Podcasts about dutch reformed

In this episode of Cincy Reformed, Rev. Dr. J. Brandon Burks, pastor of Christ Reformed Church in Northern Kentucky, gives five reasons why he is Dutch Reformed.   For more information, see:   On the History of the Dutch Reformed Church: A Goodly Heritage: The Secession of 1834 and Its Impact on Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and North America https://www.heritagebooks.org/product... The Reformation of 1834 https://marsbooks.online/products/the... Dutch Calvinism in Modern America https://www.eerdmans.com/978080280009... "Integration, Disintegration, and Reintegration: A Preliminary History of the United Reformed Churches in North America," in Always Reforming: Essays in Honor of W. Robert Godfrey (ch. 13) https://www.amazon.com/Always-Reforme... Introducing the United Reformed Churches https://cincyreformed.podbean.com/e/i... The Reformed Dutch Influence upon American Presbyterianism https://reformedforum.org/podcasts/ct... The Dutch Reformed in North America https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article...   On Covenant Theology: Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explored https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/sac... Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives https://www.heritagebooks.org/product...   On the Sacraments: The Lord's Supper as the Sign and Meal of the New Covenant https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/lor... Covenantal Baptism https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/cov... What Do We Mean By Sacrament, Sign, And Seal? https://heidelblog.net/2018/07/what-d...   On the Ordinary Means of Grace: The Means of Grace and Sanctification: Part I https://www.wscal.edu/devotion/the-me... The Means of Grace and Sanctification: Part II https://www.wscal.edu/devotion/the-me... By His Spirit and Word: How Christ Builds His Church https://reformedfellowship.net/collec... One Major Difference Between The Reformed And The Evangelicals https://heidelblog.net/2022/12/one-ma...   On Liturgical Worship: The Patristic Roots of Reformed Worship https://wipfandstock.com/978153269176... What Happens When We Worship https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/wha... Lost Keys: The Absolution in Reformed Liturgy https://www.academia.edu/35514237/Los... NOT HOLY BUT HELPFUL: A CASE FOR THE “EVANGELICAL FEAST DAYS” IN THE REFORMED TRADITION https://www.midamerica.edu/uploads/fi...   On the Confessions & Church Order: With Heart and Mouth: An Exposition of the Belgic Confession https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/wit... But for the Grace of God: An Exposition of the Canons of Dort https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/but... The Commentary of Dr. Zacharias Ursinus on the Heidelberg Catechism https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/the... Saving the Reformation: The Pastoral Theology of the Canons of Dort https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/sav... The Heidelberg Catechism: A Historical, Theological, and Pastoral Commentary https://lexhampress.com/product/36697... Crisis in the Reformed Churches https://heritagebooks.org/products/cr... Church Order https://www.urcna.org/church-order Commentary on the Church Order https://archive.org/details/churchord...

What happens when 400-year-old theological wisdom meets modern cultural challenges? Rev. Levi Berntson, Assistant Professor of Theology at Reformed Bible College and teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, shares his journey from farm fields in North Dakota to theological academia. He discusses his work translating Dutch Reformed theologian Campegius Vitringa and explains how Reformed theology's core principles—high view of Scripture, justification by faith alone, and God's sovereignty—remain relevant in today's increasingly secular culture. The conversation explores the essential relationship between knowing God and loving God, how theological education benefits Christians in all vocations, not just ministry, and practical advice for Christians navigating complex cultural challenges.   https://reformationbiblecollege.org/   Parent Practicum events are hosted around the globe each year, inspiring and equipping parents to become better “everyday educators.” Combining the encouragement of community, integration of ideas, and practice with the classical skills, Parent Practicum is a once-a-year parent investment. Let us help you find a Parent Practicum event near you at www.ccpracticum.com

Brad Crowell and guest co-host Clare Solly reflect on insights from coach and advocate for high-performing women, Traci Peterson, in her interview about living without limiting labels. They share how to spot when you're relying on outside validation, why community matters, and how establishing your values shapes your goals and relationships. Whether you're a parent seeking real connections or a high achiever curious about personal growth, this conversation offers practical ways to Be It Till You See It.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:Identifying when you rely on other people's approval.Shifting negative labels toward strengths and gifts.Why setting firm boundaries and sharing values fuels growth.Integrating self-reflection into daily routines and family life.Breaking old patterns by trusting yourself over social pressures.How “value checks” can transform relationships and personal goals.Episode References/Links:Cambodia February 2025 Retreat - https://lesleylogan.co/retreatsCambodia October 2025 Retreat Waitlist - https://crowsnestretreats.comAccessories Flashcards Waitlist - https://opc.me/flashcardwaitlistPilates Studio Growth Accelerator - https://prfit.biz/acceleratorClare Solly's Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@youwontbesollyClare Solly's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/youwontbesollyClare Solly's Website – https://claresolly.com If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS!Check out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox Be in the know with all the workshops at OPCBe It Till You See It Podcast SurveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates MentorshipFREE Ditching Busy Webinar Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube!Lesley Logan websiteBe It Till You See It PodcastOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley LoganOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTubeProfitable Pilates Follow Us on Social Media:InstagramThe Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channelFacebookLinkedInThe OPC YouTube Channel Episode Transcript:Clare Solly 0:00  Yes, I am X-Y-Z and if you need like A-B-C in your life, then we're on the wrong side of the alphabet. Lesley Logan 0:08  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Brad Crowell 0:52  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap. Brad here again today with a very special guest stepping in for Lesley, we have Clare Solly. Yeah, welcome back, Clare. Clare is one of Lesley's best friends who has been both a guest on the pod, and she's actually hosted some of these recaps in the past. So those of you who have been listening for a long time, you probably know Clare. She's an author. She's an actor. She is Lesley's slingshot friend that goes all the way back to Episode 19. She lives in New York City, and she actually also you've been doing a whole lot of traveling this past year if I recall.Clare Solly 1:24  So much travel. Yeah, so much travel. I was so inspired. I think I've been to six countries this year, and then. Brad Crowell 1:30  That's crazy. Clare Solly 1:31  I'm actually in Connecticut right now I'm talking to you. Brad Crowell 1:33  Okay, okay. I was wondering. I was like this doesn't feel like New York. Love it. Today we are going to dig into the validating convo that Lesley had with Traci Peterson in our last episode. If you have not yet listened to that, feel free, pause this, go back, take a listen. Traci is a rock star, and she's like a super cool mom, a very inflective inflection. She's looking back at her own life, analyzing it, and seeing how she can sow into her daughter differently, and I just thought that was epic. So yeah, that's worth a listen. Go back and listen to that, and then come back here to join us. But before we get into the convo with Traci, why don't you tell us about today? Clare Solly 2:11  Today is January 16th and it is Natural, Natural? Brad Crowell 2:17  Yeah. Clare Solly 2:18  Natural and National Religious Freedom Day. National Religious Freedom Day is observed to promote the message of peace and acceptance. The day is to highlight the fact that everyone has a right to their own religious beliefs, and people can go worship however and whenever they want. And I thought this was actually very timely, because Traci talks about one of the first things she says, like right off the bat, is that you can celebrate whatever deity that supports you (inaudible) subscribes you and that's the word. Brad Crowell 2:48  I think it's also important to remind ourselves that, while there are, it's probably safe to say the majority of the United States, they subscribe to Christianity in some form. I don't think that we remember that our country wasn't founded by. Clare Solly 3:07  It was not. Brad Crowell 3:08  By a bunch of Christians like the Pilgrims came over. They were definitely were trying to get away, and they were being persecuted, and they were Christian. The founding fathers, however, they had mix of religions, including Christianity, but also Quaker, Lutheran, Dutch Reformed and even Roman Catholic. And so when they were setting our country up, it was with this really important idea of religious freedom, and I think that's healthy for us to remind ourselves that different people believe different things, and that's okay. Clare Solly 3:39  Yeah. Well and you mentioned in New York City, there's 72 different nations represented in this city, in my city, and that's fascinating. I can walk two, three blocks. It's like I'm traveling in a different country, because there are different things going on. And speaking of travel, aren't you guys traveling soon? Brad Crowell 3:56  Yeah, that's right. We're actually going to be going to Cambodia here in just a few weeks, I'm so excited. I'm already getting everything ready. We've been making sure we've got the place situated. Our team is already prepping things. We're making sure that the grounds are good to go, and Lesley and I get there a few days early. So end of February, we've got a retreat at our retreat space in Cambodia, and it might feel like. Clare Solly 4:19  Wish I could go.Brad Crowell 4:20  Well, you can, you still you can. You can. Hey and you, too, can join us. Yeah, believe it or not, you know, I know it's short notice, but there's still time if you're interested, to join us here in February. However, if that is like, clearly too soon, because it's all the way around the world and flying internationally can be challenging, join us in October. Okay? We're going to go back in October. It's going to be the middle of the month right now. There's an offer going on that you would never know about unless you were on the waitlist. So if you're not on the waitlist, just go to crowsnestretreats.com crowsnestretreats.com. Click on the October you'll see all the dates. You'll see everything that's going on there. If you have any questions about it, just reach out. It is a life changing experience. It's one of my favorite things to do. You've heard me talk about it for years on this podcast, and every single time I go, I still come back rejuvenated, just on fire to promote how epic it is over there, the people are beautiful. The food is incredible. The countryside is amazing. The temples of Angkor are, you know, it just makes me feel like a kid again every single time. It's amazing. The wonder, it's just insane. Well, we're still working hard on these accessories flash cards, right? So if y'all are familiar with the flash card decks that we put out for Pilates, to learn Pilates, the sixth one in the series is coming out. It's the accessories deck. It'll be coming out this summer. Back in November, we shot the, did all the photos back in LA and Lesley's been working super hard on the cards. In fact, she's really excited for us to be in Cambodia because we get to go a couple days early, and she literally is on the opposite side of the world from what our normal life. So no one interrupts her. She can take no phone calls, none of the things, and she always uses that time to sit down and just continue to really work on these cards. She's going to be writing and editing and doing all that kind of stuff. So if that's something that's interesting to you, go to opc.me/flashcardwaitlist flashcardwaitlist, and put yourself on the waitlist. We hook up the people on the waitlist. We don't ever announce publicly that we've got this epic presale offer that is going to happen, so only the people on the waitlist. So put yourself on there. Next up is, as you may recall, I've been hosting some webinars recently. I've got another one coming up. And if you are a fitness business owner or a Pilates studio owner or a home studio owner, or you're renting spaces studio, if you are working for yourself in some way, you want to come to this free webinar that I'm putting on. It's called the Pilates Studio Growth Accelerator. After coaching seven years, Lesley and I have been able to work with thousands of business owners just like you, and we boiled down three big secrets that are going to get you unstuck in your money. Clare Solly 6:56  Secrets?Brad Crowell 6:57  Yeah, secrets. In your money, unstuck in your client growth. How do you manage a team? How do you change your messaging? How do you connect with these clients that you need to do in order to grow your business? These are the things that we are talking about, and I want you to come join us. So go to prfit.biz/accelerator. That's profit without the O, dot biz slash accelerator. It's a free webinar. So before we get into this convo with Traci Peterson, we had an audience question to respond to. And if you were here last week, you can laugh again, because the audience is Lesley. And Lesley was literally asking Clare a question. So Claire, what are you reading next?Clare Solly 8:02  This is a hysterical question. I'm a bookstagrammer, so I'm a book influencer. You can (inaudible).Bookstagram. You know what I literally thought it was an entire platform called Bookstagram I was like, what? No, it's like a segment of Instagram.It's a corner of, yeah, it's a corner of Instagram. It's a corner of Tiktok. If you look up the hashtag (inaudible). Brad Crowell 8:24  Wait, it's TikTok? Clare Solly 8:24  Yeah, it's on TikTok too. We'll talk about books all the time. So I'm, you won't be Solly, you can. We'll probably put that somewhere if you want to find it, if you want to go see what books I'm reading. So I read all kinds of different fiction. My favorites are like romcoms and fantasy. I love anything with a dragon, although it's funny, when we get to the new year, I'm always like, okay, I want to get some gritty so I usually read, like, a good biography, or I read something more nonfiction-wise, I'm a tiny bit of a self help junkie, so every once in a while, I'm like, what's the new self-help book? Brene Brown, what do you got for me? Brad Crowell 8:56  Yeah, right? Clare Solly 8:57  But one of these trips that I went on this summer was with my mom, and we were driving, and we saw these old time like 40 year old, 50 year old truck stop places. You know, the movie (inaudible)Brad Crowell 9:08  Americana. Clare Solly 9:09  I'm totally Americana. So I'm sort of fascinated by all of this, and it's like percolating in the back of my brain to write something, whether it's a play or a book about these old time pull over by the side of the road and take a picture with the world's largest ball of twine. So I'm sort of.Brad Crowell 9:29  There's always these big ass chairs out there, like on the side of a freeway. Like, what are they doing?Clare Solly 9:34  Like, I went to Canada in May, and there was a giant moose statue, and of course, I had to take a picture with it. But like, why is there a giant moose just by the side of the road? Brad Crowell 9:44  That's funny. Clare Solly 9:45  I'm somewhat fascinated by these, like, old I don't know why I keep saying old timey, because they're not that old. But as a kid, we used to take roadtrips, and we would stop and like, the moccasin factory. So I'm doing some research, so to speak, on some of these old, older roadside attractions so (inaudible) maybe, maybe I think I'm envisioning more of a fictional story, like a generational grandpa made this thing, put his life fortune into it, and, like, run down and what do we do with it? You know, kind of. Brad Crowell 10:19  Oh, that, you know, what's really interesting, that's a really clever idea. Because then it could be like, the young generation who doesn't give a shit about it, and he's like, what do I do with this thing? But then it could be that the younger person comes to appreciate it, you know? Or they could be like, fuck it. I'm moving to the city. Clare Solly 10:38  Yeah. Well, I mean, and we're kind of all, like, we've kind of forgotten what this is. We've forgotten what these and some people don't even know what they are. Brad Crowell 10:46  Yeah, they don't even know what it is. They drive by without even understanding. That's interesting. You know, I think there's, like, a really a lot there of digging into this idea of nostalgia, yeah. That's a cool that could be a really cool premise, Clare.Clare Solly 11:03  Yeah, well, and then passing things down to generations, what have we experienced, or what have our parents or grandparents experienced that we can pass down through generations? So I think that that's important. Brad Crowell 11:14  That's cool, too, yeah, and the meaning, like how I had so much meaning to them, yeah. Well, very cool. I love that. I'm glad you shared that you are doing the Bookstagram, the book Tiktok, that one too, the book talk. Stick around, everybody. We'll be right back. We're going to dig into this amazing convo Lesley had with Traci Peterson. Alright, now let's talk about Traci Peterson. Traci is an international speaker, a board certified family nurse practitioner and founder of Elevate Wellness and Aesthetics. She is the creator of Women Lessons, a transformative program and podcast that empowers high-performing women and their daughters to overcome self-criticism, embrace their divine gifts and build unshakable confidence. She's a proud mother of three and Traci leads by example, inspiring others to break generational cycles of insecurity while living a purpose-driven life of faith, leadership and personal growth. It was a very refreshing convo. I really appreciated her mission. There was so much in there. What was one thing that you loved?  Clare Solly 12:15  One thing I said that she loved was to look inward and upward for your validation. She said, most of the time, we've had to learn things the hard way, and you're not finding your value or your worth from or your validation from any other person than yourself from your relationship with you and your Creator. I found that gorgeous, because yes, we are, especially women, we are in this moment where we are standing up for ourselves. We are finding our own identities, but we're looking outward for that, and we're still, we still are plagued with magazines and perfection being thrown at us, like from deodorant commercials to clothing ads to car ads, like, what should you drive if you're a Pilates instructor. What do you do if you're a performer and a writer? What do you need to wear? Who? What? How do you need to project yourself? So there's so many hows and whys, and really, at the end of the day, you have to live with yourself, and I am the only person that has to live with me, even if you are living with someone else, even if you are thriving with someone else. At the end of the day, you have to make yourself happy. There's nobody else. I mean, other people can add to your happiness, but they can't make you 100% happy. So I loved, loved that. Brad Crowell 13:33  Yeah, I think, you know, it kind of goes back to what we were talking about last week, about worthiness, validation, if we put that in the hands of the people around us, we're setting ourselves up for failure.Clare Solly 13:46  Yeah, you're giving yourself a measuring stick. You're giving other people power to have the measuring stick for your life. And you don't know which direction they're going to go, because you don't know what their goals are and your relationship with yourself is, the one that should be paramount should be the top. And I'm not saying ignore everyone else and only live your best life, but that's not the point of and it's not Traci's point either. But I think you have to be comfortable with yourself first. You know, it's kind of like that airplane mask saying, right? You have to put on your mask first and make sure you're okay, before you're any help to anyone else. And I know that's not quite what she was saying, but at the same time, it's still that that's valid. Brad Crowell 14:26  No, it's super relevant, you know. And I think also, too, she's talking about, you know, inward and upward instead of outward, instead of outward. So absolutely, I definitely agree. I was thinking about, how do you catch yourself in that moment of when you're when you're seeking validation from others, right? Clare Solly 14:47  Yeah, hard habit to break. Brad Crowell 14:50  Yeah, it really is, you know, because there's that sense of validation, I mean, I understand that. If we create a new product and no one buys it, that makes me feel like a failure. We fucked up. We clearly missed the mark. We didn't understand what people were looking for. I can understand that external, you know, looking external to we're talking about world views as well. If your worldview is, I am a salesperson, and you fail at selling like I was just talking about then. Clare Solly 15:21  Well, identity. Brad Crowell 15:22  Yeah, what do you do? What do you do with that? Does that mean life is over now? So when your foundation isn't built on those things, but instead is built internally, it's a lot more challenging to rock that kind of a person. And that's a good thing, that's a good thing. So, yeah, we'll, look, I really loved when she was talking about gifts. She said, listen, not everyone is going to understand your gifts or celebrate them. Those are not your people. And what she was talking about was this really heart wrenching story of her childhood where she was in her early teens, mid teens, and she walked up behind her friends, and her friends were basically talking shit on her, and she ended up going home, and she was telling her mom, and then her mom said something, probably not intentionally, but she said something that was really hurtful and that really rocked her. And she said what she had been told every day is, hey, remember who you are. And she's like, well, I'm loud. I am the person who is in control of the situation. I am all these things. And you know, in that sense, it's positive, but what she was getting the feedback from was that makes you bossy, and that makes you never paying attention, and that makes you this, that makes you this. So suddenly her strengths were being portrayed as weakness. And as a 14-year-old, how do you overcome that? You're going to change yourself so that you can fit in, so that you're no longer going to do those things, and that really shifts into people pleasing and all this other stuff, and that's really, really difficult. It was a sad story to hear. And she said her daughter came from home from school and said, hey, Mom, you know, I need to learn how to be a woman. And the things that her daughter said, well, I need to learn these things, that was like, the beginning of this mission that Traci is on, and that I felt was like so powerful that she had this moment of introspection. That was the word I was looking for at the beginning of the pod. Introspection, she had this moment of clarity, of like, oh, wow. Is this the example that I've set for my daughter, if these are the things that she thinks she needs?Clare Solly 17:22  And am I the model for that? I thought that was also very important. Yeah. Brad Crowell 17:26  Yeah, absolutely. And so I think it's so cool that she's come full circle now and she can say, hey, you know what the gifts that I was told are a problem when I was a teen? No, those are still gifts. But the people who are giving me that feedback, those are not my people.Clare Solly 17:44  Yeah, and I like, this story resonated so, so deeply with me, because I was like, wait, are we the same person? Because the same sort of situation happened with me. And again, it was, you know, a different topic, a different day. And I'm sure other people, other women, especially, have suffered. And I'm talking from because I'm a woman, and I've talked to many women who have been like, oh yeah, me too. So I can speak from that. And many of us, you know, we just get ripped to shreds. And I'm very tall. I'm six feet tall, and so I have always been the one that was automatically the leader and was put in charge of things. Brad Crowell 18:24  Sure. Clare Solly 18:24  And I learned to speak loud because I'm a big, tall person. And then I also grew up with two stepbrothers, so I had to be loud because there were two boys in my house. And I was known as bossy. And it's so funny, because once I heard that, I was like, when was the last time I heard bossy? And I kind of love now that we have this boss babe mentality, like we've turned it around, that word. Brad Crowell 18:49  Isn't that funny? Clare Solly 18:49  Yeah and what used to be such a negative word, and we're now embracing it. I loved, I loved this, which, you know, brings me back to the embracing your gifts. Yes, I am X-Y-Z and if you need like A-B-C in your life, then we're on the wrong side of the alphabet. I need a W and a Q and a T in there. Go be on your other side of the alphabet. And like we all are in this together, but I'm X-Y-Z, and this is what it is.Brad Crowell 19:14  That is something that we, especially as a child, have no perspective on. Our entire world is our class. Our entire world is our bus to and from school. Our entire world is our neighbors, because those are our friends that we play with. I have to imagine that shifted because of the internet, but still, even with the internet and the virtual it's generally still people that we know in real life that we're trying to connect with online. So as we shift change, grow older, we realize, oh, maybe I don't need to be in this community. Maybe this is my community over here. Or these are not my people. Those are my people. Or as business owners, we talk about this all the time to our clients who are building their own business. Maybe the people that we've been selling to are not the people we should be selling to because they're clearly not appreciating the thing, you know, but there are other people who will appreciate the thing. This is also another thing that I think is so important that fits right into this. When we lived in Los Angeles, there were something like 15, 18 Pilates studios within a two-mile radius, or three-mile radius. I can't remember what it was, Lesley and I looked it up at one point, and it was like kind of mind blowing. How was it possible that we all had clients? If we're all competing, we're all doing this the same thing. We're all teaching Pilates. Now, there's different forms of Pilates, but that's not my point. The point is from the person who doesn't know anything about Pilates they just see 18 Pilates studios, right? What sets you apart is you and how you're communicating and connecting with them. Do they vibe with you? Your vibe, them, you know, coming in the door and being like, I like this person. There's something innate there. There's something intuitive there, and that's really a thing that sets you apart. And that's why we're not for everybody, and that's why they might not be your people. You know those people who are critiquing your strengths instead of praising your strengths.Clare Solly 21:09  Yeah and I think it also goes both ways. If you are buying into something, or you're giving your time to something and you're just not connecting with it, let it go. Leave it for someone else. Leave the space for someone else. There are many other opportunities out there. We talked about books earlier, like, I have read the same genre of book. I say I read dragon books, and there are some dragon books that I just don't like, and there are dragon books that like blow me away, but there are other people that read them that just don't jive. So yeah, if you're not feeling it, if you're not feeling me, move on to something else. Your life is yours. Live it how you want to. Brad Crowell 21:45  I agree. I totally, totally agree. Stick around real quick, because when we get back, we're going to talk about those Be It Action Items that Traci and Lesley were talking about. So, we'll be right back. All right. So finally, let's talk about those Be It Action Items. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from Lesley's convo with Traci Peterson? She said hey, use the energy generator guide, especially if you ever feel overwhelmed burnt out as a mom, this guide, the energy generator guide, it walks you through the step by step. One, write down your top three values. Two, how to get to those in a very succinct manner. The guide helps you do that, and then you start calendaring those values. Have a conversation with your family, your spouse, your child, about your set of values. She talked about instilling this concept into her daughter in a way that allows your daughter to reflect, hey, is this serving me, this thing that I'm signed up for? Is it fitting with my values? And it allows you to also measure the feedback I think that you're getting from people, and be like, do these people agree with my values? Because if they don't agree with my values, then maybe I shouldn't be listening to their feedback. And I just thought that was super powerful to be teaching, you know, someone who's 12. Yeah, she said, sometimes we know what we value, but there's conversations that sometimes need to happen, explaining why, the why behind why you're doing it, so that you can get other people on board. So when you know your values too, you can also use that as a leader, you know, as the person who's the biggest personality in the room, like she is, I just, that's a, that's an incredible life lesson for someone to be passing on to their kids. And also, I think, I don't have any kids, so this is something that, like, Lesley and I would have a conversation about this kind of a thing, you know, do we need to do this? Or why are we doing this? Why are we still doing this? If it's something that we've been repeating over and over and over again? So yeah, that's pretty potent. Clare Solly 23:49  Yeah, I love that she's focused on moms and daughters. Love it. Love it. Love it. I'm a daughter of a mom and don't have children, so for me, I dropped in instead of mom, I dropped in person, and instead of children, spouse, etc. I dropped in support system because I have many, many friends. Brad Crowell 24:05  I really thought you were gonna say my pet. And I was like, yes.Clare Solly 24:09  I mean, you should calendar in your pet.Brad Crowell 24:12  And you'll have like, a one-on-one. Like, is this serving our values? Clare Solly 24:15  Yeah. What are we, good dog, good job. But yeah. I mean, I think this system is good for anyone. So I, you know if, even if you're not a mom, you don't have a daughter, go take a look at this book, because I think it's very supportive. My biggest takeaway, and again, I love to, love, love this because I'm daughter of a mom, she created with seven woman lessons to look inward and upward for your validation and the lessons were, remember who you are and whose you are. And I loved that whose. I loved that. Gratitude grounds you. Your own, remember your own divine gift. Be selfmore, not selfless. I'm gonna say that again, be selfmore, not selfless. You are more than your body. Amen. Community counts and number seven was living your potential. All of these are brilliant. Again, I think you can even substitute in, not yes, these are great things to teach to a younger person. It's a good teachable moment for yourself. And like these seven guidelines, I feel like I took a lot of notes when I was listening to this one. I was listening out to it fast, and so I had to go back and listen because I was taking and I think it's just great ways to, like, focus yourself. And again, we're at the New Year. It's not too late to start your resolution, or if you have one, or if you don't, or even just looking forward to, like, where do you want to go? And these are steps and guidelines to move you forward or move you and your team, you and your people forward. So loved it.Brad Crowell 25:45  I have a lot of awe for people who take the time to reflect back on their years of life and pull out the like distill concepts like this. This all comes back to that conversation she had with her daughter about, like, Mom, I need to learn how to be a woman. And from that came an entire platform, you know, where she is now able to not only support her own daughter, but support other moms. And now she's hosting retreats and for mom and daughter retreats, and doing all this amazing stuff that came back to this one moment of absolute clarity. And then now she's got this system that she put together. And, you know, high level, these things sound like, oh, okay, that's great. Gratitude grounds, be selfmore not selfless. That's cute, actually. I like that one. But there's still so much thought that went behind each one. Why are these the seven, there's clearly a reason, and I think it's worth digging in. So I love that. All right. Well, everyone, well, I'm Brad Crowell. Clare Solly 26:48  And I'm Lesley Logan, just kidding. I'm Clare Solly.Brad Crowell 26:52  Thank you so much for joining us today. If you want to hear more from Clare, go check her out at claresolly.com C-L-A-R-E-S-O-L-L-Y dot com. We are so grateful that you are here. How are you going to use these tips in your life? Let us know by sending us a DM to the pod on IG, or leave us a comment on YouTube. We will definitely catch you on the next episode and in between here, Be It Till You See It. Clare Solly 27:14  Bye for now.Lesley Logan 27:16  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 27:58  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 28:03  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 28:08  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 28:15  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 28:18  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Transcribed by https://otter.aiSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Do you know how much you matter to God? Do you understand how much you can help to bring value and reconciliation to others? The greatest movement on earth for freedom is the church of Jesus Christ. Or so it should be. For when individuals have their own personal experience of freedom in Christ, they become part of a community that is called to model liberation from deep divisions and old prejudices. Once we are reconciled with God as our father, we instantly come into a new family of brothers and sisters all equal before God.  In our current series on ‘Living in Freedom' from the book of Galatians we come to powerful declarations in Galatians 3:26-27. We have all become children of God through faith in Christ, by being baptised as identified with Christ and being clothed with the new nature of Christ. This means all of us have come into God's kingdom, not because of our own efforts, talents or religious works but because of our faith in Jesus who loved us unconditionally and gave His life's blood to save us from our sins and free us from Satan's dark rule.   We have all been born again into God's family the same way. We are all on the same level. And the consequences of this are literally revolutionary for our thinking and behaviour. For as Galatians 3:28 goes on to say ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.'   Previous divisions are swept away by our new shared identity and faith in Christ. We have all become one in Christ Jesus. Through Jesus we are reconciled not only to God but also to one another. Man-made works-based religion does not accept this, which is why throughout history traditional churches have often re-enforced divisions and have in fact been leading agencies of oppression (e.g. the Dutch Reformed church and other denominations in apartheid South Africa; German churches supporting the Nazis in WWII).   However, both these examples have everything to do with human religion and nothing to do with the reconciling vision a true Christ centred church that the apostle Paul outlines in these verses. We see the main barriers that are overcome when we understand what it means to be united through Christ.   1. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between Jews and non-Jews (Galatians 3:28; Acts 10:34; Romans 11:11-36) 2. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down social and economic barriers (Acts 2:45; 1 Corinthians 12) 3. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between men and women (Acts 1:14; Acts 2:18; John 13:34-35)  Apply   1. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between Jews and non-Jews (Galatians 3:28). In the beginnings of the early church there was a strong majority Jewish presence. Jesus was a Jew. The first disciples were Jews. The church grew rapidly amongst the Jews in Jerusalem, but it was not long before the Holy Spirit was poured out on many non-Jews which totally astonished the Jews who witnessed it in the home of the Roman Centurion Cornelius. Peter himself had needed a complete reset of his previously Jewish mindset (Acts 10:34). So at first the church grew with Jews and non-Jews united in a common faith in Christ. They stood together against attempts by Jewish traditionalists to make non-Jewish believers follow Jewish customs, something that Paul opposes in this book of Galatians. However, such was the speed and the scale of the acceptance of the gospel amongst Greeks and other Gentiles, that the Jewish believers not only quickly became a minority but a persecuted minority. Soon the teaching emerged that the Jews were Christ killers and that the gospel, and the church had now replaced the Jews. Yet the Bible clearly teaches that God loves the Jewish people with an everlasting love and will fulfil all His promises towards them both regarding the Promised Land and their descendants. But their blessings and the blessings of Gentile believers will greatly increase when both Jewish and Gentile believers come into a new level of unity in their love of God and obedience to Christ (Romans 11:11-36). What this means practically is that there must not be any trace of antisemitism amongst Christians. We must not ignore or have any hostility towards the Jews. Rather Christians need to unconditionally honour and love the Jewish people wherever they are and be sure to develop fellowship with the increasing number of Messianic believers in Yeshua (Jesus). Our awakening to the importance of our Jewish brothers and sisters will be of great blessing to all concerned and bring great strength to the body of Christ on earth.   2. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down social and economic barriers. Slavery was commonly practised throughout the Roman Empire, but it was only in the community of believers that slaves and slave owners met and worshipped together as equals before God. Because of their shared faith in Christ, those from the lowest and the highest in society, both slaves and slave owners treated one another with mutual love and respect. Onesimus for example was a runaway slave of Philemon, who came to view him as ‘a dear brother.' Later in history it was the strong efforts of evangelical campaigners who helped abolish the transatlantic slave trade. Their famous image and motto was of an enslaved African, kneeling, manacled hands outstretched, with the title 'Am I not a man and a brother.' In the early church there was also a great concern to help the poor and vulnerable, especially by those who had the means to do so (Acts 2:45). The apostle's Paul's reference to neither slave nor free was in keeping with the teaching of James to give an equal welcome to rich and poor and not to give special attention to the rich. And as Paul outlined there can be no room for either inferiority or superiority in the church (1 Corinthians 12). No one is more special than another. True Christianity is no respecter of class and status. God has no favourites. We are all one in Christ.    3. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between men and women. Put simply there is no room for a macho culture or an ultra-feminist, anti-man culture in the kingdom of God. Men should never view themselves as first class, while they treat the women as second class. Equally women should not resent and despise men. Everyone must highly value both men and women as brothers and sisters. The Bible teaches that God created us in the image of God, both male and female. But because both were disobedient to God, the beautiful image that God had for them was ruined. They became divided and in tension with one another. But when Christ shed His blood, He gave the possibility of a new self-image for both men and women. Jesus of course restored the image of countless women who flocked to hear Him. In a male dominated culture, He broke patronising and oppressive traditions which treated women as inferior. He shocked a Samaritan woman by talking with her, something most Jewish men regarded as beneath them, especially as she was from a despised culture. He was protective of the woman taken in the act of adultery and showed her great love and respect when she was so vulnerable. So different was Jesus' reaction from all the other male chauvinistic religious leaders that He saved her from being stoned to death. Women saw in Jesus great compassion, kindness and wisdom and became His devoted followers. In the early church there was great unity between men and women (Acts 1:14; Acts 2:18). Today so many women have not been valued or treated well. But you can receive healing in your heart. You can be forgiven for your sins. You can have a new identity in Christ as a much-loved daughter of God. When the Holy Spirit comes to you, He makes you like a new person. Women need to know this. But also, many men need to know that they are loved and valued, despite their troubles and their sins. It's been said ‘most men lead lives of quiet desperation.' That's why both men and women need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Both men and women can be changed. God can change the heart of the abusive husband, He can change the man who abandoned his family, He can heal the man who was himself mistreated. Through the work of the Holy Spirit men and women, fathers and daughters, sons and mothers, brothers and sisters can be reconciled and restored in their relationships. Instead of hurting the opposite sex, you can help them.    The church God is building is a revolutionary new society, the kingdom of heaven on earth, free from deep divisions and discrimination which have no place. The church is to be a family and community where all can know God's love and where all members are of equal value. So what does this mean? • We must all know that we are all equally loved and valued by God our Father • We must all respect one another as of equal value • We must all humble ourselves and repent of any form of discrimination, pride, judgement, bitterness in our hearts or any harsh words or behaviours • We must work together in our marriages, families and communities to build greater unity across all previous divisions and above all • We must truly love one another (John 13:34-35)  

Do you know how much you matter to God? Do you understand how much you can help to bring value and reconciliation to others? The greatest movement on earth for freedom is the church of Jesus Christ. Or so it should be. For when individuals have their own personal experience of freedom in Christ, they become part of a community that is called to model liberation from deep divisions and old prejudices. Once we are reconciled with God as our father, we instantly come into a new family of brothers and sisters all equal before God.  In our current series on ‘Living in Freedom' from the book of Galatians we come to powerful declarations in Galatians 3:26-27. We have all become children of God through faith in Christ, by being baptised as identified with Christ and being clothed with the new nature of Christ. This means all of us have come into God's kingdom, not because of our own efforts, talents or religious works but because of our faith in Jesus who loved us unconditionally and gave His life's blood to save us from our sins and free us from Satan's dark rule.   We have all been born again into God's family the same way. We are all on the same level. And the consequences of this are literally revolutionary for our thinking and behaviour. For as Galatians 3:28 goes on to say ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.'   Previous divisions are swept away by our new shared identity and faith in Christ. We have all become one in Christ Jesus. Through Jesus we are reconciled not only to God but also to one another. Man-made works-based religion does not accept this, which is why throughout history traditional churches have often re-enforced divisions and have in fact been leading agencies of oppression (e.g. the Dutch Reformed church and other denominations in apartheid South Africa; German churches supporting the Nazis in WWII).   However, both these examples have everything to do with human religion and nothing to do with the reconciling vision a true Christ centred church that the apostle Paul outlines in these verses. We see the main barriers that are overcome when we understand what it means to be united through Christ.   1. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between Jews and non-Jews (Galatians 3:28; Acts 10:34; Romans 11:11-36) 2. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down social and economic barriers (Acts 2:45; 1 Corinthians 12) 3. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between men and women (Acts 1:14; Acts 2:18; John 13:34-35)  Apply   1. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between Jews and non-Jews (Galatians 3:28). In the beginnings of the early church there was a strong majority Jewish presence. Jesus was a Jew. The first disciples were Jews. The church grew rapidly amongst the Jews in Jerusalem, but it was not long before the Holy Spirit was poured out on many non-Jews which totally astonished the Jews who witnessed it in the home of the Roman Centurion Cornelius. Peter himself had needed a complete reset of his previously Jewish mindset (Acts 10:34). So at first the church grew with Jews and non-Jews united in a common faith in Christ. They stood together against attempts by Jewish traditionalists to make non-Jewish believers follow Jewish customs, something that Paul opposes in this book of Galatians. However, such was the speed and the scale of the acceptance of the gospel amongst Greeks and other Gentiles, that the Jewish believers not only quickly became a minority but a persecuted minority. Soon the teaching emerged that the Jews were Christ killers and that the gospel, and the church had now replaced the Jews. Yet the Bible clearly teaches that God loves the Jewish people with an everlasting love and will fulfil all His promises towards them both regarding the Promised Land and their descendants. But their blessings and the blessings of Gentile believers will greatly increase when both Jewish and Gentile believers come into a new level of unity in their love of God and obedience to Christ (Romans 11:11-36). What this means practically is that there must not be any trace of antisemitism amongst Christians. We must not ignore or have any hostility towards the Jews. Rather Christians need to unconditionally honour and love the Jewish people wherever they are and be sure to develop fellowship with the increasing number of Messianic believers in Yeshua (Jesus). Our awakening to the importance of our Jewish brothers and sisters will be of great blessing to all concerned and bring great strength to the body of Christ on earth.   2. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down social and economic barriers. Slavery was commonly practised throughout the Roman Empire, but it was only in the community of believers that slaves and slave owners met and worshipped together as equals before God. Because of their shared faith in Christ, those from the lowest and the highest in society, both slaves and slave owners treated one another with mutual love and respect. Onesimus for example was a runaway slave of Philemon, who came to view him as ‘a dear brother.' Later in history it was the strong efforts of evangelical campaigners who helped abolish the transatlantic slave trade. Their famous image and motto was of an enslaved African, kneeling, manacled hands outstretched, with the title 'Am I not a man and a brother.' In the early church there was also a great concern to help the poor and vulnerable, especially by those who had the means to do so (Acts 2:45). The apostle's Paul's reference to neither slave nor free was in keeping with the teaching of James to give an equal welcome to rich and poor and not to give special attention to the rich. And as Paul outlined there can be no room for either inferiority or superiority in the church (1 Corinthians 12). No one is more special than another. True Christianity is no respecter of class and status. God has no favourites. We are all one in Christ.    3. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between men and women. Put simply there is no room for a macho culture or an ultra-feminist, anti-man culture in the kingdom of God. Men should never view themselves as first class, while they treat the women as second class. Equally women should not resent and despise men. Everyone must highly value both men and women as brothers and sisters. The Bible teaches that God created us in the image of God, both male and female. But because both were disobedient to God, the beautiful image that God had for them was ruined. They became divided and in tension with one another. But when Christ shed His blood, He gave the possibility of a new self-image for both men and women. Jesus of course restored the image of countless women who flocked to hear Him. In a male dominated culture, He broke patronising and oppressive traditions which treated women as inferior. He shocked a Samaritan woman by talking with her, something most Jewish men regarded as beneath them, especially as she was from a despised culture. He was protective of the woman taken in the act of adultery and showed her great love and respect when she was so vulnerable. So different was Jesus' reaction from all the other male chauvinistic religious leaders that He saved her from being stoned to death. Women saw in Jesus great compassion, kindness and wisdom and became His devoted followers. In the early church there was great unity between men and women (Acts 1:14; Acts 2:18). Today so many women have not been valued or treated well. But you can receive healing in your heart. You can be forgiven for your sins. You can have a new identity in Christ as a much-loved daughter of God. When the Holy Spirit comes to you, He makes you like a new person. Women need to know this. But also, many men need to know that they are loved and valued, despite their troubles and their sins. It's been said ‘most men lead lives of quiet desperation.' That's why both men and women need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Both men and women can be changed. God can change the heart of the abusive husband, He can change the man who abandoned his family, He can heal the man who was himself mistreated. Through the work of the Holy Spirit men and women, fathers and daughters, sons and mothers, brothers and sisters can be reconciled and restored in their relationships. Instead of hurting the opposite sex, you can help them.    The church God is building is a revolutionary new society, the kingdom of heaven on earth, free from deep divisions and discrimination which have no place. The church is to be a family and community where all can know God's love and where all members are of equal value. So what does this mean? • We must all know that we are all equally loved and valued by God our Father • We must all respect one another as of equal value • We must all humble ourselves and repent of any form of discrimination, pride, judgement, bitterness in our hearts or any harsh words or behaviours • We must work together in our marriages, families and communities to build greater unity across all previous divisions and above all • We must truly love one another (John 13:34-35)  

Dutch Reformer, Institution Founder & Michigan Entrepreneur Albertus Christiaan Van Raalte was born in 1811 in the Netherlands, was a pillar in the Afscheiding, sat under Groen van Prinsterer, was always running from the law, wrote letters to Abraham Kuyper to not over-work (which council Kuyper failed to apply), led the emigrations to Michigan, helped start Hope College and Western Seminary, and loved him so church polity. To talk about Van Raalte we are joined by the living-legend Robert Swierenga, author of “A. C. Van Raalte: Pastor by Vocation, Entrepreneur by Necessity.” A stagnant economy, premodern agriculture, and high population growth had led to a sense of hopelessness. Then Enlightenment rationalism and political discontent cast the Dutch Reformed Church adrift in a sea of doubt and uncertainty. This set the stage for the welcome by Dutch liberals of invading French “liberators” in 1795 and the formation of the Batavian Republic, which disestablished the public church. French dominance increased under Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte who established the Kingdom of Holland under his brother Louis in 1804 and made the nation a French vassal state in 1810. The new regime introduced the French Civil Code and modernized an antiquated bureaucracy, bringing with it new taxes and intrusive regulations, such as the first national census, universal military conscription, a civil registry, and other constraints. Young Albertus received the best education the Netherlands could offer in the nineteenth century—parochial day school, Athenaeum, and university. He became an itinerant pastor who planted congregations in the largely rural province of Overijssel. When desperate poverty drove thousands of these Separatists to emigrate to America in the 1840s, Van Raalte himself decided to emigrate and lead his followers to safer pastures. Had he remained in the homeland, as did all but a few of his colleagues, his life would have been comfortable and in familiar surroundings, within his subculture and its routines. Emigrating overseas never entered his mind until midlife, but doing so lifted him to a dynamic role in a period of change in both countries, with different speeds, directions, opportunities, and threats. The two major Dutch Reformed colonies in the 1840s were those of A. C. Van Raalte in Holland, Michigan, and Rev. Hendrik (Henry) P. Scholte in Pella, Iowa. Van Raalte and Scholte, erstwhile friends in the Netherlands, faced a role reversal in America, and they became rivals, competing for settlers and influence. Pella had the early advantage because Scholte had brought almost nine hundred followers, compared to Van Raalte's fewer than one hundred. But Scholte's religious independence and refusal to join the American branch of the Reformed Church, as Van Raalte did, hurt his recruitment efforts. The poverty-stricken Holland colony was isolated and twenty miles from the nearest market towns. But thanks to its harbor, wood products shipped to insatiable Chicago markets paid for provisions and supplies that were brought back on return sailings. Holland's harbor offered easy sailing to Chicago and other Great Lake ports as far away as Buffalo and even New York City via the Erie Canal. Kalamazoo, fifty-five miles southeast, provided a direct rail connection to New York. Pella in south-central Iowa lay fifty miles from Des Moines, the capitol and nearest large city, and it had no railroad service for twenty years. As a result, it remained for generations a small, market town that serviced farms within twenty miles. Holland lay astride the two most productive agricultural counties in Michigan—Ottawa and Allegan. The Holland area today has five or six times the population of the Pella area. And Holland's diverse industrial economy far surpasses that of Iowa's agricultural economy. In the rivalry with Scholte, Van Raalte's accomplishments became the embodiment of what Scholte had hoped to achieve.

Rev. Dr. Daniel Ragusa, pastor of Messiah's Reformed Fellowship in New York City joins Camden Bucey for this thoughtful episode of Christ the Center. Together, they explore the profound impact of Dutch Reformed theology on American Presbyterianism, focusing on key historical moments and figures, including Cornelius Van Til and Gerhardus Vos. Ragusa shares insights from his recent work translating and editing Van Til's “Dutch Letters” and discusses the lasting influence of Dutch Reformed thought on the formation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC). This conversation examines the connections between the nineteenth-century Dutch secession movements, particularly the Afscheiding of 1834, and their influence on the theological and ecclesiastical landscape in America. With a focus on confessional integrity and the challenges posed by modernity, Ragusa highlights the ongoing relevance of these historical developments for Reformed theology today. Listeners will also hear about exciting new publications from Reformed Forum, including Ragusa's forthcoming book, The Joyful Fellowship, which traces the theme of “God with us” throughout Scripture. This episode provides a rich, historical, and theological exploration of the Dutch Reformed legacy in American Presbyterianism. Chapters 00:00:07 Introduction 00:04:16 The Joyful Fellowship 00:13:08 Van Til's Dutch Letters 00:21:43 First Impressions of the Letters 00:29:09 The Afscheiding of 1834 00:47:42 The Doleantie 00:50:10 Holland-Mania 00:54:51 Vos as a Connecting Figure 01:06:30 American Presbyterian Influence on the Dutch Reformed 01:11:57 A Struggle for Faithfulness to Confessional Identity 01:21:12 Teaching at MARS 01:23:24 Conclusion

Award-winning author and editor Donald McKim joins James and Jonathan to discuss his book, Daily Devotions with Herman Bavinck. Bavinck was a significant Reformed scholar and theologian whose popularity has increased in recent years. Though Bavinck did not leave behind a body of devotional material, Don has written eighty-four brief devotional readings accompanied by Scripture exploring Bavinck's thoughts to deepen readers' understanding and faith. Donald McKim's book is doing for Bavinck what earlier Dutch Reformed theologians had done for themselves, which is step you into that practical application, and there's nothing unnatural about it. It feels like exactly the next step that you should take. – James Dolezal  With Bavinck, McKim understands that Christian belief is to be joined with Christian living, and he has given us an excellent practical application of Bavinck's theology. We're giving away two copies of Donald McKim's book courtesy of P&R Publishing. Register here for an opportunity to win.   Show Notes: Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck in 4 volumes: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/reformed-dogmatics-4-volumes/291090 Other books by Donald McKim: https://www.prpbooks.com/authors/donald-k-mckim

This month’s podcast was recorded live at the first installment of the Noise Reduction series. Its a collaborative improvisation with synthesist David Mason. The performance took place in the rear chapel space of Prophecy Hall, a former Dutch Reformed church in Beacon, NY. Its an interesting space to create in, and I hope to do more … Continue reading Errant Space Podcast 111: Noise Reduction →

Bow Tie Dialogues is a show dedicated to learning about denominations from those who actually practice them. Keith Foskey is the host and he has interviewed pastors from the PCA, LCMS, ACNA, CREC, IFB and Church of God. Today, he welcomes three pastors from the Christian Reformed Church (also known as the Dutch Reformed). Jason Ruis Church Website: https://faithchurchbd.com/ Personal Substack: https://jasonruis.substack.com/ The Messy Reformation Substack: https://themessyreformation.com/ Aaron Vriesman Church website: www.nbcrc.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/pastorvr... Substack: https://aaronvriesman.substack.com/ Tyler Wagenmaker Church website: www.beaverdamcrc.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU4q... Substack: https://threeformspodcast.substack.com If you are interested in getting the smallest Bible available on the market, which can be used for all kinds of purposes, visit TinyBibles.com and if you buy, use the coupon code Keith for a discount. Buy our shirts and hats: https://yourcalvinist.creator-spring.com Visit us at KeithFoskey.com If you need a great website, check out fellowshipstudios.com SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR SHOW SUPPORTERS!!! Support the Show: buymeacoffee.com/Yourcalvinist Contributors: Duane Hankinator Mary Williams Luca Eickoff @zedek73 David S Rockey Jay Ben J Several “Someones” Monthly Supporters: Amber Sumner Frank e herb Phil Deb Horton

Dr. N. Gray Sutanto helped plant Covenant City Church in Jakarta, Indonesia, through a theology study group. Gray now serves as the assistant professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, Washington D.C. campus. Gray focused his PhD work on the 19thcentury Dutch Reformed theologian, Herman Bavinck and you will discover in this interview that his research interests are broad. Gray's article we discuss from The Keller Center can be found HERE (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jakarta-western-judgments/) and a more full Bio can be found HERE (https://rts.edu/people/dr-n-gray-sutanto/), including a list of his publications. You will be inspired by this episode!

Let's be real. Family worship is a little known subject among evangelicals. It is more known and practiced among Dutch Reformed denominations. Anecdotally speaking, I've known and worked closely with Presbyterians in my life, and although it's a known subject, it isn't practiced as much as you may think. Same goes for Reformed Baptists. But overall, this situation is changing as more resources are produced. Family worship is having a renaissance of sorts.Welcome to Urban Puritano. On today's episode, we scratch the surface on a valuable resource for family worship, the Family Worship Bible Guide, published by Reformation Heritage Books. Gird your loins and stay tuned. #LayingTheFoundation#TransformYourHome

Happy Monday, friends. Ty is back with a new episode for you. Mark den Hollander one of the professors from Covenant Canadian Reformed Teacher's College joined us to chat about the history of the Dutch Reformed Church and the particularly the Secession that took place. We chat about why this history is important, how we can learn from it and how we can be encouraged looking to the future.  0:00 - Introduction 7:00 - Why teach and learn history? 10:20 - Reformation to the Secession 17:00 - Ethnic Ties and Reformed Denominations 21:27 - Synod of Dort 31:00 - The Secession 42:00 - 1886 - 1939 1:04:00 - How did the CanRef come to be? 1:13:00 - Going forward A BIG THANKS TO THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR, JORDAN FROM A THOUSAND ELSEWHERE! WE APPRECIATE YOU HELPING US MAKE THIS CONVERSATION POSSIBLE. BE SURE TO CHECK THEM OUT AT WWW.ATHOUSANDELSEWHERE.CA To keep up with the podcast, check out our website: https://www.realtalkpodcast.ca/ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, clips, and more!  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReformedRealTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reformedrealtalk/ We'd love to hear from you. Please send us your questions, comments, or other feedback at reformedrealtalk@gmail.com. Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please share this podcast with your family and friends!

The Christian Reformed Church (CRC), a quasi-mainline denomination originating in the Dutch Reformed tradition, had been trending in a more liberal direction. It approved of ordaining women and its Calvin University took a more progressive tack. But recently the denomination has pivoted to the right on sexuality issues. What dynamics have been at play in the CRC? What does the future hold for this denomination? CRC pastor and Youtuber Paul VanderKlay joins to discuss.Paul VanderKlay's Youtube Channel:   https://www.youtube.com/@PaulVanderKlay  Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing the wonderful Moses Bratrud on his journey to Lutheranism from Dutch Reformed theology. We had such a great time talking about Reformed Theology vs Lutheran Theology, Anglicanism, Pentecostalism, and the various ways in which we impact theology and it impacts us.I hope you enjoy this episode!Follow Moses!Moses' BlogMoses' TwitterMinnesota Family CouncilSupport the show

Apologetics Live episode 191 Evangelists Jon Neifert and Brad Tower will be joining Dr Anthony R. Silvestro, Jr., to talk about the upcoming Tulip Time Outreach in Pella, Iowa, on May 4-6, 2023! The show will be open to Q&A throughout! Please join us to discuss evangelism and apologetics, as well as learn the Dutch Reformed history of Pella, Iowa and the amazing opportunity to attend the evangelism & apologetics training and evangelism outreach as more than 250,000 people come from all over the world to attend this festival!   Resources mentioned: Pella Tulip Time Gospel Outreach 2023 Choosing a Tract: 9 Questions to Ask This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community Support Striving for Eternity Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.com Write us a review and tell us how we are doing. Fill out our suvery about this show. Sponsors: Logos Bible Software MyPillow or call (800) 873-0176 and use promo SFE

Apologetics Live episode 191 Evangelists Jon Neifert and Brad Tower will be joining Dr Anthony R. Silvestro, Jr., to talk about the upcoming Tulip Time Outreach in Pella, Iowa, on May 4-6, 2023! The show will be open to Q&A throughout! Please join us to discuss evangelism and apologetics, as well as learn the Dutch Reformed history of Pella, Iowa and the amazing opportunity to attend the evangelism & apologetics training and evangelism outreach as more than 250,000 people come from all over the world to attend this festival!   Resources mentioned: Pella Tulip Time Gospel Outreach 2023 Choosing a Tract: 9 Questions to Ask This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast Community Support Striving for Eternity Give us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.com Write us a review and tell us how we are doing. Fill out our suvery about this show. Sponsors: Logos Bible Software MyPillow or call (800) 873-0176 and use promo SFE

United Reformed Churches in North America minister Luke Gossett tells us about his hope to plant a URCNA congregation in his home state of Alabama where none has ever before existed. Along the way, we learned a lot about the distinctives of the URCNA specifically and the Dutch Reformed more generally. Learn more about the planting initiative here: https://www.birminghamurc.org/ Watch the show: https://youtu.be/lRuDfvLET0M

I read the following in a book this week: “After the Netherlands fell to Germany in 1940, deacons in the Dutch Reformed church rose up to care for the politically oppressed, supplying food and providing secret refuge. Realizing what was happening, the Germans decreed that the office of deacon should…

On this episode of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Lane Tipton to discuss his new book, The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til. We Discuss the doctrine of the Trinity in general, Van Til's understanding of the Trinity, Dutch Reformed thelogy, Old Princeton, and more. We also get into Calvin's doctrine of Autotheos and Van Til's understanding of perichoresis. If you don't know those words, no worries, all will be explained! Grab the book here to support my podcast: https://amzn.to/3LwNfJw If you like this podcast, then support it on Patreon for $3, $5 or more a month. Any amount helps, and for $5 you get a Parker's Pensées sticker and instant access to all the episode as I record them instead of waiting for their release date. Check it out here: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parkers_pensees If you want to give a one-time gift, you can give at my Paypal: https://paypal.me/ParkersPensees?locale.x=en_US Check out my merchandise at my Teespring store: https://teespring.com/stores/parkers-penses-merch Come talk with the Pensées community on Discord: dsc.gg/parkerspensees Sub to my Substack to read my thoughts on my episodes: https://parknotes.substack.com/ Check out my blog posts: https://parkersettecase.com/ Check out my Parker's Pensées YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA Check out my other YouTube channel on my frogs and turtles: https://www.youtube.com/c/ParkerSettecase Check me out on Twitter: https://twitter.com/trendsettercase Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkers_pensees/ Time Is Running by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6203-time-is-running License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/parkers-pensees/support

In this episode of The Open Door, Professor Callum Scott on being a Catholic Philosopher in South Africa (November 2, 2022)This week (November 2nd) on The Open Door we'll discuss Thomism and…South Africa! Context counts, so we'll also be talking about Catholicism in South Africa. We're looking forward to our first virtual visit to this beautiful and fascinating country. Our welcome and special guest is Prof. Callum Scott. He teaches in the Department of Philosophy & Practical and Systematic Theology at the University of South Africa. Scott is a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Pretoria.Among the questions we'll ask are the following. Please don't hesitate to suggest others!1. Prof. Scott, Callum if we may, could you please tell us a bit about yourself and your background?2. How did you come to be a philosopher? You have a special interest in the philosophy of science. What led you to Thomism?3. You've recently returned from a major international Thomistic conference. Were you able to share a distinctive African perspective?4. Can you tell us about higher education in South Africa?5. How fares the Catholic Church in South Africa? Is there a synod in progress?6. How would you compare the Catholics of South Africa with the Catholics of Nigeria?7. Is the Dutch Reformed tradition still playing an active role in your country? Are its representatives open to a Catholic and Reformed dialogue?8. Political corruption, it seems, knows no borders. Can politically active Catholics challenge corruption in your country?9. Does Thomism have distinctive resources to offer contemporary politics?10. Where do you see yourself a decade from now?

This is episode 90 and it is 1823. The small coastal harbour town of Port Elizabeth had been founded but it still had no proper jetties, no lighthouse, nor a breakwater. Passengers were forced to disembark precariously through the angry surf. The place was described as an “ugly, dirty, ill-scented, ill-built hamlet…” Resembling some said, the worse fishing villages on the English coast. It also was known as disorderly, drunken and a place of immorality. Further up the coast, two separate towns had been founded on the Kowie River, settlers on the west bank named their little hamlet Port Kowie, and those on the east called their equally small hamlet Port Frances after Governor Lord Charles Somerset's daughter in law. These days we call it Port Alfred. Many settlers who remained in Albany were now trading deep into the interior beyond the boundaries of the colony and legally too. They bartered goods with the amaXhosa, cloth, iron utensils, beads, buttons and copper were exchanged for cattle hides, ivory and gum often at the weekly market held in Grahamstown. Monitoring all of this were the men of the Cape Regiment, the Khoekhoe or the Cape Mounted Rifles as they became known. Lord Charles wanted his eldest son Henry to take over as OC - nothing like a military command to accelerate your place in life he thought. As you know, Henry was not the sharpest tool in the Somerset shed and furthermore, he could not be a commander of a regiment without attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and he couldn't be promoted immediately because Lieutenant colonel Fraser was in charge. However, Fraser was seriously ill and died in October 1823. Henry of course, was appointed commander although without the necessary rank. Nepotism, corruption, poor governance. Take your pick. By now as you know, Thomas Pringle, that Scots lad who'd been an editor in the UK then travelled to his farm in the Bruintjieshoogte with other Scots, had taken up his appointment at the SA Public Library. A man of letters, Pringle then invited a fellow Scot called John Fairbairn to help found a school to promote English language and literature in South Africa. It was to be known as the Classical and Commercial Academy, a bit like studying towards an MBA but partly in Latin. They were joined by a Dutch Reformed clergyman and educator called Abraham Faure. By January 1823 that Pringle and Faure applied for permission to publish a monthly periodical and promised to avoid “the discussion of all controversial or agitating topics…” Somerset refused the request, then wrote secretly to the Secretary of State Earl of Bathurst, calling Pringle an “arrant dissenter…” But the need for an independent voice in South Africa was obvious and George Greig who was to launch the SA Commercial Advertiser knew a good business idea when he saw one.

This is episode 90 and it is 1823. The small coastal harbour town of Port Elizabeth had been founded but it still had no proper jetties, no lighthouse, nor a breakwater. Passengers were forced to disembark precariously through the angry surf. The place was described as an “ugly, dirty, ill-scented, ill-built hamlet…” Resembling some said, the worse fishing villages on the English coast. It also was known as disorderly, drunken and a place of immorality. Further up the coast, two separate towns had been founded on the Kowie River, settlers on the west bank named their little hamlet Port Kowie, and those on the east called their equally small hamlet Port Frances after Governor Lord Charles Somerset's daughter in law. These days we call it Port Alfred. Many settlers who remained in Albany were now trading deep into the interior beyond the boundaries of the colony and legally too. They bartered goods with the amaXhosa, cloth, iron utensils, beads, buttons and copper were exchanged for cattle hides, ivory and gum often at the weekly market held in Grahamstown. Monitoring all of this were the men of the Cape Regiment, the Khoekhoe or the Cape Mounted Rifles as they became known. Lord Charles wanted his eldest son Henry to take over as OC - nothing like a military command to accelerate your place in life he thought. As you know, Henry was not the sharpest tool in the Somerset shed and furthermore, he could not be a commander of a regiment without attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and he couldn't be promoted immediately because Lieutenant colonel Fraser was in charge. However, Fraser was seriously ill and died in October 1823. Henry of course, was appointed commander although without the necessary rank. Nepotism, corruption, poor governance. Take your pick. By now as you know, Thomas Pringle, that Scots lad who'd been an editor in the UK then travelled to his farm in the Bruintjieshoogte with other Scots, had taken up his appointment at the SA Public Library. A man of letters, Pringle then invited a fellow Scot called John Fairbairn to help found a school to promote English language and literature in South Africa. It was to be known as the Classical and Commercial Academy, a bit like studying towards an MBA but partly in Latin. They were joined by a Dutch Reformed clergyman and educator called Abraham Faure. By January 1823 that Pringle and Faure applied for permission to publish a monthly periodical and promised to avoid “the discussion of all controversial or agitating topics…” Somerset refused the request, then wrote secretly to the Secretary of State Earl of Bathurst, calling Pringle an “arrant dissenter…” But the need for an independent voice in South Africa was obvious and George Greig who was to launch the SA Commercial Advertiser knew a good business idea when he saw one.

This is episode 90 and it is 1823. The small coastal harbour town of Port Elizabeth had been founded but it still had no proper jetties, no lighthouse, nor a breakwater. Passengers were forced to disembark precariously through the angry surf. The place was described as an “ugly, dirty, ill-scented, ill-built hamlet…” Resembling some said, the worse fishing villages on the English coast. It also was known as disorderly, drunken and a place of immorality. Further up the coast, two separate towns had been founded on the Kowie River, settlers on the west bank named their little hamlet Port Kowie, and those on the east called their equally small hamlet Port Frances after Governor Lord Charles Somerset's daughter in law. These days we call it Port Alfred. Many settlers who remained in Albany were now trading deep into the interior beyond the boundaries of the colony and legally too. They bartered goods with the amaXhosa, cloth, iron utensils, beads, buttons and copper were exchanged for cattle hides, ivory and gum often at the weekly market held in Grahamstown. Monitoring all of this were the men of the Cape Regiment, the Khoekhoe or the Cape Mounted Rifles as they became known. Lord Charles wanted his eldest son Henry to take over as OC - nothing like a military command to accelerate your place in life he thought. As you know, Henry was not the sharpest tool in the Somerset shed and furthermore, he could not be a commander of a regiment without attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and he couldn't be promoted immediately because Lieutenant colonel Fraser was in charge. However, Fraser was seriously ill and died in October 1823. Henry of course, was appointed commander although without the necessary rank. Nepotism, corruption, poor governance. Take your pick. By now as you know, Thomas Pringle, that Scots lad who'd been an editor in the UK then travelled to his farm in the Bruintjieshoogte with other Scots, had taken up his appointment at the SA Public Library. A man of letters, Pringle then invited a fellow Scot called John Fairbairn to help found a school to promote English language and literature in South Africa. It was to be known as the Classical and Commercial Academy, a bit like studying towards an MBA but partly in Latin. They were joined by a Dutch Reformed clergyman and educator called Abraham Faure. By January 1823 that Pringle and Faure applied for permission to publish a monthly periodical and promised to avoid “the discussion of all controversial or agitating topics…” Somerset refused the request, then wrote secretly to the Secretary of State Earl of Bathurst, calling Pringle an “arrant dissenter…” But the need for an independent voice in South Africa was obvious and George Greig who was to launch the SA Commercial Advertiser knew a good business idea when he saw one.

This is episode 90 and it is 1823. The small coastal harbour town of Port Elizabeth had been founded but it still had no proper jetties, no lighthouse, nor a breakwater. Passengers were forced to disembark precariously through the angry surf. The place was described as an “ugly, dirty, ill-scented, ill-built hamlet…” Resembling some said, the worse fishing villages on the English coast. It also was known as disorderly, drunken and a place of immorality. Further up the coast, two separate towns had been founded on the Kowie River, settlers on the west bank named their little hamlet Port Kowie, and those on the east called their equally small hamlet Port Frances after Governor Lord Charles Somerset's daughter in law. These days we call it Port Alfred. Many settlers who remained in Albany were now trading deep into the interior beyond the boundaries of the colony and legally too. They bartered goods with the amaXhosa, cloth, iron utensils, beads, buttons and copper were exchanged for cattle hides, ivory and gum often at the weekly market held in Grahamstown. Monitoring all of this were the men of the Cape Regiment, the Khoekhoe or the Cape Mounted Rifles as they became known. Lord Charles wanted his eldest son Henry to take over as OC - nothing like a military command to accelerate your place in life he thought. As you know, Henry was not the sharpest tool in the Somerset shed and furthermore, he could not be a commander of a regiment without attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and he couldn't be promoted immediately because Lieutenant colonel Fraser was in charge. However, Fraser was seriously ill and died in October 1823. Henry of course, was appointed commander although without the necessary rank. Nepotism, corruption, poor governance. Take your pick. By now as you know, Thomas Pringle, that Scots lad who'd been an editor in the UK then travelled to his farm in the Bruintjieshoogte with other Scots, had taken up his appointment at the SA Public Library. A man of letters, Pringle then invited a fellow Scot called John Fairbairn to help found a school to promote English language and literature in South Africa. It was to be known as the Classical and Commercial Academy, a bit like studying towards an MBA but partly in Latin. They were joined by a Dutch Reformed clergyman and educator called Abraham Faure. By January 1823 that Pringle and Faure applied for permission to publish a monthly periodical and promised to avoid “the discussion of all controversial or agitating topics…” Somerset refused the request, then wrote secretly to the Secretary of State Earl of Bathurst, calling Pringle an “arrant dissenter…” But the need for an independent voice in South Africa was obvious and George Greig who was to launch the SA Commercial Advertiser knew a good business idea when he saw one.

A presentation titled “Theology's ‘Gardner': Yielding the Fruit of Bavinck's Theological Encyclopedia” by Dr. Gregory Parker. This talk was delivered at the 2022 National Convivium hosted at Davenant House in Landrum, SC. Dr. Parker received his Ph.D. in systematic theology at the University of Edinburgh under the supervision of James Eglinton. He joined the Cairn University, School of Divinity faculty in 2022. His dissertation focuses on the relationship between the dogmatics and ethics of the 19th century Dutch Reformed theologian, Herman Bavinck. He also played lacrosse for the University of Edinburgh. He teaches courses in systematic theology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including Triune God, Narrative of Redemption, and Life and Calling.

Drs. Alan Strange and Cornelis Venema speak about the practice of catechetical preaching both from a practical as well as historical perspective. While the practice is more common within the Dutch Reformed tradition, Dr. Strange also provides a case for Presbyterians to engage in preaching using the Westminster Standards as aids. Regardless of where you may land on the particular role of secondary standards in organizing the preaching of the Word, this conversation useful and instructive for considering how the church may best instruct her members. Dr. Cornelis Venema is Professor of Doctrinal Studies and President of Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana. Dr. Alan Strange is Professor of Church History, Registrar, and Theological Librarian of Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana.

Drs. Alan Strange and Cornelis Venema speak about the practice of catechetical preaching both from a practical as well as historical perspective. While the practice is more common within the Dutch Reformed tradition, Dr. Strange also provides a case for Presbyterians to engage in preaching using the Westminster Standards as aids. Regardless of where you […]

In this episode, Steve Mathonnet-VanderWell interviews Dr. James Bratt, professor emeritus of history at Calvin University and frequent writer for the Reformed Journal Blog. Jim describes himself as both a “Pharisee of Pharisees” and a “loyal opposition” in the CRC world. He discusses his early life, his typology of Dutch Reformed traditions in America, and his perspectives on the interactions of Christian intellectual history and American politics. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reformed-journal/message

Pastor Rand joins Darnell & Joel to discuss ethnic churches and more specifically Dutch Reformed churches. Their conversation addresses the following: Origins of the Dutch reformed church in Canada What makes a church reformed? Church polity Are denominations Biblical? Benefits and limitations of ethnic specific churches https://linktr.ee/sixcentsreport Support us at buymeacoffee.com/SixCentsReport Produced by Madden Mitchell Media Song from our intro: Sho Baraka - Pedantic Related Episodes: 6CR #96 References: Levels of Doctrine Pastor Rand contact info: https://www.missionupsidedown.com/ Give us your two cents via: Facebook Twitter sixcentsreport@gmail.com

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing the wonderful Moses Bratrud on his journey to Lutheranism from Dutch Reformed theology.We had such a great time talking about Reformed Theology vs Lutheran Theology, Anglicanism, Pentecostalism, and the various ways in which we impact theology and it impacts us.I hope you enjoy this episode!Follow Moses!May 7  - religious doubt in victorian era presentation at the Davenant InstituteMoses' BlogMoses' TwitterMinnesota Family CouncilEVER wonder what I use to record all this stuff?Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Record Your Podcast With Riverside! Samson Q2U MicrophoneInnoGear Boom ArmSupport the show

Bridging the gap through music, Bree Gordon joins the podcast today to discuss her experiences with music therapy, trauma informed care, and how to recognize what your body is telling you.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co . And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:How we stop living in survival modeShowing up even when you don't know your next stepYour body will tell you what's going onThe connection of traumaBeing trauma informed The heart of the Mindful Mentor PodcastSitting and listening to othersEpisode References/Links:Mindful Mentor PodcastIG @mindfulmentorbreeFB @mindfulmentorbreeWebsite mindfulbree.comEmail: info@mindfulmentorbree.comNon-Profit: House of LovezillionairesThe Gift of FearThe Body Keeps the Score ... by Dr. Bessel van der KolkGuest Bio:Bree is an experienced speaker on trauma and connection. She has worked with dozens of universities, non-profit organizations and for profit businesses from around the United States including the University of Miami, the Alzheimer's Association and the Stoneman Douglas community in Parkland, Florida. Bree has been featured in multiple national media platforms including NPR, BroadwayWorld and VeryWell. She also hosts a weekly podcast, The Mindful Mentor, focused on building a culture of self-awareness and empathy. With a degree and board certification in Music Therapy and 13 years experience working in medical and community settings, Bree is highly respected for her clinical work as well as her success in creating jobs in the field of creative arts therapies. Bree has served as the co-owner and Director of Creative Arts Therapies of the Palm Beaches since 2012, staffing and developing clinical music and art therapy programs for over 100 organizations throughout South Florida.  OPC Flashcards:OPC Flashcards are on AmazonOPC Flashcards are on our site  If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.  ResourcesWatch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube!Lesley Logan websiteBe It Till You See It PodcastOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley LoganOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTubeProfitable Pilates Social MediaInstagramFacebookTik TokLinkedIn Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  Hello, Be It Till You See It, listener. What's up babe? How are you? Ah, I can't wait for you to talk like hear this woman's words. And then I have homework for you, I want you to go listen to her Mindful Mentor podcast and listen to the episode we were on in the binge out. She's really an amazing, unique person. And, you know, definitely a be it till you see it like person, didn't even know she's beening until she see it, saw it until she was but um, it's there's some great tips in here. And also we talked a lot about the trauma informed and activating and how words and sounds and things can be activating. And so I definitely, I'm excited for you to kind of hear that because I think we talked about trauma, we talk about trauma informed, but sometimes don't always know what that means. So, I hope that this really helps give you some more information. She also gave some great resources for those who are interested in being a little bit more trauma informed in your careers because there's different trauma informed trainings for different industries. And so definitely check that out. There's some great books that she talked about. I have read - The Body Keeps a Score, I'm gonna reread it actually, because I read it so long ago. I think it's time for a reread. Anyways, I'm gonna let Bree tell you who she is, and really dive into how she got to where she is. But I just want to say, just a huge thank you for you being here with your earbuds and on your walk, taking the time to let other people share their stories with you and inspire you. And one thing a little spoiler alert in there is that like it's not easy, right? It's not easy what you're doing. It's not even, it's not even easy to say, "Yeah, you don't have to turn on this podcast right now." That's actually a choice. It's hard to do. Like you're, you're weighing the options of what other things you should be doing or binging out on. Or maybe you should be doing an extra hour of work. And so I just want to say thank you for making a choice to get a little dose of inspiration and hear a tip on how you can be it till you see it. So without further ado, I found out that she's a fellow Scott woman like myself, (Lesley laughs) right before we went on. So my team had to edit out a little pre intro intro. But here she is Bree Gordon.Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guests will bring Bold, Executable, Intrinsic and Targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Alright, Be It listeners. I have Bree Gordon here. She is a fellow Scottish family member, although I don't know maybe related somehow. We just discovered this five seconds ago that we're both Scottish. Um, anyways, Bree and I met because I put myself out there and I said, "I want to do a podcast swap." And I think it's important that you hear that because I could have totally been rejected, I could have totally heard crickets. And she's like, "Hey, I want to do that with you. And I only have 7pm, Eastern Time. (Lesley laughs) And we'll get into that." So Bree, welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast. Please tell everyone who you are. And also maybe why we only can talk at 7pm on a Tuesday.Bree Gordon 3:41  Happy to cover all those things. First of all, thank you so much Lesley for having me on for reaching out. That is just how all this beauty is getting created right now. I feel like since we are getting back into the real world, I guess. But after coming out of a year and a half or close to two years of having to make connections in a new way like social media. I appreciate so much that you did reach out. For those with exceptional hearing, you may be already able to identify why the 7pm Eastern Standard Time is my talk time. That is the beautiful vocal jazz stylings of my seven month old that you hear in the background. So just going to go ahead and call that out for the beginning. But again, so thankful to be here. Again, my name is Bree Gordon, hence the Scottish connection we were able to tell with our last names there. I am a few different things. I am a Board Certified Music Therapist by day I guess as they say. I am a mother as we covered. I am a podcaster as well, public speaker and I have in the last two years started developing ... a new LLC that helps with wellness programs as well. So my background as a Board Certified Music Therapist, and working in medical music therapy for the last 13 years, has just connected me to the realization, one, what I already knew is that music truly is not to be cliche, but truly is a universal language that can connect all of us. But in also working with so many different people from such different walks of life, different cultures, languages, ages, all the things that could divide us been able to find so many things that connect us, and so many commonalities within the human experience, which is why I have kind of expanded my view not just from music therapy, but just to wellness in general, specifically, recovering from trauma. So, I am located in South Florida, originally from Toronto, Canada, grew up in upstate New York ... (Lesley: Oh, my goodness) move down to South Florida, basically just moving on and down that East Coast, you know. (Lesley laughs) Moving on down, that's not how the song goes. Lesley Logan 5:55  ... to go all the way down to the East side, right? You're on the East side. (Lesley laughs) (Bree: Through the East side) Oh, my gosh. (Bree: Exactly) So you know, what I love about meeting so many guests is, and maybe it's just because like attracts like, but no one is just doing like one thing. Like there's a couple of things that we're doing. I think it's because like no one is just anything. What, but I think we have to go into music therapy for trauma. Can you explain kind of what that even what does a day in that look like? And how did you get started doing that? Like, did you know that you wanted to be when you grew up?Bree Gordon 6:27  No... Well, there's a couple ways to answer that. I knew that I wanted to do something in music. And I knew that I was not called to be a teacher in this life. (Bree laughs) So that forced me to kind of explore other options. So back up, all the way to being a young kiddo. My mom and I moved to the States, when I was three, my mom worked as a CNA in a nursing home. And being a single parent, and I was only I am an only child, there was not always a lot of childcare options. So like days that I didn't have, you know, daycare or school, I'd be going to work with mom. And so mom tells me I don't have clear memories of this exactly. But being in the forum of the nursing home as a three year old, holding court and (Lesley laughs) just singing in my little heart out. And I remember my grandma took me to a high school production of Fiddler on the Roof. And I'll just be honest, I come from where I grew up in New York, you know, it was a part Scottish part Dutch, like group Dutch Reformed and everybody around me was a Dutch farmer. And everybody looks the same and talk the same and worship the same. And so Fiddler on the Roof was a very odd choice for the local high school to do but it was my first Broadway show. And I remember looking at it and saying, "I want that. I want to do what they're doing. I want to be that free on a stage. I want to step into a new role and be a new person." At like five, I (Lesley: Yeah) was just like connected with that. So we had these home videos of me doing if I were rich man in my front yard, like (Lesley laughs) this is how I would entertain. Well, I didn't realize truly that this was such an exceptional experience to be so comfortable with people outside of your generation, outside of your own life experience until later in life. So when I started to look up options for careers in music, and realize music therapy was one of them. I had been working for my mom and my mom was working in homecare private home duty at the time, so would help her out. So I knew I wanted to help people and I knew I want to be in music. So I went to school for music therapy and everybody wanted to be with the kids. Everyone wanted to do early education, you know, sit on the floor with the kids and play music and I did not again feel called to that. So I didn't realize how special it was that I already knew how to bridge this gap between myself and someone different than me through music. So, I started doing all the senior placements and I did like geriatric psych psychology, locked unit, hospice care all these things, eventually ended up moving to South Florida for an internship in hospice care, and worked in that field for seven years. And then went into private practice and started working in Oncology and with seniors with alzheimer's, dementia, all these things. Fast forward to 2018 when we had the tragic shooting here in Parkland (Lesley: Yeah) at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. And, so I volunteered my time and got a team together to join our art therapists in the area to just create a space for (Lesley: Yeah) this community. They had like two, 10 days to two weeks off of school. So for the students, the parents, siblings, all that to come and have a space to just be, to just create, to feel safe, to feel supported. And out of that I was hired to work with the students for the next few years. So I've done a lot of programming. Through that work ...Lesley Logan 9:50  That's ... I'm so sorry to interrupt. (Bree: Yeah) That's interesting because I was looking over your bio, and I'm like, "How did you end up with trauma?" And it's because trauma happened in your like backyard.Bree Gordon 10:01  Literally. I mean, people say that right? It's our backyard. This was before we even knew what was going on. My staff was calling me, "Hey, I can't get to the site, the roads are blocked, I see all these flashing lights, I see all these media vans, I see helicopters. I can't get to, you know, the afterschool program for kiddos with on the autism spectrum that's just down the road." So before we even knew what had happened, before we would turn on the television, (Lesley: Yeah) I'm getting you know, calls from my staff, "There's something's big going on. I can't get to work." So once I started doing this work and studying more about trauma informed music therapy, and basically what that means is that trauma informed is a lens in which you treat through. So knowing that sounds that images, that references, that things can be activating. And I purposely use activating instead of triggering, because I work so much with gun violence survivors, we try to avoid any language, I... again just want to mention the seven month old in the background ... (Lesley laughs) just in case you missed the top of this podcast, that's what's happening in the background. (Lesley laughs) And so anything that you are bringing in which music lyrics can be very activating, right? The sounds of drums being (Lesley: Yeah) hidden or activating, so having that lens in the education before walking into a room is really important. So through that work, I realized, well, I've been doing that all along. My seniors in hospice care and my memory care groups, are World War II, (Lesley: Yeah) you know, active war, active duty ward veterans, Holocaust survivors, again, I live in South Florida, we have the largest amount of hospice, (I'm sorry) Holocaust survivors in our community, then I think anywhere other than New York City, for the United States. I work in addiction recovery, a lot of early childhood or adverse childhood experiences, that are traumatic that they have survived. So this whole time in my career, I really have been focused on working with individuals who survived a trauma. Well, not only that, but then expand the worldview even further, which has led me into my newer project of The Mindful Mentor is, that's all of us. (Lesley: Yeah) That's not just someone I'm going to meet in a medical setting, that is all of us. And with COVID, we have all experienced collective trauma.Lesley Logan 12:22  Oh, I mean, that's and that's interesting thing I have, I have my therapist coming into my fitness business coaching group. At the time that we're recording this, it's like in two weeks. So when you hear this, everyone will have happened. But the reason I'm bringing her in this time is to actually talk about how we have to stop living in survival mode, because COVID caused every business owner, cause every person to go into survival mode, that's a great mode. But it's like a fifth gear, you're not supposed to live in it, like it's not good. On the engine, it's not good on the mechanic. It's not good, right? Like you would never do that your car. But I see all these business owners, I see all these women, especially like in this survival mode. And that is also traumatic to like, it's you, you just don't see things happening in the same way that they are when you're in that mode versus when you're not in that mode. So I have her coming in. But you're you made this excellent point that we've had this collective trauma. And I guess, like, I'm ... for the first time doing a training that is a trauma informed training, it's a trauma informed breathwork training. It's actually really interesting for me, because, you know, you hear these things, you can be activating towards people, or using the word that's commonly used, like you could trigger someone. And it makes a lot of people go, "Well, then what do I do and how do I do this? And then how do I act?" And then it's like, "Oh, how do I be it till I see it? If I, like good actually accidently do this?" And so it's like, how, how do you, you know, you went into the space in 2018. Without really like, it's like you had ever worked with a situation like that in the past? So how did you do that? And how, and like, is there any, maybe there's a way we can all like, learn something through your experience? When when it comes to like, how do you act in a place that you don't know how to act or how to do or how to heal?Bree Gordon 14:06  That's, that's a really great question. And actually, so fitting to your show that I didn't even think about beforehand, because truly, that's what I was doing. I didn't even know I've never heard of trauma informed at that point, to be honest with you. So, I was being it till I saw it, and that in that moment. And what that led to was actually partnering up eventually with our music therapist, who's been working with the children in Sandy Hook, and then Connecticut. And then we were able to give trainings at our national conferences. But before I got to that point where I'm helping others, I'm thinking, "Gosh, this is totally," and again, at the moment, I really did think fresh and new and I've never done anything like this before. So I had to just show up, right? First of all, I had to know if I was the right person, if I truly could not handle this. It was there was a transference issue, meaning that there was something coming up that was too strong within myself, that I was not able to be present for the students, then I needed to find another therapist that could do that. So there is a point where you're not always going to be the best fit for every situation ... (Lesley: Right) But and this one, it did feel comfortable for me to be involved in. I was able to set not set aside my feelings, but just kind of honor what it was coming up in me and then address that in the appropriate place, which meant going to trauma informed therapy for myself, honestly, to be aware of what was coming up with me. Working in this, is is heavy, right? These are students who have survived an extremely traumatic event, they are wanting to walk through it with you through song lyric, through a discussion, whatever way that comes up through music, whatever way it is. And as the therapist you need to know how to be present, first and foremost, and second, know how to handle what's coming up for you. So I was really fortunate that I had a team of therapists that I worked with. So we were meeting for supervision like one to two hours every day, that was a total luxury. I've never had that anywhere else in my career, that I had that much time built into a contractor, to a salary that I can debrief and process. So ...Lesley Logan 16:13  So you yourself, were going to a session to debrief and process what your day was like. Bree Gordon 16:20  Right. So when we were doing what started as a summer camp. So we're working with the students like 30 hours a week through the summer. The summer camp started in June, the shooting happened in February. (Lesley: Yeah) So this was, this was not PTSD. This was T, (Lesley: Yeah) capital T happening in the moment. So all of us therapists would get together at the end of the day and would process through. And then by the end of those six weeks, I started to realize that I was the only one of them not in therapy for myself. So then I went to get that additional work done. And I'll tell you what, it's amazing, be it till you see it kind of show up again, being present first and foremost, being supported, knowing that you have a support network around you. But then you really do you have to be accountable for that. Because for me, second summer, third summer comes around, I get to the end of the summer, and I'm just not feeling good. And and this was I started out this is a pattern every time I get to the end of the summer, my back is totally out of whack. I think we talked about this on (Lesley: Yeah) my show too, your body will let you know (Lesley: Yeah) what's up. Right? So, I had thought, "Well, I went to therapy and I talked about this. I process to this. I'm good." (Lesley: Yeah) Right? ...Lesley Logan 17:33  I feel like anyone listens like, "Oh, yeah, I've been there." And like, "I did that I already. Checked, checked" (Lesley laughs)Bree Gordon 17:37  I did ... No, no, I took care of that, like I already did that. So not feeling good, not feeling good. Suddenly, I'm like walking with a cane. Not not terribly normal for someone in their early 30s. I go into see a doctor, and they said, "Where you in a car accident? You have three herniated discs." (Lesley: What?) I'm like, "Nope, I hosted or I lead a trauma camp." And I didn't get any help for myself through it. And now this is my third year doing it. So I know better, right? But I have to stay accountable for it. So I'm not sure, I feel like that does kind of lead into the be it till you see it because clearly I am not it yet. I'm still learning (Lesley: Yeah) so gotta show up and constantly keep learning freeze up, the advocating freeze up, listening to your body. And the when you are doing that you are becoming what those students need. You are becoming what that community needs because you are also taking care of yourself.Lesley Logan 18:32  Yeah. Well, and I think like, you know, because I always say like, "Take messy action." It doesn't mean like be irrational or erratic or crazy, unplanned like, it sounds like you had never done this before. But you actually did the work to go, "Am I the right person for this? Is my team, the right people for this?" What do we have to do to get through this, we can support them and not actually make it worse for them? But then you also just did it. And and and then you learned while doing to the end of the summer, you're like, "Wow, learn something about myself. I have to add one more thing to this list of things to do." And I think I think a lot of people get stuck on that because if they don't know, the roadmap, they don't know all the parts, they haven't seen all the way through, then they don't actually get started. And especially with something like this. Like, I do think a lot of people have seen something bad happens in their community or they're like, "Oh my gosh, I want to know how to I want to help but I don't know how to help." And I guess like, you know you in that moment, there was something in your head that was like, "I think we can help here." And I guess do do is it something you can pinpoint or is it just a feeling?Bree Gordon 19:37  It's a good question, because I like I started this conversation saying, "I didn't want to work with kids." Right? (Lesley: Yeah) (Lesley laughs) (Lesley: You also had a kid ...) I didn't know at the time ... (Lesley: Yeah) What what an absolute joy of having a child could be. Now I know. But at the ... I just I want to work with my seniors the rest of my life. I just I love working with, you know, neurodegenerative diseases, which sounds like a really weird thing to say. But I do, I love bringing joy and feelings of success and positivity and accomplishment to those that have cognitive decline. So this was an opportunity that I was like actively seeking ever before. And I would usually refer it out to other people in the community that I thought would be better fits. I almost wonder if it was a strong personal connection. I'm a trauma survivor, as a child myself. Part of that is complicated grief, losing my dad at a young age, it wasn't to anything violent as this would be. But I believe that there is a connection within trauma, (Lesley: Yeah) that if you have experienced something you have experienced, especially as a child, the feeling of being completely out of control of the world happening around you. (Lesley: Yeah) And just this constant yearning for grounding. (Lesley: Yeah) And for a strengthened a sense of self and for connection and identified with all of those things. Now, obviously, I'm not going to say have been through what those kids have been through, I haven't. But I could connect with that feeling of needing those things. So I do think it was something in myself and again, I go back to listening to yourself, (Lesley: Listening to your ... ) listening to your body, your mind, your heart, your intuition, your gut. It's I mean, I don't know about everybody here. I don't know everyone's gut intimately, obviously. (Lesley and Bree laughs) But mine has led me to some amazing opportunities that on paper, I would have said no to.Lesley Logan 21:44  Oh, I mean, you're there's this great book called The Gift of Fear. It is who is it, who is it -Gavin de Becker. And actually, just because the world is so small, I actually taught a woman how to teach Pilates who might be listening to this podcast whose husband worked works with Gavin de Becker's company, it's a security firm, and he was in trauma when he was a child. And he, his life experience led him to actually be able to see and understand when people are actively going to do what they threatened to do, or when they're just a little bit off. Right? Or a lot off, but not actually going to act on it. So he's worked with the FBI and the CIA, all the things, right. And he has a security firm. He wrote a book called The Gift of Fear. And his whole thing is, every single one of us, our gut is telling us what is happening? Do we feel safe in this moment? Is this person a good person? Should we trust this person? Like it literally is, it has these receptors. It so amazing, but our brain is like, "Oh, you're being judgmental or you don't know like, he seems like a really nice person. He's got nice clothes on, like, all these things." Oh, you know, all this stuff and our logic, our brain is like, trying to talk us out of out of our gut is saying, but like, logic will fail you most of the time where your gut is pretty on and it's not and it's okay to go with that. So the book is really dense and it's really interesting. And I highly recommend it, especially my ladies listening to this because it really is informative as far as like, what it means to be like protective of yourself, and also like a little over protective, like, "What it does that mean?" Right? And then you also made me think of the book like, "What Happened to You?" which is a some amazing research they've done on trauma on like, infants, you know, we think that babies don't have memories before three o'clock, three o'clock, three, three years old, three o'clock, before ... 3pm. They have no ... (Lesley laughs)Bree Gordon 23:31   My baby did not to remember any of this becuase here it's still 2:30 ... (Lesley: Yeah) (Lesley laughs) So, it's fine.Lesley Logan 23:35  3 years old, but the reality is, is that they have found and they study people long enough to know that if even under in three, your first three months, you've had something traumatic, it really does affect, you're life. Bree Gordon 23:45  Your birth experience (Lesley: Oh) is traumatic. (Lesley: Yeah) I mean, it's ... in addition to all this other stuff, I'm working through an online training and play therapy. And it's neuro relational, child centered play therapy, and a lot of it is on trauma. And the memories that they find these children even reenacting, like their birth experience, even at four or five years old. (Lesley: Whoa) Yeah, there was one story in the training where one of the child came in the room. And one of the things about play therapy, particularly this model. Is you don't intervene. I mean, you have to keep it safe in the room, but you're not guiding the play. It's truly the child is expressing themselves through the place, you don't want to really parameters around it. And so this child found in like a beanbag chair, an opening in just a small hole and found their way into the beanbag chair, and then became very emotional upon interacting or, sorry, playing out, coming out of the beanbag chair. And what she realized when talking to the parent was that there was a traumatic birth experience. Now this is like a four or five year old ...Lesley Logan 24:54  That's so crazy, that's amazing and crazy. It's like ...Bree Gordon 24:56  It's incredible, right? (Lesley: Yeah) And I don't think I'll ever forget that story because you know, as a clinician, but now also, as a parent, I'm thinking you can go crazy thinking about, "Are you gonna remember this. Did I just ruin you?" Like, "How much am I going to pay for therapy for this?" (Lesley laughs)Lesley Logan 25:10  You know, I think I think today's parents who are very aware of therapy are very much aware of like, "Oh my God, how much is this bill gonna cost? Like, I just help them." Whereas like I don't know. You and I are a lot the same age. Like, "I don't think our parents worry about therapy. I'm being honest." (Lesley laughs)Bree Gordon 25:25  The first time, my stepson came home and he won't listen to this. So we're fine. But he comes home. And, and I nursing my baby. And you know, he's 18. Right? And the poor kid, didn't ask for any of this, he's super sweet. He's like our babysitter, extraordinary and they have the best relationship. But he walks in the house, and I'm just like, "I can't even afford what I'm gonna have to pay for this later in life. I'm so sorry. (Lesley laughs) Like, this is (Lesley: Yeah) just your life now. We just (Lesley: Yeah) my boobs out. I apologize." (Lesley and Bree laughs)Lesley Logan 25:52  Oh, you know, what I do find though, it's like, men with like, younger siblings or sisters are a lot easier around women as they're older women who, especially if they end up marrying a woman, I think everything's a little less weird, (Lesley laughs) more normal. So, I think it's, you know, I think it's good for him. (Lesley laughs)Bree Gordon 26:09  For the sensitive that comes along with it, for sure.Lesley Logan 26:11  Yeah. But also, you know, like, it's, um, I, when I see people freak out, this has nothing to do this podcast ... But like, some of the angry anger fights me the most, is when I see those people who get upset at someone breastfeeding in public. But then they're the same due to oogle and I'll go over girl wearing a too low cut of a top. And it's like, I just, I'm really starting to I'm really confused. You don't like it when they're out? But you do, like ... (Lesley laughs)Bree Gordon 26:36  Also, did you just not get cow's milk in your coffee, cafe latte, (Lesley: Yeah) whatever. I mean, like, I know, and I didn't get it until I was in this experience. I was just kind of like, "Oh, whatever. I didn't really have an opinion about it." And I'm like, "No, this is actually the most (Lesley: Yeah) natural normal thing." Anyway that's a whole other podcast. Lesley Logan 26:51  ... whole another another thing. So okay, I want to talk a bit about, I want to definitely get into what led you into your own podcast, but before then, for people who are intrigued by trauma, trauma therapy, being trauma informed? Is it as easy as googling like trauma informed trainings near me? Or (Lesley laughs) is there like, is there a book list or a site or place on your site where people can get this information? I just want to make sure that people who are intrigued by being trauma informed, because it does, it does. It is freeing when you actually understand it a bit more than when you just hear like, "Oh, your actions could trigger something or activate something." (Bree: Right) Like, you know, especially for the ... let me just explain we Pilates instructors listen to this a lot. And they touch people. (Bree: Yeah) And when they hear (Bree: Yeah) like, "Oh, make sure you don't, you could, if you don't touch .." If you touch them in a class that wasn't expecting it that could be activating or triggering. Like, it makes them go, "Am I allowed to touch? I'm allowed to do?" And I I have found in doing this trauma informed training, even though it's a breathwork training, that I have a lot more since I have awareness around it, I also have a little bit more freedom. I'm like, "What is acceptable and what isn't? And how do you work with that?" And so where can people go who are intrigued by this and ready to learn more?Bree Gordon 28:01  For sure. First of all, awareness and informed implies curiosity. Right? And the best place to begin your curiosity is just asking your patient or your client, "Are you comfortable with this? How does this make you feel? Can I do this?" I think I am going to give you some great resources in addition to that, but really, each person is unique, their trauma experience is unique, they're going to have different responses to it. So I would say treating as a very individualistic experience, is is just a great way to start before you can read the books and do the trainings and all of that. As far as books go - The Absolute Bible on Trauma Informed Care is the Body Keeps the Score ... by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, the Dutch Dutch name ... (Lesley laughs) fabulous resource, if you're going back to Heritage's today, (Lesley: Yeah) that is just a great place to start. And it it connects to so much of what you've already been talking about with the focus on touch and on breath. And on knowing your own body because it's true, it is stored just in my and that's why I tell you my story about herniating the discs in my back because I could go and like I said, I've traveled all over the country talking about this. And yet that is still happening to me. So we can read all the resources in the world being aware of your own body because it's true that our body does keep the score of what we have experienced, what our emotions have experiences, what we physically experienced, psychologically, all of that. (Lesley: Yeah) Beyond that for trainings, I would say to look into something specific to whatever your industry is. So there's not going to be like a one stop shop for trauma informed. So for myself, we have a training for music therapy, for Pilates, like you mentioned, there's a training for breathwork, things like that, even if you're in the corporate world. I've seen that there are corporate training for being an employer that is trauma informed, which I think is brillant. (Lesley: Wow, that's amazing) I love that. Yes. So even if you're just in the you're not in a helper profession or therapy or anything like that, as a professional, but you're in the corporate world, financial marketing, whatever that looks like, I think marketing actually isn't a great area to be trauma and perfect. (Lesley laughs) (Lesley: Yeah, I think so) Right? Just think about your messaging and what you're actually promoting. And well, how to do it, how the best way to do it in a sensitive way. So but like I said, just for getting started today for make, making one trauma informed decision today, after you stop listening to this podcast, if there's someone in your circle, a family, friend, community member, client, patient, whatever it is, that you have that concern with, that you think that they might be activated in a way, ask them, (Lesley: Yeah) you know, talk to them. Find out from them personally, and I'll be willing to bet just making that step of that awareness and curiosity and, and compassion to to connect with them. You're already going to start bridging that gap, (Lesley: Yeah) without taking it even a step further.Lesley Logan 31:02  I agree. I think that's, you know, and also, something that is easier to do. Not easy. But is it as easy as that is like, if people are talking about how they're feeling, you can also just listen. You don't have to actually like, you don't have to agree, you don't have to ask, you have to say, "I see that in you as well." You don't have to, like you could just like if they can just, they can just talk and you can just sit there with your eyes open and hold the space. And then you can can ask them, "Do you need more time?" And if they're like, "Yeah," then they can keep going. If they don't, they'll go, "Okay." And then you can, you can also just move you can keep going, right? So I think like people are like, "Oh, I have to have a conversation with them." And, and one of the things that we're doing is like, being a feeler and like, it's kind of amazing when you just let someone talk about how they're feeling. And then you don't say anything. And then we ask if they want to pop out question, which is like, "What's your favorite color or whatever?" And, you know, like, it kind of brings it back. But it's kind of amazing like, if you just let people feel what they're feeling. It doesn't keep, it doesn't have to keep going. The feeling can have its moment and it can pass like a cloud, you know, not that it's over. But there's some interesting things with that. I think we can all learn like little bits, until because you know, everyone has their own thing. And I think a lot of people listening are to be all or nothing. It doesn't mean you have to go all the way today. But you can start with curiosity and asking, and I love that tip. Thank you for sharing that. Okay, so you have a podcast - Mindful Mentor? (Bree: Yeah) I've been on it, y'all. It was a frickin' great conversation. So you're gonna go listen to that.Bree Gordon 32:29  You're awesome. (Lesley laughs) Yes, yes, yes, you are. Let me just say, we're not going to say, "We invite you." No, you have to (Lesley: Yeah) go because Lesley you're incredible. And you just, you brought so much... just clever wisdom. I don't know if you've ever been told you have clever wisdom before. But that is how I walk away from this, I just, I felt renewed as an interviewer even just talking to you, and just as a person. So I just want to thank you and honor you again for your gifts you gave to The Mindful Mentor, because everyone who listens will be blessed by that. Thank you.Lesley Logan 33:00  Well, words of affirmations, my love language and clever wisdom is going in the next bio. So (Lesley laughs) (Bree: Done) we're gonna, (Bree: Yeah) we're gonna put that in there. I'm always looking for new, new words to go in there. So what made you start a podcast? Because as someone who started one, it is a lot of work, that (Bree: Yeah) you maybe are like, "I talk, I do lives all the time. Just gonna do this." And then you're like, "Wow, there's there's some steps in here." (Lesley laughs) (Bree: Yup) So (Bree: Yeah), what made you start it and what are you excited about with it right now?Bree Gordon 33:29  Yeah, thank you. So my background was in live radio, which I started as kind of a marketing arm of my creative arts therapy practice, which is Creative Arts Therapies, the Palm Beaches. And so we staff and develop music and art therapy programs for medical and educational and community based programs. So we were kind of using the radio show as a way to interview different individuals in the community, but also outside in the national, sometimes even international people to call in and interview about creative approaches to healthcare and to education. So (Lesley: That's so cool) anyone who had kind of, yeah, was really neat, a different like, out of the box idea of how to reach people, because as we talked about everybody is is individual. So sometimes programs that are so structured, aren't going to meet everyone's needs. So I did that for several years, and I loved it. But then I kind of wanted the experience of trying to do something a little bit more flexible on my own and trying to produce it myself. And so that's that's the journey I'm in now. And it is a lot of work, I will say that but it's doable. I have do not have any kind of formal audio tech training. I'm just smart enough to know when to delegate things (Lesley and Bree laughs) to other people, the things that I cannot do. I love interviewing, I love putting out content. So I just I kind of took a break from it for a little while, and then I'm going to go back to a point that I made earlier. So the work that I did was Stoneman Douglas. Like I said that kind of have renewed my energy as far as seeking out opportunities to do trauma informed work. So I reached out to a community here close to, like I said, I'm in West Palm Beach, Florida. So one of the communities here, Riviera Beach has an extremely high rates of gun violence, and especially a lot of young individuals dying from gun violence. So it's not a community that's been rocked by a school shooting, it's a community that's rocked by every time they leave school and walk home. (Lesley: Yeah) And that that is a persistent daily fear. So I kind of reached out to the community there. And I've made some incredible friends from that, that I just, I just can't even tell you how these women have blessed my life. But somehow I just divine intervention ended up in the lives of these women who are leading this impact this intervention for young women and young men to be supported in environments so that they know they have other options, that they they don't have to feel the pressures to go into gang life (Lesley: Yeah) or into drugs or if they're survivors of violence, survivors of sexual trauma that they have some who believe them,who will listen to them and to break these generational ties into just build up and just breathe life into this community. I can't say enough about it's House of Loveillionaires, if you want to check out a nonprofit doing that work. And the vision on Sabrina ...Lesley Logan 36:22  Can you say it again? House of Lovezillionaires? ... (Bree: ah, close Loveillionaires) Loveillionaires. Oh, I love that.Bree Gordon 36:30  So Sabrina Harris is the executive director of that nonprofit, and she got a calling, you know, from from God, that's her faith, that said, "Build a house with a million rooms, you know, for people to just love on them." And so she started this nonprofit, she's a licensed mental health counselor, they do a lot of community outreach programs. So, I met with them a few times, and, you know, did some programs together for for the women in that community. And as we're sitting in this room, and I was the only white person in this room, and so they trust me and bring me into (Lesley: Right) their community. I didn't live there, to trust that I had good intentions that I was going to stick around. But it wasn't just going to say, "Hey, I want to help" and then take off, (Lesley: Right) I felt the warmth of that. And then hearing everyone's experience, I again, could connect it to so much that I had experienced as a child, not the same. I know that I didn't have the same situation. And I was also very aware of certain privileges that I had because of my skin color in that moment. But some of the things that they were sharing, I could connect to, and I'll never forget sitting in this room having a conversation on couches, just kind of fireside chat style, and thinking, "These are stories that need to be (Lesley: Told. Yeah) elevated in the community, these these need to be told." And not only the stories need to be told, but the stories of empathy of how people are responding to each other throughout this, how they are aware of it themselves. Because it's one thing to experience something, but to never share it, to never acknowledge it in yourself to let it just sit. And hey, again, spoiler alert, that's what's gonna affect your body. Right? (Lesley: Yeah) And then when you share it, it's like a lifeline, you toss out for someone else to say, "I really needed to hear that. I'm going through that too." And that's how that community and empathy grows as well. So yeah, I just I wanted to take the work that I've been doing, which made me aware of my my life, really, and all the things (Lesley: Yeah) that I had kind of shoved down and not been (Lesley: Yeah) acknowledging for myself. And because I think it took being in a moment where I was with individuals that if you had taken a snapshot, you would see all the differences, quite honestly, if you had really dug in, you would see all the things that connected us.Lesley Logan 38:50  Oh, that is so beautiful. And I think that has, I think that's really a lot of moments. I think, like, face value, it's like, how are these people all together, but like, if you go on the deeper scale of like, cellular level of experiences and emotions, there's so much that actually does bring us together and in listening to each other, it has so much healing, you know, opportunities and, and without that, then there's really no way that you can do anything that's next. Right? Like as you I mean, we all know like, if ... I mean we go to Cambodia, a lot people are shocked by like how family members can treat their children or have their children do different things. And it's like, when you don't know how you're eating your next meal. You're not actually thinking about the, the elevating of your child. You're not like if the Maslow's hierarchy of needs, (Bree: It's just gonna say yeah) it is a real thing. And so when people you know, I had a client who is frustrated with like some crime in her area, and I'm like, "You have to understand, if they don't feel that their needs are being met on a very basic level. They're not seeing the other people as anything other than an opportunity for them to survive."And I think that like, it is so important for us to, to understand that but I think it's really beautiful, how you let your your curiosity and your gut and also your willingness to listen and be empathetic to others kind of guide you into what's going to be next for you. And I, it's really beautiful. I've learned ... I've learned so many things in this conversation and I, I want to have more of them, I hope that people are as inspired as I am to be like, wow, you don't, you don't have to be the most expert person to just be in the room and sit down and like, listen, just and be there.Bree Gordon 40:34  And I think another point to mention, too, and I think anyone who's committed to this idea of be it till you see it is aware of it on some level. But that doesn't make this easy (Lesley laughs). Like it was not easy or comfortable for me to be in a room. Again, I look different than everyone else in the room, I'm an outsider in the community, I'm coming in to say I want to help with something that I really have never truly experienced myself. And then in the middle of that, I'm feeling all of these things about myself (Lesley: Right) and my own personal trauma. And the easy thing would have been to run out of that room, never addressed what came up for me and really removed myself from that community. So I became acutely aware of the fact that I had more work to do on me, so that I could show up for others. And there was a choice there. And that's kind of my new like mission with The Mindful Mentor that I'm promoting a lot is that everything we do is a choice. (Lesley: Yeah) These are all just dots, we have to make one choice to connect the dots, and bad choices or dots too, right. So it really determines what image we're going to create from one choice to the other. And so it's not always the easy choice to show up in that way. And to show up as your authentic self. It does require some work, but it's worth it. (Lesley: Yeah) So worth it.Lesley Logan 41:59  It's so beautiful. We're gonna find out how we can listen to your podcast and find out more about you?Bree Gordon 42:05  Yeah, absolutely. The Mindful Mentor, you can find us on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or everywhere that you like to listen to your podcasts. And check me out on Instagram @mindfulmentorbree or on Facebook at The Mindful Mentor. Website is mindfulbree.com. Yes, (Lesley: Yeah) that's correct. (Lesley and Bree laughs) And then email is info@mindfulmentorbree.comLesley Logan 42:27  Amazing, amazing the team we'll put that all in the show notes. It's like really easy click and and just let her know, takeaways and how this felt or just what it brought up for you. What you know, I love that you brought up, it's not easy to be it till you see it. I also think it's not like I think a lot of people could hear your story and think, "Wow, that's gonna be so rewarding to work with people like that and help them do this." But also like, it's really heavy. And and, you know, it's not like you go home every day with a badge that goes, "I helped people today," you know. (Bree: Can I have a cookie now? I helped people today.) Yeah, so um, so I just want to say thank you for being someone who does that. There are people like you in this world who are doing that is amazing work. And it is very necessary because I think so many things that we're all going through is because of trauma unattended, unseen, un untaking care of and I don't know I mean, maybe that's the wrong choice words. I don't know that it gets taken care of, it just becomes something that you understand in your body. And so you can handle ...Bree Gordon 43:33  Learn how to cope with it. Yeah, exactly, build that resiliency.Lesley Logan 43:36  Yeah, yeah. So anyways, okay. I ask everybody how, what are some be it till you see it tips to prioritize yourself? So (Bree: Yeah) how, like, what do you think it can be one, it could be three, whatever your, what's come up for you?Bree Gordon 43:50  Absolutely. Honestly, the first thing that comes to mind for me, and I'm just going to stop at one because it's it's a big one. It's a big one is figure out what lies and this is going to be trauma specific. That's a lot of what we talked about (Lesley: Yeah) today. If you are someone who has experienced a trauma, big T, little T, it's yours. It's your experience. You don't have to compare it to anybody else's. Figure out what your life looks like on the other side of that. This is going to do a couple things for you. Right? It's going to allow you to expand your worldview of not just there's a mountain right in front of me, I'm standing at the base of it. I don't know how to get to the top. I want you to imagine what is on the other side of it before you even take that first step to get over it because you will, you absolutely will and all of that will come in between but just figuring out what life looks like on the other side of that for you. What are you... you can call it whatever you want. You'd like New Year's resolutions you can call it that. Your goals, your aspirations, whatever that looks like for you, but you just have to imagine, it's not that the trauma doesn't exist. But with that, with experience in my life, what does life look like on the other side of it? And then you'll have that encouragement to move through it, to grow through it, because you will, you will get through it, you will go through it. But it's a little less motivating. We can't see how beautiful and sweet life is, once we get to the other side.Lesley Logan 45:22  Oh, I think that's so beautiful because it's true. I mean, like, it makes me, I mean I also think like goals, visions, everything. Like, if you can't picture what it's going to be like, it's really hard to go through the hard stuff, because (Bree: Yeah) you're like, "When (Bree: What's the point?) is this gonna end? What (Bree: Right) is the point? Why am I doing this? It was easier just to live through the other way." You know, and it is like going through big T, little T trauma or just going through any goal in general. It's not easy. I don't know who (Bree: Yeah) told you is going to be but it's not. And then you know, but if you know what sweetness is at the end, as you mentioned, it does, it does give you a little bit more drive, it gives you a little bit more incentive, a little bit more reason to take that next step. Yeah.Bree Gordon 46:07  And it gives you that that downward slope on the other side of the mountain, the easier side, right. Like, otherwise, you're just still climbing and it's exhausting and it's hard. And part of that climb is involved for sure. But we want to see, we want to see what that that other side when that dreams in sight looks like.Lesley Logan 46:24  So beautiful. Bree, thank you so much for being here and sharing your words and your journey. I think it's really inspiring. I'm, yeah, I, amazing. And everyone please listen to The Mindful Mentor podcast. Um, you can, you can start with our episode. So you know, you know the voices, (Bree: Yeah) but then binge out because (Bree: A great initiation) I think you're gonna learn. Yeah, I think you're gonna, I think you're going to be inspired by so many. So grateful for you being here. And I'm grateful for everyone who's listening because because of you podcasters like Bree and I exist, like if no one's listening. We kind of are just talking ... (Lesley laughs)Bree Gordon 46:58  We just talk to each other and listen to it and repeat.Lesley Logan 47:00  It's like long phone call. (Lesley laughs) Very formal phone call. Anyways, I am so grateful for you. Please do us a favor, screenshot this. Tag us with your takeaways. Tag us with what inspirations came out of this. And you know, even if you just text it to a friend who needs to hear this has had curiosity in that way that is also amazing. But we do love seeing your takeaways, what, what landed for you, and until next time, Be It Till You See It.That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review. And follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcasts. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the @be_it_pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others BE IT TILL YOU SEE IT. Have an awesome day!'Be It Till You See It' is a production of 'As The Crows Fly Media'.Brad Crowell 47:58  It's written produced, filmed and recorded by your host Lesley Logan and me, Brad Crowell. Our Associate Producer is Amanda Frattarelli.Lesley Logan 48:09  Kevin Perez at Disenyo handles all of our audio editing.Brad Crowell 48:13  Our theme music is by Ali at APEX Production Music. And our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 48:22  Special thanks to our designer Jaira Mandal for creating all of our visuals (which you can't see because this is a podcast) and our digital producer, Jay Pedroso for editing all video each week so you can.Brad Crowell 48:34  And to Angelina Herico for transcribing each of our episodes so you can find them on our website. And, finally to Meridith Crowell for keeping us all on point and on time.Transcribed by https://otter.aiSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dutch monarchs take a sacred oath when taking the throne. William of Orange aligns with the Protestant Calvinists. The Netherlands achieves independence and the Dutch Reformed Church is born. The Dutch National Anthem alludes to William's faith. Christianity spreads to the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch Christianity and help shape Colonial America. Dutch Reformed pastors give positive encouragement in a post-war USA. Indo Catholics in Southern California find a new home for their faith and culture. References: "The Low Countries" by E. H. Kossmann, "Move Ahead With Possibility Thinking" by R.H. Schuller, "The Power of Positive Thinking" by N. V. Peale; "Legerchef Middendorp draagt rijkszwaard" from Metro, Marble Collegiate Church (marblechurch.org), Hour of Power w Bobby Schuller (hourofpower.org, sgp.church), Reformed Church in America (rca.org)

With the anniversary of the Four Chaplains approaching on February 3rd, Tyler is join by Bill Kaemmer, Executive Director of the Chapel of Four Chaplains, in recounting the acts of heroism and sacrifice of four Army Chaplains, Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed on February 3, 1943.   As the U.S.A.T Dorchester was sinking into the frigid Atlantic ocean, these four selfless individuals gave not only their lives but gave hope and courage to those panic stricken to survive. To learn more visit their website at fourchaplains.org. They offer several programs such as the Legion of Honor Award Program, National Student Scholarship Program, Veterans Outreach Program and an Emergency Chaplain & First Responder Chaplain Programs.Stay up to date and gain early access to new podcasts and upcoming events by signing up for our newsletter at Coming Home Well Newsletter Follow us on IG @cominghomwell_bts and @behindtheserviceFacebook at Coming Home Well or Behind The ServiceLinkedIn at Coming Home WellThank you to BetterHelp for sponsoring today's episode! Coming Home Well listeners can get 10% off by visiting betterhelp.com/cominghomewell.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=DPPU22JG5EM6Y)

In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde discussed the downward trend in religion in the U.S. since 2009; how churches and religious services have changed since the pandemic began, and how some churches are using data analytics to target potential worshippers.Please send questions, comments, and suggestions to bidemi@thebidpicture.com. You can also get in touch on LinkedIn, Twitter, the Clubhouse app (@bid), and the Wisdom app (@bidemi).Check out host Bidemi Ologunde's latest book, Feet of Clay: Democracy, Democratic Values & Destructive Influences, available on Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Join Nick & Peter as they discuss the eighteenth chapter of Covenant Theology (written by…

Looking for a Reformed Church in Orange County? Check out Santa Ana Reformed; informational meetings starting end of October 2021! Please help support the show on our Patreon Page! Member of the Society of Reformed Podcasters SEASON 3 EPISODE 18 Join Nick & Peter as they discuss the eighteenth chapter of Covenant Theology (written by Dr. Bruce P. Baugus), published by Crossway and edited by the faculty of Reformed Theological Seminary! Rev. Daniel R. Hyde (PhD Candidate, Vrije Universiteit) is pastor of Oceanside United Reformed Church in Carlsbad, California. He also serves as Adjunct Instructor of Systematic Theology and Missions at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Adjunct Instructor of Ministerial Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, and as a member of the Advisory Council for Word & Deed. He's also written numerous books to help people of all backgrounds grow in the knowledge of Christ, including his most popular book, Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims. For a complete list of his titles, see his Books page. You can listen to Pastor Danny's sermons here. Purchase the book here: Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives Have Feedback or Questions? Email us at: guiltgracepod@gmail.com Find us on Instagram: @guiltgracepod Follow us on Twitter: @guiltgracepod Please rate and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you use! Looking for a Reformed Church? North American Presbyterian & Reformed Churches --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gggpodcast/support

My guest today is Dr. Jeremy Perigo from Dordt University.  He is the Director of Campus Ministries & Worship Arts and an associate professor at Dordt.  He is also a visiting lecturer at London School of Theology where he previously spent six years as head of theology, music, and worship programs.  Jeremy did his undergrad at Purdue University, then went on to do a Masters in Practical Theology at Regent University and a Doctorate at Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies.   My relationship with Jeremy goes back nearly 15 years as we both worked in deeply Charismatic contexts on things like 24-7 worship and prayer. Like me, Jeremy found that the experiential and mystical dimensions of Charismatic & Pentecostal spirituality fueled a deep desire to know God and understand his world via the life of the mind in more academic theology. In today's conversation, we discuss the link between our "guiding stories," the arts, music, film, & the liturgical practice of both the Church and the broader cultures we inhabit. How does the story we believe to be true about God & reality shape our practices of worship, but also how can our practices of worship shape the story we believe to be true about God & reality? ___________________________ TAGS: Jeremy Perigo, Lesslie Newbigin, Christ and Culture, theology of worship, liturgy, Cultural Liturgies, James K.A. Smith, Charismatic Theology, Dordt University, Dutch Reformed theology,  24-7 worship and prayer, Robert E. Webber, Richard Foster, Streams of Living Water, theology podcast, Christian philosophy podcast ______________________________ If you find this podcast to be helpful and you want to see it continue ad-free, would you consider becoming a supporter on Patreon? Members of the Deep Talks Patreon Community receive bonus Q & A Episodes, articles, charts, discussion forums and more. We even have a MONTHLY Group Hangout on Zoom so you can build relationships with others across the world and practice theology and meaning-making together. Help us reach our first goal of 300 patrons in order to sustain weekly, ad-free theological and philosophical education to anyone with an internet connection! https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast To Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159   Connect with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner

In this episode, Micah interviews Dr. Jordan Ballor of the Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy. Micah and Jordan discuss the CRCD's Shaftesbury Fellowship, the upcoming Kuyper Conference, and how Dutch Reformed thinkers like Abraham Kupyer are relevant today. How do we engage with thinkers that hold certain views "cancellable" by today's standards?

Reverend Charlotte Sibanyoni is the first black woman to be ordained by the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NG Kerk). She is currently a PhD scholar and lecturer in Hebrew at the University of Pretoria (UP), where she obtained her Masters of Divinity and undergraduate degrees. She is actively involved in the Pretoria community and runs the student Greenleaf student ministry on UP's Groenkloof (Faculty of Education) Campus. On this episode she speaks about:How growing up in the house of a Dutch Reformed minister shaped her character and love for her community. Leading change from within a community instead of criticising from outside, and how she has done this in her work. Rising above one's doubts to lead.How she is using her PhD to combine biblical ideas about exile and violence in current South Africa.Making an impact by serving in small and practical ways locally.Subscribe to the LeadUP Podcast today ­– click here to find LeadUP Podcast in your favourite podcast app, or go to www.up.ac.za/LeadUP and click on LeadUP Podcast. New episodes are out every second Monday. Help us out by rating and reviewing us.  LeadUP is a production of the University of Pretoria's Alumni Office. Our host is Lennox Wasara and our team includes Elna Schütz and Samantha Castle. Our sound engineers are Louis Cloete Productions.

In this interview I speak with Alex Thomson who is a Bible translation consultant with the Russian Bible Society (USA), Trinitarian Bible Society (UK) and Gereformeerde Bijbelstichting (GBS). He also teaches the Biblical languages at a Dutch Reformed denominational seminary and presents Biblical linguistic and translational issues more widely as an occasional lecturer in the former Soviet Union. Support Us: Website: https://www.apologiacenter.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ApologiaCenter/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/apologiacenter Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/apologiacenter --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/apologiacenter/support

Can Reformed Women be Ordained Deacons? | Show Notes Are ordained Deaconesses compatible with historic Christian orthodoxy? Complementarians insist not, egalitarians insist, yes! A recently published book, by Medieval Historian and Baptist egalitarian, Beth Allison Barr claims that women were most definitely ordained as deacons and that patriarchalist church leaders today are unjustly barring women from being ordained. Join me, Kerry Baldwin, with Deaconess Melissa DeGroot, as we dare to think about the ordination of Women Deacons. Guest: Melissa DeGroot, Deaconess, LCMS (Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod Melissa DeGroot is a certified and consecrated deaconess in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. She studied Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. She served at the seminary in recruitment and formation, then later with the Synod as a Writer/Researcher for the LCMS Deaconess Department based out of St. Louis, MO. She has been a contributor to blogs: He Remembers The Barren and The Lutheran Witness. She was a weekly guest on KFUO radio's bible study segment. DeGroot has also written articles pertaining to theology, women's roles and the vocation of Deaconess in The Lutheran Witness, Higher Things Magazine, and For The Life of The World. She has also written and contributed to two books, He Remembers the Barren (both editions) by Katie Schuermann, and Never Forsaken: God's Mercy in the Midst of Miscarriage by Dcs. Kathryn Ziegler. Melissa currently resides in Rio Rancho, New Mexico with her husband, son and dog, and has recently tried her hand at putting up shiplap. While DIY-ing has seemingly taken over her life, she prefers reading, hiking and cooking. And good conversation! Ordination Lutheran & Presbyterian Augsburg Confession and Westminster Confession, Compared (Relevant Sections) VII. Of the Church | XXV. Of the Church VIII. What the Church is | XXVI. Of the Communion of Saints XIV. Of Ecclesiastical Order | I. Of Holy Scripture XV. Of Ecclesiastical Usages | XXX. Of Church Censures XXI: Worship of the Saints | XXI. Of Religious Worship Baptist Baptist Faith & Practice - On the Church "The biblical teaching about women in ministry is not about ordination because Southern Baptists do not believe in ordination or a clerical class. There is an argument that says, “A woman can do everything a non-ordained man can do.” The problem with that is that we are Baptists and have no theology of ordination whatsoever. For that reason, we have to understand that the pastoral office and pastoral function are the same thing." - Al Mohler, 10 Points of Complementarianism Three strains of Reformed and Presbyterian Confessions The Dutch Reformed hold the “Three Forms of Unity” (3FU) which encompass the Belgic Confession (1561), The Heidelberg Catechism (1563), and the Canons of Dort (1619). The Swiss Reformed have the Second Helvetic Confession (1566). The Scottish Presbyterians hold to the Westminster Confessions - WCF (1647) and Shorter (1647) and Larger (1648) Catechisms. The Westminster Confession also has a revised American version (1788) which denounced Establishmentarianism (the idea that the church should run the civil government). Later, in 1689, came the London Baptist Confession, which is essentially a Baptist version of the Westminster. NOTE: There is/was a “new” strain of “Reformed” theology that became popular through John Piper, John MacArthur, and others. Piper later dubbed this “New Calvinism.” I and many other Calvinist/Presbyterians reject this “New Calvinism” as not being Reformed. So we distinguish ourselves as "Old School" Presbyterians. Another term that shouldn't be confused with “New Calvinism” is “neocalvinism” which was a historical resurgence of the Dutch Reformed tradition through Abraham Kuyper. John Piper is responsible for both “New Calvinism” (2014) and the Danver's Statement (1987) and the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (1988). His “12 Points of New Calvinism” has “Complementarianism” as a cornerstone tenant, among other tenants I find questionable. Vocation Luther on Vocation by Gustaf Wingren God at Work by Gene Edward Veith The Reformation on Vocation by D. G. Hart Resources on Deaconesses in Church History Deaconesses: An Historical Study by Aime Georges Martimort Deacons and Deaconesses Through the Centuries by Jeannine E. Olson A Historical and Biblical Examination of Women Deacons by Brian Schwertly OPC Report of the Committee on Women in Church Office  Phoebe Was a Deaconess, but She Was Not Ordained by Gregory E. Reynolds Additional Resources of Interest Images of the Spirit by Meredith Kline Women in the Church – A Redemptive Historical Approach by Pastor Todd Bordow What is Feminism in Simple Terms? | Dare to Think MEMBERS ONLY CONTENT Full (uncut) Interview with Deaconess Melissa DeGroot (56 minutes) In the uncut version, we also discuss hierarchy, authoritarianism in the church, and a woman's Christian liberty. To listen to the whole interview, you must be one of my monthly members.  Become a Member! Mereliberty.com/membership Follow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mereliberty/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MereLiberty Minds: https://www.minds.com/KerryBaldwin/ Locals: https://mereliberty.locals.com  

Growing up in Detroit, I had no exposure to the Dutch Reformed traditions. It wasn't until I moved to Grand Rapids that I learned what an influential subculture they represent. Speaking to friends who grew up in the various Reformed denominations I heard both horror stories of strict upbringings that included no secular movies or having to refrain from swimming on 90 degree Sundays, as well as accounts of profound spiritual commitment by those who embraced the theology as well as its austere guidelines of behavior. In the book "London Street" the author Jane Griffioen shares her experiences from childhood through adulthood in this atmosphere. It is a warm, yet not uncritical remembrance. Honestly, I when approached to have this conversation I was concerned that the book might be an angst driven screed against the faith of her fathers (and mothers). It is not, but it is honest. Listen. Love it. From 2020.

Herman Bavinck was a Dutch Reformed theologian who was committed to orthodox Protestant piety and engaging theology as a modern science for the service of the church. This theological scientist has enjoyed a wide influence on the Reformed world, and today we dive into his life and work!   Find us on: Email: doxologypodcast@gmail.com Twitter: @doxologypodcast Instagram: @doxologypodcast

Kristin Du Mez is Professor of History at Calvin University and author of Jesus and John Wayne. If you haven't heard about this book yet, you will soon because it is lighting Evangelicalism on fire. Kristin shares about growing up a bit sheltered in Northwest Iowa Dutch country, how moving and travel began to expand her understanding of the world, and why she decided to address militarism in the Christian faith. Kristen's story reminds us that we need to know Christian history to understand our faith. Listen to Kristin's story now! Stories Kristin shared: Growing up in Dutch Reformed circles in Northwest, Iowa Feeling supported and nurtured in that area Moving to Tallahassee, FL and learning that she was a little sheltered Spending a year in Germany Growing up always believing and making a profession of faith in college Cultivating spiritual experiences through reading in Christian history Observing how faith can be used to grasp for power A summer of discontent How understanding Christianity changed her faith The history of biblical literalism and how that shaped her Taking off the pressure to be right Landing on intellectual engagement as a way to inform her faith Deciding to address militarism in Christian faith Wrestling with whether she should be bringing issues to the fore How the cold war influenced our faith today How the Bible gets distorted and treated as truth The fruit of the Spirit as the definition of biblical masculinity Great quotes from Kristin: My working assumption was that Christianity is constant within history. If anything, my historical studies disrupted this notion of communion with my fellow believers. If you're holding on so tightly to your narrow conception of truth, that's a faith that can easily be shaken. A lot of Evangelicals have bought into a very us versus them mentality, that God is on our side and therefore anything that I do is righteous. Resources we mentioned: Kristin's website Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation Related episodes: Karen Swallow Prior and the Spiritual Practice of Reading Fiction Kyle Strobel and Integrating Spirituality and Theology Jeff Munroe and Stewarding Your Pain Aimee Byrd and Recovering From Biblical Manhood and Womanhood The post Kristin Du Mez and Knowing Christian History appeared first on Eric Nevins.

Lloyd Vandenberg is my dad. He's 100% Dutch by blood but was born in Canada. He grew up in the Dutch Reformed church and became part of the Charismatic Evangelical tradition as a young adult. He and my mom have been touring with the rest of the family around the United States and Canada under the name "New Generation Ministry" for the past 30 years performing Christian "worship music" as well as counseling couples and sharing my dad's story of freedom from addiction. The last two years have been pretty wild for us as a family, and my dad has had to process a lot of change in his life. My dad and I have had a lot of interesting conversations about the changes both of our lives have been going through, but some of the most interesting chats we continue to have are about faith. I'm really happy to get to share this conversation with you, as this type of conversation is exactly the kind of conversation I'm attempting to work on getting better at with this channel. It's also one of my favorite conversations we've recorded so far. I hope you enjoy it.

It was the evening of Feb. 2, 1943, and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester was crowded to capacity, carrying 902 servicemen, merchant seamen, and civilian workers. Once a luxury coastal liner, the 5,649-ton vessel had been converted into an Army transport ship. The Dorchester, one of three ships in the SG-19 convoy, was moving steadily across the icy waters from Newfoundland toward an American base in Greenland. SG-19 was escorted by Coast Guard Cutters Tampa, Escanaba, and Comanche. On Feb. 3, at 12:55 a.m., a periscope broke the chilly Atlantic waters. Through the crosshairs, an officer aboard the German submarine U-223 spotted the Dorchester. The U-223 approached the convoy on the surface, and after identifying and targeting the ship, he gave orders to fire the torpedoes, a fan of three were fired. The one that hit was decisive–and deadly–striking the starboard side, amidship, far below the waterline. Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed. Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety. "Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live," says Wyatt R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox. Of the 902 men aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors. When the news reached American shores, the nation was stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy and heroic conduct of the four chaplains. "Valor is a gift," Carl Sandburg once said. "Those having it never know for sure whether they have it until the test comes." That night Reverend Fox, Rabbi Goode, Reverend Poling, and Father Washington passed life's ultimate test. In doing so, they became an enduring example of extraordinary faith, courage, and selflessness. The Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart were awarded posthumously December 19, 1944, to the next of kin by Lt. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, Commanding General of the Army Service Forces, in a ceremony at the post chapel at Fort Myer, VA. A one-time-only posthumous Special Medal for Heroism was authorized by Congress and awarded by President Eisenhower on January 18, 1961. Congress attempted to confer the Medal of Honor but was blocked by the stringent requirements that required heroism performed under fire. The special medal was intended to have the same weight and importance as the Medal of Honor. Thanks to: Information for this episode retrieved from The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation website at http://fourchaplains.org/four-chaplains/ retired Air Force Chaplain, Dr. Dondi Costin https://www.linkedin.com/in/dondi-e-costin-ph-d-major-general-retired-97119b46/ Army_Chaplain (COL) Khallid Shabazz Ph.D, DMin https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaplain-col-khallid-shabazz-ph-d-dmin-701074a6/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mettle-of-honor/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mettle-of-honor/support

The debate about the origins of Enlightenment haven't paid as much attention as they should have done to the radical religious cultures of the Dutch Republic in the mid-17th century, which are the subject of Francesco Quatrini's new book. Adam Boreel (1602-1665): A Collegiant's Attempt to Reform Christianity (Brill, 2020) is a biographical and thematic study of one of the most enigmatic – and perhaps one of the most important – of the period's religious and scientific thinkers. In the first major biography of this figure, and in almost two hundred thousand words, Quatrini reconstructs from complex and often ambiguous sources Boreel's childhood in the Dutch Reformed church, the intellectual agendas and travels by which he was exposed to more radical forms of Christianity, the friendship networks in which he worked on projects that seem to have designed the conversation of the Jews, and most significantly of all the unofficial institutions that fostered the wide-ranging and open-ended conversations on religious subjects that marked the communal life of the Collegiants. Quatrini's outstanding new book opens up new windows in our understanding of early modern religion and science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The debate about the origins of Enlightenment haven’t paid as much attention as they should have done to the radical religious cultures of the Dutch Republic in the mid-17th century, which are the subject of Francesco Quatrini’s new book. Adam Boreel (1602-1665): A Collegiant's Attempt to Reform Christianity (Brill, 2020) is a biographical and thematic study of one of the most enigmatic – and perhaps one of the most important – of the period’s religious and scientific thinkers. In the first major biography of this figure, and in almost two hundred thousand words, Quatrini reconstructs from complex and often ambiguous sources Boreel’s childhood in the Dutch Reformed church, the intellectual agendas and travels by which he was exposed to more radical forms of Christianity, the friendship networks in which he worked on projects that seem to have designed the conversation of the Jews, and most significantly of all the unofficial institutions that fostered the wide-ranging and open-ended conversations on religious subjects that marked the communal life of the Collegiants. Quatrini’s outstanding new book opens up new windows in our understanding of early modern religion and science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The debate about the origins of Enlightenment haven’t paid as much attention as they should have done to the radical religious cultures of the Dutch Republic in the mid-17th century, which are the subject of Francesco Quatrini’s new book. Adam Boreel (1602-1665): A Collegiant's Attempt to Reform Christianity (Brill, 2020) is a biographical and thematic study of one of the most enigmatic – and perhaps one of the most important – of the period’s religious and scientific thinkers. In the first major biography of this figure, and in almost two hundred thousand words, Quatrini reconstructs from complex and often ambiguous sources Boreel’s childhood in the Dutch Reformed church, the intellectual agendas and travels by which he was exposed to more radical forms of Christianity, the friendship networks in which he worked on projects that seem to have designed the conversation of the Jews, and most significantly of all the unofficial institutions that fostered the wide-ranging and open-ended conversations on religious subjects that marked the communal life of the Collegiants. Quatrini’s outstanding new book opens up new windows in our understanding of early modern religion and science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm

The debate about the origins of Enlightenment haven't paid as much attention as they should have done to the radical religious cultures of the Dutch Republic in the mid-17th century, which are the subject of Francesco Quatrini's new book. Adam Boreel (1602-1665): A Collegiant's Attempt to Reform Christianity (Brill, 2020) is a biographical and thematic study of one of the most enigmatic – and perhaps one of the most important – of the period's religious and scientific thinkers. In the first major biography of this figure, and in almost two hundred thousand words, Quatrini reconstructs from complex and often ambiguous sources Boreel's childhood in the Dutch Reformed church, the intellectual agendas and travels by which he was exposed to more radical forms of Christianity, the friendship networks in which he worked on projects that seem to have designed the conversation of the Jews, and most significantly of all the unofficial institutions that fostered the wide-ranging and open-ended conversations on religious subjects that marked the communal life of the Collegiants. Quatrini's outstanding new book opens up new windows in our understanding of early modern religion and science.

The debate about the origins of Enlightenment haven’t paid as much attention as they should have done to the radical religious cultures of the Dutch Republic in the mid-17th century, which are the subject of Francesco Quatrini’s new book. Adam Boreel (1602-1665): A Collegiant's Attempt to Reform Christianity (Brill, 2020) is a biographical and thematic study of one of the most enigmatic – and perhaps one of the most important – of the period’s religious and scientific thinkers. In the first major biography of this figure, and in almost two hundred thousand words, Quatrini reconstructs from complex and often ambiguous sources Boreel’s childhood in the Dutch Reformed church, the intellectual agendas and travels by which he was exposed to more radical forms of Christianity, the friendship networks in which he worked on projects that seem to have designed the conversation of the Jews, and most significantly of all the unofficial institutions that fostered the wide-ranging and open-ended conversations on religious subjects that marked the communal life of the Collegiants. Quatrini’s outstanding new book opens up new windows in our understanding of early modern religion and science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm

The debate about the origins of Enlightenment haven’t paid as much attention as they should have done to the radical religious cultures of the Dutch Republic in the mid-17th century, which are the subject of Francesco Quatrini’s new book. Adam Boreel (1602-1665): A Collegiant's Attempt to Reform Christianity (Brill, 2020) is a biographical and thematic study of one of the most enigmatic – and perhaps one of the most important – of the period’s religious and scientific thinkers. In the first major biography of this figure, and in almost two hundred thousand words, Quatrini reconstructs from complex and often ambiguous sources Boreel’s childhood in the Dutch Reformed church, the intellectual agendas and travels by which he was exposed to more radical forms of Christianity, the friendship networks in which he worked on projects that seem to have designed the conversation of the Jews, and most significantly of all the unofficial institutions that fostered the wide-ranging and open-ended conversations on religious subjects that marked the communal life of the Collegiants. Quatrini’s outstanding new book opens up new windows in our understanding of early modern religion and science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The debate about the origins of Enlightenment haven’t paid as much attention as they should have done to the radical religious cultures of the Dutch Republic in the mid-17th century, which are the subject of Francesco Quatrini’s new book. Adam Boreel (1602-1665): A Collegiant's Attempt to Reform Christianity (Brill, 2020) is a biographical and thematic study of one of the most enigmatic – and perhaps one of the most important – of the period’s religious and scientific thinkers. In the first major biography of this figure, and in almost two hundred thousand words, Quatrini reconstructs from complex and often ambiguous sources Boreel’s childhood in the Dutch Reformed church, the intellectual agendas and travels by which he was exposed to more radical forms of Christianity, the friendship networks in which he worked on projects that seem to have designed the conversation of the Jews, and most significantly of all the unofficial institutions that fostered the wide-ranging and open-ended conversations on religious subjects that marked the communal life of the Collegiants. Quatrini’s outstanding new book opens up new windows in our understanding of early modern religion and science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bruce Ashford is Fellow in Public Theology at the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology and a columnist for First Things Magazine. For many years, he was also Provost and Professor of Theology & Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He co-authored One Nation Under God: A Christian Hope for American Politics (with Chris Pappalardo) and is the author of Every Square Inch: An Introduction to Cultural Engagement for Christians. He is a North American Evangelical who has learned a deep appreciation for the theological insights of the late 19th and early 20th century Dutch Reformed theologian and scholar, Abraham Kuyper. Kuyper, has for many years, been evaluated in a negative way in the Canadian Reformed Churches because of the synodical imposition of his covenant theology upon the churches in the Netherlands in 1944. His reputation, however, has been in revival among the Canadian Reformed Churches these past years, and Ashford helps us in developing a deeper appreciation of Kuyper, the theologian, the politician, the newspaper editor, and university founder. Bruce shows us how Kuyper's keen insights help us to better understand the role and place of the Church in the World.www.tyrannushallpodcast.cawww.facebook.com/tyrannushallpodcast

Symbols seen at the capital riots included: Noose, confederate flag, wolf-man, bombs, Gadsden Flay, Trump Flags, Medicine Man, cross, gallows. Notes below from The Roots of Josh Hawley’s Rage Why do so many Republicans appear to be at war with both truth and democracy? By Katherine Stewart, NY Times. In today’s Republican Party, the path to power is to build up a lie in order to overturn democracy. At least that is what Senator Josh Hawley was telling us when he offered a clenched-fist salute to the pro-Trump mob before it ransacked the Capitol, and it is the same message he delivered on the floor of the Senate in the aftermath of the attack when he doubled down on the lies about electoral fraud that incited the insurrection in the first place. How did we get to the point where one of the bright young stars of the Republican Party appears to be at war with both truth and democracy? Mr. Hawley has explained that the blame for society’s ills traces all the way back to Pelagius — a British-born monk who lived 17 centuries ago. In a 2019 commencement address at The King’s College, a small conservative Christian college devoted to “a biblical worldview,” Mr. Hawley denounced Pelagius for teaching that human beings have the freedom to choose how they live their lives and that grace comes to those who do good things, as opposed to those who believe the right doctrines. In other words, Mr. Hawley’s idea of freedom is the freedom to conform to what he and his preferred religious authorities know to be right. Mr. Hawley is not shy about making the point explicit. In a 2017 speech to the American Renewal Project, he declared — paraphrasing the Dutch Reformed theologian and onetime prime minister Abraham Kuyper — “There is not one square inch of all creation over which Jesus Christ is not Lord.” Mr. Kuyper is perhaps best known for his claim that Christianity has sole legitimate authority over all aspects of human life. “We are called to take that message into every sphere of life that we touch, including the political realm,” Mr. Hawley said. “That is our charge. To take the Lordship of Christ, that message, into the public realm, and to seek the obedience of the nations. Of our nation!” Even a corrupt sociopath was better, in their eyes, than the horrifying freedom that religious moderates and liberals, along with the many Americans who don’t happen to be religious, offer the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wileyfoxes/message

“The Evangelical movement right now is like a cruise liner that has been hit by a bunch of torpedoes.” Political theologian Vincent Bacote wants to be part of a movement that not only proclaims good news, it performs good news. Stephen sits down with Vince to be schooled in the ways of the politician and theologian Abraham Kuyper. We find out what drew Vince, an evangelical African American academic and rock fan in the present age to Abraham, a Dutch Reformed prime minister of the Netherlands who died in 1920. Along the way the conversation takes in Calvinism, common grace, KISS and Iron Maiden. We ask: are elections the hinge of history? Can people of diametrically opposite views ever work together? Vince is the Associate Professor of Theology and the Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College. He is the author of several books on public theology and a signatory of Christians Against Trumpism.You can find out more about him and his books HEREYou can become a Fellow Traveller on our Patreon page HERE.

Cory C. Brock has published an exciting new book on one of the most important Dutch Reformed theologians from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Herman Bavinck negotiated his conservative background through life-long engagement with the work of Friedrich Schleiermacher. Brock’s new work, Orthodox Yet Modern: Herman Bavinck’s Use of Friedrich Schleiermacher (Lexham Press, 2020), complicates the existing discussion of the relationship between these thinkers and shows how Bavinck refused to choose between the demands of confessional theology and the catholic ambition to do theological work in conversation with the church. Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of An introduction to John Owen (Crossway, 2020). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cory C. Brock has published an exciting new book on one of the most important Dutch Reformed theologians from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Herman Bavinck negotiated his conservative background through life-long engagement with the work of Friedrich Schleiermacher. Brock’s new work, Orthodox Yet Modern: Herman Bavinck’s Use of Friedrich Schleiermacher (Lexham Press, 2020), complicates the existing discussion of the relationship between these thinkers and shows how Bavinck refused to choose between the demands of confessional theology and the catholic ambition to do theological work in conversation with the church. Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of An introduction to John Owen (Crossway, 2020). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cory C. Brock has published an exciting new book on one of the most important Dutch Reformed theologians from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Herman Bavinck negotiated his conservative background through life-long engagement with the work of Friedrich Schleiermacher. Brock’s new work, Orthodox Yet Modern: Herman Bavinck’s Use of Friedrich Schleiermacher (Lexham Press, 2020), complicates the existing discussion of the relationship between these thinkers and shows how Bavinck refused to choose between the demands of confessional theology and the catholic ambition to do theological work in conversation with the church. Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of An introduction to John Owen (Crossway, 2020). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cory C. Brock has published an exciting new book on one of the most important Dutch Reformed theologians from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Herman Bavinck negotiated his conservative background through life-long engagement with the work of Friedrich Schleiermacher. Brock’s new work, Orthodox Yet Modern: Herman Bavinck’s Use of Friedrich Schleiermacher (Lexham Press, 2020), complicates the existing discussion of the relationship between these thinkers and shows how Bavinck refused to choose between the demands of confessional theology and the catholic ambition to do theological work in conversation with the church. Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of An introduction to John Owen (Crossway, 2020). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Bergsma (1930-2013) grew up in a “Dutch Reformed” home in Canada. His family endured poverty during the Great Depression. All 9 children were raised in the old fashioned way and walked 5 miles to church and back twice on the Lord's Day. A lady from a nearby Gospel Hall saw the large family of children and visited with a rice pudding and an invitation to Sunday School. That was the opening for the gospel in the Bergsma home that The post The Bergsma family – Reached through a Rice Pudding! (32 min) first appeared on Gospel Hall Audio.

Greg Parker Jr. is a candidate for ordination in the PCA. He is a graduate of Cairn University and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Edinburgh. His work focuses on the theology and ethics of the Dutch Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck. This morning he preaches on Psalm 62 and finding hope in the silence of God.

Abraham Kuyper was one of the most important theologians in the Dutch Reformed tradition – and a newspaper editor, university founder and Prime Minister to boot. Lexham Press are publishing his "Collected Works in Public Theology," in editions that bring together his writings on business, economics, the arts and other cultural spheres. In today’s episode, we talk to Wendy Naylor, editor of the volume On Education (2019), about what makes Kuyper interesting, and why his educational theories continue to matter. What did Kuyper achieve as a politician, minister of religion and educational theorist? And how did his emphatic Calvinism work contribute to his commitment to educational pluralism? Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of John Owen and English Puritanism (Oxford University Press, 2016). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abraham Kuyper was one of the most important theologians in the Dutch Reformed tradition – and a newspaper editor, university founder and Prime Minister to boot. Lexham Press are publishing his "Collected Works in Public Theology," in editions that bring together his writings on business, economics, the arts and other cultural spheres. In today’s episode, we talk to Wendy Naylor, editor of the volume On Education (2019), about what makes Kuyper interesting, and why his educational theories continue to matter. What did Kuyper achieve as a politician, minister of religion and educational theorist? And how did his emphatic Calvinism work contribute to his commitment to educational pluralism? Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of John Owen and English Puritanism (Oxford University Press, 2016). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abraham Kuyper was one of the most important theologians in the Dutch Reformed tradition – and a newspaper editor, university founder and Prime Minister to boot. Lexham Press are publishing his "Collected Works in Public Theology," in editions that bring together his writings on business, economics, the arts and other cultural spheres. In today’s episode, we talk to Wendy Naylor, editor of the volume On Education (2019), about what makes Kuyper interesting, and why his educational theories continue to matter. What did Kuyper achieve as a politician, minister of religion and educational theorist? And how did his emphatic Calvinism work contribute to his commitment to educational pluralism? Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of John Owen and English Puritanism (Oxford University Press, 2016). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abraham Kuyper was one of the most important theologians in the Dutch Reformed tradition – and a newspaper editor, university founder and Prime Minister to boot. Lexham Press are publishing his "Collected Works in Public Theology," in editions that bring together his writings on business, economics, the arts and other cultural spheres. In today’s episode, we talk to Wendy Naylor, editor of the volume On Education (2019), about what makes Kuyper interesting, and why his educational theories continue to matter. What did Kuyper achieve as a politician, minister of religion and educational theorist? And how did his emphatic Calvinism work contribute to his commitment to educational pluralism? Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of John Owen and English Puritanism (Oxford University Press, 2016). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abraham Kuyper was one of the most important theologians in the Dutch Reformed tradition – and a newspaper editor, university founder and Prime Minister to boot. Lexham Press are publishing his "Collected Works in Public Theology," in editions that bring together his writings on business, economics, the arts and other cultural spheres. In today’s episode, we talk to Wendy Naylor, editor of the volume On Education (2019), about what makes Kuyper interesting, and why his educational theories continue to matter. What did Kuyper achieve as a politician, minister of religion and educational theorist? And how did his emphatic Calvinism work contribute to his commitment to educational pluralism? Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of John Owen and English Puritanism (Oxford University Press, 2016). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abraham Kuyper was one of the most important theologians in the Dutch Reformed tradition – and a newspaper editor, university founder and Prime Minister to boot. Lexham Press are publishing his "Collected Works in Public Theology," in editions that bring together his writings on business, economics, the arts and other cultural spheres. In today’s episode, we talk to Wendy Naylor, editor of the volume On Education (2019), about what makes Kuyper interesting, and why his educational theories continue to matter. What did Kuyper achieve as a politician, minister of religion and educational theorist? And how did his emphatic Calvinism work contribute to his commitment to educational pluralism? Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests focus on the history of puritanism and evangelicalism, and he is the author most recently of John Owen and English Puritanism (Oxford University Press, 2016). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this particular podcast episode, we wanted our fine professors to discuss specifically what it means to teach -the whole counsel of God,- to preach sound doctrine, to be diligent in season and out of season. In continental churches, specifically Dutch Reformed churches, you'll notice the practice of -catechetical- preaching. But many engage in some form of doctrinal preaching, or confessional preaching. And so we want to spend some time discussing that, and seeing its value for the churches, hopefully clearing up some confusions as well. But specifically, as it relates to catechetical preaching, or confessional preaching, there's probably a lingering question that those unfamiliar with this practice may have- -Don't we preach Scripture-- -What's this all about--

In this particular podcast episode, we wanted our professors to discuss specifically what it means to teach “the whole counsel of God,” to preach sound doctrine, to be diligent in season and out of season. In continental churches, specifically Dutch Reformed churches, you'll notice the practice of “catechetical” preaching. But many engage in some form of doctrinal preaching, or confessional preaching. And so we want to spend some time discussing that, and seeing its value for the churches, hopefully clearing up some confusions as well. But specifically, as it relates to catechetical preaching, or confessional preaching, there's probably a lingering question that those unfamiliar with this practice may have: “Don't we preach Scripture?” “What's this all about?”

Today's episode comes from a conversation I had with Paul Vander Klay for his YouTube Channel and Podcast. I first had Vander Klay on my podcast back in Episode 18, and he wanted to bring me on his program to discuss possible insights from my background and experiences into the "meaning-crisis." It's a subject we are both passionate about helping others navigate thru.  Vander Klay somehow pulled out of me some stories about my experiences deep in the Charismatic & Pentecostal tradition that I've never publicly talked about before. I talk with him about growing up in Benny Hinn meetings, revivals breaking out in my small Christian school, journeys in the 24-7 prayer movement, & strange Charismatic phenomenon I've seen like gold dust and people behaving as if they were "drunk in the Spirit."  Being a Dutch Reformed pastor, he was fascinated by all this :) Plus: what does it mean to experience or commune with God? Can we say certain things are not valid ways of experience God? What's the difference between the Eucharist and eating bread and wine at Olive Garden? How has the Jordan Peterson phenomenon opened people up to these sorts of questions again? (this is an area of expertise for Paul Vanderklay)   There is also a video of this conversation available at:https://youtu.be/2CIeSrEW0Tc Find out more about Paul Vanderklay at:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGsDIP_K6J6VSTqlq-9IPlg THIS PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DEEP TALKS PATREON COMMUNITY!To become a Deep Talks Patreon member and support this podcast go to:https://www.patreon.com/deeptalkstheologypodcast Listen/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts go to:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-talks-exploring-theology-and-meaning-making/id1401730159     Connect on with Paul Anleitner on Twitter at:https://twitter.com/PaulAnleitner      

Vincent G. Valentyn grew up in a nominal Christian home where the family attended a Dutch Reformed church. He however, believed on the LORD Jesus Christ at the age of 16 when he was confronted by the love of God as presented in the gospel of Jesus Christ and soon afterwards was baptized into water and the Holy Spirit and almost immediately started in ministry. At the age of 20 he was appointed as the associate pastor to the then moderator of the Full Gospel Church of God (RSA) the late J. J. Vos. During this time, he also served on the youth leadership team and started to travel nationally to speak at multi-cultural youth events in the denomination. After serving as an associate pastor he was commissioned to plant a new church for the Full Gospel Denomination upon the completion of his seminary training. After the successful completion of this assignment, he departed from the denomination during 198ti in pursuit of a fresh encounter with God. It was during this time of searching and contemplation that he was powerfully impacted upon by the kingdom of God under the ministry of the late Bryn Jones (CMI) UK. He spent the next 10 years under the apostolic fathering of Kobus Swart (Southern Harvest Ministries in relationship with CMI) based in Somerset West, South Africa, where he was first introduced to kingdom living and apostolic ministry.

Dan Ragusa introduces us to the theological method of Petrus Van Mastricht, Dutch Reformed theologian, who maintained consistent Reformed orthodoxy against Cartesian influences. Van Mastricht wrote a polemic against Balthasar Bekker, a critic of paganism but a proponent of Cartesianism. In his polemic, Van Mastricht addresses the issue of Scriptural authority, theological method, and the proper end toward which all theologians and philosophers must be directed: worship of the one, true, and living God. Dan Ragusa is a PhD student at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [embed]https://youtu.be/RWAcoAh9jrY[/embed] Readings Daniel Ragusa, "Beginning with Scripture, Ending with Worship: An Analysis of Petrus van Mastricht's Polemic against Balthasar Bekker" Petrus van Mastricht, Theoretical-Practical Theology Volume 1: Prolegomena Adriaan C. Neele, The Art of Living to God

M. L “Inus” Daneel and Graham Hill discuss the growth, dynamism, challenges, and contextualization of African Initiated Churches (AICs) and African Earthkeeping Movements.M. L. “Inus” Daneel is a professor of missiology at the Boston University School of Theology. Dr. Daneel has developed contextualized ecumenical ministries in theological education, community development, and earthkeeping for and with the African Initiated Churchs in Zimbabwe.He served for 16 years as senior professor in missiology at the University of South Africa, Pretoria. His widely acclaimed publications focus mainly on African Traditional Religion and indigenous African Christianity. His book Guerilla Snuff was selected one of the 75 Best Zimbabwean books of the twentieth century.Dr. Daneel was employed as a senior research officer at both the Free University of Amsterdam and the African Studies Center, Leiden. He has held research fellowships at the University of Zimbabwe, Harare; the Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard University; and the African Studies Center at Boston University. Daneel has lectured widely in Europe, North and South America, and Africa. With Dana L. Robert, he edits the book series “African Initiatives in Christian Mission.”Dr. Daneel’s publications include God of the Matopo Hills (1970), Zionism and Faith-healing (1970), Old and New in Southern Shona Independent Churches, Vols. 1-3 (1971, 1976, 1988), Quest for Belonging (1987), Fambidzano–Ecumenical Movement of Zimbabwean Independent Churches (1989), Christian Theology of Africa (1989), Guerrilla Snuff (a novel, 1995), African Earthkeepers: Interfaith Mission in Earth Care, Vols. 1-2 (1998, 2000), African Christian Outreach, Vol. 1 (2001), and Fullness of Life for All (co-editor, 2003).Over the past few years, Prof. Daneel has been conducting field-based research into the high god religion of the Shona. This research follows up studies done in the 1960s in which Daneel was the first outsider to be admitted to the high god oracle in the Matopo Hills.Born on a Dutch Reformed mission station, Dr. Daneel is a well-known ecumenical figure who functions as a bishop in an African-Initiated Church, the Ndaza (Holy Cord) Zionists. A patron of the Network of Earthkeeping Christian Communities in South Africa, he is committed to environmental preservation, African contextual theology, fishing, and watching rugby and cricket. Daneel spends six months a year in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, and six months a year in Boston.

Have you heard, man, about Herman? Bavinck, that is? This week's text is part 1 of an essay on John Calvin's thought regarding common grace by Dutch Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck. The essay comes from Calvin and the Reformation: Four Studies, published by Fleming H. Revell Company in 1909. Next week, The Bavinck Continues with part 2! Would you like to request a specific book, sermon, or other Christian text? Please e-mail us at churchhistorypodcast@gmail.com or tweet us @OralHistoryPod. Let us know how we’re doing, or what you’d like to hear more of! Reader: Jonathan McCormick Created by: Jonathan McCormick and Adam Christman Produced and edited by: Adam Christman

This week the guys begin to dig into covenant theology. They discuss the unity between the various reformed confessions as well as the differences. We are encouraged by the fact that though we differ in some respects (Baptists, Presbyterians, Dutch Reformed, etc.) we can meet in the hallways of our doctrinal beliefs and have beneficial conversations in brotherly fellowship.  We hope this conversation brings clarity and unity rather than division. This a longer conversation so we split it into two parts. Look for the second half next week. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In October 2011, Jemar Tisby sat in front of his computer, his hand hovering over the keyboard. On the screen in front of him was the form for a new Facebook page, which Tisby had filled in with the details of his latest project—a group he was calling the Reformed African American Network. As he did his final check, he felt a tension. He wanted this group to be small, but he had a sneaking suspicion that once the page went live, it would take on a life of its own. Was he ready to follow along and see where it led? Swallowing his doubts, he pressed the “Enter” key. Looking back now, he's glad he did. Nearly five years later, RAAN has grown from a Facebook page to a Christian cultural powerhouse, producing and hosting some of the most honest and influential conversations on justice, diversity, and racial reconciliation the church has seen in decades. Tisby, meanwhile, has fully embraced his role as RAAN's Co-founder and President, even as he continues to serve as Director of the African American Leadership Initiative and Special Assistant to the Chancellor at Reformed Theological Seminary's Jackson campus. For Tisby, though, racial justice isn't just a pressing cultural issue—it's his calling, and it's never been more timely. In a season when Christians nationwide are puzzling out how best to respond to protests, shootings, and domestic frictions surrounding race, he has a vision for how churches can cultivate a commitment to racial diversity. How else can churches create space for all of God's people in their congregations? Find out on this week's episode of The Calling, as CT managing editor Richard Clark chats with Tisby about #BlackLivesMatter, being the only black member in a Dutch Reformed church, and why racial reconciliation is a gospel issue, not just a social issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode of Cultivated, Zach takes some time to examine another theologian in the "Know Your Theologian" series. This episode centers on the life and work of Dr. Herman Bavinck, a Dutch Reformed theologian who most notably was Abraham Kuyper's successor at Free University. Bavinck's classic Reformed Dogmatics just became fully translated in English only a mere 7 years ago. What did Bavinck contribute to our understanding of the Christian faith? Find that out along with key resource recommendations on today's episode.

Our quote for today is from Galileo. He said, "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." In this podcast, we are making our way through Garry R. Morgan's book, "Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day." Garry Morgan is a Professor of Intercultural Studies at Northwestern College. He served with World Venture for 20 years in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania.  Our topic for today is, "Protestant Christianity"  Protestant is an umbrella term generally used to describe a vast variety of churches that are neither Roman Catholic nor Eastern Orthodox. The name comes from the "protests" by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and many others against abuses of power and some doctrines in the Roman Catholic Church. The Reformers were people of the fourteenth through the seventeenth centuries who sought to bring change to Christianity in Europe. Their writings continue to exert substantial influence over hundreds of millions of believers today.  Historically, the Protestant Reformation began as an attempt to, as the word implies, reform Christianity. Luther and the others saw their efforts not as bringing anything new to the faith but as restoring biblical teaching and practice established prior to the development of Rome's papal system. They didn't intend initially to form a new church organization—they did so only after they were excommunicated (removed from membership) and threatened with death by the Catholic Church hierarchy. The congregations that followed the Reformers became the Protestant churches.  That the word “reformed” is utilized in countless ways today can be confusing. The Reformation period produced several organizations. The churches following Luther's teaching and leadership came to be called Lutheran, while those that followed Calvin were called Reformed, even though both were part of the Reformation and are relatively similar in doctrine. Over time, the Reformed churches subdivided, usually along national lines, into many denominations (such as the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed Church of America). Calvin's doctrines, with additions by a number of others, came to be called Reformed Theology, best known for its doctrine of God's sovereignty, especially in election -- God's choosing of who will be saved. Over the years, newer denominations, notably the Presbyterians and many Baptist groups, embraced most of Calvin's "reformed" doctrines, while disagreeing with some beliefs and practices of the Reformed Church.  Historically, two core issues framed the Protestant disagreement with Catholicism. The first concerns salvation, the way in which a person avoids God's righteous judgment on the sinful nature and is reconciled into right relationship with him. Protestants insist that the Bible clearly states salvation is "by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone," in contrast to a combination of grace and good works. The second, Sola Scriptura, is the belief that the Bible is the final authority for determining doctrine and practice rather than a combination of Scripture and tradition. Additional areas of divergence grew over time as Protestant leaders refined and developed their doctrines.  The various Protestant churches survived Roman Catholic attempts to exterminate them, in part because many European political leaders saw in them the chance to escape papal oppression and attain greater regional autonomy. Ultimately, Protestants contributed considerably to the rise of nationalism and the development of today's European countries. This association developed into the state church system, in which a whole country officially recognized just one denomination (such as the Lutheran Church in Sweden or Norway).  Unfortunately, this also led to a number of wars, both civil (within one country) and between Catholic and Protestant countries. Some nations were tolerant of those whose beliefs were not in step with the state church, such as Holland, which, although officially Dutch Reformed, became a haven for persecuted Christians from France, England, and elsewhere (such as the Pilgrims who later settled Plymouth Colony in North America). Elsewhere, persecution of dissenters ranged from moderate to severe. In some Protestant countries, Catholics were persecuted, and many Protestants were killed in France and other Catholic countries.  Persecution extended even to other Protestants of the "wrong" variety. The Baptist pastor John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim's Progress, spent much of his adult life in prison for refusal to "conform" to the Anglican Church.  New denominations proliferated as Protestant Christianity spread across Europe and then into North America. Beginning in the nineteenth century, the changes reached Africa and Asia. Without the central leadership authority that characterizes the Catholic Church, formation of new organizations is much easier. Sometimes these groups began because of doctrinal disputes. For example, Freewill Baptists in England split from the majority of Baptists (who theologically were closer to the Reformed Church). Some developed due to geography and politics. After American independence, for instance, Presbyterians in the U.S. chose independence from their Scottish origins. Baptists and many other American denominations split over slavery (although it has been argued that this was more a doctrinal dispute than a political one).  Spiritual revival has also led to the creation of denominations. The Azusa Street Revival of 1906, for example, led to the formation of the Apostolic Faith Movement, the Assemblies of God, and many other Pentecostal groups. Sometimes new groups form because of conflict of personality or conviction between leaders.  The twentieth-century Ecumenical Movement attempted to reverse the trend of proliferation with the goal of merging Protestants into one organizational structure. They've seen limited success with the United and Uniting Churches in Canada and Australia respectively; in both countries Methodists, Presbyterians, and Congregationalists merged into one organization. The movement has had more success encouraging cooperation between denominations through the World Council of Churches and its national affiliates than in bringing about organizational mergers and a reduction in the number of denominations. Now, for An Extra Minute  How many Protestant denominations are there? The diversity and geographic expansion of Protestant Christianity makes counting difficult. There are more than fifty different Baptist groups just in the U.S., where the largest, the Southern Baptist Convention, has more than sixteen million members. Adding to the complications is globalization: If missionaries of one denomination in one country start new churches in another country and those churches form an association, is that a new denomination or part of the original? They are usually independent (though related) organizations, but not always. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, renowned researcher David Barrett counted 33,830 Protestant denominations globally. 

Wishing his listeners and fellow Americans a Merry Christmas, Chuck Morse discusses his latest blog: Christmas is an American holiday http://awhigmanifesto.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-is-american-holiday.html Chuck Morse Amazon Kindle Page http://t.co/oxZNlr94Fw In colonial times Christmas was frowned upon in New England and observed mostly as a private feast in mid-Atlantic and Southern colonies. The strait-laced New England Puritans, partially motivated by anti-Catholic sentiment, banned Christmas in 1659 under the guise that the holiday was pagan and that it encouraged decadence. Colonial Americans celebrated a Christmas that contained both religious and secular elements thus establishing a uniquely balanced American approach to faith. Christmas harkens back to the ancient Roman celebration of the Saturnalia, a day in which all Romans, Emperor and slave, addressed each other on a first name basis. Christmas was not celebrated by colonial Puritans, Presbyterians, Baptists and Quakers but it was observed by Anglicans, Dutch Reformed, Lutherans and Catholics. Drawing from various old world traditions, Christmas in colonial America included bells, mistletoe, yule logs, wreaths, eggnog, gingerbread, and various Christmas foods. The Dutch settlers of New York contributed Sinter Klass and baked deserts. Christmas was a time for charity and for giving gifts to the poor. George Washington and other southern plantation owners were known to host lavish Christmas parties. Southerners of all economic levels celebrated raucous Christmas parties that included firing muskets into the air, banging pots, drinking, feasting, playing games, and generally taking time off from work. Bands of mummers, or folk-singers, dressed in costume, would roam Colonial towns on Christmas Eve caroling, acting in skits, and making revelry. Christmas was proclaimed a federal holiday by an executive order that was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant, June 26, 1870. Since that time, Christmas has been confirmed into law by various acts of Congress and by the States. The legality of Christmas as a federal holiday has never been challenged in any American court. The American tradition has been to observe the religious aspects of Christmas in church or in the home and the secular aspects in various public forms. There should, therefore, be no controversy around the celebration of Christmas. Indeed wishing someone a Merry Christmas should be viewed as American as wishing someone a happy Fourth of July. The general theme of Christmas as it has come to be defined, “Peace on earth, good-will toward men” is a universal theme at ought to be embraced. But what about the undeniable Christian nature of Christmas? Is it appropriate for our secular government to officially recognize what is essentially a religious holiday? The answer, to a degree, is yes. It is an undeniable fact of history that America has been and largely remains a Christian nation. Indeed, by not establishing Christianity as a state religion, and by establishing a system of government and a society that respects religious differences and that considers all citizens to be equal under the law, America is, by its nature, a Christian nation. Christianity, unlike Islam and certain other religions, and unlike the secular political faiths of Nazism and Communism, involves a personal relationship between the believer and Jesus. While historically Christianity has been used from time to time by secular political leaders and movements as a vehicle to obtain and enhance state power, Christianity, per se, rejects this notion. Indeed, Jesus established in his ministry the separation of church and state. Carrying forth the moral and ethical precepts of the Torah, Jesus recognized that rights emanate from the creator and not from the state. It is indeed our Christian heritage that has made us the most successful and prosperous society ever established in human history. It is, therefore, entirely appropriate and fitting that we, as Americans, celebrate Christmas and by doing so honor and reflect upon our Christian heritage.

Introduction: The Astonishing Mysteries of Christianity We’re looking this morning at Philippians 2:12 and 13, and I just couldn’t get it to work in one sermon. So I can’t, I just won’t. And so your outline is only part of what we’re going to say on these two verses. We’re going to, God willing, if God gives us time, look at it again next week. So rest easy as we move through this. And I was hesitant to do it because we have the perfect synergy, the perfect working together here in these two verses, of God and man. And therefore, it’s with some trepidation that I don’t want to do it all at once, but there’s enough of that working together in the first part of the message that I felt that you would understand, that we are called to work out our salvation because it is God who’s at work in us. Now, I think that Christianity, our faith, our wonderful faith, is essentially mysterious. I mean, it’s a great mystery and it’s not just one mystery but it’s one mystery after another. And so it is in Philippians 2 that we leave one great mystery of Christianity, the incarnation of Jesus Christ and go to the next great mystery of Christianity, namely, the sovereignty of God and human responsibility working together on our salvation. And you know something? The fact that my mind cannot fully work these things out is not troubling to me. I accept fully that Jesus is God, the true God, the eternal God, and that he was truly man. He took on truly a human body. And I cannot perfectly work that out, and I just accept it. Now, in accepting that, I don’t stop thinking about it. I think about it a lot, more and more actually, and the more I think, the more insights and the more appreciation I get. But I’m never going to take it all in. I’m never going to comprehend it, if that means to take it totally into my mind so that I’ve got it. No question about it. And neither can I do that with this issue here, the working together of God’s kingly sovereignty and my responsibility. God’s energy, his power, his work and mine, how they work together. And the fact that Christianity is essentially mysterious to me does not make it any less true. Actually, I think, the opposite would be true. If I could kind of figure it all out and say, “Listen, it’s really quite simple. It’s not as complex as you thought. Now, this is what you need to know… ” If I could do that then I would think it would be proof that this book, this Bible, is a human book. It’s not really what it claims to be, namely from the mind of God, because the mind of God’s far higher than mine, his ways are far higher than mine, his thoughts infinitely above mine. And so, it makes sense that there’s going to be one mystery after another. It doesn’t trouble me, but I don’t stop working on it either. And so, as I come to Philippians 2:12 and 13, I just say with the Apostle Paul, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, how unsearchable his judgments and his path beyond tracing out. Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him, and through him, and to him are all things. To him be glory forever and ever! Amen.” and Amen. I. The Deep Mystery of Salvation in Two Parts: Our Work and God’s Now, as we come to this, we’re looking at the mystery of our salvation, our work and God’s. Look again at these two verses, Philippians 2:12 and 13. He says, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” Now, we’ve been saying in the book of Philippians, that there are two infinite journeys. There is that internal journey of holiness, where a sinner is transformed from being rotten, and sinful, and wicked to being just like Jesus Christ. The internal journey of holiness. And then there’s that external journey of worldwide evangelization where lost people are brought into faith in Christ so that there is representation from every tribe, and language, and people, and nation on the face of this earth. Internal journey of holiness, external journey of worldwide evangelization. Now, here in these two verses, the focus is on the internal journey, isn’t it? That we are called to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. II. Questions of Context In the next section of the next message, with the next section, we have some of the external journey. As we’re told, you know, to hold out the word of life in a crooked and depraved generation in which we shine like stars in the universe. We hold out the Gospel; that’s that external journey. So we go from one to the other in Philippians again and again. And they are intimately related but I’m not going to say how this morning, that’s for another message. But here we’re looking very carefully at that internal, that journey of salvation. And having said that, we get right to some corrective doctrine right away, salvation is a journey. There I said it. It’s not heretical to say that salvation is a process, that if you’re here in this room listening to me right now, you’re not done being saved yet. Now, I know you’re thinking, “Okay, he used to be Roman Catholic and he’s thinking of that, the old works thing. Are we going to get the works thing back in here?” No, I did used to be Roman Catholic, but I’m not misunderstanding. I’m just saying that salvation is a journey, and I think it’s because Scripture teaches me that salvation is a journey. Now, we Baptists, we evangelicals, will use this kind of expression, “Are you saved?” or, “When were you saved?” or, “Tell me how you got saved.” Or we might use this expression, “Once saved, always saved.” Now, I don’t reject these slogans as untrue, biblically. They are true, every one of them. We can speak in that language. The Bible does speak of salvation as a past event. We can say, “I was saved when I was 10,” we can say that. But the problem is that it starts to limit our way of thinking about salvation, thinking that it’s just a once for all instantaneous thing and in no way a process, and that is false. And so, we would say something like, “Well, you’re not saved by works. Remember that, you’re not saved by works.” Well, that’s not entirely true, because if that were true, then how could we work out our salvation with fear and trembling? So, I think instead, we need to be a little more careful in talking about salvation. What is it? And theologically, kind of comes at us in three parts. First there’s justification, then there’s sanctification, and then glorification. First, justification. And in this I will say with all my heart in the good Protestant tradition that we are not in any way justified by works, by our works. Oh we’re certainly justified by works, but they’re all Christ’s; he did the work. And so, we are justified by works but by Christ’s work. When it comes to our works, in no way are we justified by our works. Perish the thought, that is the great Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone, apart from works of the law. Your works will never justify you. You cannot stand before God freed from the guilt of sin because of some good thing you do, it’s impossible. And that is instantaneous. At the moment of faith, you are justified, you are declared not guilty. God sees you in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, Amen and Amen. And on judgment day, no matter how much you work out your salvation with fear and trembling, it’s not that righteousness you’re going to be standing before God in; it’s going to be Christ’s perfect righteousness, Amen, because you’re not going to get far enough in your journey. You’re not actually going to get very far at all. I don’t mean to be discouraging to you, but the standard is infinite perfection to be just like Jesus all the time internally and externally, in motive and in action, never leaving anything undone that he would have done, and never doing anything that he would not have done. Perfect conformity of the law of God, how much progress in that you really think you’re going to make? Now, real progress is possible, and real progress is important, and real progress is glorifying, greatly glorifying to God, but you are not in the end going to be standing before God, in sanctification, righteousness, it will still look like a tattered robe in that holy place. Now, you’re going to be standing in justification and that is instantaneous not by works. Are we clear on that? We’re clear, it’s very important. Now, sanctification is a gradual process whereby the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is perfectly ascribed to us, positionally is then little by little, gradually worked out in our actual performance, so that we start to behave differently. We start to think differently. We start to act differently. We are little by little changed, more and more to be like Christ. And it’s an uncertain process. As Chuck Swindoll said, “Three steps forward and two steps back.” Have you ever felt that? And that’s about what it feels like day by day. It’s a partnership where God works and we work, and the verses we’re looking at today and God willing next week are the perfect linked verses to show how the two go together. God works and we work, but it’s a partnership sanctification. And the third, glorification. And this is also an instantaneous transformation by the power of God entirely apart from your works, because you’ll be dead. Entirely apart from your works and your effort where you will be made completely like Jesus, in body, soul, and spirit in every way. Glorification. Now, we are therefore saved by works in the middle section. Our works have no place at all in the first, justification, no place at all in the third, glorification, but we are called here in Philippians 2, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This is sanctification. III. Our Lesser Work: Working Out Salvation Now, here we come to a deep mystery. We come to the relationship between God’s sovereignty and our human responsibility, and we are not finally going to solve it today; we’re not. I can assure you, I can make a lot of promises and one promise is that I will not solve this one today. It’s an ancient debate. It goes back probably further, much further, even than Augustine and Pelagius, but at least we know they debated over it. Martin Luther and Erasmus debated over it. John Calvin and Albert Pighius debated over it. The Dutch Reformed believers, and the Remonstrants debated over it. In the 17th century, George Whitfield and John Wesley debated over it. Jonathan Edwards and many of the ministers in New England who preached the doctrine of free will and Arminianism, they debated over it. Charles Spurgeon and the 19th century British Arminians, they debated over it. And in our era, James White and Norm Geisler, and many others have debated this topic. And we’re not going to solve it perfectly. And the question is, how do we reconcile God’s sovereignty and human responsibility? Charles Spurgeon was asked that very question. How do you reconcile God’s sovereignty and human responsibility? And he answered, “I never tried to reconcile friends.” Isn’t that a beautiful statement? And they are friends because they’re side by side in these two verses, do you see it? They’re just side by side, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” They seem quite friendly to me, side by side, and so in so many other places as well. And so, we’ve got divine sovereign energy, we’ve got diligent human effort in working out salvation here presented as friends and allies. Danger: Pushing to the Extremes Now, we have a danger here, and the danger is in pushing to extremes. We have presented before us the need for diligent human effort in sanctification to make progress as a Christian. And we have also presented before us God’s sovereign energy and effort in that matter. And in church history, some have pushed too far one way or too far the other way. Some have so emphasized God’s activity and sanctification, that they neglected the need for any human effort at all. For example, there are the quietists, Madame Guyon and Bishop Fenelon, the 17th century mystics. They get their name from the need to be quiet, to just quiet yourself before God, to be totally passive in the Christian life. They sought to abandon self in the sea of God. Sounds a little like Hinduism and Buddhism, some of the eastern mystics, to just lose yourself in God, and lose any sense of self whatsoever. And some of the quietists went so far as to say, you shouldn’t even resist any temptation or lust because you might get pulled back into a self awareness. And so, some of them actually went into great immorality in following this quietistic approach, that they were not going to fight, they were going to be essentially passive. Some of the Quakers in seeking the inner light followed that same approach. Perhaps, more familiar to you would be the Victorious Life people, who teach that in an instantaneous transformation, you can lose all your sin and immediately live the victorious and the higher life, and the essence of it is a complete ceasing of struggling and striving in the Christian life. Doesn’t that sound good? Oh God, do it to me today. I would like instantaneously to never struggle with sin ever again the rest of my life. A simple solution? I remember when I was about two years into the Christian life, struggling, wrestling with sin. And I came across, this in 1 John, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God. That if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And we know that if he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him.” Well, being kind of essentially logical and mathematical, I said, “Well point one, God wants me to be pure, and holy, and free from all sin. Point two, all I have to do is ask for what I want according to his will and he will give it to me.” I don’t know why I didn’t see it before! And so, in all reverence, I got down to my knees and said, “God, make me perfect right now. I mean, absolutely perfect, take away all of my sin, in Jesus’ name, amen.” …It didn’t work. I rose up from that prayer about like I knelt down, and more curious to know what went wrong in the mathematics and the calculus of holiness. What went wrong? I was not praying according to God’s will. It was not God’s will instantaneously to make me victorious for the rest of my life. You know why? He wanted to see me work it out. He wanted to see me on 1,000 or 100,000 battlefields by faith conquering lust after lust, temptation after temptation, cowardice after cowardice. He wanted it done, yes, and he was going to give me everything I needed to be victorious in each of those battles; that was his way. Now, you say, but that’s so much suffering, it’s so much struggle. Yes, it’s the very thing the Victorious Life people tell you you don’t need anymore, just be passive, this is what they say. The essence is surrender, have you heard this before? You’ve got to just surrender to God. You’ve got to surrender all things to Christ. “We are to stand,” I’m quoting now, “We are to stand not struggle, the good fight of faith cannot be a struggle, the secret of victory is the indwelling Christ. Christ never struggled with sin,” they say. “So victory is in trusting not in trying. Victory over sin is a gift of God and not a growth.” Did you hear that? It’s an instantaneous gift, it’s not something you grow in. The victorious life is not secured gradually nor by effort and striving on our part. The motto of this is, “Let go and let God.” Have you heard that before? Let go and let God. And the key to the Christian life then is learning just how to let go and let God do it. I read a poem about this, by Jason Ramer: “As children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend, I brought my broken dreams to God because he was my friend. But then, instead of leaving him in peace to work alone, I hung around and tried to help with ways that were my own. At last I snatched them back and cried, “How can you be so slow?” “My child,” he said, “What could I do, you never did let go.” Doesn’t that sound wonderful? It really does, but it doesn’t line up with the text we’re looking at today. Does God teach you to give it to him and let go, so that you stop striving? I don’t think so, you were told to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. He wants you right in the midst of the battle. He has committed the responsibility to you. There are others that so emphasize God’s side. Hyper-Calvinists, who take the idea of God sovereignty so far as to say, “You don’t need to do anything in the Christian life.” Calvin never taught that, reformed people, the Puritans sure never taught that. And then, lazy mainstream evangelicals, who say, “Hey now, I walked the aisle. I remember it distinctly. I prayed the prayer. What do I need to work out my salvation with fear and... What do I need to do that for? Once saved, always saved, my pastor taught me that, I believe it. It’s a Biblical doctrine. So, what do I need to do?” And so, there is overemphasis on that idea, saying that, therefore, we don’t need to do anything in the Christian life. That’s all the one error. IV. God’s Greater Work: God Working In Us But then on the other side, there are some that so emphasize human effort and human striving and human work that they forget that, “…it is God who works in you, to will and to do, according to His good purpose.” That the Scripture actually always gives the emphasis to God’s work first and ours second. And that’s why, when I get to talking about our work and God’s, ours is the lesser work and God’s is the greater work. Among these would be anxious Arminians, who believe that at any moment, you can lose your salvation, so you better keep doing it and God is sitting back watching and seeing what you can do. And he’s not going to lift a finger. He’s done enough through providing the blood of Jesus Christ. The rest is up to your free will. And you better keep working at it, you better keep cranking it out, because if you don’t, you’ll lose your salvation. Some Holiness churches teach this. The Roman Catholic monks and ascetics, totally focused on themselves and their own works and what they could do, and not understanding God’s sovereignty in all of this. Let’s not make either one of these errors. There is deep mystery here. But let’s totally embrace the fact that the Christian life is going to be a hard-working, energetic battle the rest of your life, don’t expect anything else. But that it is “God who’s at work in you at every moment, to will and to act according to His good purpose.” Let’s hold both of them together. Now, let’s dig in and try to understand this in terms of its context. Philippians was a thank you letter. You remember that Paul was in chains for Christ and the Philippian church was concerned and so they sent him some money with Epaphroditus, they sent him some money. Paul, just being an honorable person, just wanted to say, “Thank you”. And so, he wrote a thank you letter. But his thank you letters are just much better than ours, much better than ours. And so, we’re still reading his, two millennia later. Because he’s going well beyond just saying, “Thank you.” He’s concerned that they understand the Christian life. He wants them to understand his struggle and his being in chains, in terms of those two infinite journeys. The internal journey of holiness, the external journey of worldwide evangelization. Because you see, the Philippians were also going through struggles. They were getting persecuted, they were needing to stand up for Christ. And so, he wrote, so that they would have what they needed to stand firm in the day of testing. Also, it turns out that the Philippian church was being rent by divisions and by arguments and conflicts, they were not united. And so, in Chapter 2, he writes saying “Please, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” And then, he gives that beautiful, that soaring example of Jesus Christ, “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant. And He took His servanthood to the utter extreme of death, even death on a cross.” And so, therefore Philippians, “as you have always obeyed,” you see the link there, Jesus obeyed even to death on the cross. Now, “as you also have always obeyed, continue to obey.” To the point where in Verse 14, you “do everything without complaining or arguing.” You see how that works? And so the internal growth of holiness in Christ will enable you to stop arguing with each other. And that will enable you to hold out the word of life to a crooked and depraving generation. V. The Relationship Between Our Work and God’s Work In Us That’s the context of Philippians 2:12-13. He wants them to be blameless. Now, let’s look at our lesser work, our lesser work. We will not finish contemplating God’s greater work. We will do that, God willing, next time. But let’s look at our lesser work. Now first, why do I call our work, “The lesser work?” Well, we know from this verse that we work in salvation, and God works. We work and God works. But what is the relationship between the two? Now, we’ve studied in 1 John, perhaps even this morning some of you looked at 1 John 4:19, which says, “We love because He first loved us.” It puts the priority on God’s love. That means that our love is a flower, like a harvest that comes out of the root and the seed-bed and the nourishing soil of God’s love for us. That’s where it comes. So, we put the priority on God’s love. “We love because He first loved us.” Well, I think Philippians 2:12-13 would then say something like this, “We work because God first worked in us.” Let me say that again, “We work,” in a Christian life, “We work because God first worked in us.” Do you think you’re ever going to get ahead of God? Where he’ll... he’s praying, “I wish I’d thought of that, but I’m so glad he’s doing that.” I can’t imagine that. Could it be that you’re only ever keeping in step with the Holy Spirit. He’s leading out, you’re following? So, if you’re down on your knees praying, if you’re studying the Scriptures, if you’re putting sin to death, it’s because that is exactly what the Holy Spirit is working in you at that moment. And for a change, you’re not hardening your heart. “We work because he first worked in us.” And so, therefore our work is the lesser work. Now, what is the nature of our work? Look again at Verse 12. “Therefore my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue-” Gentle encouragement Now, first of all, I just want to comment pastorally. Do you see how sweet spirited he is toward these folks? Paul just has a sweet spirit toward the Philippians. He calls them his dear friends. He cherishes them. He loves them. And then he encourages them. “As you have always obeyed…” Isn’t that encouraging to hear that from Paul? “Just as I look at your lives, since the first time I knew you. And since the first day that you began as Christians, you have always obeyed.” And so, he’s very sweetly encouraging to them. I think this is a lesson to parents and a lesson to disciplers. Be greatly encouraging to those entrusted to you. Growth happens in an environment of hope and encouragement, not in a harsh negativity of, “Look how poorly you’re doing.” But rather, Paul says, “Look how well you’re doing, but just keep doing it all the more.” He’s very encouraging to them. Now, the focus then here is obedience. I asked what is the nature of our work? The issue is obedience. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” If you just put it together, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, is a matter of growing obedience. “As you have always obeyed,” continue to obey. That is, to work out your salvation. Do you see the logic of it there? So the working out is matter of growth and obedience to Christ. Obedience to Christ is essential for salvation. Now realize the essence of sin is rebellion, transgression against the commands of God. And so, if God is going to save you, he’s going to get you out of that. You’re going to obey. You’re going to submit your life to a King. That’s what salvation is. To stop being a rebel. Christ saves us, by calling us back into his Kingdom. He says in Mark 1:15, “The time has come. The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” What’s the good news? That the King against whom you have rebelled is willing to take you back and to transform you so that you are his loyal subject again. Christ has the right to demand faith filled obedience Now, we’ve looked at this before in Matthew 11, but I can’t get over it. It was read earlier. Matthew 11:28-30. Every chance we get, we should look at it. “But there the King stands before us and says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” And then He says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Do you know what he’s calling you to do? To bend that stiff neck of yours under his yoke and yield to him as your King. The Biblical image is one of yielding to, submitting to a King. So that he is your sovereign, he has the right to rule over you. And he’s a gentle and loving King. This is not a burden. And so, it’s a matter of obedience. It’s a matter of submission to Christ. And therefore, we must constantly seek to obey our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Verse 12, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but now much more in my absence.” Let me tell you something. If you have no desire to obey Jesus Christ, you are not a Christian. If you have no desire to obey the commands of Christ, you’re not a Christian. If you think it a light thing to obey Christ, you have not understood the Gospel. The Philippians showed their faith by immediate and heartfelt obedience, not only to Christ but also to Christ’s messenger, the Apostle Paul. Now, what kind of obedience are we talking about? Well, immediate obedience. Look back at Philippians 1:5. There Paul speaks of their partnership. Do you see this? Philippians 1:5, he thanks God because of “their partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.” Do you see that? Right from the start, these Philippian Christians were obeying Christ and obeying Paul, Christ messenger. They didn’t wait to obey. Now, some people think “Well, I’m ready to accept Jesus as my Savior, but I’m not yet ready to accept him as my Lord.” As though he’s somehow schizophrenic. Some days he’s going to be Savior and some days he’s going to be Lord. Well, that’s not the case. He is Savior and he is Lord. Jesus called people to immediate obedience. “As he was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers. And they were Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew, they were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going a little further, He found James and John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus said, ‘Follow Me.’And at once they left their father and their nets and followed Jesus.” He found Matthew the tax collector the same way. “Come follow me,” And he got up and followed him and he obeyed him. One disciple said, “Lord first let me go and bury my father.” And he said, “Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead.” To the rich young ruler, he said, “If you want to be perfect, sell everything you have and give it to the poor and you’ll have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” He called for immediate complete obedience. And faith filled obedience. “An obedience,” it says in Romans 5, “that comes from faith.” A faith filled obedience. Now, Paul points this out. He says, “As you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence.” They seem to have grown in their obedience. They’re even more obeying Christ now than when he was there before. This is a great sign of a true living faith. When it’s only you and Jesus: Consistent obedience Early in my Christian life, when I was a college student, I had as a job, going around from place to place at the university and inspecting fire extinguishers. It wasn’t a living. I just made money, pocket money, wasn’t very exciting. But I would look and I would sign my name on the little tag. I went back there a few years later and actually saw one of the tags I signed, so it made me feel good. Andy Davis was here, there it was. But I went into this little, kind of room, closet or something like that and went in, turned on the light, closed the door. And then, I turned and there on the wall was a poster. The only purpose of which was to excite lust. I was totally alone, the door was closed and I turned away. This is about six months after I had become a Christian, there was nobody in the room, except me and Jesus and that was enough. There’s an obedience that comes from faith and faith is measured by what you do when it’s only you and Jesus. And so, he says, “Not only in my presence, but now that I’m not even there anymore, you’re obeying more and more.” And why? Because Jesus is still there, the Lord is still there. So it’s a faith filled obedience and it’s a consistent obedience. “As you have always obeyed, even now continue to obey.” What’s this going to lead to? Well, hard work. “Work out your salvation.” The word is related to “energy”. Show energy in your Christian life. Work it out, energy. He’s talking here, as we’ve said, about sanctification. Growth and godliness requires sweat and toil and suffering and hard work. You’re not going to grow without it. I know the victorious higher life people are promising you something, but you’re not going to find it. The Bible doesn’t promise it to you. The Bible promises you battle. But it promises you weapons and defenses that are suitable for the task. Just having a quiet time every day is a battle. Amen. Just getting up early in the morning and having a good time with the Lord is a battle. You’ve got to do it, work out your salvation. Now, what does it mean “with fear and trembling?” Some of you I think studied in 1 John, where it says, “Perfect love drives out fear.” Romans 8 says that, “God did not make us a slave again to fear.” Well, what then is this fear and trembling? Well, it’s not the fear and trembling of a slave at Mount Sinai, thinking that, “If I don’t obey this whole law, I’m going to hell.” No, that’s not what it is. That’s not the fear and trembling here. I think it’s different. Paul uses the same expression in 1 Corinthians 2:3-5, when he talked about his preaching ministry in Corinth. He says, “I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling. My message in my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with the demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.” So, I think what it means is, you work out your salvation with a constant awareness that you can do nothing without Jesus’ help. “I am the vine and you are the branches, apart from Me you can do nothing.” A constant kind of trembling awareness of dependence on Jesus. “Taking heed, you who stand, lest you might fall today into sin.” Fearful of the devil and his temptations, fearful of your own sin and your own habits and patterns, fearful of having to give Christ an account for yet more sin. With fear and trembling, with the sense of the seriousness of this battle, we are going to work out our salvation. Now, that is our lesser work. God willing, next time, we’re going to see God’s greater work in us. VI. Application What kind of application are we going to take from this? First, accept the mystery. You have a responsibility in your Christian life, accept it. Accept responsibility. You must work in your Christian life. And you must work hard. And if you don’t work hard, you will not make great progress in your Christian life. You must do your part, your lesser work. If you want to grow in knowledge of the Bible, you must study. You must memorize. You must meditate. You must work at it. If you want to grow in your prayer life, like Ole Hallesby said, “Prayer is work.” That’s the name of his book. You want to grow, you have to work at it. Is it easy to kneel down and pray for an hour? No, it’s hard, it’s hard work and if you expect it to be easy, you’re going to be greatly disappointed. But if you know that prayer is work and growth in prayer is work, then you will know. That is exactly what I was told and so, I must work at it. Suppose you have bad habits present, like overeating, for example, it’s not going to go away without effort. You must work at it. Yes, you must work it by the power of the Spirit, but you must work to put sin to death. If there are good habits that are absent, for example, personal witnessing, you must be willing to work at it so that you became a better witness. Study, work at it, put yourself under somebody who is a good witness, so that you can learn how to be a witness. Suppose you have bad character traits present, like complaining. It’s not going to go away like the morning mist, “Then one day I never complained again.” Oh, wouldn’t that be sweet? But I don’t think it’s going to happen. As matter of fact, this verse gives me an indication that it is not going to happen. There isn’t going to be, “Then one day I never did such and such again.” It could happen statistically that from that day forth you never did. But it happens through hard work by the power of God working in you. And if you are quietistic and laid back, you will continue to complain. You will continue to be who you’ve always been. And concerning good traits, character traits, that are absent like compassion, you must work at acquiring Christ’s compassion for the suffering and needy. Now, if you don’t make progress, don’t get discouraged. Stealing some from next week’s sermon, “It is God who works in you so that you can work.” You will win in the end, you will be victorious. Just don’t give up. Don’t give up, keep working at it. Because God’s doing the same work in you that you are doing in yourself. So if you don’t see progress, don’t get discouraged. But if you do see progress, don’t get arrogant and start saying, “I have found the secret.” And sure don’t write the book called, “The Victorious Life,” alright, thus discouraging generations of people who haven’t found your secret, whatever it is. Don’t get arrogant. And if you are not a Christian today, don’t work. Don’t work at all. Because all so called good works before justification are actually sins. You just need to humble yourself before the cross of Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior, that his blood will cleanse you from sin.

This episode of CS is titled Awakening.The tide of Pietism that swept portions of Europe in the 17th C, arrived in North America in the 18th. Like the Charismatic Movement of the 1960s, Protestant denominations were split over how to respond to Pietism. Presbyterians were divided between those who insisted on strict adherence to the teachings of the Westminster Confession and those whose emphasis was on having an experience of saving grace. The two sides eventually reunited, but not before the contention became so sharp, it led to a rift. That reached its zenith, or nadir might be a better descriptive, during The Great Awakening.As we saw in our last episode, the Half-Way Covenant of New England allowed people to be members of the Church, without being saved; a formula for disaster. The Half-Way Covenant, along with the assault of the pseudo-intellectualism of the Enlightenment, resulted in a creeping spiritual lethargy among the churches of the English colonies. Jonathan Edwards, who became one of the main luminaries of The Great Awakening, remarked before it began that the spiritual condition of New England was abysmal.The first stirrings of revival began as movements in local churches five to ten years before the Great Awakening. There'd even been some minor revivals in Northampton during the time of Edwards' grandfather, Solomon Stoddard in the 1720s.Theodore Frelinghuysen was a Dutch Reformed pastor who'd come to North America to pastor four churches in New Jersey. Frelinghuysen was what's called a Precisionist, a Dutch version of an English Puritan. Puritanism was exported to Holland by William Ames where it was referred to as Precisionism.Pastor Frelinghuysen discerned a general spiritual malaise in all four of his congregations there in New Jersey; an appalling lack of practical piety. So he decided to embark on a program of reform. He started visiting people in their homes. He enforced church discipline and preached fervent evangelistic sermons. A few opposed these innovations, but he persevered and the churches began to grow with genuine conversions resulting in a warming up of the entire congregation in their fervency for the things of God. It was the first stirrings of revival, which spread to other Dutch Reformed churches. By 1726, Frelinghuysen was recognized as a leader of revival.The Presbyterians of New Jersey saw what was happening among their Dutch neighbors and soon joined the revival under the work of the father and son team, William and Gilbert Tennent.But when it comes to The Great Awakening, the name most closely associated with it is Jonathan Edwards.Edwards is considered by many to be one of the most brilliant minds in American history. He wasn't just a great theologian. He was a top-rank philosopher and scientist. Edwards is sometimes presented as a fiery preacher in the Puritan vein. The popular notion of him is that he was a revivalist-preacher of a mien similar to George Whitefield. His most famous sermon was Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. The title alone gives one the impression of a wild-eyed and crazy-haired pulpit-pounder. But that image is far from what Edwards was really like. He was reserved and tended toward shyness. He was more at home in his study among his books than in a pulpit. Edwards spent ten hours a day studying. His messages were filled with theology and their delivery was not the kind of fire and brimstone preaching many assume. His style was to virtually read his messages. That's not to say his delivery was wooden, but descriptions of it remarked on the lack of gestures or inflection of voice. Flamboyance was nowhere in sight when Edwards spoke. He trusted in the eloquence and logic of his message to persuade, rather than by affecting a dramatic persona. If there was grandeur in his message, it was due to WHAT he said, rather than in HOW he said it.Edwards was a PK; a pastor's kid. His father Timothy was a minister in the town of East Windsor, Connecticut. By the age of thirteen, he'd master Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. He wrote essays on scientific matters and penned one on the behavior of insects that became famous. As a teen, he read and consumed the ideas of Sir Isaac Newton. He graduated from Yale at seventeen.It was during his college years his relationship with God deepened into rich intimacy. All of that grew out of the time he spent studying the nature and character of God.Edwards added two more years of post-graduate studies then took a pastorate at a small church in New York for only a couple of months. That was followed by a stint as a tutor at Yale for another two years. In 1727, he became an assistant pastor to his grandfather, Solomon Stoddard at Northampton, Mass. Also at that time, he married Sarah Pierpont.When Edwards took up his ministry at Northampton in 1727, he found the church to be spiritually dull, even though it had been the scene of earlier stirrings of the Spirit under Stoddard's leadership. When Stoddard died in 1729, Edwards stepped into the role of senior pastor.He decided to address the spiritual apathy of the congregation by preaching a series of five sermons on justification by faith. He rightly diagnosed the real problem at Northampton wasn't laziness or moral sloppiness; it was an absence of good theology. Instead of preaching the need for repentance and obedience, he focused on the glory of God in the Gospel of Christ. Sure enough, a season of renewal came as people recommitted themselves to follow Jesus. The messages weren't calculated to elicit an emotional response, but they did. People responded with a remarkable moral and spiritual change, often with intense emotion.After several months, the movement spread thru out Massachusetts and into Connecticut. After three years it began to diminish. But the memory of revival endured, with many hoping for it to be renewed.In 1737, Edwards decided to pen a chronicle of what had happened over the previous three years. It was titled, A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God in the Conversion of Many Hundreds of Souls in Northampton. That's the title; not the actual text of the whole thing. The Narrative as it's more conveniently referred to, is what established Jonathan Edwards as the main person associated with Revival.In 1739, George Whitefield visited New England. Though Edwards and Whitefield represented different flavors of the Faith, they were both deeply committed to the Preaching of the Gospel. Edwards helped arrange Whitefield's campaign through the area of Boston then on to Northampton where Edwards turned his pulpit over to the great preacher. The winds of renewal that had waned a few years before strengthened once more.Then Edwards was invited to speak at the church in Enfield, Connecticut in 1741. His message was titled, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Reading the text of the sermon today one might assume it was delivered in the ham-fisted, “fire and brimstone” manner of a fanatic. But as we've seen, that was not Edward's style. Nor did he deliver it in the monotone some later reports suggest. He spoke as a man convinced of his topic; urging his listeners to make sure they'd embraced the Grace of God. The sermon paints a terrifying picture of eternal damnation; something Edwards aimed to make clear. Because as historian George Marsden says, Edwards didn't preach anything new to his hearers. They were well acquainted with the Gospel as a remedy for sin. The problem was getting them to seek it.While revival was already building, Edwards' sermon at that church in Enfield was a crystalizing moment in The Great Awakening. If the coals had been getting hot they now burst into flames that spread all over New England and to the other colonies, even across the Atlantic to settle in England and the Continent.As welcome as The Great Awakening might have seemed, some ministers opposed it. Their opposition stemmed from their resistance to the emotionalism that became a mark of the Revival. People wept in repentance then shouted for joy at being saved. Some were so emotionally wrought over the process of their conversion, they fainted. A few who were psychologically fragile exhibited what can only be called bizarre behavior.Such reactions led the enemies of the Great Awakening to accuse its leaders of undermining the solemnity of worship, and of substituting emotion for scholarship. Since it's the tendency to stick labels on movements, supporters of the Awakening were called New Lights, while those who opposed it were called Old Lights.Edwards made clear in his writings that he believed emotion was important. But emotion, including the intense experience of conversion, should never eclipse doctrine and orderly worship.At first, Baptists opposed the Awakening, labeling it frivolous and superficial. But so many of the new converts were inclined to agree with Baptist positions that they ended up becoming Baptists. When the Baptists saw all these new members, their opinion of the Revival changed. Most notable was the conviction among the new converts that baptism ought to be of those who profess faith in Christ, not infants. Entire Congregationalists and Presbyterian congregations became Baptists.The Great Awakening sent Baptists and Methodists to the Western frontier. Settlers continually pushed the Frontier westward. It was Methodist and Baptist missionaries who took up the task of preaching to them and planting frontier churches. So those two groups became the most numerous out West.It's difficult to estimate how many conversions took place during the Great Awakening but gauging by fairly accurate church records taken over that time indicate a conservative number of ten percent of Americans came to Faith. In some communities, it was much higher than that. Keep in mind that was in the midst of a society already considered thoroughly Christian.Besides the obvious spiritual effects of the Great Awakening, it had a notable political impact in the British colonies of North America. It was the first movement to include all thirteen colonies. A new sense of commonality developed in which the emerging unique identity as Americans, as opposed to British, took root alongside the idea that to be an American meant to be a Christian of Protestant stripe.The Great Awakening propelled a wave of missionary activity. David Brainerd, Jonathan Edwards, and others preached to the Indians, and some effort was made to reach blacks with the gospel. Among the colleges birthed at that time were Princeton, Rutgers, Brown, and Dartmouth. Dartmouth trained Indians to serve as missionaries to their own people.Edwards continued in his role as pastor till 1750 when a controversy saw him removed.Edwards believed Communion ought to be given only to those church members who'd demonstrated a genuine conversion experience, as per the Pietistic belief. His grandfather, the previous pastor, had relaxed the traditional Puritan practice and allowed what we'll call ‘unconverted church members' to partake of the Lord's Supper. Stoddard regarded Communion as a “converting experience.” He thought regular attendance at the Lord's Table would be something the Holy Spirit could use to bring conviction and salvation to a needy soul. Edwards disagreed, viewing Communion as open only to those who were converted.By 1750, Edwards had come to this position though at odds with the tradition of the church he pastored. When he tried to implement a change in practice, they released him. Yep, they canned him. It was then that he embarked on his mission of taking the Gospel to the Indians at Stockbridge, Mass. It was while engaged in that work that he wrote his most famous work – Freedom of the Will.I want to share a little story from the life of Jonathan Edwards that may give us some insight into the man. After fourteen years of marriage, in January of 1742, something happened to his wife Sarah. She had an intense religious experience. Some historians think it was a nervous breakdown. Edward was away on a preaching tour. His pulpit was being filled by Samuel Buell who gave a series of sermons with profound impact on Sarah. She was overwhelmed to the point of fainting. Her condition was such that she was unable to take care of her children, who were sent to stay with neighbors till John returned a few weeks later.The town was abuzz with the nature of her condition. Was it some kind of spiritual ecstasy or an emotional breakdown? When John returned, he of course immediately went to her to see what was wrong. She related to him that she'd experienced God's goodness as never before; as she didn't even know was possible. She said the joy and security she now had was so intense it was at times debilitating.John's reaction was interesting. He affirmed she'd had a visitation from God. Keep in mind we're talking here about hard-core, strict Calvinist; not a Pentecostal or even a more mild Charismatic.After a few weeks, Sarah recovered and returned to the normal activities of life. But John said from then on Sarah maintained a peace and joy that transformed her. In writing about the effects of the revival, while Edwards doesn't name his wife, it's clear some of what he chronicled were things he witnessed in his own wife when she was filled with the Holy Spirit in 1742.In 1757, Edwards was appointed president of Princeton, known then as the College of New Jersey. A short time later, he volunteered to be a test subject for a smallpox vaccine. Which instead of inoculating him against the disease, claimed his life in 1758.One of my favorite teachers is J. Edwin Orr. When Orr died in 1987, he was recognized by many as the 20th Century's foremost expert on Revival. He spent his last years living a few miles from where I am now, in CA. My good friend and fellow pastor David Guzik befriended Orr's widow, who passed many of Dr. Orr's books, writings, and recordings on to him for posterity's sake. David has faithfully made that material available online at jedwinorr.com .The eminent New Testament scholar FF Bruce said, “Some men read history, some write it, and others make it. So far as the history of religious revivals is concerned, J. Edwin Orr belongs to all three categories.”Orr tells remarkable stories of the impact of revival on society. The many revivals he chronicles don't merely add a bunch of new church members; they have an astounding impact in moral revolution. Orr shares that during some revivals, because there was no crime, the Police organized singing groups to sing in churches because they had nothing else to do. There were a number of business failures; pubs and other enterprises that thrive on vice folded.One unforeseen effect during the Welsh Revival was that there was a work stoppage in the coal mines of Wales. For years, the mules that pulled the coal carts were used to hearing the miners curse at them. But when so many miners converted during the Revival, they refused to curse anymore and the mules no longer heard the profane commands telling them to move. Work in the mines stalled till the mules were retrained to respond to the now clean speech of the joyous miners.If you're interested in more such interesting stories, I encourage you to head over to jedwinorr.com for more.And I want to also encourage you to check our David Guzik's website at enduringword.com.David is one of the premier Bible expositors online today. His free commentary is used by many thousands of pastors, professors, Bible teachers and students all over the world.Donations of any size to CS are welcome. You can do so at sanctorum.us // Thanks.

The title of this episode is, The Rationalist Option Part 1.I want to give a brief comment at the outset that this episode doesn't track much of church history per se. What we do over the next minutes is take a brief look at the European Enlightenment. We need to because the ideas that came out of the Enlightenment influenced theology and the modern world.The 30 Years War ended in 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia. But decades of bitter conflict left Europe a ravaged land. People were weary of conflict whatever its nature; political, religious, or martial. And though the War was over, the following decades were by no means peaceful. Among other things, they witnessed the English Civil War with its execution of Charles I, and yet more wars between European powers, albeit on a smaller scale. Against this turmoil-laden backdrop, a new spirit was brewing in Europe: one desperate to make a break with the past with its religious tension, dry scholasticism, incessant bickering and the numerous occult fetishes the Renaissance spun off. By the mid-17th C, the seeds of the Enlightenment were well sown.A new breed of thinkers inhabited a Continent quite different from their ancestors. At the dawn of the 16th C Europe was dominated by the resolute Catholic power of Spain. In 1492, Spain both ended the lingering presence of Islam and discovered the New World. Italy, while having little political power, exercised massive cultural influence due to its claim as the birthplace of the Renaissance.Fifty years later, everything had changed. Spain was exhausted by the 30 Years War and political hegemony had moved to France, finally free of the threat of its powerful neighbors, Spain and Germany.  The Netherlands, previously under Spanish rule, won their freedom with the Treaty of Westphalia and almost overnight became the world's leading trade nation. Amsterdam was the exchange capital of the world, and the Dutch merchant fleet was the largest on the planet.The threat once posed by Islam was uprooted. Though Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453, 40 years later saw the Spanish remove the last Muslim strongholds from the Iberian Peninsula.  In 1683, despite being outnumbered five to one, the Polish king Sobieski routed the Ottomans besieging Vienna.Europe was a land of independent nations: of trade and colonialism, and a rising middle-class. Instead of the hegemonies of the past, when a single power, whether emperor or pope, sought to govern the Continent, a new idea arose of a ‘balance of power' between states—and between churches too. The Pope's hand was declawed, even in Catholic countries, by the Treaty of Westphalia, which permitted every state to follow whatever religion it saw fit. Although France, the new dominant force in Europe, was mostly Catholic, it tended not to listen too closely to Rome. The Netherlands were strict Calvinists. It was a world in which the notions of nationhood, human rights, and law were going to play an increasingly important role, and they were going to be rethought along rationalist rather than religious lines.The most vaunted ideal of the Age of Reason was Reason itself: the human capacity, by means of investigation, rather than by relying on external authority, to, in a word = Understand. In the first half of the 17th C, two philosophers, the Englishman Thomas Hobbes and the Frenchman René Descartes pioneered a new way of understanding the world and the mind. Instead of the Neoplatonic world of the Renaissance, dominated by occult forces, where objects exerted mysterious ‘influences' on each other, they sought to understand the world in mechanistic terms. The universe was conceived as a complicated system of levers, pulleys, and bearings. Given enough time and the proper intellectual tools, the cosmos was comprehensible to almost anyone who took the time to study it.At the same time, there was a desire to forget the old divisions of the past and embrace what was common to all humanity. One important movement of the time we'll talk about later was ‘syncretism', which sought to reunite the churches of Europe. A leading figure in this was the Dutch Reformed thinker Hugo Grotius, who contended Christians of all denominations should come together on the basis of their common faith and heritage. Grotius was arrested in The Netherlands and spent some years in prison until he made a daring escape and fled the country.Despite his work as a theologian, Grotius is most remembered as a legal theorist. His On the Law of Peace and War of 1625 was the first major study of the theory of international law. In it, he sought to place binding human laws—transcending national boundaries—on a naturalistic and rational footing. This vein of thought was the result of the application to philosophy and theology of the laissez-faire principles which nations like the Netherlands applied to economics with such remarkable success.It took eighty years of on-and-off warfare before the Netherlands finally achieved its independence from Spain in 1648. The country had already become a great trading nation, and during the 17th C entered a golden age, quickly becoming one of the most powerful nations in Europe. Culture, the arts, and science flourished, with the works of the 17th C Dutch painters quickly becoming classics to rank alongside the best the Italian Renaissance had produced.The Netherlands was (not “were” I looked it up. So, The Netherlands was - the premier bastion of the Reformed faith in Europe. It was there Calvinists who'd suffered persecution elsewhere, emigrated. Dutch theologians defined and refined their faith, a process that led to the Arminian controversy. And while the persecution of Arminians was carried out in the Netherlands, it was nothing compared to what the French and English were dishing out to their religious dissidents. The rule of merchants meant the Netherlands were renowned for tolerance—racial, philosophical, and national. It was to the Netherlands a substantial Jewish community, fleeing the persecutions of Philip II in Spain, had come. Charles II of England sought refuge there after his father's execution. It was there, too, fringy-ish philosophers and theologians like Descartes and his disciple Spinoza, found sanctuary and carried on their work. In providing an environment in which their ideas could develop, free of interference, the wealthy mercantile ruling class of the Netherlands played a key role in the evolution of the Enlightenment in the 17th C.If one person could have claimed to be the most powerful man in the world in the late 17th C, it would have to have been Louis XIV of France. The ‘Sun King' of legend ascended to the throne at the age of four, in 1643. He remained there until his death in 1715. When Cardinal Mazarin, effectively the prime minister, died in 1661, the 23-year-old king decided not to appoint a successor to run the country and did it himself. Whether or not he really uttered the famous words, “I am the State,” under his personal rule, France was established as a leading force for culture and enlightenment. The magnificent palace of Versailles, completed in 1682 after twenty years of construction, symbolized the spirit of the age. It was an era of formalism, geometry, beauty, and intellect. And where France led, Europe followed. Fifty years earlier, scholars spoke Latin. Now, French became the language of scholarship.At the same time, Louis did everything he could to extend France's political power, which he achieved by means of an aggressive foreign policy. The wealth of the Netherlands, so close at hand, tempted him into a series of wars with the Dutch. In 1689, he plunged the world into a conflict that threatened a level of devastation not seen for a half-century. This was the War of the Grand Alliance, during which the fighting covered Europe, Ireland, and North America. Barely had that finished, in 1697, before Louis launched the War of the Spanish Succession of 1701–14, which left his grandson occupying the throne of Spain.The age over which Louis presided was an avowedly Catholic one. His favored slogan was “One faith. One law. One king.” The Catholicism of France at that time was nationalistic, rather than a papal. People were devoted to the Church more because of the ancient roots of Catholicism in France than out of a sense of duty to Rome. This came to be called ‘Gallicanism.' One of its leading proponents in the court of the Sun King was Jacques Bossuet [BOO-sway], the Catholic bishop of Meaux [Muh].Despite the pacific influence of men like Bossuet, Louis XIV's determination to unite his subjects under a single faith became heavily coercive. Of the roughly fifteen million inhabitants of France—the largest population of any European state—about a million were Protestants-Huguenots. Their freedom to worship was guaranteed by the Edict of Nantes of a half-century before Louis, but he saw to it that things were not easy for them. They suffered restrictions on where they could go, what professions they could take up, where they could worship, and what schools they could attend. In 1681, oppression became suppression, when the army was ordered to harass Huguenots until they converted. Four years later, the king revoked the Edict of Nantes.Little wonder, then, that a growing number of French intellectuals began to think religion didn't seem to offer much of a basis for an enlightened modern society. It wouldn't be long before some questioned the point of religion altogether. In the meantime, many were impressed by their Dutch neighbors who'd worked out a far more satisfactory social philosophy of reason and liberalism.England had a harder time than France. Politically, most of the 17th C was something of a disaster, involving civil war, a short-lived republic, the overthrow of two monarchs—a Revolution and the eventual coronation of the Dutch William of Orange as King of England; who was invited to invade by a Parliament desperate to secure a Protestant monarch.As England finally established some political stability, it fostered major intellectual developments that would put the country on a cultural par with France. British thinkers pioneered new ideas about government, politics, ethics, and economics; ideas that aimed to avoid the extremes absolutist monarchs such as Charles I and despots like Cromwell had slipped into. While the nations of the Continent developed an ever-higher reverence for their monarchs, the political and military struggles of 17th C England saw an erosion of the monarchy. The idea took hold that kings rule by consent of the governed, who retain the ability to judge and even remove him if they don't approve of his policies.The process was started by Thomas Hobbes, who sought to create a new political theory that was rational and humanist, without any reliance on religion. In his famous Leviathan of 1651, Hobbes put forward the claim that government is based on natural law, not on divine sanction, and that a government exists only by the will of the people.The appearance of modern ‘liberalism', is associated above all with John Locke, one of the most prominent British intellectuals at the turn of the 18th C. Locke is most famous for his political ideas, and his values of tolerance and liberalism, which would have an enormous impact in both America and France. Like Hobbes before him, Locke was determined to develop a new understanding of how society and its members operate and interact. He was inspired in this by the advances in science over the preceding century—climaxing in the work of Isaac Newton, revered throughout England as a genius, a new Aristotle. If the exercise of cool mathematical reason could produce Newton's Principia, regarded by many as the final word in the study of physics, who could say what it might produce in other spheres as well?Locke's attempts to do this in philosophy, psychology, politics, and religion resulted in his starting the English Enlightenment virtually single-handedly. Locke believed human reason should be the final arbiter of what we believe, in politics, ethics, and religion alike; and he believed the values of tolerance and individual liberty, of education and freedom, would provide the proper environment for the exercise of reason. This was the philosophy of the Enlightenment in a nutshell. Yet despite his enormous prestige at home, Locke's influence was greatest in Continental Europe. French intellectuals were impressed by the commonsense political philosophy coming from across the Channel. Between them, Britain and France were responsible for the most characteristic trends and movements of the Enlightenment.If Hobbes was the Enlightenment's midwife and Locke birthed it, the man who epitomized its values and dreams was François Marie Arouet [Ah-roo-eh]; known by his pen name, Voltaire. He was the dominant cultural force of his day, and the smiling figure he presents in contemporary paintings, with a wicked glint in his eye, conveys the intellectual power, wit, and irreverence that characterized his version of the Enlightenment.Born in 1694 in Paris, Voltaire was educated by the Jesuits and quickly became known for his satirical poetry and biting wit. His penchant for attacking the aristocracy saw him holed up in the Bastille for almost a year. That wasn't enough to teach him what the authorities hope and in 1726, we was sent into exile. He spent three years in England learning the values of liberalism, rationalism, and religious tolerance. On his return to France in 1729, Voltaire set out to enlighten France by extolling the virtues of the British philosophers, above all Locke and Newton. In his Philosophical Letters of 1734, which he called ‘the first bomb against the Old Regime', he compared France's government, science, and philosophy unfavorably to England's. And as might be expected, he was expelled once again from Paris. Voltaire headed for the French countryside, where he immersed himself in the study of the natural sciences. In 1749, at the invitation of Frederick the Great, he moved to Prussia for a few years. He eventually ended up in Switzerland, where he devoted himself to writing plays, essays, novels, and articles. His success was so great, and his influence so enormous, his estate became a place of pilgrimage to writers, philosophers, and the celebrities of the time. So popular was his home he became known as ‘the innkeeper of Europe'. In 1778, in order to direct one of his own plays, Voltaire returned to Paris to enormous acclaim and died shortly after.Voltaire devoted his life and work to the principles of reason and tolerance that he saw exemplified in British philosophy. His slogan was ‘Crush infamy!' and to Voltaire, the most infamous institution in France was the Roman Catholic Church, an organization which in his eyes demanded loyalty from its members, which forced on them a ridiculous and barbarous mythology, and which put down dissenters with the sword. Voltaire was not an irreligious man, and was one of the foremost proponents of ‘deism.' Yet he was notorious as an arch-heretic and enemy of Christianity for the contempt with which he held what he regarded as the superstitious and authoritarian elements of the Faith. Voltaire attacked the doctrines and practices of Christianity as mercilessly as he lampooned the secular rulers of society.There is a story that his local bishop once ordered that under no circumstances was Voltaire to be admitted to Mass. Voltaire, who had no intention of letting a mere bishop exercise authority over him, therefore faked a terminal illness and forced a priest to give him the sacrament, which could not be denied to a man on his deathbed. The moment he had consumed it, Voltaire jumped out of bed and went for a walk. The notion that one could eat God was as blasphemous to him as it was ludicrous, and mockery seemed to him the only appropriate response.At the time of his death, Voltaire had produced some two thousand books and pamphlets. Probably the greatest was his Philosophical Dictionary of 1764, devoted primarily to ethical and religious subjects. The fact that this work was burnt throughout France showed that few in authority had heeded his Treatise on Tolerance of the previous year, in which Voltaire had condemned the atrocities that had been perpetrated throughout history in the name of religion and called for the freedom of each individual to practice whatever religion they chose.Because Voltaire was such a towering figure, his celebrity tends to diminish the many others who shared his views, though with less aplomb. He was no iconoclast, no lone voice in the wilderness. On the contrary, while he may have been the loudest voice, it was accompanied by a chorus of French critics, writers, and philosophers, all of whom extolled reason and human progress and critical of the traditional authorities and mores. The first and most famous of these philosophes, as they were known, was Baron Montesquieu. His Persian Letters, published in 1721, took the form of a series of letters by two fictitious Persians traveling Europe. Montesquieu bitterly satirized the Establishment of his day: the French king, government, society and, above all, the Catholic Church, which Montesquieu hated for much the same reasons as Voltaire. However, Montesquieu's attitude to Christianity softened over the years, and he was much more sympathetic to it in his most famous work, The Spirit of the Laws of 1748, which attempted to set out legal principles.One philosophe who never moderated his views was Baron d'Holbach, another French aristocrat. D'Holbach wasn't only an atheist, which was a much more daring position than the deism of Voltaire; he believed atheism was the only possible basis for a reasonable ethical system. Politically, he opposed all kinds of absolutism, including even the enlightened monarchies of the sort Louis XIV had tried. Here again, we see the influence of British thought. In his System of Nature of 1770, d'Holbach set forth a wholly materialistic and mechanistic understanding of the world. It's hard to imagine a more different figure from Bossuet a century earlier: such was the radical turnaround, from supporting religion to undermining it, that the French Enlightenment had taken.Next on our stop will be the German Enlightenment. But we'll have to leave that for next time.

Jordan talks with Kyle Dieleman about the sabbath in the Dutch Reformed tradition. They cover topics like: What is the sabbath and what are the views generally on offer in Protestant Reformed thought? What did Calvin think and how did he inform the Dutch? How did the Dutch Reformed conceive of the Sabbath? How did they interpret texts like Romans 14:5 that appear to relativize particular days? Did their theological opinions change over time? How does the Dutch view correspond/contrast to English Puritans? And more!Resources:1) The Battle for the Sabbath in the Dutch Reformation: Devotion or Desecration?, Kyle DielemanSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-london-lyceum4672/exclusive-content