Snake on the Table

In this final episode of Season Two of Snake on the Table, we discuss the annoying need of many to require a Bible verse for the obvious things we must address as Christians.

In this episode of Snake on the Table, Jerry and Tanner ask a question Christians need to think through carefully: who should we be willing to associate with? Not every alliance is church fellowship, and not every public association is an endorsement of everything a man believes or says. Christians need categories for church membership, worship, political coalitions, co-belligerence, public friendship, and real separation.

We talk about rough allies, immature Christians, “Christ is King” public figures, Christian nationalism, piety, coalition-building, and why some men are treated as enemies when they should be treated as brothers. The goal is not to erase discernment, but to recover better categories so Christians can labor together where they can, draw lines where they must, and stop confusing political cooperation with ecclesiastical unity.

Chapters

Chapter 1: The Problem of Guilt by Association

0:00–3:13

Why Reformed Christians often get lumped together with rougher voices in the Christian nationalism world, and why that makes association harder.

Chapter 2: Church Fellowship vs. Civil Cooperation

3:13–11:05

Why Christians need different standards for church membership, worship, political coalitions, and public cooperation.

Chapter 3: Working With Imperfect Allies

11:05–17:30

How to think about men who are moving in the right direction, even when their theology is thin, their methods are rough, or their public speech needs work.

Chapter 4: Selective Criticism and Double Standards

17:30–24:10

Why some Christian leaders tolerate certain associations while condemning others, and why that inconsistency needs to be named.

Chapter 5: Broadening the Friend Category

24:10–27:50

Why Christians need a larger category for friendship and cooperation without confusing political alignment with church unity.

In a culture that constantly pushes against biblical standards, we're challenged to reconsider what true femininity and masculinity look like in our homes. This conversation cuts through modern confusion to address something deeply practical yet profoundly spiritual: how we present ourselves and raise our children reflects our understanding of God's created order. Drawing from passages like 1 Peter and Titus, we're reminded that femininity isn't weakness—it's strength expressed through gentleness, dignity, and grace. The discussion reveals that modesty isn't merely about avoiding immodesty; it's about cultivating beauty that honors God and respects others. When we teach our daughters to carry themselves with elegance and our sons to dress with intentionality, we're not imposing legalistic rules—we're shepherding their hearts toward self-governance rooted in biblical principles. The goal isn't external conformity but internal transformation that naturally flows outward. As we consider how our families present themselves to the world, we're confronted with a deeper question: does our appearance reflect the order, beauty, and intentionality of the God we serve? This isn't about pride or pretense; it's about stewardship of the bodies and resources God has given us, and about loving our neighbors well enough to present ourselves in ways that honor them and open doors for gospel conversations.

Church discipline often carries a negative connotation in modern Christianity, yet this conversation reveals it as one of the most loving and necessary practices for spiritual health. We discover that discipline exists on a spectrum—from formative structures that shape our worldview to corrective measures when we stray into sin. The biblical principle is clear: early, quick intervention protects us from devastating consequences down the road, much like addressing a two-year-old's disobedience prevents disaster at fourteen. What emerges is a beautiful tension between grace and accountability. When we fail to address false teaching or persistent sin, we're not being loving—we're allowing poison to spread through the body of Christ. The discussion challenges our cultural aversion to confrontation and authority, reminding us that God-given structures exist for our protection and flourishing. True love doesn't overlook sin; it courageously addresses it for the sake of Christ's name, the purity of the church, and ultimately the restoration of the wandering soul. We're called to trust the shepherds God has placed over us while maintaining discernment, recognizing that discipline done rightly produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

In this special edition of Snake on the Table, Tanner and Jerry sit down with Michael Ferris for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of our nation and the kind of men it will take to confront it. We gave him room to speak, and he did. He talked about corrupt judges, the rot in the judiciary, abortion and the need to defend the unborn without compromise, election integrity, voter ID, dirty voter rolls, the surveillance state, welfare dependency, EBT abuse, and the broader corruption that keeps ordinary citizens from being honestly represented. What follows is not a polished, consultant-crafted performance. It is a raw, direct conversation with a man convinced that the system is broken and that cowardice will not fix it.

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When injustice strikes and the systems we trust fail us, where do we turn? This conversation challenges us to think deeply about our response when courts release the guilty and innocent blood cries out for justice. Drawing from the example of David in 1 Samuel, we're reminded that faithful response isn't passive resignation disguised as piety. David didn't just write psalms and pray while Saul pursued him—he took action within his God-given authority while refusing to take vengeance into his own hands. The key distinction matters: we must both cry out to God as the ultimate Judge and engage faithfully in our spheres of influence. This means supporting righteous magistrates, raising children who understand civic duty, and speaking prophetically to those in power. Like the prophets who confronted kings at great personal risk, we're called to warn leaders that God will judge injustice. Yet we must avoid two ditches—becoming either detached pietists who only pray or political sycophants who compromise our prophetic voice for access. The challenge before us is to discern the difference between Elijah's role as prophet and Obadiah's role as a God-fearing official working within a corrupt system. Both feared God, both served faithfully, but in different capacities. As we navigate our broken judicial system and cultural decay, we need both prayer and action, both long-term strategy and immediate courage, both prophetic declaration and wise engagement.

Chapter 1: The Failure of Justice: A Case Study

We examine the recent case where a man who killed a Ukrainian woman was deemed incompetent to stand trial, raising questions about judicial failure and the Christian response.

Chapter 2: The Problem of Judicial Overreach and Impeachment

We discuss how the judiciary has gained excessive power in American government and why impeaching corrupt judges should be a priority, though it's politically difficult.

Chapter 3: The Christian Response: Prayer, Prophecy, and Action

We explore the balanced Christian response that includes prayer, prophetic witness to magistrates, and strategic political action rather than either pietistic passivity or vigilantism.

Chapter 4: Distinguishing Roles: Prophets, Politicians, and Purity Spiraling

We distinguish between the prophetic role of pastors and the strategic role of politicians, warning against both compromise and purity spiraling that weakens our effectiveness.

In this compelling discussion, we're invited to wrestle with a thoroughly modern question: how do we faithfully steward the tools God has placed in our hands? The conversation centers on artificial intelligence as a resource for ministry work, particularly in sermon preparation and writing. Rather than viewing technology as a threat to authentic pastoral care, we're challenged to see it as a potential gift—much like the scribes who assisted the apostle Paul in writing his epistles. The core spiritual insight here is about stewardship and intentionality. Just as the ancient church utilized available resources without compromising the integrity of God's Word, we too can embrace tools that multiply our effectiveness without replacing the irreplaceable: the human touch, pastoral wisdom, and Spirit-led application of Scripture to real lives. This discussion reminds us that our calling isn't to reject every advancement, but to discern how we can redeem technology for kingdom purposes while guarding against laziness and inauthenticity. The challenge is clear: can we use these tools to serve more people, communicate more clearly, and steward our time more wisely, all while maintaining the personal, Spirit-filled dimension that no machine can replicate?

In Episode 94 of Snake on the Table, Pastors Tanner Cartwright and Jerry Dorris sit down at The Paddock coffee shop to answer a question about spiritual gifts and the body of Christ. They discuss why so many modern Christians are tempted to obsess over identity, calling, and what makes them “special,” while Scripture calls believers to something much simpler and stronger: faithfulness. Rather than endlessly trying to discover whether you are the eye, the hand, or the spleen, this conversation presses the importance of serving where God has placed you, doing your duties, and trusting the church to recognize and confirm real giftings over time.

In this episode, we tackle two hard questions: is it sinful to make family decisions around affording nicer things, and is it sinful to wait until you feel financially ready to have children? We talk about the cultural trap that pushes families toward daycare, dual incomes, bigger houses, and more comfort, often at the expense of the home. Drawing from Proverbs 31 and a biblical vision of household life, we argue that children are not liabilities to postpone but blessings that often drive greater purpose, discipline, and productivity. The world says wait until you can afford children. Scripture teaches that children are wealth, and that faithful families must learn to resist the pressures of comfort, status, and fear.

This discussion wrestles with one of the most challenging ethical questions facing the modern church: what should happen when a man with multiple wives comes to faith in Christ? Drawing from both Old and New Testament principles, we explore the tension between God's ideal design for marriage and the reality of messy human situations. The conversation examines the qualifications for church elders found in Timothy and Titus, noting that while these standards call for men to be 'husbands of one wife,' this doesn't necessarily mean we should force new believers in polygamous marriages to divorce all but one spouse. The key insight here is recognizing that marriage is a real covenant before God, even when it falls short of His original design. We see throughout Scripture that God works redemptively within imperfect situations without requiring us to compound sin with more sin. The discussion challenges us to think carefully about how we apply biblical principles in cross-cultural contexts and reminds us that protecting the vulnerable, particularly women who would be left destitute by forced divorce, must be part of our ethical calculus. This isn't about endorsing polygamy but about showing wisdom and compassion when dealing with the complex realities that arise when the gospel enters new cultures.

Chapters

Chapter 1: Introduction: The Question of Polygamy and Conversion

0:00 - 4:36

We explore the question of whether a man with multiple wives who converts to Christianity should divorce all but his first wife.

Chapter 2: Biblical Foundations: Marriage as Real Covenant

4:36 - 10:38

We establish that marriage is a real covenant before God, even when it's not ideal, and that divorce is not the solution to polygamous situations.

Chapter 3: Practical Implications: The Harm of Forced Divorce

10:38 - 18:20

We examine the devastating consequences for women who would be divorced in polygamous situations and why this constitutes a greater evil.

Chapter 4: Theological Distinctions: Perpetual Sin and Marriage Legitimacy

18:20 - 21:50

We distinguish between the sin of entering a marriage and the legitimacy of the marriage itself, rejecting the idea of perpetual sin.

Chapter 5: Cultural Context: Marriage, State, and Church Authority

21:50 - 24:47

We explore the relationship between state authority over marriage and God's definition of marriage, concluding with pastoral preparation for future challenges.