Encounter: Recent Episodes
Adam Preim
Humble believers in Jesus Christ setting out to encounter Christ, culture, and community in a long interview format.
This week, we look at the 3 main types of reception to Christ's proclamations in Matthew 11-13.
On this week's episode of Encounter, we explore what the Bible has to say about anger. What is it? Are there Biblical and practical uses for it? Is anger always a sin?
We kick off this week's episode with our prepared 1 minute summaries of the Bible. After, we reflect on our choices and offer input how each other did. This was challenging but fun!
Based on a Scripture in Luke 9, we discuss what it means to be completely sold out for the mission of Christ.
This is a sidestep from our normal episode, but we have an open discussion about artificial intelligence and its current and future role. As Christians, even if we don't have all of the answers, it is helpful to process through the changing culture around us through the lens of the Scripture with people that we trust. Is AI the best thing to ever happen, the worst, or somewhere in between?
Welcome back! After a few weeks break, we are energized to be back and recording our study of the Word. In Matthew 11, we see John in prison asking a pretty important question about Jesus. What does this question reveal about John? How does this fit into the structure of Matthew and what God is revealing to us? Thank you for listening!
We tackle the toughest parable live on the podcast. Luke 16 offers a few challenges that we work through as we try to model what healthy Bible Study looks like.
One of the most basic and yet essential questions that any Christian needs to ask is, "What is the Church?" In this episode, we look at the Church from a Biblical perspective and challenge some modern traditions that stray from Biblical ecclesiology. Thank you for listening!
With our third Encounter with Pastor Chuck Thornley, we discuss the history of Israel and root our conversation in Scriptures that span the entire Bible. Thank you for listening!
In this week's episode, we address one of the most pertinent issues facing young men and women today: lust of the eyes/pornography. Through Matt Glancey's involvement with ProvenMen and his powerful testimony, we take an honest look at the slavery that this sin puts us in, the root of why it happens, its results, and how God is willing and ready to help us experience freedom in His name through the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is a sensitive topic, so if you are near children while you are listening, please use caution.
We believe that this episode is one of the most important ones that we have released yet. Please reach out if you would like prayer or assistance in overcoming an addiction and use the resources linked below.
https://www.provenmen.org/
Finally Free- Book
Aside from characterizing a church based on its Spiritual health, do churches have generalized personalities? Do churches draw in similar people from similar walks of life, or do churches create a subculture? Is this healthy? We work through these questions and much more on this week's episode of Encounter.
In this week's episode, we explore the assumption that we should simply put our sanctification and "let go and let God." We challenge the notion that we don't take part in our growth towards being more Christ-like. Things get Biblical... and personal, so stay tuned as we Encounter Christ, Culture, and Community.
In this week's podcast, we take a holistic look at Matthew 8, 9, and 10. As we look at the context, style, and how Jesus is prepping his disciples to duplicate His ministry, we get a glimpse into what God was doing then and what He is doing today. Thank you for listening!
In this week's episode, we understand the root and fruit of community and isolation. There is an underlying reason and motivation for everything that we do. We look at Biblical examples of community and isolation and try to make sense of why we sometimes prefer isolation or community. Thank you for listening!
In this episode, we get to the heart of discipleship and service. Are you following Christ out of devotion or obligation? What is the relationship between these two and are they necessary correlates? With plenty of work to do in ministry, the believer must work to discern their motivations behind following Christ. Please like and subscribe!
In this episode, we encounter our recurring guest, Brady Montage, and go through Bible Study basics. We walk through 4 layers of studying the Bible and then choose 2 specific scriptures to study with those tools. We pray that this episode better equips you to know God more through the study of His Word.
In this episode, we Encounter Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Instead of verse-by-verse, we provide an overview to contextualize the sermon and then highlight some of the key Scriptures.
In this episode, we Encounter Christ, Culture, Community, and Pastor Zach Green from Living Stone Church. For his third appearance on the podcast, we discuss the development of Living Stone, what God is teaching us, and what the true definition of the Church is.
In this week's episode of Encounter, we sit down with Paster Jeff Brower from Wellspring Church. We discuss Eschatology, the Role of Israel, and how to serve alongside people you may disagree with. This episode was one of our favorites, so we hope that you like it too!
In this episode, we address False Assumption #2: If I’m Spiritual Enough, I Will Have No Pain or Sin.
To do so, we look at the book of pain: Job. What is God revealing to us in the book of Job about Himself, us, and how we should appropriately respond to pain, suffering, and negative feelings.
Join us as we Encounter Christ, Culture, and Community.
Welcome to the Encounter Podcast. What is the difference between an obsession, a desire, a calling, gifting, and a Spiritual gift? In an open format discussion, Joe, Cole and I dig into the nuances of each of these.
In this episode, we have a Christ-centered conversation with Mr. Paul Kaiser. Paul is a disciple of Christ that served in the State Police, has been an elder for many years, and currently leads a SAFE team for Calvary Chapel Hammonton. We discuss his testimony, how to be proactive about safety while still being reliant on God, and we tap into some wisdom from someone who has been walking with the Lord.
As we dig into the first 3 chapters of Matthew, we look into how Matthew used the Exodus pattern to show Jesus as the new Moses. The Bible is the most incredible book ever recorded and the Holy Spirit's inspiration makes every individual piece fit together perfectly to tell the story of Jesus.
In this episode, we discuss whether or not it is selfish to have your needs met as a Christian. We know that God tells us to prioritize God and our neighbors, but also that we cannot do so effectively if we are not physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy. This conversation goes deep and challenges the way we look at service to the local body.
In this week's episode, we pinpoint a few areas that Biblical truths are being better lived out by the World than the truth. Thank you for listening!
As part of Encounter, we are going to take a closer look at Matthew as we tackle topics, have guests on, and study Scripture. Today, we get an overview of what God was doing in Matthew as well as some basic hermeneutics that can help us along the way.
We are joined by Rico Esteves to discuss his testimony, how to stay centered on Christ in a high stress job like police-work, and the good, the bad, and the ugly that we have seen in the Church over the past 30 years. Good insight, real laughs, and great stories. Tune in and don't forget to like, favorite, and subscribe to this podcast.
Pastor Chuck is a powerful force for God that leads the Shall Never Thirst Ministries. His testimony is an emotional roller coaster that deals with series and sensitive issues like assault, cancer, addiction, and broken families. In the midst of each of these, God was calling Him and patiently waiting to finish his testimony and receive the glory for Pastor Chuck's redemption.
We can't believe this ministry has been active for almost 3 years and 100 episodes. God has taught us so many lessons through his Word and through the fellowship with each other and our guests. If you have been traveling this journey with us, please let us know how you have been blessed!
In this episode, the Encounter guys look at key Scriptures through the lens of conviction and shame.
In this week's episode, we look at forgiveness through the lens of the Scripture. What the Bible say about our need to forgive? Does it always lead to reconciliation? Are there circumstances where we shouldn't forgive?
This week, we sit down with our good friend David Scott to discuss the purpose of Apologetics, the Biblical basis for it, and work through some of the toughest objections to the faith.
When the Word is secondary, and the Church strives for money, attention, and cultural relevance, you get cringey mayhem. In this episode, we take a look at viral clips of what happens when church goes wrong. Have some fun and laughs and then hug your pastor for preaching good doctrine from the Good Book.
In a followup episode to #94, we go straight to the source. An Encounter alumni revisits to give a global perspective on the faith. How has our culture changed? How can we best spread the gospel in our changing culture?
Tonight, based on a sermon that we listened to recently, we work through these questions. Is the Church sharing the gospel in the most effective way possible? What could we do better to remove barriers to our mission?
In this week's episode, we delve into Paul's command to "pray without ceasing." What does this mean? Is this possible? What is the context of this scripture? We talk about this and more, thank you for joining us!
Do we accurately use the word "persecution" in light of how the Bible details Christian persecution? In this episode, we have a special guest for the introduction and we seek to answer this question.
If you are looking to Encounter Gospel fluent conversations about the Bible, look no further. This week, we look at Job and Stephen and how their amazing testimonies display God's character in persecution and suffering.
This week, we discuss the fascination that Christian's have with Christian celebrities, the paradox of the Rich Young Ruler, and how "giving everything" can look different for every Disciple of Christ. Thank you for listening!
Welcome! We sit down with Dom Giacolone to discuss some of the faith's largest questions.
Finally! Acts 2. The Holy Spirit is poured out at Pentacost. Join us as we study the Scripture. Encounter Christ, Culture, and Community.
Join us as we Encounter Christ, Culture, and Community. As we seek to understand Acts, we look at how God repeats the Exodus story as the Passover and Pentecost are essential to get the full picture of Act 2. Also, how were the Apostles chosen? Can there be Apostles today? What are the dangers of believing that the Biblical canon isn't closed?
How does the Holy Spirit's role shift from the Old Testament to the New? What did Jesus say the Spirit's role would be? How does our understanding of the Spirit in the Old Testament aid our understanding of the New Testament? We set up our study of Acts as we work through our systematic study of God's Word. We pray you Encounter God and are blessed in your understanding of Him throughout this episode!
Joe, Cole, and Adam Encounter the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament this week. What was His role? Did His role change from Old Testament to the New? How so? We seeks to explore an overview of the Holy Spirit, know God more, and become more equipped to study His Word.
Welcome to Encounter. Last week, with Brandon Stevens, we talked about the dangers wearing Holy masks and not being transparent with fellow believes in our church about our growth process. As a part 2 to that episode, we follow up with one of the dangerous results of hypocrisy; Imposter Syndrome. Imposter syndrome is the name our culture has given to the constant feeling that you do not belong to your own community or that your accomplishments are illegitimate. In this episode, we look at the causes, effects, and factors of this phenomenon and how we can focus on our identity in Christ.
In this week's episode, we sit down with Brandon Stevens and let his powerful testimony teach us about God's work in his life. The heart that drives this episode is the necessity for authenticity in the Church. Instead of wearing masks of Holiness, shouldn't we be transparent about our sanctification and work on slaying each other's lions together? Masks and superficial Holiness causes damage. Authentic fellowship and growth don't take place in the shadows. Brandon's testimony helps bring these truths to light.
Welcome back Zach! This time, Zach is on as Pastor Zach Green of a new church plant, Livingstone Church. Last time Zach was on the podcast was over 70 episodes ago where he shared his testimony about how God pulled him off of the streets and into His grace. Since then, Zach pastored an outreach ministry and has recently been called to Pastor a new church. The heart that drives this conversation is the nature of God's calling on our lives and how we need to have the faith of Abraham.
Welcome back! As we journey through the book of the Bible and hold a magnifying glass up to the context and culture that Jesus was operating in, we encounter the Last Supper. Today, we take Communion in remembrance of what Jesus has done for us. Is that the whole picture that Jesus intended in John 13? We believe that the remembrance is only half of the picture. Listen to find out what else Jesus intended for us to know about the Last Supper and Communion. Have a blessed week!
As we proceed through the book of John and continue to ask the hard questions about what Jesus actually meant when he said and did certain things, we arrive at John 12 and 13. In these two wonderful chapters, we see Jesus anointed as his feet are washed, Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, and Jesus' triumphal entry.
Today, we see these chapters cited as reasons for a bride and groom to wash each other's feet at weddings. Is this an appropriate application of Scripture? What context can help us see this through God's eyes?
Come along on this journey with us as we seek to answer these questions.
Next week, we look at the Last Supper and follow the pattern of digging deep to find what the Bible actually means. Join us!
In this week's episode of Encounter, we revisit the account of the lamed man at the pool of Bethesda. Through this account, we discuss the ways that we seek out ways to avoid or skip the desert of sanctification. How are we taking the "easy way out" on the path to knowing and becoming more like Jesus? We pray that this episode and the Scriptures speak to you and foster healthy convictions toward Christ.
Book Mentions:
Reenacting the Way (of Jesus) - Paul T. Penley
Encounter Website
This is one of our most unique episodes yet because of the target audience, which is new believers in Jesus Christ. The heart that drives this conversation is one that seeks to provide practical first steps for someone who recently started walking with God. We gather up all of the Biblical wisdom that we think would serve as a field guide for the newly saved. Listen to it, forward it, and share it because we don't have any time to waste in the process of equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.
We are back to John! Tonight, we work through John 7 and 8 and we go deep into the nuances of Biblical inspiration, why the Bible is ambiguous at times, the motives of the Pharisees, and our ideas of what Jesus may have written in the sand. Please read ahead for the book of John and do your own study and let the Holy Spirit be your ultimate Illuminator and guide to Truth. Thank you for listening and please like and subscribe if you can!
Encounter Website
We were very excited to sit down with Lisa Whittacker in this week's episode of Encounter. Lisa is a long-time partner with Calvary Chapel Hammonton and we have supported her as a full-time missionary for decades as she spread the Gospel around the world. Having traveled and served in over 70 countries, she has a wealth of wisdom and experience about how God is moving globally. We delve into her missionary agency, Youth With a Mission, the value of putting ourselves in Biblical shoes, advice for young people who are considering missionary work, and Joe tests her knowledge of where she has been.
As a Part 2 to follow last week's episode, we take a closer look at the Biblical truths that we can hold onto with a tight grip.
These are the doctrines that should unite believers under the banner of Jesus Christ and what separates us from the rest of the world.
Then, we look at the issues that we should hold with an open hand, which are what tend to cause the disunity and tribalism in the church today that we discussed last week.
Happy New Year! In the first episode of 2023, we want to focus on Unity. Specifically, the unity that is found in Christ. First, we look at the theme of Unity in the Bible that runs from Genesis to Revelation. Then, we look at how tribalism breaks down the Church, isolates ideologies outside of the Church, and what doctrines should we be willing to divide over. Thank you for listening, we are praying for a fruitful year of growth towards Christ and away from the world.
In this week's episode of Encounter, we discuss chapters 4 and 5 in the book of John. Particularly, we look at the accounts of the nobleman's son and the pool at Bethesda. As we close read these powerful displays of Christ's power, we also see how John arranges his book in a way that pulls from many books in the Torah.
Check out this episode and realize the immense depth and richness of Scripture from cover to cover.
In this week's episode of Encounter, we are joined by Josh Cummings again to discuss the process of restoring relationships with people that we are called to love; family, friends, coworkers, and church members. Jesus died on the cross to restore our communion with Him. How then are we supposed to reflect the heart of Christ to the people around us? We look at Isaiah 58 as a mentor text for our discussion.
In this episode, we sit down with Stacy Gerst and discuss how restrictive environments restrict or promote Spiritual growth in our pursuit of Jesus. Do extra-Biblical guidelines create a discipline and submission that points us to Jesus, or does it hinder us from being sensitive to the Holy Spirit? We cover schooling, church environments, and doctrines such as women's roles in the church and baptism.
In this week's episode, we are joined by Josh Cummings as we dig into John's account of the Woman at the Well. As we study and discuss, we contrast the accounts of the Samaritan woman and Nicodemus and discover why Jesus revealed Himself the way He did. As this is one of the most alluded-to stories in all of the Scriptures, we should know this story inside and out. But do you? Listen to the episode to find out.
Welcome to Encounter, this is a podcast and radio show where we seek to encounter Christ, Culture, and Community. In this week's episode, we get personal and work through some surface questions and some deep questions about our faith, personalities, and opinions. If you want to have fun and promote healthy conversations around the dinner table, start with some of these. Have a great week! We will be continuing our study of John in future episodes.
In this week's episode, we consult the Word of God and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the story of Nicodemus to us. What is the actual meaning of being born again? What is the context surrounding the Bible's most famous verse, John 3:16? How are we like Nicodemus in our walk with Christ? Take the deep dive with us as we seek to Encounter Christ, Culture, and Community.
Book Mentions:
Signs of the Messiah
Encounter Website
In this episode, we ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate a significant part of Scripture to us. We read, discuss, and apply Jesus' cleansing of the Temple in John chapter 2. Is this account about how Jesus is allowed to get angry or is it something more? Is this account about how there are justifications for anger or is it something more? Is this account about how commerce is prohibited in church or is it something more? We attempt to look at the big picture as we crawl closer to the feet of Jesus.
Book Mentions:
Signs of the Messiah
Encounter Website
Welcome to Encounter. In this week's episode, Joe, Cole, and I dig into the Wedding at Cana as Jesus' First Miracle. Is this a story God inspired so we could argue endlessly about alcohol, or is it something more? Why is it significant that Jesus' first miracle was at a wedding, with wine, and with 6 jars of wine? We consult the Word to learn about the Word and God tonight.
Book Mentions:
Signs of the Messiah
Encounter Website
In this week's episode, Joe, Cole, and Adam do a deep dive into the prologue of John. How is John different from other Gospels? What is unique about the start of John? How can we know more about Jesus as we read through this gospel? We dive headfirst into our favorite Gospel, grow closer to Christ, and relate John's message to today.
Book Mentions:
Signs of the Messiah: An Introduction to John's Gospel
Encounter Website
In this week's episode, we try to answer one question: Are we disciplined in our pursuit of Christ, Holiness, and becoming more like Him? If you are honest with yourself, you will see the Word illuminate parts of your walk with God that need to be sanctified. We discuss the 12 disciplines detailed by Richard J. Foster in the Celebration of Discipline. Stay tuned to find out if you are running this race well.
Book Mentions:
Celebration of Discipline - Richard J. Foster
Encounter Website
Do you speak in a way that is acceptable to God? Is your social circle replete with people that gossip about others? Do you even notice when it is happening or are you desensitized to evil tongues? Tonight, Cole, Joe, and Adam address these questions by exegeting Scripture, discussing the application, and looking back at Scripture again. We are so blessed that you are listening!
Book Mentions:
Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus - Lois Tverberg
Encounter Website
We have the blessing and privilege to sit down with Pastor Dan McAnney. Starting with how he met Jesus and was pulled into full-time ministry, we delve into the many ways God has used him for His glory throughout his life, which sparked some great discussion. First, Dan and his wife Marci have fostered over a dozen children, done countless mission trips, serve in multiple churches, and more recently, Dan's life was rocked when he had a stroke. Since then, God has chosen to use him in new and different ways, all with the joy of the Lord in his heart and a smile on his face.
Book Mentions:
Crazy Love - Francis Chan
Radical Hospitality - Lonni Collins Pratt
Encounter Website
What is God doing in your life and what is He teaching you? We each answer the question, which leads us to a deep discussion about keeping our ministries with an open hand, transparency in our leadership, and the Matt Chandler incident. We hope that you enjoy this conversation, but even more than that, we hope that you can model this conversation in your personal life and the people around you. Try to start a conversation this week with, "What is God teaching you right now?"
Book Mentions:
Walking in The Dust of Rabbi Jesus - Lois Tverberg
Jesus Never Said Anything New - Rabbi Matt Rosenberg
Podcast Website
Almost a year after we had Chuck and Christine Thornley on the podcast to discuss the Crisis Pregnancy Center that they run, we sit down with Pastor Chuck and reassess the landscape in the wake of Roe v. Wade. What exactly does it mean that Roe v. Wade was overturned? Was the overturning of Roe v. Wade a good thing for the Kingdom? What do we do now? We discuss all this and more.
This episode is a must for anyone that is looking to be discipled or disciple as a part of a Bible believing church. First, Joe, Cole, and Adam review how we got from Acts 2 to what we call the modern church today. Then, we use the Saturate model by Jeff Vanderstelt to define true discipleship and how the Bible defines an authentic discipleship relationship. Lastly, we discuss the Biblical model for the church and how we can embody aspects of the Acts 2 church today. Book Mentions: Saturate - Jeff Vanderstelt True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In - James Choung Continue: A Biblical Journey in Personal Discipleship - Paul Chappell Saturate Website: https://saturatetheworld.com/all-training/ Podcast Website: https://encounterpodcast11.wixsite.com/encounterpodcast
There's a good chance you don't correctly understand the book of Jonah. In episode 57 of Encounter, we get to the heart of one of the most ridiculed and misinterpreted Bible books. We discuss whether it is literal or figurative, Jonah as a type of Christ, Jonah as the prodigal son, how we tend to worship the God of our imaginations and ideologies, and how non-believers do have a right to judge a believer's commitment to the common good of society.
Book Mentions:
The Prodigal Prophet
Exalting Jesus in Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk
Podcast Website:
https://encounterpodcast11.wixsite.com/encounterpodcast
All the way from Kenya, Maine, and Pennsylvania, Pastor Josh Lawrence, John Fleming, and Rich Pennisi join us for this episode of Encounter. Pastor Josh is the Senior Pastor and Planter of Calvary Chapel Eldoret, Kenya, John is the director of the CRD Addictions Ministry for Calvary Chapel Bangor, Maine, and Rich Pennisi is a worship leader for Calvary Chapel Philadelphia. With 4 Calvary Chapels represented, we discuss the current state of the Church in Kenya and the United States, what Biblical discipleship looks like, and the standard of excellence required for worship. This is what gospel fluent conversation looks like!
If you would like to donate to the Lawrence Family as missionaries, Calvary Chapel Eldoret as a church body, or Josh's newly begun minsitry, Great Comission Ministries, as a means to help the orphan children of Kenya, you can do so by clicking any of the links below! We sincerely hope you take time to pray about donating to God's wonderful work that He is doing through Josh and his family!
Donate to Calvary Chapel Eldoret!
Donate to the Lawrence Family through Shepherd's Staff!
Donate to Great Commission Ministries!
Great Commission Ministries is a Mission organization, spearheaded by Josh Lawrence, that seeks to Help children who need food, shelter, clothing and education while keeping the focus on the Gospel and Discipleship through local Churches. They believe those whom they rescue from the streets should be plugged into a local body of believers which the New Testament calls the church. They are church oriented in all that they do.
Book Mentions:
Finally Free
The Prodigal God
Encounter Podcast Website
Our goal is to Encounter Christ, Culture, and Community and in this episode, we had the privilege to talk with our sister, Anieve Marks, and encounter all three. Anieve is a Bible-believing follower of Jesus Christ that is a Medical Surgery and Hospice nurse. We love episodes like these where we get to hear how the Gospel is lived out by our brothers and sisters in Christ when God has called them to different professions and passions. We discuss the different trials of the nursing profession, how she is the salt and light where she works, how divisive the vaccine conversations have become, and how we can appropriately pray for our Christian family in the medical field.
Apart from being a nurse, a wife, and a mother of three with one on the way, Anieve runs an Instagram Account and Youtube Channel titled Happiest On My Homestead, where she catalogs her adventures of gardening and cooking.
Article Mentions:
The Saline Process
IHS Global Witness Training for Christian Nurses:
Saline Witness Training
By clicking the link below, you can check out our website to listen to different podcast episodes, read biblical blogs, find our favorite quotes from guests, and contact us!
Encounter Podcast Website
You can also email us at encounterpodcast116@gmail.com to express any concerns, suggest guests and topics, or simply say hello!
Welcome to Encounter! This episode was so much fun to make because we were able to talk about our favorite book... the Bible. We sat down with Sofia Ramirez who provided helpful insight into how to avoid reading the Bible through Western eyes. As we moved through the episode, we decided to break it down into three parts. 1. The importance of the author, audience, culture, and hermeneutics. 2. How to look for themes, motifs, and literary movements. 3. How to apply these techniques to commonly out-of-context scriptures. We pray that this episode deepens your relationship with Christ and strengthens your reading of the Bible.
Book Mentions:
How (Not) to Read the Bible: Making Sense of the Anti-women, Anti-science, Pro-violence, Pro-slavery and Other Crazy-Sounding Parts of Scripture
Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible
Encounter Podcast Website
We are joined by Mia Boone in episode 53 of Encounter. In this episode, we cover how to shine for Christ in an environment of darkness, how to cover those who protect us in prayer, and how to praise God regardless of our circumstances.
Lt. Mia Boone has been in the Police Force for 22 years and offers great insight on how she keeps the joy and light of Christ in such a dark environment. Lt. Boone also shares her testimony of how she dodged an axe murderer and how God miraculously saved her daughter's life after the doctors advised her to say her last words to her daughter! Listen in for these stories and much more!
Song Mention Have Your Way - Britt Nicole
Song Mention Burn Us Up - Shane & Shane
Podcast Website: https://encounterpodcast11.wixsite.com/encounterpodcast
Over a year and a half after our first episode on private and public education, we take a second look through the eyes of Josiah Clark and the usual Encounter crew. Josiah is the head Youth Pastor at Calvary Chapel Gloucester County where the church is planting a Christian school called Cornerstone Christian Academy. Josiah offers a great perspective and was a blessing to have on the podcast.
Podcast Website: https://encounterpodcast11.wixsite.com/encounterpodcast
With our new guest Josh Cummings to add helpful commentary to our discussion, we reflect on the Bible's instructions on how to practice "I will see before my eyes no vile thing" (Psalm 101:3) with TV media. Disney, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and other streaming services that serve as the base of Hollywood have forced Christians to look inward before looking outward. More importantly, they have forced us to look at the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit be our illumination and advocate.
Podcast Website: https://encounterpodcast11.wixsite.com/encounterpodcast
Missionary Paul Cowley sits down with us to discuss his mission field in Kenya and how they train pastors to spread the gospel throughout the country. It began with a short mission trip to Africa when Paul immediately knew he was called to the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. In this episode, Paul discusses the importance of truly hearing God's calling on your life and warns us of the dangers of trying to earn God's love by searching for works of significance to please Him. We learned so much about spiritual warfare, where both the Kenyan and American churches have weaknesses, and the importance of prayer.
Here is a link to Disciple Support Ministries, Paul's ministry program in Kenya. If the Spirit is leading you, please help Paul in anyway you can.
Book Mentions: The Search for Significance: Seeing Your True Worth Through God's Eyes
Podcast Website: https://encounterpodcast11.wixsite.com/encounterpodcast
We sit with Pastor Jeff Brower of Wellspring church in Mayslanding, New Jersey. Pastor Jeff planted this church almost 10 years ago it is thriving and faithfully proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We delve into a multitude of topics. We cover his testimony, how to totally rely on Christ and His promises for us, how to handle playing worship music from theologically differing churches, and how we need to have a spirit of compassion over a spirit of cynicism in the church today.
Pastor Vince Lombardo has taught the Bible multiple times from cover to cover. Can he help find Christ in the Old Testament? We take a deep dive into how to find Christ everywhere in the Bible and also some tough topics like alcohol, the sign gifts, and divorce.
On the heels of our study of Gospel Fluency and how our lives can be more gospel-centered, we take a closer look through the lens of scripture at our prayer lives, our discipline, and how crucial the Holy Spirit is in our walk with Christ. This is another episode that is not for the lukewarm. Listen only if you want to struggle with us and walk deeply in your convictions.
One of our favorite types of episodes; very little planning and very honest answers. To see Christ moving in our lives and how he shaped us, we prepared questions for each other to answer with little or no preparation time. What weaknesses do others see in you? What are the areas that you have fought God the most? Would anyone notice if your church went missing? What books of the Bible do you know the least? Answer these questions for yourself as you listen!
Based on a book called Gospel Fluency by Jeff Vanderstelt, we take a deep dive into areas of our lives where we act out our incorrect beliefs about Christ. The goal is to glorify Christ, our tone is honest, and the result is transparency. This episode and the scriptures we walk through will be as convicting to you as they were to us.
We sit down with Charlie Baehner, the Dean of Men at Pilgrim Christian School, and get to the heart of how Christ called him, what Christ-like discipline looks like, and what inspires dance moves at weddings.
For our first freestyle episode in a long time, we cover Hebrews 2:1 what it means to put Christ first in our lives and what happens when we don't. We discuss the new Hillsong documentary that finally had a chance to watch and a dozen other rabbit trails as usual.
Thank you for tuning in to Part 2 with Pastor Anthony Parise! If you haven't yet, please go back and listen to part 1 to get the full understanding of Pastor Anthony, his heart, and the church that he pastors.
We were blessed to sit down with Pastor Anthony Parise of Victory Bible Church. This part 1 of 2 of our conversation and we cover his testimony, Christ's call on his life, and the recent Pastor's Ministry that started less than a year ago. We pray that you enjoy this episode and tune in for Part 2!
We came up with some of the toughest, most common, and most ridiculous questions for our brother, Brian Lafreda, who also happens to be a theologian and seminary Bible Scholar.
This week's question came organically in the episode with Catie Almacellas. Is it this or next?
What is some of the basic theology surrounding Israel in the Bible and how does it relate to us today? Why is war continually raging over such a small plot of land? How can we best support Israel and how can we intelligently pray for them? We cover a lot of ground with Catie Almacellas as we scratch the surface on these questions and many more.
What food would you eat in the garden if you could only have the perfect version of that food?
We sit down with brother Pat Demitrio and hear his amazing testimony and how God called him to his very unique ministry. Pat and his wife run a ministry for our special needs brothers and sisters in Christ. Tune in to learn more about it and possibly let the Spirit call you to a similar ministry!
With Craig Hobbins, we discuss the role of anxiety in our lives, some of the main causes, side effects, and how we can best manage it under the banner of Christ.
In one of our favorite episodes yet, Ally Zito shares her incredible testimony about being a part of a cult that masquerades as a church and how God pulled her out of it. Disclaimer - some of the topics that are covered, such as physical, mental, and sexual abuse, may be unsuitable for younger viewers. Although we believe that these topics are necessary and important to talk about, a certain level of maturity is needed to do so. We pray that every episode glorifies our Father in Heaven and brings you closer to Christ.
Who is your favorite person in the Bible? Choose a modern movie (not Christian or documentary style) that you would want to watch with them.
The greyest of grey areas yet: Can and should Christians use lethal self-defense to protect their homes and families? We tackle this issue with prayer and care, so please wrestle through this question with us as we are joined by Jacob Berge as our guest.
If you could choose one modern amenity to bring back to a biblical time period, what would it be and why? Let us know your answers below!
We sit down with Carl Schubert, a brother in Jesus Christ that has a remarkable testimony about how he came to the saving knowledge of Jesus. In this episode, we discuss the topics of addiction, intervention, and redemption. We pray that Carl's testimony will encourage someone in their walk and be a part of their own redemption story.
Midweek teaser episode: If you had to choose 3 of the 10 plagues in Exodus simultaneously for 1 month, what would they be?
This week, we set the groundwork for many episodes to come as we lay a foundation for how to apply the Bible to areas that aren't black and white. This is a must-listen if you have ever not known what to do in your Christian walk, which is all of us. We pray that you guys have a blessed week.
Are kids leaving the church more rapidly than before, why are they leaving, and what can we do to stop it? We wrestle with all of these things and more on this week's episode of Encounter with youth leader Brady Montag.
We are back! After a hiatus over the Christmas break, we are thrilled to kick off our second season and 31st episode in the New Year. We have some amazing guests and fascinating topics to cover over the next several months.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into some historical Christian figures whose lives we admire. From Charles Spurgeon, to Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, to CS Lewis, we take a few minutes to admire how God has chosen to use simple men of faith to accomplish great things. We also introduce some new segments that you will see in each episode.
Have you ever wondered why God chose Jesus to be born when he did? Or what Old Testament prophecies the Jewish people would have known about Christ's birth? Joe Costa leads us through a study and discussion to wrestle with these questions. Also, we discuss what we thought about the Christmas episode of The Chosen that is out now. We pray that this episode will bring you closer to Christ as we celebrate His birth on Christmas.
This is part 1 of 2 where Joe Costa, Cole Perseo, and Adam Preim seek to deepen the meaning of the birth of Christ. In this episode, we look into some Christmas traditions, their roots, and whether or not the scripture comments on how to handle them. Next week, we look at the prophecies surrounding Christ's birth and why God chose to send His Son when he did.
Today, Joe Costa, Cole Perseo, and Adam Preim put aside the prep and do a freestyle episode. We each came up with 3 questions that were either Biblical, Personal, or Wildcard questions and each of us needed to answer. We weren't allowed to know each other's questions beforehand so the listeners are able to hear authentic and unprepared responses. We run the gamut from deep theological discussions on how the American church might see real persecution in our lifetimes, to then argue about murdering chickens daily versus fighting orangutans annually.
This episode is unique. We each made a list of cheesy Christian cliches, quirks, and traditions. We are reacting to each other's lists on the fly and exposing some stories that helped shape each other's lists. This episode gets a little wild in the second half where there is a disagreement on the relationship between wealth and complacency in the church.
In this episode, Joe Costa, Cole Perseo, and I Adam Preim are with Big Al Szolak. Big Al has been a pillar in our community as a drug counselor, teacher, Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader, founder of the “do hugs, not drugs” movement, and was a professional basketball for the Washington Generals. Tonight, we get into his testimony, what he thinks is wrong with the modern church today, and how best we can further the Gospel.
In this episode, Joe Costa, Cole Perseo, and I, Adam Preim, are blessed to sit down with Chuck and Christine Thornley. Chuck is on the pastoral staff at Wellspring Church where he and Christine serve in various children and worship music ministries.
However, the main reason that they are here is that they are the directors of a Crisis Pregnancy Center in Egg Harbor Township. Tonight, we will discuss their mission, what the Bible has to say about unborn children, and how we can help.
Stay tuned to encounter Christ, culture, and community.
Joe Costa, Cole Perseo, and Adam Preim sit down to discuss the show, "The Chosen." We discuss what we love about it, how it has impacted us, what we don't love about it, and the general practice of separating the art from the artist. We had some fun on this one!
In this week’s episode, Joe Costa, Cole Person, Adam Preim, and Pastor Ed Seponosky discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Western Church today. We address Salvation, the Holy Spirit, and the weaknesses in our presentation of the Gospel. Pastor Ed was the head pastor of a church for over 15 years and now has a ministry where he ministers directly to pastors, which gives him a unique bird's eye perspective of the church today.
Today, Joe Costa, Cole Perseo, and Adam Preim sit down with Dianne Lombardo. Dianne has served in women's ministry at Calvary Chapel Hammonton for over 20 years alongside her husband, Pastor Vince Lombardo. She travels to speak at women's retreats and conferences all over the world. In this episode, we dig into what the Bible says about the roles of women in the church, the issue of woman pastors, and how our sinful nature that rebels against submission to authority has been inherent since the fall.
In this week's episode, Joe Costa, Cole Perseo, and Adam Preim sit down with our guest, Jennifer Brittin, and discuss what the Bible has to say about alcohol. What hard lines does the Bible draw on the subject? What are the grey areas that we look to the Spirit to discern? How is it advancing the Kingdom of Heaven? Listen as we Encounter Christ, Culture, and Community together.
This week, Joe Costa, Cole Perseo, and Adam Preim take a deep dive into the popular Christian movement called Christian Deconstruction. We try to understand it, hold it up to God's Word, and offer our take on it. As Christians, we need to be like the Bereans (Act 17) by adhering to the Word and be willing to call out bad doctrine when we hear it. Today, we do just that.
This week, Adam Preim, Joe Costa, and Cole Perseo sit down with Dr. Ken Irvis to discuss vaccines, Covid, and preventable care. Dr. Ken has been a board-certified medical doctor in the fields of Obstetrics and Gynecology for nearly 45 years and has an invaluable perspective on how we should handle the virus.
In this episode, we had the privilege of sitting down with Patrick Toner and discussing cults and world religions. Pat is an elder at Calvary Chapel Gloucester Calvary Chapel, teaches courses on world religions and cults, and co-leads a young adult ministry. In the episode, we discuss Pat's testimony, the Catholic Church, the sufficiency of Scripture, and how we can recognize cultish characteristics in the modern church.
This week we sit down with an expert in Christian apologetics, Keith Kendrex. Keith runs his own podcast called Evidence 4 Faith, is the Chapter Director of Ratio Christi at Stockton and Rowan University, a Member Evangelical philosophical association, and has a Masters in Christian Apologetics from BIOLA. We cover topics such as the purpose and heart behind Christian apologetics, the genetic argument for the Bible account of creation, and how the science surrounding the tectonic plates supports what we see in Scripture.
Today, we hear from John and Emily Nally as we delve into their experiences with leadership roles in the church today, the differences between the church in America and the church in China, and the dynamics of being married and balancing full-time ministries.
In this week's episode, we were blessed with being able to sit down with Caleb Eller and work through some complex questions. When looking for a new church, or even evaluating the one you are in now, what are the red flags you should look for? What attributes are absolutely necessary? How should your preferences factor into your decision?
We had the privilege of sitting down with Zach Greene and hear his incredible testimony of how Jesus changed his life. Coming from a background of homelessness and addiction, he now lives a life that is marked by sharing the gospel with the homeless and addicted. He runs the addiction ministry at Calvary Chapel Gloucester County and is actively serving multiple local communities. You won't want to miss the remarkable work that Christ is doing through Zach.
Apologetics is the practice of defending your faith or preparing an answer for anyone who may ask for the reason that hope is in you (1 Peter 3:15). Joe, Cole, and Adam discuss the relevancy of apologetics today, the validity of the Scripture and resurrection, and the dangers of not learning to defend your faith at an early age. Join us as we encounter Christ, culture, and each other.
In this week's episode, we sit down with Bible Scholar and good friend, Brian Lafreda. We discuss John 18, and what it means to identify as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven rather than a citizen of a nation. If you would like to hear more from Brian and his teaching on Revelation, check out the Calvary Chapel Hammonton youtube page in the link attached. https://www.youtube.com/c/cchammonton/featured
We discuss a very opinion-based topic; contemporary congregational worship with Vince Lombardo and Ru Breau. Each of us have served in worship ministry for many years and have varying perspectives on what worship music should and could look like today.
In this week's episode, we try to tackle the sensitive topic of education and schooling in the lives of Christian students and parents. By starting the conversation from a place of personal experience, and then expanding it to the strengths and weaknesses of each type of schooling, we tried to take an objective look at each type. With our guests; Jen, Tori, Cole, and Liz, Joe and I try to guide the discussion and highlight some of the realities of education today so that you, the Christ-dependent listener, can make an informed and Spirit lead decision about your family's education.
In today's episode, we sit down and work through some topics related to short, long, local, and abroad missionary work. Angelica just got back from traveling the world as a missionary and offers a unique perspective.
How should Christians handle TV, songs, podcasts, and other types of media in their lives? Joe, Cole, and Adam take a closer look.
We take a close look at the state of the modern church through the lens of what the Bible defines as idolatry. Do we put our pastors, leaders, worship, churches, comfort, or money over Christ, or are we doing a decent job?
Much of our discussion references the terminology in this article
https://www.checkmychurch.org/post/6-ways-your-church-could-be-practicing-idolatry
The John MacArthur video clip that is referred to about Ravi Zacharias is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2tpwVrBEz0
2 weeks ago, we recorded an episode with Adam, Joe, and Cole on the ins and outs of being married, dating, and single in the Christian culture. Today, we get the female perspective.
Pastor Vince Lombardo from Calvary Chapel of Hammonton discusses some of the nuances of heavier topics such as persecution in the US, Covid, and vaccinations. On a lighter note, we discuss first and worst sermons, life in a fishbowl, and navigating humor in the Christian walk.
We discuss what healthy and transparent fellowship looks like in the context of a Bible study. How can we achieve the culture of the early church that proclaimed the Gospel? We don't have all of the answers, but we are trying our best to figure it out and are willing to share what has and hasn't worked in our personal lives.
Cole, Joe, and Adam tackle being single, dating, and married in the Christian culture. We seek to learn from each other's perspectives and encourage each other to glorify God in every stage.
Today, we discuss social media in the life of a Christian. If you are looking for a variety of opinions, they are here. Listen in!
Joe, Cole, and Adam lay out their heart, motivation, goals, and topics for this podcast.