We Make Christians

In Part One, Peter provided a brief lay of the land on the historical and theological front of child communion. 

In Part Two, he discusses what this means for the church and how this might be applied to our families. 

In short, child communion is a discernment process with the child, his or her parents, and the church. 

Peter proposes that the child needs to display a few features before communing. 

The ability to chew. 

They can reach out and take the bread and wine. 

They show signs of obedience to God, their parents, and other superiors. 

They articulate some form of faith. 

Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they continue in their discussion of children taking communion.

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/

Do your children eat dinner at the table or do they sit on the floor? 

Would you consider them members of your family or are they guests in your house? 

Do you give them water to drink but not bread? 

Or do you feed them bread on Fridays but not Sundays? 

Last month, our very own Peter Chase completed his seminary degree (M.Div.)! Woo hoo! Well done, Peter! 

So in this episode we discuss his final paper: what he thinks about children taking the Lord’s Supper. 

For those wanting the CliffsNotes, Peter thinks we should be honest about how we read the Bible. 

Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss having children take communion. 

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/

Christians should aspire to have their lives changed every day, not just decide to change a few things at the beginning of the year. 

So what do we do with the cultural practice of New Year’s Resolutions? Should Christians believe in resolutions and strive to implement them? Is there any harm in it? 

New Year’s Resolutions are not inherently wrong. But the changes we want to see might not be right. And our motivation might be misdirected. 

Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss the difference between New Year’s Resolutions and Covenant Renewal  and the need to rely on grace and not willpower in seeking change.

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/

Christians celebrate Christ. 

We celebrate everything that He is and everything He has done. His exaltation, ascension, resurrection, crucifixion, mediation, and even His humiliation and incarnation. 

There are some Christians who don’t believe we should celebrate the birth of our Lord. We should avoid holidays and only celebrate the Lord’s Day on Sundays. 

Others worry about the consumerism and commercialism of the season. They are afraid of getting sucked into the "secular traditions" of trees and mistletoe.

Still others see Christmas as a time of morose remembrance due to the loss of a loved one. Their Christmas has become blue, as joy and cheer run dry. 

In this episode, Peter, Kyle, and Pastor Nate reflect on the season of Christmas, the moral imperative to celebrate Christ, and the need to practice cheerfulness!

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/

What is the meaning of Advent? Why do some Christian traditions celebrate it and others don't? 

Christians believe that the Triune God is the Creator of seasons. Winter and Spring don't come about by accident. He controls the weather, and "Nature" obeys Him. 

We also believe that the Triune God is Lord of "History." And that He has acted in time to shape its course. The liturgical calendar marks and memorializes these acts, these events.

Advent is a season to celebrate Jesus' first coming and to anticipate and wait for His second coming. We remember His Incarnation and hope for His Coming Judgment of the living and the dead. 

In this episode, Peter, Kyle, and Pastor Nate reflect on the season of Advent, the purpose of the liturgical calendar, and key features of Christian hope. 

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/

Did Judas ruin the Lord’s Supper?

Seems like it. 

The modern Church’s posture toward the Lord’s Supper is like a penitential whipping. We crucify ourselves for our sins as we remember His death. Heads hang low. Smiles are restrained. It’s all quite dour. 

But this is not how the ancient Church practiced the Lord’s Supper. For them, it was a thanksgiving meal. It was a celebration of their Lord's life, death, and resurrection. They feasted, sang their lungs out, and they rejoiced. 

Join Peter, Kyle, and Pastor Nate as they reflect on weekly communion, the command to celebrate, and how to eat the body and drink the blood of Christ as we remember our Lord until He returns.   

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/

Wingtip Oxfords need shining.

Dishes need washing. 

Suits need dry cleaning. 

The Temple needs cleansing. 

Don't be afraid of reformation in the Church. 

Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss division in the local church, reformation and transformation, and the need for revival in this Season One finale of We Make Christians. 

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/

Is it okay to get angry? Should Christians get angry? 

Anger is a God-given emotion. And there are times and circumstances in which the most Christian thing you can do is to get angry. (Christians should never become complacent when it comes to corruption, crime, and bad behavior.) But when you let the emotion rise to the level of passion, it becomes a problem. Anger isn't sinful, but it could lead to sin. Don’t let it go there. 

Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss righteous anger, how anxiety can help you trust Jesus, and what it means to be sober-minded in this episode of We Make Christians. 

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/

Are pastors allowed to make mistakes? What does it look like for a congregation to forgive? In our neighborhood—the South Hills of Pittsburgh—performism and perfectionism are the soup of the day. Every day. How has this influenced our expectations of others in the church? Do we, as Christians, have the gracious margin for allowing mistakes and welcoming healing? Or are saints expected to operate in a mistake-free zone? Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss holiness, forgiveness, cancel culture, and the tyranny of perfectionism in this tenth episode of We Make Christians.

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/

Parenting is ardous and laborious. But it's also rewarding and significant. The Lord has blessed our congregation with a heritage and we get to form tiny image-bearers, prepare future worshippers, and educate citizens of His kingdom. When it comes to the worship service on the Lord's Day, don't buy the lie that children are a distraction or disruption. That's not how Jesus sees things. But how do we incorporate them into the Body while we worship? Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss parenting in the pew and making little Christians in this ninth episode of We Make Christians.

https://beverlyheights.org/ | https://theparrhesians.com/