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The Dig In Podcast w/Johnny Ova

The Dig In Podcast w/Johnny Ova

Written by: Johnny Ova
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About this listen

Dig In is hosted by Pastor Johnny Ova of Sound of Heaven Church. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with scholars, historians, and thinkers from all backgrounds as they explore the Bible through context, culture, and curiosity. Johnny invites guests to go beyond surface-level beliefs and into the deeper truths of Scripture, history, and the character of God. This is not a podcast for debate or division, but for those who want to grow, wrestle with tough questions, and discover the beauty of God's redemptive story. If you're ready to dig into the Bible with honesty and depth, this show is for you.

2026 Johnny Ova
Spirituality
Episodes
  • The Lost Mary: How the Church Erased Christianity's First Founder w/ Dr. James Tabor
    Jan 26 2026

    Mary is the best known, least known woman in history. Billions recognize her name, yet the actual Jewish woman behind the icons has been almost completely erased. In this powerful conversation, Dr. James Tabor, Distinguished Fellow at Hebrew University and two-time New York Times bestselling author, reveals what 20 years of research, archaeology, and critical scholarship have uncovered about the real Mary. What emerges is not the passive, silent figure of tradition, but a revolutionary Jewish matriarch who shaped the teachings of Jesus, ran the headquarters of the early movement from Mount Zion, and whose voice we still hear in the Beatitudes.

    Dr. Tabor takes us into the violent, politically charged world Mary lived through: mass crucifixions in the Galilee, Herod murdering his own family, and the constant threat facing anyone with Davidic lineage. He reveals the urban setting most people miss (Sepphoris, a major city just four miles from Nazareth), makes the case that Luke's genealogy is actually Mary's lineage showing she was "doubly royal" (descended from both King David and the priestly line of Aaron), and addresses the question most scholars avoid: the mysterious name Pantera that appears in early Jewish sources. This is history that will reshape how you understand Christianity's origins.

    In this episode you will learn:

    - Why Mary is the "most erased" woman in history and how it happened deliberately
    - The shocking urban context of Jesus's upbringing (Sepphoris was a major city of 30,000 people just 4 miles from Nazareth)
    - How Mary likely witnessed the mass crucifixions and burning of Sepphoris when Jesus was an infant
    - The case for James (not John) being the "beloved disciple" at the cross
    - Why the brothers and sisters of Jesus are real biological siblings, not stepchildren or cousins
    - The evidence that Luke's genealogy is actually Mary's lineage, making her "doubly royal"
    - What early Jewish sources in Sepphoris actually say about "Yeshua ben Pantera" (and why it's not an insult)
    - How Mary functioned as the matriarch who shaped Jesus's nonviolent, revolutionary teachings
    - The connection between Isaiah 11, Mary's vision, and Jesus's Beatitudes
    - Why three of Mary's sons (Jesus, James, and Simon) were murdered because of their lineage

    Get Dr. Tabor's new book "The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus"

    More from Dr. James Tabor:
    Blog: https://jamestabor.com
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JamesTaborVideos
    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jamesdtabor

    Also check out Dr. Tabor's bestsellers:

    "The Jesus Dynasty"

    "Paul and Jesus: How the Apostle Transformed Christianity"


    Subscribe to The Dig In Podcast:
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyova

    Follow Johnny Ova:
    https://linktr.ee/johnnyova

    Get Johnny's book- The Revelation Reset

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Dinosaurs, Darwin, and the Lie We've All Been Told w/ Dr. Kent Hovind
    Jan 19 2026

    For over 50 years, Dr. Kent Hovind has been one of the most fearless defenders of biblical creation. A former high school science teacher turned full-time evangelist, Dr. Hovind has debated over 390 atheists and evolutionists at universities across America. His famous creation seminar series has been translated into more than 40 languages and has impacted millions of believers around the world. He's the founder of Creation Science Evangelism and Dinosaur Adventure Land in Lenox, Alabama, where he continues to teach that the Bible is not only spiritually true but scientifically accurate.

    In this conversation, Dr. Hovind and I go deep into the evidence for a young earth, why carbon dating doesn't work, what the world looked like before Noah's flood, and why dinosaurs fit perfectly into the biblical narrative. We also tackle the flat earth movement and why Dr. Hovind believes evolution isn't just scientifically wrong but dangerously deceptive. If you've ever wrestled with questions about faith and science, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew.

    In this episode you will learn:

    • Why there are only two worldviews: creation or evolution, and why it matters for everything
    • The scientific evidence that points to a 6,000 year old earth, not billions
    • Why carbon dating and radiometric dating methods are deeply flawed
    • What the pre-flood world was really like: 900 year lifespans, greater oxygen, and giants
    • How dinosaurs lived alongside humans and what happened to them after the flood
    • What Behemoth and Leviathan in the book of Job really were
    • Why the flat earth theory is wrong and how to respond to it biblically
    • How evolutionary thinking laid the foundation for Nazism, communism, and moral decay
    • Why you can believe the Bible and still be intellectually credible

    Check out Dr. Kent Hovind's ministry and materials:

    Call: 855-BIG-DINO

    Email: drdino@drdino.com

    Website: https://www.drdino.com/

    Kent Hovind TV: https://kenthovind.tv/

    Shop: https://dr-dino.myshopify.com/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kenthovindofficial1

    Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/kenthovindofficial

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kenthovindofficial

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kenthovindofficial

    Dinosaur Adventure Land in Lenox, Alabama (free admission!)

    Subscribe and follow The Dig In Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyova

    Follow all things Johnny Ova: https://linktr.ee/johnnyova

    Grab Johnny's book, The Revelation Reset: https://a.co/d/hiUkW8H

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    40 mins
  • When Revival is Real vs. Religious Hype: How to Know the Difference w/ Dr. Nathan Finn
    Jan 12 2026

    In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dr. Nathan Finn, one of evangelicalism's foremost historians of spiritual awakenings, to tackle one of the most pressing questions facing the church today: How do we discern between authentic moves of God and emotionalism that burns out as quickly as it ignites? Dr. Finn brings decades of research studying every major revival from Jonathan Edwards' Northampton awakening to recent movements like Asbury 2023, helping us understand what genuine spiritual renewal really looks like.

    We dive deep into the patterns that mark authentic revival throughout history - from the Moravian hundred-year prayer meeting that birthed modern missions to the controversies surrounding Charles Finney's revival techniques. Dr. Finn shares crucial insights about why some movements with unusual manifestations turn out genuine while others fizzle into hype, and reveals the red flags that indicate spiritual manipulation versus the Holy Spirit's authentic work. This conversation is especially timely as we see growing spiritual curiosity in our culture and wonder if we might be approaching another great awakening.

    In this episode you will learn:

    • The biblical distinctions between revival, renewal, and awakening
    • Three unmistakable marks that appear in every genuine move of God throughout history
    • How Jonathan Edwards discerned true conversion from religious excitement
    • The connection between authentic revival and missional explosion
    • Warning signs that distinguish spiritual manipulation from real revival
    • Why the church often becomes a counterculture right before major awakenings
    • How to evaluate modern movements like Asbury 2023 while they're happening
    • The historical patterns suggesting we might be approaching another great awakening
    • What pastors and Christians should be doing now to prepare for potential revival
    • Why "staying close and staying clean" matters more than revival techniques

    Connect with Dr. Nathan Finn:

    • Website: nathanfinn.com
    • Substack: Think Christianly, Live Faithfully
    • Books: Historical Theology for the Church (B&H Academic)

    Stay Connected with Johnny and The Dig In Podcast:

    Subscribe and follow our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyova

    Follow all things Johnny Ova: https://linktr.ee/johnnyova

    Get Johnny's book, The Revelation Reset: https://a.co/d/hiUkW8H

    #Revival #SpiritualAwakening #ChurchHistory #NathanFinn #Christianity #HolySpirit #JonathanEdwards #CharlesFinney #Asbury2023 #ChurchRevival #BiblicalDiscernment #DigInPodcast #ChristianPodcast #TheologyPodcast #ChurchMovements

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    41 mins
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