The Advent and Christmas seasons are perfect times to slow down and focus our hearts on Jesus. Audio Bible study podcasts are excellent tools to do just that. Groundwork has several series about Advent and Christmas, each suitable for personal or group study. Keep reading to explore our available episodes. 

Bible study podcasts for Advent

Advent is a season of waiting and preparation for the coming of Christ, the promised and longed-for Messiah. It spans the four Sundays before Christmas. The following Groundwork series focus on the Advent season. 

Advent - Christmas -- The gospel of John doesn’t share the Christmas stories found in Matthew and Luke; instead John emphasizes what it means for us that Jesus entered into our world. This two-episode series examines John 1:1-18 and discusses how these verses have shaped our understanding of Jesus and helped us know God.

Advent Waiting -- During Advent, we use words like longing, anticipation, and expectation to describe what waiting for our Savior feels like. This four-part series studies the traditional Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love to remind ourselves why we wait, what we're waiting for, and how we should live while we wait.

Bible study podcasts for Christmas

Christmas is the annual celebration of the first coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These Groundwork series focus on the story and meaning of Christmas. 

Facts & the First Christmas -- Did the first Christmas really happen the way the Bible says it did? Or is the Christmas story simply a myth or fairy tale? What impact do the answers to these questions have on our faith? In this two-part series, acclaimed historian Dr. Paul Maier joins host Dave Bast to consult historic sources and separate fact from fantasy as we explore the story of the first Christmas as told in the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

The Christmas Thread -- Like a single thread woven through a garment, the promise of Christmas is woven through all of scripture. In this four episode series, broaden your perspective on Christmas by following the thread of its promise from Genesis through the Psalms and Prophets to Revelation and deepen your appreciation for the immense gift of salvation, initiated when Jesus Christ was born among us.

The Cast of Christmas -- The weeks leading up to Christmas are full of cherished traditions: Nativity sets, specially designed worship services, and children’s programs all draw us again into the story of Jesus’ birth. In this five episode series, take a close look at participants and witnesses God called upon to play strategic roles in welcoming the incarnate Christ into our world. 

The Incarnation: What it Means and Why it Matters -- The Christmas season is full of nostalgia and tradition, but that should never gloss over what “Jesus, the Son of God in human flesh” means. In this four-part series looks at the letters of the Apostle Paul to understand why the incarnation of the Son of God is a truth necessary to our beliefs about Jesus, salvation, and our place in God’s family.

Christmas Hope and the Women in Jesus’ Family Tree -- The gospel of Matthew doesn’t begin with the birth narrative; it starts with history. Opening with Jesus’ family tree, this gospel affirms that Jesus is the promised Messiah in the line of David. But the gospel writer does something out of the ordinary—he includes five women in Jesus’ genealogy: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba), and Mary. In this five-part series, the stories of these women remind us of the meaning of Christmas: Jesus came to deal with the reality of human sin. Discover the great hope and promise of belonging for the broken, the traumatized, the outsider, and the imperfect as we witness the fullness of God’s love and faithfulness through the women in Jesus’ family tree.  

Groundwork is a half-hour, conversational-style Bible study podcast that digs deeply into scripture as a foundation for your life. Explore our Episode Library and Resources page. Subscribe below to receive a new episode each week in your email inbox.