Welcome to the Engage and Equip podcast. In February, pastor Devin led a seminar called Singleness is for Everyone here at High Point going over what the bible teaches about singleness. We’ll be posting the recordings as a series of three episodes throughout the month of March to help bring light to this topic and seek to encourage and educate all Christians with these Biblical truths.

This episode is from session 3 of the seminar, the conclusion of this series, where we'll explore how we can honor singleness as a genuine spiritual gift, create spaces where single Christians can thrive, and build a church community that truly values all the gifts God has given us.

If you have any questions about what’s talked about in this series that you’d like to hear in an Ask Me Anything, a sermon or a future podcast, please fill out the Google form here: https://forms.gle/H21PVVjWc4eMApsK7.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

Welcome to the Engage and Equip podcast. In February, pastor Devin led a seminar called Singleness is for Everyone here at High Point going over what the bible teaches about singleness. We’ll be posting the recordings as a series of three episodes throughout the month of March to help bring light to this topic and seek to encourage and educate all Christians with these Biblical truths.

This episode is from session 2 of the seminar, where Devin discussed how in our evangelical circles, we've often emphasized marriage to the exclusion of celibacy, creating an imbalance that overlooks important teachings. Here, he'll explore how both institutions help us live faithfully between the times as we await the fulfillment of God's kingdom.

If you have any questions about what’s talked about in this series that you’d like to hear in an Ask Me Anything, a sermon or a future podcast, please fill out the Google form here: https://forms.gle/H21PVVjWc4eMApsK7.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

In February, pastor Devin led a seminar called Singleness is for Everyone here at High Point going over what the bible teaches about singleness. We’ll be posting the recordings as a series of three episodes throughout the month of March to help bring light to this topic and seek to encourage and educate all Christians with these Biblical truths.

This episode is from session 1 of the seminar, where Devin talked about how the New Testament actually shifts our understanding of sexuality from Eden's command to multiply toward the New Jerusalem, where the Church is portrayed as the bride awaiting Christ. In this recording, Devin explores how this theological framework gives new meaning to both marriage and singleness in the Christian life, and how it might reshape our understanding of Christian community.

If you have any questions about what’s talked about in this series that you’d like to hear in an Ask Me Anything, a sermon or a future podcast, please fill out the Google form here: https://forms.gle/H21PVVjWc4eMApsK7.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

In this episode, pastor Nic sits down with Bishop Stubbs to share the story of the fruitful cross-cultural church partnership between High Point Church and End Time Ministries International. They talk about how High Point Church purchased and renovated the Monona Oaks building, which End Time Ministries now uses for worship and community outreach. Bishop Stubbs candidly discusses the challenges of urban ministry—serving a congregation where 65% receive public assistance, lacking administrative support, and struggling with consistent attendance and giving. Despite these obstacles, End Time Ministries continues to baptize new believers, operate a food pantry serving 75 families weekly, and plans to open a daycare to both serve families and generate revenue. The partnership demonstrates how two churches with different cultural expressions but shared theological foundations can collaborate effectively, with High Point providing facility resources while End Time focuses on gospel ministry and community impact. Their relationship exemplifies how churches can overcome financial and cultural barriers to advance their shared mission of reaching people with the message of Christ.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

In this episode, Pastor Nic is joined by his brother, Stanford, and his daughter, Rachel, as they discuss developing their own Rule of Life based on the sermon series we went through in the fall of 2024. The core idea of this episode is how to establish sustainable spiritual practices while accounting for different life stages and circumstances. They emphasize thatwhile morning routines and consistent Bible study are ideal, these practices must be adaptable to different situations, whether it's college life, young parenthood, or professional work. A key insight is that spiritual disciplines aren't meant to be rigid checklist items but rather tools for growth that can be adjusted as needed. The conversation particularly highlights the challenges faced by college students and young parents in maintaining spiritual disciplines, and emphasizes the importance of being able to restart habits without unproductive shame when they lapse. They also explore how responsibilities to others impact our spiritual routines, suggesting that while structure is important, it should be flexible enough to accommodate the needs of those we're called to serve.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

This episode of the Engage and Equip podcast comes from the recording of the February 2nd, 2025 Engage & Equip: LIVE event that we held at High Point. This recording includes the main session talk delivered by Pastor Nic, as well as the small group breakout session, also led by Nic.

Engage & Equip: LIVE is an event held around quarterly at High Point to engage leaders in our various ministries and equip them to do the work of the saints, helping to build up God's Kingdom. For more information about E&E, High Point Church, or our service opportunities, check out highpointchurch.org!

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

This week, Pastor Nic is joined by Than Christopoulos from the YouTube channel Exploring Reality. They discuss the historical reliability of the New Testament resurrection narratives and broader issues of faith, doubt, and biblical interpretation. The discussion focuses particularly on how to understand apparent discrepancies between the Gospel accounts while maintaining their historical reliability. Than, who was formerly an atheist before becoming a Christian apologist, explains his approach to harmonizing these accounts by understanding ancient literary conventions, Greek grammar, and the cultural context of the texts. The conversation expands to address deeper issues about how academic scholarship sometimes unfairly approaches biblical texts with different standards than other historical documents, and how personal biases and social pressures can influence both belief and disbelief. They also explore how to help Christians who struggle with doubts about biblical reliability, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and community in working through these questions. The discussion concludes with a philosophical exploration of suffering, free will, and God's purposes in allowing human development rather than creating fully formed beings, presenting a view of Christianity that embraces both intellectual rigor and meaningful engagement with life's difficulties.

Exploring Reality YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ExploringReality

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

This episode of E&E is a conversation between Pastor Nic Gibson and historian Tracy McKenzie about McKenzie's book "We the Fallen People," which explores a critical transformation in American political thought regarding human nature. The core argument is that the American founders designed the Constitution based on a realistic, biblically-aligned view that humans are inherently self-interested and fallen, requiring checks and balances on power. However, by the 1830s, particularly during the Jacksonian era, this view shifted dramatically toward a belief in the innate goodness of "the people." McKenzie argues that this transformation wasn't primarily driven by later influences like Marx or Darwin, but rather by earlier political dynamics, particularly the expansion of voting rights and the rise of populist democracy. The conversation explores how this shift continues to influence American political discourse today, where politicians often frame narratives around the inherent goodness of their supporters and the evil of their opponents. McKenzie expresses concern that these political messages can function as competing "sermons" that shape Christians' understanding of human nature in ways that may conflict with biblical teaching. He advocates for Christians to resist being "captured" by partisan narratives and to maintain a biblical view of human nature when engaging in politics, emphasizing that the line between good and evil runs through every human heart rather than between political parties.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

In this episode of the Engage and Equip podcast, we're joined by Sawyer Henderson and Pastor Nic as they discuss Nic's sermon about communion from the Advent sermon series, focusing particularly on differing theological views and practical application. The core discussion centers around the tension between Protestant and Catholic understandings of communion, especially regarding transubstantiation - the Catholic belief that the bread and wine literally become Christ's body and blood. Pastor Nic argues that while Catholics and Protestants both believe in Christ's real presence in communion, the Catholic Church's insistence on transubstantiation as dogma has led to problematic practices and unnecessary division within Christianity. He emphasizes that communion should be inclusive for all believers while remaining exclusive to those who profess faith in Christ, and that its practice should help ground the church in equality despite necessary functional hierarchies. The conversation then broadens to address why some evangelical Christians feel drawn to more liturgical traditions, with Nic asserting that while aspects of Catholic and Orthodox practice can be valuable, the Protestant foundation of scripture-based, reforming faith provides the best framework for balanced Christian practice. The episode concludes with practical applications of divine hospitality, emphasizing that reaching people requires sacrificial service and making others feel Christ's welcome, particularly during seasons like Christmas.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

In this episode, Pastor Nic is joined by Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, a renowned education professor and Christian believer, discuss Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its intersection with faith and education. The conversation aims to provide a clear, nuanced explanation of CRT's main tenets while exploring how Christians might engage with these ideas constructively. Dr. Ladson-Billings, as both a scholar and a long-time church member, offers unique insights into how CRT can be understood as an analytical tool for understanding racial inequality rather than as a prescription for policy or a replacement for Christian values. The discussion covers topics like systemic racism, interest convergence, race as a social construct, and church segregation, all while maintaining a focus on how these concepts relate to Christian faith and practice. Throughout the conversation, Ladson-Billings emphasizes that CRT is primarily meant to help explain persistent racial disparities in America, not to promote hatred or division. The conversation ultimately suggests that understanding CRT's academic insights might actually help Christians better fulfill their calling to love their neighbors and work toward reconciliation, while maintaining their core theological commitments.

Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

Music: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)