The Down to Earth Podcast: Recent Episodes
Silas Forrester
Lately I have wanted to be more intentional about having practical definitions of words or phrases that are commonly used in the Bible, at church, or in Christian circles. Words and phrases like “blessed”, or “abiding in Christ”, or “fellowship”, etc. Sometimes, we can be so familiar with a word or phrase that we forget the actual meaning, weight, or depth of it.
In this episode, with the help of a book recommendation and a few pastor friends of mine, we are going to look at what the gospel is and what the implications are for those who believe it.
Thankful to have the opportunity to sit down and talk with my little brother, Shaun Forrester, and reflect on how good and faithful the Lord has been in his life and how the Lord has been using him to teach and disciple students!
Big thanks to my friend, Trevor Hoffman, teaching pastor of Ridgewood Church in Greer, SC for joining the podcast! In this episode we talk a lot about the true meaning of biblical community and fellowship, and why it is important for Christians to be intentional about loving and serving one another, both inside and outside of the gathering on Sundays.
What started as a simple interaction with a customer, quickly turned into a Jesus-honoring friendship. Listen in as Bishop Harry Williams shares his story and how the Lord is using him and his church to meet both the spiritual and physical needs in their community!
The first book recommendation of season two is here! Listen in to the brief overview of one of my favorite books so far in the 9 Marks series, Building Healthy Churches. Does the why, when, and how of the corporate worship gathering really matter according to the Bible? Why does God gather Christians to worship on Sundays? Is worship really more than just the singing section of the worship service? These are questions that Matt Merker answers as he helps us look to the Scriptures to see what God has to say about why God gathers His people together for worship.
Eternally grateful for my dad, Ken Forrester, and the wisdom that he is willing to share as we start season 2! Listen in as we talk about the favorite child in the family; the importance for pastor's to have a healthy ministry/home life balance; the necessity of the role of the pastor's wife; and a plethora of other helpful areas for both pastors and church members alike!
The first season recap of the podcast! Take a few minutes to listen in to some encouraging themes and common ideas that were present throughout the first season; another book recommendation, specifically about how church members can serve their pastors; and lastly, a few updates about the future of the podcast!
Will Pareja joins the Down to Earth Podcast from Chicago, IL giving us insight to the city as he shares about Addison Street Community Church, his ministry journey, and how he has learned from church conflict and would encourage other pastors and church members alike.
Matt Owen from Community Bible Church in Orange Park, FL sits down and opens up about his ministry journey and dives into the importance of church members genuinely encouraging their pastors and how the gospel needs to be at the center of the local church from which everything else springs.
Back again with another book recommendation! Today I would like to recommend Jonathan Leeman's book on church membership. Whether you have been a church member for quite some time, a former church member, or maybe you have never been connected to a local church, this book is for you! Leeman simply, and yet, profoundly, explains what the local church is, as well as its significance, and why it is important for Christians to commit to being a part of it. I hope that this book will be helpful reminder or refresher to those who have been faithful members of a local church or a helpful starting point to those interested in learning more!
Allen has been the Lead Pastor at Sunrise Community Church in Atlantic Beach, FL since January of 2013. He received his MDiv from The Masters Seminary (2005) and a DMin from Southern Seminary (2017). Allen and his wife, Mindy, have 3 children, Kate, Jacob, and Karis. Allen loves the outdoors-especially fishing, reading, and spending time with the family.
Jonathan Crum is a preacher, life coach, theologian and chaplain. He works at Gordon-Conwell as an admissions representative while earning his Masters in Theological studies. Currently Jonathan lives in Jax with his wife and two kids and enjoys all things Marvel.
I am grateful for my new friend, Kevin Bigelow, and his willingness to meet with me and talk about his church planting experience, the importance of healthy church leadership, and his love for his local church in Jax Beach, FL!Music By:Lucid Dreaming by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Excited to have Daniel Barta from Christ Fellowship Northwest in Travelers Rest, SC! Daniel serves as the pastor for discipleship and executive administration. Listen in as we discuss our mutual hatred for Clemson athletics, the local church, and how the Lord uses difficult ministry situations in the lives of pastors and church members.
In this episode, Silas gives a brief update on the podcast, life events, and how the Lord is working in his current circumstances.
We are happy to have Chul Yoo from Christ Community Church out of Ashton, Maryland on today's episode as we discuss his extensive ministry journey and learn about how the Lord has used him as a local church pastor, a church planter, and in church revitalization/merger efforts!
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Lucid Dreaming by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Happy Thanksgiving from the Down to Earth podcast! We are excited to release the 5th episode today where host, Silas Forrester, gets to talk with his brother, Stephen, about his ministry journey and his passion for the local the church!
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Lucid Dreaming by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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Another book recommendation for you! If you are seeking out a local church and are curious what to look for or if you are just curious of what a healthy church should look like and/or consist of, I would highly recommend Mark Dever's What is a Healthy Church?.
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Lucid Dreaming by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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Silas Forrester, the host of the Down to Earth Podcast, is happy to have his very own pastor join him for today's episode! Chris Partyka from Ocean Park Baptist Church in Jacksonville Beach, FL will be answering some questions about his testimony , church life, and the importance of church membership!
Music by:
Lucid Dreaming by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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Jim Thompson is one of the teaching and equipping pastors at Fellowship Greenville. He is also a published author and he just released his latest book Sing Loud, Die Happy - An Exploration of How God's Gift of Song is Meant to Change us.
Due to scheduling conflicts with multiple pastor friends, Silas Forrester releases his first episode on the Down to Earth Podcast as a book recommendation. He will briefly explain the point of these episodes, as he will do book recommendations every so often! His first recommendation is Rediscover Church by Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman.
Music by:
Lucid Dreaming by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
This is an introduction episode to the Down to Earth Podcast, where the host, Silas Forrester, gives some background information and a brief explanation of the purpose of this new podcast.