Behold Podcast

Our hosts Beth Whitney and Cole Harper join our first guest, Craig Hardinger, the Lead Pastor at Arcade Church, to discuss how God has fashioned the world, the chaos of society today, and God's divine sovereignty and overarching goodness.

For the final episode of season 1, our hosts Beth Whitney and Cole Harper are joined by Craig Hardinger to discuss the role and significance of tradition, an update on the Brick by Brick catechism, and what we can expect from season 2 in 2023.   If you'd like to share topic suggestions with us, please email our producer, Shelby Glass, at [email protected]. You can also submit questions to Shelby Glass or [email protected].

This month our hosts, Beth Whitney and Cole Harper, are joined by Sonja Warner to discuss influence, both gospel and secular, and opportunities for discipleship.

Sonja and her husband moved to the Sacramento area in 1993 and began attending Arcade Church in 1999. Over the years, Sonja has been involved in leading small groups and women’s Bible Studies. She served for a few years as Women’s Ministry Director and currently volunteers at the Welcome Hub and in the library. Most recently, she is exploring the possibility of becoming a writer. Last year Sonja wrote a Bible Study on 1 Peter and is currently working on a study in Hebrews. During the day Sonja works as a bookkeeper for a local small business and is an avid reader with a special interest in history (because the best stories are always the true ones). She lives with her husband of 38 years and a sweet Yellow Lab named Molly.

 

If you have questions about today's episode, you can email them to [email protected]

 

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Some Starting Points for Disciplers:

If the idea of discipling another believer is new to you, or if it just feels overwhelming, that is okay. If you are a believer in Jesus and growing in your faith you are qualified!  Here are a few suggestions to help you get started:

1. Pray! Ask God to open your eyes to someone he wants you to disciple. Look around and see who he has placed in your life; and keep an open mind because it might not be someone you would immediately think of.
2. When God puts someone on your heart or in your path, invite them to coffee (or lunch). Take some time to get to know them. Learn their story; what has their faith-walk been like up to now? What are they afraid of, what are the things that encourage/discourage them? What areas of life are they looking to grow in?
3. As the Holy Spirit leads, invite them to meet on a regular basis. Here are a few ideas for how to start:

• Read Scripture and discuss it together. You might want to start with one of the Gospels (especially if you’re meeting with a new believer). Ephesians is also a rich book for discussion.
• Pray through the Psalms together.
• Use a study such as The Apostle’s Creed by Tim Chester to discuss the essential truths of the faith.
• The Navigators really do publish an excellent selection of study guides for discipling others. Growing In Christ: A Thirteen-Week Follow-Up Course for New and Growing Christians is a good starting place for new believers. Their Design for Discipleship series covers many topics on the Christian life.
• Read a quality book together and discuss it. There are some excellent books on discipleship. Eugene Peterson’s book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction is one of the best (in my opinion). Habits of Grace by David Mathis is another excellent choice.

1. 1. Remember there is no single, “right” way to do discipleship. Keep God’s Word at the center and remember that your role is not to “fix” or change the other person. You are teaching them how to walk with God in their own circumstances; God will transform them as they do.

Our hosts, Beth Whitney and Cole Harper, are joined in this episode by Dan Dunmoyer to wrestle with allegiances of every shape and size, all while we long for a better, heavenly country.

Dan Dunmoyer serves as the President and CEO of the California Building Industry Association, where he oversees all aspects of the association that represents homebuilders. Prior to joining the CBIA, Dunmoyer had various legislative caucus staff leadership and policy committee roles in the California State Assembly, starting as a fellow in the Jesse Unruh Fellowship program. He was president and CEO of the Personal Insurance Federation of California from 1996-2005. He served as deputy chief of staff and cabinet secretary for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from 2006-2008, overseeing all state agencies for the governor.

Most recently he served as senior vice president and head of government affairs for Zurich and Farmers Insurance companies. Dunmoyer is a member of the board of overseers of the RAND Institute for Civil Justice, chair of the advisory committee of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, member of the PPIC Water Advisory Board and a former board member for CalPERS.

He was on the elder board at Arcade Church for 4 years in the 90’s and has been back since 2018. He has attended Arcade since 1984 and is married, with three adult children. Dan’s favorite verse is Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” His favorite memory while at Arcade is meeting and marrying his wife.

You can submit questions to [email protected].

Beth Whitney, Craig Hardinger, and many other Arcade Church Staff members are all telling stories about the church. If you have questions about this episode, or any other episode in this series, you can send our team an email at [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook @arcadechurch Visit us at arcadechurch.com

Beth Whitney and Craig Hardinger discuss the complex and beautiful concept of forgiveness, what it is and isn't, and the implications of being forgiven and extending forgiveness.   If you have questions about this episode, or any other episode in this series, you can send our team an email at [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook @arcadechurch Visit us at arcadechurch.com   Resources:

You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Psalm 86:5
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13 
Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12 
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:18
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Colossians 1:21-23 

Our hosts Craig Hardinger and Beth Whitney discuss a strange dilemma about Christians in the spotlight, the slippery slopes of fame, and how to behold Christ as we wait for his return.    If you have questions about anything discussed in this episode, please send us an email at [email protected]. Follow us on social media @arcadechurch Visit us at arcadechurch.com

Our hosts Beth Whitney and Craig Hardinger join our producer, Shelby Glass, to discuss the difficult topic of pornography, the effects it has on society today, the ripple effects that span into our future, and how to behold Christ Jesus in the midst of the struggle. 
  Key passages we recommend listeners dwell upon and memorize: Isaiah 53:6-8 Psalm 103:11-17 Philippians 4:8-9 Psalm 23 Romans 5:8 Romans 6:23 Romans 8:1-10 1 Peter 2:22-25   Resources:  Revisit the Spiritual Formation episode of the podcast -- S2 Ep2: Spiritual Formation: Finding Freedom in Discipline Fighter Verses mobile app by Desiring God   If you have questions, suggestions, requests, or comments, please send us an email at [email protected]. We would love to dialogue with you.   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube @arcadechurch Visit us at arcadechurch.com

Our hosts Beth Whitney and Craig Hardinger discuss the ascension gifts from Ephesians 4, what they are, how to determine your gifts and live in light of them within the local church, and why it's important?

Resources:
You can take a simple assessment to help determine and understand your gifting here: https://fivefoldministry.com/

However, taking this assessment is not divine or required to determine your gifting. Give this episode a listen to find out other ways to determine your gifting in the context of genuine community.

The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21st-Century Church by Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost
The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating Apostolic Movements by Alan Hirsch
5Q: Reactivating the Original Intelligence and Capacity of the Body of Christ by Alan Hirsch

If you have questions about this episode or would like to discuss anything you heard in more detail, please send us a message at [email protected].   Follow us on social media @arcadechurch Visit us at arcadechurch.com
Ephesians 4:11–16

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (ESV)

In this episode, we'll discuss what it means to be a man and a woman in the church, why both genders are vital in the body of Christ, common pitfalls and disagreements, and how we can pursue Christ together going forward. If you have questions about this episode or would like to discuss anything you heard in more detail, please send us a message at [email protected].   Follow us on social media @arcadechurch Visit us at arcadechurch.com