EPISODE #134 - The Church Is Positively Incredible

Of course many outside the church find is easy to criticize the church. And a lot of the criticism is valid. We are all humans with corrupt natures, even those who are in Christ. It is also right to criticize ourselves. The Bible is full of correction and rebuke coming from within the church directed to the church. However, it is sometimes all too easy to miss the otherworldly difference between the church community in comparison to all other communities on the planet. So, what makes the church so positively…incredible?

EPISODE #133 - Phoniness in the Church

Sometimes in the church we feel the pressure to present a different picture from reality about who we are, what’s going on in our lives, and what we’re actually feeling. We do this with our church communities too. Let’s talk about it.

EPISODE #133 - Part 2 - Talking to Non-Christians About Christianity

Sometimes in the church we make talking to people about Christ and Christianity more complicated or difficult than it needs to be. Sure, it can be hard. We don’t always have the answers we think we need to have. But talking about Christianity in our culture seems to be getting…easier.

EPISODE #132 - Talking to Non-Christians About Christianity

Sometimes in the church we make talking to people about Christ and Christianity more complicated or difficult than it needs to be. Sure, it can be hard. We don’t always have the answers we think we need to have. But talking about Christianity in our culture seems to be getting…easier.

EPISODE #131 - Finding the Perfect Church

Whether you’re looking for a church or settled in a church, you’ve probably thought about what you want in a church. Our mindset for evaluating our church needs to be biblical, so let’s talk about it!

EPISODE #130 - Moralism Sells

Many churches are filled to the brim each week not because people are coming to hear the Gospel but rather to hear another lesson in how to improve as Christians. While we assume most people on Sundays don't want to hear more commands and demands (Law), the opposite appears to the case. It seems safer to assume most on Sunday want to hear more of the Law, less of the Gospel. Moralism sells. But while we need God's authoritative Law, the Gospel should always get the last, triumphant Word.

EPISODE #129 - The Teachings of Bill Gothard and IBLP (Part 2)

Maybe you’ve never heard of the Institute In Basic Life Principles (IBLP) but perhaps you've seen the recent documentary, "Shiny Happy People", about the Duggar family and IBLP. And if you're an evangelical Christian you've probably come into contact, in one form or another, with the general teachings and ideas of the former leader of IBLP, Bill Gothard. In fact, it is surprising how so many churches teach the same idea just in a slightly different “flavor”. In this second episode in a series about IBLP, a former member and a former staff member of the movement discuss whether Bill Gothard and IBLP taught the biblical gospel, examining whether or not they do in fact teach historic Christianity.

“What I need first of all is not exhortation, but a gospel, not directions for saving myself but knowledge of how God has saved me. Have you any good news? That is the question that I ask of you. I know your exhortations will not help me. But if anything has been done to save me, will you not tell me the facts?” ― J. Gresham Machen

Show Notes:

https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2017/apollinarianism/ 

https://heidelblog.net/2014/03/reformed-basics-on-dichotomy-and-trichotomy/

EPISODE #128 - Identity and Gender

How do you think about yourself? Who are you, where’d you come from, and why are you here? And what does all of that have to do with gender? Let’s talk about it!

EPISODE #127 - The Teachings of Bill Gothard and IBLP (Part 1)

Maybe you’ve never heard of the Institute In Basic Life Principles (IBLP) but perhaps you've seen the recent documentary, "Shiny Happy People", about the Duggar family and IBLP. And if you're an evangelical Christian you've probably come into contact, in one form or another, with the teachings of the former leader of IBLP, Bill Gothard. In this first episode in a series about IBLP, a former member of the movement discusses the core teachings of Bill Gothard and IBLP, examining whether or not they do in fact teach historic Christianity.

Show Notes and Supporting Documents:

About the “Umbrella” of Authority

About “Rhemas”

EPISODE #126 - The Church's Mission

The church’s mission can be describe in many ways. At our church we like to say we exist to connect people to God, to connect people to people, and to connect people to mission, all because the Gospel reconciles us to God, unites us to each other, and is the message the world around us needs.

EPISODE #125 - Young Pastors, Mistakes, & Lessons Learned

Pastor Michael Visy joins the podcast today to talk with Collin about what it’s been like to be young pastors, what we’ve learned, and why it matters for our church families.

EPISODE #124 - Christians and Media Messaging

We are inundated with messaging 24/7, usually through our phones. What kind of posture should a Christian have towards the onslaught of media messaging we receive and how should we teach children to navigate this kind of world? Let’s talk about it.

EPISODE #123 - Is Violence Always Sinful?

Should individual Christians hold to a non-violent ethic, believing that to be violent is always sinful? Can a Christian practice self-defense or defense of others if it means being violent? Can a Christian own and carry a weapon? Can a Christian be in a profession that may require violence, such as being a police officer? The guys talk about all of this and more in this episode.

EPISODE #122 - What Is Our Comfort In Life and Death?

We are made to live comforted. Living in a fallen, corrupt world full of dark tragedy only reveals how desperately we need comfort. So, what is our comfort in life and in death? Let’s talk about it.

EPISODE #121 - We Need The Lord's Supper

It seems many churches don’t take the Lord’s Supper regularly due to confusing about what it is. But it also may be that many don’t serve it regularly due to the fact that Gospel no longer holds a central place in the church. Let’s talk about it.

EPISODE #120 - Music Isn't The Gospel

Why do many churches in America sing so much on Sundays? Could it be that we have left the Gospel out of our preaching and think that music is the Gospel itself? Could it be that people are looking for the peace the Gospel brings in the mere act of listening to and making music? Let's talk about it.

EPISODE #119 - What To Expect With Your Walk With God

What if we are expecting not too little but too much with our walk with God? Many Christians seem to be expecting to experience what we will only experience once we are glorified and they are left disappointed again and again. And what if the ways in which we are seeking to connect with God are not ways given to us in the Bible? Many Christians are told to connect with God through means not prescribed in the Bible and they are left disappointed again and again. But what if there is a better way forward in your daily walk with God, a way forward that doesn’t leave you feeling so disappointed week after week? Let’s talk about it.

EPISODE #118 - On The "Asbury Revival"

What just happened at Asbury? Everyone in the church seems to be talking about it, wondering what happened. On this episode we’ll answer what a revival is and look at what happened at Asbury in light of that.

The original audio was damaged for unknown reasons so this episode is a summary of the original conversation between Jeff and Collin.

EPISODE #117 - Overchurched, Underreached

We live in a city with tons of churches. Big ones, average ones, small ones. But does that mean our city is loaded with people who have been reached by the Gospel or are even hearing much of the Gospel at those churches? We hope so. In this episode we give our thoughts on what it could mean to be underreached in the Bible belt.

EPISODE #116 - How to Read the Bible (Part 2)

Reading the Bible can be very easy at times and at other times very frustrating. On this episode the guys discuss the simplicity of interpreting the Bible and the tools available to take your interpretation to the next level.