Grace or Grit

God made Adam and Eve in His own image; in His own likeness.  And yet, Satan tempted Eve by suggesting that if she would eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, she could BECOME like God.  The proper question might then be: what was Satan up to?  After all, once Adam and Eve ate and fell, God did say, "They have become like us."  Perhaps the simplest answer is that the most significant elements of Satan's lie were the timing and process of it all.  Satan sold the idea to humanity that God was holding something back from us; something that would make us MORE like Him.  Of course, Satan's original lie to himself was that he could ascend and be like the Most High.

Whatever you make of all that, there is no doubt that the idea of "being like God" is central both to creation and to the fall.  But that's not all.  It's also central to our redemption.  In a very real way Christ saves us from our own wicked imaginations, and by His Spirit recreates us in His own image.  Seth was begotten in the image of the first Adam.  You and I (who have been regenerated) are begotten in the image of the last Adam; that is, Christ!

So, what is the image of God anyway?  What is the (Latin) imago Dei?  The Bible teaches us that Christ is the express image of the Father.  And, we read that we are being transformed into His image (2nd Corinthians 3:18).  But what exactly does that mean and how is it accomplished?

Admittedly, this podcast is a little weightier than some of the past ones have been, but take the time to listen attentively as Patrick and Dave discuss this truth with Jason Alligood.  He is the teaching pastor at Fellowship Bible Church of Peoria, IL.

If Jesus had waited another 1990 years to be born, would He have social media accounts today?

That might sound like a silly question.  And, perhaps it is.  But it also an opportunity to think seriously about the proper place that social media should play in the life of a Christian.

Certainly there is plenty of mania, froth, and irrelevance on social media.  There are even existential dangers on social media.  But there are also wonderful opportunities that we shouldn't miss.

On this episode Patrick and Dave spend an hour with Keith Myer talking about the impact of social media on the church, on ministry, and on Christianity.  Keith is the pastor of Harvest Baptist Church in Salisbury, MD.  This discussion is not quite as heavy as some from the past, but it sure does deal with a debatable issue that is highly relevant in our present society.

It doesn't need to be repeated, but let's do so anyway.  Neither President Trump, nor candidate Biden are the hope for America.  Neither major political party, nor any lesser (or imagined) political party can save us.  Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!  If we don't trust in God, no other contrivable strategy will preserve us.

However, that is not to say that it doesn't matter who wins the presidential election.  If you will think through the history of mankind (as is presented in the Scripture), you will notice that the condition of whole nations and empires has always been inextricably connected to (and dependent upon) the nature and character of whoever was leading.  Inevitably, the relationship of massive groups of people to the God of the Bible has hinged on the connection of their primary representative to Him.  He blesses or curses people in direct relation to the moral direction of their primary leader.  

So, in principle, it does matter who you vote for.  But it doesn't just matter in principle.  It matters practically too.  Whether the issue considered is a weighty one, like abortion, or a much less significant one, like balancing the federal budget, there are biblical principles that we must strive to uphold and honor. 

Unfortunately (or fortunately), many people seem to be willing to just toe the line of their own chosen social group?  Revelation, logic, and history are all but ignored by many in favor of personalities, emotions, and popular opinion.  

So, what are we to do?  Should we vote for Trump, for Biden, for someone else, or not at all?  Does it even matter?  Listen as David and Patrick are joined by Matt Taylor, a local farmer (and a deacon at Grace Baptist Church) in a candid discussion of national politics and how we as Christians should involve ourselves. 

Some say that the Bible is antiquated and irrelevant.  I say that it is the ultimate classic.  But even from my perspective, I recognize that (due to our culture's general ignorance of biblical history and context) the principles of Scripture may need to be taught in a variety of ways.  

So, should we focus more on making the old truths relevant, current, cool, contextualized, modernized, and familiar by sticking with illustrations with which everyone in our audience would be naturally familiar?  Or, should we do the hard work of educating our audiences sufficiently so that utilizing the oldest of Bible stories is easily understood by them?  

There is at least one man who successfully does both.  He is the guest on today's episode.  Bro. Dan Hatfield is on the pastoral staff at Bayview Baptist Church in Laurel, DE.  He is passionate about (and proficient at) making the Bible understandable and applicable through the use of a variety of illustrative tools.   Listen to this inspiring conversation.

The word ritual is defined as "a religious ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order."  There is nothing wrong with having rituals.  The Bible is replete with them (from the sacrificial system of the Old Testament to the 2 ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper in the New Testament).  But the moment a ritual replaces reality rather than representing reality, something has to change.

Independent Baptist have practiced many helpful rituals over the years.  But sometimes we have allowed rituals to serve as a substitute for spirituality.  So, how do we maintain a good balance in that regard?

On this episode Dave and Patrick are joined by the man who was Dave's pastor throughout his junior high, high school, and college days.  He even gave Dave his first teaching job at Bethel Baptist School after Dave graduated from college.  Today's guest is Pastor Earl Goode.  He serves as the interim pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Warrior, AL.  

These 2 things should not be viewed as a dichotomy.  Neither should they be viewed as stages or equal parts of our salvation.  Yet faith and effort are inseparable.  Both the epistle to the Hebrews and the epistle of James make the connection of faith and effort unmistakable.  But what is the actual relationship of these 2 things?  And, how do we discern the difference in our own lives?

In this episode Pastor David Mathews of Faith Baptist Church in Vienna, VA joins with David Talley and Patrick Reed to unpack the real difference between grace and grit.  Neither ingredient will exist alone for long in the Christian life.  Listen in now to this honest and helpful discussion.

We are the church militant.  I'm not talking about political or physical aggression, of course.  I only mean that we are on a mission of kingdom expansion.  There is territory to conquer.  There is a very real enemy to fight.

But, how should we go about it?  Should we take the in-your-face approach, or is there a kinder, gentler way to get the job done?

What we are really talking about here is evangelism.  We're talking about the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We're talking about the salvation lost souls.

David and Patrick are joined on this episode by Pastor Brian Moss.  He has been the senior pastor of Oak Ridge Baptist Church in Salisbury, MD for 21 years.  You will be encouraged and instructed as you listen to him address the primary strategies of missional vs. attractional evangelism. 

We are all called to be evangelists.  But, do we invite or invade?  Should we invite the lost to come and see, or should we invade their space - or is it both? 

100 years ago, this discussion would have called for many authors and many presentations.  The voices would need clout, degrees, scholarship, and money.  In fact, that is exactly what we find.  "The Fundamentals" were 90 essays written by 64 different authors, initially published in 12 volumes.  

Those men were fighting significant errors in the church.  Modernists were skeptical of everything biblical.  No foundational Christian doctrine was safe from the malignant tentacles of modernism. 

The battles were fought and won.  Not that those in error were convinced to convert, necessarily.  And certainly, if anything, the errors of the last century have only morphed and multiplied, becoming even more accepted by mainline denominations and by the unregenerate majority of Christendom.  

Meanwhile, the offspring and proselytes of the original fundament Christians began infighting.  Noble separation from heresy degraded to ignoble separation based on preferences; or worse, on personality.  

So today the discussion among "our brand" of Christians is not about the deity of Christ or the authority of the Scripture.  It's about what clothes we wear to church, what style of music we play, which version of the Bible we use, or even some less obvious tradition.

Of course there is a current modern philosophy and perspective that is absolutely incompatible with biblical Christianity.  However, that does not mean that everything modern is evil.

In this episode, David and Patrick are joined by Pastor Woody Bates in a kind conversation reflecting on our experiences with the schisms that have molded and marred our journey as Independent Baptists.  Although the likes and dislikes of the average American Christian can be unbelievably distracting, in this conversation you will hear us yearning for a deeper and more significant faith that holds to foundational truths unapologetically, but which also shows more grace and avoids selfish pride.

Does anyone perform when your church assembles?  If so, who is it?

Every church should have the same performer every Sunday.  

God. 

God is the performer.  We worship Him.

However, every assembly of the body does indeed include a production.  We strive (or should strive) to worship well and in so doing invite (and motivate) others to worship with us.

This episode David is joined by 2 guests in a discussion about church music.  Jon Nichols is the Minister of music and youth at the Republican Baptist Church in Clarks Hill, SC.  And, Seth Talley is David's eldest son.  He is studying music and worship at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. 

Are you confident that you have a clear, distinct, and accurate vision of who God really is and what He is trying to do in your life in 2020?

There is no doubt about it, this year has been an incredibly unusual one (so far).  Yet, we know that God is on the throne and He is always more than willing to bless those who come to Him in faith and humility.  But are we actually working toward the vision He has cast, or have we just made up a plan based on our own imagined concept of what God is like and what He appreciates.

From the impact of the coronavirus to the most basic strategies of how a church functions, every aspect of our lives ultimately springs from our vision of God - that is both (1) how we see Him and (2) if we see what matters to Him.  So, we had better get it right.

Listen today as Patrick and David spend an hour with Pastor Wayne Ayer (1st Baptist Church of Pocomoke, MD) evaluating what a 20/20 vision of God truly is in 2020.