Join us for a weekly discussion on living with discernment in this world. We’ll have discussions of how the gospel and the word of God ought to be applied to current events, the problems facing our society, the history of what God has done in the world, t
Mother Teresa is considered one of the great humanitarians of the 20th century and is revered as a saint by the Roman Catholic church. But she did not really help many of the people that she talked about helping. The help she gave was very different from the way it was described by her and others and she often taught doctrine contrary to Roman Catholic teaching. But in the end, according to the Roman Catholic church, she is a shining example of what it means to be Catholic. And they have no problem with her unorthodox doctrine, her false help and false promotion, or taking the millions that she funneled into the coffers of the Roman Catholic church.If you listen to our podcast often, this should come as no surprise to you. Roman Catholicism is a false religion that leads many to hell. According to the Westminster and Second London Baptist Confession, the Pope is that Antichrist. It should come as no surprise that the “saints” of this false church are false as well. And this is very relevant to us today, as many conservative Christians follow and listen to Catholics like Matt Walsh and Candace Owens or JD Vance. We should remember that Roman Catholicism ultimately leads to death and darkness and separation from God. Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/05/the-hypocrisy-and-heresy-of-mother-teresa-ep-219-audio/Thumbnail image by JohnMathewSmith under CC-BY-SA 2.0Timecodes00:00:00 Danger of Charities00:06:58 What She Got Right00:09:28 Her Ministries00:19:24 Twisted Theology of Suffering00:26:03 Need for Conversion00:33:53 Roman Heresy00:37:48 Private Letters00:43:21 Protecting a Pedophile00:44:43 Applications00:48:12 Finances01:03:53 Miscellaneous IssuesProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
A little over a month ago, Dan Horn had a debate with Pastor Rich Lusk about Paedobaptism and the place of children in the church. After the debate was posted on YouTube (see link below), there were a number of comments that seemed worth responding to. A couple of the comments are from credobaptists, but most are from paedobaptists whose viewpoints seem to diverge from orthodox Presbyterian views and lean more toward Federal Vision.Dan Horn vs. Rich Lusk on Children in the Church:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4rcocRXATE Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/05/pedobaptism-debate-response-ep-218-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 The Debate00:00:45 The Position is Cold?00:11:44 Israel Drank of Christ?00:25:55 Children Praying?00:33:11 Christ's Baptism?00:40:57 Born Again?01:00:27 Baptism and Priesthood?01:16:31 Covenant Community?Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
How can we think about pain and suffering from a Reformed perspective. While suffering exists because of sin, both sin and suffering are part of God's means to glorify Himself through his Son. Because of this, those who seek to glorify God with their lives must approach suffering not only as God's decree, but as one of the ways that He glorifies Himself.In this episode, we discuss why suffering exists, how God uses suffering to constrain sin, how maturity and suffering are tied together, and how suffering for our sin differs from suffering for the sake of righteousness. Please join us as we discuss this important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Replacement theology is a derogatory term often used by dispensationalists to accuse those who believe in Covenant theology. Specifically, they claim that covenant theology teaches that the church replaced Israel. And while Christ does say to national Israel that the kingdom of God will be taken from them and given to another who will produce it's fruit, the way that is fulfilled is through the people established in Christ himself, the true Israel. One of the other issues with Dispensational eschatology is that it teaches that the church is a “parenthesis” in Israel's history and that every spiritual promise given by God will be fulfilled in physical Israel, which is clearly not true. So here's the question: What is right about replacement theology and what is wrong about it?In this episode, we look at the promises made to physical Israel which were fulfilled and acknowledged in Scripture. We also look at the promises that were clearly made to be fulfilled through Christ and his body, not in a “parenthesis”, and not by the church completely replacing Israel either, but by the substance, which is Christ, taking his place as the root and head of true Israel and bringing all that the Father has given him to the blessed promises of his glorious salvation and redemption.Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/04/is-replacement-theology-biblical-or-a-dispensational-boogeyman-ep-216-audio/Thumbnail image by Daniel Borman on Flickr under CC-BY 2.0Timecodes00:00 Replacement Theology09:57 Shadows to Substance15:20 Divorce of Israel28:49 Not All of Israel52:39 All Israel Will Be Saved?Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
One of the biggest disagreements between Baptists and Presbyterians is related to baptism, it's administration and what it means within the church. And these differences in practice are tied directly to differences in how God's Covenant and the covenants that He has made with men are understood. One primary difference that we want to concentrate on is that the Baptist view has more of an upward focus, looking at how each of God's covenants with man reveals or discovers the Eternal Covenant of Grace whereas the Presbyterian view is more downward focused with their description being that the Covenant of Grace has different administrations in the time of the law and the time of the gospel. Because of these different focuses, Baptists and Presbyterians see the effect of continuity and discontinuity very differently, with Baptists looking for those details to be expressed in physical vs spiritual typologies expressed as the earthly covenants with man reveal the heavenly Covenant of Grace (for example: circumcision of the flesh being fulfilled through circumcision of the heart, physical offspring pointing to spiritual offspring, physical households pointing to spiritual households, etc). Alternately, Presbyterians look for continuity and discontinuity within the earthly covenants. (physical households continuing, circumcision becoming baptism, etc).Most of the differences in this episode are found in Chapter 7 of both the Westminter and the Second London Baptist confessions of faith. In the Westminster, this chapter is titled, “Of God's Covenant with Man” and in the SLBC it is titled, “Of God's Covenant”Note: While we are focusing on real differences that we believe affect the church and doctrine in real ways, we are also grateful for the many areas of agreement that exist within the larger body of Christ. We also believe that it is through wrestling with God's word and doctrine with the guidance of the Holy Spirit that greater unity will come.Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/04/covenant-theology-baptists-discovery-vs-presbyterians-administration-ep-215-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Confessional Differences00:12:51 Purpose of Sacrificial System00:20:58 Abrahamic Covenant00:32:53 Sacrificial System00:52:53 What the Covenants RevealProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
When you consider the fact that God calls those He has called out front the world, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and His own special people, it should be obvious that He intended the church to be the ideal form of community. What group could have more in common and closeness than one made alive by His Spirit and called for His purposes into His family and household?But when we look at the world, we can see a different picture. While the church has a greater sense of community than the world, it does not seem to be a light to the nations in this regard. In fact, over the last sixty years, the American sense of community has been breaking down. And while some people want to accuse technology of causing this breakdown, in most cases, technology only facilitates the things we already desired. One of the things that has happened in the church is that we have shifted our focus from God saving the church as one body to be his bride, and instead have almost exclusively focused on God saving each of us as individuals. And because a strong sense of community requires one to focus, not on himself but on the group and what they hold in common, this singular focus wars against the sense of community that God desires for the church. In this episode, we want to look at the ways that God has designed the church to be the model community for the world, and how the practices He instituted and called the church to should strengthen rather than weaken this sense of community. Please join us as we discuss this very necessary topic.Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/04/gods-blueprint-for-community-how-the-church-should-lead-the-way-ep-214-audio/Thumbnail image by Thomas Hawk on Flickr under CC BY-NC 2.0Timecodes00:00:00 What Is Community00:03:09 The Church's Example00:10:43 Small Groups00:13:58 Our Mission00:26:05 Authority00:34:53 Shared Vision00:45:36 Disasters00:56:33 One Body01:06:05 Hospitality01:14:29 Impacting the CommunityProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Sharing the gospel is central to the Great Commission. But doing so on a day-to-day basis is more complicated than we often want to admit. It's definitely more complex than just memorizing the Romans Road or learning a three-step approach for door-to-door witnessing. So in this episode, we want to ask two different questions about sharing the gospel: first, we want to ask why don't we do it, and second, how should we change the way we think about sharing the gospel?Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/04/what-stops-christians-from-sharing-the-gospel-ep-213-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Failure to Evangelize00:08:36 False Fears00:11:33 Belief in Hell00:14:53 Disobedience00:19:59 Gifting vs Practice00:26:48 Different Venues00:35:36 Hospitality00:40:04 Ready to Give an Answer00:49:28 Listening00:58:17 Answer a Fool01:21:59 Using God's WordProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Many Christians would describe justice and mercy as being at odds with one another, but most confessions of the faith, such as the SLBC and the Westminster Confession, say that God is most just and He is most merciful. But if they are in opposition to one another, how can God be both merciful and just?Thumbnail image by Manu_H on Flickr under CC-BY 2.0Timecodes00:00:00 Intro00:02:57 Sproul00:10:50 Definition of Justice00:15:52 Definition of Mercy00:24:51 Overlooking Sin00:37:02 Vengeance vs Justice00:46:08 Justice in Man's Law00:49:14 Importance of Justice01:00:51 Mercy in the LawProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Many churches teach that Matthew 18 is the generally applicable text about church discipline and it should be followed in all circumstances. But Matthew 18 is primarily about forgiveness between brothers and when you look at other cases of discipline, such as when a man has his father's wife, there is no hint that Matthew 18 should be followed. So when is Matthew 18 appropriate? And why is this passage so often misunderstood? In this episode, we start out by laying out the differences between personal offenses and offenses against God. Matthew 18 is about dealing with personal offenses and because the person who believes he has been wronged has no greater authority than the brother he is confronting the process is structured to minimize slandering and false accusations. We also discuss how this is not just for brothers who go to the same church, how that works and what it looks like. After laying this groundwork, we then walk through the passage verse by verse discussing how each step is rooted in God's desire for justice and forgiveness.Matthew 18 is an incredibly important passage for us to understand. When we do not understand what it is intended to accomplish or how we should go about the process, we cause the church to be filled with a lack of forgiveness and injustice. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Both of the primary Reformed confessions explicitly call the pope that Antichrist. They saw the man of perdition from 2 Thessalonians 2 and that Antichrist from 1 John 2 fulfilled in the office of the pope. So what does it mean for the Pope to be that Antichrist or for the apostasy of the Roman Catholic Church to the falling away that Paul writes about to the Thessalonians and also to Timothy? One of the dangers of not considering these issues is that we begin to view eschatology as completely separate from doctrine. But Paul says that all scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. Whether we consider the Pope to be THAT Antichrist or just one Antichrist of many, we should realize that the scope and success of the Roman Catholic Church as a heretical and evil imitator of the true church for almost 1500 years is something that the church must grapple with. At a minimum it should warn us to not grow lax in standing against the heresies of the church even when they are embodied in likable people. At the most, it should help us focus on Christ and the work that He is doing in the world, it should reframe how we view the scope and significance of the Reformation and the work that Christ has for His church in fighting for right doctrines and right practices. So here's the question: If you hold to a Reformed tradition have you considered what it means for the Pope to be the Antichrist? And even if you do not, have to considered why the Reformers thought the way they did?Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/03/is-the-pope-really-that-antichrist-ep-210-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 An Antichrist vs The Antichrist00:06:59 Falling Away Comes First00:23:35 Sits as God in the Temple of God00:33:57 Mystery of Lawlessness00:47:55 Unrighteous Deception00:53:04 Strong Delusion00:59:11 Later Times Departing01:06:08 Spirit of the Antichrist01:10:04 Christ's Coming01:13:58 The Confession and Revelation01:26:38 One Antichrist Shall ComeProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Leprosy in the Bible was a picture of sin. And God uses it many times throughout the Old and New Testament to help us to think about different types of sin and the redeeming work of Christ.Recently we did a podcast on reading the Old Testament and how we should think abut the types and shadows whose substance has come in Christ. Leprosy, which was never intended to be primarily about health, was a type of parable regarding sin in individuals, in the works of men, and in houses and we are to be able to understand how those pictures as given in the law and in narratives apply to the current time. As a follow on to that topic, we want to discuss leprosy and we thought it would be useful to start with one of the more straightforward examples: leprosy in a house. We think the most direct application of this passage is to when sin is exposed in a household of faith, not just in an individual, but in the very church itself. In the text that we walk through, God spends significant time talking about how to prevent that revealed leprosy from spreading and then what to do when it is found to have spread, and when it keeps recurring. This Old Testament instruction parallels Paul's admonitions in the New Testament and it is instructive to us that he does not repeat the Old Testament but merely references it. This not only helps us to understand how to deal with this specific situation but instructs us in the proper use of Old Testament texts, how they relate to proper practices and how they relate to the holiness of the church. Please join us as we consider this important topic.Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/03/when-god-tears-churches-to-the-ground-dealing-with-a-leprous-house-ep-209-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 What is Leprosy?00:06:10 Leprosy in a House00:12:15 Telling the Priest00:21:25 Examining the House00:39:53 Removing Stones00:52:15 Tear Down the House01:03:49 Uncleanness01:08:58 Sacrifice for AtonementProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
In the 1960s, less than 4% of bodies were cremated. Now, it is about 2 out of 3 and by 2040, it is expected to be around 80%. Much of that is driven by the rising cost of funerals, since the burial plot is expensive and you can send a significant amount of money on a nice casket. On average, a cremation probably costs half of the cost of a burial. Another thing that seems to drive it is that the church typically doesn't explain why burial matters and why cremation is wrong. While many people do not think deeply about it, cremation has always existed and from a Christian perspective has been viewed as a picture of the body going to hell while burial is the picture of the body waiting for the resurrection. In this episode, we look at what scripture has to say about cremation and burial. We look to the Old Testament which contains the laws that detail dealing with the dead and where most of the narrative surrounding death and burial is written. We also look to church history and see how as Christianity spread, so too did the idea of burying the dead rather than burning them. We talk about how death and our handling of it is a significant testimony to the world about our faith and when done properly is something that the world cannot fully understand. So here's the question: If we are going to be resurrected anyway, does it matter how the body is treated? Or does our handling of death and burial testify to our faith?Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/03/is-cremation-a-sin-ep-208-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Does it Matter00:05:30 The Symbolism00:06:53 What God's Law Says00:14:26 Biblical Examples00:19:35 Expensive Burials00:27:03 More Biblical Examples00:37:23 Graveyards00:43:37 Even More Biblical Examples01:00:34 How to Change the Culture01:05:32 Can You Cremate Your Parents?Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
How you read the Old Testament impacts how you read all of God's word. It frames the questions that shape our understanding of God and His purposes. What was the purpose of the garden? Why did God choose, separate, and protect the nation of Israel? What is the church? Who is Jesus Christ and the nature of his atonement? It frames all of these and a hundred other questions as well, none of which are trivial or unimportant. In this episode, we want to look at how broadly and deeply the Old Testament shadows run. And while we start with God's word in Hebrews that “the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things” which is talking about the ceremonial, priestly laws of Israel, by the end of the episode, we want to go broader still to where Paul looks at the crossing of the Red Sea as a baptism, and Christ declares the manna in the wilderness to be bread from heaven which points forward to Him as the bread of life. We also want to emphasize that Scripture teaches us that these pictures are for us. We should not say, it is only Christ and Paul who can understand them. Jesus promised that after He left, He would send the Holy Spirit, who Paul reminds us in Corinthians understands the deep things of God. God's word declares that “all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” When the church refuses to look deeply at the Old Testament, we misunderstand the New Testament as well, as God does not spend a great deal of time repeating himself. The shadows are important because by them we can better understand the substance, which is Christ. Please join us as we discuss this important topic.Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/02/interpreting-types-and-shadows-old-testament-hermeneutics-ep-207-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Interpreting the OT00:08:19 Purpose of the OT00:10:46 Food Laws00:25:15 Speaking in Parables00:42:13 Can We Interpret Like the Apostles?00:50:38 Narrative Pictures01:06:14 Divisions of the LawProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Credobaptists and Paedobaptists differing views of baptism have real-world implications over how they view their children and their relationship to the church. Presbyterians (paedobaptists) hold that baptized children are part of the church, with the church having authority over and membership responsibility toward the child. Baptists (credobaptists) hold that they only become part of the church through faith and membership, and see baptism as a result of their faith. Often though, credobaptists treat their non-professing, unbaptized children like they are part of the church and as if they have been regenerated, going so far as to create practices that are inconsistent with their theological views of salvation, faith, and baptism.In this episode, we want to look at some of these inconsistencies, compare them to scripture, and discuss how they cause harm and confusion. So here's the question: What practices do churches need to watch out for so the children at the church are not deceived about their state with Christ?Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/02/the-hypocrisy-of-baptists-ep-206-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Introduction00:02:49 Youth Ministry00:12:09 Parents' Duty00:22:55 Baby Dedications00:30:13 Baptism Limits00:35:49 Should Our Children Be Saved?00:45:22 Expectation to Get Baptized00:53:26 Church Discipline00:55:17 Deceptive Songs00:59:43 Children in Church LifeProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
A hundred years ago in America most wives considered themselves to be homemakers with very few working outside the home. Now about 57% percent of them do. What should we think about this shift in the fabric of the American home, and more importantly what does God's word have to say about it. Throughout history, there have been societies that have been very confused about men's roles and women's roles. Frequently, the men don't do much work. They just do the things that please them. Hunting, fishing, maybe going to war while women do most of the provision for the household. But when Scripture began to inform a society, the roles of the husband and wife have typically been changed. Men begin to recognize they have a duty to provide for their family, to lead, and to make their household productive. Wives see their role as submitting to their own husband. Over the last hundred years, we have been losing that Christian influence in America and we've made an enormous shift that the church has largely gone along with it. In this episode, we look at many of the passages in Scripture that frame God's design for the home. We discuss how the curses from the fall continue to shape men's and women's rebellion against God's design. We also talk about what it means to build a home, to be productive, and how our unwillingness to hold the structure and purpose of the household in high regard has caused our courtship rituals to become focused on shallow concepts such as pleasure and comfort rather than long-term purpose. While modern culture has many problems that need to be resolved and fixing marriage and the home will only solve some of them, the home and family are fundamental building blocks of society and any movement back towards God's design will have a profound positive impact. Please join us as we discuss this important topic.Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/02/should-wives-be-homemakers-ep-205-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Intro00:06:49 Creation Order00:54:40 Keepers at Home00:56:34 Biblical Exceptions01:05:29 SolutionsProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14, that we are to pursue love and to be zealous for spiritual gifts especially that we may prophesy. We are not just to sit back and wait for God to bestow them on us. It is part of pursuing love and edifying one another. And if prophecy is about love and edification, then it cannot be primarily about telling the future. So what is prophecy? Prophecy is about declaring the truth regarding the nature of God. It means to speak forth, and while prophets did often declare future events, a key reason those events were foretold was to warn Israel and others to turn from their sins, thus declaring the justice and faithfulness of God. This is why Moses was a great prophet, not because of all his foretellings, but because by him the law of God was given. This is why Jesus Christ was the greatest prophet of all, because He is the very image of the invisible God. Everything He did and said declared his Father and the nature of God. And we must understand this because Paul says that prophecy is for edification. How can we edify one another without understanding? This is one of the key differences between the Pentecostal view of prophecy and a Biblical view of prophecy. Pentecostalism keeps a great sense of mysticism around prophecy. It is cloaked in spiritual artistry and emotionalism. But Biblical prophecy brings all things back to scripture. The Spirit of God, as we are told in John 16, “will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” And some people will fixate on the phrase, “He will tell you things to come”, but look at what is said in full: “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” Consider this in light of II Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This is the fruit of what the Holy Spirit has declared through God's word. This is its purpose. He still works through his people to declare its truth, that the church might be edified and God glorified. Please join us as we discuss this important topic. Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/02/should-all-christians-prophesy-ep-204-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 What is Prophecy?00:07:00 Old Testament Prophets00:19:44 The Place of Foretelling00:28:27 Developing Gifts00:36:29 How to Develop ProphecyProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
People often think that what made America unique was its separation of powers and system of checks and balances, but those ideas were not really new at the time or unique to America. What actually was unique was having the Constitution as a single written document that formed the structure and scope of powers of the government and having every officer in that government take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. In almost every other government, the standard expectation was that officials would try to use their authority in any way they could get away with and the checks and balances against one person becoming a tyrant was that others who had power as well would stand against them. But the oath of office was different. It constrained by establishing that those who did not keep their oaths were both morally and legally impeachable. This allowed for powerful figures to be held in check or even removed without violence and bloodshed. And one of the reasons for taking oaths is to ask God to judge when the oath is broken. So here's the question: Does God still care about oaths and does he still judge people and nations when they fail to uphold them? Because that's really the key point about oaths. They aren't just super-serious secular promises. They invoke the name and identity of God. And God promises that He will judge, not just the person who swore the oath (Leviticus 19:11-12), but also the people who were witnesses to the oath, if they do not require it to be upheld (Leviticus 5:1). So in this episode, we want to look at what God says about oaths, and how we as Americans have broken our promises made before God. We also want to specifically consider how God has judged our nation, not just in general ways, but in ways that are directly tied to our broken promises. Here's the important thing to take away: God has not changed. He does not think it is foolish to involve Him in matters of solemnity and seriousness. What is foolish is to believe that his name is nothing more than a societal tool for deepening and embellishing the ceremonies of state, church, and family. God cares about his name. He is a jealous God and a consuming fire. We should not think we can take Him lightly and not be judged. Please join us as we consider this serious matter. Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/01/why-oaths-of-office-matter-to-god-ep-203-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Importance of Oaths00:28:17 Can You Ever Take an Oath?00:35:55 Teaching Taking Oaths Seriously00:50:23 Duty to Bear Witnesses to Oaths00:56:29 Mental Reservations01:01:57 Trump's Executive Orders Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Can Baptists actually be Reformed? To answer that, we probably have to answer another question, “What does it mean to be Reformed in the first place? Is it a tradition, a specific set of beliefs, or something else entirely? There are a lot of online debates and discussions about whether Baptists can be Reformed or not. And while some of those debates are just good-natured ribbing between Presbyterians and Baptists, it's a subject worth thinking about seriously. When Baptists say they are “reformed” what do they mean, and are they correct? In one sense, the term “reformed” doesn't have only one definition or use. Words are like that, in the abstract, they can have multiple definitions. But when a specific word is actually used, such as to identify a group of Baptists, that use must have one specific meaning. So are Reformed Baptists really Reformed?In this episode, we want to talk about why Reformed Baptists are Reformed and what we mean by that. We discuss some of the history of the Protestant Reformation and how Reformed Baptists emerged as a group in the UK. We discuss some of the doctrines that are specific to being considered Reformed, and we also talk about the unifying spirit of the Reformation that existed well before Luther or Calvin and goes back to the leadership and direction of Christ and His Spirit.Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/01/can-reformed-baptists-be-reformed-ep-202-audio/Timecodes00:00 What Does it Mean to Be Reformed? 17:36 Soteriology 28:42 Covenants 50:19 CredobaptismProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Does the Bible teach that there are sins serious enough that a pastor should be permanently removed and never be able to serve as a pastor again? Frequently, when an elder or a pastor falls into sin, people immediately start to say that they hope he can repent, so he can resume his ministry. This is often because the pastor was particularly gifted in preaching or teaching or leading the church. He often had a great deal of charisma or motivation, when it is easy for people to look at this gifted man and think that it would be a shame for the church to lose his talent and ability. But that is looking at it from man's perspective. God is far more concerned about his reputation and protecting his glorious bride, the church. So what does scripture say about removing a man from office permanently? Please join us as we discuss this important topic. Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/01/when-should-a-pastor-be-permanently-removed-ep-201-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Calling of Elders 00:10:17 Removal of False Shepherds 00:28:03 Theft 00:33:38 Sexual Abuse of the Flock 00:40:38 Abusing the Weak 00:48:43 Not Seeking Lost Sheep 00:58:46 Force and Cruelty Towards the Sheep 01:11:42 Could a Polygamist Be an Elder? Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Both Daniel Penny and Luigi Mangione were in the news recently due to associated murder charges. Both men claimed they were trying to stop evil. Both men claim their use of force was justified. The public is also divided, with some claiming one or both of them a hero and many others strongly believing the opposite. But for those of us who believe in the sufficiency of scripture, we should be able to go to God's word to understand these two situations as well as the general question of, “When does God say that men are allowed to use force?” Please join us as we discuss this culturally relevant topic. Podcast on self defense https://theconqueringtruth.com/2022/01/why-christians-must-defend-themselves-ep-53/ Sermon on Sampson https://legacy.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=72224183820340Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Jimmy Carter was one of the most outspokenly Christian presidents of the modern age, but was he an accurate representative of Christianity in the public sphere? His view of Christianity was that his beliefs should not impact his decisions or inform his policies, a view that many professing Christians shared at the time. In this episode, we examine the legacy of Jimmy Carter, both during his time as president and in the years that followed. Please join us as we consider this topic. Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2024/12/jimmy-carters-legacy-was-he-a-christian-president-ep-199-audio/ Timecodes 00:00:00 Character00:15:01 Deregulating Airlines00:22:02 Camp David Accords00:28:47 Leadership Failures00:42:36 Iran Hostage Crisis00:48:01 Damage to the Economy00:55:09 His Christianity01:16:12 Panama Canal01:18:00 Playboy Interview01:21:08 Women in the Church01:33:00 Habitat for Humanity01:34:37 Nobel Peace PrizeProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Who has authority over marriage? When a man and a woman are married, the official often says something like, “by the power vested in me by…”. But what does that mean and it is even remotely Biblical? Does the civil government have any authority over marriage? What about the church? And do people need to get married in a church by an ordained minister for the wedding to be recognized by God? In this episode, we want to look at many of the different issues that relate to authority over marriage. We look at the Old Testament passages where God frames and defines the institute of marriage, and then discuss how this design plays out in society as the civil magistrate, the church, and the family, each of which are divinely-appointed authorities, work together at times and in other ways against each other. Marriage is both simple and complex. The union itself is fairly straightforward, a man and a woman are joined together - two previously separate people now become one flesh, but because marriage is the foundation of societies and nations even small errors in how we understand that union can have huge impacts. Please join us as we discuss this important topic. Timecodes00:00 History of Marriage10:58 God's Law15:25 Creation Ordinance34:22 The Amiee Byrd Situation42:30 Role of the church56:30 Role of the stateProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
One of the most hotly debated topics in Protestant circles is the doctrine of infant baptism, the practice of baptizing the infant children of professing believers. As we are unapologetically baptists, we disagree with this practice and believe that it goes against scripture and causes many problems in the church. In this episode, we look at some of the issues caused by the practice of infant baptism, such as how it divides the church body, creating two covenants, two baptisms, two memberships, all of which leads to a host of problems. And while we don't expect this episode to resolve the differences between Baptists and our Presbyterian brothers, we do believe that it is worth continued debate and discussion. One of the ways that we achieve unity in Christ is through truth and right doctrine, and setting important issues aside or saying that there is no right answer does not move us toward unity. Quite the opposite. Please join us as we discuss this controversial but important topic. Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2024/12/dont-baptize-your-babies-the-problems-caused-by-paedobaptism-ep-197-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 The Danger 00:07:43 Which Covenant? 00:11:51 Dividing the Body 00:29:48 Diluting Holiness 00:40:21 Unbelievers Outnumbering Believers 00:45:09 Not Fulfilling the Role of the Church 00:49:29 Covenant Issues 00:54:17 The Duty to Train Children 01:07:46 Presbyterian PolityProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Benny Hinn is a false teacher that has millions of global followers. And while in the US, he is more likely to be seen as a false teacher, in Nigeria, as in many other parts of the world, there are many who are deceived by him and his teaching. But why is this? In this episode we want to look at how Benny Hinn sells himself and his heresies to make himself acceptable. We spend a little bit of time talking about his background and his mentor Kathryn Kulman and how he was shaped by her techniques. We also discuss his pattern of appealing to the flesh and to fleshly desires. As a carnal man Benny Hinn does not understand spiritual things and those he is trying to attract do not understand them either, so Hinn creates his own carnally-inspired mystical approach to spiritual things. This is really important to understand, because even many Christians have grown up in churches where spiritual things are not taught clearly. We also talk about Hinn's recent false repentance, which was really just a means to distance himself from certain actions and not any actual repentance at all. Benny Hinn should not be a threat to anyone. But because of how little influence and credibility the church has, he can sell his carnal “spirituality” and lead many to hell. Please join us as discuss this important topic.Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Eschatology may not be the most important doctrinal position, but it does greatly impact how we view the power and application of the Great Commission. Christ is the second Adam and as such he is carrying out the dominion mandate in a way that completely eclipses the work of the first Adam. In this episode, we want to look at two particular areas where Christ's dominion has shaped the world: the sense of shame for sin, and bringing order to the world. When Christians fail to recognize the work of God in the world, they either end up calling good things evil or giving the credit for the good things they have received to something other than God. This is unbecoming of the people of God. Christ's has been given all authority, his Holy Spirit has been sent into the world to convict it of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (none of which are narrow in scope), and his servants go forth in the world every day, shining forth the light of God and constraining the sin around them. It is wicked and foolish to believe that his work has not accomplished great things. Please join us as we examine a small part of what Christ has done. May his church glorify Him, for He is great! This is a continuation of our previous episode, 25 Ways Christ has Conquered His Kingdom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD1su5MsCB4 Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Before the Reformation, illiteracy was widespread. When the Reformers started to say that people needed to study the word of God for themselves, the importance of learning dramatically increased and people like Luther and Calvin started schools. Pastors were suddenly expected to be knowledgeable. Before this, people could occupy a high level in the church and not really know any doctrine. The Roman Catholic response with the counter Reformation at the council of Trent was to call for seminaries. Over time that became the standard means of education for Protestants as well, but it really is not in the bible, so are seminaries a good idea? In this episode, we want to discuss what caused the seminary model to become dominant, and to take it back to scripture. We also think it's worth pushing on the idol of knowledge for knowledge's sake. While knowledge is not bad, scripture gives the warning that it puffs up. When you combine this danger with the fact that the majority of seminary graduates are effectively novices who have had very little real-world experience or training, it is easy to see why there can be serious problems with the seminary system. One of the metaphors that scripture uses for a church body is that of a family or household of faith, with the leaders being older brothers (elders) and the body itself being composed of brothers and sisters doing the work of their Father in the world and serving one another and the body in general in different capacities. Is it possible that like in earthly families, our heavenly father has made a way for his sons to be trained to lead? Please join us as we discuss this important topic.Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
One of the stranger stories to come out of the 2024 presidential elections is the story of Peanut the squirrel and Dave the raccoon. In case you haven't heard here's the short version: in upstate New York, early one morning, the government sent agents to the house of Mark Longo, a man who ran a non-profit animal shelter. Mark also had a popular Instagram account featuring a squirrel named Peanut that he had rescued seven years before and kept at his home. According to the man, the Department of Environmental Conservation raided his home with ten to twelve agents. They searched the home for five hours while they detained him. Finally, they took Peanut and a raccoon. They said that Peanut bit an officer, so they killed them both.While this story is very strange, it apparently struck a nerve with many people with support for either Mark and Peanut or the government fracturing along partisan lines. In this episode we want to look at the ways these issues reveal different details about American culture, politics, and the influence of the church. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
So here's the question: Assuming that you are in favor of corporal punishment and believe that God describes spanking as an appropriate form of punishment for certain types of foolish/rebellious behavior, do you think whether or not you spank your children in public says anything about your faith, your obedience to God, your trust in Him, or is part of your Christian testimony? That's what we want to talk about in this episode. And while we have specific opinions on the matter, we think it's worth people's time to think through the issue and to consider how their actions are shaped by their beliefs. We should also say upfront that while there are places in the world where it is illegal for a parent to spank their child, in America, as of the time this video was recorded, it is legal in all 50 states. One of the things that God says of Christians is that they are the salt and light of the world, and it is not just the result of their actions that are salt and light but their actions themselves. One of the tactics of the world is to try to make righteousness shameful and in the case of spanking, they have been able to do that very successfully. Many Christians who spank their children and believe that God's Word teaches that it should be done are also ashamed to let others know that they do so. It is also a matter of fear. Because many have heard accounts of people having their children taken away from them by CPS, they fear that the same will happen to them if they openly obey God. And while God calls us to be prudent, he does not call us to fear. In fact, Revelation 21:8 says, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." And as it says in Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.” So we should not think that scripture does not tie together our faith and our fear. This does not mean that we believe you should go out of your way to spank your children in public or that you should disobey your husband if he tells you that you should not do so. God has appointed authority and direction for our lives. But we should also understand that who and what we fear matters a great deal and we should labor so that we fear God and God alone. Please join us as we discuss this important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
When people think of revival, they often think of meetings with a preacher like Billy Graham standing on a stage with his Bible held high as he holds an altar call and where people stream toward the stage as the crowd sings “Just As I Am”. But that's not what Biblical revivals look like. Biblical revivals starts with doctrine - a greater knowledge of God and His holiness and righteousness. When you look at revivals in the Old Testament, they start when the lost book of the law is found and as it is read by the king and read to the people, hearts are changed by hearing the Word of God. This is what happened at the time of Hezekiah, Josiah and Ezra. True revival is very associated with growing in knowledge and understanding, and that is also true of the greatest revival in history after the time of the apostles, the Protestant Reformation. It was because the bible started to be read and the people began to understand the doctrine of election and of salvation by grace through faith alone that there was a major revival. So why is doctrine necessary for revival?Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Most people who hold to a Calvinistic view of salvation probably think they have rejected works-based righteousness. But when sin is revealed in a leader, why do so many turn to that man's works to assure themselves that he is truly saved? This was the response of many when Steve Lawson was removed from office. And in the last sermon he preached before his removal, this was Steve Lawson's defense of himself as well. Scripture teaches us that we can have assurance of salvation. But it warns us that even though we can examine our inward motivations, we are susceptible to deceiving ourselves (Philippians 2:12-13, I Corinthians 11:28-32). When it comes to other people, scripture is very clear, we can NEVER be assured of someone else's salvation in the same way. But more importantly, scripture teaches that while those who have been saved still sin, those who walk in sin or practice sin, ARE NOT saved. (Galatians 5:16-24, I John 1:16). To say it a different way, we can be more assured that someone else is NOT saved than that they are. And this bothers many people. In his last sermon, which was on John the Baptist, Steve Lawson suddenly says the following: “And you should not judge a man by his one weak moment you need to look at the whole body of his work you need to look at his whole message. You need to look at his whole ministry and don't judge him on one hiccup that happens.” And while you may disagree that this statement was connected to what was about to happen to Steve Lawson and his ministry, it is a perfect example of how he was defended by many. So here's the question: how susceptible are you to a work-based righteousness defense of salvation? Not where you say, “good works are the necessary fruit of salvation”, but where you are tempted to weigh the good works vs the bad? Because that's not found in scripture. Nowhere does God say that we should reassure ourselves of someone's salvation because they have done many good works. That is the proclamation of the lawless who stand before God in the day of judgment: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Matthew 7:15-23 Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
In the past weeks, several hurricanes have struck the United States, killing hundreds and displacing millions. Many professing Christians are offended if you say that God sent these hurricanes as judgment, but we'd like to argue that this is because we tend to think very shallowly about the judgment of God. And while disaster striking an area does not inherently mean that God judged the people who lived there because they were the most evil and vilest of sinners, scripture clearly teaches God ordains all events and that he is the one who kills and makes alive (Deuteronomy 32:29), who brings peace or sends calamity (Isaiah 45:7). In this episode, we want to discuss what the Bible says about natural disasters and God's judgment. We start out by framing the issue, reviewing scripture explaining how God's wrath is revealed to man (Psalm 10 and Romans 1) and establishing His authority as Lord over all the earth. We then walk through some of the many passages that show God's judgment through storms and other disasters and how He uses them to punish, warn, demonstrate his power, teach men to fear God, and demonstrate the danger and power of sin. Please join us as we discuss this very important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
The law of God confronts us with our sin. And while sinners hate this condemnation, they also want others to obey God's law because it makes their life easier. Because of this, they are very quick to notice sin in others, specifically, the sin that the law has convicted them of. This is often referred to as projection. Scripture refers to it this way: And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. In this episode we want to discuss the different ways that this practice of hypocrisy presents itself in the world and in our lives and how we as Christians should think about it. It is one of the reasons why the world calls Christians unloving, not because the world understands love, but because they are convicted of their lack of love and so accuse others of it. (This does not mean that Christians are always loving or that the world is always wrong about Christians being unloving, but that this is a common pattern it is helpful to understand it). We also discuss how sin impacts our ability to understand others. It separates us from them and then causes us to see them through the perverting influence of sin. This is why perverts think the innocent are being perverted when they are not, why the angry take offense at kindness, why the covetous are harmed by gifts they are given and so on. The law of God is good, but sin perverts everything, and as Christians it is good for us to understand how sin twists the good commandments of God and causes men to project their sins onto others. Please join us as we discuss this important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Having right doctrine is important, but it's not enough. That why orthopraxy (having correct practices) matters. People like to debate theology. Many people believe that Christians should make an effort to persuade other Christians to their understanding of scripture - and the bible is clear, while pointless debates are foolish, persuading others to understand sound doctrine is a good and important thing to do. Right doctrine is how the church is made one. Unity comes from the right and complete understanding of who Christ is. But many are satisfied with only having right doctrine. They do not go on to apply it to their lives and to have right practices. And when orthopraxy is ignored, it is reasonable to ask whether the doctrine was ever really and correctly understood. In every field of study, there is a recognized difference between abstract knowledge and application. And as anyone who has tried to build a building or follow a recipe for the first time knows, applying knowledge can be much more difficult than obtaining it. In this episode, we want to discuss why right doctrine is insufficient. While the wicked do not love right doctrine, it is almost always actions that they find most offensive. When Christ came to his own, they would not receive him, and while many of them were offended by his doctrine, what the religious leaders were most offended by was that he revealed them to be hypocrites, not just by his words, but by his deeds. We also want to talk about how orthropraxy and orthodoxy cannot be separated from one another. And when we try to separate them, we often lose what doctrine we have or create practices that teach a false doctrine. We can see this in how the world describes “servant leadership”. Leaders really should serve those they are called to lead, but they also still have authority. As the world tries to destroy Biblical manhood and womanhood, even among those who have correct doctrine the practice of male head of household and male representative authority has been discarded and as a result the doctrine has grown weaker. So please join as a we discuss this and many other points related to the question: “Why is orthopraxy, which means to practice what is right, important?” Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2024/09/right-doctrine-is-not-enough-why-orthopraxy-matters-ep-187-audio/ Timecodes 00:00:00 Example to the World 00:07:22 Honoring with Obedience 00:19:55 Linking Doctrine and Practice 00:29:39 Walking in the Flesh 00:37:51 Revelation of False Believers 00:44:11 Hypocrisy 00:53:48 What to Do Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC Permanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn Technical Director - Timothy Kaiser Theme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
There are well-meaning Christians who teach that no one should ever be allowed to remarry after divorce. The main problem with that interpretation is that God divorced and remarried. Spiritually, God is only ever married to the invisible church, but that is not true in an earthly sense. According to Scripture, God divorced Israel and He was divorced from Judah when he came to them and they put him to death. But then Christ is betrothed to the church, with his death paying the bride price. So, if God, who is perfectly righteous, divorced and remarried what does that mean for us? In this episode, we want to discuss what scripture teaches about marriage, divorce, remarriage, and abandonment. We will look at the Old Testament law of divorce and see how its substance and intent are consistent with Christ's and Paul's teachings in the New Testament. We will look at marriage as both a picture of the gospel and of Christ and the church and how the message throughout scripture of “hardness of heart” is a central theme demonstrated through the differences between the old and new covenant. Marriage is an important institution, and while God hates divorce, he hates hardness of heart even more. While the church needs to protect the importance and sanctity of marriage by requiring fidelity, the church must also recognize that hardness of heart can bring a marriage to an end. When we deny this, we obscure the perfect righteousness of God. Please join us as we discuss this very important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Do you understand the many ways that Christianity has made the world a better place? Some people think of eschatology as this far-off thing dealing only with future events that are primarily spiritual in nature. But scripture does not teach that this is true. Christ came to establish his kingdom and to destroy the works of the devil. After his life, death, and resurrection, he ascended to heaven, his rule and reign were established, and his kingdom has been going forth and transforming the world. The word of God says that Christians are the light of the world, but so many believe that the darkness wins over the light. But God designed light and darkness to give us a picture of how the world works. Just as light will dispel the darkness so will the light of Christ through his church push back and destroy the darkness of the world. In this episode we want to look at the many ways that Christ's kingdom of light has taken dominion over the darkness and how that victory has been made manifest in the world. Christians of all people should see and understand these things and glorify God for his goodness. Please join us as we discuss this important topic.Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
If you pay attention to the news at all, you'll hear a lot of worried cries about how we need to work to “save democracy”. But if you know much about American history, you'll know that the US isn't a democracy and has never been one. In fact, if you've really studied history you'll know that pure democracies tend to be short-lived institutions. And because this is a podcast by Christians, and largely aimed at Christians, you shouldn't be surprised that we want to take this all back to scripture and talk about what the Bible teaches about government, how people should rule themselves, and why pure democracies tend to lead to evil. In this episode, we want to look at the danger of democracies and how this is demonstrated throughout scripture. The people collectively always have a great deal of power, the question is how should that power be both harnessed and constrained? There will also always be leaders among the people. Even if there is no official position anyone who can influence others will always have some form of power. Pure democracy gives great power to those who can influence the public and typically leads to mob rule. And this is not only true in the nation but also in our churches (and not only in congregational churches). Scripture has much to say about government, authority, and the principles that shape a nation, and while in this episode we can only scratch the surface and begin to lay a framework for this should be thought about, it is a discussion that the Christians in America desperately need to have. Please join us as discuss this important topic.Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Before Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, he promised to send his Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us. But how does the Holy Spirit accomplish his ministry? How can we know if we are being led by the Holy Spirit? In this episode we want to walk through what scripture teaches about the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. While theHoly Spirit is God and is therefore above our ability to completely understand, scripture teaches us that his ministry and leading can be understood. Because the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and the Son and in their authority, he never comes with His own words, but teaches us and guides us to and through the Truth of God's Word. The Holy Spirit also came to make men Holy, to break the bondage and power of sin and to guide them to works of righteousness. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Charles Finney was both an avid proponent of revivalism and a relentless enemy of Reformed doctrine in the early American Church. Finney himself was a product of revivalism, professing faith in his late 20s at an emotional revival service. Finney quickly dedicated himself to the ministry, and began studying for his ordination as a Presbyterian minister. Despite his studies, Finney claims that at his ordination he was ignorant of the doctrines contained in the Westminster Confession and catechism, asserting in his memoirs that when questioned, he stated that he, “received it for substance of doctrine, so far as I understood it. But I spoke in a way that plainly implied, I think, that I did not pretend to know much about it.” Later, when he did study the confession and catechism he claimed to reject much of what it said. According to Finney and others, he openly preached against Reformed soteriology, arguing against it whenever it was spoken of in his presence. When he was 43, Penny was appointed as Professor of Theology at Oberlin College. Two years later he became the minister of the church there, and fifteen years later still, he was officially appointed president of the college. In this episode we want to focus on the influence that Finney had over American society and culture through his preaching and through the realization of his vision for Christianity through Oberlin College. Throughout its history Oberlin has been instrumental in influencing American culture and Society, occasionally for the good, but many times and in many ways for great evil. Because Finney's theology exalted man, the fruit of his ministry has been humanistic in nature. The idea that through social justice and fervent effort that man can by his own strength create heaven on Earth is an idea that traces back directly to Finney and while there were others certainly who shared his ideals and even who shaped him to some extent, Finney was in many ways the source and indefatigable champion of these views. Please join us as we examine the life and influence of Charles Finney and understand what Paul proclaimed: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
If you watched the Republican National Convention this year, you may have noticed that there was a lot of emphasis on religion. Hopefully, you also noticed that none of it was pleasing to God. One of the dangers of living in a formerly Christian culture that is rapidly decaying is that you can begin to think there are no more lines to be crossed, that there is a good political side and a bad political side and it's obvious who Christians should stand with. But this view isn't supported by Scripture, There comes a point where the “good political party” is corrupt as well and their idolatry excludes joining with them. We want to argue that we've come to that place. In this episode, we discuss the pluralism and idolatry of the Republican Party and how its embracing of homosexuality and accepting that abortion is not murder show their lack of interest in retaining God in their knowledge. And Romans 1 is critical here because it tells us in this passage that refusing to retain the knowledge of God is what keeps us from falling into abject depravity. And this is where the Republican party is headed. So this is directed to believers who are in denial. Do you understand that the wrath of God is against them? If you go among them, it must be to call them to repentance, not to clap for their candidates and their policies. And if you join with them, you should expect God's judgment to be upon you as well. This is where you will see if you have faith. Please join us as we discuss this important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
The Bible has a lot to say about food, and from the beginning, we can see how food was related to sin, to sacrifices, and to the worship of God. There were also the food laws of Israel, which are frequently misunderstood. But through all of this, the Bible never teaches that a person's health is tied to the food they eat. And this matters a great deal, because this is a common false teaching, even among the orthodox. But the Bible does talk about health. It has to, because life and death are moral, spiritual issues. We understand this because anything to do with whether someone lives or dies will always be a moral topic because we understand that death exists because of sin and so we know that health issues must tie back to sin being in the world. In this episode, we want to talk about what God's word says about food and how we can please him with what we eat. In American culture, there is a lot of talk about eating healthy and frequently it is a power issue. Wives pressure their husbands to eat in certain ways. The US government has a food pyramid that is trying to tell people how they should eat. Doctors tell people how they should eat, but they find they have such little power, they frequently don't even bother even when there is actual scientific evidence behind their conclusions. The more health care is nationalized, the more government asserts its right to dictate what you eat. With all the manipulation about food, how should we relate food and health and what does God's word teach us about all these things.Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
If you watched the Republican National Convention this year, you may have noticed that there was a lot of emphasis on religion. Hopefully, you also noticed that none of it was pleasing to God. One of the dangers of living in a formerly Christian culture that is rapidly decaying is that you can begin to think there are no more lines to be crossed, that there is a good political side and a bad political side and it's obvious who Christians should stand with. But this view isn't supported by Scripture, There comes a point where the “good political party” is corrupt as well and their idolatry excludes joining with them. We want to argue that we've come to that place. In this episode, we discuss the pluralism and idolatry of the Republican Party and how its embracing of homosexuality and accepting that abortion is not murder show their lack of interest in retaining God in their knowledge. And Romans 1 is critical here because it tells us in this passage that refusing to retain the knowledge of God is what keeps us from falling into abject depravity. And this is where the Republican party is headed. So this is directed to believers who are in denial. Do you understand that the wrath of God is against them? If you go among them, it must be to call them to repentance, not to clap for their candidates and their policies. And if you join with them, you should expect God's judgment to be upon you as well. This is where you will see if you have faith. Please join us as we discuss this important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
In Hebrews 11, the Bible states plainly that faith requires understanding that the visible world is controlled by the invisible: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. With that in mind, what does walking by faith look like? In this episode we want to talk about what faith in an invisible, sovereign God looks like. How does faith in the invisible God cause our day to be structured? How do we think about things like sickness and trials, current events and global politics, and the role of the church in the world? When Christians do not believe in the invisible, we become like pagans who fear the world instead of fearing God and turn to worshipping the creature rather than the creator. Christians on the other hand, realize that there are unseen forces in the world, but that they are all controlled by the hand of the sovereign God. Because of this, we are able to fear no one but God, and to serve him directly. This is what it means to walk by faith. Please join us as we discuss this very important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Suicide has historically been a crime. This is true for many reasons, but one prevalent one is that it is difficult. If not impossible, to argue from the natural world that men own themselves. Everything about the world testifies to man's dependence, his inability to create himself, provide for himself, or to exist without dependence upon others. We are born from our parents, totally dependent in so many ways and we end our lives in a similar state. From a scriptural perspective this is even more true as God says clearly that the world and all that is in it belongs to him. We are created for his good pleasure and have no claim to life or freedom apart from him. In this episode, we want to start with the topic of suicide and move from there to discuss the fact that God owns our lives and that all men, whether they acknowledge God or not, know that they do not own themselves. We also discuss the difference between suicide and sacrifice and walk through some of the suicides and deaths in scripture and discuss how and why each of the different men died and whether they murdered themselves (ultimately out of pride) or sacrificed themselves for worthy reasons. Suicide is serious and God treats it as self-murder. We should also treat it seriously and describe it as God sees it. Please join us as we discuss this important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Most people don't know the history of dispensationalism. While many are familiar with the name John Nelson Darby and many more are familiar with C. I. Scofield (or at least with the Scofield Bible), very few know much about their lives, their actions,and their involvement with the creation of the doctrine. But it is a story worth knowing. And while a biblical view's origin isn't the most important thing to know about it, it should never be dismissed out of hand and should be considered. Dispensationalism has, in many ways, always been driven by the headlines, as it arose in the wake of the French Revolution, and developed in the emotional and even mystical response to the impact the fall of the French monarchy had upon the world. So, in this episode, we want to look at the origins and history of dispensationalism, how it started, what was going on in the world, and what were the claims made by those who had a hand in founding it. Please join us as we discuss this fascinating historical topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Most churches in America have at least some form of church membership. But here's the question we want to ask and it's a little bit loaded: Do you take church membership as seriously as you should? The obvious, easy answer is, “No”, but it's worth actually thinking about. How well do you understand why church membership exists? What is its purpose? What does Jesus Christ desire to accomplish by it? And from the answers to those questions: How should we change the way we think about it and practice it so that we please our Lord and Savior? In this episode we want to deal with the shape and substance of church membership. Why is it biblical when we don't explicitly see it in the early church? And why do the Reformed generally insist on associating it with a covenant? From there we want to talk about what the church does in the world, how it is the light and salt of the earth as well as Christ's body and how church membership both allows and accentuates those aspects of the church, but also how without it, it hinders the ministry of the church. Church membership may seems like a small thing, but in many ways, it is like the skeletal system of the church, with the people being parts of muscles and organs, and the bones, ligaments and tendons joining them together so that real work can be done and so that protection is offered to the many delicate members of the body. Without church membership, the body becomes this shapeless thing, full of the same potential but unable to move or to achieve its purposes. There's more to of it course, and God uses more than just the analogy of a body. He also compares the church to a building, to a sheep fold, to a legislative body, to a city, and to other things as well. But in each of these examples, membership is a key part of that arrangement, and it is more than just belonging. Membership lets us know our place in God's world, and that is a very important thing all by itself. It's a shame to the church that we think so little of it. Please join us as we discuss this very important topic. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Why has Jonathan been missing from the recent podcasts? Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC Hosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn Technical Director - Timothy Kaiser Theme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
If you've lived in the US for long, you've probably had members of the Jehovah's Witnesses come to your door at some point. How much do you know about them and what they believe? And what does their continued existence tell us about the world and the church today? Similar to the Mormons in that they are a cult formed in the wake of the Second Great Awakening, the Jehovah's Witnesses started in 1870. Today, they are mostly known for their door-to-door witnessing and their booklets and other publications distributed by the “Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania”, the parent organization of most Jehovah's Witness denominational ministries.In this episode, we want to talk about Jehovah's Witnesses, what they believe, and why they have continued to have some measure of success in the world. Joining us for this episode is Je'quan Underwood, a member of our church who has spent a fair bit of time talking to and witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses. Similar to Mormons, it's easy to dismiss their claims as crazy, but the simple truth is that false religions exist because people are seeking to live in the world and to deal with their own sin and the sin of others without accepting the truth about Jesus Christ, Godhood, and the way of salvation. And while there are specific things that are useful to point out if you talk to a Jehovah's Witness, there is no magic phrase or piece of information that you can give them to cause them to turn away from their false religion. The issue is spiritual, not intellectual. But at the same time, it's useful to understand what they say they believe as false religions in each age of the church push against specific doctrines that offend the mind and heart of man. Please join us as we discuss this topic. . Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
If demons believe in God, then what else is required for salvation? What is the difference between normal faith and saving faith? On this episode we discuss this important issue.Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
In 2021, John MacArthur preached a message to his church addressing how to think about Christianity's decline in America. It starts out like this: “Hey, we tried. We honestly did. I think you did. I think I did. I mean I took interviews, I responded to questions I think we tried to have an influence on our nation last year.” He goes on to talk about how the world isn't interested in Christianity and then he says this: “We don't win down here. We lose. You ready for that? Oh, you thought because you were a postmillennialist, you thought we're just going to go waltzing into the kingdom because you took over the world. No, we lose here. Get it? They killed Jesus, they killed all the apostles, we're all going to be persecuted. If any man come after me', let him what, ‘deny himself'. Garbage of prosperity gospel. No, we don't win down here. Are you ready for that? Just to clear the air - I love this clarity - we don't win. We lose on this battlefield, but we win on the big one - the eternal one. “ His response is a good example of why we've been doing more episodes about eschatology lately and why we think it matters. Because those verses he quotes and references about persecution and denying ourselves are true, but they make absolutely no sense in the way he is using them. As much as we appreciate John MacArthur's ministry, his teaching is really wrong on this. Even if you hold to dispensational theology, you shouldn't think about those verses in that way. Denying yourself is not at odds with succeeding, some of the most successful people by any standard have been faithful Christians. Yes, it means you can't pursue carnal things, but surely that's not something a Christian would object to. And this isn't something that's only true in the New Covenant. Even in the Old Testament, Daniel was persecuted for his faith, he took up his cross and looked toward Jesus and he had a huge impact on the world around him. So did Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Obadiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jesus all the apostles and countless others throughout history. So in this episode, we want to really push on this issue. How should we think about the church's success? How should we think about persecution and denying ourself? Are they at odds with one another? And along the way, should we expect the gospel to have an impact on the world around us? These are important questions. Please join us as we consider them. Link to John MacArthur clip: https://youtube.com/shorts/5fr6lGeDRsQ?si=AZkuhoq--KLuN2_w Link to full John MacArthur message: https://youtu.be/N8revRpzF9Q?si=OwRgq55OMHuczn7S Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
A series of exposé articles have just come out about Voice of the Martyrs. This is a group that we've discussed a great deal in the past, we we give our perspective on the recent revelations. We discuss Cole Richards, Jason Peters, ECFA, the dishonor of God, and the right way to clean all this up. Our previous videos on VOMhttps://persecutingthepersecuted.com/ Articles on VOM from the Roys Reporthttps://julieroys.com/whistleblowers-accuse-vom-president-deception-retaliation/https://julieroys.com/former-voice-of-the-martyrs-executive-calls-resignations-time-clean-house/https://julieroys.com/whistleblowers-voice-of-the-martyrs-president-put-optics-needs-persecuted-christians/https://julieroys.com/whistleblowers-retaliation-sham-investigation/ Jason Peters video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdE1xS8L_wYProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Connor Swim, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - James WinsteadTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
When you hear the word “Evolution” it is usually meant as a stand-in for Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, specifically the idea that all life on earth arose from natural processes beginning with “some warm little pond with all sort of ammonia and phosphoric salts,—light, heat, electricity present, that a protein compound was chemically formed”. As we discuss in the episode, Darwin was by no means the first to propose such an idea, as his grandfather had written something very similar many years before. But what was needed for evolution to flourish was not the idea, but a community in the world, ready and willing to embrace it. In this episode, we want to discuss some of the Biblical and logical problems inherent with evolution as a theory. We discuss the problem of “Death before Adam”, of man desiring to worship the creature rather than the creator, and how order does not arise from disorder. We also talk about how the pursuit of the theory of evolution has caused harm in many other areas of science as our insistence that specific falsehoods regarding order vs chaos must be true has caused us to pour untold time and resources into technological dead ends. The theory of evolution is just that, a theory. It takes a lot of ideas, some of which are true, and makes claims that are contrary to science and reason. Support for evolution requires for teachers and scientists to tell lies about randomness, about order and chaos, about the nature of humans and most importantly, what the universe declares about the nature of God Himself. The church must continue to stand against its lies, and then to go beyond that, to tear down the stronghold that has been created with the truth of God's word. Please join us as we discuss this very important topic. Below are two videos that are mentioned in the episode along with some notes and commentary by Charles. Dr. Drew Berry giving a Ted Talk on how he has used technology to help visualize the complexity of DNA and other cellular/molecular objects to better understand their complexity. While the entire video is worth watching, if you want to jump to the key part, it begins at 2:45. I also want to call out a few points. The visualizations he shows in this video are divided into two sections. In the first, he looks at DNA and the process of it being copied, He then shows the scope and “size” of a single strand of DNA. In the last section, he focuses on the kinetochore of a cell and he mentions that scientists have been studying this part of the cell for over a hundred years of intense study, saying, “and we're just beginning to understand what it's about”. As you look at the DNA and the close ups of the kinetochore and the process of cell division, keep these in mind as you watch the next video by Dr. Tour. Many of the components that Dr. Tour discusses are pieces of this single cell. Not how strongly Dr. Berry is emphasizing the complexity of what he is showing you. My impression was of someone who is almost overwhelmed by how little mankind knows about this tiny part of a single cell that we have spent such a long time studying. https://youtu.be/WFCvkkDSfIU?si=XxkbJoUvJ8F0KzNI James Tour, on Inorganic Chemistry and Origin of Life. In this video, Dr. Tour discusses how little we know about the origins of life. How complex it is from a chemical perspective to just create the most simple components of life and how we have not even begun to unravel how it might be done in a laboratory setting with tools and technology much less in Darwin's “warm little pond”. https://youtu.be/r4sP1E1Jd_Y?si=oJEKTMYhMB7FHIUiProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCHosts - Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
