Grace Upon Grace

In this episode, Pastor Eric and I discuss the rise of deliverance ministries and how Christians can discern spiritual warfare through a biblical lens. Looking at Acts 16 and Paul’s encounter with the demon-possessed girl in Philippi, we explore the dangers of both denying and sensationalizing demonic activity, showing how many modern ministries stray from Scripture and exploit fear for profit. True deliverance, of course, never points anywhere but to Christ alone.

Eric is on staff with me at Stonington Baptist Church in Paxinos, Pennsylvania, where he lives and serves with his wife, Jade, and their son, Rosco. You can connect with him on Facebook.

Resources: Trimmed & Burning, Eric Attinger’s teaching ministry Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment, Bradley Gray Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Bradley Gray

Sponsor: You can support Ministry Minded by buying some coffee from Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount on your next order. Buy some coffee today!

Credits: Intro music: It Just Makes Me Happy Composer: DJ Quads, soundcloud.com/aka-dj-quads License: Creative Commons (BY-NC 3.0), creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: breakingcopyright.com

Title: This Is Amazing Grace Text: Luke 15:1–32 Originally delivered on 4 May 2025 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

Title: The Gospel Matters More Text: 1 Corinthians 8:1—10:31 Originally delivered on 27 April 2025 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I get to chat with David Zahl about his brand new book, The Big Relief, which explores what makes the message of grace so essential not only to the Christian faith but also to the human experience. In a world that is fraught with weariness, brokenness, and the incessant pressure to perform, the gospel of grace is the counterintuitive announcement of the gift of relief. Dave and I unpack this message and what it means to believe and share a gospel that is inherently lopsided.

David Zahl is the founder and director of Mockingbird Ministries and a cohost of The Mockingcast. He and his family live in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he also serves on the staff of Christ Episcopal Church. You can connect with him on Facebook and Instagram.

Resources: The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World, David Zahl Low Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself), David Zahl Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What to Do about It, David Zahl “One Noun & Five Adjectives: Refreshing Our Vocabulary of Grace,” David Zahl at the 2024 Mockingbird Tyler, TX conference Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment, Bradley Gray Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Bradley Gray

Sponsor: You can support Ministry Minded by buying some coffee from Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount on your next order. Buy some coffee today!

Credits: Intro music: It Just Makes Me Happy Composer: DJ Quads, soundcloud.com/aka-dj-quads License: Creative Commons (BY-NC 3.0), creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: breakingcopyright.com

Title: What Easter Really Means Text: Acts 7:54–60 Originally delivered on 20 April 2025 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

Title: Obstacles, Opportunities, and the Unstoppable Gospel Text: Acts 16:16–34 Originally delivered on 13 April 2025 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, I chat with Philip Nation about how Bible publishers can promote more engagement with Scripture and help stem the tide of biblical illiteracy in churches, and some of the current challenges facing church leaders. Philip also shares his heart for encouraging and shepherding pastors in a cultural climate that is rapidly changing and offers some insight into the unique benefits of Thomas Nelson’s The OPEN Bible.

Philip Nation is the Vice-President/Publisher of Thomas Nelson Bibles. He has served as a pastor, church planter, and education minister in local churches. He frequently travels to speak in churches and at conferences. Philip earned a Doctor of Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has authored and edited numerous books and Bible studies. Philip is a University Fellow for Arizona Christian University and has been a professor at Union University and Houston Christian University. You can connect with him on Facebook, X/Twitter, and Threads.

Resources: The OPEN Bible The NET Bible, Full Notes Edition The Forgotten Preface: Surprising Insights on the Translation Philosophy of the King James Translator, Joshua Barzon Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment, Bradley Gray Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Bradley Gray

Sponsor: You can support Ministry Minded by buying some coffee from Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount on your next order. Buy some coffee today!

Credits: Intro music: It Just Makes Me Happy Composer: DJ Quads, soundcloud.com/aka-dj-quads License: Creative Commons (BY-NC 3.0), creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: breakingcopyright.com

Title: Jesus Meets You in the Storm Text: Matthew 14:22–33 Originally delivered on 6 April 2025 at 5 Stones Fight Club, Inc., Annville, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net

In this episode, Pastor Eric and I discuss how Christians can biblically and thoughtfully navigate the blistering speed of social media and the omnipresence of social media. Similar to stand-up comedians who are constantly mining their lives for material, unchecked social media use can quickly lead to distraction and inauthenticity. Our aim is to think theologically about how believers can engage with social media without over-consumption.

Eric is on staff with me at Stonington Baptist Church in Paxinos, Pennsylvania, where he lives and serves with his wife, Jade, and their son, Rosco. You can connect with him on Facebook.

Resources: “The Best Part Of Quitting Comedy,” Peter James “Quitting Comedy: Relief or Regret?” Peter James “Push notification masochism,” an article by yours truly “I’m not who I want to be,” an article by yours truly The Remarkable Ordinary, Griffin Gooch Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment, Bradley Gray Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Bradley Gray

Sponsor: You can support Ministry Minded by buying some coffee from Fresh Roasted Coffee, a locally owned and operated coffee house in the heart of Central Pennsylvania that produces the freshest coffee and delivers it at peak drinkability. Use offer code “GRACE10” at checkout to get a discount on your next order. Buy some coffee today!

Credits: Intro music: “Night In Kyoto” by AVBE via Uppbeat. License code: NZW9CUKLWDL4PMYI.

Title: The King Who Lost It All Text: 2 Chronicles 26:1–23 Originally delivered on 23 March 2025 at Stonington Baptist Church, Paxinos, PA For more content like this, visit www.graceupongrace.net