Further

This week on Further, Brenton and Chris begin with a look at the ordination of two of Harmony's assistant pastors and why guarding sound doctrine and maintaining a plurality of leadership are so vital to the long-term health of the church. 

Then they continue in Genesis 18, wrestling with a nuanced question about God's judgment: if God doesn't delight in the death of the wicked, in what sense does He delight in justice? Drawing from Ezekiel, Lamentations, Hosea, and Isaiah 53, Chris explains how God delights in what His justice accomplishes and in the magnification of His righteousness, while never taking pleasure in suffering itself.

The conversation then turns to God's charge for Abraham to teach his children righteousness and justice, as Chris unpacks what Sodom's pride and neglect of the poor reveal about the full scope of what God cares about. He also challenges parents, especially fathers, to take ownership of their children's spiritual formation, recognizing that faith is caught more than it is taught and that kids thrive with loving structure. Reflecting on Abraham's intercession for Sodom, they discuss how Christians should pray for those in authority, how to reconcile imprecatory psalms with prayers for mercy, and why vengeance belongs to the Lord alone. The episode closes with an honest conversation about loving our enemies, reminding listeners that prayer is one of the primary ways God shapes our hearts toward those we find most difficult to love.

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This week on Further, Brenton sits down with Paul Fischbach to discuss Genesis 18 and the central question it raises: is anything too hard for the Lord? They explore the difference between believing God is capable of anything and assuming He has promised to do whatever we want, and how to discern which of Scripture's promises apply to us today without cherry-picking verses out of context. 

Paul offers encouragement for those tempted toward cynicism in the face of unanswered prayer, pointing to Jesus' own submission to the Father's will and the unchanging goodness of God's character. They also talk about what it means to experience God's presence, how to think about emotional highs in worship, and how to remain faithful in dry seasons when God feels distant. Reflecting on Abraham and Sarah's laughter, Paul explains how God's patience and correction work together, and where honest doubt crosses into sinful unbelief. 

The episode closes with a look at Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11, showing how true rest comes not from escaping hard circumstances, but from taking on His yoke and submitting to His gentle direction.

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If you have a question that you'd like to be discussed on Further, send us an email at:
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This week on Further, Brenton and Chris turn to Genesis 17 and God’s covenant sign of circumcision, exploring how it connects to baptism as an outward sign of an inward reality. They discuss the similarities and important differences between the two, and Chris addresses how believers should understand the difficult warning passages in Hebrews 6 about those who fall away. 

The conversation then shifts to the ultimate purpose of salvation, which is not simply forgiveness or going to heaven, but that God would be our God and we would be His people. Chris explains what it means for God to be our inheritance and why this truth should reshape how we share the gospel, warning against presentations that treat salvation as a finish line rather than the beginning of a relationship with God. They also consider Paul’s teaching that not all who are descended from Israel truly belong to Israel, and how it is possible to carry the outward markers of faith without a transformed heart. 

The episode closes with a look at what it means to examine ourselves, reminding listeners that the pattern of our lives, our love for God’s people, and even a humble willingness to be examined can point to the reality of genuine faith.

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If you have a question that you'd like to be discussed on Further, send us an email at:
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This week on Further, Brenton and Chris continue in Abraham's story with Genesis 16, exploring what happens when Abraham and Sarah try to take control of a situation God had promised to handle. They discuss how to tell the difference between responsible action and trying to control outcomes that belong to God, and why fear and shame so often drive our worst decisions. Chris explains the danger of reading the Old Testament as a collection of moral examples, warning that this approach turns the Bible into a story about us rather than about our need for Christ. They also talk about how to tell descriptive passages from prescriptive ones, and why we must be careful not to judge Scripture by whatever our culture currently considers normal. Reflecting on Hagar's encounter with "the God who sees," Chris shares how this truth should change the way we treat others, including in the fight against lust and pornography. The conversation closes with a look at Paul's use of Hagar and Sarah in Galatians 4, where the child of the flesh and the child of promise reveal that God's promises come by faith in His grace, never by human effort.

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In this episode of Further, Brenton is joined by Pastors Clay Baker and Matt Mitchell to continue the conversation from Genesis 15 and explore the significance of covenant throughout Scripture. They discuss how biblical covenants differ from the way we often think about agreements today and why God continues to remain faithful even when His people fail to uphold their commitments. The conversation then turns to covenant theology and dispensationalism, examining how these different frameworks understand the relationship between the biblical covenants, Israel, the Church, and the larger story of redemption. Along the way, they consider why these theological questions matter for everyday Christians and the way we read and understand the Bible. Ultimately, they return to the assurance found in Christ, asking how we can honestly examine our lives without placing our confidence in our own performance rather than the finished work of Jesus.

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This week on Further, Brenton and Chris dig into Genesis 15 and what Abraham's story teaches us about faith that grows through struggle. They discuss how faith is both a gift God produces in us and something we actively work out, and they offer a biblical definition of faith as confident trust in a personal, trustworthy God rather than a blind leap. Chris explains the role Scripture plays in strengthening our faith, why beating ourselves up for weak faith only turns us back toward ourselves, and the difference between complaining about God and bringing our honest doubts to Him. 

They also speak with compassion to those who have wrestled with doubt for years without resolution, pointing to perseverance, the encouragement of the church, and the truth that God Himself is our greatest reward. The episode closes with a challenge to prioritize worship and the means of grace, since what we give ourselves to is ultimately what shapes us.

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In this episode of Further, Chris Carr and Paul Fischbach take a closer look at Genesis 14 and the theological questions raised by Abraham’s rescue of Lot. The conversation explores the Christian understanding of war, comparing pacifism and just war theory while wrestling with the reality that even attempts to pursue justice can be complicated by human sin and injustice. They also unpack the significance of Melchizedek, examining how his priesthood, righteousness, peace, blessing, and lack of recorded genealogy point forward to the greater and eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ. Along the way, Chris and Paul discuss Christophanies and how the Old Testament reveals Christ before his incarnation.

The conversation then turns to Abraham’s giving of a tenth of the spoils and what Genesis 14 teaches about generosity under the New Covenant. Chris and Paul distinguish between the Old Testament command to tithe and the New Testament call to generous, cheerful, grace-driven giving, emphasizing that Christians give not to earn God’s blessing but because they have already received it in Christ.  The episode closes by celebrating the generosity of the church and the ways that faithful giving is creating opportunities for ministry and gospel impact in the community.

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This week on Further, Brenton talks with guest Matt Mitchell about his sermon on Genesis 13, framing Abram's story as a comeback: after his failed detour to Egypt, Abram returns to the altar where he first called on the Lord, and God renews His promise. They dig into what it means to "go back to the place you got off," and why humbling ourselves and returning to God is actually the truest kind of progress.

They also wrestle with what God's blessing and protection really look like—and don't look like. Matt explains that God's promises were never meant to guarantee an easy road, and that suffering is no sign of God's absence. The conversation turns to listener questions about modern "Jordan Valleys" that lure us away from trusting God and what it practically looks like to return to the altar after drifting from faith, before closing with a discussion on how to rightly claim God's promises for ourselves without misapplying verses written to someone else.

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This week on Further, Brenton and Chris tackle some of the difficult questions raised by Abraham’s story. How should Christians understand slavery in the Old Testament? Why does Pharaoh suffer the consequences of Abraham’s deception? And how do we make sense of biblical stories where the actions of one person affect an entire community?

They also explore the tension between grace and obedience. If God’s blessing ultimately rests on His character rather than our conduct, does the way we live still matter? Chris explains why the gospel guards us from both legalism and cheap grace—and why understanding the seriousness of sin actually helps us see the greatness of God’s grace more clearly.

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This week on Further, Brenton and Chris begin the conversation from Genesis 12 and the call of Abraham. They explore the contrast between Babel and Abraham, what it really means to be a “spiritual giant,” and how to pursue godly ambition without confusing faithfulness with visibility or success.

They also unpack how the gospel was preached beforehand to Abraham, how God’s promises to Abraham relate to Israel and the Church today, and what Scripture teaches about discerning God’s call when the next step isn’t clear. 

Email us at [email protected]

If you have a question that you'd like to be discussed on Further, send us an email at:
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Listen to last week's Sermon:
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Visit our church website at:
harmonybiblechurch.org

furtherpodcast.com