presbycast: Recent Episodes
@ChortlesWeakly & @Wresbyterian
Presbycast is the podcast of Chortles Weakly and Wresbyterian.
We're Presbyterian, and we take lots of umbrage.
Decently and in order, of course.
Drs. D.G. Hart, R. Scott Clark, and T. David Gordon react to a 1925 letter from J. Gresham Machen to a Southern presbyterian missionary. We talked about how the correspondence shed light on Machen the man and his past, present, and future as a growing churchman, as well as pragmatism, respectability, church decline, and the temptation to compromise. See and read the letter here: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/machen-and-a-presbyterian-church
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBhP76o8CLQ
For the 145th anniversary of Machen's birth, here's a reading, with brief comments, of Machen's 1925 letter to a southern pastor and missionary. Stay tuned for a full episode on the context and implications of this letter. Read (and see) it here: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/machen-and-a-presbyterian-church
Jim McCarthy talks to cancer survivor Evan Gear, associate pastor at Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, GA.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
PCA elders Mel, John, and Ligon Duncan, three scions of an intensely presbyterian family, join us to talk about their love for the church and each other. You'll want to hear what they have to say about the past, present, and future of the PCA. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Opz45hI_E
First-time Overtures Committee member ruling elder BL Peters joins us briefly to review day zero of the 2026 PCA General Assembly in Louisville, KY, where the committee dealt (sometimes harshly) with about half of the 91 overtures submitted this year. Enjoy the old-time technical difficulties that are always associated with GA live shows! Stay tuned for more wrap-up shows this week.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alvrkd1RdH8
We celebrate 90 years of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church with pastor Chris Drew and ruling elder D.G. Hart, review the just-completed OPC General Assembly, and talk about 10 years of Presbycast with these men, two of our most prolific guests. A good and ecumenical time was had by all, most of the time.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzqXH2u4Kp0
Ruling elder Mel Duncan is the church administrator at Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC. He has served his church, presbytery, and the Presbyterian Church in America for decades and comes from a notable family of "intense presbyterian" churchmen.
Be sure to register for Greenville Seminary's GA lunch on Wednesday June 24th here.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
ARP pastor Ben Glaser and PCA pastor DeMyron Haynes join us to talk about the draft report on kinism and race realism prepared for the upcoming Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church synod.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLwx1FU9HZg
Report: https://app.box.com/s/8xttgbn6z2cli57bn58g4w7ukebl4g01
Peter Van Doodewaard has served as the Pastor of Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Taylors, South Carolina for 18 years. Check out his excellent sermons here.
Also, be sure to register for Greenville Seminary's GA lunch on Wednesday June 24th here. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Kerry Anderson talks to Ann Hall, the wife of a recently retired minister who served only two churches in his 42 years as a senior pastor in the PCA.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Be sure to register for Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's PCA GA luncheon here.
Pastor Jared Nelson and deacon Patrick Sanders help us examine the 11 overtures submitted to this year's PCA General Assembly which concern the offices, some of which would radically change the denomination's polity. Jared podcasts at Polity Matters and you can view Patrick's previous seminar on deacons here: https://pcaga.org/project/the-whole-deacon-patrick-sanders/
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm2t2oPGR10
Overtures: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures
Dr. D.G. Hart and OPC minister Nate Paschall join us to talk about (presbyterian) church, state, and history, and Dr. Hart's new book Protestants and Patriots.
https://www.amazon.com/Protestants-Patriots-Presbyterians-Age-Revolution/dp/0268210829/
Theresa Dodson is the wife of Rhett Dodson, pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Hudson, OH. She has a B.A. in Church Administration with an emphasis in Youth Work as well as an M.S. in Pupil Personnel Services. She is a homemaker and active in her church helping lead women's Bible studies and teaching children.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
We examine revival, revivalism, evangelicalism from a Reformed perspective with Dr. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary Californian and Wilson Van Hooser, pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Stillwater, OK.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeHjfJf80WE
Heidelblog resources: https://heidelblog.net/2023/02/new-resource-page-on-revivals-and-revivalism/
Josh Hinson is the Senior Pastor of Ortega Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, FL. Check out his excellent sermons here. Also, be sure to register of GPTS's PCA GA luncheon here. And check out Banner of Truth's excellent Covenanter video miniseries here. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
OPC minister Chris Drew helps us walk through the wonderful 21st chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYz-EVdXG5g
Stephen Spinnenweber is the Senior Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, FL. In addition to serving on the executive council of the Gospel Reformation Network, he is a prolific author. Check out his fantastic bookLoving the Law, his helpful articles, and excellent sermons! Be sure to register for the upcoming Greenville Conference here. And check out this fantastic new docuseries by our friends over at the Banner of Truth on The Scottish Covenanters! Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
We talk worship with pastors Aaron De Boer and Dr. Sean Morris with special attention to liturgy and practicalities that promote reverence and awe with Westminster's Directory for Worship as our guide. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNxWFYs8QZk
A portion of the text: Of the Assembling of the Congregation, and their Behaviour in the Publick Worship of God
WHEN the congregation is to meet for publick worship, the people (having before prepared their hearts thereunto) ought all to come and join therein; not absenting themselves from the publick ordinance through negligence, or upon pretence of private meetings.
Let all enter the assembly, not irreverently, but in a grave and seemly manner, taking their seats or places without adoration, or bowing themselves towards one place or other.
The congregation being assembled, the minister, after solemn calling on them to the worshipping of the great name of God, is to begin with prayer.
"In all reverence and humility acknowledging the incomprehensible greatness and majesty of the Lord, (in whose presence they do then in a special manner appear,) and their own vileness and unworthiness to approach so near him, with their utter inability of themselves to so great a work; and humbly beseeching him for pardon, assistance, and acceptance, in the whole service then to be performed; and for a blessing on that particular portion of his word then to be read: And all in the name and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ."
The publick worship being begun, the people are wholly to attend upon it, forbearing to read any thing, except what the minister is then reading or citing; and abstaining much more from all private whisperings, conferences, salutations, or doing reverence to any person present, or coming in; as also from all gazing, sleeping, and other indecent behaviour, which may disturb the minister or people, or hinder themselves or others in the service of God.
If any, through necessity, be hindered from being present at the beginning, they ought not, when they come into the congregation, to betake themselves to their private devotions, but reverently to compose themselves to join with the assembly in that ordinance of God which is then in hand.
OPC minister/prolific author Harrison Perkins and PCA pastor/author Stephen Spinnenweber join us to talk about the importance and frequency of the Lord's Supper and the finer points of Reformed worship.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Vkd3n6cjw
Articles: https://gospelreformation.net/passive-worship-makes-passive-christians/
https://gospelreformation.net/passive-worship-makes-passive-christians-pt-2/
Jesse Pickett is the founding pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Hilliard, FL. You can hear his excellent sermons here.
Be sure to register for Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's Spring Conference here. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Emily Van Dixhoorn (MAR Westminster Theological Seminary) loves Bible study and prayer, especially when shared with others. She regularly speaks at women's retreats and marriage conferences. She is the author of Confessing the Faith Study Guide, a companion to her husband Chad Van Dixhoorn's commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith. She and her husband co-authored Gospel Shaped Marriage: Grace for Sinners to Love like Saints. They regularly welcome people into their home of happy chaos. Emily and Chad have five children from ages 14-25. For fun, Emily plays tennis, teaches math, and walks their dog.
Friends, we invite you to the 2026 Confessional Conference with Greenville Seminary. This year, our topic is on The Church: The Bride of Christ. Our speakers this year include Scott Aniol, Rhett Dodson, David Irving, Ian Hamilton, Hensworth Jonas, Jonathan Master, Jim McCarthy, Michael Morales, and Mike Riccardi. This is a family conference, with a focus on prayer, fellowship, and the preaching of the Word — complete with a children's program for children 3-11. Please join us in Greenville, SC, on March 10-12. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Our old friend Dr. D.G. Hart and our new friend YouTube sensation Caleb Bobrycki (Bob the Baptist) helped us think about connections between New Calvinism and the brave—or at least faux manly man—online world of the 2020s. Bob's precipitating, catalyst video may be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbhScbqPogE
Video of our show is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZerSz5MyFQ
OPC minister and historian Danny Olinger joins us to talk about J. Gresham Machen who died 89 years ago on the first day of 1937. You're bound to learn much new about this towering figure who was both extraordinary and very human.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1lDMGyiInc
Article we referenced on Machen and women: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/machen-vs-women-a-war-he-never-fought
Kerry Anderson talks to Jordan McCarthy, who is the wife of Jim, senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Statesboro, GA. She is a homemaking mama of four. This episode was recorded as we were developing the concept for the podcast in July 2025.
Friends, we invite you to the 2026 Confessional Conference with Greenville Seminary. This year, our topic is on The Church: The Bride of Christ. Our speakers this year include Scott Aniol, Rhett Dodson, David Irving, Ian Hamilton, Hensworth Jonas, Jonathan Master, Jim McCarthy, Michael Morales, and Mike Riccardi. This is a family conference, with a focus on prayer, fellowship, and the preaching of the Word — complete with a children's program for children 3-11. Please join us in Greenville, SC, on March 10-12. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
It's Festivus and it's Presbycast...what more could you want? Bishop Dan Borvan, Third Presbyter Chris Drew, Jim Cassidy, Sean Morris, and the voice of the late Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones aired grievances and commended feats of strength in our 10-years-running "holiday" tradition.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvjae2YzkRU
Geoff Gleason is the husband of Lisa, father of 11, grandpa of 6, and pastor of Cliffwood Presbyterian Church in Augusta, GA. He is the author of "A Family Worship Guide to Luke." Check out his library of over 1,000 sermons here and his articles on Theology in Short(s).
Also, be sure to register for Greenville Seminary's Spring Conference, The Church: The Bride of Christ.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Kerry Anderson talks to Sarah Cathcart, a PCA pastor's wife in rural South Carolina.
Friends, we invite you to the 2026 Confessional Conference with Greenville Seminary. This year, our topic is on The Church: The Bride of Christ. Our speakers this year include Scott Aniol, Rhett Dodson, David Irving, Ian Hamilton, Hensworth Jonas, Jonathan Master, Jim McCarthy, Michael Morales, and Mike Riccardi. This is a family conference, with a focus on prayer, fellowship, and the preaching of the Word — complete with a children's program for children 3-11. Please join us in Greenville, SC, on March 10-12. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Jason Helopoulos has been a minister of the gospel for nearly 20 years and is the Senior Pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan. He also serves on the Executive Council of the Gospel Reformation Network. You can listen to his sermons here. Jason is also a prolific author. Check out his books here and his contributions to Tabletalk Magazine, and his posts on The Gospel Coalition. While you're at it, stop by his wife Leah's Etsy Shop.
(link to Paton autobiography: https://www.amazon.com/John-G-Paton-Autobiography-Missionary/dp/1800404506/ )
Also be sure to register for Greenville Seminary's Spring Conference, The Church: The Bride of Christ.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Reformed academics Bill Reddinger and Philip Bunn help us make sense (as if!) of American political culture in 2025 and the challenges it presents to Christians, especially young people. Bill Reddinger is associate professor of political philosophy and American politics at Regent Univiersity, and Philip Bunn is assistant professor of political science at Covenant College.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2MgYmk8kz0
PCA pastors Thomas Rickard and Jared Nelson, along with ruling elder Dave Cias, join our panel to examine the live issue of office, titles, and ordination. Our starting point is a series of articles by Rickard on Medium: https://medium.com/@thomas.rickard
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-ucKCLxbBU
In this episode, Kerry Anderson speaks with Sharon, wife of Rick Phillips, Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC. Friends, we invite you to the 2026 Confessional Conference with Greenville Seminary. This year, our topic is on The Church: The Bride of Christ. Our speakers this year include Scott Aniol, Rhett Dodson, David Irving, Ian Hamilton, Hensworth Jonas, Jonathan Master, Jim McCarthy, Michael Morales, and Mike Riccardi. This is a family conference, with a focus on prayer, fellowship, and the preaching of the Word — complete with a children's program for children 3-11. Please join us in Greenville, SC, on March 10-12. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Dr. Sean Morris of Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, TN preaches on the Christology of Philippians 2:5-11 at a special Nicene Creed-centered joint evening service of several NAPARC churches at First Presbyterian (PCA) in Crossville, TN on 10/26/2025. Watch: https://youtu.be/djY9YMa8g6c?t=2339
Dr. Jonathan. L. Master serves as President of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Dr. Master served in pastoral ministry in several congregations in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and subsequently as Dean and Professor of Theology at Cairn University near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has taught for numerous other institutions, including Westminster Seminary (UK) and Edinburgh Theological Seminary. Dr. Master is the author and editor of books including A Question of Consensus: The Doctrine of Assurance After the Westminster Confession (Fortress Press, 2015), The God We Worship (P&R, 2016), On Reforming Worship (Covenant Publications, 2018), Growing in Grace (Banner of Truth, 2020), and Reformed Theology (P&R, 2023). Dr. Master serves on the Executive Council of the Gospel Reformation Network and on the Board of Directors of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, where he hosts the "Theology on the Go" podcast for the Alliance with James Dolezal. He is also the host of Greenville Seminary's new podcast, "The Dead Presbyterian Society." Check out some of his excellent sermons here.
Greenville Seminary is pleased to announce Season 2 of the Dead Presbyterians Society Podcast. This podcast is built on a very simple conviction: to be faithful in the present, we must be rooted in the past. The old paths of Presbyterianism in the 18th and 19th centuries have much to teach us about the path we walk today. In weekly 30 minute episodes, we will reflect on the lives and works of figures such as Samuel Miller, James Henley Thornwell, and B.B. Warfield. We will consider enduring themes—prayer, Christian experience, and the church—matters of eternal significance for the people of God until Christ returns. Available everywhere you listen to podcasts. gpts.edu/dead-presbyterians-society. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
RPCNA minister Drew Poplin joins us to discuss his new book The Canvas of Creation - A Biblical Response to the Heresy of Racial Supremacy. PCA pastor Jared Nelson and ARP pastor Ben Glaser filled out our panel. You can find Drew's book at https://crownandcovenant.com/
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63nRWlSpuQw
Dr. R. Scott Clark, author of The Heidelberg Catechism: A Historical, Theological, and Pastoral Commentary, joins us to talk about his massive new work. Dr. Sean Morris, a Presbycast regular, helps us with the interview.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFWVVMkM07k
Two PCA pastors and two ruling elders join us to examine the sometimes controversial issues of office and ordination in the Presbyterian Church in America. Our panel included teaching elders Wilson Van Hooser and Reed DePace and ruling elders Dave Cias and Noel Henley.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNSQsLe49PI
Recent article: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/office-and-ordination-matter
Collection of articles: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/articles-and-podcasts-on-office-and
The hiatus is over—Sarah and Zoe are talking about personal, national, and denominational news as only they can. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-yN95oqboE
Kerry talks to Sandy Robbins about life in the church. Sandy is married to Carl Robbins, Senior Pastor of Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC. Friends, we invite you to the 2026 Confessional Conference with Greenville Seminary. This year, our topic is on The Church: The Bride of Christ. Our speakers this year include Scott Aniol, Rhett Dodson, David Irving, Ian Hamilton, Hensworth Jonas, Jonathan Master, Jim McCarthy, Michael Morales, and Mike Riccardi. This is a family conference, with a focus on prayer, fellowship, and the preaching of the Word — complete with a children's program for children 3-11. Please join us in Greenville, SC, on March 10-12. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Pastors Sean Morris, Nick Bullock, and James Ritchey join us to talk about the blessing, delights, and challenges of the Lord's Day according to Reformed confessional piety and practice.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPk_UOzP7UY
Dr. Charlie Wingard has been a faithful minister of the gospel, serving PCA & OPC congregations in North Carolina, Massachusetts, Alabama, and Mississippi. He is the Minister of Shepherding at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi, and serves as Professor of Pastoral Theology & Dean of Students at RTS in Jackson. He is the author of Help for the New Pastor: Practical Advice For Your First Year of Ministry, which you can order here. You can also find some of his excellent sermons here.
Greenville Seminary is pleased to announce Season 2 of the Dead Presbyterians Society Podcast. This podcast is built on a very simple conviction: to be faithful in the present, we must be rooted in the past. The old paths of Presbyterianism in the 18th and 19th centuries have much to teach us about the path we walk today. In weekly 30 minute episodes, we will reflect on the lives and works of figures such as Samuel Miller, James Henley Thornwell, and B.B. Warfield. We will consider enduring themes – prayer, Christian experience, and the church–matters of eternal significance for the people of God until Christ returns. Available everywhere you listen to podcasts. gpts.edu/dead-presbyterians-society. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
An international panel discusses the Reformed and Rome, triggered by a recent PCA defection to the Catholic Church. Dr. Darryl Hart of Hillsdale College, PCA ministers Dr. Sean Morris, Derrick Brite, and Wilson Van Hooser, and Natan Cerqueira of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil joined our panel.
Seth Miller preaches about the Lord's Day from Exodus 20: 8-11 recently at Immanuel Presbyerian Church in Post Falls, ID. https://immanuelpca.org/ Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/AoIyLiiPHj0
OPC pastor Christopher Drew guides us through the monumental 20th chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UzQzFMXyKA
Text:
CHAPTER 20 Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 1. The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also, in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of slavish fear, but a childlike love and willing mind. All which were common also to believers under the law. But, under the new testament, the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjected; and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.
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God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in anything, contrary to his Word; or beside it, if matters of faith, or worship. So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience: and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.
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They who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
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And because the powers which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another, they who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God. And, for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity (whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation), or to the power of godliness; or, such erroneous opinions or practices, as either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in the church, they may lawfully be called to account, and proceeded against, by the censures of the church.
New to the Presbycast feed: Mothers & Sisters! Host Kerry Anderson interviews Lynda Duncan about life and ministry in the church. Kerry is the wife of Scotty Anderson, a PCA associate pastor and previous guest on Fathers & Brothers, and Lynda is the wife of ruling elder and friend of the show Mel Duncan, and serves as administrative assistant at a PCA church. Mothers & Sisters is the brainchild of Fathers & Brothers host Jim McCarthy.
If you like this show, you’ll love Greenville Seminary’s new podcast, the Dead Presbyterians Society. This podcast is built on a very simple conviction: in order to be faithful in the present, we must be rooted in the past. The old paths of Presbyterianism in the 18th and 19th centuries have much to teach us about the path we walk today. Each weekly, 30-minute episode highlights the life and work of mighty men of faith used of God like Archibald Alexander, B.M. Palmer, and Charles Hodge and explores enduring themes of their lives and ministries. Listen here: gpts.edu/dead-presbyterians-society.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Dr. D. Ralph Davis, one of the finest preachers, expositors, and commentators of our day, preached the gospel from the narrative of events involving Elisha, Naaman, and Gehazi in 2 Kings 5 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN. You may view it here: https://youtu.be/cmY-WkB1k1I?t=1831
Author and designer Joshua Barzon joins our panel as we delve into the complex world of Bible translation and versions. Thanks to Sean Morris, Kevin White, and Derrick Brite for joining us as well.
https://www.barzondesign.com/
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8PZRLTGuO4
Literal Word app: https://nasb.literalword.com/mobile/index.html
BibleHub: https://biblehub.com/
Live from the Presbaru on a rainy afternoon, Brad talks about the content of the article linked below—The Casualties of Contemporary Worship.
https://presbycast.substack.com/p/the-casualties-of-contemporary-worship
Ruling elders Kerry Gilliard and Josh Torrey and teaching elders Jackson Lin, Ryan Biese, and Zack Groff joined us to talk about issues raised at the recent PCA General Assembly.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7tcz90_5TM
Ministers from the ARP and OPC, Ben Glaser and Chris Drew, join us for reports about their recent synod and assembly. We also discussed issues of kinism and race realism on the margins of the presbyterian and Reformed world and Glaser's statement on these issues, which was commended by both the RPCNA and the PCA.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhYcXIHf8g8
AI enhancement helped us overcome an audio disaster (which we explain in the intro and allows us to share this conversaton with long-time ruling elder Melton Duncan and pastor Nick Bullock, who joined us for a review of the just-completed PCA in Chattanooga, TN and for a preview of the PCA study committees just instituted, including one on Christian Nationalism. Special thanks to Stephen Spinnenweber for allowing us to turn his luxury suite into Presbycast Studio Two for the week.
Mel Duncan is a cradle presbyter who serves Calvary Presbytery as clerk and is on staff as a ruling elder at Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC, and Nick Bullock is senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in New Braunfels, TX and formerly served as a church planter in Germany.
RE Matt Fender discussses the actions of the overtures and assesses the tone and tenor of the proceedings on day zero of the PCA General Assembly, which officially opens on 6/24/2025. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq5FzYbaOng
Live from the Presbaru—commentary on a former PCA minister's appeal to undo the action of accepting the Stated Clerk's retirement...and it comes at a very bad time, just days before the opening of the PCA General Assembly. Here's the article: https://theaquilareport.com/an-open-letter-to-my-beloved-presbyterian-church-in-america/
Dr. Neil Stewart has served churches in the ARP and PCA for the last 22 years and is currently the pastor of the historic Frist Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC. He has contributed to a handful of theological magazines and books including A Pastor’s Heart, the Life and Ministry of Harry Reeder. You can access his excellent sermons here. If you like this show, you’ll love Greenville Seminary’s new podcast, the Dead Presbyterians Society. This podcast is built on a very simple conviction: in order to be faithful in the present, we must be rooted in the past. The old paths of Presbyterianism in the 18th and 19th century have much to teach us about the path we walk today. Each weekly, 30-minute episode highlights the life and work of mighty men of faith used of God like Archibald Alexander, B.M. Palmer, and Charles Hodge and explores enduring themes of their lives and ministries. Listen here; gpts.edu/dead-presbyterians-society.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Four PCA ministers join us to discuss the scintillating practices of minute-keeping, records review, and confessional subscription....and it was a hundred times more exciting than that sounds! Thanks to pastors Matt Adams, Jonathan Brooks, Ryan Biese, and Jason Piland.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzVZT9Hx1tU
This sermon was preached on 6/8/2025 by Dr. C.N. "Nick" Willborn, senior pastor at Covenant PCA, Oak Ridge, TN. We love to share teaching on worship, the church, and the offices since sermons on these subjects are somewhat rare. Dr. Willborn is widely considered to be an authority on the office of deacon and has written extensively on the subject. The opening music is an a capella verse of Psalm 150C from the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. https://www.covenant-pca.com/our-pastors
PCA pastor and former GA moderator Fred Greco shares advice on important overtures to the upcoming assembly and provides a user's guide for new presbyters, spectators, or viewers of the assembly.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rlcSQQqKlU
Pastors Scott Edburg and Jared Nelson of the Polity Matters podcast join us along with Presbygirl Zoe Miller to wade through a flood of overtures for the 2025 PCA General Assembly. See all the overtures here: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3fCIE_0ncA
Dr. Sean Morris, associate pastor of Covenant PCA of Oak Ridge, TN, preaches on the ascension from Acts 1:1-11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unk3QHXXUSw
Jeff Stivason has served Christ and his church as a gospel minister for the past 30 years. He currently pastors Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, and teaches New Testament Studies at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He also serves on the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals board and as the editor of Reformation21. Check out his sermons here and his articles here and here. Also, listen to our RPCNA brothers sing Psalm 100 here. Brothers in ministry, Greenville Seminary invites you to their 2025 Summer Seminar: Contemporary Challenges in Pastoral Ministry. Carl Trueman and David Hall will join us on campus for a series of lectures on preaching, pastoral communication, pastoring and people, and the pastor's personal life. August 5-7 in Greenville, SC. Registration is $125/person. You can sign up here.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Pastor Stephen Spinnenweber joins us to talk about his new book "Loving the Law." The book can be found at many outlets, including the Christian Focus website: https://www.christianfocus.com/en-us/product/9781527112520/loving-the-law-paperback
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo2mC0nDmeY
Pastor Chris Drew is our guide as we walk through Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 19, Of the Law of God.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxOWdAHeXLE
CHAPTER 19 Of the Law of God 1. God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience, promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.
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This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables: the first four commandments containing our duty towards God; and the other six, our duty to man.
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Beside this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly, holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated, under the new testament.
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To them also, as a body politic, he gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the State of that people; not obliging any other now, further than the general equity thereof may require.
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The moral law doth forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that, not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it. Neither doth Christ, in the gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.
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Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin, together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin: and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God’s approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof: although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works. So as, a man’s doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law; and, not under grace.
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Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requireth to be done.
Our guest was Jonathan Landry Cruse, pastor of Community Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. His authorial output is approaching 10 books (including What Happens When We Worship) and his new book in the Christian Focus "Track" series, A Student's Guide to the Church.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JyW97XTIrE
Pastoral intern & proud son of the PCA Robert Hasler joins Sarah and Zoe to discuss the seeming decline of interest in traditional Protestantism and Presbyterianism, and how we might recover from this through a high view of the ordinary means of grace and ordinary faithfulness.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea5qDfR2Pxw
Pastors Joe Cristman and Zach Byrd, Presbygirl and pastor's wife Zoe, and Justen the fighter pilot-ruling elder help us assess some controversial new overtures that will come before the PCA General Assembly in June. See overtures 26-28 here: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCGDD5HT3wg
Brad addresses the ByFaith/Barth article controversy and what it says about the past, present, and near future of the PCA.
Here's an archived version of the removed Barth article—judge for yourself if it's helpful: https://web.archive.org/web/20250408203510/https://byfaithonline.com/karl-barths-doctrine-of-prayer/
And yes, the referenced 2008 article at ByFaith about Memorial Presbyterian's chapel ministry is still up: https://byfaithonline.com/goin-to-the-chapel-a-sanctuary-for-the-arts/
Lowell Ivy is a long-time friend and fellow GPTS alum who pastored Reformation Presbyterian Church, an OPC church plant, in Virginia Beach, VA, for seven years until being called in 2024 to serve as the Executive Director of the PCA's Metanoia Prison Ministries. Lowell is uniquely suited for this role as the Lord wondrously converted him in prison while serving a 15-year prison sentence for armed robbery. He is a trophy of God's grace and a testament to the saving power of God's truth. You can learn more about Metanoia Minsitires here, hear his sermons here and read some of his Table Talk articles here. Thanks to Greenville Seminary for generously sponsoring the show. Brothers in ministry, GPTS invites you to their 2025 Summer Seminar: Contemporary Challenges in Pastoral Ministry. Carl Trueman and David Hall will join us on campus for a series of lectures on preaching, pastoral communication, pastoring and people, and the pastor's personal life. The seminar will be held August 5-7 in Greenville, SC. Learn more here. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Never have five persons had such a good time talking about the Trinity and how to promote the blessed doctrine in our churches. PCA ministers Sean Morris and Derrick Brite plus OPC minister and prolific author Harrison Perkins were our guests.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3c4Ha4S5n4
Pastors Matt Adams and Scott Edburg joined us for a surprisingly salty first look at the 22 overtures to the PCA General Assembly received thus far. Track here: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITATv8zYZ6M
Substack article re: Christian Nationalism study committees: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/who-knows-about-christian-nationalism
Our friend pastor Derrick Brite of Aliceville, AL preached this encouraging sermon from John 17 at Wayside Presbyterian Church (PCA), Signal Mountain, TN on 3/16/2025.
Dr. Ian Hamilton is Professor of Historical Theology at Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Newcastle, England, Adjunct Professor of Applied Theology at GPTS, a long time trustee of the Banner of Truth Trust, and a prolific author and speaker. He served as pastor of Loudoun Church of Scotland for twenty years before being called as the minister of Cambridge Presbyterian Church in England where he served for 17 years. You can find his books here and his sermons here.
Fathers & Brothers is committed to bringing you in-person interviews with seasoned pastors about life and ministry. Special thanks to my alma mater, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, for helping us serve our audience through their generous support of the show. If you're interested in studying at Greenville Seminary or contributing to their work, check them out at GPTS.edu.
Ashes, ashes, we all...avoid being Erdmans! What about lent and Ash Wednesday and why are they a "thing" (if only a small thing) in Presbyterian and Reformed churches in the 21st century? We examine these questions with Dr. D.G. Hart (a scholar and OPC ruling elder), PCA pastor Jacob Gerber, and Kevin White, an ecclesially well-traveled polymath. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxIXlAFhUnI
Two young PCA pastors joined us to talk about the catechism they have produced on worship—private, family, and public. The sections will roll out over the coming weeks on Matt Adams' Substack: https://substack.com/@mdadams
Watch: (skip forward several minutes due to technical difficulty) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUCBRvv03-w
PCA pastor Scott McDermand recounts his experience of working to reform the ministry of a small church...which just happens to be in the metropolis of Bad Axe in the thumb of Michigan.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgJ33CcrYkM
URCNA minister Rev. Brian Lee joins us to talk about pastoring in the challenging city of Washington DC (very near Capitol Hill) and his denominations new church planting manual which can be found here: https://www.urcna.org/file_retrieve/113352
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkcOE4y6CSk
URCNA pastor Chris Gordon joins us to discuss his ongoing dialogue with Stephen Wolfe concerning living in exile as Christian citizens and church officers. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8FJCXQ9ntM
Watch the original Abounding Grace Radio video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8FJCXQ9ntM
(You may need to delete and re-download the file—initial upload was partial.)
David Gilbert is the Senior Pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Douglasville, GA. He also teaches preaching at GPTS, has written for Tabletalk Magazine and has become a regular on the American Reformed & Presbyterian conference circuit. You can listen to his sermons here.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Fathers & Brothers is committed to bringing you in-person interviews with seasoned pastors about life and ministry. Special thanks to my alma mater, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, for helping us serve our audience through their generous support of the show. If you're interested in studying at Greenville Seminary or contributing to their work, check them out at GPTS.edu. - Jim McCarthy
Also, be sure to register for GPTS's upcoming Confessional Conference: The Pastor: His Call, Character and Work (March 11-13, 2025). Speakers include Ian Haimlton, Terry Johnson, Jonathan Master, David Gilbert, Jeff Stivason, Ryan McGraw, Carlton Wynne, John Tweedale, and Craig Troxel. Learn more and register here.
The Presbycast Radio Players stage a silly live radio remote from the fictional Xanders's Xian Lifestyle Store and then express their appreciation for their respective Reformed churches. Come for the fun, stay for the encouragement.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_PGE6lFNWo
Brad reads and expands upon his short Substack piece prompted by 1926 newspaper ads about dueling sermons from J. Gresham Machen and a Social Gospeler in St. Louis.
Read the article and see the ads: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/a-presbyterian-historical-snippet.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZf6pe7R5fU
Here's a sermon from Hebrews 13 on the offices from Dr. Nick Willborn of Covenant Presbyterian Church, Oak Ridge, TN, which preceded officer elections for the church. There is a lengthy introduction concerning Moses and Jethro from Exodus 18. There's also some good unaccompanied congregational singing of a psalm and hymn. Listeners may notice that the sermons we post generally concern ecclesiology or worship—two topics not often covered by preachers.
Gospel Reformation Network executive council members Jon Payne, Ligon Duncan, Mel Duncan, Richard Phillips, Jason Helopoulos, David Strain, and Jonathan Master have an engaging roundtable discussion on the nature and task of the ruling elder. This is also the theme of the 2025 GRN National Conference in Sanford, Florida (May 7-8).
You can learn more about the conference and register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-grn-national-conference-tickets-1030379682367
An all-star cast of presbyterians came together to make predictions for 2025 developments in the kingdoms of the church and the world. Ruling elder Kerry and pastors Chris Drew, Reed DePace, Ryan Biese, Job Dalomba, Nick Bullock, and Wilson Van Hooser.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iteWbuC-5wg
This program contains two recordings from several years ago—an account of the death of Machen on January 1, 1937, followed by a reading of the monumental final chapter (The Church) from Machen's great work, Christianity and Liberalism.
On YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRym5CKIxdA
Dr. R. Scott Clark and pastor Sean Morris help us think about how to be both faithful and welcoming to visitors, outsiders, and newcomers.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTAHYqEnmSw
Nathanael Miller is the RUF Campus minister at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA. To hear Nathaniel's excellent preaching at his large group meetings, check out his podcast here. To learn more about Nathanael's ministry or how you can support him, click here. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
The Bishop of Western Festivus Dan Borvan joins us along with Chris Gordon, R. Scott Clark, Zoe the Presbygirl, Sean Morris, and the late Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones to air grievances and perform feats of theological and ecclesial strength...and vocal performance.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZhUeveRJpI
PCA pastors Stephen Spinnenweber and Scotty Anderson help us explore paedocommunion and its relative "young child" communion. Here is Stephen's article: https://gospelreformation.net/dear-pastor-may-my-child-take-the-lords-supper/
Here is Scotty's article on young child communion: https://www.pastorspress.org/2016/01/27/the-age-for-communion/
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrM5aL_isPw
Sarah and Zoe sit down with Rev. Matthew Everhard, a PCA pastor in Pennsylvania, to talk a little bit about his family life in ministry and a lot about his new book Worshiptainment, a small but detailed primer on why Presbyterians believe in the regulative principle and some of the excesses in modern evangelical worship. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM4uRLHdQWw We also joined Matt for a video on his own YouTube channel and you can find that conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQZJTJ2wBOA
OPC minister Chris Drew joins us to walk through chapter 18 of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation. This is a tremendously helpful chapter. Here is the text:
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Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God, and estate of salvation (which hope of theirs shall perish): yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed.
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This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation, the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made, the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God, which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption.
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This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it: yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means, attain thereunto. And therefore it is the duty of everyone to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance; so far is it from inclining men to looseness.
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True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it, by falling into some special sin which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or vehement temptation, by God’s withdrawing the light of his countenance, and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light: yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart, and conscience of duty, out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may, in due time, be revived; and by the which, in the meantime, they are supported from utter despair.
Scotty Anderson is the Associate Pastor for Family Ministry at Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church in Simpsonville, SC. You can check out his sermons here: https://www.sermonaudio.com/speakers/9851.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Pastor Jared Nelson and ruling elder Matt Lee bring the benefits of their knowledge, experience, and research to bear on the complicated issue (and fact) of so-called Good Faith Subscription in the Presbyterian Church in America.
Matt's article: https://pcapolity.com/2024/02/21/exceptionalism-in-the-pca/
The 2002 PCAGA issue of Presbyterian & Reformed News that we referenced: https://www.presbyteriannews.org/volumes/v8/3/pr33.pdf
We talk about music—singable, simple, congregatonal, appropriate music for public worship in the church—with Sean and Sarah Morris, a pastor and a pianist who are both well-trained and actively engaged in the life and ministry of a local church. You are bound to find something of interest if church music interests you at all...which it must do if you're a Christian! We look at a new Getty song and we talk about how church music got to where it is today and about the commercialization and commodification of Christian music.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXbbb0CX0X8
Because we didn't want to watch election coverage we talked about tacos...and the election and politics...and the church...for three hours. From Nixon to Mexican cheeses to church fellowship meal menus—we covered it all. Consume this content at your own risk.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/8HzTh_dnvxs
"What Did Machen Eat?" article: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/what-did-machen-eat
Pastor Ryan Biese of First Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Fort Oglethorpe, GA preached this applied exposition of Psalm 37 on 11/3/2024 with the US election season being in view. The intro and outro music is Psalm 137 from the Trinity Psalter Hymnal by TJ Hallet.
Pastors Derrick Brite, Ryan Biese, and Matt Adams plus Presbygirl Zoe joined us to discuss Tucker Carlson's ballyhooed "spiritual" encounter and the spiritual worship that Reformed churches ought to enjoy. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be confused! And you might be edified.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUcahktpHa0
Pastor Job Dalomba joins us to talk about living in tumultuous political times, being neigborly, and applying Reformed theological truths.
Based on: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/16-thoughts-for-christian-citizens
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azc6QRsbCWs
Evangelical taxonomy, political angst, PCA polling, un-civil culture wars and...the place of humor in the Bible, the Christian life and personal sanity—that's pretty much all we talked about with friends Dr. DG Hart of Hillsdale College and Stephen Spinnenweber, pastor of Westminster PCA in Jacksonville, FL.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slWmtTp5LKE
The article: https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/5-kinds-of-american-evangelicals-and-their-voting-patterns/
The poll: https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/how-40-protestant-denominations-voted
Pastors Dan Borvan (URCNA), Chris Drew (OPC), Zack Groff, and Ryan Biese (PCA) joined our panel to talk about the latest hot trend in the Reformed and evangelical worlds—ministers and young people decamping to the Anglican communion...whatever that is.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5gWHDesuuE
https://religionunplugged.com/news/2024/10/1/will-anglicans-save-evangelicalism
https://juicyecumenism.com/2024/09/26/wheaton-anglican-pipeline/
https://juicyecumenism.com/2024/10/08/anglo-catholicism-west-virginia/
Dr. David Hall is the senior pastor of Midway Presbyterian Church in Powder Springs, GA. He is a prolific author, serves on the board of Westminster Seminary California, and is one of the organizers of the Reformation & Worship Conference that will be held October 10-13 at IPC in Savannah. You can register for the conference here. You can check out David's books here and listen to his sermons here. (F&B episodes are usually released monthly, but we wanted to get this one out before the worship conference.)
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
The Presbygirls are back with a slightly different kind of show this time - we interviewed PCA minister Perry McCall and his wife Robin about their son's cancer diagnosis at 8, and what it was like for their family and Perry's ministry. The McCalls take us through the timeline of Andrew's treatment, covering topics like the encouragement of the local church, the importance of the Lord's day, and guiding children through hard and severe situations.
Watch: https://youtube.com/live/HDsMMQVz73k
Dr. C.N. "Nick" Willborn has pastored Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) since 2009 and continues to teach at Reformed seminaries as an adjunct after teaching full time for a number of years.
Dr. Willborn's many previous sermons and presentations on Presbycast may be found here.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
TJ Hallett joins us to talk (and sing) about his Trinity Psalter Hymnal video and guitar chords project. You'll be encouraged by his love for psalms, singing, and congregational praise. Pastor Sean Morris, a regular guest, brings his musical and biblical knowledge to bear as well.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E2C4dl8cJ0
Previous TPH show with Danny Olinger: https://presbycast.libsyn.com/the-trinity-psalter-hymnal-the-church-wdanny-olinger / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGEdxT8fDeU&t=0s
https://www.trinitypsalterhymnal.org/
Our friend Pastor D. talks about his educational and preaching mission to China. We examine the size, scope, and health of the Chinese church and we heard an amazing story about the Lord's Day meetings of rural Chinese churches.
Reformed Forum major domo Camden Bucey and a brigade of hot sauce veterans join us to talk heat, theology, and life.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcftXn38HCM
(episode is uniquely suited to video....tears, etc.)
Machen food article: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/what-did-machen-eat
Dr. Joseph A. Pipa Jr. is president emeritus and professor of systematic and applied theology at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Greenville, S.C. He is also co-pastor of Antioch Presbyterian Church in Woodruff, SC. You can find his books here and listen to his sermons here. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Dr. C.N. "Nick" Willborn, senior pastor of Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, TN, preaches an excellent sermon on the nature and mission of the church.
You may view the service in which it was preached here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fao1cGXmE64
Hillsdale historian DG Hart and California pastor Chad Vegas join us to talk about worship through the centuries and the long, strange trip Vegas' reforming church has made. Again, we look behind a church curtain...and even peek into the drummer cage. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmOF98_sAGw
Scholar-pastor Harrison Perkins walks us through his new book Reformed Covenant Theology.
His friend (and ours) Derrick Brite helps us along the way.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UbLXl0qCK8
Our panel of five works through a controversial piece by New York Times columnist and former PCA member David French. Read it or listen to it here: (as long as firewall link works): https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/12/opinion/right-wing-presbyterian-church-canceled.html?unlocked_article_code=1.CU4.WNW_.X-JUJe-yJ6Dj∣=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Watch the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_sw_MhHnaQ
PCA church planter Alexandre Sarran and pastor-scholar Dr. Dan Borvan join us to talk about religious life in France now and in the 16th and 17th centuries, the era of the Huguenots.
Learn more here: https://theaquilareport.com/about-confessional-presbyterian-church-planting-in-calvins-homeland/ and here: https://www.egliselyongerland.org/
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_X74acSxkU
The late Dr. Martyn Llloyd-Jones joins us as we fight through a collection of 20th-century patriotic (mostly) gospel songs and cultural artifacts. Our conclusion: Little has changed in the USA and it's easy to find weird songs. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye2UY6L-M88
We hear the unique story of Wilson Van Hooser, the pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Stillwater, OK and host of the Gospel Gazing podcast. He is a former RUF minister, and played college and professional football. Sean Morris joined us as well.
Here's a Substack by Wilson: https://substack.com/home/post/p-66526538
Watch the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moPBhL9lLl4
Carl Robbins is the Senior Pastor at Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC. He has served on the boards of crisis pregnancy centers, Christian schools, and seminaries. He has spoken to college groups, medical school forums, state legislative groups, seminary chapels, and church conferences. His special passion is training pastors in developing countries, from Hungary and Bulgaria to Brazil and Peru. Check out his sermons here, and Table Talk articles here.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
OPC ruling elder and seminary student Kevin Vasquez tells us about his progression from pentecostalism to Manhattan network church planter to the church of Machen. Fellow OPC ruling elder Dr. D.G. Hart joined our panel as well. Follow Kevin at https://twitter.com/KevinRVasquez
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35CaQl6AKho
A proper discussion of theology proper (the doctrine of God) with PCA pastor Derrick Brite of First Presbyterian Church, Aliceville, AL. Tremendously encouraging and pastoral.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJGPvj2mCPM
This is a reading of "Of Scots-Irish Chieftains & Hillbilly Ideals," an essay Brad wrote about Donald Trump's followers—who they are and why they are drawn to him.
Read on Substack: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/of-scots-irish-chieftains-and-hillbilly
OPC minister Chris Drew joins us to walk through chapter 17 of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of the Perseverance of the Saints. This is a tremendously encouraging chapter. Here is the text:
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They, whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.
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This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ, the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace: from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.
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Nevertheless, they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins; and, for a time, continue therein: whereby they incur God’s displeasure, and grieve his Holy Spirit, come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts, have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.
Watch: (with bonus post show) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaVa9a5pA4A
Enjoy this simple Gospel sermon on Romans 8:1-4 by Sean Morris, associate pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN, preached at the church on July 7, 2024. The intro is congregational singing of Psalm 104, and the outro is an arrangement of "What Wondrous Love Is This?" played by Sarah Morris. You may view the entire service here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pme6hk5X3I8, and learn more about the church here: https://www.covenant-pca.com/
Terry Johnson has served as the senior pastor of the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, GA since 1987. He is the author/compiler of the Trinity Psalter and many other helpful books you can see here. You can also listen to his sermons here.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
Let's be honest—this is an odd show. We had a few friends (including Dr. D.G. Hart) to talk politics and 'Merica. There is some good content and discussion, but the show was about the debate and was for those watching it live. Give it a listen, there's some good content and some weird parts. Thanks to Ben Glaser, our friend, Mary, Josh Torrey, and Dr. Hart. Content warning: there was professional wrestling talk, too.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNaALRjfpkw
Dr. Dominic Aquila joins us to assess the latest PCA General Assembly in the context of the entire 51-year context of the Presbyterian Church in America. Brad's recent article (below) was our jumping-off point. Dr. Aquila is a former moderator of the assembly, a former long-time Standing Judicial Commission member, and is currently a pastor, church history professor, and editor of The Aquila Report. He has been active in each decade of PCA history.
Read: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/the-pca-eras-tourwhere-are-we-now
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1-ww4sy-a4
The 2024 PCA General Assembly in Richmond, VA ended on time/early which means we had time to speak re-cap the event with a raucous room of friends including pastors Zach Byrd, Ryan Biese, Job Dalomba, Wilson Van Hooser, and Seth Miller, plus Presbygirl Zoe Miller and ruling elder/first-time commissioner BL Peters. You'll be encouraged by this group! Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO9FIcO7TnM
PCA ruling elder Matt Fender, Presbygirl Zoe Miller, pastor Derrick Brite, and our new friend Jack join us to talk about Day Zero and Day One of the 2024 PCA General Assembly in Richmond, VA. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3P_pcQFvpQ
After planting Trinity Presbyterian Church in Statesboro, Georgia in 1981, Roland Barnes faithfully served as her pastor for 42 years before receiving the honor of pastor emeritus (or, as he calls it, "pastor notorious"). In that time he's worn nearly every hat imaginable in service to the Savannah River Presbytery, including overseeing the planting of a nearly dozen churches. He is a regular contributor to Tabletalk Magazine (you can find his articles here and sermons here) and continues to labor with the Peru Mission. Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.
An overture to the upcoming PCA General Assembly would constitutionalize the Directory For Worship chapter on preaching and clarify that preachers ought to be "qualified men"...and it's controversial! We discuss why this is the case with pastors Joe Cristman and Matt Adams and ruling elder Matt Lee. Here's the overture: https://pcaga.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Overture-3-Pee-Dee-BCO-53-website.pdf
Here's a relevant article which we mentioned: https://pcapolity.com/2024/01/10/the-unfinished-business-of-the-pca-founding/
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5nO6CXJyEw
This is a re-post of an excellent interview from Ryan Biese on the Westminster Standard with his wife Ann Biese, Sarah Morris on the book "Jesus Calling" and its connection to the PCA. Original show notes:
In 2004 Covenant Seminary Graduate and MTW Missionary Sarah Young Published Jesus Calling, a daily devotional written in the first person as if Jesus were speaking directly to the reader. But the words were not those of Christ, but the private thoughts and reflections of the author. Since the time of publication, Young's book has sold more than 45 million copies making it perhaps the most influential book written by a member of the PCA or Covenant Seminary graduate.
On this week's episode TE Zack Groff joins along with Mrs Sean Morris and Mrs Ryan Biese to discuss what Groff described as a "defiling influence" upon evangelicalism. Why was it so few PCA people warned about this book, which seems to deviate from what the PCA confesses regarding the way God meets with His people.
Read TE Benj. Inman's articles on this topic:
Here: https://www.knotsbetter.com/post/the-pca-ga-corporate-repentance-and-jesus-calling
And here: https://www.knotsbetter.com/post/jesus-calling-pca-lament-repent
Check out the Presbycast episode on this subject: https://presbycast.libsyn.com/a-pca-pastor-calls-for-repentance-over-jesus-calling
And here's Kathy Keller's 2012 article: https://web.archive.org/web/20140301143602/https://www.redeemer.com/news_and_events/newsletter/?aid=414
Hillsdale professor and church historian D.G. Hart joins us along with pastor Matt Adams, OPCer Tim Hopper, and the lovely Zoe to consider movement, changes, and directions in the presbyterian and Reformed churches...and some of the news is good!
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw29IYpE-Nc
Article mentioned: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/why-a-church-joined-the-pca-41-years
PCA pastors Jared Nelson, Ben Ratliff, and Scott Edburg of the Polity Matters podcast join us to preview the major issues and overtures of the upcoming 2024 General Assembly beginning June 10 in Richmond, VA.
Here's their helpful document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rIdZcf82NYJb4QZoQK67BMp0R5bzM3-8ZJfDX0wJ_T4/edit
Here's the official list of overtures: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures
THE INAUGURAL EPISODE OF OUR NEW MONTHLY SUB-SHOW: FATHERS & BROTHERS. Pastor Jim McCarthy of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Statesboro, GA talks to his mentors and fathers in the faith. This time it's Rick Phillips, the Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC. He's authored dozens of books and is a familiar face on the reformed conference circuit. He serves on the boards of Westminster Seminary, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, and the Gospel Reformation Network. Check out his sermons here and books here.
Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here. (https://nathanclarkgeorge.com/home)
Current PCA moderator Fred Greco previews the 2024 General Assembly, gives advice for making the most of an assembly, talks about the state of the PCA, and reflects on his Year of Living Moderatorally. See the overtures (to date) here: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE0hQWH75IM
PCA pastor and prison minister Mitch Haubert joins us to tell the story of an astounding ministry at an Alabama correctional facility, along with his friend and fellow worker pastor Derrick Brite. Learn more and support at https://www.unbound216.org/.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_ipBfgGTpg
Retired Grove City College professor Dr. T. David Gordon joins us to talk about one of his special interests, the Westminster doctrine of the spirituality of the church. Here is his article that prompted our discussion: https://theaquilareport.com/thoughts-on-overture-12-from-the-2023-pca-general-assembly-sending-the-overture-to-the-civil-magistrate/
If you are familiar with Dr. Gordon you will not be surprised that we talked a lot about worship, too.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5fxrtOwryk
Sarah and Zoe are joined by three guests, each from different backgrounds, who were persuaded into a confessional view - Sara Drew from being a PCUSA minister, Charles Higham from holding a Side B view of sexuality, and Job Dalomba from being a Baptist minister, each of them to a more confessional view. We talk through how they were persuaded, including discussing the perspicuity and power of Scripture, the Westminster Confession, and even online debate contributed to our guests changing their views.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/hnHRMjnVr2A?si=cjIciFp5EfNesB17
Four of our friends joined us to talk about worship—our own and that of our neighbors. Drs. R. Scott Clark and Harrison Perkins, and small-church ministers Aaron DeBoer and Zach Byrd made up a geographically and denominationally diverse panel of earnest, pastoral and learned men. This article by Brad was our jumping off point: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/contemporary-question-is-it-worship
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyc2AtUc0ZA
Sarah and Zoe join Wilson Van Hooser on his podcast, Gospel Gazing, for a discussion about women’s ministry in a Presbyterian and Reformed context—what Reformed women’s ministry looks like, how to encourage a healthy women’s ministry in the local church, distinguishing the marks of good and bad teaching material, and why we think the PCA is a wonderful place to be as Christian women. Subscribe to the Gospel Gazing podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gospel-gazing-podcast/id1622067047
Scholars Darryl Hart, Timon Cline, Miles Smith IV, and Stephen Wolfe join us for a raucous and impassioned discussion of church, state, kingdoms...and princes. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOV-QdRoCM
The world premiere of a new PCA song: The Winter of '73 by PCA pastor Zack Groff, with a cast of friends and special guest (and podcast major domo) Camden Bucey of Reformed Forum.
Watch (lyric video included): https://youtu.be/WJaJqkB7t-I?t=390
Pastors Philip Ryan, Zack Groff, and Ryan Biese plus Presbygirl Zoe Miller join us to think about shifts in evangelicalism (mostly in an egalitarian direction) and their effect on the NAPARC denominations.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbdkl8as9Pw
Our usual Westminster guide OPC pastor Chris Drew and special guest PCA pastor Stephen Spinnenweber help us work through WCF chapter 16, Of Good Works.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W682Rz2zO7o
Three young pastors join us to discuss the essential element of worship that is the public reading of scripture. You may think that's a thin idea for a show...but Sean Morris, Matt Adams, and Ryan Biese had lots of good stuff for elders and church members alike to consider.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSpn-iOdBpA&t=1s
(Originally released Nov 3, 2022)
PCA pastors Derrick Brite and Stephen Spinnenweber plus SBC firebrand pastor Tom Buck join us to examine the $100 million+ Jesus marketing campaign "He Gets Us." And rumors of PCA involvement were addressed by PCA stated clerk Bryan Chapell who graciously provided a special recorded statement and agreed to a short interview. Watch: https://youtu.be/2LP5vYf5OQ8
Three pastors and a Presbygirl joined us examine the state of the Christian Sabbath and what the church does with America's holiest day—Super Bowl Sunday. PCA pastors Derrick Brite, Stephen Spinnenweber, and Ryan Biese, plus Presbygirl Zoe Miller populated our presby panel. This is the article we discussed: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/chariots-of-hire
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlH4f9gxp2I
We are joined by PCA teaching elder Benjamin T. Inman who has written two articles and a pending overture calling the PCA to repentance over what may be the best-selling Christian book in history Jesus Calling which was penned by a now-deceased PCA member and missionary. Read his articles here: https://www.knotsbetter.com/post/jesus-calling-pca-lament-repent and here: https://www.knotsbetter.com/post/the-pca-ga-corporate-repentance-and-jesus-calling
View the show here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9vj3pMy20s
Young PCA pastors Philip Ryan and Zach Byrd join us to talk about pastoring in small-town and rural settings...with and without possums! This was a fun and encouraging conversation just as we expected.
Read Philip's Substack here: https://southernfriedyankee.substack.com/p/how-to-properly-wrestle-a-church View the show (with possum and GA video) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raBc4I2ZJvs
Brad talks about the resistance to making all or part of the PCA's worship directory constitutionally binding. Here are two opposing articles on the topic and the narrow constitutional amendment overture in question:
Pro: https://pcapolity.com/2024/01/10/the-unfinished-business-of-the-pca-founding/ Con: https://pcapolity.com/2024/01/16/do-we-need-a-directory-for-worship-no/ Overture: https://pcaga.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Overture-3-Pee-Dee-BCO-53-website.pdf Book of Church Order: https://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2023-BCO-PCA.pdf
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw2-DG1LMZc
PCA pastors Zack Groff, Matt Adams, and Jared Nelson, and ruling elder Chuck Murphy join us to cover a wide variety of 2024 issues (worship directories, exceptions, confessions, and catechisms) as Presbycast returns from holiday hiatus.
Watch: https://youtu.be/X6skScJIztM?t=21
Referenced article by Harrison Perkins: https://www.academia.edu/39872519/Images_of_Christ_and_the_Vitals_of_the_Reformed_System
A tradtion unlike any other: Presbycast and real fake holiday Festivus with Dan Borvan, Zoe Miller, and Chris Drew. We aired grievances and laud feats of strength! Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CY-26NuPMs
We join pastor Sean Morris as he preaches through the book of Exodus at chapter 20, verse 15, the Eighth Commandment. This sermon was preached on 11/12/2023 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN where he serves as associate pastor. Morris attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, earning his BA in Biblical and Religious Studies (2010), later earning his MDiv from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi (2014) and his MTh from the University of Glasgow (2019). Morris is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, and the Scottish Evangelical Theological Society. Additionally, he served as an Honors Scholar and Teaching Assistant for the Academic Dean and the Chancellor during his time at RTS and has also taught at several seminaries and pastoral training centers in Asia and Africa. He is presently pursuing his PhD in Historical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
National radio host and PCA church member/seminarian Erick Erickson joins us for the second time to talk about the challenges of being a Christian in the media and in the cauldron of political passion that the last decade has been. Erick does three hours of live commentary each weekday. You can find all of his content linked from https://www.erickerickson.com/ and https://ewerickson.substack.com/. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WSQKy9618M
On the actual 50th birthday of the PCA ruling elder Mel Duncan, the son of a PCA founding family, joins us as we reflect on the PCA's beginnings and roots with the help of audio of his home church's congregational meeting to leave the PCUS and of the first "Continuing Presbyterian Church" general assembly in 1973. Mr. Duncan is on staff at Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC and works with the Gospel Reformation Network. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmN5sfmwsBE
You'll be encouraged to hear from three PCA pastors planting ordinary means of grace churches—Bill Berry of Christ Redeemer PCA in Jonesboro, AR, Mark Trigsted of Redeemer PCA in McKinney, TX, and Seth Miller of Immanuel PCA in Post Falls, ID. Bill and Seth would welcome your support and Mark is eager to assist those established churches seeking to multiply. Watch: https://youtu.be/4u9XCbj5AWY https://www.christredeemer.org/
https://www.redeemermckinney.com/
https://immanuelpca.org/
Dr. T. David Gordon spoke to with us and pastor Sean Morris at the recent Reformation and Worship Conference at Midway PCA in Powder Springs, GA. He revisited some of the concerns in raised in two of his earlier books, Why Johnny Can't Preach and Why Johnny Can't Sing Hymns. We livestreamed this from the conference and you may view that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgF_dgZGpak
Righteous dudes Dr. R. Scott Clark, pastor Job Dalomba and Mayor Sean join us to talk about the tumultuous days ahead and how to prepare for them with gospel hope and doctrinal fortitude.
We join pastor Sean Morris (struggling with laryngitis) as he preaches through the book of Exodus at chapter 20, verse 14, the Seventh Commandment. This sermon was preached on 11/12/2023 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN where he serves as associate pastor. Morris attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, earning his BA in Biblical and Religious Studies (2010), later earning his MDiv from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi (2014) and his MTh from the University of Glasgow (2019). Morris is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, and the Scottish Evangelical Theological Society. Additionally, he served as an Honors Scholar and Teaching Assistant for the Academic Dean and the Chancellor during his time at RTS and has also taught at several seminaries and pastoral training centers in Asia and Africa. He is presently pursuing his PhD in Historical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
We join pastor Sean Morris as he preaches through the book of Exodus at chapter 20, verse 13, the Sixth Commandment. This sermon was preached on 11/05/2023 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN where he serves as associate pastor. Morris attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, earning his BA in Biblical and Religious Studies (2010), later earning his MDiv from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi (2014) and his MTh from the University of Glasgow (2019). Morris is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, and the Scottish Evangelical Theological Society. Additionally, he served as an Honors Scholar and Teaching Assistant for the Academic Dean and the Chancellor during his time at RTS and has also taught at several seminaries and pastoral training centers in Asia and Africa. He is presently pursuing his PhD in Historical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
With the help of OPC pastor Chris Drew we work through chapter 15 of the WCF - Of Repentance Unto Life. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81e0BBae4mE
CHAPTER 15 - Of Repentance unto Life 1. Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.
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By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with him in all the ways of his commandments.
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Although repentance be not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of God’s free grace in Christ; yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.
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As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation; so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.
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Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man’s duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins, particularly.
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As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof; upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy; so, he that scandalizeth his brother, or the church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession, and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended, who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.
Some of our best friends joined us to talk about the blessings and challenges of the Lord's Day for Reformed Christians. We looked at what Westminster teaches and what real-world application looks like for members, moms, and elders. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSEnFzEy9zk&t=2s
Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn of RTS-Charlotte speaks at the Reformation & Worship Conference held last week at Midway PCA in Powder Springs, GA. He is briefly introduced by Dr. David W. Hall, pastor and Midway and host of the conference. We thank Dr. Hall for his kind permission to post this audio. Listen to, view, or download all the talks here: https://subsplash.com/midway-presbyterian-chur/media/ms/+j6ssbw2
Sarah Morris talks to pastor Terry Johnson at the Reformation and Worship Conference about lessons from the early 20th-century Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy for the church today. Pastor Johnson has long served Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, GA.
We join pastor Sean Morris as he preaches through the book of Exodus at chapter 20, verse 12, the Fifth Commandment. This sermon was preached on 10/22/2023 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN where he serves as associate pastor. Morris attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, earning his BA in Biblical and Religious Studies (2010), later earning his MDiv from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi (2014) and his MTh from the University of Glasgow (2019). Morris is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, and the Scottish Evangelical Theological Society. Additionally, he served as an Honors Scholar and Teaching Assistant for the Academic Dean and the Chancellor during his time at RTS and has also taught at several seminaries and pastoral training centers in Asia and Africa. He is presently pursuing his PhD in Historical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
In a joint effort with Sean Morris of the Larger for Life podcast we interview Rev. Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn, the foremost living authority on the Westminster Standards, at the 2023 Reformation and Worship Conference in Powder Springs, GA. You are guaranteed to learn new things about the history of the Assembly and you'll enjoy his stories of ecclesial sleuthing in England and Scotland, including the dusty corners of Westminster Abbey itself.
Our quick first show from the Reformation Worship Conference at Midway PCA in Powder Springs, GA features our friends Sean Morris, Zack Groff, and Ryan Biese...together in the flesh (but tastefully dressed) for the first time. A great benefit of this show was to figure out that our wireless mics were failing...so we'll know better for upcoming shows. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqlI233seVY
We join pastor Sean Morris as he preaches through the book of Exodus at chapter 20, verse 8-11, the Fourth Commandment. This sermon was preached on 10/15/2023 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN where he serves as associate pastor. Morris attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, earning his BA in Biblical and Religious Studies (2010), later earning his MDiv from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi (2014) and his MTh from the University of Glasgow (2019). Morris is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, and the Scottish Evangelical Theological Society. Additionally, he served as an Honors Scholar and Teaching Assistant for the Academic Dean and the Chancellor during his time at RTS and has also taught at several seminaries and pastoral training centers in Asia and Africa. He is presently pursuing his PhD in Historical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
Preliminary! Principles! Preliminary Principles! No, really...we discuss the foundations of PCA church government, the limits on church power, and the rights of church members with Jared Nelson and Ben Ratliff of the Polity Matters podcast. Presbygirl Zoe fills in for Wresby as co-host. Watch: https://youtu.be/jNw9tRMocRY
We join pastor Sean Morris as he preaches through the book of Exodus at chapter 20, verse 7, the Third Commandment. This sermon was preached on 10/08/2023 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN where he serves as associate pastor. Morris attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, earning his BA in Biblical and Religious Studies (2010), later earning his MDiv from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi (2014) and his MTh from the University of Glasgow (2019). Morris is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, and the Scottish Evangelical Theological Society. Additionally, he served as an Honors Scholar and Teaching Assistant for the Academic Dean and the Chancellor during his time at RTS and has also taught at several seminaries and pastoral training centers in Asia and Africa. He is presently pursuing his PhD in Historical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
Presbycast has passed the 500-show mark a little more than 7 years into its existence. We are joined by some of our most special friends, including D.G Hart, R. Scott Clark, Zoe, Amish Ambush, and Chris Drew. Hear clips from our first show and a couple of our most significant or notorious shows. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jdeH8XnOdo
We join pastor Sean Morris as he preaches through the book of Exodus at chapter 20, verses 4-6, the Second Commandment. This sermon was preached on 10/01/2023 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN where he serves as associate pastor. Morris attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, earning his BA in Biblical and Religious Studies (2010), later earning his MDiv from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi (2014) and his MTh from the University of Glasgow (2019). Morris is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, and the Scottish Evangelical Theological Society. Additionally, he served as an Honors Scholar and Teaching Assistant for the Academic Dean and the Chancellor during his time at RTS and has also taught at several seminaries and pastoral training centers in Asia and Africa. He is presently pursuing his PhD in Historical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
We'll soon celebrate 500+ episodes and what better way to warm up than with 29 tunes from the Presbycast bumper music vinyl vault?
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/Sf2OfMobVdg?si=G31Ch6f_vSEDmx9l
We are joined by RPCNA minister Dr. Frank Smith (formerly PCA) and PCA ministers Philip Ryan and Zack Groff for a wide-ranging discussion of PCA history and issues plus Dr. Smith's inner-city ministry at Atlanta Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNA).
Among Dr. Smith's books are The History of the Presbyterian Church in America: The Silver Anniversary Edition; Worship in the Presence of God (co-editor and contributor); and Tales from the City: Real Stories of Urban Christian Ministry (editor), which detailed the ministry of an interdenominational, multi-ethnic group in Atlanta. His recent articles have focused on the history of science and the doctrine of worship. Dr. Smith is the Founding Editor of Presbyterian International News Service (PINS) and is a Contributing Editor for The Confessional Presbyterian, a scholarly journal.
Philip Ryan is a PCA Teaching Elder serving as Assistant Pastor of Discipleship at The Kirk Presbyterian (PCA) in Savannah, GA.
Zachary Groff pastors Antioch Presbyterian Church of Woodruff, South Carolina and works with both the Presbyterian Polity blog and the Confessional Presbyterian Journal.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6byWsLglQwU
URCNA pastors Dr. Dan Borvan and Simon Jooste join us to talk about a new addition to the United Reformed Churches in North America...in South Africa. Simon pastors the congregation in the southern suburbs of Capetown, an environment quite unlike any in the USA or possibly anywhere in the Western world. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvWqwTwvek
We join pastor Sean Morris as he preaches through the book of Exodus at chapter 20, verses 1-3, the three uses of God's Law and the First Commandment. This sermon was preached on 9/17/2023 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA), Oak Ridge, TN where he serves as associate pastor. He attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, earning his BA in Biblical and Religious Studies (2010), later earning his MDiv from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi (2014) and his MTh from the University of Glasgow (2019). Morris is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, and the Scottish Evangelical Theological Society. Additionally, he served as an Honors Scholar and Teaching Assistant for the Academic Dean and the Chancellor during his time at RTS and has also taught at several seminaries and pastoral training centers in Asia and Africa. He is presently pursuing his PhD in Historical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
Our guest to talk about the Trinity Psalter Hymnal is Danny E. Olinger, general secretary The Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Rev. Olinger has been involved with this important project since its beginning. Learn more here: https://www.trinitypsalterhymnal.org/
Watch the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGEdxT8fDeU
Dr. Dan Borvan speaks about the French Huguenots' persecution and piety in the 16th and 17th centuries and what the 21st church might learn from them. This address was delivered recently at the Christianity and Liberal Democracy: Common and Separate conference at Reformed Church Southern Suburbs in Rondebosch/Capetown, South Africa. The congregation is a part of the United Reformed Churches in North America. Learn more: https://rcsasouthernsuburbs.com/
The Psalm sung at the beginning and end of the episode is number 137 from the Genevan Psalter. It has a homophonic beginning (as was favored in Geneva) and then is sung in parts, the style of the Huguenots, at least for parlor/recreational settings.
https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Etans_assis_aux_rives_aquatiques_(Claude_Goudimel)
Dr. C.N. "Nick" Willborn of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Oak Ridge, TN delivered this sermon on the Lord's Supper from 1 Corinthians 11:23-30 on September 3, 2023. https://www.covenant-pca.com/
Machen biographer Dr. D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College to talk about the commemorations, assessments, and legacy of J. Gresham Machen in this the 100th anniversary of the book Christianity and Liberalism. Hart's article we discussed: https://oldlife.org/2013/09/20/machen-chance-blew/
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT1HVT6NFbE
Pastors and purveyors of PCA polity Scott Edburg, Jared Nelson, and Ben Ratliff join us to explain their new podcast "Polity Matters" and why the show subject (presbyterian church government) is worth hundreds of hours of talk time.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzv1PhgPCWQ&t=1s
Sarah and Zoe (the Presbygirls) grace us with their presence to discuss encroaching egalitarianism in the evangelical world, the importance of office and ordination, and what church women really want. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI8ejYyWhD0
Presbyterian-turned-ACNA Dr. Miles Smith IV joins us to talk all things Anglican. It's good to understand our strange ecclesial cousins whose churches have become somewhat popular destinations for those leaving the presbyterian and evangelical orbits. And talking about another communion's problems and history can help us understand our own.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0AqqpmjQ44
Dr. Duncan Rankin, pastors Sean Morris and Zach Groff, and data man Justin Andrusk join us to talk about the decline of the evening worship service in presbyterian churches (particularly in the PCA), the great blessing of the second service, and practical suggestions for structuring and implementing second services. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZhHez2whYg
Ten friends join us to tell how they became Reforned and/or Presbyterian and why they are happy they did. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBK4P_AvQOQ
Dr. C.N. Willborn preached this sermon about Jesus and the Lord's Day from John 20:19-31 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN on 7/23/2023. Dr. Willborn calls special attention to the importance this passage places on the "8th day," the then-new Christian Sabbath.
PCA pastor and former professional parliamentarian Jacob Gerber and his publisher Zack Groff join us to discuss the new publication Parliamentary Procedures for Presbyters, A Beginner's Guide - available for purchase at https://heritagebooks.org/products/parliamentary-procedure-for-presbyters-a-beginners-guide-gerber.html
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VrHeOCEwNk
OPC minister Chris Drew helps us work through chapter 14 of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Saving Faith. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrj7qNA5Aic
Text of chapter 14:
Of Saving Faith
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The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word, by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.
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By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaking therein; and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
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This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory: growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.
Pastor Ryan Biese reads his Substack article Addressing Abuse & Defending the Bride.https://rfbwcf.substack.com/p/addressing-abuse-and-defending-the
Sarah and Zoe are joined by pastors Matt Adams and Jared Nelson to talk about Thomas Watson, Chrysostom, and other church fathers on biblical gender roles in theory and practice. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnwmGyn7OeA
Dr. D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College joins us to talk about patriotism, nationalism, political history and philosophy, and Christianity on America's high holy day, the 4th of July. Pastor Stephen Spinnenweber dropped in as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO3TVYA8anQ
Two OPC pastors and a PCA ruling elder and teaching elder join us to talk about the differences and similarities between two denominations "divided by a common confession." Jim Cassidy, Chris Drew, Joshua Torrey, and Ryan Biese were our guests. Most of us attended (or watched) at least one general assembly in the past month. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT4Wnc74_XE
Here's an extended version (recorded the day after the assembly concluded) of Dr. O. Palmer Robertson's message to the PCA on the occasion of her 50th anniversary. Dr. Robertson had delivered a briefer version at an assembly-wide seminar on June 13, 2023. Thanks to our own Zoe Schimke for recording these remarks and to Dr. Robertson for sharing them. Because of positive audience reaction, we have included introductory and concluding remarks from our host and panel (Zoe Miller, and pastors Ryan Biese and Zack Groff) as well. You may view Dr. Robertson's shorter GA presentation here: https://youtu.be/XgO2dk41TqU?t=173
View the Presbycast live video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFTjBh6x7_U
We wrap up the historic Anniversary PCA General Assembly with esteemed ruling elder Mel Duncan AND the Presbygirls AND their pastor husbands! What a show!
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEIgTi3g3yc
Ruling elders Matt Fender and Charlie Nave, and teaching elder Zack Groff join us to review the high points of day two of the PCA General Assembly. And brace yourself for a special live musical performance of a PCA-related instant classic.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5d7Gl41vAw
A great panel of a two ruling elders and one pastor (all members of the PCA General Assembly Overtures Committee) join us to rundown the first day of the 2023 assembly.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4jy5t7yFR0
With permission from the PCA Historical Center we provide this recording of the first hour and a half of the first PCA General Assembly in 1973. The greater portion is an address by convener/moderator Jack Williamson (a ruling elder and attorney), the text of which can be found here with other addresses from this historic assembly. (First published February 12, 2021)
https://pcahistory.org/pca/ga/index.html
https://www.pcahistory.org/pca/ga/1st_pcaga_addresses.pdf
Sarah and Zoe are joined by honorary third Presbygirls TE Sean Morris and TE Stephen Spinnenweber for a discussion on women, the pastorate, and creation ordinances.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkX-8N3eeNk
Eminent church historian Dr. Nick Willborn helps explore the roots and founding of the Presbyterian Church in America. Dr. Willborn has been senior pastor of Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, TN since 2009, and is an author, editor, and veteran professor of church history and historical theology.
Links to other shows with Dr. Willborn and/or about the PCA's founding here:
https://presbycast.substack.com/p/the-genealogy-of-the-pca
Brad Isbell covers the main section of J. Gresham Machen's Christianity and Liberalism. This is part 6 of 6 weekly installments in a series of Machen lectures from Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN.
PCA ruling elder and data guy Matthew Lee joins us to analyze some of last year's PCAGA voting and to preview the prospects of some overtures at this year's assembly. We also talked about an overture that would bring order to ordination and titles of office in the PCA. This was a fairly visual episode -- you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzjmGxmrl8g
Read Matt's article here: https://theaquilareport.com/final-tally-from-pca-presbyteries-on-overture-15/
See the titles overture here: https://pcaga.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Overture-26-NWGA-BCO-7-3.pdf Read Brad's article here: https://pcapolity.com/2023/05/31/pca-officers-their-pronouns/
PCA teaching elder and seminary professor Dr. Carlton Wynne joins us to consider the topic of his recent Reformed Forum article Machen and the PCA Today. Read the article here: https://reformedforum.org/machen-and-the-pca-today/
Be sure to subscribe at Reformed Forum!
Watch our discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov51DTuxXCc
Brad Isbell covers the introduction of J. Gresham Machen's Christianity and Liberalism. This is part 5 of 6 weekly installments in a series of Machen lectures from Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN.
A diverse array of PCA elders joined us to discuss the overtures submitted to the 2023 PCA General Assembly. Our intro and outro music came from parts unknown—two very unofficial viral parody songs about the PCA now sweeping the interwebs. See all the overtures here: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz2BXaG75zM
Rosaria Butterfield graciously returns to bless us with a frank discussion about public repentance, transgender pronouns, and the ever-increasing fallout from radical gender ideology - and the Christian response. Rosaria's recent article explaining new convictions on pronoun hospitality can be found here: https://www.reformation21.org/blog/why-i-no-longer-use-transgender-pronouns-and-why-you-shouldnt-either
Pastor Sean Morris talks about J. Gresham Machen's life from his birth in 1881 until the outbreak of World War 1 in 1914. This is part 3 of 6 weekly installments in a series of Machen lectures from Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN.
Dr. Nick Willborn talks about the Presbyterian/Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy (in which J. Greshan Machen played so great a part) and some of the major figures and events of the era. This is part 2 of 6 weekly installments in a series of Machen lectures from Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN.
Dr. Nick Willborn outlines the historical context that informed the Presbyterian/Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy in which J. Greshan Machen played so great a part. This is part 1 of 6 weekly installments in a series of Machen lectures from Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN.
PCA teaching elder Rich S. Brown III joins for a wide-ranging discussion of J. Gresham Machen, the subject of Brown's new book The Life I Now Live. More info here: Rich S. Brown III (richsbrown3.com) Watch: https://youtube.com/live/5Q5TWF56npI
Five young pastors join us to discuss the importance of the Lord's Day, its decline in the US, a current Supreme Court case concerning Sunday work, and the many pastoral implications associated with high regard for the Lord's Day. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZGeCU3k82I
Dr. Nick Willborn helps explore US presbyterian history from 1706 to the middle of the 20th century as we trace the roots of the Presbyterian Church in America, a denomination that turns 50 this year. This is the first of two parts, the next of which will examine the genesis and early years of the PCA. Dr. Willborn is senior pastor of Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, TN since 2009 and is an author, editor, and veteran professor of church history and historical theology. (There is no video of this interview due to technical difficulties)
Sarah Morris leads a discussion of identifying, addressing, and preventing abuse in the church with minister of counseling at First Presbyterian (ARP) Columbia, SC Josh Squires, and pastors R. Scott Clark and Sean Morris. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ws44SlBbVU
A group of PCA pastors join us to offer prayers for Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville, and the Presbyterian Church in America in the wake of the tragic church school shooting. Article on music for lament: https://rfbwcf.substack.com/p/singing-in-the-face-of-suffering
Leaders of the Gospel Reformation Network join us to talk about the 2023 GRN national conference May 3 and 4 in Charlotte, NC. Jon Payne and Mel Duncan talk about the organization's history, purpose, and future and about the speakers and topics slated for the May conference. Learn more at: GRN National Conference (May 3-4) | Gospel Reformation Network. Get 10% of the registration fee by using the promo code PRESBYCAST.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/9YhwbBR_cys?feature=share
Our Westminster walking tour continues with our able and pastoral guide OPC pastor Chris Drew—this time through chapter 13 on the difficult subject of sanctification. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tawH9_QR32I Here's the text:
CHAPTER 13 Of Sanctification 1. They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them: the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified; and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
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This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man; yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part; whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.
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In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail; yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome; and so, the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Long-time Acts 29 pastor Chase Davis of The Well in Boulder, CO tells describes the good, the bad, and the ugly of the church planting network that eventually expelled his church. Join us for a fascinating look into the missional church world that bloomed in the 2000s but has had rockier times of late. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/GWVnlpj4ZZk?feature=share
Read: https://www.boulderwell.org/blog/post/why-we-are-no-long-acts-29
To make up for a lost Sunday School class recording, Brad is joined by PCA pastor Ryan Biese to work through Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 31, Of Synods and Councils. We examine the basics of presbyterian church government and make some contemporary applications. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/tqbHeMfNBZg?feature=share
Zoe Schimke of World News Group and the Presbygirls podcast joins us (despite internet-ravaging Texas thunderstorms) to talk about her experience at the Asbury University revival meeting. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYNu9rkN2Ng
In an introductory Sunday School lesson on Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 31 (Of Synods and Councils) Brad talks about the Westminster Assembly's makeup and political context and then examines the proof text for this chapter, Acts 15. (The reading of the full passage in the middle of the lesson has been removed because the readers were inaudible.)
We know you'll enjoy this conversation that Brad had with PCA pastor (and former ruling elder) George Sayour on the Presbyterian and Reformed Churchmen podcast. We focused especially on Machen's great work Christianity and Liberalism and discussed the differences and parallels between the 1920s presbyterian controversies and those of the 2020s. Subscribe to George's excellent podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/presbyterian-reformed-churchmen/id1658431714
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/SDXnbs9yG20?feature=share
PCA missionary-church planter Nick Bullock of Stuttgart, Germany and his friend Sean Morris join us to talk about missions, church planting, and the portability of Reformed worship and the ordinary means of grace. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/7FnKHggf7sA?feature=share
Historian Darryl Hart and scholar Kevin White join us for a big show on a daunting topic -- Tim Keller's multifarious initiatives and prescriptions for revival and renewal of the American church. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/uafP0yfpGuM?feature=share The documents and articles: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/tgc-announces-keller-center/ https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/thekellercenter/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/02/christianity-secularization-america-renewal-modernity/672948/ https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/american-church-the-strategy-for-renewal/ https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/decline-and-renewal-of-the-american-church-extended/
In Wresby's absence, our regular guide through the riches of Westminster, OPC pastor Chris Drew, was joined by PCA minister Sean Morris for an encouraging discussion of Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 12, Of Adoption. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/yYtsBtsiprA?feature=share
A seminary professor with rural roots and four rural/small-town pastors (two of whom are bi-vocational) join us to talk about the challenges and blessings of ministry in the hinterlands. Chris Drew, Dennis Bills, Derrick Brite, and Charles Stover provide an often-overlooked perspective on presbyterian and Reformed churches outside of cities and comfortable suburbs. Learn more about Dennis Bills' work at http://www.reformingwv.org/. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/LIBodVt7fwA?feature=share
United Reformed Churches in North America minister Luke Gossett tells us about his hope to plant a URCNA congregation in his home state of Alabama where none has ever before existed. Along the way, we learned a lot about the distinctives of the URCNA specifically and the Dutch Reformed more generally. Learn more about the planting initiative here: https://www.birminghamurc.org/
Watch the show: https://youtu.be/lRuDfvLET0M
The Presbygirls finally break their nine-month hiatus with a brand new show on womanhood, femininity, theology, and everything in between, featuring our friend Mary Weller from TruthXChange, an apologetics ministry founded by Dr. Peter Jones. Watch: https://youtu.be/WiNV1qA4XK4
Calvinistic baptist pastor Keith Foskey joins us to talk about his viral videos which lovingly skewer nearly every denomination. We also talked about the role and value of humor in Christian life and ministry. Find Keith's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationswithaCalvinist Watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/2zAfdgF6SiU
Grant and Jemerson of the excellent Balm in Gilead podcast join us to talk all things Christian music—from the business, to worship, to personal devotions and even for entertainment purposes. We had a lot of fun...maybe a little too much! These guys are thoughtful and solid. Be sure to subscribe to their show: https://www.balmcast.com/ Watch the show: https://youtu.be/s_aOPPt1gc4
Brad was interviewed recently by George Sayour, a ruling elder-turned-pastor, on George's new ruling elder-focused podcast Presbyterian & Reformed Churchmen. Subscribe here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/presbyterian-reformed-churchmen/id1658431714
Our annual visit from URC scholar-pastor Dan Borvan to celebrate the fake holiday Festivus was enlivened by the addition of PCA pastor Ryan Biese. All in good fun, tongues in cheek, etc...but serious matters were considered. Enjoy. Watch: https://youtu.be/uimYLR9LKbA
OPC pastor Chris Drew is our guide through the great eleventh chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Justification. Watch: https://youtu.be/utiEl2eZ-vQ
The Most Interesting Presbyterian in the World, ARP Pastor Ben Glaser, holds forth on ministerial chicken raising and slaughtering, being Facebook-jailed, visiting Namibia for an international P&R ecumenical meeting, and whether Advent ought to be a thing in presbyterian churches. Watch: https://youtu.be/o3Qj_SnplM0
Here's an encouraging sermon on justification by pastor Sean Morris, preached at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge, TN on December 4, 2022. You can find other sermons in this series at: http://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/covenantoakridge
Memorial Presbyterian Church in St Louis, MO voted Friday, November 18 to leave the Presbyterian Church in America due to controversies involving their pastor Greg Johnson and a specific ministry of the church. PCA pastors Dr. Dominc Aquila and Todd Pruitt joined us on short notice to talk about the departure.
Watch: https://youtu.be/-DxhTNSI4b0
Read the revealing congregational letters: https://theaquilareport.com/memorial-presbyterian-church-session-calls-congregation-meeting/
We prepare for Festivus by expressing our thankfulness even while lighting the ceremonial Festivent dumpster fires. Seriously, PCA pastor Sean Morris uses his two fine Reformation 21 articles on the church for a great discussion of the gathered communion of the saints.
https://www.reformation21.org/blog/no-christianity-without-the-church
https://www.reformation21.org/blog/for-all-the-saints
Our friends George and Darin at the Grace to Stand podcast kindly shared their wonderful interview with PCA pastor, missionary, author, theologian, and professor Dr. O. Palmer Robertson. They discussed his work, life, and perspective on the PCA from its founding until now. Please enjoy this conversation and be sure to subscribe to the Grace to Stand podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grace-to-stand/id1633537628
Enjoy (if so inclined) a few favorite tunes in the Presbycast genre—some standards plus a full-length LP by Ralph Trotto that is equal parts standard gospel (heavy on the maudlin morality tale songs) and impressive guitar numbers. Watch: https://youtu.be/6A4sr0-_JVY
Super presbyter Fred Greco (a former ruling elder and present teaching elder) brings his considerable knowledge of presbyterian polity and process to bear on the current crop of proposed constitutional amendments to the Presbyterian Church in America constitution. Our panel also included young PCA pastors Stephen Spinnenweber and Scott Edburg, keeper of the vote-tracking spreadsheet. Watch: https://youtu.be/OUcDw4cWG4Y
PCA pastors Derrick Brite and Stephen Spinnenweber plus SBC firebrand pastor Tom Buck join us to examine the $100 million+ Jesus marketing campaign "He Gets Us." And rumors of PCA involvement were addressed by PCA stated clerk Bryan Chapell who graciously provided a special recorded statement and agreed to a short interview.
Watch: https://youtu.be/2LP5vYf5OQ8
Dr. C.N. Willborn preached this sermon about the Reformation's recapture of biblical baptism on 10/30/2022 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN. More about Dr. Willborn: https://gpts.edu/about/faculty-staff/willborn/
PCA pastor Ryan Biese joins us to talk about the importance and priority of worship during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation...and (we hope) today. Watch: https://youtu.be/_-NCR5jI1G8
Here's a wonderful sermon from Psalm 95 on worship and reformation by PCA pastor Ryan Biese of First Presbyterian Church, Fort Oglethorpe, GA.
Apologist Joshua Gielow of TruthXchange, who attended the first and most recent Revoice conferences, and American Family Association researcher, author, and filmmaker M.D. Perkins joined us for a lengthy, frank, and (to be honest) PG-13 discussion of the Revoice movement which both have spent years studying. Find TruthXchange at https://truthxchange.com/ and begin at https://afa.net/alittleleaven to find M.D.'s work.
Watch the show here: https://youtu.be/YvugmEaLvoQ
OPC pastor Chris Drew leads us through the grand tenth chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith on effectual calling. Watch here: https://youtu.be/hmwMB3uBC0Q
Faith comes by hearing...so maybe we should focus more on hearing. Here is the audio bible that was recommended: https://www.audible.com/pd/David-Suchet-Audio-Bible-New-International-Version-NIV-Complete-Bible-Audiobook/B012QGQSFG
South Carolina PCA pastor Matt Adams joins us to talk about good faith subscription, polity scruples, and practice in the PCA, and why uniformity is actually good and necessary.
Watch: https://youtu.be/vphRN4hFEhk
Another wide-ranging discussion with about 10 of our regulars and friends. From sacraments to surveys, from the Lord's Day to Le Mis...we covered some ground and had a good time.
Watch: https://youtu.be/4UTF-_JmKQk
PCA Pastors Derek Radney and Geoff Gleason debate intinction and worship, and talk tiers (of importance) in our second-ever debate in a series we now call The Presburg Colloquies. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3OYgO6XFpg
Brad teaches the last of three Sunday school lessons on Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 21, this time covering paragraphs 7 and 8,
using questions 115-121 of the Westminster Larger Catechism as a commentary.
(Larger Catechism with scripture proofs https://www.opc.org/documents/LCLayout.pdf)
Historians Darryl Hart and Miles Smith IV of Hillsdale College join us to talk about the remarkable life of Queen Elizabeth II and her surprising connections to presbyterianism.
Brad teaches the second of three Sunday school lessons on Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 21, this time covering the second half of paragraph 1 through paragraph 6.
Dr. R. Scott Clark and PCA pastor Stephen Spinnenweber help us consider some under-treated aspects of the Side B/Revoice/"Gay Christian" debate—the natural/unnatural distinction, degrees of heinousness, and the finer points of concupiscence. Here is the article we discussed: https://heidelblog.net/2022/08/homosexuality-concupiscence-and-the-pca/ Here is the video that accompanied the presentation of the PCA sexuality report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=3JWQPFvtzck
Brad teaches the first of three Sunday school lessons on Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 21. Read Calvin's "The Necessity of Reforming the Church" here: https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/calvin_necessityreform.html
Brad teaches the first of three Sunday school lessons on Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 21. Read Calvin's "The Necessity of Reforming the Church" here: https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/calvin_necessityreform.html
PCA Pastor Aldo Leon of Miami joins us to discuss his recent strong statements against the Federal Vision and what might be called "The Moscow Movement." We also used recent events in the megachurch world to highlight the benefits and necessity of (still very imperfect) presbyterian government. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goZWVIovhEs
PCA Pastor Aldo Leon of Miami joins us to discuss his recent strong statements against the Federal Vision and what might be called "The Moscow Movement." We also used recent events in the megachurch world to highlight the benefits and necessity of (still very imperfect) presbyterian government. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goZWVIovhEs
Gospel Reformation Network leaders pastor Jon Payne and ruling elder Mel Duncan join us to talk about the GRN, its reason for being, and reasons for both hope and concern in the Presbyterian Church in America. The GRN fall gathering is coming soon. Learn more here: https://gospelreformation.net/grn-fall-gathering/
Author, podcaster, and researcher Kerry Baldwin joins us to talk about libertarian principles generally and a libertarian case against abortion more specifically. Learn more about Kerry here: https://mereliberty.com/
Small-town PCA minister Derrick Brite joins us to talk about a big-time problem—the all-too-common crashes of local megachurches and how to deal with and minister to their members and refugees. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U24ZC8v26G0
With added content and improved sound we present our 2019 review of the 1969 SBC-produced youth musical "Happening Now!" This muscial groanstravaganza speaks volumes about the cultural captivity of the mainline and evangelicals...then and now. And considering the events of the late 60s reminds us that today may not be quite as bad as it seems. The irrepressible D-Bag Worship Guy was our special celebrity guest. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sL_gFV5C98
Our PCA pastor friend Ryan Biese joins us to discuss a 19th-century address by presbyterian minister Thomas E. Peck entitled "The Spirit of Presbyterianism." This concise work provides ample opportunity to dive deeply into the history and tenets of presbyterian church government...and more. View here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz293tCyoUM
PCA Ruling Elder James Solis joins us to talk about his recent Substack article on celibacy (https://noxvenit.substack.com/p/gay-and-celibate) and Side B gay Christianity. PCA pastor Stephen Spinnenweber also joined our panel.
We present the audio from a live Twitter Space where nearly 100 listeners joined in and more than a dozen spoke with us about everything from VBS biscuits in South Carolina to county fair cheese curds in Wisconsin...and the joys and trials of church life and ministry.
PCA pastor Joe Cristman of Chicago joins us to wrap up the 2022 PCA General Assembly once and for all with the story of two important overtures from his church and encouraging words about the future of the denomination. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGi5LshvCw
We present a fine sermon by Sean Morris entitled "God and Sinners Reconciled." This sermon from Ephesians 2 has much to say about the church as one of the great benefits of the gospel. Morris is associate pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN.
Pastor Chris Drews helps us work through the truths and implications of the ninth chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Free Will. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3jTmrlLVvg
We were the definition of diversity with two teaching elders and two ruling elders (and a Wresby) to discuss the 2022 PCA General Assembly. We covered the most significant actions and the prospects for passage for three Book of Church Order amendments. Pastors Todd Pruitt and Ryan Biese, and experienced ruling elder Doug Sharp provided encouragement and perspective in the wake of the Birmingham assembly in the PCA's 49th year. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qWKojd4ySc
Live from the raucous MORE in the PCA ruling elder gathering of several hundred presby souls, we speak to our good friends Aldo Leon, Dominic Aquila, WCF Linux, and Scott Edburg about the 2022 PCA General Assembly.
Day Zero? Yes, because much of the important business of the PCA General Assembly happens the day before the GA opens. Our panel were not, ahem, a bunch of zeroes: Charlie Nave, Scott Edburg, Job Dalomba, and Stephen Spinnenweber joined us to reflect on the fate of important SSA-related overtures and more. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pERhU_ZjkC8
Elders from the ARP, OPC, and PCA join us to review their just-completed assemblies or preview one yet to come (PCA). Pastors Andy Webb, David, Carnes, and Ryan Biese were our guests. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAXv4qQ1Lfc
Three young churchmen join us to break down the overtures before the 2022 PCA General Assembly. Pastors Jared Nelson, Scott Edburg, and Stephen Spinnenweber provided insight, information, and speculation. This show was decent...and orderly, more or less. Find all the overtures here: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures
Watch: https://youtu.be/fgvZLFKwnVE
Here we go—more than one hour of music from the Presbycast genre: some real gems and some truly frightening stuff in celebration of six years of podcasting.
A cast of characters including Dr. Dominc Aquila, Camden Bucey of Reformed Forum, and the late Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones joined us to celebrate six years of strange presby podcasting. And, boy, did we cover some ground.
Here's a reading (with brief comments) of a 1923 J. Gresham Machen sermon that is shockingly relevant 99 years later: "Isaiah's Scorn of Idolatry." Read it here: https://www.readmachen.com/pg/isaiahs-scorn-of-idolatry.pdf
Dr Ian Hamilton delivers the address "The History and Theological Declension of the Church of Scotland" at the recent 2022 Gospel Reformation Network conference. Dr Hamiltion is president of Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Newcastle in England, and has pastored for decades in Scotland and Cambridge, England. https://www.presbyterianseminary.org.uk/
Church history professor and author Dr. R. Scott Clark joins us to talk about the history and present character of evangelicalism and revivalism from a Reformed perspective. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjYjwgqzZLk
PCA pastor Jon Payne speaks at the recent Gospel Reformation Network 2022 conference. Used with permission. View at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCmUU4JFcIc
Writer and Twitter maven Bethel McGrew helps us review the recent political and social issue-related controversies concerning the social media effusions of a certain big city pastor. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNv9x-R_5ic
Two bright young churchmen and Zoe join us to talk about day one of the 2022 Gospel Reformation Network conference in Birmingham plus the prospects for the PCA as the 2022 General Assembly grows ever closer. This show spanned three time zones. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9L0ii1EPJY
Rosaria Butterfield joins Sarah and Zoe for a frank and fiery discussion of "Side B Gay Christianity," sin and repentance, church as family, and radical hospitality. WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvOuBdsFmU8
This sermon based on Acts 13:1-3 by Pastor Peter Szabo of Budapest, Hungary was preached on April 24, 2022 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN. Szabo is a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Central and Eastern Europe (RPCCEE) and has been interviewed on two previous Presbycast shows.
OPC pastor Bob Tarullo and ruling elder/seminarian Rob McKenzie join us to talk about Machen's Christianity & Liberalism, a book they have serialized on their own podcast Theology Simply Profound. https://reformedforum.org/programs/tsp
Jon Payne, pastor of Christ Church Presbyterian (PCA) in Charleston, SC and executive coordinator of the Gospel Reformation Network joins us to talk about the 2022 GRN conference, the organization's history, and current PCA events and their implications for this summer's PCA General Assembly. And remember...he asked for that outro. https://gospelreformation.net/
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAkhk6Bdu8w
The recent republication of John Frame's article "Machen's Warrior Children" by a PCA blog spurred our discussion of the merits, relevance and context of the piece with two men who were "there when it happened"—church historians and serial Presbycast guests D.G. Hart and R. Scott Clark, together for the first time. Article: https://www.semperref.org/articles/machens-warrior-children
Zoe and Sarah are joined by Sarah's husband pastor Sean Morris and his fellow PCA pastor Stephen Spinnenweber for a discussion of how presbyterian church government ought to protect members and why it sometimes fails to do so. In a clear tribute to early Presbycast shows, the Presbygirls treat us to a bit of challenging audio...just like old times.
We present an archival recording of a packed PCA General Assembly seminar from 2009 with Dr. Ligon Duncan and Tim Keller discussing their differing views on deacons, deaconesses, offices, and more. Be sure to hear the question and answers in the last 30 minutes or so.
URC minister Chris Gordon joins us to discuss his article "The Domino Theory and Egalitarian Pulpits." We also briefly discussed CW's article on instances of females seeming to preach in PCA churches.
https://agradio.org/the-domino-theory-and-egalitarian-pulpits
https://www.reformation21.org/blog/lady-preachers-in-pca-pulpits
View here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRPbVcaW_sM
Out windows, under buses...a diverse all-star Tour de NAPARC cast discusses current events in the PCA and beyond and...Mean Girls? A Cantina classic!
Oh nothin', just 22 amazing tunes from the alternately dark, sincere, entertaining, confused, and confusing musical underbelly of 20th-century American Christianity with context and commentary only Presbycast can (or would) provide.
Pastor Chris Drews helps us work through the truths and implications of the great eighth chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Christ the Mediator. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI60gzUfbYk
American Family Association researcher and author M.D. Perkins shares some of his findings about the Side B movement (and a notable book) along with PCA minister Stephen Spinnenweber who has also written on the subject.
M.D.'s e-book: https://afa.net/alittleleaven
Dr. Dominic Aquila joins us to unravel the PCA SJC decision on the case against Memorial PCA for hosting the first Revoice conference. https://byfaithonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SJC-2020-05-Speck.Final-Decision.3-3-2022.pdf
PCA pastor and host of the Mortification of Spin podcast Todd Pruitt joins us talk about the impotance of staying informed and staying involved as church members and church officers. The interview was recorded in-person at the 2022 Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary conference at Woodruff Road PCA.
Live from the Presbaru: Our first ever Twitter Space featured quality commentary from a few of our friends on the late-breaking PCA judicial decision on a Revoice-related case...yes, it was recorded in a car, but it wasn't half bad.
Peter Szabo, a Hungarian pastor in the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Central and Eastern Europe (RPCCEE), joins us to talk about the needs of the Ukrainian churches in their denomination and how churches are meeting those needs...and how you can help. https://reformatus.net/en/how-can-you-help
Brad's latest article is the starting point for an interstate soliloquy about contextualization and the ever interesting, always hard-to-figure PCA. Read the article here: https://heidelblog.net/2022/02/shall-the-radical-contextualizers-win/
Dr. Darryl G. Hart of Hillsdale College joins us to announce the return of the much-loved and much-missed Nicotine Theological Journal, a feisty, Old School presbyterian favorite that published from 1997 to 2012. And since it's 2022 we wrapped up by talking about the perplexing turmoil in the PCA.
Aquila Report editor, PCA teaching elder, and seminary professor Dom Aquila speaks to a PCA church and answers questions about the state of play in the PCA...and what's to come.
Our friend Aldo preaches a wide-ranging and passionate sermon from several sections of Ephesians on identity in Christ to his congregation in the Miami, FL area.
Three thoughtful PCA pastors—Jared Nelson, Jim McCarthy, and Scott Edburg—join us to talk about the past, present, and future of the PCA, a denomination now embroiled in controversy and obviously on the precipice of renewal or realignment.
Articles cited:
https://gospelreformation.net/rise-up-man/
https://pcapolity.com/2022/01/28/secret-caucuses/
https://www.reformation21.org/blog/the-pca-doctrine-of-election-2022-style
Sarah and Zoe present the second installment of their advice regarding ways to encourage women in the church. This episode includes, but is not limited to Heart Day Wisecracks, tangents about fantastical baby names, us publicly admitting to being insane, and maybe even some useful information. No surprise visit from any PCA bigwigs this time - they’re busy writing blog posts. We hope you enjoy.
Some of our best friends join us to talk about the interesting relationship between Big Eva(ngelicalism) and Big Government in the age of Covid. https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-the-federal-government-used-evangelical-leaders-to-spread-covid-propaganda-to-churches
Miami pastor Aldo Leon and a few other friends join us to talk about the strange charge that the PCA is being taking over by "Neo Fundamentalists"...and for Neo Fundamentalists we had a raucously good time!
ARP pastor Ben Glaser joins us to talk about jure divino (divine right) presbyterianism and why it's good for the sheep, the soul, and the elders. This is the regulative principle applied to the government of the church.
Some follow-up thoughts after the last RCW -- a few more thoughts on when/if/why churches would choose to leave the PCA.
Brad reflects on the day's voting results in PCA presbyteries and the calls for division and feelings of doubt and despair that must surely follow. This is the highest-speed RCW episode ever with the Presbaru reaching at least 75 MPH during the recording session.
Sarah and Zoe kick off their first live show discussing Sarah's pre-GA Aquila Report article, which was published last June and ranked #2 most read on the AR for the entire year of 2021. They venture also for the very first time into the world of advice distribution, listing 5 of 10 ways to encourage women in the church, the second installment of which is soon to follow.
Sarah's article: https://theaquilareport.com/to-my-fathers-and-brothers-a-plea-from-your-sister/
Brad drives to work and talks about the clergy-laity divide over Revoice, Side B, and SSA issues in the PCA. Referenced articles: https://news.yahoo.com/im-gay-celibate-pastor-conservative-120126716.html
https://presbycast.substack.com/p/a-minute-with-the-minutes
Old friend and small-town pastor Chris Ames (aka Twitter's Chuck Finney) joins us to talk about money, the Gospel-Industrial Complex, conference culture, and sustainable and scalable church. Chris offers a model of success and contentment not tied to size and celebrity.
OPC pastor Chris Drew joins us again as we examine the critical chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith that deals with covenant -- the key structure of Reformed theology and the crucial way that God has chosen to deal with man. View our talk on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ktfeJLu5Do
PCA pastor Sean Morris preaches an excellent sermon on the Lord's Day and the importance of worship, delight, and fellowship in the life of the believer. https://westpca.org/people/sean-morris/
Originally recorded in 2020, this episode commemorates the death of J. Gresham Machen on Jan. 1, 1937 in a tiny North Dakota hospital, alone and separated from friends or family save the Rev. Sam Allen, whose account we read. We also have context from Machen's biographer Ned Stonehouse. Here is the edition of The Presbyterian Journal (https://opc.org/cfh/guardian/Volume_3/1937-01-23.pdf) that marked Machen's death and a downloadable PDF (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MYfMayCxpWqtw8_Gp2rpHsvyzPGZaund/view) of the article by Rev. Samuel Allen (https://opc.org/today.html?history_id=533).
Church historian D.G. Hart joins us for a review of 2021 plus a fascinating breakdown of a little-known but very significant church planting network with clips from the "Rise and Fall of Mars Hill" podcast. Dr. Hart suggested this series as well for those interested in church planting: Church Planting 1: The Movement | StartUp (gimletmedia.com)
Our longest, most well-attended, and most boisterous Festivus celebration ever...with THE Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and THE Dr. R. Scott Clark, plus THE Bishop of Western Festivus Dan Borvan...also a doctor!
Well, everyone asked to 'hear women', so here we are, filling a need. Your introduction to Zoe (a precocious college student) and Sarah (a multi-talented homeschooling pastor's wife) includes the tale of how they met, why they care about any of this complicated churchy jargon, and what is so important about laypeople being involved in denominational arguments. Replete with castigation of therapeutic language and the bumper music, which we are happy to report is not changing. The inaugural episdode was not streamed live, you can view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXT3w9fuxr4
Dr. Jonathan Master, president of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, wrote a thoughtful review of Greg Johnson's new book about "gay Christian" issues, Still Time to Care. We ended with some excerpts from a recent interview with Johnson from another podcast.
Here's the print review: https://gospelreformation.net/a-review-of-greg-johnsons-new-book-still-time-to-care/
Miami-area PCA pastor Aldo Leon joins us to argue that the overtures related to Revoice and SSA pastors in the PCA are clear, comprehensible, helpful, and needed. We love Aldo's plain-spoken style and down-to-earth, pastoral concern.
Miami-area PCA pastor Aldo Leon reacts to an article by David Coffin (linked below) on PCA overtures 23 and 37, concerning Side B issues and now before the presbyteries. Also linked is the original video.
https://www.semperref.org/articles/against-overtures-23-and-37
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjAWKxTVfY
Pastor Chris Drew guides us on our walking tour through the Westminster Confession of Faith, this time chapter 6 -- Of the Fall of Man, of Sin and of the Punishment Thereof. Depravity, federal headship, and the remedy for sin were all treated in this surprisingly edifying discussion.
PCA pastor Sean McGowan of Tallahassee, FL joins us to talk about his new book on the imprecatory psalms "Psalms That Curse." Hey, we had fun even if the subject matter was not exactly side-splitting. Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Psalms-that-Curse-Brief-Primer/dp/1956521046/
Erstwhile PCA stalwart Andy Webb explains his rationale for decamping to the ARP and why he enjoys it there. The reasons he gives will be familiar to Presbycast listeners, but you'll want to hear him tell this story.
A special treat: an audio recording of the evening worship service at the meeting where the PCA Presbytery of the Ascension was formed on July 29, 1975. RC Sproul (then 36) preached a message on the ascension and the kingship of Christ. The sermon begins at 52 minutes. Read about the formation of this presbyery here: https://www.theaquilareport.com/founding-pca-ascension-presbytery/
PCA pastor Derrick Brite and OPC bivocational minister Chris Drew join us to share their views on the current conflict and warring factions in the PCA from, as it were, the cheap seats of below-the-radar small church life.
Pastor-worship geek Harrison Perkins of London City Presbyterian joins us again, this time to talk about the book "When Church Became Theatre" and the intersections of culture, worship, doctrine, music, entertainment, and architecture.
Historian Miles Smith IV of Hillsdale College and ARP minister Ben Glaser, a West Virginian in South Carolina, join us to talk about the ahistorical assault on "Bible Belt religion" by progressive evangelicals and the cultured despisers. We talked depravity, heritage, liturgy, and ways to honor our fathers and mothers according to the flesh and in the faith.
Revoice, judicial decisions, and now leaked emails from a powerful lobbying group...times are tough in the PCA in 2021 and 2022 looks stormy. A ruling elder and a teaching elder join us to talk about all this and more.
Wresby and some miscreants rate horror movies for hours...that's it, that's the show. CW wasn't there because DIDN'T SEE IT. This was our WE HAVE TO DO THIS OR WE LOSE THE YOUNG PEOPLE show...so truly the most revivalist-culturalist Presbycast ever. And since all horror movies are just morality plays it is also our most pietistic show.
Dr. Dominc Aquila and pastor Jared Nelson join CW and Amish Ambush to size up the PCA SJC decision on the Missouri Presbytery/Greg Johnson case. Read the decision (linked from this page): https://byfaithonline.com/sjc-rules-on-complaint-against-missouri-presbytery/
We are joined by writer Esther O'Reilly who has followed the gay Christian/Side B movement for almost 10 years and has written extensively on the subject. She's currently bringing her perspective and experience to bear on an analysis of the latest Revoice conference. We also talked about similarities between current controversies in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Here's just one of Esther's many articles on the subject: https://northamanglican.com/a-tempest-observed-reflections-on-sexuality-and-the-acna/
Zoe the Presby Girl fills in for busy Wresby and Third Presbycaster Rev. Chris Drew joins us to dissect Carl Trueman's First Things article on the similarities of today's evangelical elites to yesteryear's Schleiermachian liberals. https://www.firstthings.com/article/2021/11/the-failure-of-evangelical-elites
Reformed thinker Gregory Baus joins us to examine the thorny issues of political compliance and resistance from an historical Reformed confessional and biblical perspective. See his annotated bibliography here: https://tinyurl.com/RefoPoliResistBib
And explore the challenging concept of Reformed anarchy (which probably doesn't mean what ou think it means) here: https://tinyurl.com/refoanarchism
Video link (with timestamps and notes from Greg in the comments): https://youtu.be/hC95p88UzKg
Miami-area PCA pastor Aldo Leon joins us for a frank talk about the PCA, progressivism, and the mission of the church. We interacted with this article: https://www.semperref.org/articles/pca-at-the-crossroads
Pastor Chris Drew joins us for a doctrinal and pastoral discussion of the challenging and encouraging fifth chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Providence.
Two PCA ruling elders and Dr. Dominic Aquila join us to examine conflicting advice about the SSA-related overtures now before the presbyteries of the PCA. We begin by breaking down a recent conversation from a new video series by Dr. Aquila and pastor Fred Greco about PCA polity, then we move to conflicting advice from two wings of the PCA on overtures 23 and 37.
PCA pastors Dr. Dominic Aquila and Fred Greco talk about the importance of overtures 23 and 37 (concerning officer examination and qualifications, triggered by the Revoice/SSA controversy) as they begin to come before presbyteries for approval. You may view the video here: https://vimeo.com/602742358
PCA pastor Geoff Gleason walks us through his five-part blog series on issues of race in the PCA and offers a diagnostic framework for evaluating claims and strategies. Here's the series (beginning at the first installment): http://theologyinshorts.com/part-1-an-appeal-on-race-in-the-presbyterian-church-in-america/
ARP pastor Ben Glaser and missionary kid Zoe help us ask why presbyterianism is weird and why/if we ought to keep it that way. The jumping off point was Ben's article on mental images: https://seventeen82.blogspot.com/2021/08/ralph-erskine-and-mental-images-by-rev.html
Our special friend Dan Borvan, a URC minister in California, joins us for a variety (telephone) call-in show where no topic was off-limits -- a welcome diversion from the dire news of the day.
Here's another good sermon in Ryan Biese's Exodus series preached at First Presbyterian (PCA), Fort Oglethorpe, GA, this time from chapter 32, verses 15-24 -- the account of Moses' encounter with Aaron and the idol-worshiping Israelites.
William JU Philip of the Tron Church in Glasgow and Paul Levy of the Ealing International Presbyterian Church join us to talk about the letter they've written to the UK prime minister against vaccine passports. We also learn a great deal about the challenges of Christian ministry in the UK and the cultural changes the pandemic has revealed. See the letter here:
https://vaccinepassportletter.wordpress.com/
Kerry Baldwin of the Libertarian Christian Institute joins us and a few friends for a great conversation about liberty and freedom in church and society as mandates loom and Covid lingers.
https://mereliberty.com/
https://libertarianchristians.com/
Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California guides us through the indispensable through the 44 articles of the Athanasian Creed which explore the mysteries of the Trinity and the essential Christological doctrines. "This is the catholic faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved."
https://heidelblog.net/athanasian/
Recent show guest Mark Robinson preaches at First Presbyterian Church, Fort Oglethorpe, GA on the dramatic events recounted in Galatians 2 and their implication for believers and the church.
PCA elders Mark Robinson and Rob Henzel join us for a timely discussion of the ecclesial issues of our day, including racism (and its supposed remedies), sexuality, and the temptation to compromise with the spirit and wisdom of the age. And we point to the real remedy: the eternal hope of the unifying gospel. Watch for us to post a sermon by Mark next week.
We are happy to offer this excellent sermon by pastor Ryan Biese of First Presbyterian (PCA), Fort Oglethorpe, GA. The text is Exodus 32: 1-6 (the golden calf), the title is "Make God Relevant Again," and the theme (in part) is that this incident was an early example of the "progressive" tendency in religion. There's also much about the deceitfulness of sin and the importance of proper worship.
A short re-post on the 140th anniversary of J. Gresham Machen's birth:
This inaugural episode (6/10/2019) of Machen Minutes features a word of introduction, a reading from the last chapter of "Christianity and Liberalism," and Machen's favorite hymn as a closing piece. #MachenMinutes
Read C&L free at https://reformed.org/books/chr_and_lib/
Pastor Aldo Leon of Pinelands PCA in the Miami, FL area joins us to talk about the portability of principled presbyterian polity and doctrine. He also brings his unique perspective on the current issues before the PCA. We also talked about the crisis in Cuba and his church's ongoing ministry to that country. Listen and be encouraged!
Pastor Chris Drew led us through WCF chapter 4, Of Creation. This was an edifying discussion which emphasized the glory of God and the eschatalogical implications of the great truth of the Bible's creation account.
Pastor Aldo Leon of Pinelands PCA in Miami, FL shares his report and perspective on the 2021 PCA General Assembly. We hope to have Aldo on Presbycast soon for a full show.
Seven real-world presbyterian guests joined us to talk about a variety of important things...from pizza to polity. Our streaming platform had a few audio glitches early on, but things settled down nicely as we went along.
Podcasting from the Presbaru, CW gives a brief wrapup of PCAGA 2021 from a participant's perspective.
Our most eclectic live show ever - six guests joined at the raucous and noisy MORE in the PCA social, including Camden Bucey, Dominic Aquila, Job Dalomba, Brian Heise and our new favorite Machen Warrior princesses Sarah and Zoe! We wrapped up the first 2.5 days of PCAGA 21...and had a good time. What else would you have with Reformed media icons, pastors, ruling elders, and...warrior princesses?
PCA pastor and well-known Spin Mortificator Todd Pruitt helps us preview the proceedings of the PCA General Assembly in St. Louis beginning June 28, 2021. As always with Todd, it was a great time of no-holds-barred missional winsomeness. Here's the podcast we mentioned: https://www.prestonsprinkle.com/theology-in-the-raw/876-greg-johnson
We are joined by M.D. Perkins, a researcher, filmmaker, and author, to talk about Revoice, Side B, and the cultural currents regarding gender and sexuality...and how they relate to the church. You may view the movie we talked about here: https://inhisimage.movie/ and learn more about M.D. here: https://www.afa.net/who-we-are/spokespersons/md-perkins/# Be sure to watch for his upcoming book Dangerous Affirmation: The Threat of ‘Gay Christianity’ which should be released by year's end.
Our friend Dr. R. Scott Clark, a church historian and theologian, brings his perspective to bear on confessional subscription and the current conflicts in the PCA. We talked about Revoice/SSA theology, open letters, exceptions, and more. Finally, we talked about latitude and why protecting it is very important to some. https://heidelblog.net/2021/06/more-thoughts-about-the-pca-liberal-v-conservative-is-the-wrong-paradigm/
We celebrate (a week late) our 5-year show anniversary with our first and most prolific guest Dr. D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College, the greatest living presbyterian historian. Our subject matter is a 1974 film produced by the mainline northern presbyterian church, which gives us ample material for historical reflection from the 16th century to today. YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EzuX8EACmE
It was our delight to welcome small-town PCA pastor Derrick Brite to talk about his recent GRN article and to analyze an open letter signed by hundreds of PCA elders in the tense run-up to the 2021 PCA General Assembly.
We are joined by Dr. Dominic Aquila and pastor Chuck Williams to talk about the roots of Revoice in the PCA...and the fruit thereof. Both men have been involved in judicial cases related to our topic. We also talk about the state of the current Revoice-related discipline case and what the PCA General Assembly might hold.
Missouri Presbytery documents: https://www.mopres.org/newsNews (mopres.org)
PCA General Assembly minutes: https://www.pcahistory.org/pca/ga/index.html
This show released one year ago (almost to the day) and is an examination of the report of the PCA Ad Interim Committee on Human Sexuality, which will likely be received by the 2021 GA in St Louis one month from now.. This report was requested by the 2019 GA and delivered in time for the 2020 GA...which never happened. It has sort of fallen through the cracks amidst COVID and fresher controversies, and we thought this conversation with Todd Pruitt would be a helpful reminder of its content.
Join us for this throwback show with old friends, a new presbycurious pastor, and variable audio and internet quality! Better than your worst Zoom call, guaranteed. And 10x more presby.
Hans Fiene, Lutheran pastor and content creator par excellence, expands on a series of tweets on the theology and pyschology of doctrinal declension as typified by the ordination of female pastors. And we talked about the value of humor and satire in the service of the teaching and defense of doctrine. Here's the video we played: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnjTPavXkjU
From Birmingham, the site of the 2021 Gospel Reformation Network conference, we discuss the significant points of the day's talks with Dominic Aquila, Sean McGowan, and Charlie Nave, founder of MORE in the PCA.
Our friend OPC pastor Chris Drew leads us through a discussion of one of the most challenging and misunderstood sections of the Westminster Confession, chapter 3 - Of God's Eternal Decree. Election, predestination, sovereignty, and sin all come into this discussion which is surprisingly pastoral and evangelical.
Jon Payne, pastor of Christ Church Presbyterian and director of the Gospel Reformation Network, joins us for a frank-but-hopeful assessment of the state of the PCA, an encouragement to cling to the ordinary means of grace, and a history of the currents that led to the formation of the GRN. Here's the website for the upcoming conference we discussed: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/o-church-arise-a-gospel-reformation-network-conference-tickets-141473812983
Here's a wonderful sermon on Ecclesiastes 3 by our friend Ryan Biese, pastor of First Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Fort Oglethorpe, GA. He is an alumnus of Grove City College in Pennsylvania and received his seminary training at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson MS. https://www.fpfo.org/
OPC minister Shawn Mathis joins us to talk about Revoice/Side B Christian theology in the conservative Reformed world and what its acceptance might mean. You may read his articles at http://pastormathis.com/
Here's an excellent sermon from Luke 19:45-48 by John Blevins III, associate pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN. This passage, which includes the cleansing of the temple, has much to say about the worship of the church. Pastor Blevins is leading a church plant in the Knoxville, TN area which will emphasize the ordinary means of grace.
We talked about when, why, if, and how to leave a denomination...and why we hope that could be avoided with Drs. Darryl G. Hart of Hillsdale College and the Old Life blog and Dominic Aquila of the Aquila Report who (like Dr. Hart) also teaches church history.
Well, it was a variety show with variety...from the smart (presby political thinker Forfare Davis) to the dumb (April Fools' Day humor...baptists), from 'Merica music to the perplexities of presbyterianism.
Matt and Michael of the Restless Podcast join us to talk about the long, strange trip that was the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement. Be sure to subscribe to their podcast at https://restlesspodcast.podbean.com/
Here's the prescient Carl Trueman article from 2013 we mentioned: What if Life Was Complex? - Reformation 21
Dr. David Strain, senior minister of First Presbyterian Church of Jackson MS, joins us to discuss his journey from Scotland (where he was removed from the liberal Church of Scotland for his orthodox views), to London, to small-town Mississippi, then all the way to one of the PCA's most influential pulpits.
Historian and Hillsdale College visiting professor Miles Smith IV joins us to talk about his recent piece (linked below) on so-called Christian Nationalism. We also talk a bit about his new communion, the Anglican Church in North America. Read the article cited here: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/would-it-really-were-christian-nationalism/
We are pleased to have Harrison Perkins who ministers at the Free Church of Scotland congregation in London, UK though his credentials are those of a PCA minister. We talk lots about the situation on the ground in that global city in the year of COVID and we talk much about worship and the 2nd commandment in the last half of the show. Here's the link to his important essay on the 2nd Commandment: https://www.academia.edu/39872519/Images_of_Christ_and_the_Vitals_of_the_Reformed_System
Find him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/HarrisonP87
Watch the live broadcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI1ZkA-04dE
We talk about the important truths and terms of the second chapter (Of God, and of the Holy Trinity) of the Westminster Confession of Faith with OPC minister Chris Drew.
A hastily-assembled cast of PCA elders including Dr. Dominic Aquila discuss the late-breaking news concerning the uncertain dates and arrangements of the 2021 PCA General Assembly in St. Louis. https://www.pcaac.org/coronavirus/
Bryan and Grant of the Balm in Gilead podcast join us to talk about contemporary music and the worship of the church. Their podcast takes an unusually serious look at church music -- check it out: https://www.balmcast.com/
The first ever Presbycast Cantina with guests Drs. Darryl G. Hart and R. Scott Clark and several listeners via Discord. We covered a wide range of subjects and enjoyed some vintage Xian music...and had fun with baptists.
With permission from the PCA Historical Center we provide this recording of the first hour and a half of the first PCA General Assembly in 1973. The greater portion is an address by convener/moderator Jack Williamson (a ruling elder and attorney), the text of which can be found here with other addresses from this historic assembly.
PCA pastor Ryan Biese joins us to talk about the relationship of the Westminster concept of Christian liberty to the regulative principle of worship, plus we talk about a number of PCA issues.
This is the first installment in our series Walking Through Westminster with pastor Chris Drew. We cover the entirety of chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith.
A talk by the late Dr. Morton H. Smith on the history of presbyterian worship (with an emphasis on worship developments in the PCA) from the 2003 Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary theology conference. Dr. Smith taught at GPTS until his death in 2017. He was the founding professor of Reformed Theological Seminary and was the first stated clerk of the PCA. In the Presbycast archives you will find a biographical series on Dr. Smith. This recording used with the kind permission of GPTS.
We had a great time talking with two ARP pastors who happen to be good friends -- Ben Glaser and Clint Davis. Hear about the joy and trials of rural and small-town ministry in one of the most presbyterian parts of the country.
PCA ruling elder Gabe Williams joins our 300th show to talk about the joy and pain, sunshine and rain of being involved in a presbyterian denomination and when (if ever) churches ought to change affiliations. We also discuss the marks of a true church and some late-20th/early-21st-century history of the PCA.
We recently enjoyed talking with Nick Fullwiler and Peter Bell of the Guilt, Grace, Gratitude podcast about the origins of Presbycast, that hardscrabble presby life, and much more. Be sure to subscribe to their fine show.
2021 is here with bells on...so of course we talk (with Dan Borvan and Sean) about the latest in DC mayhem, what the future might hold, and Carl Trueman's explosive article on critical race theory. (show title is a riff on a Bob Dylan and Radiohead song titles, in case you wondered)
Our friend PCA pastor Ryan Biese teaches on worship using Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 21 as his guide. This is a very helpful presentation which you may also view on YouTube. Here's a link to the class outline and here's a suggested article.
We ring out the year that has wrung many of us out with a selection of Presbycasty tunes and a long talk about 2020 with our friend Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California and the Heidelblog media empire. We talk COVID, church, radio, and dogs. The interview portion runs from about 19:00 to 1:23:00 for those who hate good music.
For the benefit of newer listeners or those with short memories, this is another "Best of" encore presentation from 2017, when Chris Drew, pastor of a small church, joined us talk about the small church experience. Chris has joined us many times since, but this show got lots of positive reaction three and a half years ago.
For the benefit of newer listeners or those with short memories, this is our first "Best of" encore presentation. Originally posted 2/1/2017, Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California joins us to talk about his article "When Confessional P & R Congregations Do Not Exist Or Disappoint" about the lost sheep who struggle to find a confessional church in their area. Article here: https://heidelblog.net/2017/01/confessional-pr-congregations-disappoint-not-exist/
It's the most Presbycast time of the year! Our annual Festivus show features pastor Dan Borvan and show pal Amish Ambush. We actually talked about important stuff -- worship, the church, and liberty. We also had a good time airing grievances and lauding feats of strength.
Dr. Dominic Aquila -- pioneering internet journalist, pastor and church planter, seminary professor and president, church historian, and former moderator of the PCA General Assembly -- joins us to discuss the past, present, and future of the Presbyterian Church in America. And in so doing we touched on the history of most of presbyterianism in North America.
Twitter's own Odd Deacon, a real-life architect, joins us for the first Church Architecture Show. We talk about basic, big picture concepts concerning church design and worship spaces. Ranger the Presby Dog also made an unscheduled appearance. You may also view the show on YouTube which gives you the benefit of a few visuals, but we did not integrate the visuals to the degree we hope to in the future.
Presbyterian church planter Albert "Berti" Kona of Durres, Albania joins us to tell his amazing story and manages to inspire, warn, and amuse us along the way. This type of show is why Presbycast exists -- don't miss a minute of it.
Support for the church in Albania can be sent to Woodruff Road Presbyterian (PCA) in Greenville, SC.
LCMS pastor Hans Fiene of Lutheran Satire fame joins us to talk culture, elections, COVID, and why Lutherans are funnier than Presbyterians.
We are joined by several quality guests including Dr. Darryl G. Hart of Hillsdale College to discuss the election results as they came in...to no certain result. We tried to answer questions such as "What difference will it make who wins?" and "What holds this country together?"
We explore the intersection of Christianity and libertarianism and...2020 with Kerry Baldwin, a prolific writer and podcaster at the Christian Libertarian Institute and her own website Mere Liberty.
Our friend Andy Webb of Fayetteville, NC gives his solo report of the proceedings of the 2020 Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church general synod which met for two days this week in Columbia, SC. This was his first synod as an ARP minister, his church having moved from the PCA to the ARP in the last year. This report was originally broadcast on Facebook. TRIGGER WARNING: Some PCA folks will not like what he has to say.
Are cities the best place to plant churches and "do evangelism"? Does the city breed spiritual seekers? A series of Tim Keller tweets prompted this morning commute monologue. Some links:
https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/1317865570373685250?s=20
https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/1318213202862288896?s=20
Presbycast on cities: https://presbycast.libsyn.com/of-cities-and-schemes-with-sean
https://www.movementday.com/
Despites some technical issues (improves greatly after about 20 minutes) we pulled off a show only Presbycast would or could do: We talk about the theology of fire and meat with butcher-seminarian Ben. There will never be another show like this one. We guarantee it.
Dr. D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College joins us to talk about liberalism -- theological, political...and incipient. We talk about the relationship between secular and religious progressivism and ask "Can you be politically liberal but not theologically liberal?" This article formed much of the basis of our conversation: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2018/05/the-theology-of-foreign-policy
Historian Miles Smith IV talks about his recent article on the PCA for The American Conservative "Will the PCA Go Woke?" plus we take listener calls, mostly on the same theme of real or supposed leftward drift among NAPARC (or former NAPARC) denominations.
Historian D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College joins us to talk about the evolution of the magazine Christianity Today and what the changes suggest about evangelicalism. We also dabble in politics, current events, and the propriety of polemics.
PCA member, seminarian, and major conservative media figure Erick Erickson joins us to talk about why he wrote an article called "Warnings in the PCA". We discuss critical theory, intersectionality, racial reconciliation, and Marxist-influenced secular ideologies. Here's the article we referenced.
CW monologues about the conflict between LA County authorities and John MacArthur's Grace Community Church...and what it might mean for all of us.
Audio tweets: https://twitter.com/presbycast/status/1305203213067522049?s=20
LA County worship "protocol": http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_PlacesofWorship.pdf
Professor Scott Aniol and pastor Chuck Finney join us to talk about public worship using an old puritan sermon as a jumping-off point. Here's an online platform with which both men are involved: https://religiousaffections.org/
We are joined by Dr. Ben Shaw of Reformation Bible College to talk about his book Ecclesiastes, Life in a Fallen World and the relevance of this singular book of the Bible to life in 2020. We also talk about his trek from the mainline to the PCA, from Princeton to Greenville.
A bright young seminarian and a PCA pastor to join us to talk about the challenge and blessing of staying "moderate" in the era of 'Rona and, well, you know...2020 politics, politicians, and movements.
A reading of the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapters 3 through 5. https://opc.org/wcf.html
The WCF reading will be published as one file when complete. This is the second installment.
Charlie Nave of MORE in the PCA and Bruce Kirby of the Firm Foundation Partnership join us to talk about their organizations' efforts to reform the PCA through ruling elder participation in the courts and church member involvement.
MORE: https://www.moreinthepca.org/
FFP: https://www.firmfoundationpartnership.com/
Wresby, CW, Amish, and Ken Shepherd all under the same porch roof, talking about the stuff you're talking about, eating the food you'd eat.
Physics professor and Reformed church member David Shane joins us to talk about the moral dimensions of mask wearing and other COVID restrictions where data, ethical, scriptural, scientific and confessional convictions and conclusions collide.
A reading of the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapters 1 and 2. https://opc.org/wcf.html
Two pastors (Dan Borvan and Chris Drew) join us to talk about those who would defer to the magistrate on 'Rona restrictions and those who would defy said restrictions and assemble normally to worship, and we talk about the advisability of taking federal assistance funds as churches and religious organizations. And of course, fun with baptists. Relevant links:
https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B200723?fbclid=IwAR3zNNiYjRMFS2orTktjBjN3XEF-2jIMr7Yuv_MTBU04PXhsjkrGX1XgnOs
https://www.9marks.org/article/a-time-for-civil-disobedience-a-response-to-john-macarthur/
Argggh! We talk cancel culture and Calvinists corsairs of the Caribbean with Clark of California, our favorite swashbuckling church historian. Read more on cancel culture at https://heidelblog.net/
Silent Topher's wifi toaster opened up a time travel portal and we were able to download an episode of Presbycast from 2027...and it's not pretty.
Another call-in show, this time with 2020 energy and range...certainly not for everyone with its wall-to-wall inside jokes, Twitter references, and so forth. Ultimately though there was good fellowship, a bit of wisdom, and a few laughs, so probably not the worst two hours of a year that will live in infamy.
A Fourth of July bonus mostly-music show with a couple of clips from some of our favorite IFB preachers. Could be helpful if you have guests at your party who overstay their welcome.
URC minister Dan "The Third Presbycaster" Borvan joins us to talk about eschatology, church and culture, and the challenges of pastoring in days of revolution and pandemic. Dan brings the heat, the history, and the hope of the gospel...as usual. Follow him: @danborvan
Here's a wonderful sermon on God's provision of elders for his church by Dr. C.N. Willborn of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN, preached on 6/28/2020. The text was 1 Peter 1-5 and the accompanying OT passage was Exodus 8: 12-27.
Pastor Dan Quakkelaar of Friend of Sinners PCA in Milwaukee, WI joins us to talk about his lawsuit against the city over COVID lockdown restrictions which prevent his church from worshiping. Learn more about his unique church here: https://www.friendofsinners.org/
We're joined by Hutch (of the True Presbyterian podcast) and Charles, two young guys who hope to plant ordinary means of grace presbyterian churches in rural America. We talk worship, music, contextualization, and the challenges of bringing the gospel to the American South in a Reformed package. And there are plenty of tunes.
Hear a NoCo Radio interview recorded before the world got even crazier a month ago, but before that a couple of teaser clips of Loury and McWhorter on the craziness of that began in late May, 2020 (and how to deal with it). Find Mike and NoCo here, and find Glenn and John here.
Political thinker and writer Forfare Davis joins us to talk politics, culture, civilization, and coping strategies in the second decade of a "calamitous century" -- see his article of the same name: https://americanmind.org/features/the-coronacrisis-and-our-future-discontents/our-calamitous-century/
Here's the YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oL2-NfHDOY
PCA pastor Scott Sauls and Andy Webb, a pastor soon departing the PCA for the ARP, engage in a gracious-but-spirited conversation about SSA, a recent study report on sexuality, and the challenges of mission in the PCA. Thanks to both brothers for their generosity of spirit. Check out Scott's books and articles at https://scottsauls.com/
CW reacts to a Twitter thread from Janet Mefferd which blames "Calvinism"(or a certain permutation thereof) for the leftward drift in evangelicalism.
In which we answer the question (that maybe no one was asking) -- How might things have been different of J. Gresham Machen, who died in 1937, had lived another 20 or 30 years? Dr. D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College is Machen's foremost living biographer and is a ruling elder in the OPC.
PCA pastor and host of Mortification of Spin Todd Pruitt joins us to talk about the just-released PCA report on sexuality. Download the report here and read it for yourself: https://pcaga.org/aicreport/
We return to Revoice with Dr. Jared Moore and Josh Gielow. Jared wrote a doctoral dissertation on the movement and Josh attended the 2018 Revoice conference. See Jared's articles and his dissertation at the following links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, SBTS dissertation
Here's the Revoice FAQ: https://revoice.us/about/faq/
Here's our original Revoice show with Josh: http://presbycast.libsyn.com/the-revoice-conference-an-attendees-view
SBC pastor Tom Buck joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the issues facing the Southern Baptist Convention, most of which are strangely parallel to those facing the PCA.
Steve Salyards aka GA Junkie joins us to talk about general assembling (or the forsaking thereof) in the year of the 'Rona. We talk polity, PCUSA, parallels, decent order, and more. Don't miss his highly informative blog: https://blog.gajunkie.com/https://blog.gajunkie.com/
Our panel of six discusses, well, everything you might expect given the state of the world today, but with a churchly focus, a bit of humor, and a dose of realism.
Quarantined CW reads J. Gresham Machen's testimony before a US Senate committee against the formation of Federal department of education in 1926. Suffice it to say Machen sounds like a prophet here. These words are essential to understanding Machen. You may read them here, but beware of some page repeats.
As CW awaits corona virus test results he and Wresby get together for an old-school, two-person show with discussion of current events in the church and society, and a listener favorite: Fun With Baptists! (There is some audio degradation in the first 17 minutes)
Podcaster-YouTuber Hutch of the True Presbyterian show joins us to talk about things temporal (lockdown life) and eternal (the gospel and the church) in the tumultuous days of COVID-19. Find his podcast here.
LCMS pastor, writer, and Lutheran Satire content creator Hans Fiene joins us to talk about humor, snark, confessionalism, culture, corona virus and kayfabe. See his Federalist articles here. Check out his video channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2-3Cf7Hw10b3NW05p2Z7IA
CW talks about his Aquila Report article in questions raised by the postponement of the 48th PCA General Assembly. Here is the article: https://www.theaquilareport.com/the-48th-pca-general-assembly-postponed-some-questions-to-consider/
An all-star cast of Reformed Twitter worthies join us to talk about the economics and effects (long-term and short-term) of the COVID-19 shutdown on the country, the society, and the church.
This episode is most assuredly not for everyone, but examines the cultural phenomenon of a Netflix documentary series that puts a new "T" in the TULIP...with special guest Dan Borvan.
The author of an overture to squelch the use of organized electronic communication at the PCA General Assembly joins us along with a concerned ruling elder. Here's the overture: https://pcaga.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Overture-15-New-Covenant-PCA-RAO-11-2.pdf
CW thought it would be a great idea to pass the day of quarantine by streaming Presbycast music while he smoked some pork...for 8 hours and 45 minutes! Don't worry, we've edited it down to a few songs, a 1960s Lutheran freak show, a chat with Wresby and his uncle Joe, a call from BL, and a discussion with R. Scott Clark about "virtual communion."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74jsqTanKnA
We talk with church historian and cultural/political observer Dr. D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College about his mild skepticism of the Corona virus pandemic response and the place of skepticism more generally in the church. We also heard clips from country baptists and city megachurches as we examine how churches are adapting to worship in an age of social distancing. Here's an article we mentioned: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8141929/Why-Germanys-coronavirus-death-rate-low.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline
A cast of quarantined characters joined us to talk about church, the COVID-19 crisis, cabin fever, and much more, including special appearances by DBag Worship Guy and Chris Bolt.
Our trip to the Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary conference yielded more interesting interviews -- this time from Hungarian pastor Peter Szabo, GPTS president-elect Dr. Jonathan Master, RTS professor Dr. Guy Waters, and PCA pastor Steven Warhurst.
On a variety live show we heard from a listener, a pastor leaving the PCA, a PCA pastor wrestling with the challenges of the Corona virus pandemic, and we heard an excellent presentation by a PCA pastor on Calvin's Geneva during a plague pandemic....and more including a deep catalog REM cut which intersects with (and inspired?) our own bumper music! Check out Pastor Matthew Everhard's YouTube channel.
We talk with Camden Bucey of Reformed Forum on all things Reformed, Presbyterian, conferential, and podcastological at the Greenville Presbyterian
Theological Seminary conference.
We were honored to speak with Peruvian pastor Alonzo Ramirez about his work in church planting, translation, and presbyterian church building by ordinary means of grace ministry in the Cajamarca region of Peru. Learn more about Peru Mission here and about his resources here.
We talk about a fascinating digital time capsule with Dr. R. Scott Clark, Odd Deacon, and Kirk Cicero, and the discussion covers the gospel, Federal Vision, singing, a certain region of Idaho....and many more oddities of modern Reformed-dom. We start slow with some connection issues, but the discussion really got going. Here's the 2004 "social media" bomb that prompted our discussion: http://www.presbyteriannews.org/volumes/v10/1/pr38.pdf
We speak with Pastor C, a Taiwanese-born American pastor ministering in China, about persecution, epidemics, and the prospects for presbyterianism in China. The bumper music is Psalm 23 in Mandarin.
We talk about the news of a new stated clerk for the PCA and the concept of REFORMED FUNDAMENTALISTS in a freewheeling live format. Links:
https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/ad-fontes/what-is-a-reformed-fundamentalist/
https://www.pcaac.org/bryan-chapell-message/
Bivocational minister Tom Powell talks about his very unusual and rewarding ministry as an out-of-bounds PCA teaching elder on an isolated Maine island. We guarantee you've never heard a story quite like his. Follow him on Twitter at @thomasmpowell.
CW provides an update on PCA procedural-judicial actions seeking to address the controversy surrounding a Revoice-affiliated pastor and church. Here is the referenced article: https://byfaithonline.com/sjc-committee-to-review-applicability-of-bco-34-1-to-johnson-case/
Overtures may be viewed here: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures
Gather round the internet machine with CW and Wresby and enjoy some Presbycast gospel music of the 60s and 70s small-time, regional, vanity press variety in high-quality mono! View the proceedings with album art visuals on YouTube.
Dr. Jim Cassidy of South Austin Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Texas joins us to talk about his recent article "The Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy and the Spirit of Schleiermacher," which examines the German theologian's influence over two centuries. And we ask if the spirit of Schleiermacher is still with us today.
Dr. Dominic Aquila of Aquila Report fame joins us to talk about the early overtures that seek to address the Revoice controversy in the PCA. Here are relevant links:
https://revoice.us/
https://www.theaquilareport.com/savannah-river-presbytery-requests-the-48th-pca-general-assembly-to-assume-jurisdiction-over-the-missouri-presbytery-issue/
https://www.theaquilareport.com/savannah-river-presbytery-requests-the-48th-pca-general-assembly-to-assume-jurisdiction-over-the-missouri-presbytery-issue/
https://mopres.org/safari/article/44.html
UPDATE: https://twitter.com/presbycast/status/1222943907568406530
We are joined in studio by Pakistani presbyerian Pastor Z. Hear about the church in a country most know little about and that has more presbyterians per capita than the USA. By the way, the Psalms are hugely popular in Pakistan and the bumper music is a recording of Psalm 139.
This installment examines the biblical evidence for the temporary and perpetual offices of the church. The source material is Guy Waters' book How Jesus Runs the Church.
PCA pastor Jared Nelson joins us to talk about reasons to stay in the PCA. We discuss his old article which is still relevant today, and we talk about what members and elders can do to work for the good of their denomination.
We speak with EPC minister Cameron Shaffer who authored the excellent and passionately-written piece "Our Fathers Left Us Evangelicalism."
We talk with current PCA minister and long-time Reformed social media gadfly Andy Webb on his church's possible exit from the PCA...and how they came to this point.
A reading of the account of the death of Machen and context from Machen's biographer Ned Stonehouse. Here is the edition of The Presbyterian Journal that marked Machen's death and a downloadable PDF of the article by Samuel Allen who was with Machen in his last days.
We talk with reporter and presby Ken Shepherd about the trials of 2019 and the prospects for 2020 on New Year's Eve, ringing in 2020 with Machen horns and humor. You may watch the live YouTube broadcast here. The TGC top ten list we ran through may be found here.
We continue to work through Guy Water's book "How Jesus Runs the Church," this session touches on church power and the offices of the church. Some questions were edited out for the sake of privacy.
Not-so-bad music for a good cause -- we spin tunes (ranging from country gospel to Jesus freak rock an roll) and encourage our listeners to support our friends the Gills in their time of need. We spoke with Aunna and Emily concerning this situation. Please check out their GoFundMe page.
Festivus expert Dan Borvan and everyone's favorite Reformed curmudgeon Sean join us for Festivus fun on our annual holiday classic.
Music, fun, and Silent Topher speaks -- it's holiday variety extravaganza! We play a bit of Xmas music and our first sexy sax solo! You can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQEQr1wbHUk
PCA ruling elder and young father Scott Hedgcock joins us to talk about children in worship. Also, enjoy our new advertisers -- Presbyton and Federal Vision Non-Federal Credit Union of Moscow! Thanks, Bryce.
Dr. Darryl G. Hart, biographer of Machen, joins us to talk about Machen's Warrior Children -- past and present. Here is the John Frame essay we mentioned and here is a book containing Hart's chapter on the subject.
This week's class addresses the power of the church. The source material is Guy Waters' book How Jesus Runs the Church.
Bumper music courtesy of Kdubtru.
Here's the full audio of a live show experiment with more than an hour of music from the Presbycast bumper music genre, a couple of entertaining clips from IFB Preacher Clips, and a brief chat with listener Cicero.
This week's class addresses jure divino versus jure humano church government. The source material is Guy Waters' book How Jesus Runs the Church.
OPC minister Dr. Glen Clary joins us to talk about one of his (and our) favorite subjects -- Reformed worship, with special emphasis on the second commandment. Here's the Hughes Oliphant Old book he recommended.
This week's class addresses the relationship of church government to civil government, Jesus' mediatorial and essential rule. The source material is Guy Waters' book How Jesus Runs the Church.
18-year veteran PCA ruling elder Gabe joins us to talk about the importance of ruling elders to the courts of presbyterian churches, barriers to their participation, the problem of disinterest, the historical reasons for their position in the PCA, and encouragement for increased faithfulness. Thanks to our awesome new sponsor Ecclesio-Cleanse! And welcome our new staffer Bryce.
This week's class addresses the nature and necessity of church membership. The source material is Guy Waters' book How Jesus Runs the Church.
It's Presbypocalypse Now...and it sure did take a long time. Lots of listeners joined us live on Reforween to talk about nearly everything under the sun, which is to say Kanye and megachurches, mostly.
In our final pair of interviews from the 2019 Reformation Worship Conference we talk to Les Lanphere minutes after the world premiere of his new movie about worship, and we speak to the Rev. Iver Martin, principal of Edinburgh Theological Seminary about the seminary, changes in the worship of the Free Church of Scotland, and...Chik-fil-A.
CW teaches on presbyterian church government. The source material is Guy Waters' book How Jesus Runs the Church.
We're pleased to offer two interviews from the 2019 Reformation Worship Conference -- first with Drs. Scott Aniol and T. David Gordon on worship and music, then a missionary-church planter to Belgium, David Lamos in which we learn about a country not often (these days) on the Reformed radar. The bumper music is from the conference as well.
Get behind the scenes of your second-favorite podcast, Mortification of Spin, with the show's producer Nayara Andrejczyk who talked with CW and Wresby at the 2019 Reformation Worship Conference.
CW teaches on presbyterian church government. This second installment looks at the Westminster Confession's teaching on the church in chapter 25 and touches on the introduction to Guy Waters' book How Jesus Runs the Church. The question at the end referred to the lack or infrequency of church discipline in many evangelical churches.
Chuck Finney and Odd Deacon join us to talk about worship wars from the early church to today -- lots of good, helpful, and encouraging stuff from these guys who take worship seriously and themselves...not so much.
CW teaches on presbyterian church government. The first installment is an introduction to the topic stressing the importance of the church and the prevalence of the topic throughout the New Testament. The remainder of the series will use Guy Waters' book How Jesus Runs the Church.
Wresby and former baptized infant Drew Mills talk Kanye -- catalog, culture, and conversion. Can this podcast survive two rap shows in one week? We'll see. At any rate, no one else is doing this...
We spend some time with rapper @Kdubtru and world premier his new song "Woke-anda" on a special Sunday night show. We talk about the church, rap music, social justice, Kanye, and more. Follow Kdub here and check out his video channel here.
Our friend senior(ish) Christian marketplace leader Sean joins us to talk about the phenomenon of city-focused parachurch strategies as typified by one organization's promotional video. Learn more here.
Enjoy an old-school show with Wresby and CW talking tacos and answering listener questions to the best of their limited ability. The ending is a 20-minute section of a bizarro Old Testament Christian rock opera from the early 70s...so you know what to expect.
Our good friend Hutch joins us to talk about Jordan Peterson and his controversial intersection with Christianity and our culture...and what it could mean. Be sure to check out Hutch's YouTube channel for more great content.
Ride along with CW on the way to work as he talks about images, the second commandment, and the use of images in Reformed churches and publications. The article in question is not available online. (But CW's article now is: https://www.theaquilareport.com/a-question-of-images/)
Dr R. Scott Clark and former Roman Catholic seminarian Sean join us to talk about the doctrine of concupiscence and its implications for the SSA/"gay Christian" debates. Our jumping-off point was this piece by Dr. Clark which was a reaction to this interview.
We use a talk from Dr. Scott Aniol from the 2018 Reformation Worship Conference to preview this year's conference coming up on October 17, 2019. Scott compares contemporary worship with pre-Reformation Medieval worship and says the remedy for one is the remedy for the other. He is Associate Professor and chair of PhD Worship studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; executive director of Religious Affections Ministries.
Hear more excellent audio from this conference here.
CW and @OddDeacon reflect on their visit to the local megachurch's movie-based content series/80s pop culture-fest. Suffice it to say that they are content to stay with boring, regulated presbyterian worship for now. This is not a troll job, but a serious discussion of the elements of worship. And there's a bit of trolling.
Deacons Tim Hopper and Odd Deacon join us along with semi-regular Ben Woodring to talk about The Chicken Sandwich War (complete with reviews), the Chik-fil-A cult, a new Machen website, Ben's book of confessions, and more. Is this the show that jumped the shark or hooked and landed it?
Tim's Machen site: https://www.readmachen.com/
Ben's book is here.
Live from the Presbaru, a talk about the marks of the church and how worship fits (or should fit) into them. An example of the referenced "At the Movies" events: https://gochristfellowship.com/at-the-movies/
Veteran pastor and polemicist Andy Webb joins us to talk about the PCA's long, hot summer which sees continued strife over Revoice and a small group of conservatives heading for the exits.
Here's a show that will make little sense to our non-Twitter listeners, but do do listen to the first 15 minutes to hear the announcement of our upcoming special event: The Presbycast Confacruise. Thanks to a host of Twitter friends who joined us to help design the worst imaginable Christian conference/festival.
Dr. Darryl Hart of Hillsdale College joins us from a vacation cabin in Massachusetts to talk about evangelicalism from the 16th to 21st centuries. He blogs at Old Life and has written numerous books on American and church history. At his request, here is a link to our painful bumper music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5PLf-2FYIM&feature=youtu.be
CW talks about the deconversion of Joshua Harris, the YRR, and TGC. And episcopacy!
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/reflections-josh-harris-deconversion/
OPC minister Dan Borvan joins us to talk about the need for a new iconoclasm to clear the accrued idols that clutter the worship of the church. Here are two pieces we referenced:
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/rogereolson/2019/07/the-new-american-evangelical-liturgy/
http://www.swrb.ab.ca/newslett/actualNLs/NRC_ch02.htm
Well, hang on to your hats and hide the children, we have a present-day creepy IFB preacher man dispensing marital tips and a couple of interesting vintage tunes -- one from the dramatic gospel-horror genre and the other a very snappy and upbeat Old Testament story song. Enjoy.
We are joined by @CamdenBucey of @ReformedForum
to talk about their ground-breaking programming, more than a decade (and hundreds of shows) of Reformed podcasting, and his unique new role as an OPC evangelist.
https://reformedforum.org/
A reading of "The Separateness of the Church"
By J. Gresham Machen, a sermon preached in the chapel of Princeton Theological Seminary on Sunday, March 8, 1925.
http://www.pcahistory.org/findingaids/machen/separateness.pdf
Descend into the dark and confusing world of Presbycast bumper music...again. In high-fidelity, long-play stereo!
BONUS: See the real Silent Topher here (on mandolin): https://vimeo.com/216852115
OPC pastor Todd Bordow joins us to work through a helpful article he wrote about the Revoice controversy in the PCA. Todd brings years of ministering to homosexuals and thinking and writing about sexual ethics to the table. He is also co-host of the the Glory Cloud Podcast.
https://www.theaquilareport.com/revoice-the-pca-and-a-way-forward/
The guys get together live and local at Wresby's house and talk about Presbycast's untimely birth and third(!) anniversary, their favorite podcasts, and grilling...pizza.
Ruling elders Charlie Nave of More in the PCA and Scott Hedgecock join us for a mid-PCA GA live show that could not be uploaded via our paltry hotel wifi. The first portion was broadcast live on YouTube. Excuse the occasional intrusion of loud hotel air conditioning and Wresby's early departure due to diapers or bandwidth...we don't know.
Aquila Report founder, pastor, and professor Dominic Aquila joins us to analyze the events of the 2019 PCA General Assembly and shared pastoral advice for the confused and discouraged. We spent a lot of time on the Revoice controversy and the Nashville Statement.
Pastors Nathan Eshelman and Shawn Anderson join us to talk about the RPCNA in our Tour de NAPARC. Amazingly, no psalms were sung! We also talked about their great podcast on the Westminster Standards, The Jerusalem Chamber.
We share a reading of an article about a Methodist's assessment of Machen and his supposed "tempermental idiosyncrasies" in the 1920s, and we ask "What did Machen sound like?" -- and we include an audio clip of his contemporary in Baltimore, H.L. Mencken. Here's the article: http://www.thisday.pcahistory.org/2019/06/june-10-machen-as-seen-by-a-methodist/
CW talks about the just-ended, two-day Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, slickly led by megachurch pastor J.D. Greear. Forgive the occasional interference in the middle portions -- I forgot to turn my phone on airplane mode.
Long-serving (and long-suffering?) PCA ruling elder Bob Mattes joins to help us preview the 2019 PCAGA and understand the process, players, and parameters more fully.
This inaugural episode of Machen Minutes features a word of introduction, a reading from the last chapter of "Christianity and Liberalism," and Machen's favorite hymn as a closing piece. #MachenMinutes
Read C&L free at https://reformed.org/books/chr_and_lib/
Teaching elders Aaron Morgan and Michael Dixon of Fellowship Presbytery (South Carolina) join us by phone to talk about their presbytery's overture “Commend and Distribute RPCNA’s ‘Contemporary Perspectives Sexual Orientation: A Theological and Pastoral Analysis’”. The overture may be found here (PDF link): http://www.pcahistory.org/topicalresources/sexuality/RPCNA_Study.pdf
Dr. Benjamin Shaw of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary joins us to talk about the upcoming 2019 PCA General Assembly. We talk high concept and specific issues, including the propriety of delegated assemblies, study committees, and "statement" overtures. Be sure to check out his new Ecclesiastes commentary and his blog -- GPTS Rabbi.
Dominic Aquila of the Aquila Report joins us for a wide-ranging discussion of the last 80 years of conservative presbyterianism in the US, much told through his own experience as new convert, seminarian, minister, professor, pastor, and publisher. We also discuss the DNA, history, and hopeful trajectory of the PCA.
Presbycast presents "The New Evangelical Social Gospel" by Dr. Roger and Dianne Smallings, PCA missionaries to Latin America in three parts. This book is available for free at the Smallings' website and on Amazon for Kindle. The work is read by Noel Henley. We thank the Smallings for their permission to distribute this timely work.
Talking about Revoice issues in the PCA and beyond. Here is the link to the report in question: https://mopres.org/safari/article/37.html
(download link at bottom of page)
https://revoice.us/
Presbycast presents "The New Evangelical Social Gospel" by Dr. Roger and Dianne Smallings, PCA missionaries to Latin America in three parts. This book is available for free at the Smallings' website and on Amazon for Kindle. The work is read by Noel Henley. We thank the Smallings for their permission to distribute this timely work.
Presbycast presents "The New Evangelical Social Gospel" by Dr. Roger and Dianne Smallings, PCA missionaries to Latin America in three parts. This book is available for free at the Smallings' website and on Amazon for Kindle. The work is read by Noel Henley. We thank the Smallings for their permission to distribute this timely work.
For better or worse it was a live Saturday night: music, voicemails, callers. Would you believe it if we said that the subject matter was diverse? That the content and delivery were true AM radio-quality? You may watch the proceedings on YouTube.
Featuring Chris Drew, @machenwarrior, the hated Drew Mills, Old School Presby, and a newly-minted presby.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kHawHKyuQs
A quick bulletin of the withdrawal of Overture 29 (allow ordination of female deacons) to the 2019 PCA General Assembly.
Overtures page: https://www.pcaac.org/general-assembly/overtures/
Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California joins us to answer the question "What is the Gospel?" -- and what is not. We also discuss (necessarily) a good bit of church history, including 20th century evangelicalism. Be sure to visit https://heidelblog.net/
Neil Shenvi joins us to talk about critical theory and its subset critical race theory, intersectionality, and the effect on Christian discourse and church life which these theories and concepts have. And we never once used the word "woke"-- Neil is an irenic and reasonable man. Visit his website and follow him at @NeilShenvi.
CW talks about the process of designing and building a church building with the primary focus on Reformed worship and ministry. See photos here: http://cpcbuild.blogspot.com/
CW joins pastor Mike Abendroth of No Compromise Radio to talk about a wide variety of Big Eva and little (and big) "R" issues. Thanks to Mike for allowing us to repost this for the convenience of our listeners, but do subscribe to NoCo!
Talking about Overture 29 to the 2019 PCA General Assembly to allow ordained female deacons which we describe as "a totally new unisex office without authority"-- text here (PDF link). Thanks to one of our listeners for making new equipment possible which vastly improves these in-car recordings, which should get even better as we figure it out.
Pastor Richard Harris joins us to talk about his church's recent move from the EPC to the PCA. Regular guest Chris Drew, who moved from the PCUSA to the OPC, also sits in. We talk much more about the two churches -- the EPC and ECO -- which are outside of NAPARC than we have before. This is presbyterianism at its acronymal best!
Correction: We misstated some facts about the ECO's confessions -- see here.
Twitter fixture Lex Lutheran joins us for a meeting of the paedobaptist confessional minds. Our discussion is wide-ranging and includes homeless podcaster and bonafide OPC oddball Ben Woodring as well.
We are joined by @TheJeditor, a man with inside knowledge of Big Eva and her mysterious ways. We talk megachurch, worship, and the challenges facing evangelical churches. "BONUS" -- intro and outro (9 minutes!) are from another 60's Xian cringe musical.
We discuss the fire at Notre Dame in Paris and the church's relationship to her buildings in this special PRESBYCAST SPECIAL REPORT.
The original Coolmudgeon Ted Beam joins us to analyze (but not exactly bludgeon) the once and future Gospel Coalition(s). PLEASE NOTE -- 1ST FILE VERSION CUT OFF 5 MINUTES -- DELETE AND RE-DOWNLOAD IF YOU FILE IS NOT 1:41:40 IN LENGTH.
Our friends Amish Ambush and D-bag Worship Guy join us to examine the epic, unbelievable 1969 Southern Baptist musical "Happening Now!" by Bob Oldenburg. There's no describing this -- you just have to jump in and hang on.
Here's a light-hearted episode for the first day of April with a couple of "greatest" comedy hits from Presybcasts of yore...with a little bad music at the end, of course.
This bonus show features the amazing sermon "Visitors From Outer Space: What Saith The Lord?" by Rev. Bill Riddick from 1973 and intro/outro music from a 1969 Christian concept/prog album. Taking our sermon points from the headlines and our musical styles from the radio has always been...interesting, to say the least.
Cody Libolt joins to talk about the Jesus Storybook Bible, its author, and its author's inspiration -- and (hint) there's a big-time presby connection. Read Cody's review here. And read Lee Irons' review (which we mentioned) here.
Here is Cody's website and podcast.
Update 3/29/2019: LLOYD-JONES RESPONSE TO "THE TWEET"
We talk social justice in the church with political writer Forfare Davis (@pseudoplotinus) using clips from a talk at Reformed seminary by Dr. Mika Edmondson, an OPC minister, as discussion starters.
CW joins Josh and Andy of Theology Doesn't Suck to talk comparative polity with (surprise) a presbyterian emphasis. Give their podcasts a listen. Thanks to Josh and Andy for allowing us to repost this conversation.
Charlie Nave of MORE in the PCA joins us to talk about a just-released overture to the 2019 PCA General Assembly which would allow ordained female deacons. Helpful links:
- The overture
- The running list of overtures for 2019
- The study committee report
We are joined by Miles Smith IV, a professor of history at Regent University, to discuss his affinity for "high church presbyterianism". We also discuss religion in the South, worship and sacraments, as well as racial issues in the church.
Our friend Ken Shepherd joins us to talk about his work as a DC journalist, the 2019 US political climate, and its implications (or lack thereof) for the church.
Dan Borvan, an OPC minister who was once a member of James MacDonald's Harvest Bible Chapel, joins us to talk about the MacDonald's fall and the problems inherent to multi-site and megachurchs. Here is the video which we played in a series of clips.
PCA pastor Dr. Dewey Roberts, the convener of a recent meeting concerned with reform and renewal in the PCA, joins us to talk about the past, present, and future of the USA's largest conservative Reformed denomination and about the new informal group Grassroots Presbyterians group that has sprung from the meeting in late January of 2019.
Show links:
Pastor Roberts' bio
Group Facebook page
Article on the 2012 "Chatham House Rules" meeting
2010 Strategic Plan (PDF link)
Our friend Sean, a former Roman Catholic, joins us to talk about the encroachment of Lenten observance in the Reformed world. Then we venture to discuss the propriety of women who are associated with conservative Reformed churches "preaching". You may hear the entire sermon (or talk) that we excerpted and talked about here. Finally, we briefly mention a new organization of concerned presbyterians in the PCA.
(Clarification -- the PCA group to which we referred is "like the old Concerned Presbyterians" -- NOT the current Facebook of that name which as some very unpleasant associations. Here is the group we mentioned, Grassroots Presbyterians:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/279044582788445/?ref=br_rs)
OPC minichurch pastor Chris Drew joins us to talk about a megatrend these days -- Conference Culture. We trace the development from medieval pilgrimage to Scottish communion season to the Pretty Good Awakenings to 21st century traveling dude bros.
Here's the tweet that launched the show:
One of the tenets of CONFERENCE CULTURE is that every speaker is supposed to KILL IT or BRING THE FIRE, etc. This is not natural, ordinary, or healthy. It's just revivalism and thrill seeking in some cases.
This special episode features Dr. C.N. Willborn of Covenant Presbyterian (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN delivering a powerful and direct exhortation from Psalm 42 on the importance of public worship in the life of the Christian and the church. The reading was the entire text of Psalm 42. The accompanying NT reading was John 4:7-26. The Confession of Faith passage was WCF 21.2.
Sermon Audio page
Seminarian Ben Woodring joins us to talk about Chortles' 8-point manifesto (of sorts) to culture-proof the church simply and authentically. It was a long talk, be warned.
Here's the manifesto:
There is evidence that younger people are not buying what the megachurches are selling. Most people know of young people that have fled their "home" traditions for Rome for something further east. I actually believe that we'll live to see the contemporary/megachurch bubble burst.
The good news is that the regulative principle of worship and Reformed confessionalism supply actual simplicity and authenticity. You can't make the bible palatable through a thoughtfully-curated set of techniques and aesthetics, but here are some suggestions to consider that might de-culturize the church and make it something that can stand out and stand up in the 21st century:
1) Sing Psalms and ancient hymns without (or with the simplest) accompaniment. Use new tunes if necessary, but don't try to ape what's popular last week. Make sure the Lord's Day worship services look and sound different from the rest of the week.
2) Make communal singing the hallmark of worship and all the gatherings of the church. This teaches and builds cohesion and identity. Have 2-3 psalm snippets that everyone knows. Sing them before, during, or after church meals and other meetings. This is a way of being biblically different.
3) Quit marketing. No one likes to be marketed at. And quit worrying about being "excellent" in things you don't really need to be excellent at. Your logo will not be around in the new heavens/new earth.
4) Emphasize the means of grace -- it's the only thing the church offers that people can't get elsewhere. People have YouTube for how-to, they can be involved in all sorts of things and causes and issues without the church holding their hands.
5) Simplify! (sorta like the Strunk & White's "Omit needless words!") And omit needless words, too. These can be Xianese, stock phrases, personal opinion, culture references, slang, etc. Don't have "programs" -- don't crowd out God's words.
6) Stop trying to contextualize everything, partly because you're not good at it and partly because your context is changing all the time. You cannot keep up.
7) Be consciously reverent, even grave. Where else are people going to get that?
8 - Quit chasing cultural issues that you will never catch.
Bonus -- Ministers should consider wearing simple, non-distracting robes without adornment. This is a great way to de-culturize your church services and take the attention of the dude.
Bonus #2 (put it under #5 above) -- simplify your church calendar to 52 (very) holy days a year. Period.
We are joined by several friends to talk about what happened in 2018, what might happen in 2019, what did happen when megachurches took a day off, worship, the means of grace, weaponized winsomeness, the state of the PCA...and more.
Noted Festivus authority Dan Borvan joins us for grievances and feats of strengths as the Presbyverse looks forward to the great day. With thanks to must-follow Twitter accounts The Loving Pastor and Dr Tony Hutson for providing IFB grievance audio.
Show ombudsman Amish Ambush joins for the show that nearly didn't happen thanks to our producer Silent Topher's dodgy 1984 Dodge Omni. We talk about a few current issues and ideas for future episodes and permutations of the Presbycast franchise. The Dude, Donnie, and Walter have nothing on this trio.
This is the famous lost recording -- a failed session for Mortification of Spin with Todd Pruitt, deep-sixed not because of its content but because of audio equipment failure. Not good enough for MoS, but TOTALLY GOOD ENOUGH FOR PRESBYCAST. The good news is you can hear Todd well and he's really good on the subject of worship.
Dr. D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College joins us to talk about social justice in the church and his recent piece on his side blog Putting the Protest Back in Protestant -- plus Weird Reformed Twitter edgelords @seansgame and @pseudoABoethius join the panel to question Dr. Hart and to discuss the 45th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church in America.
https://www.patreon.com/presbycast
https://ko-fi.com/presbycast
CW discusses what we ought to call those who preach, speak, and exhort in various contexts (and how we ought to view both the "preacher" and the "preaching") from a confessional presbyterian perspective.
https://twitter.com/TruthsTable/status/1062977988579467267
For our last interview from the Reformation Worship Conference we talk with filmmaker Les Lanphere (Calvinist) about his new project on Reformed worship. Learn more about and support the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/calvinist/spirit-and-truth-a-film-about-worship
Ride along as we discuss pop music and its effect on the church -- a sort of followup to our last show about our bumper music.
Dr. Neil Stewart of Christ Covenant ARP of Greensboro, NC joins us to talk about his transition from medical doctor to presbyterian pastor. Recorded at the Reformation Worship Conference.
https://www.christcovenant.church/
Zach Groff, Director of Advancement & Admissions at Greenville Theological Seminary, joins us to talk about millenials and the church among other things. This recording session was previously broadcast live on Periscope.
About a dozen listeners join us for a live and unscripted discussion of scary church stories, from IFB horror stories to a PCA church that loves it some immersion, to @DBagWorshipGuy stealing the show to a degree previously equaled by only Sean and Pseudo.
Guests included @bkben3, @seansgame, @doogilla, @PuritanNerd, @khendarian @acmills237, @spit316, @zgroff24, @ExLegeDei, and @machenwarrior.
We speak with the Chinese pastor of an unregistered Reformed church about worship, persecution, and the Gospel.
Dr. Scott Aniol and his friend (and ours) Chuck Finney join us to talk about worship and music from the Reformation Worship Conference at Midway Presbyterian Church (PCA) near Atlanta, GA. Dr. Aniol teaches at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has written extensively on worship and music.
http://scottaniol.com/
http://religiousaffections.org/
In our first show from the 2018 Reformation Worship Conference at Midway Presbyterian Church in Powder Springs, GA we speak to Dr. David Garner of Westminster Theological Seminary about worship and to Rev. Kent Butterfield about gender and sexuality issues in the church.
The boys talk long and hard about worship in the aftermath of the Reformation Worship Conference which CW and Chuck attended. Stay tuned for a few more shows which will feature interviews from the conference.
A reading of Machen's sermon "The Good Fight of Faith" -- his final sermon as a faculty member of Princeton Theological Seminary as he was embroiled in what become known as the Presbyterian Controversy. Learn more about the sermon here and read a transcript.
OPC smart guy Dan Borvan joins us to talk about baptism -- especially the modes of baptism. Wade in with us to the water of truth, order, and the presby way.
Here's the excellent article referenced in the show: Is Immersion Necessary for Baptism?
We are joined (surprise) by Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California to discuss theonomy and reconstructionism of yesterday, today, and (shudder) tomorrow. Strange bedfellows, bad jokes, good times.
(Episode image is of Dr. Clark when his human hair was much more in flourishing stage)
https://heidelblog.net/category/theonomy/
Here's an enhanced version of a recording recently circulated of Tim Keller's comments on "The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel" -- original source here: https://streamable.com/2wgdo
"'Don't worry about the poor. Don't care about the injustice, it's not really that important' -- that's what it's saying." (3:30)
Pro wrestling and megachurch fashion pastors -- what could go right? Wresby and @OldSchoolPresby break down two guest appearances of wrestlers on a megachurch stage and discuss the things that make local, connectional churches so special. And more! Get a taste of the abominations that inspired this episode here.
We preview the 2018 Reformation Worship Conference with Dr. David Hall of Midway PCA in Powder Springs, GA (October 18-21). Presbycast will again attend this conference and interview some of the speakers and attendees. Learn more or register at the conference website.
CW talks about five "prophecies" he suggested might come true as woke wars rage in Reformandia. Here's the tweet thread that he's working from.
Hillsdale college professor Dr. Darryl G. Hart joins us to talk about J. Gresham Machen's views on race, racial issues in the church and society, his new book on the Reformation, and the implications of the Intellectual Dark Web for the world of ideas and social media...and even for the confessional Reformed. Oh, long-time presby social media maven Sean (@seansgame) sat in with us as well.
Purchase Dr. Hart's latest book here. Read a piece on the Intellectual Dark web here.
Long, ragged, full of inside baseball -- it was the call-in show to end all call-in shows...but the takeaway is that the Reformed world is a small and very weird world. Not for the impatient or faint of heart.
We spoke with Joshua Gielow, a Reformed apologist who attended the Revoice conference held recently in St. Louis. He tells us what he saw and heard and why he left the conference concerned for the future of the "gay Christian" movement.
Follow Joshua at @JoshuaGielow and be sure to visit Truth Xchange's website. Read Truth Xchange founder Peter Jones' article on Revoice here.
(Edited to remove erroneous personal information)
YouTuber AD Robles joins us to talk about the intersection of social issues and the church, unity, diversity, and conflict. Follow him on Twitter at @redeemedrutland and watch his videos on his YouTube page.
This episode presents the audio from a YouTube video of an address by Dr. Rosaria Butterfield recorded the day before the recent Revoice conference on the subject of celibate gay Christianity. The source of the audio is unclear -- we will gladly remove this content if the speaker or host account ask us to do so. It is unaltered.
Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVjj_dDAxLA
We finish our discussion with Dr. C.N. Willborn on the life and work of PCA and Reformed Theological Seminary founding father Dr. Morton H. Smith (1923-2017). Dr. Willborn taught with Dr. Smith at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and shared his interest in Southern Presbyterian history. This discussion centers on the founding of the PCA. Our earlier discussion was more personal and biographical. And here's an earlier episode which features Dr. Smith's thoughts on the PCA in the early 21st century.
Here is Dr. Smith's obituary. And here is a link to an address he delivered at the founding of the PCA.
Learn more about Dr. Willborn here. He has pastored Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, TN for the past 10 years.
Here are a few words from CW and and an almost five-minute clip from an address at the Revoice conference (1:05:35-1:10:10 of linked video).
Long-time PCA ruling elder Bob Mattes joins us to talk about a terminology he developed to describe the state of the PCA -- tribal congregationalism (as opposed to plain ol' presbyterianism). Here are a couple of his articles on the subject:
A Tale of Two Letters
Tribal Congregationalism and the Future of the PCA
It's the week of the Revoice conference and CW has some thoughts from the front seat of the Presbaru.
The referenced presbytery report: http://mopres.org/safari/article/30.html
Pastor's response to criticism and "misrepresentations".
Our friend Will (@lawyerbarrett) sits down virtually with Wresby to discuss his foray into the world of evangelical leadership conferences.
We are joined by @oldschoolpresby whose Dutch heritage and membership in four NAPARC denominations gives him a unique perspective on the P&R landscape. And we talk about Reformedish Xianese words, terms, and tropes with which we'd gladly dispense.
We talk about the ramifications of this year's PCA General Assembly and run through Rick Phillip's post mortem: Is the PCA Becoming More Unified?
We also answer a number of great listener questions.
PCAGA fixture Bob Mattes and MORE in the PCA founder Charlie Nave join CW and Wresby on the sixth floor of the GA hotel in Atlanta for a look at the most signifcant developments from the business session of day two of the assembly. Pardon a slight echo towards the end -- we didn't expect to be recording two guests at once.
https://www.moreinthepca.org/
CW & Wresby record live at PCAGA 2018 with a wrap-up of the first day and a preview of the days to come.
Ride with Brad as he talks about his visit to the 2018 Associate Reformed Presbyterian General Synod, compares it to the PCA General Assembly, and previews Presbycast's PCAGA plans. More about the ARP:
http://arpchurch.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associate_Reformed_Presbyterian_Church
Clarifying/corrected info from a Twitter follower:
"Enjoyed your comments on Synod. Just to clarify, the ARP as it is was founded in 1822 (not the 1900s) and each particular church sends one lay elder delegate or more depending on congregation size."
A helpful sermon on the Lord's Supper from Dr. C.N. Willborn of Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, TN -- The Table is a Call to Unity, 1st Corinthians 11:17-30.
https://www.covenant-pca.com/
https://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=covenantoakridge
PCA pastor and Mortification of Spin co-host Todd Pruitt joins to help preview the 2018 PCA General Assembly. Here's are this year's overtures:
http://www.pcaac.org/general-assembly/overtures/
Our talk was somewhat abbreviated by technical issues, but we covered most of what we intended.
CW talks about the high point of his visit to Savannah, GA -- visiting Independent Presbyterian Church, one of America's most beautiful church buildings. See the IPC website for a number of resources on worship.
CW talks PCA overtures for what could be an uncontroversial PCA General Assembly. See all the overtures in question here. Discussed:
Sex -
Deacons -- 9 &25
Marriage -- 1, 2, 5, 24
Race - 31
REPORT OF THE AD INTERIM COMMITTEE ON RACIAL AND ETHNIC RECONCILIATION TO THE FORTY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA (PDF link)
Dr. C.N. Willborn discusses the life and work of PCA and Reformed Theological Seminary founding father Dr. Morton H. Smith (1923-2017). Dr. Willborn taught with Dr. Smith at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and shared his interest in Southern Presbyterian history. This is episode will be followed by another in a few weeks which examines his role in the founding of the PCA and his legacy. We also presented an address by Dr. Smith in an earlier episode.
Here is Dr. Smith's obituary. And here is a link to an address he delivered at the founding of the PCA.
Here is the text of a memorial overture that will be received by the 2018 PCA General Assembly.
Learn more about Dr. Willborn here. He has pastored Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, TN for the past 10 years.
Wresby and CW talk about how to deal with a church that's less than ideal...as all are. Our apologies for the mysterious sunspot-related interference towards the end when the guys turn to a decidedly darker subject.
Dr. Darryl Hart of Hillsdale College joins us again for part three of our "Life of Machen" series covering the late 1920s to 1935 in this episode. The opening and closing songs are Machen's favorite hymn "There is a Green Hill Far Away" The opening version is a quartet recording from the 1920s. Here's the book that tells the story of Machen's years of controversy better than any other:
https://www.amazon.com/Defending-Faith-Gresham-Conservative-Protestantism/dp/0875525636
LCMS minister Chris Jackson (@revcjackson) joins the boys to talk about things similar, things different, and concerns common to conservative confessional Protestants. We learn of Machen's great appreciation for his Lutheran brethren. Read more about that here:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/geneveith/2014/01/j-gresham-machen-on-the-lutheran-church-missouri-synod/
P.S. -- How many small-town upper Midwestern pastors named Chris have we had on this podcast?
CW talks briefly about...the church's brief. What is the church's role in society? What should she do beyond ministering the means of grace? He also dodges a wild turkey. Here's the KDY article referenced:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/racial-reconciliation-mostly-almost-agree-likely-still-dont-agree/
Opinion writer Forfare Davis (@Pseudoplotinus) of The National Review (among other places) joins us to talk about 2018...and 1789 and everything in between. We examine American political theater, social media, good books, and bad food. Here are links to two articles we discussed as well as a podcast featuring Presbycast patron saint Peter Hitchens.
https://www.nationalreview.com/postmodern-conservative/social-media-twitter-politics-republic-virtue-individualism/
https://www.nationalreview.com/postmodern-conservative/politicized-soul-and-death-wish-heart-liberal-disorder-forfare-davis/
Peter Hitchens on Delingpole's podcast
SUPPORT PRESBYCAST ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/presbycast
The Rev. Chris Gordon of Escondido URC and Abounding Grace Radio joins us to talk about his controversial Reformation 21 article that draws warning from the case of the CRC for NAPARC denominations. Here's the article link:
http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2018/03/the-burning-of-the-wooden-shoe.php
Escondido URC & Abounding Grace:
http://www.escondidourc.org/
http://www.agradio.org/
An article on secular musicians who supplement their income playing church gigs set us to thinking about music in the church, and we invited musician (church and secular) @JennMGreenberg and OPC pastor @ChristopherDrew to talk about psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, and dollars.
Here's the story that prompted our discussion:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/music/6-dfw-musicians-tell-us-whats-it-like-to-gig-at-church-10477625
This tweet has the Keller quotes:
https://twitter.com/presbycast/status/978340219895267328
That's the question. In this short mobile episode CW encourages you to listen and discuss an interesting podcast where this assertion is made.
http://confessingourhope.com/blog/2017/05/22/gospel-reformation-network-an-interview-with-mr-mel-duncan-dr-richard-d-phillips/
We present a reading of chapter VII (The Church) of J. Gresham Machen's classic book from 1923, Christianity and Liberalism.
We discuss the life of J. Gresham Machen from 1920-1929 with Machen scholar D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College. We often refer to Hart's essential work on Machen, "Defending the Faith". https://www.amazon.com/Defending-Faith-Gresham-Conservative-Protestantism/dp/0875525636/
Twitter saint @chuck_finney returns to Presbycast with answers to questions about Finney's legacy and the future of evangelicalism. Don't miss this one!
CW talks basic church architecture and worship hall layout. We hope to do a full show on this one day. References: Tremendous conference at IPC Savannah -- many of the things referred to originated here: https://goo.gl/ekyr8j Bishop Pusey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bouverie_Pusey Oxford Movement: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Movement Important book: https://www.amazon.com/When-Church-Became-Theatre-Nineteenth-Century/dp/0195179722 Picture is of the early 17th-century Huguenot "temple" in Charenton, France. http://www.crommelin.org/history/Ancestors/Scheffer/Charenton/Charenton.htm
Charlie Nave, founder of @MOREinPCA joins CW and Wresby to talk about his organizations efforts to get more ruling elders to the PCA General Assembly. It's polity-picking, BCO-wielding fun! Learn more about MORE at https://www.moreinthepca.org/ and in the introductory article from The Aquila Report: https://www.theaquilareport.com/pca-foundation-urging-pca-ruling-elders-attend-general-assemblies/
Chortles calls in to Mike Abendroth's No Compromise Radio show and shares a bit of backstory. Episode photo shows Mike on the left, CW on the right. Follow Mike at @nocoradio and visit the show page at http://nocompromiseradio.com/
Dr. Darryl G. Hart of Hillsdale College joins us to kick off a mini-series on the life of J. Gresham Machen. This discussion covers Machen's early life, education, World War I experience, and first major work -- The Origin of Paul's Religion (1921).
Wresby, CW, and Silent Topher's neighbor Amish Ambush meet up live for the first ever in-person, in-the-flesh recording experience. Topher sits in (silently)and Mrs. Wresby gets the last word...as it should be. The boys use utensils, eat food, and talk briefly about a Lone Star State kerfuffle in the PCA. Google Books link for Van Drunen's 2K take on abortion: https://books.google.com/books?id=Sx0eVwurpg8C&pg=PA200&lpg=PA200&dq=david+van+drunen+abortion&source=bl&ots=KX-dpLv8wR&sig=5O_uUkSvEJ1CP_qzKXbA5JENDkw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjXsvyB8v_YAhUH0VMKHVNRC48Q6AEITTAG#v=onepage&q=david%20van%20drunen%20abortion&f=false
Listen in as CW and Wresby talk about many of the things they love about their presbyterian churches, flawed though they be. Marvel as their positivity wafts winsomely about the airwaves. Link to PCA overtures: www.pcaac.org/general-assembly/overtures/
Lee Irons and Chris Caughey of the Glory-Cloud Podcast (http://glorycloudpodcast.libsyn.com/) join us to talk about the life, career, and contributions of biblical theologian Meredith G. Kline. We had a hyphenated good-time talking covenant, neologism, and controversy with these students of Kline. More resources may be found at these websites: http://www.meredithkline.com/ http://www.upper-register.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/186624674718299/permalink/1523470111033742/ https://twitter.com/GloryCloudPod
Some of our favorite people join us for a look back at 2017 and a squint forward to 2018. This wide-ranging discussion with a diverse panel considers the present church and political climates, and -- not surprisingly -- takes a few unexpected turns.
CW and Wresby react to a piece by Todd Pruitt and share some audio from a controversial speaker to provide further context. http://www.mortificationofspin.org/mos/1517/a-thought-experiment#.Wk239N-nGCo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Davis Urbana talk: https://vimeo.com/150226527
OPC cool guy Dan Borvan joins us for grievances aired, strength displayed, and hope extolled...at the most wonderful time of the year. Few emerge unscathed from this ecclesial slugfest which veers occasionally into hugfest.
Pastor Mike Abendroth of @NoCoRadio joins us for his take on indie, presby, and coalitional Christianity (or what passes for it) in the Year of Our Lord 2017. Don't mess this unificatorial, ecumenical lovefest which barely survived a Massachusetts winter squall. https://nocompromiseradio.com/ https://bbcchurch.org/
A quick bit about the Top 100 Protestants list and our new Patreon thing. https://juicyecumenism.com/2017/12/06/100-influential-protestants/ https://www.patreon.com/presbycast CW article: https://oldlife.org/2017/11/30/morality-divides-coalitions-unite/ (full: https://chortlesweakly.weebly.com/of-commandments-confessions-and-coalitions.html) Voicemail line: 865.888.6209
Virgil Walker and Darrell B. Harrison from the B.A.R. (Biblical and Reformed) podcast join CW and Wresby for a surprising and wide-ranging discussion of doctrine, race...and funk music. Maybe we'll get to food next time...and there will be a next time. Darrell's podcast "Just Thinking" will soon spin off on its own feed but is now mixed in with B. A.R. podcast feed. Read Darrell here: justthinking.me/ Learn about Virgil here: thebarpodcast.com/index.php/virgilwalker/
Dr R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California joins us talk about the Second Commandment and the particular challenges Christians face during the winter holiday season regarding images and the so-called church calendar. Here are a number of resources on the topic from Dr Clark's web site: https://heidelblog.net/category/images-of-christ-2/
This is a recording of a 2005 talk that the late Dr. Morton H. Smith gave to a congregation in Los Alamos, NM on the history and future of the Presbyterian Church in America -- the denomination that Smith was instrumental in founding. Here is Dr. Smith's obituary: http://byfaithonline.com/morton-smith-1923-2017/ Here is the website of the church at which the talk was given: http://www.bapca.org/ The talk is available for viewing on YouTube though the audio quality is lower than on this recording. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZFxGspjF4s
CW talks with New Cal celebrity megablogger Tim Challies and we unleash the first listener emails from our dedicated line. Leave your own message at (865)888-6209. "I ask permission to revise and extend my remarks: In the latest show I said 10% of PCA churches are confessional. This was wrong. "Confessional" was shorthand for Old School/strict subscriptionist. Most/all PCA churches would consider themselves confessional. I also referred to 7-day creationism...of course I meant 6/24 creationism."-- cw
Here's a brief on-the-drive-to-work talk about church security in light of recent events. Recorded in an actual Presbaru in driving rain on state and federal highways.
Drs. T. David Gordon and Robert Godfrey speak with us about worship and the challenges faced by Reformed churches and believers in the 21st century. Recorded at the Reformation Worship Conference at Midway PCA in Powder Springs, GA.
Tricks were being treated and a World Series game was being played, but four guests -- two baptists and two presbys -- joined us for a wide-ranging discussion of Reformation 500 and the events surrounding it...plus a message from Silent Topher and a brief visit from two young Presbycast fans. With: @JonnyYounboi,@khendarian, has-been podcaster @bkben3, and meme star @acmills237.
Rev. William Castro, Archbishop G. Vijay Raju, and Dr. Jonathan Master speak to us at the Reformation Worship Conference. From Peru to Greenville, from India, from...the Alliance -- three interesting guests that demonstrate the range of Reformed witness. https://emmanuelupstate.org/ http://www.placefortruth.org/
This show features conversations with Terry Johnson, a pastor and prolific author, and Chad Van Dixhoorn of RTS, an authority on the Westminster Assembly and standards. The interviews were recorded at the Reformation Worship Conference at Midway PCA in Powder Springs, GA. Below you'll find links to each man's books and to the Westminster Assembly Project. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=terry+johnson+worship https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=chad+van+dixhoorn&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Achad+van+dixhoorn https://www.westminsterassembly.org/
Allan and Ben of the late, lamented (or at least hiatused) Regular Reformed Guys podcast speak with us from the Reformation Worship Conference about Allan's plans to restart the podcast and Ben's plans not to flunk out of seminary. We also test market a new opening theme and close with a mid-century "gospel" gem. Follow the guys at @RegReformedGuys and @bkben3. (photo not actual)
In our first interview from the Reformation Worship Conference at Midway PCA in Powder Springs, GA we talk to Zack Groff (@zgroff24) of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary about the seminary and its podcast, the PCA, and social media. A certain mustache may also come up. This is the first of several episodes made up of interviews recorded at this conference. Conference website -- http://www.reformationworship.org/Reformation_Worship/Home.htm Seminary website -- https://gpts.edu/ The GPTS podcast -- https://twitter.com/GPTSPodcast Theme music -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cClmmE6uJ5g&index=18&list=RDZEXa0kUYHLQ
Wresby and CW are joined by two real living breathing deacons to discuss their role in a Reformed church. See Tim's resources at http://reformeddeacon.com/ And since we mentioned it -- to ordain or not to ordain? https://chortlesweakly.weebly.com/tkny-on-deacs.html
Three guests --@acmills237, @NatePaschall, and @pseudoABoethius join Wresby and CW to talk tacos, desert islands, celebrity pastors, and smoking hot current ecclesial events. Slide into that virtual Taco Bell corner booth and join us.
Everyone's favorite presby Dan Borvan, an OPC ministerial intern, joins again to discuss things Reformational and a major issue for the Reformers -- images of Christ. And before you're offended -- the image on the pope's hat is that of Mary, not a person of the Trinity...last time we checked. The article we referenced in the first half of the show: http://byfaithonline.com/protestant-catholic-relations-on-the-500th-anniversary-of-the-reformation/ Here are some links for the Second Helvetic Confession which we referenced: www.ccel.org/creeds/helvetic.htm www.wscal.edu/personal-pages/sec…nfession-1561-1566 www.monergism.com/second-helvetic-confession-ebook
Jed Ostoich (https://twitter.com/thejeditor) joins Wresby and CW for the second go-round -- this time to discuss the shadowy and worrying world of ghostwriting and content creation in The Gospel-Industrial Complex/Big Eva. Read Jed at https://www.fathommag.com/ or see http://jedostoich.org/
Presbyterian cool guy Dan Borvan, an OPC pastoral intern, wades in for the third time with us to discuss the trickle of errant baptismal practices and sacramental innovation -- and minimization -- among the P&R in the 21st century. From here we launch into a broader discussion of church order and ordinary means of grace ministry. CORRECTION: John Piper's church never adopted his preference for allowing infant-baptized members without rebaptism. Bethlehem Baptist is not a dual-mode church. These articles were referenced: https://theweeflea.com/2017/07/16/infant-dedication-heart-circumcision-and-one-of-the-best-three-sermons-ever-preached/ https://ealinglevy.wordpress.com/2017/07/21/dedications-what-you-need-if-you-want-to-be-covenant-breaker/
Direct message us for contact details for the Houston area church we mentioned. http://www.cckpca.org/katy-houston-flood-relief This episode also contains several (mostly) flood-themed selections from our little shop of gospel music oddities. We're told this church -- swpres.org -- is flooded and the congregation is hard hit. They are in need. Christ Church Katy will no doubt be helping them, too. We have contact info for Southwest Pres if anyone wants it.
Wresby and Chortles join Colleen (@reformed_gal) and Ashley (@ash_reforming)of the @TheologyGals podcast for a presby polity pow-wow. NOTE: the bumper music is ours, not theirs. Apologies as necessary... http://biblethumpingwingnut.com/theology-gals/
Blogger Darrell B. Harrison (@D_B_Harrison) joins us to discuss "woke theology" and other contemporary church issues. You can read his blog at: https://justthinking.me/ Other notable blogs we referenced: https://wifewithpurpose.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/please-forgive-my-indifference/ and Lisa Robinson's (@theochick): https://theothoughts.com/
This is the third section (chapters 9-12) of a reading of "The Significance of J. Gresham Machen Today," a work by Machen student and colleague Paul Woolley. This odd, personal little book was published in 1977 by Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co. and is now out of print. There are 25 brief chapters. Learn more about Woolley here: www.wtsbooks.com/common/pdf_links…FIDENTOFBETT.pdf and here: www.opc.org/today.html?history_id=59 More on Machen the mountaineer: http://www.opc.org/machen/mountains.html
This is the second section (chapters 5-8) of a reading of "The Significance of J. Gresham Machen Today," a work by Machen student and colleague Paul Woolley. This odd, personal little book was published in 1977 by Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co. and is now out of print. There are 25 brief chapters. Learn more about Woolley here: www.wtsbooks.com/common/pdf_links…FIDENTOFBETT.pdf and here: www.opc.org/today.html?history_id=59
This is the first section (preface, chapters 1-4) of a reading of "The Significance of J. Gresham Machen Today," a work by Machen student and colleague Paul Woolley. This odd, personal little book was published in 1977 by Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co. and is now out of print. There are 25 brief chapters. Learn more about Woolley here: http://www.wtsbooks.com/common/pdf_links/CONFIDENTOFBETT.pdf and here: https://www.opc.org/today.html?history_id=59
Dr R. Scott Clark joins a solo-flying Chortles Weakly for a discussion of an essential element of Reformed piety and practice -- scripturally-regulated worship. Some call this the regulative principle of worship (RPW). Here's a link to a massive list of worship resources from Dr Clark's Heidelblog: https://heidelblog.net/resources-on-the-rule-of-worship/ Two previous things from Presbycast on worship: https://soundcloud.com/presbycast/worshipping-with-the-church https://soundcloud.com/presbycast/worshipping-with-the-church-1
A voicemail from Silent Topher, Pranceghazi, and store brand Nutella. And the GOAT of all outro songs.
Well we never thought we'd be talking ballet when we started this, but total depravity finds a way. And John Hammond, the neighbor of Topher's memaw is back on and as articulate as ever. A few referenced and relevant links: https://vimeo.com/200056401 Pipa on dance -- tinysa.com/sermon/71117163425 Tim Keller art tweet - https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/884775321442103296
Christopher Drew joins us to discuss small churches. A very cool episode and topic. Size information for NAPARC churces can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Presbyterian_and_Reformed_Council The photo is one of the grass-roofed churches of the Faroe Islands.
The #PCAGA review episode. We walked among you. Report: http://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Actions-of-the-45th-GA-2017.pdf Another take: http://www.mortificationofspin.org/mos/podcast/43161
Todd Pruitt guests with us, because we give the people what they want. #PCAGA is coming up, so we decided we'd better talk about it. Also other things. Lots of laughter. We really enjoyed making this one.
R. Scott Clark is back to talk Sabbath and sacraments. Here's the link to the Lane Keister paper on intinction: http://theaquilareport.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/IntinctionPaper.pdf
Riding with CW -- Sunday work of ruling elders & deacons by @ChortlesWeakly & @Wresbyterian
EXCLUSIVE AUDIO! Christopher Drew joins us to discuss the FULL AUDIO of Tim Keller's award but not award speech at Princeton Seminary. #justiceforMachen
There's a television script read and a musical interlude. And a few other things of minor to significant importance. Send this out to your Facebook Messenger groups!
Latest call-in show notable facts: -1st guest from outside continental US -1st female caller -1st husband/wife caller duo -bird sound fx!
Special guest: SEAN. We first reported it back in November, and now the rest of the world has caught up. And 80 years later we are still talking Machen and Princeton. Jump into the pond with us -- we few, we frogs of brothers.
Ken Shepherd, reporter for The Washington Times is on. We talk Russell Moore, journalism, and the ditches on both sides of the road. And presbyterianism, if you can imagine. Note from CW: The title is an obscure 'Wire' reference by Wresby. At least it was not about wrestling.
The real Fake Ann Voskamp (@fakeannvoskamp) returns and talks all thing Voskampian with the boys and writer Jed Ostoich (@TheJeditor). You can read his excellent and thoughtful review of 'The Broken Way' here: https://www.fathommag.com/stories/when-meaning-matters *episode photo is photoshopped
We went on Regular Reformed Guys and talked about stuff -- TGIC, PCA, OPC/PCA dynamics, and many other things. Thanks to Alan and Ben for the audio and their bandwidth.
Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California joins us to talk about his article "When Confessional P & R Congregations Do Not Exist Or Disappoint" about the lost sheep who struggle to find a confessional church in their area. Article here: https://heidelblog.net/2017/01/confessional-pr-congregations-disappoint-not-exist/
We are joined by Dan Borvan and a belated Chuck Finney for a discussion of the relationships of church and state, Christian citizen and government, gospel and culture.
We're pretty sure Meryl Streep isn't listening, either. If you're late to the party but want to sit at the table with everyone who has listened to every episode, you can get caught up with this episode. It's the table way off in the corner. Out the back door. Into the alley. When you get to the dumpster, keep walking. It's there. Trust us.
We had all-new guests (as compared to our first call-in show) so it was a fresh discussion with new (in some cases, literal) characters. Join us for some serious P&Rish edifitainment.
Airing of grievances, feats of [metaphorical] strength, and miracles abound as Presbycast returns from hiatus. Cubs-fan and newly minted postmillennial optimist Dan Borvan (@danborvan) returns, and so does Amish Ambush (@amish_ambush). Grieve with us, brothers. And have a Bearable Festivus!
Best Presbycast ever? You be the judge. But we had a Harambe of a time recording it. Be sure to follow these fine folks on Twitter, all of whom appear on the show tonight. @Amish_Ambush @XpCoulson @muddygravel @seansgame @coolmudgeon @DeanChris @acmills237 @bkben3 @ReformedintheQT @oldprinceton
Dr. Darryl Hart joins us to discuss the quirky libertarianism of J. Gresham Machen. We also reference The Wire at every opportunity. Is the election over yet?
Started from the bottom and now we here at episode 18, which is more than we ever thought we'd do. Join us as we take a look back, and a look ahead -- with lots of umbrage. And a special (...?) guest!
Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California joins us to scratch the shifting surface of Federal Vision theology and ecclesiology. Excellent resources here: https://heidelblog.net/category/federal-vision/ Excellent summary here: https://www.opc.org/nh.html?article_id=478
Long awaited and finally here! The second part of Chortles Weakly's talk on worship in his (wait for it) local church.
We at Presbycast are proud to bring you this WORLD EXCLUSIVE interview that no other Reformed podcast had the stones to request. The Twitter-suspended Fake Ann Voskamp joins us for a laugh-filled chat about the non-fake Ann. Light a candle and put on your grace-boots.
The manageable and effective hubris of your hosts returns this week to discuss the unspeakable horrors of church job listings and the horrors of war that keep urban church planters up at night.
Pardon the orange glow of the episode photo -- Topher dropped his pumpkin spice latte on it. We have Charles Grandison Finney on the show, and the bright encircling python looks on anxiously.
Ted Beam (@coolmudgeon) joins to talk about his journey from a cult to the OPC. We're also a bit hard on baptists. Sorry.
Originally planned for a prior episode, we were able to survive the brokenness of Silent Topher and get our guest booked. Dan Borvan joins us this week to talk about (SPOILER) presbyterianism, church life abroad, and a theology of glory of the Chicago Cubs. Dan is a PhD. student who is also licensed with the OPC. Dan is a former student of both Dr. R. Scott Clark and Dr. Darryl Hart, and he may or may not be blacklisted from Master's Seminary alumni events.
Our producer does anything but, so we do not have our intended guest this week. Chortles Weakly taught some classes on worship at his church and was kind enough to use good audio equipment when recording the classes. In lieu of a guest we present the first of two classes. Reformed worship is our wheelhouse, and may it become yours too.
Reformed nuggets of wisdom abound as we are joined by Dr. R. Scott Clark (@rscottclark) of Westminster Seminary California and heidelblog.net. We delve into some topics from his book "Recovering the Reformed Confession" including QIRE, QIRC, Edwards, and revivalism (including a brief detour into pro-wrestling). We had a great time until -- wait for it -- Topher messed up the audio.
We are known for keeping our promises. And no beer reviews. We welcome the esteemed lawyer Will Barrett to the show to discuss how he became an Episcopalian after growing up in the SBC, and the conversation branches out from there. Enjoy as we also discuss where we'd go to church if our preferred polities were not available, some 2k distinctives protecting us from the "Christian personality," and what would a Presbycast be without a discussion of the liberty-focused politics of Machen? And some football coach whose name rhymes with "Satan."
He's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! No, not Harambe. Dr. Hart aka Darryl returns to Presbycast to further discuss Redeemer's "Rise" campaign and all of the accompanying hullaballoo. We talk about the conservative convocation that wasn't, and what that won't mean for cons moving forward. Darryl talks about the OPC as a potential refuge for exiled PCA congregations and congregants -- and why it's so dang hard but so dang good to be a presbyterian. (You may or may not want to listen all the way to the end.)
Frank Sinatra probably won't endorse our opinions, but the rat pack in the sewers might. Ever heard of a Lutheran church planting a Presbyterian church? Us neither. But the opposite? You may be surprised to hear where your money is going. Lojinks ensue.
Chortles and Wresby discuss differences between PCA and OPC with Dr. Darryl Hart of oldlife.org. The source of the conversation starts with the following article and goes many other places, too. http://reformedforum.org/whats-difference-pca-opc/ Like three guys hogging the dart board at a bar and taking too long between throws.
Post-PCAGA discussion, including THOSE overtures and THAT committee. Decently and in order, as always.
This is our first episode. We told you we'd get here eventually. But remember... you asked for this.