RE: CHURCH

What book helps us to live as saints? As believers, we are created new in Christ. This foundational reality should shift how we think and act. In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to a young church full of problems and challenges these “saints” to live as they are called. In this episode of RE:CHURCH, Marshall Fant discusses this book with Taigen Joos, pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Dover, NH, for 24 years. Regarding the discussion of meat offered to idols in chapters 8, 9, and 10, Pastor Joos said the theological challenge was finding the principle that underlies Paul’s argument and making it relevant to people in America today.

What book helps us when we are discouraged or focused on the flaws of others? Colossians encourages us to lift our eyes from ourselves and those around us and focus our attention and affection on Christ. Colossians is all about Christ—the sufficiency of His work and the centrality of His Person. In this episode of RE:CHURCH, Marshall Fant discusses this book with Frank Snyder, a GFA interim pastor with 45 years of experience, primarily as a senior pastor of four churches in Michigan. Speaking of how his study of Colossians has affected him, Pastor Snyder said, “I want my life and ministry to be the product of an unpolluted motive of serving the Lord Jesus.”

What book instructs us about our work, the pleasures of life, and how to handle circumstances we don’t understand, such as a pandemic? Ecclesiastes addresses all these things. In God’s sovereignty, God prepared one local church for COVID-19 through the preaching of this book prior to the 2020 shutdowns. This episode of RE:CHURCH resumes our series on preparing to preach. In it, Marshall Fant discusses Ecclesiastes with Tim Potter, who served for 17 years as youth pastor and then 17 years as senior pastor at Grace Church of Mentor in Mentor, OH. Pastor Tim currently serves as president of Arch Ministries. Speaking of how his study of Ecclesiastes grew his understanding of theology and changed him dispositionally, Pastor Tim says, “The deep dive into understanding my God and understanding His sovereignty brought peace to my heart.”

When launching a church plant, where do you begin your preaching ministry? In this episode of RE:CHURCH, Marshall Fant discusses this topic with Matthew Recker, who has planted three churches in New York City. He currently pastors Heritage Baptist Church in Manhattan, a church that began in 1996. Pastor Recker chose to start in Matthew 5 with the Beatitudes, a passage that corrects skewed views of happiness. True happiness comes from knowing Jesus Christ the King, mourning over our sin, thirsting and hungering for the Word of God, and developing right relationships around us. Pastor Recker said if he planted another church, he would start with the same passage because “the wisdom of Jesus Christ shines very powerfully in the Beatitudes.”

When you first take a church, how do you discern the current spiritual needs and where to begin preaching? How do you prepare your own heart? In this episode of RE:CHURCH, Marshall Fant discusses this topic with Caleb Phelps, who has been senior pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Taylors, SC, for one year. Before that, he served six years as a senior pastor of a church in Florida. He says the groundwork laid by the GFA interim pastor who served at the church before him helped him tremendously in this new pastorate. Pastor Caleb says his mantra is taken from the counsel Paul gave to young Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:13–16: “Strap yourself into the pulpit, and preach the Word.”

What Scripture evaluates pastors and churches? How do we, as pastors, lead our churches to see ourselves accurately? Revelation 1–3 speaks to the spiritual condition of churches. Christ’s “I know” in Revelation 2–3 magnifies His intimate, personal relationship with His people, followed by His loving warnings and promises. In this episode of RE:CHURCH, GFA Executive Director Jon Crocker interviews Marshall Fant, GFA director of church planting and revitalization about Revelation 1–3. Speaking of the impact of these three chapters on him personally, Marshall Fant says, “They have spiritually humbled me. How much time do I have as a pastor? Where have I not read right? Heard right? Been convicted? Then keep those words. The time is short.”

What is the main thing going on in the world today? Ephesians answers this question. The church is the main thing going on in the world today. God’s glory is being put on display in the church. In this episode of RE:CHURCH, Marshall Fant discusses with Jon Crocker his experience of preaching through Ephesians in a church plant in Mexico City. Jon Crocker, Executive Director of Gospel Fellowship Association, led a congregation in Mexico City for 10 years before transitioning to the States to serve at GFA. One of the challenges was “applying the family passages appropriately when there was such a breadth of experience and condition there in the church.” Speaking of the impact of the book on him personally, Jon Crocker says, “I grew so much, by God’s grace, in my own understanding and commitment to preaching as worship.”

American Christians are accustomed to Christianity having cultural influence and being viewed positively. But when we face antagonism for living as believers, how do we respond to government, unbelievers outside the church, our families, and even an unbelieving spouse? The companion letters of 1 and 2 Peter address these things. The epistle of 1 Peter equips the church to deal with the pressures from without (persecution), and 2 Peter equips the church to deal with pressures from within (false teaching). In this RE:CHURCH episode, Marshall Fant discusses 1 and 2 Peter with Ben Smith, pastor of Vacaville Bible Church in Vacaville, CA. Pastor Smith has served as senior pastor for nine years. Speaking of difficult topics in the epistles such as the sovereignty of God in salvation, our obligation to believe, and the rejection of the Gospel by children who grew up in church, he says, "You need to be prepared in a biblically accurate, theologically informed, and pastorally sensitive way to deal with those challenges when they arise in the text."

Marshall Fant Interviews Kyle Grant

What comes to your mind when you think of the book of Psalms? Many people view it primarily as a book of comfort, but Psalms is also a theological book. The New Testament quotes from Psalms more than any other Old Testament book. In this RE:CHURCH episode, Marshall Fant interviews Kyle Grant about preaching the book of Psalms. His Wednesday night series has spanned four years with the goal of scripturally informing the prayer time that follows each message. Pastor Kyle has served as the senior pastor of Grace Bible Church in Elkhart, IN, for four years. Speaking of the personal impact of Psalms on him as a pastor, he says, "Psalms will make you a better pastor."

Romans is so deep. How can a person wrap his brain around such a book? An overview of the book is a good starting place. In this RE:CHURCH episode, Marshall Fant interviews David Shumate about his 8-week series on the book. Dr. Shumate served for 15 years as an associate pastor, directed a mission board for 17 years, and now serves as academic dean at International Baptist College in Chandler, AZ. Speaking of Romans 5:1-5, he says "Certain truths are so weighty and heavy that I regularly come back to them. We need to build a ballast of such truths in our lives."