LNBC Students: Recent Episodes
LNBC Production
It is a special episode! The LNBC student ministry is welcoming Tucker Furr as the new Student Ministry Associate. Taylor and Carson sit down with him to hear his bio and have him answer some questions.
Jesus’ high priestly prayer is one of the greatest examples of prayer in scripture. As we read this passage, notice the things for which Jesus prayed. In general, Jesus was praying for the equipping of the church to continue the work of the covenant, which is to bring the renewal of all things through the lordship of Jesus. Our prayers should seek the same thing and likewise recognize this reality by praying in the name of Jesus. You can find a helpful guide for how to pray scripture on our resource website at this link, "Praying Scripture Guide."
All prayers are designed to end in praise. The book of Psalms is a prayer book, and the very design of the book emphasizes that prayer ends in praise. Psalms is divided into five books, and each of those books intentionally end with a praising benediction. At the end of the fifth book, there are five hallelujah psalms that culminate in the final psalm, Psalm 150. It is a resounding call to praise God. You can learn more on how to pray scripture at this link.
Prayer is inherently tied up in the fact that God’s kingdom is still ‘not yet.’ In other words, prayer is only a practice for the ‘in-between’ when God’s promises are not yet a full reality. In this sense, prayer is a practice of suffering. As we look forward with hope, the Spirit of God ministers to us in our suffering by helping us to pray. You can find a helpful guide for how to pray scripture on our resource website at this link, "Praying Scripture Guide." Listen to the Tim Keller sermon: https://youtu.be/DxOWWWVDGD0
Prayer is also a practice for confession. In this passage Rich, Carson, and Taylor discuss how confession is not only a personal prayer practice, but it is also a corporate prayer practice. We can confess our wrongdoings and the wrongdoings our community. Importantly, as we see in Daniel 9, all of this confession is connected to the covenant. You can find a helpful guide for how to pray scripture on our resource website at this link, "Praying Scripture Guide."
Prayer is also a practice that the people of God utilize to seek provision. Rich, Carson, and Taylor discuss that in praying for what we need, it is good to remind ourselves that we have the greatest provision in Christ. You can find a helpful guide for how to pray scripture on our resource website at this link, "Praying Scripture Guide."
Rich, Carson, and Taylor discuss the tension of prayer in light of Exodus 32:7-14. You can find a helpful guide for how to pray scripture on our resource website at this link, "Praying Scripture Guide."
In the second episode of this series on prayer, Rich, Carson, and Taylor have a short discussion on God-centered prayer in light of 1 Samuel 2:1-10. You can find a helpful guide for how to pray scripture on our resource website at this link, "Praying Scripture Guide."
In the first episode of this new series for our MDWK groups, Rich, Carson, and Taylor define Prayer, have a short discussion on the significance of the Lord's Prayer to our understanding and practice of prayer, and they also give some basic instructions for praying scripture.
You can find a helpful guide for how to pray scripture on our resource website at this link, "Praying Scripture Guide."
Now that the state of NC is beginning to open up, Carson, Rich, Taylor, and (special guest) Ethan sit down six-feet-apart to reflect on their time in quarantine.
Continuing thoughts on how we relate to others during quarantine, Taylor talks about how our isolated environment can conform us into people of less compassion.
Read this article on the examen prayer practice.
Music: "Holy Love" by Citizens
Taylor gives a short update on the Student Ministry as the state of NC begins to open up from the COVID-19 quarantine.
The suffering of the times can make us feel small and alone, but it should have the reverse effect. When we suffer we should find solidarity with all of creation and all people. It then equips us to love others.
Music: "See the Love" by The Brilliance.
In the seventh episode of House Calls, Taylor, Sam, and Steph have some more conversations with students during the COVID-19 quarantine. Find more resources at this webpage.
This week's episode will be the first of several where we consider how to relate to others at this time of quarantine. The first exhortation is to lean into the relationships that are closest to you.
Music in this episode:
"gorge" by quickly, quickly
"Together, Again" by On Earth, Michael Gungor
"The Love of God" by Ascend the Hill
It is a special episode in our House Calls series! Students Jackson, Levi, Jordan, and Kylie take the mic and record some conversations with our student ministry leaders to see how they are doing during the COVID-19 quarantine.
Our quarantine series "Confined Contemplation" continues. One way for us to redeem this time is to settle into God's gift of rest and slowing down. Psalm 23 is a great psalm to contemplate as we consider what it means to rest in God.
Featured Music: "Rest" by John Mark Pantana.
We are still on quarantine, and that means another episode of House Calls. Taylor, Sam, and Steph talk with students to see how they are doing throughout the COVID-19 quarantine. Find more resources at the resource webpage. Subscribe to Garrett Kayser's YouTube Channel and follow him on TikTok.
After some special episodes for Holy Week, the Confined Contemplation series returns. Now that we are on the other side of Resurrection Sunday in the church calendar, we take a bit of a pivot and highlight some "positive dispositions" for such a time as this.
Featured Music: "Ludwig's Dream" and "Valte's Dream" and "Lily's Dream" from The Brilliance; "TrusT" by Half-Alive.
After a few special Holy Week episodes, House Calls returns. On the fourth episode, Taylor, Sam, and Stephanie Facetime a few students to see how they are doing with the Covid-19 quarantine. You can find more information on our virtual small groups and bible studies here: https://establishedlnbc.squarespace.com/.
We take another pause from our normally scheduled posts during the COVID-19 quarantine and Taylor shares some short thoughts on Resurrection Sunday.
Since we are in Holy Week under Covid-19 quarantine, I wanted to share some thoughts on this important day for Jesus followers. Why is "Good Friday" a day of significance?
We continue our short Sunday-morning series contemplating a Psalm. This week we look at Psalm 42 and how it speaks to our sadness. If you are struggling through disappointment in this season, I encourage you to take a few minutes to listen through this episode.
Music:
- Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Part
- I Won't Let You Go Feat. Lauren Daigle (Live) by Switchfoot
More house calls are here! Taylor, Sam, and Stephanie Facetime a few students to see how they are doing with the Covid-19 quarantine. You can find more information on our virtual small groups and bible studies here: https://establishedlnbc.squarespace.com/.
We continue our short Sunday-morning series contemplating a Psalm. This week we look at Psalm 3 and how it speaks to our fears and anxieties. Much of this was inspired by Tim Keller and his teaching on prayer and the Psalms. You can listen to Tim Keller's sermon, Praying Our Fearsfrom his teaching series "Psalms - The Songs of Jesus."
Here are some other resources that could help with you praying the Psalms.
Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer by Eugene Peterson
Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney
Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The house calls continue. As the COVID-19 quarantine persists, Taylor makes a few calls to students to see how they are doing in this season of life. As a special guest, Stephanie joins to have conversations with Jordan and Cadee.
Doubt can be overwhelming, but God has given us a prayer book to pray our emotions back to Him. In the process, God turns our doubts to praise.
At such a time where people are confined to their house, Taylor and Sam take a few minutes to Facetime people and check-in on them. It is like a good old-fashioned pastor's house call with a modern technological twist.
One of the purposes of the practice of silence & solitude is to quiet the noise in order to hear the voice of God. What does it mean to hear God's voice? Many simplify this to mean simply reading scripture. Others expand it to include some mystical experience. Carson, Rich, Cam, and Taylor sit down to discuss the topic, attempt to strike a balance, and give practical ways to hear God's voice today.
We thought it was really important for students to see how people implement the practice of silence and solitude in their everyday life, so we invited a few people from different backgrounds and in different life situations to share why and how they practice silence and solitude. We are super grateful for Erica, Elizabeth, and Cam sitting down to field some questions from Taylor. Hopefully the recording is bearable!
Of the many purposes of silence and solitude, identifying our feelings and then healthily expressing our emotions to God is one of the hidden gems. In a culture of anxiety where the coping mechanism is often emotional suppression, this is an important practice for our emotional, spiritual health.
You can read the teaching transcript here.
Carson, Rich, and Taylor sit down for part-two in their discussion on the practice of silence and solitude. They define the practice, discuss its purposes, and give a few pointers for fighting distraction and persisting in the practice. You can read Taylor's teaching on silence and solitude here.
Carson, Rich, and Taylor sit down to discuss the practice of silence and solitude. This is the first part of a two-part discussion on silence and solitude.
Read Taylor's teaching on silence and solitude here.
Richard Foster wrote, “Distraction is the primary spiritual problem in contemporary culture.” If we are going to practice the presence, we need to begin by destroying distraction.
Read the teaching at the resource page.
As we look at the life of Jesus, we see that he often prioritized 'practicing the presence' - communion with the Father, solitude, prayer, fasting, etc. AS followers of Jesus, we should imitate Jesus in this practice. We also look at Matthew 4:1-11 to identify some purposes for the practice.
Read the teaching at the resource page.
In this sermon, Taylor explores the Gospel of Matthew and how it presents what it means to follow Jesus. In short, followers of Jesus are filled with the life of Jesus to become more like Jesus and therefore imitate the life of Jesus.
In the first session of this new series, we have some discussion and teaching around the question, "Who is Jesus?"
As a quasi wrap-up to the "In the Beginning" series, we review one of the probing questions from Genesis 3: why is nakedness so central to the story? Carson, Taylor, and Cam sit down to discuss (after about 15 minutes talking about their favorite movies and books of 2019).
Over the break for Christmas and New Years, Taylor gave a short teaching on what he has been learning about 'becoming present' and how it fights worry and anxiety in our busy lives. Here are some of the books he mentioned:
Making All Things New: An Invitation to the Spiritual Life by Henri Nouwen
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
The man and the woman have disobeyed, and now they have an encounter with the LORD God in the Garden. In one of the last sermons in this series, we see a God who leads his people to confess their sin, but who is also slow to anger and rich in love, mercy, and grace.
In this bonus episode discussion with Cameron, Carson, and Taylor, we look at how the serpent of Genesis 3 has been popularly attributed to Satan. There is much more to delve into with this topic, so we mentioned some good resources if you would like to study further:
SUPERNATURAL by Michael Heiser - https://www.amazon.com/Supernatural-Bible-Teaches-Unseen-Matters/dp/1577995589
BIBLE PROJECT SERIES on Spiritual Beings - https://thebibleproject.com/all-videos/spiritual-beings/
Naked people, talking snakes, deception, desire, toxic trees - what is this story all about? In this sermon, we look at Genesis 3:1-7 to see what the first few pages of the Bible teach us about human disobedience and sin.
As a follow-up to the latest sermon "A Suitable Helper" on Genesis 2:18-25, Carson, Cameron, and Taylor discuss the archetypal significance in the formation accounts in the bonus content episode.
In the next sermon in our "In the Beginning" series, we look at the formation of woman and the meaning of marriage in Genesis 2:18-25.
We have another bonus episode of content discussing some content from the previous sermon in our "In the Beginning" series regarding the Garden as sacred space. Carson, Cameron, and Taylor talk about the theme of God dwelling with man throughout scripture.
The sermon series on the first pages of Genesis continues. We look at the beginning of a 'second creation account' and take note of the emphasis on the Garden of Eden as sacred space and the man's role as priest. What does it look like for us to expand Eden and cultivate culture, turning the Garden into a Garden-City?
It is another bonus episode for our series "In the Beginning." Carson, Rich, and Taylor discuss the theme of the image of God throughout scripture and note how it is a critical theme for understanding our salvation and God's intention for creation.
Continuing the "In the Beginning" series, the creation account culminates in God's rest on the seventh day. We look at why the seventh day is emphasized as the final act of creation, what the Sabbath day is all about, and how we can practice the Sabbath in our lives today.
In this bonus content episode for our "In the Beginning" series, Carson, Rich, and Taylor sit down to discuss the question of whether Genesis is "literal."
The LNBC Student Ministry hosted a Fall Retreat in October 2019. The teachings centered around the idea of Spiritual Formation, addressing how we change as followers of Jesus. In this final session, we note we are unintentionally shaped by our habits and how we need the Spirit reforms our hearts so that we can intentionally practice the practices of Jesus.
The LNBC Student Ministry hosted a Fall Retreat in October 2019. The teachings centered around the idea of Spiritual Formation, addressing how we change as followers of Jesus. In this third session, we look at how we are relational beings who are unintentionally shaped by our relationships and how the Holy Spirit brings us into a new community for us to be intentionally built up together into the image of Jesus.
The LNBC Student Ministry hosted a Fall Retreat in October 2019. The teachings centered around the idea of Spiritual Formation, addressing how we change as followers of Jesus. In this second session, we look at how we are unintentionally shaped by the stories we believe and how we need to be taught the true story of reality - the gospel - if we are to intentionally change by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The LNBC Student Ministry hosted a Fall Retreat in October 2019. The teachings centered around the idea of Spiritual Formation, addressing how we change as followers of Jesus. In this first session, we look at our need for change and why it is important that to recognize that we are completely lost and broken apart from Jesus.
The days of creation demonstrate that God has ordered his world to function under his Lordship. One important characteristic of this kingdom is that human beings were created to function as God's image-bearers, which is an important concept to understanding the person and work of Jesus.
Taylor and Cameron have a short discussion on how the Biblical writers link the God of Salvation as the God of Creation. The Jewish sages of the midrash picked up on this biblical link in the "Exodus Rabbah," and it resonates with one of the final points of the previous sermon "Order from Chaos" - that the God that saved you is the God that made you.
In the second sermon in our series "In the Beginning," we see how the first few verses of Genesis sets up how we should read the story. In summary, "at the beginning period of time, God brought order and function to the universe." This shapes our anticipation of what type of creation is actually happening in the following days of creation. Lastly, we draw some important teachings from this passage.
In the first bonus content episode for our series "In the Beginning," Carson, Rich, and Taylor explore how Jesus fulfills the OT. They look at some examples from Matthew chapter 2 and the overall shape/structure of the Hebrew Bible.
This is the first sermon in our series "In the Beginning" on Genesis 1-11. Before diving into the text, Taylor emphasizes how we are going to study through Genesis 1-11 on Sunday nights; and we are going to study it by seeing Jesus in the story. How do we see Jesus in Genesis? We experience His resurrection, embrace Jesus as our teacher, and read the story with the end in mind.
Kicking off the 2019-2020 Sunday night services, Taylor and Carson talk about how the LNBC Student Ministry structures Sunday night worship services.
In one of the last passages of Peter's first letter, we look at three main commands that round out the teachings of the epistle.
In this special Sunday School teaching on Easter Sunday, we look at John's account of the resurrection of Jesus and how it has significance for our lives.
In this recap episode, we look at how Peter begins wrapping up his letter. In this passage, Peter gives some summarizing instruction for elect exiles specific to suffering as a Christian.
Continuing our series in 1 Peter, we look at how Christians are to live out the story of Jesus in the Christian community.
LNBC's DNOW19 focused on the afterlife in light of the biblical story. In session 4, our last session, we looked at the end of the biblical story, how it presents God's commitment to bring Heaven to Earth, and how we can practically be a part of His story.
LNBC's DNOW19 focused on the afterlife in light of the biblical story. In session 3, we looked at Heaven, how the term is used in the Bible, and what it looks like for Christians right now in anticipation of new creation.
LNBC's DNOW19 focused on the afterlife in light of the biblical story. In session 2, we looked at Hell and how it relates to God's commitment to restore his creation and make all things new.
Having spoken to Christ's victory over suffering, we now see how Peter calls Christians to live out Christ's victory in their own battle with killing sin.
Closing out chapter 3 of 1 Peter, we see how Christ's suffering can be a model for us to suffer well and be encouraged in our suffering.
While some people may respond positively to Christians maintaining their good conduct in the world, others may respond negatively with persecution or mockery. In this passage in 1 Peter, we look at how Christians should respond to opposition - how they should suffer well for doing good.
In this sermon, Pastor Taylor elucidates Peter's commands to wives and husbands as it pertains to them maintaining good conduct among unbelievers.
Peter continues to instruct Christians how they are to live as resident aliens, emphasizing that Jesus followers need to submit to authority, following the example of Jesus.
Beginning a new section in 1 Peter, we see Peter's introductory answer to how to live well as a hopeful exile. Christians are resident aliens that battle their fleshly desires and maintain good conduct among unbelievers so that the unbelievers might glorify God.
In another sermon in our series on First Peter, Student Pastor Taylor Terzek teaches how Christians are being built into God's spiritual house and being established as a holy priesthood.
This is the third and final episode in a series on the wisdom literature of scripture. In this episode, Student Pastor Taylor Terzek gives an overview of the book of Job and wraps up the series.
This is the second episode in a series on the wisdom literature of scripture. In this episode, Student Pastor Taylor Terzek gives an overview of the book of Ecclesiastes.
In this larger passage from the first letter of Peter, we see four commands where Peter calls Christians to have their activity match their identity.
In a series we call "Resourced to Restore," Luke Zirkle shares the mission of God and how students can influence global missions from his personal experiences this past summer.
This is the first episode in a series on the wisdom literature of scripture. In this episode, an LNBC student named Cameron Justice gives a brief introduction and then Student Pastor Taylor Terzek gives an overview of the book of Proverbs.
Continuing through our series in 1 Peter, we see the third reason we should praise God: He has brought us into His story for His glory.
An established faith is one that has received Christ, walks in him daily, and rests in gratitude.
An established faith relates to other believers by equipping them to glorify God, stirring them up in love, and training them in godliness.
An established faith relates to God by exalting him above all things, seeing and savoring him daily, and treasuring him alone.
God is to be praised because in His mercy He caused believers to be born again to a living hope and an imperishable inheritance, which He is guarding by His power.
The foreknowing work of the Father and the sanctifying action of the Spirit result in human obedience and cleansing by Christ’s blood. Conversion is the work of the Trinitarian God.
In the the last cultural trend we examine, we take up the issue of community and connection. How does digital technology and social media shape our relationships and understanding of community?
In this session of the Technology & Social Media series, we observe how our devices have helped make sex easy and everywhere. We focus primarily on the issue of pornography and how we can combat sexual sin as Christians.
In the fifth session of the series, we discuss how digital technology and social media has trained us to interact with information and ideas.
In session 4 of the Technology & Social Media series we focus on how digital technology and social media has shaped they way we understand ourselves and others.
In the third session of the technology and social media series, we look at the first cultural trend heightened by digital technology: distraction. We look at the dangers of distraction and unfold some practical ways we can live an undistracted life.
In session two of Technology & Social Media series, we provide a theological foundation for understanding technology, look at the main cultural trends heightened by digital technology and social media, and forecast what the rest of the series is going to look like.
The LNBC Students have started a new series on Sunday mornings on the topic of technology and social media. Stay up to date with the session recaps on the podcast.
As we look at the call as Christians to worship in the scattered context, we focus on how we can bring renewal to those around us.
In the final session of our DNOW weekend 2018, Taylor takes up the greatest of the three theological virtues: love. As Christians, we should experience and express love that is rooted in the gospel. Seven characteristics of gospel-love are provided.
In the third session of DNOW weekend 2018, the focus is on the biblical teaching of hope. In this teaching, we look at how scripture reveals the future reality for which we wait: the renewal of all things under the Lordship of Jesus for the glory of God.
In session 2 of our DNOW weekend in 2018, Taylor shows the importance of faith in scripture and how it is a way of like that marks Christians as becoming more and more like Jesus every day.
In the first session of our DNOW weekend in 2018, Taylor demonstrates how scripture links Fatih, Hope, and Love together as a way to summarize the Christian life.
Taylor demonstrates how the creation mandate calls us to display God's worth throughout all the earth. Furthermore, we look at John 4 to see how Jesus changes the way we worship.
In this sermon, Taylor highlights the practices that we are to exercise in the gathering as Christians.
This is the first part of several sermons concerning the contexts of Christian worship. Christians worship as they gather and as they scatter. In this sermon, we look at why Christians gather and why it is so important.
Continuing the Worship: One, Two, Three series, Taylor shows why scripture teaches that God should be the only object of our worship.
In the first sermon in this new series, Taylor unfolds how Christian worship is the sincere satisfaction in God that displays His worth.
In Paul's closing words, he asks for personal greetings for several people; but in the middle of all of this he gives one final instruction that can be summarized as this: watch out and walk wisely. Now that Paul has unpacked this gospel, he wants the Roman saints to watch out for those that preach a contrary gospel and seek to cause divisions - even avoid them. Also, now that he has unpacked the gospel, Paul wants the Romans saints to exercise wisdom and discernment in their obedience.
In Paul's comments regarding his mission, he mentions three things: (1) his desire to see the Roman saints face-to-face, (2) the Gentiles financial support of the poor Christians in Jerusalem, and (3) he calls the Roman saints to strive together with him in prayer. In these comments, we find three ways to engage in God's mission: (1) face-to-face ministry, (2) financial support, and (3) fervent prayer.
Continuing our sermon series in Romans, Taylor preaches out of Romans 15:1-13. The apostle Paul calls Christians to receive one another as Christ has received them, and he calls them to do this for the glory of God.
In this week's sermon, Taylor teaches out of Romans 13:11-14. The apostle Paul calls Christians to wake up, putting on Christ and casting off works of darkness, because the end is near.
Continuing Paul's instructions to Christians regarding how the Gospel transforms everyday life, Romans 13:8-10 includes another command: owe no anything except to love each other. Paul calls the Christian to love and he calls them to do so because love fulfills the law. Listen to this week's sermon as Taylor unpacks the text, provides some clarifications, and gives the students application for their life.
As Paul gives some characteristics of what it looks like when a Christian is totally dedicated to God in their everyday life, Romans 13:1-7 provides an important one: a Christian will be submitted to governing authorities. Listen to this week's sermon as Taylor unpacks the text, provides some clarifications, and gives the students application for their life.