Church Matters

It's becoming a yearly tradition that we have a conversational potluck around the years end. We each bring a couple "dishes" to talk about with no discussion or preamble beforehand. 

In this episode Gabe and Riley talk to political insider Eric Teetsel about the gospel's implications on politics and the nation of America. 

Find Eric on X https://x.com/EricTeetsel

And listen to the Bully Pulpit Podcast that Eric Co-hosts here: 
(Apple) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bully-pulpit/id1576565924
(Spotify) https://open.spotify.com/show/6RznYY7HuiqGkazvhnvcSe?si=e1784d8c125e4c05

In the past year Redeemer has been doing its best to foster closer relationships with other like minded gospel preaching churches in the area. While this may prove hard sometimes given the cultural climate here in the Northwest, these churches do exist, and we have had some of their pastors come and preach at Redeemer even and vice versa as we grow closer in partnership. One of those pastors is Dmitriy Spatarel. Dima pastors Veritas bible church in Federal Way. We hope you enjoy getting to know him little better today. 

Hey everyone. Today we are talking about Politics. I know you might be sick of hearing this by now, but we think it’s an important topic to consider. Our goal with this podcast is to help the church understand and apply a biblical worldview to all of life. Politics is a part of life, so we want to think about it through a biblical worldview and then apply that to our lives. So listen along we discuss some of the foundational elements of politics through a Christian lens and ask some common questions that you may hear when this topic is brought up.

SHOW NOTES
https://christoverall.com/article/concise/encore-a-new-testament-scholar-explains-what-should-be-the-two-key-voting-concerns-for-christians/

https://christoverall.com/article/longform/politics-conscience-and-the-church-the-why-what-and-how-of-political-disagreement-and-a-test-case/

https://christoverall.com/article/longform/make-civics-great-again-a-pastoral-guide-to-casting-ballots-wisely/

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/what-am-i-doing-when-i-vote/

Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s sure to stir up some conversation—pro-life vs. pro-choice. It’s an issue often seen as political, but we want to remind you that it’s fundamentally a biblical one. For Christians in the Pacific Northwest, where cultural and political views on this issue can be particularly strong, it’s vital to be informed and prepared to engage thoughtfully. How do we, as believers, approach this debate with grace and conviction? Stick around as we unpack some common pro-choice arguments, and explore how we can respond with both truth and love.

SHOW NOTES:

8 Pro Choice Arguments from ChatGpt
Pro-choice arguments center on the belief that individuals should have the right to make decisions about their own bodies, including the decision to have an abortion. Here are some of the strongest pro-choice arguments:

1. Bodily Autonomy: One of the foundational arguments is that individuals have the right to control what happens to their own bodies. Just as people have the right to refuse medical treatments or donate organs, women should have the right to make choices about pregnancy and abortion.
2. Health and Safety: Before the legalization of abortion, many women resorted to unsafe procedures. Legal access to safe abortions protects women’s health by preventing dangerous, unregulated practices.
3. Privacy and Personal Freedom: The argument from privacy, enshrined in U.S. law through cases like Roe v. Wade (1973), maintains that personal medical decisions, including abortion, should be between a woman and her doctor, without government interference.
4. Socioeconomic Factors: Many pro-choice advocates argue that forcing women to carry unwanted pregnancies to term can have severe financial, emotional, and social consequences. For women in poverty or difficult circumstances, an unplanned pregnancy can perpetuate cycles of poverty and disadvantage.
5. Rights of Existing Persons: Pro-choice advocates argue that the rights and welfare of the pregnant woman, as an existing person, should take precedence over the rights of a potential person (the fetus). They emphasize that the legal, social, and emotional impacts on the mother are more significant than those on a non-viable fetus.
6. Circumstances of Conception: In cases of rape, incest, or where the pregnancy threatens the woman’s health, pro-choice advocates argue that forcing a woman to carry the pregnancy to term is a violation of justice and can cause further trauma.
7. Population Control and Environmental Concerns: Some pro-choice advocates argue that limiting family size through access to abortion can help address issues of overpopulation, resource scarcity, and environmental degradation.
8. Quality of Life for the Child: Some argue that bringing a child into a situation where they cannot be adequately cared for or loved, or into a life of hardship and suffering, is not in the best interest of the child or society.

These arguments are central to the broader discussion on reproductive rights and emphasize a woman's right to choose, taking into account complex medical, personal, and societal factors.

Love Life: https://lovelife.org/

Care Net of Puget Sound: https://carenetps.org/

Today we answer your questions from our recent series "Wisdom for all of Life" exploring what it looks like to live with a biblical worldview and mission in the stages of singleness, marriage, family and old age. 

Today, we’re excited to have pastor, author, illustrator and cultural commentator C.R. Wiley with us to discuss the topic of family reformation.

In this episode, we’ll explore insights on the household as a reflection of the cosmic order and how ordering our families according to God’s design plays a vital role in spiritual warfare. We’ll also dive into themes like self-mastery in leadership, and how Christians can reclaim confidence in God’s Word amid cultural shifts.

SHOW NOTES:

C.R. Wiley's Website

The Household and the War for the Cosmos

Upcoming Lectureship Series

Today Gabe and Riley talk about the Presence of God with Dr. Ryan Lister.

The Presence of God: Its Place in the Storyline of Scripture and the Story of Our Lives 

Emblems of the Infinite King: Enter the Knowledge of the Living God

Dr. Köstenberger is a professor and theologian and has worked with the Midwestern Baptist Seminary and the Southeastern Baptist seminary. He has published a number of books and articles including "Bibilcal Theology, A Canonical, Thematic and Ethical Approach", "The Holy Spirit" and "God, Marriage and Family" He joins the podcast on this episode to discuss what it looks like to live in a biblical marriage, a biblical family, or as a biblical single person.

-----

Dr. Köstenberger's website

Bibilcal Theology, A Canonical, Thematic and Ethical Approach -

God, Marriage and Family

Dr. Robert Gagnon is a Professor, writer and scholar with special attention to issues of Biblical sexuality, homosexuality and transgenderism. In this episode Dr. Gagnon clearly lays out the biblical defense of the historic Christian sexual ethic and helps us to see this issue from a biblical worldview.

SHOW NOTES

Dr. Gagnon's website
Dr. Gagnon's Facebook Page
The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics
Redeemer Eastside Youtube Page