Engage and Equip

In this episode, Pastor Paxton is joined by three other pastors of student ministries in Madison discussing FUSE, an ecumenical ministry that unites Christian students across different high schools and churches. The ministry operates through Christian clubs in schools (currently in about nine schools) and large inter-church events where students are grouped by their schools rather than their home churches. They talk about their collaborative, service-oriented approach with school administrations, focusing on blessing schools and building community rather than taking an adversarial stance, while helping students discover they're not alone in their faith and creating opportunities for Christian community within schools.

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

In this AMA, Pastor Nic is joined by Monte Knetter as they discuss the biblical tension between submitting to governing authorities and obeying God when they conflict. Drawing from Monte’s recent sermon on 1 Peter 2, they examine when rebellion might be justified through historical examples like the American Revolution and Protestant Reformation, while wrestling with modern dilemmas such as COVID restrictions. The conversation reveals how Christians must balance respecting God-ordained authority with standing firm on biblical principles, emphasizing that both blind obedience and reckless rebellion can be harmful, and acknowledging that faithful Christians may sometimes reach different conclusions about when conscience must override governmental commands.

Questions they discussed:

• How would you justify the Reformation and also keep with the command to obey authorities and institutions?
• Can you talk more about examples of rebellion? The US was born out of rebellion against taxation to the King of England. How do you view the revolution and rebellion against communism in Eastern Europe in the late 80s and early 90s?
• What do you think of "white lies"? An example comes to mind of Exodus 1:15-21, about the Hebrew midwives in Egypt who helped the Hebrew baby boys to stay alive despite the order of the king to kill them.
• How would you counsel a Christian to engage with perceived societal injustices while still honoring authorities?
• Do you have any book recommendations, historical accounts, theological works, or biographies related to this topic?
• How do we exercise our freedoms in a democracy where we have the freedom to protest or to work towards change while still submitting?
• How does a wife submit to her husband who is unfaithful several times and believes it is her duty to stay with him? Do we continue to submit to those who mentally abuse us?
• In light of this passage, is direct action against our government ever justifiable? For example, American Revolution, resistance to Hitler by Bonhoeffer?
• Are constructive, peaceful criticisms of authority and honoring authority incompatible?
• What ways can we honor authority in situations when it commands us to do something that is against the will of God?
• Is there a point where it's right for believers to flee an oppressive, unjust authority? For example, pilgrims fleeing Europe to come to North America.
• If the government decrees that nobody should speak out against their wrongdoings, should the church obey and stay quiet and cooperate with the government?
• Where does the legitimacy of government come from in the perspective of a Christian?
• How do you honor someone practically when authority is corrupt, i.e. abusive parents?
• During COVID, when we were strong armed into taking the vaccine by our government, if we were convicted against getting it and didn't, or if our church met in person against the suggestion of our government, does this mean we aren't submitting to the government in the way the scripture commands us to?

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)

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

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

This transcript captures the second part of a sexuality panel discussion from the "Engage and Equip" podcast, where hosts Paxton, Justin, and Dan address questions about Christianity and LGBTQ+ issues. The conversation covers how Christians can love and engage respectfully with the LGBTQ+ community while maintaining biblical convictions, including topics like responding to family members coming out, welcoming LGBTQ+ individuals in churches, and navigating faith and sexuality. The hosts, who include individuals with personal experience of same-sex attraction, emphasize treating all people as image-bearers of God deserving dignity while discussing biblical perspectives on relationships, dating, and the possibility of redemption through faith in 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)

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

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

This week’s podcast features a follow-up discussion to a student ministry sexuality panel, where host Paxton leads a discussion about LGBTQ-related topics and maintaining Christian faith. The conversation explores biblical teachings on marriage and sexuality, addressing student questions about sin, salvation, and relationships while emphasizing that all people struggle with sexual brokenness and need God's grace. The discussion balances holding to traditional Christian sexual ethics with showing compassion and acknowledging the church's historical failures in loving the LGBTQ+ 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)

Extra Resources:

An Impossible Marriage: What Our Mixed-Orientation Marriage Has Taught Us About Love and the Gospel by Matt and Laurie Krieg (https://a.co/d/7e5UG5Q)

Born Again This Way by Rachel Gilson (https://a.co/d/4J4rLUj)

Hole in My Heart Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/7lanhpj9eRbEoVpt13G7dI?si=MGIG0adHSVK4ZhQ7UcpIdw)

Redeemed Sexuality: A Guide to Sexuality for Christian Singles, Campus Students, Teens and Parents by Tim and Dr. Jennifer Konzen (https://a.co/d/8RTF8je)

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

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

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)

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

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

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)

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

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

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)

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

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

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)

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

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

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)

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

Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcast

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