presbycast

Sarah and Zoe sit down with Rev. Matthew Everhard, a PCA pastor in Pennsylvania, to talk a little bit about his family life in ministry and a lot about his new book Worshiptainment, a small but detailed primer on why Presbyterians believe in the regulative principle and some of the excesses in modern evangelical worship. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM4uRLHdQWw We also joined Matt for a video on his own YouTube channel and you can find that conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQZJTJ2wBOA

OPC minister Chris Drew joins us to walk through chapter 18 of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation. This is a tremendously helpful chapter. Here is the text:

1. Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God, and estate of salvation (which hope of theirs shall perish): yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed.

2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation, the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made, the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God, which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption.

3. This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it: yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means, attain thereunto. And therefore it is the duty of everyone to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance; so far is it from inclining men to looseness.

4. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it, by falling into some special sin which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or vehement temptation, by God's withdrawing the light of his countenance, and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light: yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart, and conscience of duty, out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may, in due time, be revived; and by the which, in the meantime, they are supported from utter despair.

Scotty Anderson is the Associate Pastor for Family Ministry at Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church in Simpsonville, SC. You can check out his sermons here: https://www.sermonaudio.com/speakers/9851.

Special thanks to Nathan Clark George for our opening and closing instrumental. Nathan serves as the Pastor of Worship alongside Kevin DeYoung at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. You can access Nathan's fantastic catalog here.

Pastor Jared Nelson and ruling elder Matt Lee bring the benefits of their knowledge, experience, and research to bear on the complicated issue (and fact) of so-called Good Faith Subscription in the Presbyterian Church in America.

Matt's article: https://pcapolity.com/2024/02/21/exceptionalism-in-the-pca/

The 2002 PCAGA issue of Presbyterian & Reformed News that we referenced: https://www.presbyteriannews.org/volumes/v8/3/pr33.pdf

We talk about music—singable, simple, congregatonal, appropriate music for public worship in the church—with Sean and Sarah Morris, a pastor and a pianist who are both well-trained and actively engaged in the life and ministry of a local church. You are bound to find something of interest if church music interests you at all...which it must do if you're a Christian! We look at a new Getty song and we talk about how church music got to where it is today and about the commercialization and commodification of Christian music.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXbbb0CX0X8

Because we didn't want to watch election coverage we talked about tacos...and the election and politics...and the church...for three hours. From Nixon to Mexican cheeses to church fellowship meal menus—we covered it all. Consume this content at your own risk.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/8HzTh_dnvxs

"What Did Machen Eat?" article: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/what-did-machen-eat

Pastor Ryan Biese of First Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Fort Oglethorpe, GA preached this applied exposition of Psalm 37 on 11/3/2024 with the US election season being in view. The intro and outro music is Psalm 137 from the Trinity Psalter Hymnal by TJ Hallet.

Pastors Derrick Brite, Ryan Biese, and Matt Adams plus Presbygirl Zoe joined us to discuss Tucker Carlson's ballyhooed "spiritual" encounter and the spiritual worship that Reformed churches ought to enjoy. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be confused! And you might be edified.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUcahktpHa0

Pastor Job Dalomba joins us to talk about living in tumultuous political times, being neigborly, and applying Reformed theological truths.

Based on: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/16-thoughts-for-christian-citizens

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azc6QRsbCWs

Evangelical taxonomy, political angst, PCA polling, un-civil culture wars and...the place of humor in the Bible, the Christian life and personal sanity—that's pretty much all we talked about with friends Dr. DG Hart of Hillsdale College and Stephen Spinnenweber, pastor of Westminster PCA in Jacksonville, FL.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slWmtTp5LKE

The article: https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/5-kinds-of-american-evangelicals-and-their-voting-patterns/

The poll: https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/how-40-protestant-denominations-voted