What makes Eastern Orthodoxy so appealing today?

Historic churches frame themselves as the ‘one true church’, claiming to have church history on their side. This draws a generation facing an ever-changing, unstable world who are seeking stability and truth. Here we explore where church tradition falls short on forming good theology, what the church fathers believed, and what Protestants can learn from the Orthodox Church. Are the Orthodox Church’s claims legitimate, or are they raising tradition above the authority of Scripture?

This session is part of the #BeEquipped series – conversations about current issues facing the church. Explore more thought-provoking messages from this series.

This is a Four12 Podcast

About the Speakers:

Andrew Selley is the apostolic leader of Four12 (F12) and the lead elder of multisite, Joshua Generation Church. He has been in full-time ministry since 1996. After serving on the NCMI apostolic team for five years, he founded Four12 in 2011. Andrew is based in California, USA, with his wife, Emma, and their daughter, Enyah.

Luke Hulley has served on eldership within Joshua Generation Church, South Africa, since 2014. He is married to Zandile, and they have a daughter. Luke was a passionate schoolteacher for six years but now takes care of God’s children full-time, with a passion for teaching the Word and writing.

Why are so many Christians becoming Catholic?

We explore the cultural and spiritual forces behind this growing trend – from the appeal of historic traditions in an ever-changing world to the claim that the Catholic Church is the one true church. Andrew Selley and Luke Hulley unpack the biblical convictions Christians cannot afford to overlook. Throughout history, the church has repeatedly needed reformation by the Spirit of God. As believers seek authenticity today, how do we discern between a genuine return to the Bible's pattern and traditions Scripture never established?

This session is part of the #BeEquipped series – conversations about current issues facing the church. Explore more thought-provoking messages from this series.

This is a Four12 Podcast

00:00 Introduction

03:16 Why are people drawn to the Catholic church?

07:54 Is the Catholic church the original true church?

12:47 God is always reforming His church

19:37 How ‘Mary as mediator’ distorts the gospel

26:36 Who are saints & can we pray to them?

33:30 Priests, forgiveness & purgatory

40:42 Can Catholics go to heaven?

49:16 How can you find a healthy church?

About the Speakers:

Andrew Selley is the apostolic leader of Four12 (F12) and the lead elder of multisite, Joshua Generation Church. He has been in full-time ministry since 1996. After serving on the NCMI apostolic team for five years, he founded Four12 in 2011. Andrew is based in California, USA, with his wife, Emma, and their daughter, Enyah.

Luke Hulley has served on eldership within Joshua Generation Church, South Africa, since 2014. He is married to Zandile, and they have a daughter. Luke was a passionate schoolteacher for six years but now takes care of God’s children full-time, with a passion for teaching the Word and writing.

As we hunger for biblical truth, we must question what the right way is to teach God’s Word. Here we explore what Scripture, church history, and Jesus’s own sermons reveal about preaching and teaching, testing modern assumptions against biblical patterns. Andrew Selley and Luke Hulley examine different styles of preaching, such as Talmudic, expository, systematic, and topical preaching – challenging common misconceptions. They also discuss how preparation and dependence on the Holy Spirit work together to strengthen and equip the church.

This session is part of the #BeEquipped series – conversations about current issues facing the church. Explore more thought-provoking messages from this series.

How do we reach Gen Z for Jesus?

Gen Z is increasingly sceptical of institutions, yet also increasingly hungry for meaning, often driven online for answers that inevitably shape their theology. This has fuelled renewed interest in Calvinism, Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, while many are drawn toward a personalised, hybrid Christianity. Discover how the church can respond with biblical wisdom and help young people move beyond cultural trends to find lasting truth and security in Christ.

This is a Four12 Podcast

00:00 Introduction

04:27 Questioning atheism, identity, and social justice

12:10 Fruit of a spiritually bankrupt society

19:52 DIY religion & institutional skepticism

28:59 The trend toward Catholicism & Eastern Orthodoxy

40:23 How the Calvinists are capturing the minds of Gen Z

55:06 How can church leaders speak to this generation?

About the Speakers:

Andrew Selley is the apostolic leader of Four12 (F12) and the lead elder of multisite, Joshua Generation Church. He has been in full-time ministry since 1996. After serving on the NCMI apostolic team for five years, he founded Four12 in 2011. Andrew is based in California, USA, with his wife, Emma, and their daughter, Enyah.

Luke Hulley has served on eldership within Joshua Generation Church, South Africa, since 2014. He is married to Zandile, and they have a daughter. Luke was a passionate schoolteacher for six years but now takes care of God’s children full-time, with a passion for teaching the Word and writing.

Are the spiritual gifts for today?

There is a growing debate around cessationism – whether the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit are for the church today. In this session, Andrew Selley and Mike Davies respond to this discussion, weighing up what Scripture shows us about the biblical work of the Holy Spirit. They address the tensions to be held between quenching the Spirit and the excesses found in some charismatic churches today. Are we embracing the fullness of New Testament Christianity when we allow spiritual gifts such as prophecy and tongues to operate, or was the promise of signs and wonders for a different time?

This session is part of the #BeEquipped series – conversations about current issues facing the church. Explore more thought-provoking messages from this series.

This is a Four12 Podcast

About the Speakers:

Andrew Selley is the apostolic leader of Four12 (F12) and the lead elder of multisite, Joshua Generation Church. He has been in full-time ministry since 1996. After serving on the NCMI apostolic team for five years, he founded Four12 in 2011. Andrew is based in California, USA, with his wife, Emma, and their daughter, Enyah.

Mike Davies serves on eldership within Joshua Generation Church, South Africa. He is married to Chantal, and they have two daughters. He loves to see people equipped to effectively serve the Kingdom of God through teaching and writing.

Can we separate the song from the source?

Does the source of a worship song determine whether we should sing it? In this conversation, Andrew Selley and Mike Davies offer a biblical perspective on the debate around worship music. They illustrate whether believers can sing songs written by artists or movements with questionable theology or practice, and if those songs can compromise our churches. By looking at the impact of online discernment ministries and cancel culture on the body of Christ, we are challenged to respond biblically rather than react culturally.

This session is part of the #BeEquipped series – conversations about current issues facing the church. Explore more thought-provoking messages from this series.

This is a Four12 Podcast

About the Speakers:

Andrew Selley is the apostolic leader of Four12 (F12) and the lead elder of multisite, Joshua Generation Church. He has been in full-time ministry since 1996. After serving on the NCMI apostolic team for five years, he founded Four12 in 2011. Andrew is based in California, USA, with his wife, Emma, and their daughter, Enyah.

Mike Davies serves on eldership within Joshua Generation Church, South Africa. He is married to Chantal, and they have two daughters. He loves to see people equipped to effectively serve the Kingdom of God through teaching and writing.

If God is always present, what is the manifest presence of God?

Can God increase His presence in our lives? In this conversation, Andrew Selley and Mike Davies explore the manifest presence of God, His Shekinah glory, and whether believers can receive more of the Holy Spirit. With biblical insight, they unpack the difference between God’s omnipresence and His tangible presence among His people, while exploring worship’s role in drawing near to Him. As God builds His people into a dwelling place for His presence, this discussion calls us to pursue unity, humility, and wholehearted devotion in seeking more of Him.

This session is part of the #BeEquipped series – conversations about current issues facing the church. Explore more thought-provoking messages from this series.

This is a Four12 Podcast

Is there a right, biblical way to go when you must leave your church?

What does it look like to leave a church well? In this honest conversation, Andrew Selley and Jonathan Stanfield unpack how to navigate church transitions with biblical integrity. From recognising healthy church life to addressing disagreement, authority, and conscience, they offer practical wisdom for both leaders and members. At the heart is a call to pursue unity, honour, and truth – even when tensions arise. When staying is no longer possible, how can we leave in a way that reflects Jesus and preserves His church?

This session is part of the #BeEquipped series – conversations about current issues facing the church. Explore more thought-provoking messages from this series.

About the Speakers:

Andrew Selley is the apostolic leader of Four12 (F12) and the lead elder of multisite, Joshua Generation Church. He has been in full-time ministry since 1996. After serving on the NCMI apostolic team for five years, he founded Four12 in 2011. Andrew is based in California, USA, with his wife, Emma, and their daughter, Enyah.

Jonathan Stanfield serves on leadership within Four12 (F12) and is the lead elder of Living Hope, on the Isle of Man. Jonathan is married to Annette, is a dad to four daughters and is a proud grandad. He is passionate about church planting and seeing churches restored to health.

This is a Four12 Podcast

Can we find unity in partnership, even in our differences?

What does partnership look like between church leaders who are very different? In this candid conversation, Andrew Selley and Jonathan Stanfield open up about the beauty and cost of partnering across culture, personality, and leadership style. In many ways, partnership is like a marriage, so how do we stay united and avoid getting ‘divorced’? They reveal healthy relationship is built – not by always agreeing, but through humility, mutual submission, and keeping Jesus at the centre. They also highlight the power of diversity within leadership when we embrace our differences as a gift that shapes us.

This session is part of the #BeEquipped series – conversations about current issues facing the church. Explore more thought-provoking messages from this series.

This is a Four12 Podcast

What the Bible says about our reaction to offence, conflict, and disagreement.

Hurt is inevitable when we do life together, and how we respond to offence matters. In this session, Mike Davies reminds us that the Bible doesn’t promise we won’t be hurt; it shows us how to process it well. We must acknowledge the real pain caused, whether by misunderstanding or sin, and remember that not every hurt is the result of abuse. By looking at the instruction given in Matthew 18, we ask how we process our hurts in a way that honours God and builds the church.

This session is part of the #BeEquipped series – conversations about current issues facing the church. Explore more thought-provoking messages from this series.

This is a Four12 Podcast.

About the Speaker:

Mike Davies serves on eldership within Joshua Generation Church, South Africa. He is married to Chantal, and they have two daughters. He loves to see people equipped to effectively serve the Kingdom of God through teaching and writing.