Ride Along

Lord of the Rings. Harry Potter. Comic books. Why is it important for Christians to invest time in reading and appreciating fiction? Let's talk about it.

This week I went over a handful of biblical texts and broad theological ideas that helped shaped my Presbyterianism. The first blog can be found: http://theappalachianroundtable.com/index.php/2021/02/01/wesley-to-westminster-my-road-to-presbyterianism-pt-1/ and part two - the one this podcast is paralleling - can be found here: http://theappalachianroundtable.com/index.php/2021/02/08/wesley-to-westminster-my-journey-to-presbyterianism-pt-2/

Find the article here: http://theappalachianroundtable.com/index.php/2021/02/01/wesley-to-westminster-my-road-to-presbyterianism-pt-1/

Nobody is surprised that your Republican uncle is not as quick to condemn the Capital Building breech as he was the riots in Minneapolis. Conversely, nobody is surprised that your Antifa half brother is quick to condemn what happened yesterday (1/6/21) yet even quicker to justify establishing CHAZ/CHOP.

Starting off the new year with a new season of Ride Along. I've some exciting (albeit vague) updates on Roundtable and Ride Along. /// Ben Merkle, Godlust: https://youtu.be/57vUlqILl2k

We're all guilty of trying to justify our own sins by reasoning them away instead of repenting of them, but do we do the same for others? Should we? Let's talk about it.

This week I spoke with Pastor Josh Robinson of New Haven Church on how we should biblically think about how we utilize language.

The long awaited third installment of the Molded series where I'll talk about the influence Doug Wilson has had on my theology and worldview.

Last week I talked about the influence Mark Driscoll has had on the way I think and view the world. This week I'm taking about one of the most influential Christians of our day, John Piper. I'll talk about how Piper gave me a vision of a big God and a desire to submit to the Scriptures.

We have all been Influenced by different voices. We all have moments in our lives we can point to and say "this is one reason I'm the way I am today." I was inspired by a suggestion on FB to do an episode on those who have shaped and molded me over the years and that has turned into a series. Tune in to see how Mark Driscoll has influenced me over the years.

Working in healthcare, I'm forced to consider my own mortality rather frequently; today I want listeners to feel the weightiness of theirs. I want people to think every day about the fact that they will one day die. Our hearts will all stop and our lungs will breathe a final breath. I want that to humble us in incredible ways. This isn't a light or fluffy episode but it might be my most important one to date. Let's talk about it.

For some reason a lot of Christians hate debate. We hate, culturally, when anyone tries to swim upstream or breaks the status quo. We hate when people are loud and opinionated; except, of course, when they're loudly expressing the same opinions we are. But how does that work in the world of ideas? Are ideas situated in a recliner with a fleece blanket and a roaring fire, or are they in a violent and bloody arena to fight and contend with one another? Let's talk about it.

Culture, as it stands right now, is on a trajectory of destruction. We are tearing down anything we disagree with or don't like, but not doing the hard work of building good and beautiful things in their place. I wanted to lay out why I think that's a dangerous and toxic way to go about life. I also talk a little bit about "cancel culture" and how it is antithetical to the Christian faith and message.

I give a quick survey of my new project with a couple of good friends. I talk a little bit about its history but mostly about its future. Find Appalachian Roundtable on Facebook and be on the lookout for our first article.

With everyone talking about racism and racial reconciliation, a lot of people are revisiting the old challenge of how to integrate our churches. How do we go about making sure our congregations reflect the demographics of our community? This question often comes from a place that's well-meaning, but it isn't asking the right question. The right question is "how can we be faithful to the Word?" and the proper attitude is accepting that our duty is to faithfulness and we should leave the fruits of it to God. I honestly could not care less what the demographics of my church are, and I want to submit that you shouldn't either.

The way we communicate and express ideas is vitally important. The scriptures give us plenty of commands and admonitions on how we ought to speak and communicate with one another. People err, as we are wont to do, and will find ourselves making harsh tones normative or writing them off as altogether ungodly. I want to think through a third option which calls Christians to utilize language and speech as a set of tools to serve a variety of purposes. I also want to think about tone in such a way that we don't use it as an out when we disagree with someone on a difficult subject. I hope this is both helpful and challenging in some way today.

Janet Mefferd tweeted a short thread on how The Gospel Coalition duped conservative evangelicals into adopting progressive ideas. Here, Anthony attempts to zoom out from this thread and broadly look at how our theology and thought leaders have centralized themselves in different ways (aka Big Eva) and why that's not quite helpful. Janet's thread can be read here: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1270060850913607681.html

Second guest episode and third Breakfast Run episode. Anthony and Seth talk about everything that's already being discussed on your feeds; white guilt, white supremacy, racial reconciliation, and systematic racism. Tune in to see if Wendy's ever restocked their Coke machine. Seth is a contributor at The Mountain Musket, a WV born podcast that offers "Christian insights for Appalachia." The Mountain Musket can be found on all major podcasting apps, YouTube, or www.themountainmusket.com.

This episode, Anthony walks through three ideas surrounding the murder of George Floyd. First, Floyd's death was entirely preventable, completely unjustified, and outright murder. Second, just because the perpetrator is white and the victim is black, it does not necessarily follow that the crime was committed with a racist heart and making these incidents about race distracts from much larger and more systematic issues. Lastly, Christians by and large have abandoned a biblical worldview concerning the role and function of the government. Only returning to such a worldview and submission to the lordship of Jesus can cure these social ailments. Maranatha.

In this episode, Anthony approaches social media not by answering "how should I post?" but instead "how should I think about those who post things I don't like?"

In the first guest episode, Anthony talks with his good (best) friend Josiah discuss the recent Tim Challies article "Thankful for God's Good Gift of Government." Anthony also goes through the Wendy's drive thru in the second Breakfast Run episode.

A purely theological episode, Anthony gives a very brief overview of some of the tension he finds between the NT and his own Baptist theology.

I do a little bit of venting on social media bickering and armchair governors. That's pretty much it.

Faithful brothers and sisters the world over have been influenced by erroneous teaching, and we ought to show one another grace in spite of it.

This episode, Anthony gives some updates about changing the show's direction and offers a connection he's made in the past few weeks between a theological and a practical point.

Anthony looks at fear and the role it plays in the Christian life.

The very first extended episode in which Anthony talks about dropping your baggage before engaging in discussion and how some in the Church treat young men who want to fight for truth.

There's a real freedom to be found in doing something not for the approval of others but because it matters to you. If you're someone who has even the slightest notion of creating content for the world, the best thing for you to do is to just go for it.

Anthony gives some background to his own thinking and some overall goals of his podcast.