Charge On with Pastor Wayne Bray

In this episode of the Charge On Podcast, Pastor Dallas and Pastor Wayne discuss what it truly means to be a disciple-making church. They emphasize that the goal is not to simply talk about making disciples as a catchphrase, but to actually live it out. Drawing from real conversations with church members and guests, they make the case that every believer is responsible for leading people to Jesus and helping them grow in their faith. 

In this podcast episode, two pastors discuss the Netflix documentary 'Death of a Pastor's Wife,' which tells the story of JP Miller, a pastor in South Carolina whose wife, Micah, died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound shortly after serving him with separation papers. The pastors examine the documented patterns of abuse, the lack of biblical accountability within the church, and why JP Miller fits the biblical description of a wolf in sheep's clothing. They are careful to note that his behavior is not representative of pastors or the Christian church as a whole, and they call attention to the importance of proper church governance and pastoral accountability.

This conversation between Pastor Wayne Bray and Pastor Dallas Wilson centers on the importance of prayer in the life of every Christian and in the life of the church. They discuss how prayer is as essential as breathing, serving as the primary way believers maintain ongoing communion with God, experience His power, and stay spiritually focused. They also reflect on how their church has grown significantly in recent years and how prayer has been the foundation that keeps them pursuing God as the source of blessing rather than simply enjoying the blessings themselves.

This discussion centers on the Southern Baptist Convention's recent passage of the Truth and Unity Amendment, which clarifies that the office of pastor is limited to men. The hosts provide historical context, tracing the conversation back to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, and explain that this amendment is not a new ban but rather a constitutional clarification of what Southern Baptists have believed for decades. They also address how misleading media headlines have framed the conversation and encourage believers to let Scripture, not social media influencers, shape their understanding of the issue.

This episode focuses on the state of Upstate Church, reflecting on God's incredible blessings over the past five years and looking ahead to the next five years. The pastors emphasize that this growth came through ordinary obedience, unity, and a culture of giving away rather than holding onto ministry opportunities. As they enter a season of transition with building projects, new campuses, and staff changes, they challenge the congregation to move from being spectators to active participants in the mission, using their God-given gifts to serve and reach others.

In this episode, the pastors discuss the importance of calling out both heresy and apostasy regardless of political affiliation, using President Trump's recent social media post depicting himself in a messianic role as an example. They emphasize that Christians must speak truth with grace, not defending what is clearly wrong simply because of political alignment. The conversation then shifts to their sermon series on Ephesians 2:11-22, focusing on how the Gospel creates unity among believers by breaking down dividing walls. They explore how spiritual maturity leads to laying aside personal preferences for the sake of the mission, and discuss what it truly means to belong to the people of God rather than just attending church as a consumer.

This episode focuses on the sermon from Easter Sunday on Ephesians 2:1-10, emphasizing that salvation is not about being 'almost good enough' but about being spiritually dead and needing resurrection. The pastors challenged the common cultural misconceptions that people are basically good and just need to try harder, instead teaching that only good people go to heaven and that there are no good people apart from Christ. The message highlighted how God's grace through the resurrection of Jesus provides the same spiritual resurrection for believers - being made alive, raised up, and seated with Christ in heavenly places.

This episode explores Ephesians 1:15-23, where Paul prays for believers to have spiritual eyes opened to see the fullness of what God has made available to them in Christ. The pastors emphasize that many Christians settle for a surface-level connection with God, experiencing salvation but missing out on the abundant life Jesus promised. Paul's prayer focuses on three key areas: knowing the hope of God's calling, understanding our value as God's inheritance, and experiencing the resurrection power available to believers. The message challenges Christians to move beyond 'disinfectant Christianity' (being cleaned up) to 'deployment Christianity' (being sent out for God's purposes). Just as a sprinkler system that's never connected to water can't function, Christians who aren't truly connected to God's Spirit miss out on the supernatural life He intends for them.

This episode explores Ephesians 1:3-14, focusing on God's election and predestination of believers. The pastor emphasizes that these deep theological concepts should bring clarity and comfort rather than confusion, explaining that God chose believers before the foundation of the world for adoption as His children. The message addresses the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility, affirming that both God's election and human choice are biblical truths that work together. The sermon highlights key themes including adoption, redemption through Christ's blood, and the inheritance believers receive as God's children. Rather than creating arguments, these doctrines should drive believers to worship, evangelism, and holy living.

Pastor Wayne Bray discusses his nomination for Southern Baptist Convention Pastors Conference President and explains what the Southern Baptist Convention is to church members. The pastors also address cultural challenges facing Christians today, specifically discussing politicians like James Talarico who claim Christianity while holding unbiblical positions on issues like homosexuality and abortion. They emphasize the importance of balancing grace and truth, staying rooted in Scripture rather than following personalities, and approaching cultural issues with both biblical conviction and Christ-like love.