This episode of the Engage and Equip podcast features pastors Nic Gibson and Paxton Bauer in an AMA from our recent series on generosity. They talk about why people often struggle to be generous with those closest to them while appearing generous in public, emphasizing that true generosity must flow from a transformed heart rather than forced actions. The conversation covers practical topics like financial giving, prosperity theology, charitable donations, and helping panhandlers, while arguing that authentic satisfaction comes from aligning with God's will and living for others rather than pursuing immediate gratification.

Episode Notes:

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 & Equip podcast, Dr. Greg Scharf, former chair of preaching and practical theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, discusses the mutual responsibilities between church congregations and their pastoral leadership. He explores what believers should expect from their pastors, how to properly encourage and support them, and what not to expect - emphasizing that pastors can't excel at everything or be everyone's best friend. Dr. Scharf also addresses the current challenges in pastoral leadership, recommends essential books for elder candidates, and shares wisdom on the vetting process for potential church leaders.

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 and Pastor Mike discuss the Holy Spirit's role in Christianity and how the Holy Spirit functions as a distinct person within the Trinity who empowers believers to live Christian lives. They tackle controversial topics like denominational differences, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and how believers can "hear God's voice." Throughout, they maintain that the Holy Spirit brings vitality to faith by connecting believers to God's power, enabling them to resist worldly desires, and equipping them to serve one another in community.

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)

At this Engage & Equip: LIVE event, we heard from Pastor Nic about what it means to be a "sticky" church and discussed steps we can take to build an atmosphere where newcomers want to come back and "stick around".

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 Dr. Greg Scharf, former chair of preaching and homiletics at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, as they discuss the biblical nature of pastoral ministry. Dr. Scharf unpacks the interchangeable New Testament terms of elder, overseer, and pastor, explaining how these roles overlap in Scripture despite later church traditions creating hierarchical distinctions. They go into the practical duties of church elders (feeding the flock through teaching, prayer, discipleship, and visitation), qualifications for eldership, how churches should develop and train potential leaders, and the relationship between congregational authority and external accountability structures. Dr. Scharf shares wisdom from his decades of pastoral experience, including a successful two-year elder training program he developed, recommended resources for spiritual development, and insights on current challenges facing pastors in today's divisive cultural climate. This episode offers valuable biblical and practical guidance for church leaders and members seeking to understand and support healthy church governance.

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 features a discussion with student ministry leaders Paxton Bauer and Brittany Warnell about discipling teenagers in the church. They explore the challenges students face today, including questions of belonging, cultural tensions, and intellectual doubts about faith. The conversation highlights research showing that 59% of young Christians disconnect from church after age 15, but those in meaningful mentoring relationships are significantly more likely to maintain their faith. The hosts emphasize that students need to feel they belong before they truly believe or change their behavior, and discuss practical ways church members can connect with students through mentoring relationships and intergenerational interactions on Sundays. Their message is clear: simple conversations with teens can make a profound difference in their spiritual journey.

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)

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 Sawyer Henderson and Jacey Thompson. To talk about the biblical teaching on generosity through an in-depth examination of 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9, which contain the most comprehensive teaching on Christian giving in the Bible. The conversation weaves through personal stories of being impacted by others' generosity, the theological underpinnings of Christian giving, and practical applications for modern life. Key themes include how true generosity flows from understanding the gospel, the proper attitudes and motivations for giving, financial stewardship, and the balance between church giving and other charitable causes. They discuss how generosity is not just about money but reflects a transformed heart that mirrors God's own generosity. They also address common concerns about church finances, the relationship between giving and spiritual growth, and how Christians can develop practical habits of generosity regardless of their economic situation.

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, Pastor Nic and Jill explore addiction from a Christian theological perspective. They discuss how Jesus's healing approach offers a framework for understanding addiction through biblical concepts: infirmity (weakness), slavery (compulsive control), and idolatry (false salvation). The conversation highlights how the cross creates both moral accountability and freedom from shame, challenging the notion that professional help is always necessary. They discuss that while clinical psychology has value, Christian community can address many psychological needs through compassionate listening and spiritual wisdom. Join us as we explore a holistic approach to healing that balances accountability with compassion in addressing addiction.

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 is an Ask Me Anything with Pastor Nic about his recent sermon he preached on missions and politics. The primary focus of this episode is on how Christians should navigate conflicts between their God-given authority from Christ and other earthly authorities like governments. Pastor Nic explains that while Christians should generally obey legitimate authority, when those authorities exceed their rightful boundaries and interfere with Christians' commission to make disciples, their actions become tyrannical, and Christians have a responsibility not to be servile. Throughout the discussion, they address numerous theological questions about missions, evangelism, predestination, handling persecution, maintaining faith in difficult times, and appropriate Christian responses to authority.

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)