The Occasional - from Four Oaks East: Recent Episodes
Four Oaks East
An "occasional" podcast of devotional thoughts, personal and pastoral reflections, conversations, and updates for Four Oaks East.
In this Follow the Thread edition, Pastor Greg Hutchins and Kyle Kraeft discuss how the Bible progressively reveals the person and work of the Holy Spirit. They talk about some of the roles of the Holy Spirit, the Trinity in the Old Testament, and more. Tune in!
Resources:
The Holy Spirit: An Introduction by Fred Sanders (easier)
Rediscovering the Holy Spirit by Michael Horton (medium)
The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson (challenging)
In this Pop the Trunk edition, Pastor Josh and Pastor Greg follow up on Pastor Josh's sermon about forgiveness. They talk about some of the complexities around how to forgive in hard circumstances, the relationship between forgiveness and reconciliation, and more. And there's a book giveaway!
Additional Resource:
Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns
In this first Know the Story edition, Pastor Josh and Pastor Greg discuss the value of learning church history broadly and reading Christian biography specifically.
Additional Resources (from accessible to challenging):
5 Minutes in Church History
131 Christians Everyone Should Know
From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya
A Multitude of Peoples
The Rise of Christianity
The Story of Christianity
Don't let the big word discourage you! In this Follow the Thread edition, Pastor Greg Hutchins and Kyle Kraeft discuss how to view the Bible's storyline with the end in mind, as well as how it impacts our understanding of temptation.
*We used a different recording platform for this podcast, so the audio might seem a bit weird. Sorry about that! We're working to resolve it.
In this Follow the Thread edition, Kyle Kraeft and Pastor Greg continue their conversation on the theme of covenant, focusing on the new covenant. Tune in!
Additional Resources:
1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (Modern English option)
The Whole Christ by Sinclair Ferguson
Covenants Made Simple by Jonty Rhodes
The Mystery of Christ, His Covenant, and His Kingdom by Sam Renihan
In this Follow the Thread edition, Kyle Kraeft and Pastor Greg consider the biblical theology of covenant. After defining what a biblical covenant is, they explore various covenants in Scripture, particularly the Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants.
Additional Resources:
The Mystery of Christ, His Covenant, His Kingdom by Samuel Renihan
Covenants Made Simple by Jonty Rhodes
In this Follow the Thread edition, Pastor Josh joins Kyle and Pastor Greg as they consider the storyline of kingdom in Scripture. After talking about the practice of biblical theology, they trace the unfolding story of God's Kingdom, then end with some practical application.
Additional Resources:
Gospel and Kingdom
The Divine Conspiracy
The Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Cross
In this Tell Me More edition, Pastor Greg Hutchins and Abena Ojetayo expand on the Sunday Night Church teaching on hospitality. Using Abena's experience practicing hospitality, they explore the challenges and rewards of practicing hospitality.
Additional Resources:
The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield
In this Sunday Night Church teaching, Pastor Greg Hutchins concludes the series on spiritual practices by explaining the practice of hospitality, encouraging people to cultivate both welcoming homes and welcoming hearts.
Additional Resources:
The Gospel Comes with a House Key
In this Tell Me More edition, Pastor Josh and Pastor Greg are joined by Chase Cohee to talk more about how to practice simplicity, expanding on Pastor Josh's teaching from Sunday Night Church (which you can listen to here).
Additional Resources:
Abundant Simplicity
The Freedom of Simplicity
In this Sunday Night Church teaching, Pastor Josh defines the practice of simplicity, describes it from scripture, and directs us in some ways to pursue simplicity in several areas of life.
In this episode, Pastor Josh interviews very special guest David Hughes (his dad), inviting him to reflect on a lifetime of lessons concerning the practice of generosity.
In this edition of Equipping East, we have our Sunday Night Church teaching from Pastor Funmi about the spiritual discipline of generosity.
In this Follow the Thread edition, Pastor Greg Hutchins and Kyle Kraeft explain the biblical theology of the temple. They define the temple and then reflect on the story of Scripture showing how God makes a way to dwell with us.
Additional Resources:
God Dwells Among Us
The Temple and the Church's Mission
In this Follow the Thread edition, Pastor Greg Hutchins and Kyle Kraeft discuss examples of biblical theology in Scripture and then summarize the Bible's overarching story. Throughout the episode, they discuss how understanding the Bible's storyline helps us speak to others about Jesus.
Additional Resources
The Story of Scripture
The True Story of the Whole World
In this Follow the Thread episode, Pastor Greg Hutchins and Kyle Kraeft introduce us to biblical theology. After looking at some instances in Scripture, Greg and Kyle define what biblical theology is and its usefulness for faith and practice.
Resources:
God's Big Picture
Biblical Theology
Short Studies in Biblical Theology
Pastor Funmi, Stacey, and Pastor Greg give you a peek into our Men's and Women's Discipleship program. They talk about what it is, how it relates to some of our other pathways, logistics, and what to expect. Tune in for more information!
In this Tell Me More episode, Stacey, Pastor Funmi, and Kyle follow up on Funmi's SNC teaching on Community. They talk about the nature and difficulty of relationships in and out of the church and how we can think and live differently in light of the truth.
In this Sunday Night Church Teaching, Pastor Funmi explains how community is God's antidote to the modern epidemic of loneliness, and provides direction for meaningful engagement in community
In this Tell Me More episode, Stacey, Pastor Greg, and Kyle have a conversation that builds on Greg's teaching on the spiritual practice of Scripture intake, which you can find here. They talk about balancing study and meditation, as well as the practice of lectio divina.
Additional Resources:
Lectio Divina: Engaging the Scriptures for Spiritual Transformation (article)
A Still and Quiet Mind by Esther Smith
Meeting God in Scripture by Jan Johnson
Reclaiming the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation by Robert J. Morgan
In this Sunday Night Church teaching. Pastor Greg helps us engage with scripture in a way that facilitates relationship with God and participation in the world He frames for us in His word.
**This audio picks up in the middle of Pastor Greg's opening words. We're sorry about that!
In this Tell Me More edition of Equipping East, Stacey, Pastor Josh, and Greg follow up on Josh's Sunday Night Church teaching on solitude, which you can find here. They talk about practicing solitude in tough life circumstances, along with other hindrances and helps for practicing solitude. Enjoy!
Resources:
Solitude: A Practical Guide (article)
Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
Pastor Josh lead us in a consideration of the practice of solitude helping us to see how it is a biblical, life-giving, and necessary practice for every Christian.
In this Tell Me More edition of Equipping East, Pastor Greg builds on the Equip Night talk on personal identity by answering a few questions. Here are some of the topics covered:
-How we can learn from our culture's approach to identity
-How to embrace our bodies
-How to understand yourself as a relational being without giving too much weight to others' opinions
Pastor Greg teaches on Personal Identity at Equip Night. He explains the value of exploring and understanding personal identity, then defines the contours and layers of identity. Along the way, he seeks to encourage us in interacting with our identity in a healthy, God-honoring way.
Questions for the follow-up podcast? Email Pastor Greg at greg.hutchins@fouroakschurch.com or text 850-404-2319
Resources:
How to Find Yourself
Who God Says You are
Known by God: A Biblical Theology of Personal Identity
On this special summer equipping night, Pastor Josh discusses the biblical teaching on divorce and remarriage, marking out how we understand how the whole of scripture gives us clarity on the subject.
In this Tell Me More edition of Equipping East, Stacey, Pastor Josh, and Kyle have a further conversation on prayer, answering questions like "What's the point of prayer?", "whats our physical bodies' involvement in prayer" and "What does it mean to pray in Jesus' Name?".
Recommended books
A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller
Where Prayer Becomes Real by Kyle Strobel
The Possibility of Prayer by John Starke
Recommended Song:
I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow
VERSE 1
I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and ev’ry grace,
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.
VERSE 2
‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer,
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.
VERSE 3
I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request
And, by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins and give me rest.
VERSE 4
Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in ev’ry part.
VERSE 5
Yea, more with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe,
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Humbled my heart and laid me low.
VERSE 6
“Lord, why is this,” I trembling cried;
“Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?”
“’Tis in this way,” the Lord replied,
“I answer prayer for grace and faith.”
VERSE 7
“These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free
And break thy schemes of earthly joy
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”
In this Sunday Night Church teaching, Pastor Greg explains the practice of prayer followed by Q&A with Pastor Josh and Yaacov in the end.
In this Tell Me More edition of Equipping East, Stacey and Funmi expand Funmi's Sunday Night Church teaching on the discipline of fasting.
Recommended Reading:
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life: Don Whittney
Fasting: A Neglected Discipline: David R. Smith
Celebration of Discipline: Richard Foster
In this Tell Me More edition of Equipping East, Josh, Stacey, and Greg build on Josh's Sunday Night Church teaching by discussing the practical side of Sabbath.
Notes:
Keeping the Sabbath Wholly by Marva Dawn
Practicing the Way Sabbath Guide
In this Sunday Night Church teaching, Pastor Josh explains the why and how of Sabbath, saying that God both commands and supplies rest.
Josh and Funmi answer questions submitted in response to our Sanctity of Human Life Sunday message from January 22nd.
*Note - this conversation veers into some mature and sensitive subject matter.
Pastor Josh reflects on Timothy's discouragement and offers some places we can go for comfort when we experience our own discouragement in ministry and in the Christian life.
Pastor Josh and Caryn Alfsen talk through four habits we can cultivate to help us navigate conflict in relationship more effectively and faithfully.
Pastor Josh and Yaacov dive into some ways we can live into the mission God has given in the new year.
Pastor Josh and Caryn Alfsen discuss ways to grow into a deeper "lived-knowledge" of Scripture.
Pastor Josh sits down with Yaacov Petscher to discuss 4 values we can build in the new year to grow in greater conformity to Christ.
“Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?" - D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Pastor Josh and Church Planting Resident Greg Hutchins consider the discipline of "self-talk."
"The Jesus way wedded to the Jesus truth brings about the Jesus life." - Eugene Peterson.
Josh introduces the format and goal of the second season of the Occasional Podcast.
Josh and Katie follow up last week's conversation about submission with a conversation about headship. And a happy Juneteenth at the end.
Josh is joined by Katie for a conversation about submission in marriage, reflecting on applications from Sunday's message on 1 Peter 3:1-6.
A brief reflection after a weird Sunday, plus some devotional thoughts from Matthew 19 related to holiness, singleness, and celibacy.
Thoughts Jesus' call in the Sermon on the Mount to a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.
Lessons in thanksgiving and practicing rejoicing from the story of Jesus and the ten lepers.
Yaacov Petscher joins us to suggest some ways we can love well in the days of Coronavirus. We also discuss Sabbath keeping and personal renewal.