Grounded with Steve Hartland

Grounded with Steve Hartland

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Grounded with Steve Hartland episodes

  • Is Masculinity Toxic? (Guest: Nancy Pearcey) - The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes - Grounded Ep. 28

    Is Masculinity Toxic?

    In today's episode, Steve interviews Nancy Pearcey, who is the author of The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, as well as Love Thy Body, The Soul of Science, Saving Leonardo, Finding Truth, and Total Truth. She is professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University. She has been quoted in The New Yorker and Newsweek, highlighted as one of the five top women apologists by Christianity Today, and hailed in The Economist as "America's pre-eminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual."

    (You can learn more about her book here:)

    The Toxic War on Masculinity: https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-War-Masculinity-Christianity-Reconciles/dp/0801075734

    ----- Begin Show Notes -----

    Professor Nancy Pearcy

    *Scholar in Residence at Houston Baptist University.

    *Author (9X on Wiki) Total truth.

    We’re here today to discuss her most recent, best selling book - (Hold it up - get it at Amazon)

    The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes - Grounded Ep. 28

    • Let’s start here - People often accuse evangelical Christian men of being oppressive patriarchs, prone to abuse. But you make the surprising claim that they test out as having the lowest levels

    of abuse and divorce. Please explain. Why impt.

    • But don’t we often hear that Christians divorce at the same rate as the rest of society?

    • Your book says men are being torn between two competing scripts for masculinity. What are they?

    • Men are falling behind in education, employment, health, and even life expectancy. Why are people

    ignoring the real problems men face today?

    • Why should we worry about men? Don’t they still occupy most positions of power?

    • Your book says criticisms of men began much earlier than most of us think. Where did the idea of “toxic

    masculinity” come from?

    • As American society grows more secular, how does secularization contribute to a negative script for

    masculinity?

    • Today’s public rhetoric often casts men as villains and women as victims. Where did these stereotypes

    come from?

    • Your book says the Darwinian theory of evolution normalized many traits in men that today are labeled

    toxic. How so?

    • The long-term strategy for preventing toxic behavior in men is for fathers to invest deeply in their sons. But the media portrays fathers as incompetent idiots. Where did that negative image come from?

    • What practical steps can fathers take to be more involved with their sons—and their daughters?

    • At the end of your book, you address the problem of abuse in Christian homes. How can churches

    respond more effectively?

    • How can people connect with you and purchase a copy of The Toxic War on Masculinity?

    Nancy's website: https://www.nancypearcey.com/

    The Toxic War on Masculinity: https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-War-Masculinity-Christianity-Reconciles/dp/0801075734

    --- End of Show Notes ---

    We hope today's episode has been helpful and formative for your walk with the Lord!

    (- the Grounded team)

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    56 min
  • Is there something we're giving up? - Grounded Ep. 27

    God's Good Design, written by Michael Clary, is an excellent observation of what the Bible has to say about our identity as men and women. We are similar, yet the differences between us matter, and are profound by the Bible's standards.

    Michael helps to explain some of the concepts of his book. These two pastors sit down to discuss current, controversial issues to the church , our very lives and relationships!

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    1 hr 9 min
  • Bearable Bible Passages (Learning about Bears in the Bible...?) - Grounded Ep. 23

    Bearable Bible Passages (Learning about Bears in the Bible...?) - Grounded Ep. 23

    Where did Steve come up with the idea for this episode? It probably won't make sense to you until part way, but give it a chance! We hope that today's episode will both be intriguing and also challenging to your understanding of the Bible, God, and yes, bears.

    Begin Show Notes:

    Bears in the Bible

    Why? B/c just read through 2 Kings, and in chapter 2 - story about Elisah, a roaming mob of insulting young men, and two mauling bears. And it’s that biblical account that I really want to get to, but there are some other very interesting accounts in the Bible about bears, so we’re going to start in some other places first.

    Actually, start - 2 Bear stories. One personal, and one in the news.

    *Personal… Kids, tent…

    *Another (many). Great smokies, female black bear (up to 300 lbs, 5’7” - the male 900) was grabbing food off picnic tables (Yogi and BooBoo), raiding trash cans, and even stealing backpacks. Relocate. Tranquilized, enclosed truck, relocated 1k miles, 4 states away. Georgia. Attached a geolocating device.

    What happened? That bear started walking. across Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina and then into Tennessee— returned to the campsite where it had been trapped. Never slowed down, just kept going (Forrest Gump bear; energizer bunny bear - keeps on walking).

    That female bear walked 1k miles, 4 states. How? Hidden GPS? Rand McNally atlas? (remember?). How?

    Had never been. Didn’t see. Couldn’t smell. Was drugged and inside an enclosed truck. How?

    And the ans is - we have no clue.

    Proposals - maybe able to follow Celestial or magnetic cues. (How?). Nobody knows! With all our science, physics - we just don’t know.

    ***Bible - we are fearfully… and here we might note that even the the bears, animals of the world are fearfully and wonderfully made. (all kinds of animal migration that defies explanation). Glorifying the God who conceived and created it all.

    So two bear stories. Debbie’s & mine, and the female energizer bear.

    But what about bears in the bible? Are there any? Yes indeed.

    *14X. However, most are not the animal, but the action.

    1.Action? Yes, sometimes the word Bear - Bear one another
    Burdens. You will bear much fruit. That’s the action. Not the animal. Bearing much fruit has nothing to do with bears.

    1. Job - (Job 9:9, 38:32) - not the animal. What? The constellation known in astronomy as (The Great Bear). The heavens declare. And God even put a great, big bear up there…

      2. But what about the animal in Bible? Are there any bears - the animal - in the bible? Yes.

      Bears in the life of David.

      (1 Samuel 17:34-35) David wants to fight goliath. You can’t, you’re a boy.
      But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear (not boo-boo) came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.

      Whoah! Supernatural. Imagine grabbing a lion, a bear by the fur and killing? Bears fast. Powerful. A man can’t. How? Supernatural. (God does things through me that are humanly impossible. I can kill the giant). (David at sight and sound - giant).

      More

      (1 Samuel 17:36) Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. Lions - reminded of “lions and tigers and bears, oh no.” - Dorothy.
      *Supernatural. David - “I am supernat empowered to kill unkillable things.”

      More - Ans how come can do that.

      (1 Samuel 17:37) The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

      The Lord. David knew it wasn’t him. God. David trusted God… Gave glory to God.

      Bears in the life of David. And there’s still another use of the word Bear in the Life of David.

      But this one likens David to a bear.

      (2 Samuel 17:8) Absalom (3rd son of King David)

      “You know your father (David) and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops.

      -So here David is likened to a bear. David is bear like. That is, David is a fierce fighter, a fierce warrior - like a wild bear..

      -I just want to say - I’m really liking David. Interesting man.

      *Musician (temp - N). So david was..
      *And yet fierce as bear. David is a manly man. David is not soft. David’s not quintessential “nice guy. Just nice. Just affirm everybody.

      Musician/warrior. (And D, I will remind you, David prefigures, pre-pictures JC).

      So bears in the life of King David.

      But are there more bears in the Bible, Bears that are not connected with the life of Kind David?

      Yes. quite a few more. Wisdom lit. Exs:

      3.(Proverbs 17:12) “Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.”

      4.(Proverbs 28:15) Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people. Selah.

      So there’s more… But that’s enough.

      But now I want to come to that Bear - two bears - in the Bible that I mentioned earlier

      And that’s going to bring us into the life and times of the OT prophet Elijah. Start w/ Elisha: Man of God. Prophet. Was supernaturally, mirac taken up -

      2 Kings 2 - 1Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind.

      So… Did he? Yes.

      2 K 2 - 11And as they (e and e) still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire (runner - Eric Liddell) and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

      So pic that. This is what they saw, and this is what God did….

      And Elijah Did not pass go. Did not collect $200. Went up. (Die first? Die later?).

      *OK, so Elijah went up. Where are the bears?

      23He (Elisha) went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some youths came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore (Niv - Mauled, NKJV - Mauled, NASB - Tore up) forty-two of the boys. 25From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

      Two things problematic for some people.

      1 - he cursed them in the name of God. Cursed them, for a little mocking, taunting? Over the top?

      2 - she-bears - tore 42. Of course, we are to understand, didn’t just happen. No co-incidence. Providentially sent by God.

      Over the top. God of the OT? Andy S right - unhitched from the OT?

      *Bethel - the center for Apostacy). Wicked and idolat in Israel.

      *Boys. 42 killed, but 42 of them. So more. How many? Don’t know. 50?

      Boys out roaming in a pack. Not well governed at home. What kind of parents allow? Yeah, you’re getting the picture.

      These guys are out roaming around in a mob, looking for something to do, looking for trouble.

      *Baldy. Was bald? Mocking God’s prophet. Mocking the man of God.

      *Go up - Mocking Elijah. They had heard about…

      Equiv = Mocking Jesus’ ascension.

      *Mocking Prophet = Mock God.

      *Just that the God of Isr sent… (if not get that - too tinged with modern sensibilities of “nice.” Modern notions of God - supremely Nice. And you are forgetting that it is a fearful thing to fall…

      *So two bears in life of Elisha. Any more bears?

      One final.

      (Isaiah 11:7 - new heaven and earth) The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together (picture), and the lion will eat straw like the ox. (herbivorous)

      *Some - metaphor - reconciliation b/t enemies now, in this NC age.

      *Others - New heavens and new earth.

      Wherever you place it – it’s to the Glory of God.

      So bears in the Bible. And before we go, one more reference to bears - modern culture, children’s songs:

      If you go down to the woods today, You're sure of a big surprise

      If you go down to the woods today, You'd better go in disguise.
      For every bear that ever there was, Will gather there for certain,
      Because today's the day, The Teddy Bears have their picnic.

      "The Teddy Bears' Picnic" is a song consisting of a melody written in 1907 by American composer John Walter Bratton, and lyrics added in 1932 by Irish songwriter Jimmy Kennedy. Reflects our fascination with - Bears. B/c amazing creatures, created by a vastly more amazing creator God.

      End Show Notes:

      We hope that today's episode of Grounded has been encouraging and helpful with your Christian walk! Please consider sharing it with a friend, and if you have time, consider dropping us a review. Thanks,

      • Steve and the Grounded Team

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        34 min
      • The Sins of Women (Guest: Taylor Wallace) - Grounded Ep. 22

        Taylor Wallace and Steve Hartland sit down to discuss a controversial topic, are there sins that are more specific to women versus men? And if so, what are they and what can we do about them? This is the follow-up episode to Grounded episode 21, The Sins of Men.

        We hope Grounded has been helpful for your Christian walk, please consider sharing it with others!

        • Grounded Podcast Team

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          1 hr 14 min
        • The Sins of Men (Guest: Steve Peck) - Grounded Ep. 21

          Is it really necessary to do a whole episode on sins that men are more prone to commit? Pastor Steve and guest Steve Peck think so, and tackle as many as they can in an hour (with minimal sidetracking). So, is it alright to imply that there are sins that men are more likely to fall prey to?

          Begin Show Notes:

          1. Lust of the flesh, eyes. 1 Jn 2:16

            2. a.Who made sex?
            b. Is sex one of those pre-fall “good things?” sex is good.
            c. What’s sex for?
            i. to produce households.
            ii. to powerfully bind man and woman (also chemically, with chemicals such as oxytocin)
            iii. mutual pleasure (intended for pleasure)
            d. But we are fallen, and we (men!) can twist, corrupt, pervert.

            i. Turn it into forn, adult, and any other sexual perversion.
            ii. Seek to fulfill outside where God intends. Premarit. Extra marit. Divorce w/o legit. Porn.

            So lust is definitely one of the sins of men.

            e.What can you do?
            i. Flee - 1 Cor 6 (Joseph).
            ii. Pluck out eyes. Take radical measures. Not half hearted.
            iii. Put off and put on. 1 Cor 6. Such were some of you.
            iv. Romans 6:12, Confess James 5:16.
            1. The pride of life

              2. God has given men a desire to subdue and rule.

              a. Can be turned into power and success and possessions for ego’s sake.
              b. 1 Jn - pride of life. Pride - devil b/c he devil.

              c. What to do? Mortify. Scpt. “Boast not thyself.. Let another man praise you…”

              1. Passivity. Distraction.

                2. What were men created to do? Exercise dominion. Be head. Create a family. (Gen 1, Mt 28).
                But what might happen?
                Sinful, distracted, passive, redirect that drive to other things.

                Lazy - Proverbs - A lion! As door…
                Substitute the dopamine drip of fake dominion (game). Fake woman (online).
                What can you do? - Turn aggressive instincts (T) to productive endeavors. Get a real woman. Real job. Real career. Real dominion.

              2. Eschatology (side-tracked).

                3. a. Basic definition- The end of things, so in the case of the Bible, the end times.
                b. Steve and Steve describe the different positions

              3. White knight syndrome. [Good To Be A Man, Michael Foster (88-93)].

                4. My job is to affirm my women (or affirm women). When I affirm, good job. Job done.

                a. God has put a drive in men to defend and protect. But we’re fallen, and that drive can go off course. How?
                b. Everything does - motive is to gain approval of a woman. To avoid her disapproval. His desire is for female validation. He’s working to do whatever is needed for her to affirm him. What’s he to do? Affirm.
                c. So, for example, his wife is misbehaving.

                Address the emotions? No - Affirms. Sit and listen deeply, and then affirm. Just affirm.

                d. What does he need to do? He needs to lead. Objective, bring the Word of God to bear.
                e. There are pastors who fit this profile. They do the same thing with women in the flock.
                i. Won’t call out the sins of women (not even aware that there is such a category)
                ii. Affirm women, even when not appropriate
                iii. When women want things - (it’s good to be a man, p 89)
                1. Affirm anyone who is relational/agreeable, ignore their error (b/c made, fueled to knit people together)
                2. Exclude anyone who is disagreeable, regardless of the fact that they’re fighting for orthodoxy.
                3. Page 91 of Good To Be A Man, Michael Foster
                iv. Ends up -> Enable influencer women to lead the church into error.

              4. Failure to lead.

                5. a. Who’s supposed to lead? Garden, OT, NT - Adam to lead. Created first. Time gap. Man to lead.
                b. Lead on what? To lead on Mission. What mission?
                i. Gen 1 mission.
                ii. Mt 28 mission.
                iii. Lead family on God’s mission. Lead sons, daughters.. Shape and form into resp disciples
                iv. Fail. Fail to address problems, deal redemptively. Fail to apply wisdom.

              5. Crude Joking

                6. a. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (Eph 5:4)

              6. Violence.

                7. a. Men are capable of much violence. In a fallen world, we need. We only have peace and safety b/c of violent men out on the perimeters… Willing.
                b. That capability for violence can be good, or bad. Men have to decide. Lawful or unlawful.

                c. Prison populations (93%. Oppression!!!! Why can’t women be equally rep?). Murders. Anger - testosterone. FOTS = self control. Gentleness.

              7. Love of money & possessions (hobbies) - a root of all kinds of evil. Too interested in money. Inordinately - money.

                8. a. How do I know when? When money is more important than the will of God. When trust in money. When you ignore God-given priorities to make more money. Ignore family.

                b. Workaholic (temperament).
                c. What to do? Love Christ. Love family.

                End of Show Notes:

                We hope that this installment of Grounded has been formative to your walk with Christ! Please consider sharing it with a friend or family member.

                -The Grounded Team

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                1 hr 3 min
              8. The State of the Church (Guest: Tom Ascol) - Grounded Ep. 20

                Pastor Tom Ascol sits down to talk with Steve about the affairs of the church of today. They also spend some time on the ministry that Tom was one of the people involved in its beginnings, Founders Ministries.

                Begin Show Notes:

                Guest - Tom Ascol, M.Div and Ph.D degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, where he has served for 36 years as of June 2022.

                Also president of Founders Ministries.

                1) Tell us about Grace Baptist Church, Cape Coral

                • Did you found it?
                • How long have you been pastor there?
                • How is Grace Baptist distinct from generic, run of the mill, XYZ evangelical church in our day?
                • What do you want to be, not to be? What do you really want for your church?

                  • 2) Tell us about founders.

                  • What is it? What’s the purpose?
                  • What is the relationship of Founders to the SBC?
                  • What led you to start Founders back then?
                  • How many churches are affiliated with?
                  • What is Founder’s theology like (and other) distinctives; what differentiates it?
                  • What are some of the battle fronts on w/ Founders is fighting?
                  • What’s going on at Founders that’s really good?
                  • What do you see as the future of Founders?

                    • 3) State of the church

                    • If you could change something in xyz church, what?
                    • What are some problems in churches?

                      • 4) If you could change something(s) about preaching in the US, what?

                      5) Voddie Baucham - How did you become connected to Voddie?

                      6) What do you want to say to Cornerstone Church, and all others listening?

                      End of Show Notes

                      Thanks for listening, we hope and pray that today's episode has been helpful in your walk with Christ!

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                        44 min
                      • The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Worship Music - Grounded Ep. 19

                        Pastor Steve sits down with fellow Pastor Jason Wallace to talk about worship. What should we consider when it comes to our worship, as the Church of Jesus Christ?

                        Begin Show notes:

                        1) Evaluation of current Christian worship music.

                        2) What should we be aiming for? Why?

                        3) You’re our music/worship guy. What are the challenges in your position?

                        4) If you could change anything in Christian worship music in the USA, what would it be?

                        End of Show Notes.

                        Thanks for listening! If this content has been helpful to your Christian walk, please consider sharing it with a friend or family member, God bless!

                        • The Grounded team

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                          48 min

                        About Grounded with Steve Hartland

                        From the publisher's feed

                        Grounded exists to build up believers in the faith and draw out the rich doctrines of the Bible. Join Pastor Steve as he goes deep into Biblical and theological content to bolster our understanding of…

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