Radical Excellence and Stewardship

When does applying Scripture become adding to Scripture? And can a church legitimately require something God has not universally commanded?In this episode, we examine the often-blurred distinctions between biblical doctrine, biblical application, and organizational policy. Drawing from the teachings of Jesus, the Apostle Paul, and the practices of the early church, we explore the nature and limits of spiritual authority, the role of biblical interpretation, and the difference between divine commandments and human judgments.This conversation isn't about abandoning holiness standards or diminishing pastoral authority. It's about establishing both upon a sound biblical foundation.

Spiritual decline rarely happens all at once. More often, it is a gradual process in which conviction diminishes, compromise becomes normalized, and the desires of the flesh begin to replace the governing influence of the Spirit.In this episode, we examine the sobering warnings of Jude concerning apostasy, the distortion of grace, and the danger of spiritual forgetfulness. What happens when someone begins defending what once brought them conviction? How can personal preference become confused with divine direction? And what role does prayer play in preserving our spiritual sensitivity?Jude's admonition remains profoundly relevant: “Building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 20).If you stop praying, you stop leading. And when you stop leading, something else does.

Have you ever seen a post, quote, reel, or sermon clip and thought, “That is exactly how I feel”?Sometimes someone else simply gives words to something we have been carrying. But what happens when those borrowed words begin doing more than describing how we feel, and start convincing us that our interpretation must be true?Social media algorithms learn what keeps our attention and give us more of it. Before long, an abundance of agreement can create an illusion of accuracy. “This describes how I feel” can quietly become “This proves what happened.”In this episode, we talk about confirmation bias, borrowed validation, the danger of letting your feed reinforce your conclusions, and why validation should never replace self-examination.The question is not simply, “Does this resonate with me?”It is: Am I being informed by my feed—or fed by my algorithm?

In this episode, we examine the use of bishop, elder, and pastor in the New Testament and ask ourselves the question: Do the terms represent three different offices or groups in the church, or do they overlap and represent three dimensions of the same office?

What happens when evangelism and edification become competing models? That's the topic of this episode and one that may be more relevant than you think.

It has been a while, but we are providing a quick update, along with a discussion of what stewardship really means that we hope will challenge every listener.

In this video, we react to Huff's outlook on continuationism vs. cessationism and his advocacy for Reformed theology (with a capital R).

In this episode, the habit of lifting Old Testament figures and making them the archetypal figures for pastoral ministry and ministry development is addressed. Should we look to the GREATER or the LESSER as our primary model of pastoral ministry and/or ministerial development? Give it a listen and let us know what you think.

In this episode, we navigate the growing phenomenon of platformed deconstruction — when former believers don’t just wrestle privately, but build audiences around their departure. How should pastors and leaders respond? Is silence wisdom, or does it leave the flock vulnerable? And when does addressing it unintentionally amplify it?

In this episode, we respond to John MacArthur, now deceased, who was a key figure in the Cessationist movement. We will be working on an extensive rebuttal of many of his materials from the Strange Fire Conferences. Stay tuned!