On today’s episode, we have the privilege of listening to a recent Q&A between Grant Castleberry, pastor of Capital Community Church in Raleigh, NC, and Dr. Tony Wood. Tony graduated from The Master’s Seminary (D.Min) and serves as a Teaching Pastor at Mission Bible Church in Costa Mesa, CA. Tony hosts the marriage and family podcast Date Night, which he talks about in this episode. 

On today’s episode, we have the privilege of listening to a recent Q&A between Grant Castleberry, pastor of Capital Community Church in Raleigh, NC, and Dr. Tony Wood. Tony graduated from The Master’s Seminary (D.Min) and serves as a Teaching Pastor at Mission Bible Church in Costa Mesa, CA. Tony hosts the marriage and family podcast Date Night. He is married to his wife, Bre, and has three children. 

There are many modern-day abuses regarding the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, there is even an overreaction to the Holy Spirit to such a degree that we dismiss any experience of His presence. Neither of these extremes is biblical. On today's episode, Grant Castleberry continues to explore the Bible giving us a biblical and theological perspective on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

There are currently so many abuses regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, there is an overreaction to that, and we dismiss any experience of the Holy Spirit. Neither of these extremes is biblical. On today’s episode, Grant Castleberry explores the Bible, giving us a biblical and theological perspective on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

When someone becomes a Christian, they join a cosmic war that is going on between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. It’s not a fight of throwing punches or using physical weapons, but it’s about what people believe is true and what is not true. Descriptions of this spiritual battle are all throughout the Bible, and on today’s podcast, Grant Castleberry, begins to talk about this battle that Christians have with the world.

Salvation is not something we can earn; it's a free gift from God. The phrase 'but God' reminds us that in our lives defined by sin, God steps in with His love and grace. He doesn’t save us because we are good; He saves us because He is good. Through Christ, God offers us grace freely, no strings attached.

As a Christian, is love a defining characteristic of your life in how you interact with others on a daily basis? The glorious words of John 15:12–16, where Jesus tells us to love one another, is a stark reminder that if we don’t love others, our faith is dead, and we do not know Christ. The true, legitimate test of being a disciple of Christ is to love the people of God. In other words, you can’t love Christ and not love His people. 

The glorious words of John 15:12–16, where Jesus tells us to love one another, are a stark reminder that if we don’t love others, our faith is dead, and we do not know Christ. The true, legitimate test of being a disciple of Christ is to love the people of God. In other words, you can’t love Christ and not love His people. We are to be known by our love.

Being “clean” is synonymous with being a true believer in Christ, a purity achieved not through our own efforts but through a connection with the Vine. This connection to Christ, the true Vine, is facilitated by the Word of God. It is through the proclamation of God’s Word that new believers are made, as this Word takes root in our hearts, nurturing faith within us. Just as a branch draws life from the Vine by simply being attached, we, too, receive spiritual nourishment and life by being grafted into Christ through the enduring power and grace of His Word.

What is the fruit that true believers are supposed to produce? In today’s episode, Grant offers several characteristics of true Christian spiritual fruit and how it is manifested in our lives. Genuine believers always bear fruit.