The Connect Cast

Tis the season. Or is it? The end of the calendar year brings about the hustle and bustle of the 'holiday season.' We quickly move from being thankful for the bounty the Lord has provided to an insatiable need for the hottest, new gift of the season. But it this what a holiday is all about? Well, The Pastors sit down to discuss what scripture has to say about the holidays (which is derived from 'holy day'). So, light the yule log, grab some eggnog, and listen agog.

It's one of the most sacred times on the Christian calendar...advent. Churches across the world spend the weeks leading up to Christmas as a spiritual time of reflection. And while we celebrate the first advent (Jesus birth), with Jesus being the great gift given, we live our lives committed to the expectation of the second advent (Jesus return).

In this week's episode, The Pastors sit down to discuss the topic of Gambling. There is no clear "silver bullet" text that forbids Christians from partaking, but is it a wise choice? As Christians, we have the freedom to do many things. But as Paul said, not all things are wise to partake in. It is a great discussion on Christian liberty and responsibility, and somewhere in the discussion, Jurassic Park comes up too. So, hold to your butts and let's go!

Crunchy guitar riffs, lighting effects, smoke machines, & emotional choruses... Are we at a rock show or a church service? That question is at the heart of what The Pastors are talking about in this episode. In our church services, who is most highly honored in the worship (liturgical) portion of our service? And while having different elements (lights, projection, etc.) is not inherently a bad thing, if these detract, and distract, us from worshipping the one true God then they should not be in place. So, grab your tambourine and ribbons and let's get down to worshipping the Lord!

This week's listener-submitted topic is one that is near and dear to many of us. How are we, as Christians, to treat our environment? Well, The Pastors dive-in into this topic, (as always) looking to scripture to guide the discussion.

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!! The Pastors are talking about giving this time around. There is a myriad of questions that tend to flow from this topic; How much should I give? Do I give 10%? Do I give off my gross or net? What about giving off of tax refunds? These are all valid questions. However, wrapped in the discussion of giving is something that goes far beyond money. How we distribute what the Lord has entrusted to us can become very telling of where our treasure is truly stored. So, if you'll give The Pastors your seed gift of 52 minutes of your time, I'm sure you'll see the Lord bless you richly (of course...that is said tongue in cheek, but we definitely think you will glean some good stuff from the discussion)!

The Pastors wrap-up their discussion on the reformers, talking about those in the present day that continue to champion biblical truth & reformed theology. We hope that these past few discussions give you a starting point to reformed theology and this would help you to continue your study of church history and holding scripture as our ultimate authority.

RECO'S!!!

PC - www.monergism.com

PJ - http://www.reformedreader.org/

The Spurge! This great reformer comes to us from a close proximity to modern day. Throughout his life, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) had his fair share of peaks and valleys; pastoring thousands at the Metropolitan Tabernacle and facing public scorn from his contemporaries. Spurgeon remains, to this day, one of the greatest pillars of the Reformation.


RECOS!!!
PC- **The 1689 London Baptist Confession**
For Free - http://www.grbc.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/The-1689-Baptist-Confession-of-Faith.pdf
For Purchase - https://www.amazon.com/Baptist-Confession-Faith-1689-Scripture/dp/1870855248

PJ- **Morning & Evening: Daily Readings** by C.H. Spurgeon
For Free - http://www.lanuovavia.org/morneve.pdf
For Purchase - https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_12?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=morning+and+evening+by+charles+spurgeon&sprefix=morning+and+%2Cstripbooks%2C157&crid=33HKY99VQUV0N

Of the many great reformers of the 16th century, John Calvin seems to be one of the more controversial. While some of his contemporaries considered him to be, "the theologian," a modern view of Calvin can be complex at best and convoluted at worst. He and his Institutes have stood the test of time, and they are still helping to shape modern theology. Also, Calvin seemed to be a budding horticulturist; this is evident from his love of TULIP's! ;)
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Recos!!!

PC - *Book(s)* "The Swans Are Not Silent" by John Piper (https://www.amazon.com/Swans-Are-Not-Silent-Book/dp/B00WTIG3W0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1507859695&sr=8-4&keywords=the+swans+are+not+silent)

PJ - *Podcast* Here We Stand (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/here-we-stand/id1288434187?mt=2)

October is Reformation month, so that means The Pastors will be talking about reformed dudes! This year we celebrate the 500th year since Martin Luther decided to redecorate the castle church door in Wittenburg. Therefore, it is only fitting that we kick this off by talking about the man who helped kick-off the Protestant Reformation.
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Recos!

PC - Read and research, don't just consume what's being said on TV, social media, etc. Know and be able to defend what you believe & understand opposing viewpoints.

PJ - Valley of Vision (Published by Banner of Truth) https://www.amazon.com/Valley-Vision-Collection-Puritan-Devotions/dp/0851512283