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In episode 501, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb dig into the parable of the watchful doorkeeper in Mark 13:32–37 — four tightly packed verses that Jesus uses to call his servants to alertness before his return. But this isn't a passage about spiritual caffeine and white-knuckling your way through the Christian life. Tony and Jesse unpack what "stay awake" actually means through the lens of Reformed theology: active, differentiated stewardship in the ordinary means of grace, faithful vocation in every sphere of life, and a corporate ecclesial readiness that belongs to the whole church, not just the individual. This episode reorients the familiar language of watchfulness away from anxiety and date-setting toward the sturdy, quiet confidence of a believer who knows who they are, whose house they serve in, and why that identity drives everything. Key Takeaways "Stay awake" is a command about identity, not performance. The doorkeeper doesn't do what he does to become the doorkeeper — he's already the doorkeeper. Christians are watchful because of who they already are in Christ, not to earn or secure that status. Vocation is not optional waiting — it's active, differentiated stewardship. Christ's ascension corresponds to the master's departure, and the interim period is characterized by each servant being given his own work, reflecting Calvin's doctrine of vocation and the Reformed insistence that the Christian life between the ascension and the Parousia is not passive. Watchfulness is corporate, not merely individual. The church, as the pillar and buttress of truth, is called to a collective readiness. In Presbyterian polity, every act of a valid church jurisdiction is an act of the whole church — meaning each member has a genuine stake in the faithfulness of the whole body. The ordinary means of grace are the means of watchfulness. Prayer, the Word, the sacraments, fellowship, and sitting under preaching are not supplementary to vigilance — they are the very instruments by which God preserves and prepares his people. Two errors must be avoided: speculative date-setting and practical indifference. Uncertainty about the hour of Christ's return is neither an invitation to calculate nor an excuse for carelessness. It is the very grounds for sustained, ordinary faithfulness. The warnings of Scripture are themselves a means of grace. Following Westminster Confession of Faith 17, the sobering warning of verse 36 is not a threat to the elect's final security but a pastoral instrument by which God preserves his people in living, active faith. The rooster-crowing language of Mark 13 anticipates the Passion narrative. The clustering of watchfulness, the night watches, and the crowing rooster in this chapter echoes the Garden of Gethsemane and Peter's denial — a connection particularly resonant given Mark's traditional association with Peter's testimony. Explanatory Paragraphs Vocation and the Active Interim One of the most theologically rich observations in this episode is the way Jesse frames the master's departure as corresponding directly to the ascension of Christ. The key phrase in verse 34 — "each one his task" — is not incidental detail. It reflects the Reformed doctrine of vocation at full strength: every believer, in every sphere of influence, has been given particular work to do on behalf of the Lord during Christ's bodily absence. This is not a passive waiting room existence. It is an active, differentiated stewardship that is deeply personal and yet accountable to the master who owns the whole house. The ascension does not mean abandonment, and the parable makes that clear by the fact that the servants are left in charge — trusted, commissioned, and expected to be about their work when the master returns. The Church's Corporate Readiness A standout contribution of this episode is Tony's move from the individual to the ecclesial. Drawing directly from OPC Book of Church Order, Chapter 3, he argues that church power is not vested in officers alone but in the whole body of believers. This means that when any legitimate church jurisdiction acts — whether in discipline, instruction, or governance — it is the whole church acting. The parable's doorkeeper is therefore not just a figure for personal piety; he is a figure for the corporate watchfulness that belongs to every member of the household. Tony's point is that a Christian who is disconnected from his local church, indifferent to what is being taught and decided elsewhere in the visible church, is not simply failing at individual holiness — he is failing to be awake in the fullest sense the parable intends. The Ordinary Means of Grace as Watchfulness Itself Perhaps the most pastorally stabilizing insight of the episode is Jesse's observation that watchfulness is not some extraordinary spiritual heroism layered on top of normal Christian life — it is normal Christian life. The ordinary means of grace are ordinary precisely because they are the regular, appointed instruments through which God delivers his grace to his people. Prayer, the Word, the sacraments, and fellowship are not preparatory disciplines that get you ready for the real work of being watchful. They are the work. Tony reinforces this by noting that a person who persistently refuses the ordinary means of grace is not simply being unwise — they are declining the offer of God's grace, which is a far more serious matter than mere spiritual lethargy. Memorable Quotes The doorkeeper doesn't do what he does to become the doorkeeper in this parable. He's already the doorkeeper, and the fact that he's the doorkeeper explains why he's given certain responsibilities and certain commands. That's the way it is for us as Christians. - Tony Arsenal The warnings of Scripture are themselves among the ordinary means by which God preserves His people... the sobering possibility of being found asleep functions pastorally not to threaten the loss of the elect, but to press home the seriousness of watchfulness as the fruit and evidence of genuine faith." - Jesse Schwamb When I go into a patient encounter at the hospital, or when I pull up to a red light, or when I order a sandwich at McDonald's and they get it wrong — I bring with me the fact that I am a Christian, the fact that I am a servant of Christ, that I am a doorkeeper in the house of the living God. - Tony Arsenal Full Transcript Jesse Schwamb: [00:01:00] Welcome to episode 501 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony, and this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey, brother.  Jesse Schwamb: Hey, brother. Well, we've got some more kingdom teaching on tap right from the mouth of Jesus. We're going through all the parables, if you haven't been tracking with us so far, and we're finding ourselves in Mark chapter 13. And as J- only Jesus can do, packs four verses with all kinds of rich, robust theology, and it's all in this kind of strange setting, actually. A guy heads out of town. He hands his servants the keys. He tells the doorman, "Hey, watch the place," with the same kind of e- enigmatic and vague energy that I imagine, like, your cable internet provider gives you when they give you an arrival time between now and Friday. And then Jesus lists literally, like, every possible hour He might show up, evening, midnight, rooster clock, dawn. And all of this is for His glory and for our benefits. [00:02:00] And we're gonna somehow try to see if we can take all of these four verses, which are so jam-packed, and fit them into our conversation. That's our challenge, and it's gonna be yours to listen to. So welcome to this episode.  Affirm or Deny Segment Jesse Schwamb: But before we do all of that, it is everybody's favorite time. Well, except for Wicked Scriptures. That is really everybody's favorite time. Second favorite time is where we find something in our lives, Tony, that we either affirm with because it's awesome, it's exciting, want everybody to know about it, or conversely, we deny against something because it's just not that great. We don't like it. Don't waste your time with it. So everybody longs to know, in this conversation, are you affirming with or denying against?  Tony Affirms Psalm Music Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming something tonight. Uh, the listener might remember, I don't know, maybe a month and a half back, I affirmed a particular setting of Psalm 63 in the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. And as I was kind of, you know, looking around for, I wanted to find a track to sort of maybe add to the end of the episode just to sort of, [00:03:00] like, put a point on that. I stumbled on, um, a song, singer, I don't know if you'd call him a songwriter, 'cause he's mostly just writing song- psalms. But he's, he's arranging them. He's, you know, writing the guitar line for it or whatever. Uh, his name is Matthew David Montgomery. Uh, I don't know that you would know him from anywhere, but he's on, um- Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify, wherever. Uh, he does an arrangement of O God Show Mercy to Us, which is Psalm 63, uh, setting A, I believe, in the Trinity Psalter hymnal. But, um, it's, it's in other hymnals, other psalters, uh, under the same name with the same tune. Uh, he has a beautiful singing voice. He does a lot of, uh, what's typically called, like, finger style, uh, guitar picking, uh, which is just very melodious and very gentle and soft. Um, it would be a great addition to, like, your morning devotional time to just, like, pick a psalm that he sings, that he's, he's recorded. Um, you can get most of his stuff for free on, uh, YouTube, or again, if you have Apple [00:04:00] Music or Spotify, it's available there. Uh, again, his name is Matthew David Montgomery, and he's got several, uh, several albums. He has ones that specifically is psalms called Psalms for Singing. Um, and then he has a couple finger style hymn songs, uh, hymn albums that are like, you know, like I don't know, more modern hymns, He Will Hold Me Fast, Only Holy God- Right kinda like Getty, um, Getty-style and City Alight songs, those kinds of sort of that complex of modern hymnody. Um, but he's excellent, and it's excellent theologically rich sound music. Um, I haven't listened to everything, but he seems like he's in kind of that, uh, sort of vein of worship music production producer peoples, um, that are just putting out good, accessible music. I know, like, a lot of small churches, uh, have in the past have had to resort to using tracks like this actually to sort of lead their vocal music. Um, that would be something to think [00:05:00] about. It's simple. It's arranged in a straightforward fashion. Many times it's arranged according to the psalters, which are by, almost by definition are designed for congregational singing. So it's good. It's great. Use it for family worship, listen to in your car. I don't know, workout music. I don't know if you would work out to this, but I guess you could try. Um- I love it ... but yeah, I usually, I usually listen to, um, Oh God, Show Mercy To Us probably, like, once a day. I listen to it usually in the morning to kinda center my day and get my head in the right space. Um, but yeah, it's just good stuff. David, um, Mi- Matthew David Montgomery, uh, the specific one was Psalms for Singing, but, um, all of his stuff is really great.  Jesse Schwamb: All right.  Jesse Affirms Hymn Devotional Jesse Schwamb: People are gonna think we're totally conspiring now, but I promise we're not. This is just how our minds work in collective fashion, that we never speak about stuff together. So my affirmation is right in the same vein. So I'm actually excited about this one because it might just be the golden age of daily books about, like, theological meditation. It might be. And [00:06:00] so this one is really good, and I'm super stoked because I'm kind of on the cusp of this one because I got an advance copy of this book, and it's just out now. It's called Awake My Soul, and it's daily readings, 365 hymn texts taken throughout church history from the Middle Ages to 1900. And each hymn for the day includes s- a suggested tune and then, like, a short historical slash, like, theological meditation. The beauty of this- Wow One, I'm learning all kinds of new hymns that are not my favorite. Two, you can either read them or... There's no music included in this, except that in the back there's an index that will give you... There's, like, a little code every day. This is like a s- it's your own treasure hunt. There's a little code on each day, and if you take that code and go back to the end of the book, what you'll find there is names of popular hymns or songs that you do know the, the tune to, and then you can take that same tune and use the same poetic meter that the hymn is in that you don't know, and guess what? You can actually sing it. So you're prepared every day to sing [00:07:00] music and to sing brand-new music with great confidence and high conviction. So this is, like, the bridge here. Go listen to some good music. And I would say if you wanna buy this, because it is brand new, go to hymnworks.com. It's by P&R Publishing. That's where you'll find the best price. It's, like, 25 bucks. It's a beautiful clothbound, like, handsome two-color printing with a ribbon. And also Passion Week and Advent are clearly marked and can be adapted for use in any calendar year. So there you go. Like, it's the double-barreled affirmation for good singing, good hymns. By the way, for all the brothers and sisters of exclusive psalmody, we see you raising your hands in the back. Actually, if you're doing exclusive psalmody, you're in the front. So we see you in the front, and this- And you're  Tony Arsenal: probably not raising your hands.  Jesse Schwamb: You're definitely not raising your hand. We see your hands  Tony Arsenal: in your pockets. Jesse Schwamb: We see you standing there  Tony Arsenal: stoically.  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. We see your hands in your pockets, never coming out. That's fine. Yeah. Uh, this book also is for you because so much of it is actually just, uh, the psalms adapted for kind of [00:08:00] more, when I say contemporary, between the Middle Ages and 1900 worship. So, uh, there you go. I think this is lovely. Uh, we didn't plan it, but you've got two great resources for daily living and daily singing.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Building Daily Liturgy Tony Arsenal: And, you know, I think, um, there is sort of an element, and I'll be quick about this, where we are set up... We have such a, like, a dearth of riches in terms of accessibility to musical worship. And y- you know, used to think of it as, like, daily devotions, but I think the more, I think the more accurate and I think a, a more theologically rich term is a daily liturgy. Right. Um, you know, with books like Be Thou My Vision, um, by I think it's David Gibson, or, you know, he has, like, the Christmas version and the, um, I think there's an Easter version of it where it really walks you through a, a full daily liturg- liturgy with, like, a call to worship and a, a confession of sin. And, [00:09:00] um, and you could take these resources, whether it's an album like David, uh, or, like, um, David Michael Montgomery. That's a country singer, I think. Whatever the guy is that I recommend. I don't have his name in front of me. Uh, whether it's an album like that or whether it's- Right ... this resource Jesse's talking about, or like I've said before, like, just the trendy Psalter Hymnal app on your phone which will play the music for you and display the words. You can take this and there... I, I hate to say it this way because I know there's a lot of people that, that make good profitable use of sort of like evangelical, I would call it, like, fluffy devo kinda stuff. Uh, which ironically on my list of affirmations of things that are in the queue, there's, there's a devotional resource that even kinda falls into this category. Yeah, there is. But, um, there really is no good excuse for not having some sort of robust daily worship pattern. Right. Um, because you can, you can really make use of these resources to create a pretty cohesive, well put-together, pleasurable kind of [00:10:00] daily worship set or liturgy or experience, I don't know, whatever word you wanna slot in there. Um, a- and really get... Like, really just have an excellent experience out of it, really have good resources. So yeah, I'm, I'm on board. I think it's great. I would love to, I would love to be able to, uh, to take a look at that. So maybe next time we're in the same geographical location you'll have to show me. Jesse Schwamb: Oh, I'll bring it. We'll, we'll do it. It actually doubles as a hymnal because it's all indexed, so you can actually- Yeah ... just use it as a hymnal. I love books that give you two purposes. Oh, that's a double threat book right there. And that means, like, for the spaces taken up in your life and on your shelf it can do more than one thing. That's like having a kitchen appliance that, like, I don't know, is like an air fryer and it brews beer. Like, that's worth- Yeah ... the space all the time  Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I, I just recently found out that they make washers that are also dryers, and they're in the same machine, and- Wow.  Jesse Schwamb: That's transformative ... I  Tony Arsenal: would feel like a millionaire if I had one of those- Reading Mark 13 Parable Jesse Schwamb: 'cause- Well, speaking of [00:11:00] feeling like a millionaire, and I think what you challenge us with is settling in some patterns of daily worship and living for God, it just so happens that Jesus has some instruction for us in that same way- Nice ... in Mark chapter 13. So let me start beginning in verse 32. And if you're tracking along or keeping score at home and you've gone to this chapter, what you're probably gonna find is we're actually in the, the parable of the fig tree, or just at the end. But w- we're not gonna touch that one, not yet, so don't get too excited. We're actually coming right at the end of that. So picking up in verse 32: "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." Now, this is Jesus speaking: "See to it, keep on the alert, for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It's like a man away on a journey who, leaving his house and giving authority to his slaves, each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake – for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the [00:12:00] evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning – lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake." Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  What Stay Awake Means Tony Arsenal: Yeah, it's a good, uh, it's a good parable. And, you know, this is covering a lot of the same ground as other parables that we've, uh, approached. I think what's a little bit, uh, unique or different about this one is that some of the, some of the cautions that we, um, brought out with the other parables, because they were actually longer and had more details, um, some of those cautions don't necessarily apply the same way here. Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Right? We, we talked about the parable of the 10, of the 10 virgins, or the wise and foolish virgins, whatever you wanna call it, and we talked a lot about how this language of, like, stay awake seemed to be misapplied, uh, as, like, falling asleep is foolish. Because in that para- that particular parable, [00:13:00] um, both the wise and the foolish virgins fall asleep. It's not the falling asleep that was the problem, it was the being prepared, um, for the master's return. Uh, in that case, having the proper equipment, having your, you know, your lamps trimmed, your oil ready, all that stuff. In this parable, um, it really is about being awake. Like, being awake is the task. Yes. It's the specific command. That's right. And so our task tonight is to unpack a little bit about what it even means to be awake, what does this parable say to us about that. Um, but I, I think this one falls a little bit more in line with kind of what we maybe... I know this is weird to say. It falls a little bit more in line with what we've been talking about as a, sort of like a little bit of a legalistic approach to some of the parables. This one really does have, I th- I think, has more to do with, uh, the, the sort of production that Christians are expected to have.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: The, the, the holiness, the good works we're expected to have, and how [00:14:00] that plays into kind of our alertness, our, our fittedness for service, uh, and, and maybe ultimately even the way that we're rewarded in the last, the last times or in, in heaven. All of that kinda plays in here, and this is kind of like Mark's equivalent to sort of like the eschatological parables that we talked about at, at the end of Matthew in, you know, Matthew 25 and, and sort of that area  Jesse Schwamb: I totally agree.  Vocation and Stewardship Jesse Schwamb: I think this bad boy, even just the first verse, it's like a compact statement of the doctrine of vocation and providence all wrapped into one. And it's easy to read it and just kind of fly by that stuff and say, "Of course, I need to be aware of what's going on. I need to be aware of God's presence or seek Him in worship." All that's true, but there's a lot in this because, of course, the master's departure here corresponds clearly to Christ's ascension. There's like a real bodily absence that nonetheless does not amount to like abandonment. And then to your point, what I think starts to differentiate us from some of like the [00:15:00] other parables where we've been very careful about parsing this, has been this assignment, each his own work. It's reflecting like a really traditional like Reformed, I think, emphasis, even from like Calvin's doctrine of vocation, that the Christian life between the ascension and the Parousia is not one of like passive waiting, but there is like an active differentiated stewardship, and it's every believer. And even though it's just a sentence, there's like a lot of particularity in this to remind us that each one has a task, and that task is something that you should undertake on behalf and for the Lord  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, and this, um, the other element of this, um, that I think is interesting is, you know, we don't wanna, um We wanna be careful not to try to build entire theological, like edifices, edifices. I'm not sure which word is right. Edifice. We don't wanna build huge theological structures on top of like slight variations in words. And, and I know that, um, that can [00:16:00] sometimes be very popular in our circles and, and I'm, I s- absolutely support the grammatical historical interpretive method. I don't think it's the only el- only, you know, hermeneutic we should think about. But I definitely agree with the words matter and the meanings of the words matter. Right. But we can also go too far in, like, making an entire theological point hang on the particular choice of a verb pars- like a verb tense or mood or whatever. But I think it's interesting, um, w- the sort of what we might call the parable proper starts in verse 34, but in verse 33 it says, "Be on guard, keep awake, for you do not know when the time will come." That's not the parable. That's Christ giving a command to his immediate audience, and then I think vicariously therefore for us. When we get into the parable and it, and it says, uh, that the command for the doorkeeper, right? So the, he, he takes his servants, he puts his servants in charge, and I s- I take that to mean, [00:17:00] like, he leaves the house to them. Like, he leaves them to their task. They're, they're not, they're not having to report to anybody. They just manage the household- Right ... autonomously or independently. Um, each with his work, so there's this idea that, like, each of the servant has their own proper sort of realm of the house that they manage, right? The gardener's managing the garden, the, the house, you know, the, the, um, the, the person who's in charge of the money is managing that. And the doorkeeper, which is a particular role, his task, his charge, his, he is commanded to stay awake. Now, the phrase, the word for stay awake in verse 30, uh, 34 is not the same word that's used in verse 33. Now, I, I have not done the word study on this or, or the c- commentary work to know how significant that is, but we do affirm that the Holy Spirit inspires each individual word.  Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  Tony Arsenal: And I think we could make an argument that sometimes a word is just used, um, at least on a, on a [00:18:00] human level. It, it's just you don't wanna use the same word multiple times. Like, just like anyone writing any sort of pi- piece of work, you don't use the same word repetitively. You vary the words. You use, use synonyms to, to spice it up and to give it some variety. But also, I think there may be some significance in the fact that within the story, within the parable, the command to stay awake is a particular word, and then a different word to stay awake and to be watchful, and there's this repetition, "Be on guard. Keep awake." Like, those are parallel statements. Um, those, that's a significant thing that that word is different  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. It's a huge, I think, reminder that there's all... The- even, again, I can't believe how much is packed. Now that I think about this, we start talking about it into, like, a single sentence. But every believer, like every servant in this house, has been given some kind of task suited to his place. I believe that's what Jesus is trying to impress us with. And that idleness is not an option countenanced by the text because the doorkeeper's [00:19:00] particular charge to watch, like you were saying, functions to me, I think, almost like a synecdoche. Like, it's f- for the whole- Yeah ... household's duty. His vigilance stands for what is in fact required of every servant, since verse 37 will then extend this command to, like, everybody. So just- Yeah ... within, like, this little space of writing or this little space of teaching, I think what we have here is, like, it's realistic for us to say we've got the twin realities that ground really biblical ecclesiology in the interim period. We have Christ's real absence, but that's, like, against, I would say, any collapsing of the already into a fully realized eschatology. And then you have Christ's ongoing ownership and authority over his house, which is the church, against any notion that the church is left to autonomous self-governance. So the house, in other words, re- remains Christ's, and the servants remain accountable to him, not to themselves, like you've just said, and each one is accountable to God in a unique way according to the task that he's given them. So again, this beautiful marriage of [00:20:00] both the responsibility, the providence, and the responsibility that we have before God in being responsible to him, but also that he is governing all things for his good and for his glory.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Doorkeeper Role Explained Tony Arsenal: And you know, I think, um, the word doorkeeper here too, uh, you know, as I peek at the Greek a little bit, the word doorkeeper is also a much broader term than, uh, it might seem. You know, like I think, you know, one of my kid's favorite shows is like Curious George, and there's a character in the, the story that's literally named Doorman, and he's just the guy that like opens the door in the apartment that- Right ... Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat. But the word doorkeeper in, uh, in the Greek here, when applied to a, a female, is understood to be like the janitor. So the doorkeeper might even be considered something more like the master of the house. Like think of like, um-  Jesse Schwamb: Lady's ...  Tony Arsenal: uh, like the, the head butler, right? In like if you think of like Downton Abbey, right? Right. The, the guy who actually like takes care of and like [00:21:00] runs, the house manager or something like that might be a better way to look at it. And I think you're right that his charge to stay awake, to keep alert, it does extend to the entire household, but it also is a particular command for that figure.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Right? So yes, everybody is given their task. This, this person, this doorkeeper, he is, um, called out specifically, individually, right? It's not as though he's the only servant in the house. There's all these other servants, they each have their task, and they're all commanded to keep about their business. The doorkeeper, the master of the house, the, I don't know, head butler, the head ch- the chief janitor, I don't know what you would want, the head custodian of the house, um, and don't think of custodian or janitor in terms of like- Like the school janitor who like cleans the toilets and mops up after the kids throwing up and stuff. The, the janitor or the custodian of the house is really the person who kind of like runs the household, the sort of like head servant of the house. [00:22:00] His command to keep watchful, to be on guard or to be alert is because, um, the, the master's return is sudden and unexpected. Right. And so if the doorkeeper doesn't keep up with things, if he's not awake, if he's not running things, if he's not managing things, if he's not alert and awake, then not only does his task get, get, um, undone... And I think like we think of it like, "Oh yeah, be on guard." You sometimes hear this parable or, or variations of this parable taught as like you gotta keep the wolves out, like he's the guard at the door. Right. I don't think that's what this is getting at. It's really more like if this, if the doorkeeper s- falls asleep on the job, then the entire house falls into disarray, and you can't recover that when the master all of a sudden is at the gate. If you're just the guard, I guess you might be able to snap to attention and like, you know, pull your pole arm or whatever it is up. Like you might be able to snap to attention and kind of fake it. But if you're the guy who manages the entire household and the [00:23:00] whole household is in disarray because you've fallen asleep on the job, there's no recovering from that when the master taps you on the shoulder and says, "Please wake up, I'm home." You just can't recover from that. And so I think that's, that's the element of the story, the element of the parable that we probably need to think about a little bit more is, all right, w- no one of us is the doorkeeper of the church.  Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  Tony Arsenal: But also none of us are not the doorkeeper of the church. So like we all have a role and a responsibility in, in the church to sort of like be a part of, an active part of the church, an active part of God's kingdom, which is not, I'm not trying to say we're all gatekeepers, right? We're not all called to be r- to rule over the church. Like there's a particular office of ruling elder that I would say exists, uh, you know, that's codified in the OPC. But even within other kinds of s- setups, there's usually some sort of elder, you know, setup where there's elders that are not teaching elders. They're not there to like teach and minister and, and preach. They're there to [00:24:00] like govern the church and support the needs of the body spiritually. That's really, uh, you know, like a particular office, but that's also a task and a role that we all share as Christians is to, to sh- sort of, I almost said shepherd, but that doesn't feel right, but it also doesn't feel wrong. To sort of like manage the business of the congregation and the church- That's right ... and the, the invisible church as a whole. That's the task of every Christian, and that's really what this parable's getting at, I think.  Jesse Schwamb: I think so too. And I, I don't wanna, like, build too far a bridge away from that point. I think it's worth sitting there for a second because what occurs to me as you were saying that is I just happened to be reading Calvin's commentary this morning in 1 Corinthians 5, and he builds this whole theological argument around this idea that he, he basically is saying, "Why should the Corinthians mourn over one man's sin?" And he gives two reasons. First, as a consequence of the communion that exists among the members of the church, it's becoming that all should feel hurt at or so it's deadly if one of their members should fall. And the second is when such an erroneous sin is [00:25:00] perpetrated in a particular church, the perpetrator is an offender in such a manner that he pollutes the whole society. That is to say, I think it's kind of in line with what you're saying, that corruption in one place will affect the entire body. That is like falling asleep, pulling away from the mission Being found outside of the mission of God's, uh, for God's glory is something that hurts the church body. And we might ask, like if there is in our own lives a persistent sin, some kind of corruption, then we ought to ask, is there any form of corruption that we're contributing to the body of God? And I think those, these like real consequences of what it means to live in a way where we find ourselves, again, outside of what it means to worship whole heartedly, to worship with heart, soul, and mind, all of which we do imperfectly. Yet at the same time- Yeah ... are we being awake? Are we being made aware? Watchfulness and Rest Jesse Schwamb: I, I wonder if part of what's envisioned here and in view with Jesus' teaching is not just this idea... Almost like I think sometimes we, we say stay awake or we say be [00:26:00] watchful, and of course like I love that Jesus mentions like the four watches. Like that's, I think, like a distinctly kind of Roman division of the night into four three-hour segments. And of course it's gonna suggest to Mark's gentile audience that, and, and underscore this point, that it's not which watch, but that no watch may be presumed safe from the master's arrival. And so I think when we hear that stuff we think, "Well, this means like don't fall asleep." In other words, like there's going to be a test somewhere in your life or all of your life where you're going to be legitimately tempted to take a rest, and you can't take a rest. You gotta keep like just going thrust or no th- you, there's no other choice- Right ... but to give it your all. I think what's better here and what's in view is in all areas of life, are you awake to the reality that God has given you work to do in the spheres of influence that you have, in the particular place in which you live, among the church people whom He has given you to worship with? Are you aware that at all times you ought to be moving and working and for His glory, [00:27:00] even while you are literally sleeping in rest so that you might do those things for the next day? So I- Yeah ... I don't wanna get too hyped up on it's kind of like, again, what's the spiritual equivalent of always drinking Celsius and Red Bull and just like toughing it out- Yeah like with your eyes wide open. It's, it's way more than that.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, uh, this is gonna seem like a weird transition, but it's, it is but also isn't. Um, I, I saw an interesting video the other... I'm getting super nerdy here right now. But, um, I saw an interesting video on YouTube the other day that was talking about how strange it was that there is like a night shift on the Starship Enterprise on Star Trek Next Generation. But, but actually like- It, it demonstrated something to me that, like, even on a, you know, this is obviously a fictional television show, but, like, even on a spaceship where there is no sun, there is no actual reference- Right ... for what a day is, right? We think of a day, and, and rightfully so, it's locked into a 24-hour cycle because of the [00:28:00] way God has created the Earth to spin, and the sun, and the sunrise, sunset, et cetera. But in this fictionalized universe, in this fictionalized world, there's no sunset. There's no, uh, chronology, yet they still divide on, on this, they still divide the day into these three watches. And it's funny, 'cause they talk about how, like, well, there's, there's the day shift, there's the sort of like second shift, and there's the night shift. And they actually even, like, turn the lights down on the ship to simulate a day-night cycle. And, and what it got me thinking about, and I think in the parable, obviously, like, it's the four watches of the night. Um, I play a lot of Dungeons & Dragons, and, like, when you're gonna do what's called a long rest, you have to determine who's gonna set a watch. If you don't set a proper watch, then the dungeon master may make it so monsters show up and you don't get your long rest. This idea that- Even resting is an appropriate and necessary execution of- Right ... the task to be watchful. That's right. Like, I think that's important. If you are, um, i- if you think of like, uh, Lord of the [00:29:00] Rings, right? And they set a watch. Uh, the responsibility of the people who aren't on watch is to make every, every use of that time to sleep so that if something happens, they're alert. And then when also when it's time for them to take watch, they're able to be watchful. And, uh, the other thing I wanna, wanna just comment really quickly on, because I, I, I didn't do a lot of prep for this episode. Big shocker. We don't prep a lot for these episodes. And this is another Markan parable that I'm not super familiar with.  Church Alertness and Power Tony Arsenal: But one of the things that as we're talking through it I'm, I'm becoming more convinced of, is this really is about not just any one individual being alert, although there is implications for us. It's really about the whole church being alert.  Jesse Schwamb: That's  Tony Arsenal: right. Like, the church is the, uh... I, I think it's in, I wanna say it's in Timothy, I don't know where, but the Church is the buttress and pillar of truth, right? So that's not to say we're the, we're the arbiter of truth, but I wanna read this. The... I don't know any other podcasts, although in our circles there [00:30:00] probably are other podcasts that you might hear someone reading out of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church book of Church Order, Form of Government, chapter three, verse, uh, passage one here. Uh, but this is, this is, as I said, uh, BCO chapter three, Form of Government. Uh, and this is, the chapter is titled The Nature and Exercise of Church Power. And when I was coming into the OPC, I don't think I was surprised, uh, in terms of like I thought the theology was different. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was articulated and how clearly it was articulated. So I'm just gonna read the whole section here. It says, "The power which Christ has committed to His Church is not vested in special officers alone, but in the whole body. All believers are endued with the Spirit & called of Christ to join in the worship, edification, and the witness of the Church which grows as the body of Christ, fitly framed and knit together through, uh, that which every joint supplies according to the working and due measure of each part." Sidebar commentary. The BCO doesn't [00:31:00] have proof text, but if they did, they would just be citing to Ephesians 5 here. Um, back to what the text says. "The power of believers in their general office includes the right to acknowledge and desire the exercise of the gifts and calling of the special officers. The regular exercise of oversight in a particular congregation is discharged by those who have been called to such work by the vote of the people." So just to summarize that, officers, at least in the OPC Um, ruling elders are nominated and voted into, into office and essentially, uh, given their powers, their official powers, their official responsibilities, not by the presbytery, uh, and not by some hierarchy, but by the congregation. They call from within.  Church Authority From Congregation Tony Arsenal: But that, that means that the power of the ruling elders, the, the authority of the ruling elders, is not derived from some hierarchy. It's derived from the [00:32:00] authority and the exercise of power of the whole church. And the other thing, I won't read this, but the other thing that I found, um, really interesting that I really like is in Presbyterianism, and, and I, I believe Presbyterianism is what the Bible teaches positively as a command. I know there are other church polities, and I know everybody is trying to figure it out, and we don't all agree. I think Presbyterianism is the right way.  Jurisdictions And Whole Church Acts Tony Arsenal: But either way, um Presbyterianism works on a s- sort of an idea of, uh, jurisdictions, right? And they're kinda concentric circles. They're not necessarily hierarchical, but it's, it's narrow jurisdictions and then broader jurisdictions. And the most narrow jurisdiction is the session of a local church over that congregation. But what's really interesting is that the, the Book of Church Order calls out that when any valid jurisdiction of the church is exercising its authority, it's not just that jurisdiction that's [00:33:00] acting. That's an act of the whole church, the entire Orthodox Presbyterian Church. So in a congregation where someone is in unrepentant sin and that, uh, session makes a decision, votes a decision to excommunicate that person, to remove them from the rolls, consider them to be an unbeliever, that's not just an act of that jurisdiction. I- i- as a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, when some church in Sacramento, California, I don't know if there's an OPC in Sacramento, I assume there probably is, but some church in Sacramento, California, the presbytery or the session excommunicates someone, I am e- I'm engaged in that act. That's an act of the whole church.  Watchfulness Beyond Personal Piety Tony Arsenal: And this, the, the only reason I go there and I bring, I kind of dive into that level of granularity is I actually think that this is kind of what this parable is teaching, is that as individuals, we need to be alert because the whole church acting is the whole church acting. So whether this takes the [00:34:00] form of me just being really un- un- like, locked into my local church and making sure that I'm active in my local church, or whether... And I think there are some of us who are called to this, um, and I think our, our podcast in some levels sort of takes this shape a little bit, are watching what other people in the church are doing and sometimes are offering corrections, right? It is not the case that an average blogger has ecclesiastical authority in the strictest sense, but when I see, or, or anyone who is sort of involved in online commentary, podcast, blogging or otherwise, I see someone in the church teaching something elsewhere and I call that out, that's me sort of fulfilling this command of Mark 13. I'm being watchful Because what that Christian says or does, if they're truly a Christian, actually does have something to do with what I believe. It actually does have something to do with me as a believer. That doesn't mean that you should get up in everybody else's business. That's not what I'm saying. Like, sometimes- Right ... the thing [00:35:00] that's going on in the church over there is just that thing that's going on over at the church there. But for example, there was a pretty high-profile, um, uh, ecclesiastical, I don't know if it was a trial, but like an ecclesiastical deposition, I guess, um, for a presbytery down in the Southwest, um, about some pretty gnarly things that were being said by an elder in the OPC church, and I wrote to that presbytery. They haven't sent it to me yet, but I wrote to that presbytery and said, "Hey, what you did at that meeting is an act of the whole church that I'm a part of. Can you send me the minutes?" And I have a right to do that, because I wanna see what's going on. I wanna understand what statements they're making on behalf of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church of America. Or, I just combined like 1,000 different denominations- Yes, you did. ... into one sentence. But I, I think the point is clear, like the, the parable of the watchful doorkeeper or the porter is not about exclusively, I do think there's an element of it, but it's not about our individual piety. It's about the sort of readiness state of the entire church for [00:36:00] Christ's return, if you really boil it all down  Avoid Date Setting And Indifference Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, so we, I think before we leave verse 35, we, we are at least contractually obligated to say, though we've said it before, that there are two errors here that we should definitely seek to avoid. And because we're talking about, again, this idea that we do not know when the master of the house will come, that is the reason why we wait, and we are watchful, like you just said. But it means that the first is any kind of, like, speculative date setting, which is a fool's errand. We've talked about that at length. Yeah. The second one, again, I think we're contractually obligated to say, is a practical indifference, maybe sometimes dressed as, like, pious agnosticism, like treating the uncertainty of that hour as grounds for some kind of spiritual carelessness rather than heightened attentiveness. So I think where all this wraps up with what you said about one representing all, that, that is the church's responsibility. Yes, you're right. In Timothy we get the command that this is the center and the pillar. So I... That obviously all this coheres with just straight-up biblical [00:37:00] doctrine of assurance and perseverance, because the elect are kept by God's power through faith. So what that means is watchfulness is not some kind of, like, anxious uncertainty about final salvation, but instead it is, like, this disciplined fidelity in the means God has appointed. Ordinary Means Of Grace Jesse Schwamb: And what are those means? Like, I feel like this is where everybody just shouts back, "Ordinary means." You know what I mean? When I say means- ... you say ordinary. Means- Or I should, I should say it the other way around. Ordinary. But this idea that, like, what are those things God has put into our lives, has appointed for us to use, has commanded us to up- obtain for ourselves by his power? It's prayer, it's the word, it's the sacraments. It's a mutual watchfulness within that visible church like you were just describing, and it's precisely because the timing of Christ's return has been sovereignly withheld from creaturely knowledge. So there's actually a lot in this that I think assuages that, that really sensitive Christian conscience, which is like, "Well, are you telling me I have to do more?" That's not what we're saying at all. We're, we're saying, "Do the things which God has empowered you to do." And guess what? Those things [00:38:00] are just very chill, very ordinary things that take on extraordinary influence and power in our lives by the work of the Holy Spirit. So again, it's like this whole thing of saying, like, when we work, we work. When we pray, God works. It's the same kind of thing here. There is work to be done. There is a watchfulness to undertake in all the activities of our lives. But it is not like whatever the, again, the equivalent, like, is of, like, spiritual, I don't know, like shots of espresso and, and Celsius to just try to, like, by all accounts, by your own power, somehow just not sleep. Uh- Yeah ... not sleeping is not what this text is about. It's actually about being aware, worshiping in awareness around all the things, and then devoting ourselves to all the stuff that we keep talking about, to praying, to studies in the scripture, to having family devotions and time of worship, to baptism, and to the Lord's Supper. That's what watchfulness is all about.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:39:00] Yeah, and I, I think, um, you know, this is again I do think this parable has more to do with the idea of kinda getting after it. I, I think that's how we usually talk about it, like getting after holiness. Yeah, it is. Um, I, I think this parable has more to do with that than some of the other parables with similar language that we've talked about. But I, I also think, um, as Reformed Christians, uh, we get the, we get the cart before the horse if we think that even though that's what it's about, that that somehow places the onus on us to do the good works, right? Right. The good works are prepared for us in advance that we might walk in them. And, uh, i- it's not even right to say, like, our responsibility is to walk in them. That's not even quite right theologically. Like, we are going to walk in them. Like, that's, that's the thing, is the doorkeeper is given this charge. He's commanded to stay awake, and in good Augustinian fashion, it's really more along the [00:40:00] lines es- of the doorkeeper is made to stay awake because he's been commanded to. Jesse Schwamb: Yes, that's right.  Tony Arsenal: And I think that's, that's really key.  Fruit Checking And Assurance Tony Arsenal: And yes, there is some- something to say for, uh, fruit checking. And I, I know that there are probably some in our audience that just, like, threw up in their mouth a little bit when I said that. Um, but the, the reality is, a lack of fruit, uh, i- in our life, and by fruit I'm talking about good works. Primarily I'm talking about the ordinary means of grace, like you said. A, a person who is refusing to avail themselves of the ordinary means of grace, right? Right on. Regular church attendance, prayer- Right ... the sacraments, Bible reading, um, sitting under the preaching of the Word, fellowship with other believers. Um, I would even say to some extent regular s- regular financial support of the Church. Mm-hmm. Um, and, and I... There, there are times where that may not be, uh, the most feasible thing, and so that's a decision between you and the Holy Spirit and for you to discuss with your pastor. [00:41:00] But, but the reality is God has given us these ordinary means of grace as a gift and as a way to nourish and support us. When we refuse to take part in those, and I use the word refuse intentionally, when a person refuses to attend church, for the most part most of us who have had a season where we don't, don't attend church, and I, I had a long season when I was in college where I just didn't attend church. There was no good reason for it. I just didn't do it. And if I'm being really honest, it was 'cause at that time in my life I had some sinful patterns that I didn't wanna face up to, right? That's usually what it boils down to.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Um, but for those of us who d- who refuse to, uh, take part and to avail ourselves of the ordinary means of grace, that should really cause us to question our salvation. Not because the ordinary means of grace cause our salvation, but because the ordinary means of grace are exactly as they're called. Exactly. They're the ordinary means by which God delivers His grace to us. So if we're refusing to receive God's grace, it means we're refusing to receive God's grace. And the only people ultimately who are not forgiven are [00:42:00] those who receive to ref- you know, refuse to receive God's grace. So I think this, this passage has more to do with us in an indi- sort of on the individual level, us being actively engaged and partaking in the, uh, the administration of the covenant of grace, to use a more technical term, right? The administration of the covenant of the grace are the visible means of grace. If we refuse to be baptized, if we refuse to partake of the Lord's supper, if we refuse to attend church and to sit under the preaching of the word and to pray, then we are, we are turning down God's offer of grace. That's right. We're taking the gift that He desires to give us, and we're saying, "No thank you." Well, when we phrase it that way, it's a flat rejection of God's grace that we're engaged in.  Church Mission And Readiness Tony Arsenal: But on a, on a sort of like big picture scale I think it has to do also along with these lines that I'm talking about of the Church itself being ready. Well, how does the Church prepare itself for Christ's [00:43:00] return? Again, the ordinary means of grace, right? We prepare ourselves by teaching and ministering, right? C- I think it's Colossians 1:28. If I was on Reformed Forum, I'd have this memorized 'cause it's their, like, theme verse. But, like, equipping every person for the ministry of Christ, equipping every person, making sure every person is, uh, mature and ready. Like, all of those things come together as the primary mission of the Church. And I know this is gonna trigger some people, but, like, evangelism is not the primary mission of the Church. The primary mission of the Church is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, which takes place mostly on the Lord's day. I think all of that, the personal dimension, the corporate dimension, all of that coalesces in this command to be watchful, to stay awake, to be on guard, to s- be about the task, to be in charge of the commands you've been given. All of those different concepts come together in what Christ is talking about here in verse 37 when He says, "I say to you, I say to all, [00:44:00] stay awake." Like- Right ... that's what we're talking about. So it's not as simple as personal piety. It's probably not as complicated as some sort of, like, I don't know, least of these, feed-the-poor schema that happens sometimes. All of that happens. It really is just about the Church being the Church and doing the things the Church does, both on the individual level, but also on the corporate level. Perseverance And Scriptural Warnings Jesse Schwamb: And that's why, as loved ones of God, then we can come to verse 36, which is the full warning, and we actually read it as a great comfort. So it says, "Lest he come suddenly and find you asleep." And after all we're talking about here, the way I read this warning against complacency is entirely consistent with, instead of being contradictory to, the doctrine of perseverance of the saints. Because perseverance is not fatalism, and I'm just... I'm still learning this, loved ones. Like, and even here, what I marvel at is the warnings of scripture are themselves among the ordinary means by which God preserves His people. So I go back to the Westminster [00:45:00] Confession of Faith chapter 17, which notes that, "Believers may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, fall into grievous sins, and so incur God's displeasure, even while never finally falling from grace." So that sobering possibility of, of quote-unquote being found asleep I think functions pastorally not to threaten the loss of the election, of the elect, but to press home I think, like, the seriousness of watchfulness as the fruit and evidence of genuine faith, which is what you're talking about. That, that's kind of like the Reformed theological jam in a sense, and that's why, where I think we'd anchor like James 2, Hebrews 3 and 4. There is, like, a call of the necessity of perseverance in the means as the mark of the true as opposed to be merely, of course, like some kind of profession of discipleship. The visible church, and we talked about this too, mixed as it is, is here warned that the formal membership in the household is no substitute for actual wakefulness. And so I hope we see that warning as not something [00:46:00] that's like, "Well, you gotta, you gotta check yourself every day 'cause if you just step out of line once, if you fall asleep at any little thing, then it just goes to show you that you weren't serious enough." Instead, it's like you said, Tony, like even the warning itself is proof positive that God will save, that He arrests, that He holds everything firm and secure, and that even the setting of the table or the preparing of the good works and then the way in which you walk in them, we might ask, how is it that you are even walking? Yeah. And so even this is all an act of God, whether we speak about that, uh, that justification, that initial positional sanctification, and even the progressive frame as well is all f- happens here because God is in fact doing that good work. So it's a good warning because it reminds us that what's, I think, the particular and special dispensation of the Christian is that in this falling asleep, as the Westminster Confession says, it may mean that we fall even into grievous sins. We're incurring God's displeasure. We're not disrupting our [00:47:00] identity in Christ, but we are disrupting our harmony with Christ. Yes. And so we always want to seek and to live in that kind of beautiful harmony where there is, I think, obedience for a word. There is a special fellowship that comes from being close to God in this way. We should always strive after that and want that very thing, but at no point does the Christian who even falls into grievous sins, as the Confession reminds us, fall outside of God's mercy and grace. Merely we fall outside of God's pleasure, and we r- we're finally returned to grace by His power in our lives, whi- which He Himself affects so that even in our fall, even in our death every day, there is a little bit of resurrection that restores us. Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Rapture Ready Misreadings Tony Arsenal: Yeah, another way, um, another way to put this, um, and I, I don't mean to trugger, trig- to trigger, uh, our dispensationalist friends and family who are listening to the show, um, there are I will speak from my own experience coming out of a dispensationalist framework when I was in [00:48:00] high school and early college. Um, there was a lot of focus on being, quote, "Rapture ready." And I, I think sometimes we can read parables like this to think that stay awake means be Rapture ready. And what that means is, like, in some forms of dispensationalism, and I think probably many forms of dispensationalism, there's this idea that, like, if you're not right with God in, in this sense you're talking about, if, like, you're in disharmony with God when the Rapture comes, you may ultimately be saved, but you're not gonna be saved by the Rapture, which means you're gonna have to deal with the tribulation, and that's no good. So, like, if your piety's not on point when the Rapture happens, all your friends are gonna be taken away, and you're gonna be left behind, right? I don't think it's too much of a characteristic- a caricature to talk about Left Behind when there's an entire dispensational book series about this, right? Right. The whole concept behind the Left Behind novel is that it's populated by people who thought they were Christians who weren't. Uh, and some of [00:49:00] those are because they had a false profession of faith. Some of them were just back- what, what a lot of people would just call backslidden Baptists or backslidden Christians who, who had a genuine profession of faith but just weren't living in a holy fashion. I think we can sometimes read this, whether we're dispensationalists or not, we can read these kinds of parables in light of Rapture readiness. I think it's, it's both more assuring and also infinitely more severe than that. Right. It's not about Rapture ready. It's about whether you're saved or not. Right. Whether you are in the kingdom of God, whether you are among the household of believers. All of the people in view in this parable are members of the master's household, right? Uh, they're all his servants. So it's not as though there are some who are, um, outside of his family that are be given, being given a command to be watchful. There's also no consequence implied for the doorkeeper if somehow he's not watchful. It's more along the lines of if you're in the faith, if you are the doorkeeper or a [00:50:00] doorkeeper in the g- in the king's house, then you ought to be watchful because that's what you do. And so there's no, like, implied consequence. There's no assumption that the doorkeeper somehow won't be watchful. So I think if there's any sort of, like, gut check, status check that needs to happen, it's really more along the lines of are we in the Lord's household or are we not? That's right. That's right. And I think that's, that's what you're getting at. If we're in the Lord's household, if we're members of his house, if we're servants in his kingdom, then we will be awake when the time comes. We will be awake when he returns.  Rooster Crow And Passion Echoes Tony Arsenal: And the other thing, and I'll just throw this out there maybe as a tease. I don't, I don't think there's enough here for us to come back to it next week, uh, although I've been wrong before, and sometimes Jesse and I have conversations right after that turn into the next episode. I think it's really interesting- I don't know if you ran into this when you were reading it, but- Yeah ... verse 35: "Therefore stay awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at [00:51:00] midnight or when the rooster crows," that's a very interesting phrase to me- It is, yeah ... "or in the morning." It's just another chapter or two when- Yeah ... we see the disciples fall asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane, right? Gethsemane. Um, the disciples fall asleep. We see language of the watches, right? The, the hours that Christ is alive and dies on the cross are associated with the watches. Right. And then of course the rooster crowing. And it's a very well-known, um, uh, I, I don't wanna call it a fact 'cause that might be too strong, but it's a pretty accepted, uh, theory in, in the sort of, uh, academic understanding of the, the authors of the Gospels that Mark, uh, Mark actually represents Peter's testimony. That the sort of a- apostolic imprimatur of the Gospel of Mark is actually that M- John Mark, probably while he was ministering with Peter, was being told these, this account, and he's collecting Peter's, Peter's [00:52:00] statements on the events of the Gospel It is very interesting to me that this phrase about the rooster crowing associated with being watchful and ready in the service of the master- Yep would appear particularly in the gospel that's asso- associated with Peter. Right. And I'll throw that out there just as maybe food for a discussion- ... in our Telegram chat, but I do think e- even that is sort of for our benefit, right? Right. We're not talking about, uh, this isn't a parable about what happens when you betray Jesus and hang yourself with a rope, right? This isn't, this isn't Judas who never was a believer. If we're drawing this peril- parallel, this is a parable about Peter, or related to Peter's experience, uh, who was restored, who ultimately had a moment of sleepiness, I guess, both physically and, you know, spiritually here. Had a moment of, of sleepiness, but ultimately was awake when the master came. That's right. And I think, like, there's something there for us to tease out, and, and again, [00:53:00] maybe we'll leave that for the Telegram chat. Maybe that's just for your own personal study. I've done zero commentary work, so maybe this is a connection that I feel- ... is super novel, but actually everyone else makes. Um, but I just thought it was really interesting how closely that language, that sequence of the watchfulness, the watch, sleepiness, awakefulness, and the rooster crows, how closely that lines up to the events that w- would be if we were going through Mark sequentially- Yep ... we would be encountering in just a couple chapters, right? In just chapter 15. They're coming up. Um, we're talking about this exact thing. So it's very interesting to me, is it... The Holy Spirit is amazing in how He has put together this. Yes. Even if, even if that is a super tenuous connection, it's still a connection. And- Agreed ... I have a tough time thinking anyone who's familiar with the, the passion accounts would read this and not go, "Woo." That's a lot of language from the passion account. It's a lot of- Yes ... language related to what happened in just a few chapters.  Jesse Schwamb: Yes. I'm with you. Like we said, there's so much that's within these couple of verses, and you'd have to think if you were reading this with brand-new eyes, [00:54:00] with eyes that never seen this text before, and you were just going straight through, you'd come in just a few short chapters to that whole narrative in Gethsemane and be like, "What? Did he, didn't he just, didn't this guy Jesus just say to them- Like be watchful, stay awake. And here they're... Isn't that ironic? Here they are in the garden, and he said- Yeah ... to them again, "Stay awake." They fall asleep. He comes back, he's like, "Could you not watch for one

This is a recording of a panel session held in the Willmott Dixon pavilion at UKREiiF 2026. Our panel of experts explored how the UK office market is responding to changing occupier demands, ageing building stock and ambitious sustainability targets, focusing on the key considerations that influence decisions to refurbish, reposition or replace existing offices.   The panel featured: Adam Worrall, Managing Director at Willmott Dixon Interiors Jane Hunt, Interim Chief Investment Officer at Government Property Agency Jon Gardiner, Director – Strategic Development Leasing Advisory at Savills Jack Pringle, Chair of the Board at RIBA Saul Tyler, Director and Sector Lead – Workplace at Hoare Lea and Head of BCO's Technical Affairs Committee

Send us Fan MailThe King of the Court Podcast is back!This week Tyler Loong and Jimmy Miller break down everything that happened at the Beer City Open (BCO), discuss the future of Major League Pickleball, and explain why a salary cap could completely reshape the league.0:00 Should pro players be allowed to gamble?0:47 Welcome back & crazy stories from BCO1:44 Beer City Open recap2:39 World Cup discussion5:09 McGregor vs Holloway reaction6:33 Pickler Universe playoff announcement10:43 Dominator sponsor12:20 KOTC All Access13:50 Fan feedback from last week's episode15:39 Players missing BCO19:27 International & College teams at BCO20:54 One Point Challenge discussion21:37 BCO tournament recap26:29 Shock vs Mad Drops breakdown29:30 The Miami Pickleball Club "Fives" jerseys30:09 Annalie Waters strategy debate36:20 MLP salary cap explained41:37 Club Pickleball Mastermind43:12 San Diego MLP preview50:11 The business side of player trades56:00 Listener Q&A56:42 Is MLP becoming boring?57:28 Tyler vs Tama singles?59:01 Trade deadline changes1:01:14 Behind the scenes with the MLP MC1:01:45 Dallas vs Newport playoff format explained1:03:33 The Dink premiere1:04:21 Final thoughts & outroWebsite: https://www.tylerloong.com/ KOTC All Accesshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDiH-sjthLCovD8i79-AkWg/joinCode “KOTC” for insane discounts at: https://www.clubpickleballmastermind.com/kotc Use Code "KOTC" for Big Savings on Vulcan Gear: https://vulcansportinggoods.com/pagesKOTC Merch - Use “KOTC” kitchpickleball.comNEW KOTC DISCORD https://discord.com/invite/kNR65mBemfNEW KOTC CAMEOhttps://www.cameo.com/morekotcInstagram: Tyler's IG - @tyler.loong  Jimmy's IG - @jimmymiller_pbKOTC IG - @morekingofthecourt  Facebook: / tyler.loong   --Support the show

Send us Fan MailThe MLP Mid-Season Tournament is finally here, and we're breaking down everything you need to know before the action begins in Grand Rapids.This week we preview every first-round matchup, discuss which teams have the best chance to make a run, and debate whether Australia or any of the international teams can pull off an upset.We also dive into one of the biggest conversations in Major League Pickleball this season: strength of schedule, championship court exposure, and whether every team is truly getting a fair opportunity.00:00 Happy 4th of July & Utah fireworks discussion03:11 Pickler Universe spotlight & Austrian Open success05:23 Dominator sponsor spotlight07:30 KOTC All Access update08:08 World Cup talk & Mexico vs England09:42 BCO Mid-Season Tournament preview begins10:32 Breaking down the international teams13:18 First-round matchup predictions15:05 Will players opt out of BCO?18:19 Explaining the double-elimination format20:38 FOX & FS1 broadcast schedule21:37 Championship predictions22:24 Outdoor conditions & Grand Rapids weather25:28 MLP strength of schedule controversy31:22 Championship Court fairness debate36:40 Should pickleball referees wear cameras?38:52 What does pickleball need to become mainstream?41:43 Why Grand Slams matter for pickleball's future46:16 Tyler responds to online criticism57:44 Club Pickleball Mastermind1:00:09 Reacting to "Pickleball Is Dying"1:03:50 Brand loyalty & constant player movement in MLP1:06:38 Bobby Bonilla Day & deferred contracts in sports1:09:00+ More MLP business discussion & player contracts (continues)Website: https://www.tylerloong.com/ KOTC All Accesshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDiH-sjthLCovD8i79-AkWg/joinCode “KOTC” for insane discounts at: https://www.clubpickleballmastermind.com/kotc Use Code "KOTC" for Big Savings on Vulcan Gear: https://vulcansportinggoods.com/pagesKOTC Merch - Use “KOTC” kitchpickleball.comNEW KOTC DISCORD https://discord.com/invite/kNR65mBemfNEW KOTC CAMEOhttps://www.cameo.com/morekotcInstagram: Tyler's IG - @tyler.loong  Jimmy's IG - @jimmymiller_pbKOTC IG - @morekingofthecourt  Facebook: / tyler.loong   --Support the show

Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I'm Marty and today I want to talk about something a listener brought up recently. They asked me, “Why don't you just stick to explaining warehouse positions instead of all the other stuff that doesn't make us more money?” Well, I guess that is a fair question.  As We've discussed many times, and I believe this is more than just my opinion. Here's the thing about warehousing, transportation, distribution, manufacturing, and the whole supply chain.  Nothing stands alone. Every movement touches another movement. Every position affects another position. Every delay or error cost somebody time. And in my experience, every shortcut creates a problem somewhere else. And, not only do I believe, but I think I can show that the people who grow the farthest in this industry are usually the people who understand more than just their own task. That's why we talk about everything, and why I try and get as many questions answered as possible. We can all learn something from all the experiences shared.   On another note, kind of keeping with the theme of the day, I had a long time mentor, just this week say that the associate who learns the language of the operation becomes more valuable to the operation.  So today, I thought we'd have some fun with that idea by talking about something every warehouse, dispatcher, inventory clerk, transportation coordinator, recruiter, manager, and forklift operator and a couple of hundred other positions hear every day.  Acronyms. Being honest. The supply chain world LOVES acronyms. Sometimes it feels like people are speaking another language. A dispatcher says I Need POD on that LTL before DET hits, or customer's asking for an ETA, and OS&D says there's one QTR short. And the new employee standing there is thinking What in the world just happened? But once you understand the language, you start understanding the business. And understanding the business creates opportunity. So let's break a few of them down today.  POD. This one's huge. POD simply means Proof of Delivery. It's the signature, paperwork, photo, or electronic confirmation showing freight arrived where it was supposed to arrive. Without a POD, customers may refuse payment. Billing can stop. Claims can happen. That little signature? That's money. It's like a check. One missing POD can turn into hours of emails, phone calls, and frustration.  The BOL or Bill of Laden. The BOL is basically the birth certificate of the shipment. It tells us what the freight is, where it's going , who shipped it, who receives it , and how many pallets or cartons there are. Drivers carry it. Receivers check it. And dispatch tracks it. If the BOL is wrong, everything downstream can become wrong too. Again, everything touches everything.  On to the ETA or the estimated time of arrival.  Everybody wants the ETA. An inaccurate ETA affects staffing, dock schedules, unloaders, production planning, and customer satisfaction. One late truck can ripple through an entire building.  PU and DEL. PU means Pickup. DEL means Delivery. Simple terms, but they move the entire transportation world. You'll hear the PU is at 1400.  And maybe read or hear DEL scheduled for tomorrow.  And you don't want to read or hear Missed PU. Or Late DEL. Those two tiny acronyms control millions of dollars in freight every single day.  Oh, these are common ones. FTL, TL and LTL. Now we're getting into freight classifications. FTL or TL means Full Truckload or Truckload. That means one shipment basically fills the trailer. LTL means Less Than Truckload. That means multiple customers share trailer space. Why does this matter? Because of the freight handling changes. LTL freight gets touched more. More touches means more chances for damages. More planning, terminals being crossed and more scheduling. Understanding freight flow helps associates understand WHY all those processes we have to follow exist.  STL or Spot Trailer Load. Now depending on the company, STL can mean different things, but many operations use it to describe a spotted trailer load or staged trailer movement. Spotters, yard dogs, dispatch, and shipping clerks all coordinate trailer movement to keep freight flowing. One missed trailer move can shut down a shipping lane.  Then OS&D. This acronym can ruin everybody's day. OS&D means, over, short, and damaged. To a receiver that’ll mean too much product. Missing product. Or Broken product! This affects inventory, customer service, claims, transportation, receivers, selectors and loaders. One crushed pallet may not seem important on the dock floor until you realize it can cost thousands of dollars.  Lets see, TONU or Truck Ordered Not Used. Transportation people cringe hearing this one. TONU means a truck was scheduled, showed up, and wasn't needed. But the carrier is still going to expect his or her payment. Why? Remember all we've learned about transportation. A truck sitting parked still costs money.  One we're all getting used to is FSC, the fuel surcharge. Fuel affects everything. When diesel prices rise, FSC charges often rise too. That means transportation costs increase. And when transportation costs increase, product prices eventually increase. Again, everything touches everything.  Two more biggies, DET and D&H. DET means Detention. D&H means Detention and Handling. This happens when drivers sit too long waiting to load or unload. And let me tell you, drivers will charge you and they remember facilities that waste their time. A poorly managed dock damages relationships fast. And we as warehouse people probably know these next two. APPT and FCFS. APPT means Appointment. FCFS means First Come, First Serve. Many warehouses, especially the larger ones run by appointments. Others unload trailers in the order in which they arrive. Understanding which system a facility uses affects scheduling, staffing, and transportation planning.  And here are 3 system ones. TMS, WMS, and YMS. Now we're talking technology. TMS is the Transportation Management System, and I'm sure us warehouse folks know WMS, the Warehouse Management System, and a little lesser known system is the YMS, Yard Management System. You'll see these in high traffic operations. These three systems track freight, our inventory, trailer locations, our productivity, shipping schedules, receiving , even our labor hours and cost. Really pretty much what ever information we feed into them! Years ago, many warehouses used clipboards and paper. Today? Data drives our operations. And the associate willing to learn systems becomes extremely valuable. A forklift operator that understands WMS screens and RF scanners may eventually move into inventory control or leadership. Knowledge adds up.  ASN and EDI. ASN means Advanced Shipping Notice. That's electronic information sent before freight arrives and EDI means Electronic Data Interchange. Computers talking to computers. Purchase orders, invoices, shipment notifications, receiving confirmations, all moving electronically behind the scenes. Most associates never see it. But it's happening constantly.  OK, this one most of us know. A PO or Purchase Order. A PO is permission to buy product. Without a PO, many companies won't even receive the freight or their order. That one document controls inventory flow, accounting, receiving, and purchasing.  Here's another on us production people know. KPI or Key Performance Indicator. KPIs are measurements. Cases per hour. Pallets per hour. On-time shipping. Inventory accuracy. Dock turn times. You've heard me say What gets measured gets managed. Warehouses or operations survive on measurements. And associates that understand KPIs understand how and why businesses make decisions.  Next we have RDC, DC, and MC. These are facility types. RDC is for Regional Distribution Center. DC is Distribution Center. MC is Manufacturing Center. Different responsibilities. Different workflows. But all connected together in the supply chain.  Now here's a few for the transportation folks. ELD, GPS, DOT, and HOS. As we know, transportation runs on compliance. The ELD is an Electronic Logging Device. Remember keeping our paper logs? GPS, Global Positioning System. DOT or Department of Transportation, and HOS stands for Hours of Service. These systems and regulations track Driver hours. Safety, Speed, Routes, and Compliance. Transportation isn't just driving a truck anymore. It's technology, planning, regulation, and accountability.  Keeping things on the road. We have NMFC and SCAC.  Now we're getting deep into freight language. NMFC means National Motor Freight Classification. SCAC means Standard Carrier Alpha Code. These help identify carriers and classify freight for shipping and pricing purposes. Again, Stuff most people never think about. But somebody in the operation has to understand it.  And BCO, FOB, and CFR. BCO often means Beneficial Cargo Owner. FOB means Free On Board. CFR means Cost and Freight. These terms matter heavily in international and large-scale shipping. They determine responsibility. Who pays for freight. Who owns the risk and where liability transfers. And one misunderstanding here can become extremely expensive.  Now some people may hear all these acronyms and think “Well, I don't need to know all that. I just drive a forklift.” Maybe today you do. But tomorrow? You might have an opportunity train new hires. Lead a shift. Help coordinate the outbound shift. Move into the inventory side of op's, maybe even become a dispatcher, or running transportation or supervise operations. Remember how we're always talking about learning and growing? The people who grow in this industry usually become students of the industry. Not just students of their task. And, that's why we talk about “all this other stuff.” I believe every term, every process, every department, every movement is another piece of understanding as to how the machine works. And once you understand the machine, you become more valuable to the machine.  Warehousing and transportation are not simple jobs anymore. They've grown. Technology. People. Safety. Metrics. Compliance. Movement. Communication. And that growth is a good thing. Every one of us touches another part of the process. And I feel, that's why knowledge matters. Not because every acronym instantly puts money in your pocket. But because understanding creates opportunities that eventually do. The more of the language you understand the more rooms you can walk into confidently. And confidence backed by knowledge? That's where careers begin separating themselves. The people who understand the whole operation eventually outgrow the people who only understand one task. And that, my friends is why we talk about all of it.  Well, there’s two more cents worth of my opinions. We do talk about a lot more than warehouse positions, but, I feel, and can pretty much attest that, if we learn it all, hang out with those from other departments, learn that task before ours and after ours, we will earn more and in many different ways.   Thanks for stopping in again today, and above all, remember safety is our number 1 priority. We want to be doing this a long time!

Een voorsmaakje van de nakende play-offs. Zo kunnen we de back-to-backs bekijken van afgelopen weekend. De spannendste confrontatie was die tussen Spirou Charleroi en Kortrijk Spurs. Wij gaan dieper in op Mechelen - Oostende en Den Bosch - Leuven. We doen dit met twee defending champs: Simon Buysse van BCO en Luuk van Bree van de Heroes. Allebei zitten ze in contractbesprekingen waar ze het niet over hebben (of toch maar een klein beetje). Verder verkiezen we de All-time BNXT 5, gaan we dieper in op de BNXT awards die er stilaan aankomen, hebben we aandacht voor fenomenen Meesseman en Allemand en verklappen we tot slot wat de nieuwe clubs worden van BNXT-sensaties Dante Maddox Jr en Noam Yaacov. 

PART 2!! What a great journey - Sgt Pursley (Army Ranger)! Why the Army - growing up ready to join the military - Rambo - Leadership - and more! Sandy 11B Machine Gunner and team leader with Bco 3rd Ranger Battalion, Columbus Ga and special tactics for Special Operations Command,Tampa Fl 1992 graduated Army Scout Simmer 1993 graduate the elite Army Ranger school 1993 Operation Gothic Serpent, Mogadishu Somalia (arrived October 6) Earned the army's elite Master parachutist badge, Expert Infantry badge, Expert marksman badge, Ranger Tab, Jungle expert training, British parachutist badge, Egyptian parachutist badge, Practical weapons and tactics training expert ===== THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Nutrition World: https://nutritionw.com/ Vascular Institute of Chattanooga: https://www.vascularinstituteofchattanooga.com/ The Barn Nursery: https://www.barnnursery.com/ Optimize U Chattanooga: https://optimizeunow.com/chattanooga/ Guardian Investment Advisors: https://giaplantoday.com/ Alchemy Medspa and Wellness Center: http://www.alchemychattanooga.com/ Our House Studio: https://ourhousestudiosinc.com/ Team Montieth Real Estate - Lori Montieth: https://www.findchattanoogarealestate.com/ Ballinger and Associates - Risk Management: https://ballingerandassociates.com/ AirSpace Acoustics: https://www.airspaceacoustics.com/ BWELL4EVER: Labs and IV Therapies: https://www.bwell4ever.org/ ALL THINGS JEFF STYLES: www.thejeffstyles.com PART OF THE NOOGA PODCAST NETWORK: www.noogapodcasts.com Please consider leaving us a review on Apple and giving us a share to your friends! This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

What a great journey - here is part one with Sgt Pursley (Army Ranger)! Why the Army - growing up ready to join the military - Rambo - Leadership - and more! Sandy 11B Machine Gunner and team leader with Bco 3rd Ranger Battalion, Columbus Ga and special tactics for Special Operations Command,Tampa Fl 1992 graduated Army Scout Simmer 1993 graduate the elite Army Ranger school 1993 Operation Gothic Serpent, Mogadishu Somalia (arrived October 6) Earned the army's elite Master parachutist badge, Expert Infantry badge, Expert marksman badge, Ranger Tab, Jungle expert training, British parachutist badge, Egyptian parachutist badge, Practical weapons and tactics training expert ===== THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Nutrition World: https://nutritionw.com/ Vascular Institute of Chattanooga: https://www.vascularinstituteofchattanooga.com/ The Barn Nursery: https://www.barnnursery.com/ Optimize U Chattanooga: https://optimizeunow.com/chattanooga/ Guardian Investment Advisors: https://giaplantoday.com/ Alchemy Medspa and Wellness Center: http://www.alchemychattanooga.com/ Our House Studio: https://ourhousestudiosinc.com/ Team Montieth Real Estate - Lori Montieth: https://www.findchattanoogarealestate.com/ Ballinger and Associates - Risk Management: https://ballingerandassociates.com/ AirSpace Acoustics: https://www.airspaceacoustics.com/ BWELL4EVER: Labs and IV Therapies: https://www.bwell4ever.org/ ALL THINGS JEFF STYLES: www.thejeffstyles.com PART OF THE NOOGA PODCAST NETWORK: www.noogapodcasts.com Please consider leaving us a review on Apple and giving us a share to your friends! This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

BCO crew dive deep into the hot topic in the hunting world right now, "Catalina Mule Deer". If you don't know what's going on do a google search or YouTube and you will find out very fast what's going on. To keep it short, groups on Santa Catalina Island are trying to wipe out all of the mule deer on the island. This is poor wildlife management so we put together a shirt to raise funds to fight this action. "Mule Deer Matter"

BCO crew is back for season 4 of the podcast. This year we plan to incorporate more viewer questions into each episode. We cover how the fundraiser for Howl that we hosted in December. Get ready for a another great season of “Bear A Podcast”.

Saddle up for our longest podcast yet but it full of awesome stories and a first bear for our special guest Jesse Molnick on an alpine bear hunt with BCO member James Forslund.

BCO crew sit down with Luke Hanson from Kovix which happens to be a new sponsor. Kovix is a newer brand to the outdoor industry but have some incredible suppressors that we can't wait to put on our hunting setups. Awesome company check them out!!!

BCO crew have Conservation Coalition of Washington Member Josh Caple back on the show to talk about the WDFW Commission and then dive into the topic of coyote hunting in WA.

BCO crew welcome back Jeff Roberts from PNWild and we get to talk about what hunts we will be going on and talk about their 2024 Whitetail Deer Hunt Pendulum.

In “The Threads of Trade: How Global Events are Reshaping Cotton Logistics”, Joe Lynch and Michael Symonanis, Director of Strategic Network at Louis Dreyfus Company, discuss how global events are reshaping cotton logistics, leveraging Michael's dual perspective as a BCO and former ocean carrier, and the importance of collaboration and data transparency. About Michael Symonanis Michael Symonanis doesn't just move containers - he moves conversations forward. With 30+ years in international container shipping, Michael brings a rare dual lens as both a BCO and former ocean carrier. Now in his 20th year at Louis Dreyfus Company, he focuses on practical, collaborative solutions that strengthen supply chain performance and partnerships. He holds degrees from Iowa State, Penn State, and Gonzaga, blending business, supply chain strategy, and leadership. As Chair of the ACSA Transportation Committee and a member of the National Shipper Advisory Committee, Michael works across the aisle with shippers, service providers, and regulators to improve export efficiency and data transparency. A regular voice in industry forums, he shares lessons learned while honoring the legacy of leaders like Sheila Bracken and the late Steve Wyman—always grounded, forward-looking, and people-first. About Louis Dreyfus Company Founded in 1851, Louis Dreyfus Company is a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods. Its activities across a diversified range of business lines span the entire value chain, from origination to distribution, helping to feed and clothe up to 500 million people every year. Its strong values, rich heritage, and clear vision for a safe and sustainable future guide it in its work to contribute to the global effort of providing sustenance for a growing population. Key Takeaways: The Threads of Trade: How Global Events are Reshaping Cotton Logistics In “The Threads of Trade: How Global Events are Reshaping Cotton Logistics”, Joe Lynch and Michael Symonanis, Director of Strategic Network at Louis Dreyfus Company, discuss how global events are reshaping cotton logistics, leveraging Michael's dual perspective as a BCO and former ocean carrier, and the importance of collaboration and data transparency, the following topics were discussed: Dual Perspective and Collaboration are Crucial: Michael Symonanis's background as both a BCO and former ocean carrier, combined with his roles on industry committees, highlights the absolute necessity of a dual perspective and strong collaboration between shippers, carriers, and regulators to navigate the complexities of cotton logistics effectively. Global Events and Tariffs Significantly Impact Cotton: Geopolitical shifts, economic fluctuations, and tariffs directly reshape cotton logistics strategies, influencing everything from sourcing to transportation costs. Understanding these macro factors is vital for success. Ocean Shipping Performance Has Declined, OSRA 2022 Reshapes Industry: On-time ocean shipping performance has suffered post-pandemic, necessitating more robust contingency planning. The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 has also brought significant changes, aiming to improve transparency and address industry issues. LDC's Expectations Drive Partner Selection: Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has high expectations for its logistics partners, prioritizing reliability, efficiency, and a deep understanding of agricultural commodity shipping, which shapes their collaborative approach. Logistics is a Strategic Conversation, Not Just Movement: Effective cotton logistics goes beyond mere physical transport. It involves fostering dialogue, building relationships, and strategically addressing systemic issues to enhance overall supply chain performance and partnerships. Data Transparency and Export Efficiency are Non-Negotiable: Accurate and timely information, coupled with streamlined export processes, are fundamental for mitigating risks, optimizing routes, and ensuring the timely global delivery of cotton. Learn More About The Threads of Trade: How Global Events are Reshaping Cotton Logistics Michael Symonanis | Linkedin Louis Dreyfus Company | Linkedin Louis Dreyfus Company The End of the World Is Just the Beginning The Travels of a T-Shirt In The Global Economy Big Changes at the Port with Lauren Beagen The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube  

The BCO crew get together one last time before they all head for their spring hunts in Argentina, Texas, Montana, and Idaho. This podcast is definitely one of our funniest so hope y'all enjoy.

BCO crew have special guest Josh Rutt who is a member of the North Sound Chapter of Delta Waterfowl. We get to chat all things hunting and James tells the crazy stuff that went down at the Vancouver Outdoor Expo.

BCO crew are back at it with a podcast about some crazy stuff that goes on in WA and some wild stuff they have witnessed. Saddle up boys and girls.

In this episode of Raven Conversations, we are joined by SFC Leif Wywadis, a member of B Co., 181st Brigade Support Battalion. Tune in as he talks about the Washington Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.

BCO crew are back together and recap the Western Hunt Expo. Also we get back to where it all started by telling some wild backcountry experiences.

BCO crew do another podcast at the Caribou Gear both with Co-Owner Ted Ramirez Jr. Talk about some of their new products and the history of Caribou Gear.

BCO crew are at the Western Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah and we were able to finally sit down and talk bear hunting with Skullboundtv Jana Waller Bair.

BCO boys sit down and talk Wild Sheep hunting with Andy Kelso a devoted sheep hunter. Lots of pro tips to help your chances to draw a coveted Sheep tag.

BCO crew head down to the Sportsmen Show in Puyallup, WA and sit down with Randy Newberg and Matthew Hays at the Leupold booth. We get to talk politics in hunting and as well as talk about Leupold's new VX-6 HD Gen 2 scope.

In true fashion long time friend of the show Caleb Spillane Joins us to have the truest form of BCO podcast. We talk the good old days, the good times, the bad times, the fun stuff hes gotten up to and somehow never manage to actually stick to a topic. He will definitely be back on at some point to go over some of the other fun shit hes been up too! 

BCO crew talk about some of the lawsuits against WA state fish and game commission with Sportsmen's Alliance. We also get to hear more stories from Africa with Kris and his mini cat slam.

BCO crew are getting ready for the 2025 season and we discuss somethings that we will be facing here in our home state of Washington.

BCO crew are back for season 3 and we have PNWild founder Jeff Roberts on the show. We talk a little about the history of PNWild then later we get right into the hunting community and the battles we face in our home state of Washington.

BCO crew get together for the last episode of the season as we finish our hunting stories from Montana and get to talk a little bit about 2025 and what we have in the works for the next season.

UB & Friends • New Year's Day 2025 LIVESTREAM ft. BCO’s “Puppet Movie” + video artists Live YouTube Chat Enjoy! https://ia801503.us.archive.org/13/items/mutation-nydbig-time-tv/MutationNYDBigTimeTV.mp4    

BCO had one hell of a November and we can't wait to tell some stories!!! Its been a season for the books.

BCO boys are getting geared up for the late season in multiple states and we can't wait to get started. Also Kris tells more stores from Africa.

BCO crew has been on quite a roll in the last month as we relive the crazy experiences we've had. Also we get to hear more from Kris in Africa.

BCO boys are off on the 2024 fall hunting season with many different hunting trips and adventures to start off the season with a bang. From chasing bears to chasing African animals the stories are always exciting.

BCO crew sit down and get to hear are good friend Brent's story of his first cougar. Things happen fast and is why every hunter must always stay alert when hunting certain animals.

BCO crew get ready for the hunting season opener with bear season starting August 1st. Q&A from an Instagram poll as well as many more hunting tips.

BCO guys talk bear hunting and some of the wild experiences we've have over the years. Also many tips to help better everyone chasing bears.

BCO boys are back and we are getting that much closer to the custom lightweight rifle builds with the collaboration of companies. The hunting season is weeks away and we can't wait to get out in the woods.

BCO crew talk about the 2024 season so far and what's to come for the rest of the year. Also announce some new partnerships and new gun builds with Kris.

Dr. Kenny Silva, Senior Pastor of Hickory Grove Presbyterian Church, and Pastor Ryan Biese of First Presbyterian Church Fort Oglethorpe, recap the Presbyterian Church in America's 2024 General Assembly including the controversy surrounding the overture on Jesus Calling, recent changes in the BCO regarding ordination, and the importance of being faithful to Scripture and the reformed faith.   #PCA #GeneralAssembly #Recap #Summary #Reflection #Christian #Faith #Culture #Renewal   Dr. Kenny Silva is Senior Pastor of Hickory Grove Presbyterian Church. He is a native of Connecticut and veteran of the United States Air Force. He graduated from Berklee College of Music ('08) with a Bachelor of Music, Reformed Theological Seminary ('15) with a Master of Divinity, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School ('22) with a Doctor of Philosophy in Systematic Theology. Before going into full-time ministry, Kenny fixed radar in the Air Force, slung cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory, played guitar professionally in venues across the globe, and sold real estate in Nashville, TN. His ministry work has included various pastoral leadership roles at churches and ministries in Tennessee and Illinois. His most recent post before Hickory Grove was Interim Senior Pastor at Village Church of Lincolnshire (EFCA).   Learn more about Kenny Silva's work: https://hickorygrovepca.org/ https://kennysilva.substack.com/ https://x.com/kennysilva   Ryan Biese is Pastor of First Presbyterian Church Fort Oglethorpe, GA. He is the author of "Mid the Pines" newsletter on Substack and writes frequently on the general assembly, reformed theology, and cultural issues in America.   Learn more about Ryan Biese's work: https://www.fpfo.org/ https://substack.com/@rfbwcf   ––––––   Follow American Reformer across Social Media: X / Twitter – https://www.twitter.com/amreformer Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AmericanReformer/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanReformer Website – https://americanreformer.org/   Promote a vigorous Christian approach to the cultural challenges of our day, by donating to The American Reformer: https://americanreformer.org/donate/   Follow Us on Twitter: Josh Abbotoy – https://twitter.com/Byzness Timon Cline – https://twitter.com/tlloydcline   The American Reformer Podcast is  hosted by Josh Abbotoy and Timon Cline, recorded remotely in the United States, and edited by Jared Cummings.   Subscribe to our Podcast, "The American Reformer" Get our RSS Feed – https://americanreformerpodcast.podbean.com/ Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-reformer-podcast/id1677193347 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1V2dH5vhfogPIv0X8ux9Gm?si=a19db9dc271c4ce5

BCO guy sit down with Tyr Symank from Black Rifle Coffee as well as serving his country in the Army and Special Forces. We also get to go over the WA court hearing with Sportman Alliance that Kris attended.

BCO crew is on the road over on the Quinault Indian Reservation hunting spring black bear. Joining us on the show is our guide Sam Lorton who is taking over his grandfathers guiding business hunting bears and we are excited to get back over there next spring.

BCO crew announce a new partnership with American Rifle Company which we are very excited about! Also we discuss the problems in this state with predators, wolves, and the reintroduction of grizzly bears in our home state.

BCO crew finally get Joey Pyburn on the podcast to talk hunting and fishing as well as some of the problems we as hunters are facing in WA state.

Joining me today is Army MAJ (Ret) Ruslan Emelyanov. Ruslan was born and raised in the former Soviet Union.  When he turned 18, he was conscripted into the Soviet Army in 1989 and chose to be a Paratrooper.  Over the next couple years, he accepted an invitation to attend the newly formed Russian Military Academy.  He graduated in 1995 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Russian Army.  He had also earned his Jumpmaster status at that time.  His first assignment was to join his new unit already fighting in the First Chechen War.  At the conclusion of the war, his unit redeployed in December 1996.  Ruslan was then reassigned to Moscow and transferred to the Military Police.  In 1998 as a Captain, he resigned his Commission and left the Russian Army. Family relatives who lived in California applied for a Green Card for Ruslan, and in 2000, he joined his relatives in Carmel, CA.  When the Sep 11th attacks occurred in 2001, he contacted an Army recruiter about the possibility of joining the U.S. Army.  The recruiter said he could enlist with a Green Card and signed him up as an 11B Infantry MOS.  At 28, he attended Basic Training at Ft. Benning, GA.  After graduating Basic, he attended Jump School and earned his U.S. Parachute Badge.  His first assignment was to B Co., 2/35th Infantry at Schofield Barracks, HI.  In 2003, he renounced his Russian citizenship and was sworn in as a U.S. citizen.  In April 2004, his unit deployed to Afghanistan for a year tour.  Upon returning, he was promoted to SGT.  He also earned Jumpmaster in the U.S. Army.  A few years later, he was recommended for OCS at Ft. Benning, and in 2007 he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry.  In 2009, Ruslan changed branches to Civil Affairs and spent the next 12 years working with Special Operations Forces out of Ft. Bragg, NC.  He retired from the Army in 2023.

In 1989 when Australian rock bands like Midnight Oil and INXS were screaming up the charts in the US, you'd think the easiest thing in the world would be to present one more and let them continue the streak. Such was not the story of Boom Crash Opera. Despite getting some airplay for "Onion Skin" off their second album, These Here Are Crazy Times, and despite having material just as strong as their peers, it didn't happen and BCO never got their just due (except back home where they remain a draw). Guitarist and primary songwriter Peter Farnan joins us this week to detail the whole story and discuss his wonderful solo career. What's surreal about all of this is that Peter is a fan of the show, making this a mutual appreciation society meeting! Enjoy and please dig into some BCO. It's killer!  www.boomcrashopera.com www.patreon.com/thehustlepod

Stephen Russell, a former airborne infantryman with a decade of military service. He brings a unique perspective shaped by his deployment with Bco 1/12 3HBCT 1st Cav DIV to Baqubah, Iraq, during the surge in 2006-2007. Beyond the battlefield, he's a versatile artist, currently contributing to the comic series Tales of Nihilism and open for traditional art commissions. He believes the U.S. hasn't fully reckoned with the aftermath of 9/11, emphasizing the need to confront our collective anger and hate. His memoir, Troublemakers: The Greatest Dog and Pony Show in Iraq, is a compelling exploration of the nature of war and its lasting impact on current events—a moral imperative to illuminate the foundations shaping our world today.Thank you for pressing play on this small veteran podcast. If you enjoyed leave a little love with a review. It would not only help me reach more veterans but also make my whole week!

The guys discuss the hilarious feud between JJ Redick, Doc Rivers, Austin Rivers, and Patrick Beverley. Then they discuss JJ's secondary point about NBA fans not wanting to be “educated”, Rick Pitino throwing his team under the bus, KFC's new menu item, and another Reese's taste test.  Timeline (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements): 2:00 intro 4:30 JJ Redick vs Doc Rivers 6:05 royal rumble of Doc criticism 12:15 JJ's point about fans not wanting to be “educated” on basketball 14:15 the NBA seems to agree that Indianapolis isn't a great city 18:00 Rick Pitino challenging Doc Rivers for worst accountability taker 35:00 KFC is debuting a pizza inspired item…the "Chizza" 43:05 Mike has the Reeses caramel big cup 48:15 BCo on moving to turkeySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The guys discuss the hilarious feud between JJ Redick, Doc Rivers, Austin Rivers, and Patrick Beverley. Then they discuss JJ's secondary point about NBA fans not wanting to be “educated”, Rick Pitino throwing his team under the bus, KFC's new menu item, and another Reese's taste test. #volume Timeline (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements): 2:00 intro 4:30 JJ Redick vs Doc Rivers 6:05 royal rumble of Doc criticism 12:15 JJ's point about fans not wanting to be “educated” on basketball 14:15 the NBA seems to agree that Indianapolis isn't a great city 18:00 Rick Pitino challenging Doc Rivers for worst accountability taker 35:00 KFC is debuting a pizza inspired item…the "Chizza" 43:05 Mike has the Reeses caramel big cup 48:15 BCo on moving to turkeySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stid stud we dunno. But cool dood, 1 tons, 40s and tons of tangents await. Cant wait to introduce him to the BCO way at the Meet N Beat! Also some tow rig talk, tangents on the gym as well.