the earthly father of Jesus. Walking through Matthew 1–2, this teaching highlights Joseph’s four decisive dreams, his immediate obedience to God, and his essential role in protecting Jesus and Mary during the most dangerous moments of salvation history. This episode also connects biblical fatherhood with the modern crisis of Catholic family life, explaining why the Church urgently needs a renewed Catholic fatherhood movement modeled after St. Joseph. A powerful, practical episode on St. Joseph, Christian fatherhood, obedience, and God’s design for the family. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In this episode, Steve Wood opens the Gospel of Matthew by unpacking the genealogy of Jesus Christ, revealing it as the key to understanding Matthew’s entire message. Matthew deliberately anchors Jesus in history as the Son of Abraham and the Son of David, proclaiming Him as the promised King of the world, not merely a spiritual figure. We explore how Matthew’s genealogy highlights Jesus’ royal lineage, fulfills God’s covenant with David (2 Samuel 7), and frames the gospel as a royal announcement—the true euangelion—that God’s everlasting King has come. From Matthew 1 to Matthew 28, the theme is clear: all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus Christ, and the nations are called to bow before Him. This episode accompanies Episode 505 of Luke21. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

Today launches a new series on the Gospel of Matthew, challenging the modern claim that Mark was the first gospel written. In this episode, host Steve Wood explores how the Mark-priority and “Q source” theories arose, why they contradict 1,700 years of Church teaching, and how they weaken the apostolic authority of Matthew—especially Matthew 16. This episode calls listeners to approach Scripture faithfully, critically, and rooted in historic Christian tradition. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com

In this episode of Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood explores Colossians 2:3, reminding listeners that all true wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ alone. Dedicated to his newborn granddaughter, Sophie—whose name means “wisdom”—this episode challenges families to ask a crucial question: Where do we seek wisdom? Steve contrasts today’s information-driven culture and human philosophy with the biblical teaching that wisdom is not gained through facts or worldly learning alone, but through a deep, Christ-centered faith. Drawing from St. Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and Colossians, he encourages listeners to keep a laser-focus on Christ and to immerse themselves in Sacred Scripture. This episode offers practical encouragement for parents, grandparents, and believers who desire spiritual wisdom that leads to a life pleasing to God and rooted in the truth of Jesus Christ. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

Special Re-Air of Episode 547 - Originally Aired July 31, 2025. What does the Bible really say about eternal life? In Part II of this series (See Episode 541 for Part I), Steve Wood unpacks what happens after the Second Coming—not just souls in heaven, but resurrected bodies on a renewed Earth with Jesus. We explore the often-missed Catholic teaching on divinization—our transformation by God’s grace to share in His divine nature. Backed by Scripture (1 John 3:2, 2 Peter 1:4) and the Catechism (CCC 460), this episode also draws from Church Fathers like St. Irenaeus, St. Athanasius, and St. Thomas Aquinas. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

In this episode, Steve Wood examines Colossians 3:18–4:1 and St. Paul’s teaching on Christian family households. He walks through the roles of wives, husbands, parents, and children, addressing why Colossians 3:18 is often misunderstood today. Using the example of St. Joseph and the Holy Family, Steve explains Christian headship as a call to service, protection, and love. The episode places these household teachings within the broader context of Scripture and Catholic tradition. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

Celebrating Christmas Day with a Special Re-Air of Episode 541 What does the Bible really say about eternal life—and what happens to our bodies after death? In this episode, Steve Wood unpacks the powerful truth of 1 John 3:2 and tackles common misconceptions, including the widespread but unbiblical belief that the soul alone goes to heaven. Instead, Scripture teaches the resurrection of the body and a future of embodied life on a renewed earth with Jesus. Steve draws from Acts, Philippians, John’s Gospel, and Revelation to explain what Christians can truly expect after the Second Coming—and what that means for both believers and unbelievers. He also offers a thoughtful reflection on cremation, the Catechism, and how our burial choices can witness to the hope of resurrection. For more in-depth Bible study and to support this ministry, visit us at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

Continuing our study of Colossians chapter 3, Steve Wood offers a practical life application Bible study focused on forming a lasting Catholic faith in today’s youth. Drawing directly from Scripture, Steve outlines three essential steps that parents, catechists, and youth leaders can use to help young people internalize the faith and live it out in everyday life. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

Continuing our series in Colossians, Steve Wood tackles a tough question: Why baptize babies? In this episode, he explains the biblical foundation for infant baptism and shares how this teaching played a major role in his own conversion to Catholicism. Clear, personal, and deeply rooted in Scripture, this episode offers a thoughtful look at the grace God gives through the sacrament of baptism. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.