Presbyterian and Reformed Texas

In this episode of Presbyterian and Reformed Texas, Brian Franklin, Associate Director at SMU’s Center for Presidential History and a ruling elder in the PCA, joins me to discuss the challenges of navigating faith and politics in today’s polarized climate. Franklin emphasizes the importance of maintaining a Christ-centered perspective and unity among believers despite political differences. Franklin offers insights on how Christians can engage in politics with humility and grace while focusing primarily on the kingdom of God rather than earthly political systems.

Guests:

• Brian Franklin is a Ruling Elder at New St. Peter’s Presbyterian Church Dallas and Associate Director at SMU’s Center for Presidential History
• Brian is @brfranklin4 on Twitter/X

Mentioned

• Southern Methodist University
• SMU’s Center for Presidential History
• Westminster Presbyterian Bryan
• New St. Peter’s Presbyterian Church Dallas
• Dallas Children’s Theater
• Marshall McLuhan's “The Medium is the Message”

Brian’s Favorite Tex-Mex

• Rosa’s Cafe
• La Margarita (Odessa)

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Reformed Texas (@reformedtexas) on Twitter/X
Eric Wallace (@ecrosstexas) on Twitter/X
Eric's site ecrosstexas.com

Soli Deo Gloria

Colton Brewer and TE Graham Clark join me to discuss youth ministry and the annual North Texas Presbytery Youth Retreat called Roctober now in its ninth year.

Along with photos of our two guests, the cover art features the logo from Roctober IV that faded way too fast on the orange sherbet Comfort Colors t-shirts.

Guests:

• Colton Brewer (Youth & Family Director at Trinity Presbyterian Church Plano).
• Graham Clark (Assistant Pastor to Youth at Town North Presbyterian Church in Richardson).

Roctober

Roctober IX Registration 

Location: Camp Copass (8200 E McKinney St, Denton, TX 76208)
Date: Friday, October 18th to Saturday, October 19th, 2024
Cost: $90

Theme: Gospel Friendship

Speaker: Rev. Andy Wood

Andy Wood has served as the Associate Pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth since June 2022. 

Deadlines: The last day to register and still receive a T-shirt is Friday, October 4, 2024. All registration closes at 11:59 PM Friday, October 11, 2024

Also Mentioned

• Hamid Hatami with Middle East Heritage Reformed (“MEHR”) Ministries
• RTS Dallas
• Christ the King Midlothian
• Crossway
• Christ Community Church Frisco
• Fred Greco at - Christ Church Katy
• Park Cities Presbyterian Church
• OPC
• NAPARC
• Seth Miller at Immanuel Presbyterian Church Post Falls, ID
• Redeemer McKinney
• Andrew “Tree” Triolo at Westminster Presbyterian Church Bryan
• New St. Peters Dallas
• Michael W. Smith Friends

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Reformed Texas (@reformedtexas) on Twitter/X
Eric Wallace (@ecrosstexas) on Twitter/X
Eric's site ecrosstexas.com

Soli Deo Gloria

Meet PCA Teaching Elder Paul Miller, the Regional Director for Metanoia Prison Ministries in Texas. He has a deep desire for every incarcerated individual in Texas State and Federal prisons to hear of the glorious gospel of Christ’s saving grace. Paul believes that his life with all of its highs and lows, victories and struggles, has prepared him to minister in the very difficult environment of prisons. It has been exciting to see Metanoia Prison Ministries grow in the Lone Star State over the last five years! God is at work!

Mentioned

• Metanoia Prison Ministries
• Mission to North America (MNA)
• D. James Kennedy
• Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
• Knowing God by J.I. Packer
• Park Cities Presbyterian Church
• Handel’s Messiah
• Westminster Theological Seminary
• Trinity Presbyterian Church Plano
• Reformed University Fellowship (RUF)
• Texas A&M Corpus Christi
• Southside Community Church
• Kairos Prison Ministry International
• Redeemer McKinney
• New Covenant Presbyterian Church
• Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)
• Trinity Men: Trinity Men Fall Retreat

Support Paul’s Work

• Support Paul’s Ministry with Metanoia
• Paul’s Metanoia Staff Page
• Paul’s Newsletter

Social Media:

Metanoia TX Facebook Page

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Soli Deo Gloria

Get to know Rev. Dr. Tyler Taber, the Pastor at Redeemer Amarillo (PCA) and learn about this branch of Christ’s Church in the Panhandle seeks to be faithful to the Scriptures, true to the Reformed faith, and obedient to the Great Commission. 

West Texas Conference on Reformed Theology 2024

When Life Throws a Curveball: The Meaning of the Book of Job with Dr. Derek W. Thomas

5 Sessions working through the Book of Job!

September 21–22, 2024

Register by September 7.

Mentioned

• Redeemer Amarillo (PCA)
• Free University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands
• Dallas Theological Seminary
• The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP)
• Southwest Church Planting Network
• Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church of Amarillo (OPC)
• Nick Bullock - Christ Presbyterian Church in New Braunfels
• Fred Greco - Christ Church Katy
• Redeemer’s Philosophy of Worship
• The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978)
• The Westminster Shorter Catechism
• Reformed University Fellowship (RUF)
• West Texas A&M University
• West Texas Conference on Reformed Theology 2024
• Dr. Derek W. Thomas
• Terry L. Johnson Independent Presbyterian Church
• Big Texan Steak Ranch Home of the 72oz Steak
• Palo Duro Canyon

Please follow Redeemer PCA on social media:

Instagram: @amarillopcaredeemer
Facebook: Redeemer Presbyterian Church - PCA Amarillo
Sermon Audio Archives

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Soli Deo Gloria

Teaching Elders Mark Trigsted (Redeemer McKinney) and Matt Wood (Grace & Peace Anna) join the show to discuss evening services. The pastors share the experience at their churches and offer advice to churches considering offering them. “So my exhortation is just do it, you know, go for it.” says Pastor Wood. 

To our sister churches in the PCA and throughout NAPARC we welcome your voice and hope you will share your thoughts as we seek to better keep the Sabbath in a world that is openly hostile to the Fourth Commandment.

Links

• Grace and Peace Presbyterian Church, Anna, Texas.
• Redeemer McKinney (PCA)
• Mark Trigsted (@MTrigsted) on Twitter/X
• North Texas Presbytery
• Justin Andrusk & Matthew Lee’s Morning & Evening in the PCA on PCA Polity
• Sunday School - WCF Chapter 21 Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
• Cornerstone Presbyterian Church | Allen, TX
• Family Worship Bible Guide - Hardcover
• Christ Presbyterian Church - OPC, Flower Mound
• Iain Murray’s Revival and Revivalism
• Seth Miller, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Post Falls, ID

Churches in North Texas Presbytery (PCA) with Evening Worship

• Redeemer Amarillo
• Grace & Peace Anna
• Bethel Church Dallas
• Lakewood Dallas
• Grace Community Presbyterian Church Fort Worth
• Redeemer McKinney
• Lakeside Southlake
• Fifth Street Tyler

Related

• Presbycast: Church Twice on Sunday w/Dr. Duncan Rankin
• The Forgotten Gift of Evening Worship by Jim McCarthy
• “Top Ten Reasons to Attend Evening Worship” by Danny Hyde
• Why I Love the Evening Service (And You Can Too) by Kevin DeYoung

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Soli Deo Gloria

Meet Yegor (Greg) Zhelezny a Russian-speaking Ukrainian now living in North Texas. Born in Kiev to parents of an atheistic-jewish background, Greg knew guilt well. Hear the testimony of God’s saving work as the Spirit led a young man to receive the gospel of grace and move to America so he could turn and reach Russians with the Gospel. Greg is a candidate for ministry in the North Texas Presbytery and member at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Plano.

Mentioned:

• Trinity Presbyterian (PCA) Plano
• North Texas Presbytery
• Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) New York City
• Tim Keller
• Albert Mohler The Briefing: From Peter the Great to Putin the Bully – A Briefing on the Ukraine Crisis and the Russian Threat: History, Empire, Kiev, Moscow, Religion and Worldview
• The Stockdale Paradox
• Redeemer Arlington
• HopeRussia

To reach Greg via email: messiahcame AT yahoo.com

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Soli Deo Gloria

Teaching Elder Victor Martinez serves as Redeemer San Antonio’s (PCA) Associate Pastor of Mission & Cultural Engagement.

He joins us to today to speak about missions,  mercy ministry, and the upcoming Restore 2024: MNA Mercy Conference. We pray that you consider attending the conference.

Mentioned:

• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
• O. Palmer Robertson’s Christ of the Covenants
• Baptist University of the Américas
• Rocky Mountain Presbyterian Church, Denver CO
• Redeemer Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, TX
• Rev. Dr. Thomas Gibbs
• Covenant Theological Seminary
• Paul Hahn
• Matt Beham
• Trinity Presbyterian Church, Plano, TX
• City to City America Latina
• Hispanic Leadership Initiative
• Southwest Church Planting Network
• Restore 2024: MNA Mercy Conference (April 12–13, 2024)
• Rev. Dr. Irwin Ince
• Dr. Brian Fikkert
• Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself
• Covenant College
• The Chalmers Center
• Redeemer’s Conference (March 22–23, 2024): A New Story: Bringing The Hope Of The Gospel To The Needs Of The City
• Brian Fikkert and Kelly M. Kapic Becoming Whole: Why the Opposite of Poverty Isn’t the American Dream
• P&R Texas episode with Hamid Hatami

MNA Restore 2024 Conference
A Vision for Kingdom-Centered Mercy Ministry
April 12–13, 2024
Northwest Community Center
Dallas, TX

Speakers
- Irwin Ince
- Brian Fikkert
- Victor Martinez

Details: https://pcamna.org/events/restore–2024-mna-mercy-conference/

Registration: https://brushfire.com/mna/mnamercyconference/568703

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Soli Deo Gloria

Mark Becker, Ruling Elder, (Christ Church Katy, TX PCA) joins us today where he serves on the Session with Teaching Elder Fred Greco.

Mark came to Christ Church in 2013 and returned from the Beaumont area after living there for a couple of years. He is a former paper mill engineer and now on staff with the PCA’s Mission to North America Disaster Response ministry, and he helps the presbyteries in the Texas and Oklahoma areas to be better prepared for storms by developing Regional Response teams and building Sheds of Hope. He and his wife, Suzan, have 2 children.

The Beckers have been involved with disaster response for nearly 30 years and they helped with numerous storm responses as volunteers including Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey.

Links

• Christ Church Katy, TX PCA
• MNA Disaster Response

Sheds of Hope (click the link to sign up)

• Build Days at Dallas Depot:
  • April 19, 2024
  • April 20, 2024
  • October 18, 2024
  • October 19, 2024

Chainsaw Training (click the links to sign up)

• Riverside PCA in Beaumont, TX (March 8–9, 2024)
• Lakewood PCA in Dallas, TX (April 5–6, 2024)
• RiverOaks PCA in Tulsa, OK (April 19–20, 2024)

Bobcat Training (click the links to sign up)

• Christ PCA in Victoria, TX (May 10–11, 2024)
• Covenant PCA in Fayetteville, AR (May 17–18, 2024)

Ways to stay connected

• Mark’s MNA support account page (with additional background information)
• Facebook
• Quarterly Newsletter (Mailchimp)
• Email [email protected]
• DOT Online Profile (several options including videos)

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Soli Deo Gloria

On Sunday evening, February 11, when most of America was settling in to watch the Super Bowl a historic evening service was taking place in Richardson Texas, in the life of the PCA, and Christ’s church. This ordination and installation service, with over 240 in attendance had prayers, the sermon text, and signing done in both English and Farsi. PCA Stated Clerk Dr. Bryan Chappell delivered the sermon. This night was unique in that Hamid Hatami (RTS Dallas ’22) became the first Teaching Elder of Iranian descent and Muslim background believer to be ordained as a Teaching Elder in the PCA.

Rev. Hatami was installed as the President of Middle East Heritage Reformed Ministries (“MEHR”). MEHR is a reformed ministry training and equipping servants of Christ to plant biblically faithful churches throughout the Middle East.

Links:

• Ordination & Installation Hamid Hatami 
• Middle East Heritage Reformed (“MEHR”) Ministries
• Town North Presbyterian Church (PCA), Richardson, Texas
• Dr. Bryan Chapell
• RTS Dallas
• Iran’s Crisis and the Iranian Church Tabletalk magazine article
• @RevHamidHatami on Twitter / X

The episode intro/outro is “I Won’t Separate From the Love of Christ” sung in Farsi during the ordination service.

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Soli Deo Gloria

Kyle Oliphint (WTS '99) joins this Presbyterian and Reformed Texas episode.  Kyle is the Senior Pastor at Grace Community Presbyterian Church Fort Worth, about 15 miles north of downtown Fort Worth.  Kyle shares the story of Grace Community and his own story of coming to Christ.  We also spend some time talking about education choices for our children.  Should we as Christians home school our kids or send them to private schools? Can Christians send their kids to public schools?  Is there a one-size-fits-all answer?

Kyle and Eric are married to public school teachers and each sent their children through public schools.  Now, their children are teaching in public schools as well. 

We also talk sports and celebrate the World Champion Texas Rangers and close the episode talking about evening worship.

Mentioned

• Grace Community Presbyterian Church Fort Worth (PCA)
• Fort Worth Presbyterian Church (PCA)
• Southwest Church Planting Network
• K. Scott Oliphint
• Kyle’s Testimony
• YoungLife
• Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church of Amarillo (OPC)
• CCEF
• Greystone Fort Worth/Dallas
• Keller ISD
• Grace Community’s Worship Matters series
• KyleOliphint.com
• @KyleOliphint on Twitter / X

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Soli Deo Gloria