The Passionately Devoted Podcast: Recent Episodes
Lyle Larson and Noah Leighton
The Passionately Devoted Podcast is a show that explores the intersection of Christian worldview and cultural topics. Join Lyle and Noah as they delve into discussions on faith, ethics, politics, and more, with guests from all walks of life who bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table. Whether you're a devout Christian or simply curious about how faith informs our understanding of the world around us, this podcast is for you. Listen in as we explore the deep questions of life and faith and seek to understand how we can live out our beliefs in today's world. Join us on this journey of discovery and growth, as we strive to be passionately devoted followers of Jesus.
In today's episode, Lyle, Noah, and the new producer Justin discuss the ethical subjectivity that is common in the Western world today. Find out what's on everyone's radars this week and who would be on their own individual all-star lineups of Bible characters. Be sure to listen, subscribe, and leave a review!
Have any questions or comments for us? Connect with us by emailing passionatelydevotedpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a message on any of our social media platforms.
Mason King serves as a pastor at The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. He also serves as the Executive Director of The Village Church Institute, Groups, and Leadership Development. He is currently completing a Ph.D. in Church History from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and holds a D.Min. in Executive Leadership from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A native Texan, Mason and his wife Carly have three kids and two labs.
Every Christian wants to grow into the person God made him to be. Every Christian has a healthier, more spiritually mature version of herself in mind. Every Christian looks upon the future's horizon and imagines a relationship with God ever-increasing in vibrancy and strength.
But how does a Christian get there? How does a sapling with good intentions actually become an oak of righteousness?
You might think the answer is "regularly read the Bible, pray often, and share the gospel consistently." And those practices are certainly part of it. But in this book, Mason King expands your thinking beyond basic spiritual practices (which typically emphasize what you must do) into a more holistic picture of what a full and flourishing life with God can look like when it is cultivated well (focusing instead on who you might become).
In these pages, learn how you can become a vibrant, healthy Christian by regularly offering to God three main dimensions of your life—your attention, your emotions, and your limits—for when you are disciplined in cultivating these environments at the root, you will grow into the right kind of tree.
You can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Short-Guide-Spiritual-Disciplines-Christian/dp/1087768489/ref=asc_df_1087768489/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=652498079189&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2531853507847110124&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013118&hvtargid=pla-2009212874636&psc=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwg-GjBhBnEiwAMUvNWxccdBC_0-2GVdgHawtBu5rC4oiSSUVsO7NahdmKomlJHpCbCYTQoBoCcK8QAvD_BwE
In this episode, Lyle and Noah engage in a captivating discussion about the compelling proofs for the Bible's authenticity. Get ready to embark on a thought-provoking journey as they explore the historical evidence that supports the credibility of the Bible. Whether you're a believer, skeptic, or simply curious, this episode is sure to leave you with a fresh perspective. Make sure to listen, subscribe, and leave a review!
In this episode, we tackle two intriguing topics: the existence of evil and ranking the top U.S. presidents.
First, we dive into the age-old question of why God allows evil to exist. We explore various philosophical and theological perspectives, examining concepts such as free will and the potential for growth through adversity. It's a deep exploration that seeks to shed light on the complexities surrounding the existence of evil.
Later, we switch gears to the fascinating realm of U.S. presidents. We discuss and rank some of the most influential leaders in American history, considering their leadership qualities, impact on the nation, and historical significance. It's a thoughtful discussion that celebrates the unique contributions of these individuals to shaping the United States. Who would your top 5 be? We want to know!
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We value your support and engagement, and we love hearing from our listeners. So, whether you have questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, feel free to reach out to us on social media or through our website. Your input is what makes this podcast a meaningful and enriching experience for everyone.
Welcome to "The Passionately Devoted Podcast", where we explore topics related to faith, spirituality, and personal growth. In today's episode, we delve into the age-old debate about the existence of God and also talk about the movies we are excited to watch this summer.
First, we discuss the topic of the existence of God. This is a question that has puzzled philosophers, theologians, and scientists for centuries. We explore various arguments for and against the existence of God, ranging from the traditional arguments from religious texts to modern scientific theories.
We examine the cosmological argument, which posits that the universe must have a cause, and that cause must be God. We also look at the teleological argument, which argues that the complexity of the universe suggests an intelligent designer. On the other hand, we consider the problem of evil, which questions how an all-powerful and all-loving God could allow suffering and injustice in the world.
Do you have a question that you would like discussed? Make sure to let us know in the comments of our socials.
James Duke is an accomplished filmmaker, pastor, educator, and communicator. As an independent filmmaker, James has almost twenty years experience in film, television, and video production. His credits include writing, producing and directing over a hundred award-winning short films, documentaries, and theatrical productions. He has produced several feature films including The Least of These starring Isaiah Washington and Robert Loggia, and Ragamuffin about the life of Christian singer/songwriter Rich Mullins. James’ passion for developing filmmakers led him to found the Inspiration Film Fest as well as serve as the executive director of the Damah Film Festival.
Recently, he served as the president and CEO of Updog Studios, a production company in Florida that seeks to create provocative, thought-provoking entertainment and commercial cinema. James is a successful team builder with strong leadership skills and who enjoys collaborating with other creatives.
As a pastor, James served on staff at his church, Mosaic LA, for 10 years where he oversaw several ministries including film, live production, and family ministries. He’s also served as pastor in communities of faith in Tennessee and Florida.
As an educator, James’ passion for investing in and mentoring the next generation of filmmakers and storytellers has led him to create high school and collegiate-level curriculum taught and fully accredited in schools both in California and Florida.
As a communicator, James has been privileged to speak to thousands of people around the world on the topics of film, faith and culture.
James received his B.A. in Communications from Union University in Jackson, TN. He is also a graduate of the Los Angeles Film Studies Center, and the Act One writing program.
He is madly in love with his wife, Samantha, and their two young children. To schedule James for a speaking event, please contact him at james@actoneprogram.com.
Dr. George Guthrie is Professor of New Testament at Regent College and a highly sought-after lecturer, who has taught across North America, as well as in East Asia, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Africa, and Israel. Before coming to Regent in 2018, he taught for twenty-eight years at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, where he served as the Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible and Fellow in the Ryan Center for Biblical Studies.
George holds both a PhD and MDiv from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a ThM from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. A recognized authority on the New Testament book of Hebrews, George's doctoral research was published as The Structure of Hebrews: A Text-Linguistic Analysis in the series Supplements to Novum Testamentum (Leiden/New York: E.J. Brill, 1994). He has published commentaries on Hebrews (Zondervan, 1998; 2002, 2007), James (Zondervan, 2006), and 2 Corinthians (Baker, 2015), as well as numerous articles, book chapters, and book reviews. George has also worked as a consultant on the ESV, CSV, NLT, and HCSB translations.
George has a passion for equipping church leaders and laypeople to read and live the Bible more effectively. To that end he has published a number of works designed to help the church better understand and apply Scripture, including Reader’s Guide to the Bible (LifeWay, 2011), Reading God’s Story: A Chronological Daily Bible(Broadman & Holman, 2011), Read the Bible for Life: Your Guide to Understanding and Living God’s Word (Broadman & Holman, 2011), and CSB Day-by-Day Chronological Bible (Holman, 2018).
George and his wife Pat love being a part of the Regent community and living in British Columbia. They understand their calling to the Regent as oriented to teaching, mentoring, and hospitality, along with a bit of gardening and fly fishing. They have two grown children, Joshua and Anna, who live in Tennessee.
The number one predictor of a person's spiritual health is the regular practice of personal Bible reading.
But this is precisely the point where many Christians stumble. Why? For many reasons, but one of them is simply that reading the Bible can be challenging. Even when we set aside time and space, we don't always know where to begin, understand what we're reading or know how one part connects to the next.
In his new book, A Short Guide to Reading the Bible Better, Dr, Guthrie provides an accessible handbook to help you better read God’s Word, whether you are new to the Bible or have been reading it faithfully for decades. This book was designed to be read together by an entire church, studied by a small group or engaged by an individual looking to sharpen his or her Bible reading skill.
On today's episode, we interview some of our students at FBCG. We are joined by Brian Rager and Luke Larson, who are both students at Liberty Creek High School.
Brian and Luke shared with us what it's like being a follower of Jesus in 2022, what's different about Gen Z, and tons of other fun topics.
Have any questions or comments for us? Connect with us by emailing passionatelydevoted@fbcgoodlettsville.com or leave us a message on any of our social media platforms.
If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to subscribe and rate 5 stars so we can continue producing content.
Mike Minter is one of the Associate Teaching Pastors at Rolling Hills Community Church. He was the founding pastor of Reston Bible Church in Northern Virginia, where he and his wife, Kay, served for 47 years. In 2021, Mike and Kay decided to retire from his position there and to move to the Nashville area.
Mike’s call to ministry goes back over fifty years, but his calling for this new chapter, he says, offers him a chance to minister to a wide range of people from the young to the older members of the church body. Mike has an array of talents and hobbies, including hiking, making whole wheat bread from scratch, and grinding his own berries. And, something that may shock you about Mike is that he has eaten goat's head on a mission trip – and he lived to tell about it!
Pastoral ministry is hard. These days—with pandemics and cultural crises and distrust of the church higher than ever—it may be especially hard. There is a reason an increasing number of pastors are depressed, burned out, leaving the ministry, or—worst of all—imploding their lives through moral failures. Mike Minter planted a church in 1975, and after a long and faithful career in pastoral ministry, he is burdened to see so many struggling pastors. His book, Stay the Course, is born from both his experience and his concern. His heart is to help younger pastors make it through the ministry intact.
On today's episode, we our joined by Denise Lopez. After a mission trip to Ghana in September of 2011, the Lord began to deal with Denise about leaving the comfortable ministry of the local church. She had served in 3 different states at 3 different churches for the past 24 years. For the past 8 years, she had served at BattleCreek Church in a dual role as Women’s Minister and Director of New Member’s Assimilation. God showed much favor in the church and within the women’s ministry. She served during the exciting years of going from a congregation of about 300 to that of over 5,000. It was clear that He was calling her to trust Him to move beyond the familiar of what she loved—to the unfamiliar territory of a non-profit organization and international ministry.
After praying like crazy and looking for clues as to where God was at work, Denise and her husband Carl formed EveryDay Ministry. They were joined by Ron & Corrie Egge and Kyle & Stacy Brannon to begin the ministry.
Our desire is to “do whatever, whenever, wherever and for whomever The Lord leads and to encourage and empower others to do the same.”
We seek to meet everyday needs in order to share the gospel whether that is across the street, the states or the seas!
We will always give more than the gospel but never less than the gospel.
We know that we cannot help everyone, but we can help someone. We continue to trust God to show us who our “someones” are.
Have any questions or comments for us? Connect with us by emailing passionatelydevoted@fbcgoodlettsville.com or leave us a message on any of our social media platforms.
If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to subscribe and rate 5 stars so we can continue producing content.
In today's episode we are joined by Jason Thacker. Jason serves as director of research and chair of research in technology ethics at ERLC. He is the author or editor of several books, including his latest "Following Jesus in a Digital Age" and "The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society." He is a graduate of The University of Tennessee and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he is currently pursuing a PhD in Christian ethics, philosophy, and public theology. He also serves as an associate fellow with the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge, an advisor for AI and Faith, and a research fellow with the ERLC Research Institute.
Grab a copy of Following Jesus in a Digital Age.
jasonthacker.com
Have any questions or comments for us? Connect with us by emailing passionatelydevoted@fbcgoodlettsville.com or leave us a message on any of our social media platforms.
If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to subscribe and rate 5 stars so we can continue producing content.
On today's episode, Pastor Lyle and Noah sit down with Nik Ripken, who is a missionary and the author of the widely popular and impactful book, The Insanity of God.
Nik and Ruth (his wife), with 3 children, served for over 32 years obeying Christ’s command to share Jesus across the globe. After 7 years in Malawi & South Africa, they moved to Nairobi, Kenya to begin work among the Somali people (1991-1997). Since that time (1998-2013) they have journeyed globally among people whom, when they gave their lives to Jesus, faced increasing persecution for their faith.
Currently the Ripkens have interviewed over 600 believers in persecution, exceeding 72 countries. Sitting at their feet, the Ripkens learned from the suffering church how to thrive amidst suffering, not merely survive. The Ripkens, using everything they’ve learned from believers in persecution are creating resources as gifts from the church to the church.
You will be blessed to learn from Nik during this interview, and will walk away with a greater heart for the nations, and the brothers and sisters on the ground who are working to make the name of Jesus known among them.
(00:1) – INTRO
(0:45) – When a 9-year-old gave pastor Lyle a concussion.
(5:00) – Conviction for Missions(9:10) – Interview with Nik RipkenBUY A COPY OF THE INSANITY OF GOD, BY NIK RIPKENhttps://www.nikripken.com/
Have any questions or comments for us? Connect with us by emailing passionatelydevoted@fbcgoodlettsville.com or leave us a message on any of our social media platforms.
If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to subscribe and rate 5 stars so we can continue producing content.
In this episode, Pastor Lyle and Noah discuss the miracle of God using Elijah to raise a widow's son and how that relates to Jesus, give a book recommendation, and discuss if it's okay for believers to be competitive with one another.
In this episode, Pastor Lyle and Noah discuss our new sermon series "A Man Named Elijah" that we just started at FBCG, shout out an awesome person from our church, and also give their thoughts on the recent Roe v. Wade news.
In this episode, Pastor Lyle and Noah talk about Baptism Sunday that took place the previous week, give a special shoutout to some awesome people at FBCG and discuss Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter.
SEGMENT 1
(1:30) Baptism Sunday recap.
(6:07) Favorite baptism stories.
(16:00) SHOUTOUT
SEGMENT 2
(17:54) Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter.
(22:23) Are Pastor Lye & Noah "free speech absolutists"?
(31:00) Tips on how a Christian should engage with social media.
In today's episode, Pastor Lyle and Noah rank their top 3 most impactful books they have ever read, give a special shoutout to the new green jacket holder, and discuss a documentary recently released on Hulu about the origin of Christian music titled, "The Jesus Music"
(0:24) Do Pastor Lyle and Noah like to read?
(4:12) Tips for Reading
(9:33) Top 3 most impactful books Lyle and Noah have read.
(28:21) Scottie Scheffler, 2022 Master's Champion
(33:55) Hulu's "The Jesus Music" documentary review.
Link's to Pastor Lyle's top 3 list.
https://www.amazon.com/Desiring-God-Revised-Meditations-Christian/dp/1601423101
https://www.amazon.com/The-Purpose-Driven-Life-audiobook/dp/B00A2IDPW0/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=purpose+driven+life+book+by+rick+warren&qid=1649874902&s=books&sprefix=purpos%2Cstripbooks%2C88&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.com/Knowledge-Holy-General-Press/dp/9389157137/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3OPQ2WXJWP71Z&keywords=the+knowledge+of+the+holy+aw+tozer+book&qid=1649874930&sprefix=the+knowledge+of+the+holy+a%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-4
Link's to Noah's top 3 list.https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Taking-Faith-American-Dream/dp/1601422210/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=radical+david+platt&qid=1649874975&sprefix=radical+dav%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-1https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Christian-Christianity-Makes-Sense-ebook/dp/B0027KRRP2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=simply+christian+by+n.t.+wright&qid=1649875091&sprefix=simply+chri%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1https://www.amazon.com/Reason-God-Belief-Age-Skepticism/dp/1594483493/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+reason+for+god+tim+keller&qid=1649875113&sprefix=the+reason+for%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1
This week Pastor Lyle and Noah talk about the story of Jesus healing the blind man in John 9, why we are so fascinated with celebrities who proclaim to be Christians, and Noah shares his intentions to nominate Elon Musk for President of the Southern Baptist Convention.
In episode 2, Lyle and Noah discuss Jesus as the Better Moses, how March Madness relates to the idolatry of our hearts, and give a shoutout to someone who blessed the church this weekend.
Find our sermons at https://vimeo.com/fbcgoodlettsville
To hear the sermon referenced in the first segment of this podcast, go here - https://vimeo.com/690540439
Find us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/passionatelydevotedpod/
Check out Sam Landrith on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/samlandrith/
Ep 1. Jesus, Wine, and Batman.
(0:38) John's purpose of writing his Gospel.
(3:45) "My hour has not come"
(9:15) Did Jesus turn water into red Kool-Aid?
(16:00) Can a Christian have a beer?
(20:40) Reviewing the new Batman movie.
(31:20) Ranking our top 3 Batman movies.
Email us at passionatelydevoted@fbcgoodlettsville.com