Asking For A Friend

Asking For A Friend

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Asking For A Friend episodes

  • E223: History of Church Music, Pt. 1 (with Andrew Pressley)

    In this epsiode, Duffey is joined by Andrew Pressley for a discussion on the history of music throughout the ages. This is epsiode Part 1 and considers the music of the Early Church and into the Middle Ages (the Medieval Church). On this epsiode, they try to address questions and common concerns like:

    • How can God's people today think well about the music of the church?
    • How can we think well about form and style of music in the church?
    • How can we think better about instrumentation and accompaniment in church music today?
    • Should we use instruments in worship services? If so, which ones?
    • Should we sing in unison or with harmonies?
    • Should we sing together (congregationally) or rely upon professionals to do the singing for us?
    • All of these questions, and many more, have been asked since the time of the Apostles and the first century and will continue to be asked as long as the church remains. Tune in for a (hopefully) informative conversation!

      39 min
    • E222: Systematic Theology, Introduction (with Patrick Covington)

      This episode begins a new mini-series on the importance of systematic theology. For this episode, Duffey is joined by Patrick Covington to discuss questions like:

      • What is systematic theology?
      • Why should I care about systematic theology?
      • Is systematic theology practical and useful?
      • How can the study of systematic theology serve our spiritual growth in Christ?
      • For further study, see the resources provided below:

        Video

        • R. C. Sproul https://youtu.be/bIRbcmVC1Q0?feature=shared 
        • Articles

          • Paul Smalley https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/is-systematic-theology-helpful 
          • Scott Swain https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-systematic-theology/?srsltid=AfmBOope473U1xP-WpEbAqlxpTbjfjdf6EgnTFKZBK-QqLpx00MoByMm 
          • 38 min
          • Special Edition: "The Christ Key" with Chad Bird (August 2025)

            In this episode, Duffey interviews pastor, author, and theologian Chad Bird. Chad has a growing audience in the social media world through his content dealing with issues in biblical studies, biblical Hebrew, the Old Testement, and a Christ-centered view of the whole Bible. His podcast "40 Minutes in the Old Testament" has a growing audience as well. In this episode, we discuss one of his books titled "The Christ Key" where he helps the reader navigate the Old Testament with Christian eyes.

            You may check out Chad's books here: https://shop.1517.org/collections/chad-bird

             

            About our guest:

            ***Chad Bird is a Scholar in Residence at 1517. He holds master’s degrees from Concordia Theological Seminary and Hebrew Union College. He has served as a pastor, professor, and guest lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew. Chad has authored several books, speaks regularly at conferences and congregations, and cohosts the popular podcast, “40 Minutes in the Old Testament.” Chad and his wife Stacy make their home in Texas, where they have been blessed with four children and three grandchildren.

            ----------------------------

            ***BBC Disclaimer: Chad is a Lutheran theologian and would differ on some key Baptistic and congregational convictions that are held by Believers' Baptist Church. This podcast is not a wholesale affirmation of Lutheranism.

            45 min
          • E221: Why should Christians today be familiar with the Nicene Creed?

            In this episode, Jason and Duffey discuss the Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) and the Nicene Creed. This year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the this church council. What do Christians believe about the doctrine of trinity? What do we believe about the person of Christ? The Nicene Creed serves as the classic statement and the orthodox guideline for biblical teaching on the Christian doctrine of God. After listening to the episode, see below for recommended further listening/study.

            • Mark Dever, sermon on the Council of Nicaea https://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/sermon/nicea-true-god-from-god/ 
            • Gavin Ortlund, exposition of the Nicene Creed https://youtu.be/2KuLiL0Am78?si=_01aAwRZy9TuSLNm 
            • R.C. Sproul, on the Nicene Creed https://youtu.be/9QmeBPHOXLY?si=2hB-0bndvaNq0KXt 
            • Michael Reeves, relevance of the Nicene Creed for today https://youtu.be/xN0I5RocSdM?si=jJg0ngYBcNg7zjF2 
            • 47 min
            • E220: Book Club #1, Spurgeon the Pastor

              Jason and Duffey begin to discuss a book on the pastoral life and theology of the nineteenth-century English Baptist pastor, Charles Haddon Spurgeon. This mini-series will be an on-going series in "book club" style. They will read a chapter and discuss it on an episode each month.

              This episode serves as an introduction to the book club, and it covers the book's "Introduction" (pp. 1-10).

              If you'd like to read along, you may purchase a copy here: 

              Geoff Chang, Spurgeon The Pastor 

              47 min
            • E219: How should we think about the divorces in Ezra 9 and 10?

              In this epsiode, Jason and Duffey consider a Bible question from the book of Ezra. they discuss questions like:

              • How should we think about the divorces that were called for by Ezra in chapter 10?
              • Were they legitimate?
              • Did God's word demand that these divorces must take place?
              • Or did Ezra go too far?
              • Are there implications from this passage that we can draw from today in our 21st century context? 
              • Several online resources that are recommended for further reading by Jason and Duffey are listed below.

                • https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/problem-of-intermarriage 
                • https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/putting-away-the-foreign-wives 
                • https://www.reformation21.org/blogs/casting-off-of-foreign-wives-a.php 
                • 43 min
                • E218: What is the weekly service preview?

                  In this episode, Jason and Duffey discuss the weekly service preview that is sent to all of BBC's members each Thursday. The service preview is designed and intended to provide a discipleship resource for equipping the saints in order to make the most out of the upcoming Lord's Day worship service.

                  44 min
                • E217: Local Pastors Talk, The Pastor and Counseling

                  In this episode of Local Pastors Talk, Jason leads a discussing on the pastor as counselor. For this discussion, he is joined by three other local pastors from the Emory, TX area. Together they cover questions like:

                  • Are pastors obligated to provide counsel to others?
                  • What can pastoral counseling look like in the life a church?
                  • Are there difficulties and/or dangers in pastoral counselling?
                  • Should pastors have connections outside the church for referrals in more extreme cases?
                  • Should pastors cooperate with other local pastors in a given community toward the end of assisting one another in the task of counseling?
                  • Episode guests:

                    • Pastor Robert Burns (Miracle Faith Baptist Church, Emory, TX)
                    • Pastor David Banks (Emory Methodist Church, Emory, TX)
                    • Pastor Richard Kellam (Point Church of Christ, Point, TX)
                    • 50 min
                    • E216: Depression w/Morris Beene

                      Our friend Morris Beene is back with us for another episode as we discuss issues relating to biblical counseling within the life of the church. For this conversation, we try to help you think biblically about depression. This episode considers questions like:

                      • What does the Bible say about depression?
                      • How can the Bible help address depression?
                      • Is depression real?
                      • Can depression be overcome?
                      • 39 min
                      • E215: Informal Counseling w/Morris Beene

                        In this episode, Duffey and Jason are joined with a returning quest of the podcast, Morris Beene. Here, they discuss informal counseling within the life of the local church. Formal counseling has its place, and is necessary, but all Christians engage other Christians informally all the time in conversation. This episode is aimed at helping us all have more meaningful, intentional conversations with our fellow believers.

                        34 min

                      About Asking For A Friend

                      From the publisher's feed

                      The Asking For A Friend Podcast exists as a weekly resource for the edification and knowledge of God’s people. It is an elder-led ministry of Believer’s Baptist Church in Emory, Tx.