Podcasts about reformers

In this episode, cold-case detective and Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace reopens "the Judas file" and asks a blunt question: Was Judas ever truly saved, or was he an unsaved insider from the start? Drawing on a detective's methodology, J. Warner walks verse by verse through every major Judas passage, examines Judass remorse in Matthew 27, and weighs historic voices—from the Church Fathers to the Reformers—before offering a cautious but clear verdict. Along the way, he shows how Judas became a trusted ministry insider, a treasurer, and a preacher, yet still serves as a chilling warning that you can be close to Jesus, busy in ministry, and never actually belong to Him. This episode is designed to help believers, leaders, and skeptics think more carefully about salvation, apostasy, secret sin, and the danger of mere proximity to the truth. If this conversation is helpful, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast—then share it with a friend. Your reviews on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast platforms help more people discover and engage with this content.

Season 2, Episode 126In this episode, Michael and Zach conclude their series on government and their two-part discussion of the PCA's 2026 Ad Interim Committee Report on Christian Nationalism by examining the report's treatment of the historic Reformed tradition, the American revisions to the Westminster Confession, and the proper relationship between Christianity and civil government. The conversation explores the committee's argument that while the original Westminster Confession reflected the establishmentarian views common among the Reformers, American Presbyterians intentionally revised those sections without embracing a secular vision of government. Along the way, Michael and Zach discuss the report's affirmation of Christian political engagement, patriotism, ordered loves (ordo amoris), nations, peoples, and cultural inheritance, while also examining its firm rejection of kinism, race realism, antisemitism, ethnic hierarchy, and coercive state involvement in matters of religion. The episode also considers the report's critique of modern liberalism and its insistence that rejecting the label "Christian Nationalism" does not require embracing a secular or anti-Christian public square. Throughout the discussion, Michael and Zach seek to fairly represent the committee's conclusions while helping listeners think biblically and historically about Christian influence in society, the limits of civil government, and Christ's lordship over every area of life.Find our videocast here: https://youtu.be/FFpScLPs_MwMerch here: https://take-2-podcast.printify.me/Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/reakt-music/deep-stone⁠License code: 2QZOZ2YHZ5UTE7C8Find more Take 2 Theology content at http://www.take2theology.com

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCombatChristian The Early Church Fathers and Reformers, whom so many Christians venerate, were evil antisemites who Satan used to spread the evil of antisemitism for numerous centuries. We must STOP idolizing them.SUPPORT THE MINISTRY AND YOURSELVES WITH TRIVITA: Use my TRIVITA link to get started on your wellness journey: ⁠https://bit.ly/HealthyChristian⁠  ✅Other ways for you to support the ministry:

July 13th, 2026 - We welcome back Mike Koeniger to react to the sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham. Then, we welcome back Mark Lambert to discuss Pope Leo's promotion of Bishop Christian Wurtz. Links, Show Notes & More - https://thestationofthecross.com/act Email Us! ACT@TheStationOfTheCross.com

Plenty of Pilates studios look successful from the outside. The numbers tell a different story. In this episode, Lesley Logan sits down in person with Julian Barnes, co-founder and CEO of the BFS Network, the boutique fitness industry's market intelligence company behind the annual State of the Industry report. Julian brings the data from 500-plus studios across 46 states. Lesley brings the how. Together they break down the five numbers that separate a real business from an expensive hobby, and what it actually takes to keep clients for years instead of weeks. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto: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 https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:The five KPIs that profitable studios track every month.Why referrals still beat social media for new leads.How to structure an intro offer that converts.The objection scripts that turn a maybe into a yes.Why holding clients accountable is what kills churn.Episode References/Links:BFS Network – bfsnetwork.comBFS Pilates Studio Benchmarks Report - BFSreport.com or BFSpilatesreport.comFacebook https://beitpod.com/thebfsnetwork https://www.facebook.com/thebfsnetwork?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfrSubmit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questionsGuest Bio:Julian Barnes is Co-Founder and CEO of the BFS Network, the premier growth accelerator and market intelligence company in the beauty, fitness, and self-care industry. He leads BFS' CEO Network — the premier peer-to-peer leadership network for multi-location, multimillion-dollar operators who are building to scale — and serves as Managing Director of the Global Leadership Council, whose members collectively operate more than 10,000 locations worldwide. He also serves as an Outside Director for a global fitness brand. Barnes created NYU's Institute in Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management and served on the US Tennis Association's Investment Committee, which managed a $200M portfolio. He holds a BA from Tufts and a JD from UNC Chapel Hill.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. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Julian Barnes 0:00  You have to be confident enough, both in your own abilities and that the universe will provide for you the right way. You have to be confident enough to say no to the wrong person, so you keep space open for the right person, as you said, and you have to be confident that the universe is going to bring that right person to you.Lesley Logan 0:24  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 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. Lesley Logan 1:05  All right, Be It babe. This is really for my Pilates studio owners and teachers out there, people who want to open a Pilates studio. We are going to get deep in numbers, and you're hearing me talk a lot about my thoughts about the Pilates industry and how you are going to have a profitable Pilates business. So it's kind of fun. If you've never heard me talk Pilates business, and you want to hear my thoughts, you can. For those of you who are Profitable Pilates members, you're going to hear some of my favorite things to say, and I think you're going to be really impressed with how amazing your studios are doing compared to others. But also, I think it's really important to know what the stats are. What is going on in the Pilates history? It is changing. There are a lot of studios, but are these studios actually as successful as they look? Lesley Logan 1:28  So, I think this report is really fun. If you watch it on YouTube, you're gonna see the visuals of these numbers. If you're like me and need to see them, you can watch it there. We'll also have everything in the show notes and in the blog as well. You guys are awesome. Here is Julian from the BFS Network. Lesley Logan 1:43  All right, loves, this is gonna be fun. You guys get to hear me in my own element, probably a little more behind the scenes of what we do with other businesses, but we have an incredible guest here. We'll talk a lot of numbers, so if you're a visual person, you might want to watch this on our YouTube channel. Julian from the BFS Network, you are here. Hello, tell everyone who you are and what you rock at, because they're going to want to know.Julian Barnes 2:18  Lesley, I am here in your home studio in Las Vegas. This is not Zoom. This is.. I could touch your high five. Here we go. There we go. Awesome. Hello, everyone. My name is Julian Barnes. I am the co-founder and CEO of the BFS Network. I am based in New York City, here in Vegas to hang out with my good friend Lesley and Brad. We are the BFS Network. For today's conversation, the most important thing I'm going to share is we are known as the premier market intelligence company in the boutique fitness industry. We publish the State of the Industry report, which is the annual report, which is the most comprehensive report in our industry. A lot of data, a lot of KPIs, a lot of metrics, all focused on showing what profitable studios do. So I'm here today with Lesley, and I'm going to share some of the numbers, and she's going to tell us how to achieve those numbers.Lesley Logan 3:13  Yeah, I'm excited. Let's go, let's do it. I'm a visual person, so I'm glad you got a visual for us.Julian Barnes 3:18  So the first thing I want to just talk about is who participated in the survey. In addition to the Profitable Pilates community, this survey has been conducted over the last 18 months, 500-plus studios worldwide. Most importantly, it is the overwhelming majority, 89% of the studios that participated in the survey have three or fewer locations, and most of them have one location, individually owned, self-financed, no private equity, no investor. So we're talking about just the regular studio owner who bootstrapped and saved, and maybe borrowed from the bank to open, that's who's in here. There's no Solidcore in here, there's no Barry's, there's no SoulCycle. And if there are some independent Club Pilates franchisees, they're individually owned, they're not big corporate, so that's.Lesley Logan 4:17  Not one of those people who owns 75 or 100 sharing. Yeah, yeah.Julian Barnes 4:21  Exactly. All right, so that's who's in it. Also, there's broad geographical distribution of the survey, meaning 45% of the responses came from cities with a population of half a million or more, 45% came from cities 50,000 to half a million, another 10% are rural areas less than 50,000, 46 out of 50 states, so we have geographic representation, we have market size representation, one, two, and three locations, no PE, no investors, so we're talking about the average mom-and-pop small studio everywhere in this country.Lesley Logan 4:57  Okay, you know I'm gonna want to have dinner where the four states are, so we got a find studio close to. Julian Barnes 5:01  It's like three S's. No, three N's. So it's North Dakota, Nebraska, and I forget the other two.Lesley Logan 5:08  Okay, I have a really great city for you, Nebraska solo owner, really pretty incredible, open for over 20 years. Julian Barnes 5:13  That's what we need. Okay. So that's who we're talking about. The way we're going to rock today is talk about the BFS scorecard, which is six KPIs. I'm going to share with the listeners, all of you, the six KPIs that profitable studios track, and I'm going to tell you what those KPIs are. And then we're going to come back, and I'm going to ask Lesley how and what a studio should do to achieve those KPIs. So, I am the "what" today; Lesley is going to be the "how."Lesley Logan 5:49  Yeah. So, for those of you, this is how it was explained to me, and I think this is a lot of fun for my peeps to listen. He's gonna be that Steve Kornacki at the big board, and I'm gonna come in as Rachel Maddow or Chris Hayes. I mean, obviously I watch a news channel, so there we go. So I'm gonna come in with my opinion and my punditry.Julian Barnes 6:07  You don't have blonde hair, so you're not that other channel.Lesley Logan 6:09  I'm not. Also, these are still my cheeks, my lips, my eyes.Julian Barnes 6:18  All real, keeping it real. Okay, so KPI number one is number of leads per month, and Profitable Pilates studios generally are generating somewhere between 10 to 50 leads per month. The number one response is more than 50 leads, so 30% of the respondents generated more than 50 leads, and then the tie for second was less than 10 leads per month and 10 to 25. Less than 10 was 20%, 10 to 25 is 21%, so that's basically a tie. I don't know for sure, but if I had to guess, the studios that are generating more than 50 leads a month are probably mat Pilates with larger class sizes, and yeah, they need more leads.Lesley Logan 7:09  I think anytime you need more leads, it's probably better having more class-based classes. Yeah.Julian Barnes 7:13  Exactly. And so the studios with less than 10 or 10 to 25 are probably more of the Reformer.Lesley Logan 7:19  Yeah.Julian Barnes 7:19  So number of leads per month is the first metric to track. I'm going to run through these quickly, and then we're going to come back. Okay, so the first KPI is number of leads per month, and the highest response was more than 50 leads per month. 30% of the Profitable Pilates studios that we surveyed generate more than 50 leads per month, and I would imagine that the majority of those are Pilates mat classes, where they have more people in seats and bigger studios, and they need to fill classes. Tied for second was less than 10 leads per month and 10 to 25 leads per month, and that is between 20 and 21% of the people who completed this assessment selected less than 10 and 10 to 25. So number of leads per month is the first KPI that we're going to talk about. Second KPI is the conversion rate, and let's see if I can do this, because I'm not an idiot, is what I told you, right?Lesley Logan 8:19  You're doing great. So there we go.Julian Barnes 8:22  Conversion rate of leads to first-time visitors. I can't wait for Lesley to break this down, but it's one thing for someone to email you, to DM you, to IM you to say, "I'm interested, send me more information about your studio." It's another thing for that person to actually walk in the door, and so conversion rate of lead to first-time visitor, Profitable Pilates studios are converting at more than 30%. 54% of the Profitable Pilates studios are converting at more than 30%. So think about that: for every 10 leads, the best studios are getting three of those 10 emails to walk in the door, right? So, conversion rate of leads to first-time visitors. Now they came, they took a class, they bought the intro offer. The question is, what percentage of those people made a second, bigger purchase? They already purchased the intro offer. I like to think about it like this: you go to a restaurant the first time and you have a nice meal. My question is always, am I going to come back? And especially if you bring a friend with you, maybe it's your favorite restaurant, and you bring a friend with you to your favorite restaurant, and you pay for the dinner. The question for your friend is, did you enjoy your dinner, and did you enjoy your dinner enough that you would come back and pay for it? That second purchase, same thing applies with studios, so they bought the intro offer. Did they come back? And Profitable studios, 55% of Profitable Pilates studios convert to a second, bigger purchase more than 30% of the time. So see how small these numbers get: for every 10 leads, three walk in the door, and of those three that walk in the door, only one is making a next purchase. So Lesley's gonna break that down. She is chomping up the bits, waiting for me. Lesley Logan 10:13  I can't wait. Julian Barnes 10:13  All right, so those are the first three KPIs. Okay, so the last two KPIs we'll talk about are average member lifetime value, which is how long they stay, and so the largest category for Profitable Pilates studios, 28% of Profitable Pilates studios have a lifetime value greater than two years. The good news is, hence the name of Profitable Pilates, that 71% of the Profitable Pilates studios that completed this assessment have an LTV of more than two years, and that's really important. I'll let Lesley weigh in on why that's important, but the number is more than two years. You want to be an LTV more than two years. Julian Barnes 10:56  And finally, the last KPI we're going to talk about today is churn, and churn means how often your members leave and you have to go refill that spot. You can't grow if you're constantly replacing someone in your studio. So Profitable Pilates studios, 43% of profitable Pilates studios minimize churn to less than 5%, but here again, the Profitable Pilates community that Lesley runs, 71% of the people who completed this assessment have a churn less than 5%.Julian Barnes 11:31  So let's recap. The five KPIs are number of leads per month, converting those leads from lead to first visit, converting the first visit to a second purchase, assuming the first visit is an intro offer, second purchase, then how long do they stay, and do you retain them by minimizing churn? Those are the five KPIs. That's what Profitable studios do in the Pilates sector. Lesley, now tell the people.Lesley Logan 12:02  Oh my gosh.Julian Barnes 12:03  Tell the people, Lesley, what they're supposed to do to achieve these numbers. How do they get these number of leads per month?Lesley Logan 12:11  Okay, so here's a really great... I just want to say I'm really proud of the people who filled this out, because my goal has always been for the people we coach for the long term. I'm like, your business should get really boring, like it should get really predictable. My goal is that some of our people need one lead a month because they actually don't have room, and they're actually referring out to other businesses in the area. That obviously is more of a smaller studio that doesn't have large group classes, but that is the absolute goal, because it's better to be entertained in your life, your business should not be so entertaining. Lesley Logan 12:39  So what I would say is, for studios to have a really great conversion, if you don't know how many leads you're getting a month, that's important. You got to start there, and you want to know where they're coming from, because that really does help you understand where you're spending your time marketing. Everyone tries to sell you to the moon and back that you should be on social media. You might not need to be, depends on your community, right? Depends on how many people are there, and depends on how many leads you need. I know that sounds crazy in 2026 that I would tell someone that it's not about social media, but it's not, more and more people are not necessarily trusting what they're seeing on socials because of AI and things like that. So, you really want to have an amazing network of clients who love you, who refer people out, so you're getting strong, solid leads, because those are gonna be the ones that actually come in over just reaching out to see what's going on.Julian Barnes 13:22  You just said something I want to jump on. I didn't mention it, but we also asked studio owners what was their most effective lead gen tactic. You want to guess what that answer is, Lesley?Lesley Logan 13:33  Referral.Julian Barnes 13:34  By far, in every modality.Lesley Logan 13:39  Yes. And here's what people.Julian Barnes 13:40  It's two to one, like it wasn't close. And again, these are profit, not just Pilates, all modalities. The number one lead gen tactic is referrals. So when you said people don't trust what's on the social and socials, what do people trust?Lesley Logan 13:56  They trust their friends.Julian Barnes 13:57  They trust people they know, people who they know, like, and trust.Lesley Logan 14:00  So here's the thing: if you are a new business right now, or you need people right now, if you're spending all of your time marketing yourself through stuff online and buying ads, that's one way to do it. And you will get people. I'm not saying that doesn't work, but you will get more people quicker if you actually tell the people who know, like, and trust you, whether they're clients or not, "Here's what my studio does, here's who we help, here's how we help them. Who do you know?" If you say, "Who do you know?" it opens a loop. You open a loop, people aren't likely to say, "I don't know anyone," because they'd have to think about that. But if you say, "Who do you know?" it opens this loop, and they start being aware of it. And if their friend's like, "Oh, my shoulder hurts," they go, "Oh, I just heard about the studio down the street." People will refer you people, and those are the people who actually come in, more likely than not, than someone who's just cruising the internet and filling out the contact form. Whoever fills out the contact form, honestly, it's whoever gets to them first and doesn't bug them.Julian Barnes 14:49  Let's take the people behind the scenes for a second. Before this call, we were chilling out in your backyard, and is it safe to say that we have some fundamental disagreements about how studios actually operate some things, right?Lesley Logan 15:27  I think that's okay, though.Julian Barnes 15:36  I wanted them to know that the things you and I agree on are the most important fundamental aspects of running a business. The things we disagree on, I say they're on the fringe, they're just a matter of choice. But this, having referrals, know, like, and trust that, it is tested over time.Lesley Logan 15:26  Yeah, I mean, it's so true. And also, it just makes it a lot easier on you if you need clients today. You opened the studio recently, or you hired a new teacher, or you opened some new classes, you need people to fill those seats today, you will always have a faster rate of transitioning them into clients if you're going to your community and the people who trust you, because they will talk about you, they will have a trust transference. If you are waiting for people to fill out your contact form, then it's like, well, they wanted you at 11:00 PM last night while they were watching someone on some TV show doing what they thought was Pilates, so they reached out, but now it's 8:00 AM or 9:00 AM in the morning and they're at work. Then it's like, "Well, I'm too busy this weekend," so you got to get people when they're excited. Lesley Logan 16:07  If you have a 30% conversion rate from the lead into coming in, that's great. I actually don't think that that's a terrible... I think if you have higher than that, you are doing great, but if you have lower than that, that's where I have concern. I feel like 30% feels very fair. Where I want you to really look at is from that, when they come in, if you have a lower than 30% conversion rate, you really do have an issue, because the numbers just get so small, and you're actually just wasting a lot of time. You're working really hard. And so I think this is where you, as an owner, need to look at what your onboarding experience is. How are you setting people up? Are you getting them with the right teacher? Are you the only person who's teaching them? Then it really is on you, what's going on?Lesley Logan 16:47  And this is where I think a lot of people make mistakes, because they try to sell Pilates, or whatever the modality is. People actually don't want to buy process; they want to buy the transformation, they want to buy the passion from you. And so this is where, if you're a studio owner and you're not the one who's doing these intro offers, they're going into a class, or they're going into another teacher's experience. You need someone who's got passion and actually can read the person, because you have to take what their goal is and what you offer and show how they get there. Nobody wants to hear, "Oh, you're going to buy the four-session-a-week package," because that's, no, that's a process. They want to buy in on the belief that you have that you can get them to where they want to go.Julian Barnes 17:24  You just said the magic word, and I don't know if people really heard you or want to go back. You said they want to buy the what, starting with the letter T?Lesley Logan 17:34  Oh, the transformation.Julian Barnes 17:35  Say that again.Lesley Logan 17:36  The transformation. They want the transformation, they want the end result.Julian Barnes 17:38  I like to say that there is no transformation without the transaction. There is no transformation without the transaction. So you have to ask the question, why are you here, and you have to actively listen to what they say, and then be prescriptive in your answer to the question. Okay, so you want X, Y, or Z. Great. Here's how you're going to get that: two times a week, three times a week. You're going to take this class, that class, this class, etc. You're going to give them a prescription, just like a doctor would give you a prescription, and tell them when they ask what does it cost, you reframe it. The investment for you to achieve your desired goal is going to be one of time and money. The time is twice a week or three times a week, and the monthly investment for that is going to be X.Lesley Logan 18:29  I agree so much, because if you can actually get them to understand that this is a tool to the transformation, and they can make that transaction, and you break it down, you can also be honest with them, and this is where trust is really built. Some people are going to come to you with goals that are not in alignment with what you do. If you actually tell them... for example, in Pilates in LA, every single person wants to lose five pounds, and it's like, "Well, here's what we know about science. Science would say, if you want to lose weight, it's a few different factors, and any fitness is part of the journey, but it's not the tool." The actual tool, especially if you're serving women, is: what are your hormones like? What are you eating? And then you can go from there. But if all you do is work out to lose weight, you might lose a couple pounds, you might change the metabolism you've got, but it's actually not going to get you to the goal. Lesley Logan 19:20  And so this is where it's really cool for people, and this is what I coach people on their first-time sessions, is find out what they're there for, and then tell them you can or can't help them. So I would always say, "Here's how Pilates is going to be part of your journey, here's what we can't do, but here's what we can do." First of all, most people are lied to so much, or sold a bunch of smoke and mirrors, that they actually will like that you told them that. They might not buy from you, they might go to someone else, or they might try something else and come back, because they actually believe and trust you. I really do believe in being authentic here. And then when you're teaching the sessions, you need to actually tell them, "Here's why I've chosen this exercise for you, here's why this exercise is going to hit your goals." That's what people don't do, they just keep talking about Pilates this, Pilates that. Pilates is now on every corner, so maybe that worked in the 1990s or might have worked in the early 2000s, but it doesn't work today. You actually have to say, "With my eye, I'm seeing your shoulder is doing this, and you have back pain, and so what I'm seeing is because of this imbalance, you're gonna have back pain until we get this balanced. So, here's these three exercises we're going to do, and they're going to help you with this." You have to actually tell them, take them behind the scenes. I like to say that their first sessions, their intro sessions, are like going to a buffet. They get to see all the different options, and you're going to talk about all the different options, and then you're going to prescribe them, like Julian said, like, "Hey, okay." First of all, I never say, "Did you like that?" You got to just go with confidence. You're like, "Thank you for letting me teach you," because that gives gratitude, it lets them know the session's over, and then you go into, "You said you wanted this. Here's how we're going to get there. Here's the process." Julian Barnes 19:20  Here's the roadmap.Lesley Logan 19:20  Yes. And then if they're like, "Whoa, that's too much for me." If you go through all the investment and all the time, and they're like, "That's more than I can spend right now," you can say, "I understand. We can take a little longer; instead of coming three times a week, we can do two times a week, or we can do this and this," but you have to actually help them find a way. I get it, some people don't work out, so that's not even the money, it's the actual going from zero times at the gym to coming three times. You're asking a lot, so this is where you have to be honest, and this is where I think our industry really needs a little kick in the pants, and a nice one. People that are with me a long time have heard me say this: if you aren't going to hold people accountable to their goals, you're going to become a to-do that they move around all the time.Julian Barnes 21:28  1,000%. And remember, they came to you. You didn't go find them.Lesley Logan 21:34  Yeah.Julian Barnes 21:35  Even if you did, even if you went to the local farmers market, you didn't force them to give you their email. Lesley Logan 21:40  Yeah.Julian Barnes 21:40  They gave you their email. They walked into the door. You have to ask them why they walked in, and you have to actually listen, so you can connect what they said with what you're going to say. You know what you're going to say, you know what your packages are. The question is, can you connect your packages to the goal they told you they want to achieve? It is not about giving permission, you are the person in the position of authority.Lesley Logan 22:09  Well, that's the thing. You just said you are the person in the position of authority, and that's where people don't see themselves.Julian Barnes 22:15  Retain your power.Lesley Logan 22:16  And so when people come to us, I have to constantly remind them that you're so worthy. If you have people who are late canceling and you're not charging them, I promise you, you're losing that client. That's not a client you want, by the way, but it's also you're losing that client because when push comes to shove. Julian Barnes 22:31  They're not committed. Lesley Logan 22:33  Right. When their budget has an issue, when something comes up, they're like, "Oh, I'm going to cancel my Pilates," because they're not actually seeing results, because you didn't hold them accountable to get results. I think this is where people really have to actually remember there is such a thing as you being in relation to them, and there is a camaraderie, but you're also the expert. They came to you, and the only way that they can exchange the energy is to pay you that worth, but you have to hold them accountable so that they get those results. And when you get them the results, that's why you don't have churn, that's why your churn is so low, and that's why you'll have clients for life. And by the way.Julian Barnes 23:05  We're gonna come back to that. Lesley Logan 23:05  Okay I just want to say, I think a lot of people go, "Oh, this person came to me, I hope they like me." You can't be like that if you want a business that actually works and doesn't stress you out at the end of the day. You have to actually have the authority, because you are the expert. They don't know.Julian Barnes 23:21  You have to be a little bit like Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs said you don't ask the customer what they want; you tell the customer what they need. None of us raised our hand and said we want a phone, remember the Blackberries and the Treos, and we want a contact management thing, we want to surf the web. No one said, "I want that." He presented it to us and said, "Here, isn't this cool?"Lesley Logan 23:45  Yeah, right. I think that's where, I understand some people's first-time sessions are in a group class. I would argue that that's a harder way to sell things. I would absolutely say, if you are a class-based studio and you want to have clients for life, you should have some sort of onboarding that allows them to be either on their own or in a very small group of other people who are also on an intro, so that you can actually find out why they're there and actually tell them how these exercises on whatever equipment you're teaching them actually help them reach their goal. Because if you just put them in a class with a bunch of other people, first of all, they get lost, and the experienced people get annoyed if the teacher keeps teaching to the newbie. You're going to lose people; they're going to start going, "I'm not getting challenged here, I'm going to this studio over here." So, I really do believe in an onboarding journey. And, of course, people are going to say, "Oh, this studio over here will let me in." Great, you should go to that studio that doesn't have any worries about you getting hurt and doesn't want your sessions to be personalized. No problem. I understand you want to get started. I actually believe in villainizing a little bit of the thing that you are not doing, so that you can actually tell people, "Here's why you wanted to work with me. Here's why you want to trust me, because I actually care about why you're here, and you're not just a number on my Reformer, you're actually a person whose impact I want. I want you to have the transformation you wanted." But I also think when they're in that first session, whatever it is, a week or a session, I really do think if you don't tell them what you're seeing in their body that's keeping them from the goal they want to have, you are missing out on an opportunity for them to understand how smart you are and how much of an expert you are. If you tell me that you want to have better posture and I'm seeing that your hip is up to one side, you have to tell people, "Oh, I noticed this, no wonder your posture is having problems. So here we're going to do these exercises." I always said this, but I think it's really where people miss out. This is where teachers keep it to themselves and they actually don't tell the client what they're seeing; they just pick exercises, but the person doesn't know why you're picking that. So, you have to peel back the curtain, so that they can see that you're in there with them, you're a partner in this journey, and you're gonna hold them accountable to hitting the goals they want, and then when they hit those, you're gonna set new ones.Julian Barnes 25:40  Right. All right, so let's talk about KPI number three: percentage of new visitors who purchase a membership or a bigger package. So we're talking specifically about people who purchase the intro offer, they finish the one week or the two week or the one month, whatever the intro offer is, they finished that. Did they pull out their credit card and make a second purchase? What should studios do, owners, and instructors do to increase the probability of a yes?Lesley Logan 26:11  I love this question so much. I'm going to take us back a little bit. So I want to go back to the intro offer. You need to pick an intro offer that actually fits the goals you need. If you need a lot of clients, the intro offer needs to be very simple, very easy. I wouldn't even give people two weeks, I think that is crazy nonsense. I also don't like free; I think you have to charge. It's very hard to go from zero to whatever you're charging. So, I would say if you need clients yesterday, you're doing a single-session intro offer with a very much hands-on experience, where someone is told, you find out what they need in an interview style, and then a concierge style at the end about what's going on. That's what you need. If you don't need a ton of clients, then your intro offer can be a little longer, and can actually be a higher need to say yes, meaning instead of doing a private session and the intro offer is $60 for one session, it might be $180 for three. That obviously is going to get rejected more, because it's a bit more. "I don't know if I want to spend $180 on you, I just met you, I don't even know you." But you don't need a lot of people, so you're like, "I only want the best to come through," right? So you really want to make sure you're picking that. Now, obviously, the higher the intro offer's time and money commitment is, the more likely you're actually going to have a second purchase if they do it in a condensed form of time. That's why I disagree with two weeks or one month, I really do, especially for in-person. I think you want to keep things quick, because when that dopamine high is happening, that's when they're more likely to buy. If it's three sessions that they can take over three weeks, good luck, because they only felt the high in the moment when they drove their car home, they actually didn't get the benefits. But if it's three sessions in one week, you're more likely to get that second purchase. You want people to feel the benefits, because let's be really honest: Joe Pilates has a quote that everyone likes to use, but they don't finish the sentence. "In 10 Pilates sessions, you feel different. In 20 sessions, you look different. In 30 sessions, you have a whole new body." But they don't finish it: "If you come three to four times a week, or your money back." That's what Joe said, that's what his ad said. If you're just coming to Pilates once a week, it'd be like trying to study Spanish once a week. I can recognize words, but I'm not going to be able to understand Bad Bunny, that's not happening. I have to do it multiple times a week, and science is there, no matter the modality. Unless you're doing something three or four times a week, you're actually not making a change.Julian Barnes 26:58  Well, that's the key, right? Earlier you said you're here for the transformation. The first step, I would argue, in the transformation is transforming your daily routine. What you just said is people need to adopt a new routine that says, "I'm coming on Tuesday morning, Thursday after work, Saturday morning." I'm committed to that change. See, hear these terms: commitment, investment, transformation. They need to commit. You need to present them with a prescription. You are more likely to be successful if you present a prescription that gives them the opportunity to adopt a new routine from day one.Lesley Logan 28:10  Here's the thing: you will sound more confident when you're talking with them if you're making them rise up to the occasion. It is understanding their intake forms.Julian Barnes 29:12  You're leading them to rise to the occasion.Lesley Logan 29:18  Yes. Here's the thing: are you more likely to come to the person who says, "When do you want to come in?" If you're someone who's listening who says, "When do you want to come in? Do you want to come in next week?" I'm going to tell you right now, your business is a hobby, and eventually the IRS is going to audit you, so that's not going to be good for you. You're not gonna be profitable. If you're telling people, "Hey, you should come, you're gonna come two times a week. I have 10:00 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays, does that work for you?" That is me telling you. You're going, "Hmm, does it work for me?" But you're not, you're more likely to look at your calendar like, "When do I want to come in? Oh, next week actually feels really full. Now I can't come in," right? You want to actually tell people and prescribe people and have the confidence in what you're doing, and this is where I think a lot of people have a lot of fear. "Oh my god, they'll think I'm being rude." No, they won't. They're going to think that you're in control. This is a business. It's a business. Lesley Logan 30:06  And also, I don't want to waste people's money, so you can even say that. Look, here's the deal: if you're only going to come once every other week, this is kind of a waste of money. You shouldn't really do this; you could probably do something at home on YouTube. If you really want the transformation, you have to commit to it, and the commitment looks like this. That's where I would say, whether you do memberships or packages, I don't like unlimited, because that is craziness, you also can't prescribe people the times to come in. "If you want to hit this goal in the next three months, I recommend our three-time-a-week commitment. If that's too much for you, there's a two-time..." You have these things that people can choose, a journey, a path. If you're only gonna have one time a week, here's the deal: you can never miss, and I'm gonna need you to do homework, because the reality is, one time a week, if that's all you can afford time or money-wise, I get that something is better than nothing, but you gotta do something at home. Otherwise, it is a waste of your time and money, and I don't wanna waste your money. And when you talk like that with people, they're like, "Oh, this person really knows what they're talking about." When you ask them, "When do you want to come in?" a broken clock is right two times a day. You're going to get some people, but those are the type-A people who happen to be near you or close to you, and they kind of like you. You're not going to have a business where it's easy to predict how much money you're going to make month after month.Julian Barnes 31:15  Would you say that transformation requires the three C's? You need to change your routine, you need to be consistent about the changes you're making in routine, and you have to be willing to get rid of your comfort zone, get out of your comfort zone. Very little change occurs when you're comfortable.Lesley Logan 31:37  Oh, you know what happens: if you don't change, the world does, and you just actually get further behind. So I do think that... I love all those three C's, and I think that's really helpful for people. Here's the thing, the objections you're going to get are three. There might be some other ones, but these are the three I've heard teaching for a really long time, and I used to run nine studios for a high-end fitness company, so I have heard them all, which are: "I don't have the money." Guess what, everyone says that when they actually don't really want to tell you why they can't do it, or they didn't like it. It's an easier thing. You're not going to go show me your wallet, right? So, "I don't have the money," and "I don't have the time." This is one for people who want change, but they're afraid of leaving their comfort zone. So, this is where you actually have to have a speech ready in hand. "I get that. I'm a very busy person. Here's what we're going to do: we are going to pre-schedule your sessions for the next month, so you can schedule your whole life around it. How about we start two weeks out, because it's a little easier? Two weeks out, it's not overwhelming. We're going to schedule your whole life around it, and because of our cancellation policy, you're going to cancel your friends over this, and you're actually going to get the transformation." Or they have to "think about it." If they have to think about it, there's a couple things going on. You weren't good enough at making sure they understood how what you're doing is going to help them with their transformation. You didn't get an honest goal out of them, or you actually didn't tell them how you're going to get there, so they're kind of in, but they're not sure. Or you have way too many offers. If you have too many offers, "I don't know what to do. If I see we have these packages, and we have these packages, we have this class over here, we have this class over here..." It's too confusing for me, and I have to think about it. You want things to be very easy for people to make a yes. And so, if they have to say, "Oh, I have to talk to my husband," that is also a way of saying, "I don't have the money," or "I'm not sure," because most women have the ability to spend the money on what they want. The first time I ever heard this as a brand new teacher, I said, "No problem. If your husband has any questions, here is my number. Remember, these are the goals we talked about, here's how we're going to get there." And if you want me to chat with him about how this is going to work out, I'm happy to do that. Guess what? He came up to my studio the next day and he said, "My wife can come as much as she wants, whatever she wants, she can come as much as she wants. I just want her to be happy," right? Most of the time it's not the husband; it's that she was not sure if she was worthy of the commitment, and we have to hold space for that. But if you can actually think of the objections you have, and then come up with your responses ahead of time, you're gonna come off more confident when they have those. And then guess what, they can go think about it. Okay, great. "I'm gonna reach out next week, I'm gonna reach out tomorrow, I'm gonna call back on the follow-up. Is that okay with you?" You'd be surprised how many people come in if you follow up.Julian Barnes 34:04  Now, here's one of the areas where we may disagree. I agree with everything you just said. Sometimes it's okay to say, "We may not be for you."Lesley Logan 34:13  Oh, we're not going to disagree on that. I love that.Julian Barnes 34:17  I hear you. The three objections: don't have time, can't afford it, not sure. Okay, I hear you. We may not be the right place for you. We are the place for people who are willing to make a commitment to the transformation they seek. We work with people who are committed. We work with... and then whatever's in your community, you know, describe them. They might be business owners, executives, presidents of corporations, whatever is in your tribe, in your community. We work with the best of the best. If you want to be part of that, we'd love to have you, but I get it, we may not be for you, and that's okay. Lesley Logan 34:56  That's okay. Julian, I love this, because I just coached someone today, and she was talking about, "Oh, they got sick and they couldn't do this, and now they're good there." I said, "You should fire them as clients, they're not good clients." In fact, I would call that dirty money. Every single teacher out there who's taking clients who just come in willy-nilly, that is dirty money. It's actually never going to get you good referrals. There's certainly not gonna be a walking billboard. The best advice I ever got when I first started teaching Pilates, best advice, a teacher took me aside on my first day, and he goes, "Get one client and make them obsessed with you. You focus every energy and everything you have on that one client, and you will have clients for life." And he's not wrong. I was gifted a duet session from a teacher who was moving, and I took that to heart. They're like, "We can't come next week." I'm like, "Oh, well, I'll see you... let's go with an extra one this week. Gotta make it up."Julian Barnes 35:43  Exactly right.Lesley Logan 35:44  And they're like, "What? We don't do two in a week." I'm like, "Well, you're missing next week. I'm not gonna wait two weeks to see you. What change are we gonna have? We gotta do this." They never miss a session. Guess what? Within two weeks, I had two of their friends from their building, right? Because I was like, "If you want to work with me, this is how often you have to do this." And here's the thing: when you tell people, "We might not be for you," one, some people will rise to the occasion because they don't like to be rejected, and two, you're leaving space for someone who's going to actually add to the community and make your business successful. And, by the way, more importantly, you're going to make an impact on them, because it's not fun to teach people who are not committed it's, actually exhausting.Julian Barnes 36:18  I know you believe in karma.Lesley Logan 36:19  I do. Julian Barnes 36:20  Right, as we sit in a room full of crystals everywhere.Lesley Logan 36:24  Some people, I'm wondering when their karma is coming. I'm just gonna say.Julian Barnes 36:28  So you have to be confident enough that the universe will present you what you need when you need it, and that confidence is really tested when you have some financial needs and the wrong client walks in. You have to be confident enough, both in your own abilities and that the universe will provide for you the right way. You have to be confident enough to say no to the wrong person, so you keep space open for the right person, as you said, and you have to be confident that the universe is going to bring that right person to you.Lesley Logan 37:12  Yes. Well, and.Julian Barnes 37:13  But it's not going to always be on your schedule.Lesley Logan 37:15  No. And that... well, that's here's the thing, we've been talking about these different leads, you actually don't get to decide when people are going to finally come in the door. So you have to make sure that whatever you're doing is making sure it's put in front of them and reminded in front of them, and they're reminded again until they're like, "Oh, I'm finally ready." We actually don't get to decide when they come in the door, but once they're there, we absolutely can say, "You're in my house, and in my house, this is how we do things," right? Like my house, you can leave your shoes on, we got a dog, he goes in and out, this is a desert, we're fine, but some people's houses, the shoes go off. I was just at a friend's house who's in the Pilates industry, and he's like, "Yeah, you take your shoes off," and we went upstairs, and he's like, "Oh, there's a deck, put these slippers on," and I'm like, "Oh my god, there's so many rules!" But guess what, it's his house. Those are the rules of participating in his world, and so I would just say it's okay to have these rules. It really helps people understand the boundaries, and it will make for better clients who are more consistent, and guess what, they will go back to the best way to get clients: refer you better clients.Julian Barnes 38:15  Great. So now, how do we keep them? How do you recommend that your clients act in such a way as to increase lifetime value? First of all, what is lifetime value? Second, why is it important? Third, how do you increase it? What is it? Why is it important? How do you increase it?Lesley Logan 38:34  So you can correct me. I'm going to do a simple lifetime value with clients: like if you have clients for two years, how much money do you often make off them? And getting an average of a lifetime value really helps you understand how many clients you really kind of need for your business to predict or project what you want to make. You want to make a million dollars for your studio, and your average lifetime client is X. Then you need 25 of those clients to get there, right? So it really helps you understand the business you're going to have. And our businesses, we have a really amazing lifetime value of a lot of our clients. It's kind of insane for our membership bases that are online, what they are, and so once we know those, it really helps us understand how much money are we going to spend marketing, right? Especially if you're an on-demand business or membership basis.Julian Barnes 39:12  How much you're willing to invest in marketing.Lesley Logan 39:14  Yes.Julian Barnes 39:14  If you know that your member is paying you 100 bucks a month, which is 1,200 bucks a year, and they have an average tenure of two years, then you know that you have about $2,400 for every client.Lesley Logan 39:27  Yeah.Julian Barnes 39:28  So now you back, that's not even that's before profit.Lesley Logan 39:30  Yep. Okay. Yep.Julian Barnes 39:32  Now you back that down and back that out and say, "Well, how much am I willing to invest by an acquisition cost? Am I willing to invest $100 to make $2,400? Sure. Am I willing to invest $2,000 to make $2,400? Not so much."Lesley Logan 39:32  There are people who will do that, and I think they're crazy.Julian Barnes 39:33  So you know that number because you want to know how much you want to invest.Lesley Logan 39:37  Yes, and it's really important, and it really does take time to get that value if you're a brand new studio. This is going to be something. Julian Barnes 40:00  6 to 18 months, minimum. Lesley Logan 40:02  So it's really important. What was the second two questions?Julian Barnes 40:06  That's what it is. How do you keep your members with you for two, three, four years? How?Lesley Logan 40:14  Okay, so first of all, this is going to sound crazy. If your value system doesn't include commitment and consistency, you've already started your business off on the wrong foot for a long-term lifetime value of a client. You have to actually have in your value of your business, "We want committed or consistent clients." What are we going to do? It's part of our value system to make sure that happens. Maybe that comes from communication, maybe that comes from transparency, maybe that comes from responsibility, maybe that comes from community, but you have to decide in your value system how you're going to get there from the get-go. Because everything in your value system dictates how you make decisions on who you hire, what services you offer, what days you're open, all that stuff, right? Second thing is, if you're not making sure your clients are consistent, if you're just letting them cancel and there's no fees, they're not committed. Guess what, they're going to eventually go somewhere else, because no one's making sure they show up.Julian Barnes 41:11  The word there you're looking for, I think, is accountable.Lesley Logan 41:14  Yes.Julian Barnes 41:15  Accountable. You have to hold your clients accountable to the prescription for the transformation that they said they want. You didn't tell them what they wanted; they told you what they wanted. You told them how to get it.Lesley Logan 41:29  Yeah, exactly. So, I think this is where people are afraid they'll lose clients if they uphold a cancellation policy. Nope, you'll lose them because you didn't. Now, you might lose them in the beginning, like, "This is too harsh." Great, this is not the studio for you. That studio on the street is in charge, go there. I don't know if you'll get your goals, but you won't be charged for not showing up here. You said you wanted to do this; I held a space for you, right? It's really important. And you'll say it in your own words, but I promise you, I promise you, I had clients when I was in LA... I taught in LA for 12 years. I was there for 14, taught 12 years in LA, and when COVID hit, I still had more than half of my clients from the first year I started teaching.Julian Barnes 42:08  How? What did you do to maintain that LTV?Lesley Logan 42:12  Aside from my boundaries, if I traveled, there was a teacher coming into their space at their exact same time, so their schedule didn't change just because my schedule changed. I think this is really important: no matter the size of your space, you've got to have backups or a backup policy in place, so that you can get sick, have to travel, or have a baby, and make sure that they're taken care of at the schedule that they committed to, because it's really hard for them to move their schedule, right? Second thing, if you're not reinstating what they're getting from you, you think that they're mind readers, they're not, right? So, you have to remind them how far they've come, how close they are to their goal. "Oh, you've hit this goal, where are we at now?" You also need to actually... they talk so much, they are nonstop, they think you're their therapist. If you're not listening to the things they're saying they're going to go do with their family, "Oh, you're going to go hike such and such volcano in Europe? Okay, we're going to add some exercises in to make sure you can do that. Oh, you want to start running a marathon? Okay, we got to do these things to help keep your hips open, otherwise your back's going to hurt." You need to hear the things that they're saying they want to do with their kids, their family. You have to insert yourself. Julian Barnes 43:15  You have to listen. I'm hearing you say, 'Listen, listen.'Lesley Logan 43:17  And what do most teachers do? This is the thing, I say this, the industry is having an amazing moment right now, but I promise you, right now, because all the teachers are focused on cues, and all the students are focused on how many people are in the class, you are going to see the pendulum swing the other way. Because people are not there for your cues; they're there for the transformation. And if you're not looking with your eyes at what their body is doing, you don't know what cue you need. You have to see what they're doing, and then give them the correction that they need in that moment. And because we have different learning styles and things like that, you can't... I'm sorry, you can't have memorized cues. You have to learn how to be present, and be present to listen to what they're saying when they're leaving. What are they saying? "Oh, you know, my sister's coming to town next week." Guess what I'm saying: "Oh, is your sister coming with you to class? Do we need to reschedule your sessions?" Because if you can start to train them, then they're never missing, they're getting the consistency. But you have to know that their goals are going to change with their life. My clients, 12 years long, I mean, it's amazing what height we got out of them, and they're older. So I think it's really important for people to actually remember that the impact you want to make is there if you listen, and they'll stay because you keep reminding them how Pilates is part of their life.Julian Barnes 44:32  And so churn, to wrap it up, LTV and churn are related. You want your LTV to be high so they stay with you for many years, and you want to reduce your churn, which is the percentage of clients or members who leave your studio. What are some of the best practices that studio owners can implement to minimize churn?Lesley Logan 44:53  So, I think this is where, if your business is based off waitlists and 12-hour things, and hoping people cancel so they will get off the waitlist, you're actually going to have churn. I actually think this is where we have to really think about who we're trying to serve and how we're serving them. And I would really make sure that your clients are able to be part of the journey of the growth of your business. They should be part of it, celebrated, reminded that they're there. They always need to have a name. Every single person, whoever you hire, no matter how big you get, if they are not saying people's first names, and also following up, "Oh, you've been gone for two weeks because of X surgery. How are you doing? Yes, we paused your membership, but..." actually check on them. "Oh, I don't want to bother them." Oh my god, they won't respond if you're bothering them! We have to actually stick around and be in people's lives, and follow up and remind them that they matter and that they're missed. And if you have any teachers who are not remembering people's names and not remembering that they've been gone, you're going to have a churn problem. I think the reason why my businesses have grown, even in coaching people, and that we have people who've been with us since day one, is because we constantly remind everybody who the OG people were. These people are here; they've been with us for the long haul. They remembered us when it was small, but they're being introduced to the new people when it's bigger, and they're feeling that they're part of a community. I think people forget that people, at the base of everything, just want to belong. And if you're not able to look them in the eye and remember their name and introduce them to somebody else, they're going to feel unseen at some point. So I really do think that churn is reduced when you see people as a human being.Julian Barnes 46:27  So, I have a bonus question for you which is, right in your wheelhouse as a veteran instructor, more like a comment for you to reply to, from the very beginning of this conversation, you haven't used this word, but it's my takeaway of what you've been saying: impact. We talk about how people want transformation. Talk about how do you convert from lead to first-time visitor? How do you convert from first-time visitor to second purchase? How do you keep them a long time? How do you minimize churn? To me, the answer is impact, and what we, at BFS, don't focus on front of house, we're not Pilates instructors, but you obviously are. And so what I like to remind people, and I'm going to ask you to elaborate, I like to remind people none of the processes, none of the systems, none of the messaging, none of the stuff matters if you're not delivering fire classes each and every time. Agree, disagree, assess?Lesley Logan 47:29  Oh, I agree. I also think it's really interesting because I come from this as a classical Pilates instructor, but I coach a lot of contemporary-based Pilates. So my fire classes on the Reformer always start with footwork and probably end with the same exercise. So, when you say fire classes, I think it's really important that I say.Julian Barnes 47:47  I want to say impact. The classes have to deliver impact.Lesley Logan 47:50  Yeah, they have to. Well, I'm saying I'm agreeing with you. I'm also saying you don't have to be someone who's recreating the wheel every time, but people have to feel so different than when they walked in the door, because if they feel the same, then they're not coming back. This is a nice hobby that they have, you fit the thing, but as soon as road construction's up or their job goes across town, you're out of it. Here's what I know about being a teacher for so long in LA: people would drive across freeways to stay with the same teacher because of the impact. Why would they do that when there's a studio... it's LA! There are, and by the way, it's LA, like New York, the best Pilates instructors in the world are in these places, and they're going across town. Why? It is because of the impact. And I think this is where people lose their confidence: they see other people doing things and go, "Oh, I should do that, too. Everyone's Reformers are beige now; I should do beige. Everything is this." No. What is it that you said you would give people, and what is it that they want? And if you can stay clear on that and keep understanding what their new wants are, you will have them for life.Julian Barnes 48:59  This goes back to something you said earlier today: take one client and give everything to, say that again, you said?Lesley Logan 49:07  Take one client and you make them obsessed with you, and then you'll have clients for life.Julian Barnes 49:11  Okay, so unpack that, because I think you're talking about how do you make them obsessed. To me, that sounds like you're saying give them 110%, teach the best class every time, you are the best.Lesley Logan 49:38  It goes back to accountability. I'm going to give 110% in every session, but you have to show up for the sessions, and it's a two-way street, I'm not in your body, right? So you got to make sure that they feel like they can trust you to tell you what's going on, but they have to show up

In preparation for the 250th anniversary of America's founding, it would be wise to look back at the ancient thinkers and writers who helped inspire its early leaders. Perhaps the preeminent role model was the Roman statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero. So here in Episode 11 of Season 5, I interview Michael C. Hawley to talk about the political philosophy of Cicero and his influence on the American Republic. Michael Hawley is an assistant professor in the School of Civic Life and Leadership at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. A 2025-2026 Visiting Fellow with the James Madison Program, he wrote the book, Natural Law Republicanism: Cicero's Liberal Legacy (2022). Now, he's working on a new one, Preaching to the Choir: The Rhetoric of Prophets, Reformers, and Demagogues. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on the JMP substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In preparation for the 250th anniversary of America's founding, it would be wise to look back at the ancient thinkers and writers who helped inspire its early leaders. Perhaps the preeminent role model was the Roman statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero. So here in Episode 11 of Season 5, I interview Michael C. Hawley to talk about the political philosophy of Cicero and his influence on the American Republic. Michael Hawley is an assistant professor in the School of Civic Life and Leadership at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. A 2025-2026 Visiting Fellow with the James Madison Program, he wrote the book, Natural Law Republicanism: Cicero's Liberal Legacy (2022). Now, he's working on a new one, Preaching to the Choir: The Rhetoric of Prophets, Reformers, and Demagogues. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on the JMP substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

In preparation for the 250th anniversary of America's founding, it would be wise to look back at the ancient thinkers and writers who helped inspire its early leaders. Perhaps the preeminent role model was the Roman statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero. So here in Episode 11 of Season 5, I interview Michael C. Hawley to talk about the political philosophy of Cicero and his influence on the American Republic. Michael Hawley is an assistant professor in the School of Civic Life and Leadership at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. A 2025-2026 Visiting Fellow with the James Madison Program, he wrote the book, Natural Law Republicanism: Cicero's Liberal Legacy (2022). Now, he's working on a new one, Preaching to the Choir: The Rhetoric of Prophets, Reformers, and Demagogues. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on the JMP substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

In preparation for the 250th anniversary of America's founding, it would be wise to look back at the ancient thinkers and writers who helped inspire its early leaders. Perhaps the preeminent role model was the Roman statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero. So here in Episode 11 of Season 5, I interview Michael C. Hawley to talk about the political philosophy of Cicero and his influence on the American Republic. Michael Hawley is an assistant professor in the School of Civic Life and Leadership at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. A 2025-2026 Visiting Fellow with the James Madison Program, he wrote the book, Natural Law Republicanism: Cicero's Liberal Legacy (2022). Now, he's working on a new one, Preaching to the Choir: The Rhetoric of Prophets, Reformers, and Demagogues. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on the JMP substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

In preparation for the 250th anniversary of America's founding, it would be wise to look back at the ancient thinkers and writers who helped inspire its early leaders. Perhaps the preeminent role model was the Roman statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero. So here in Episode 11 of Season 5, I interview Michael C. Hawley to talk about the political philosophy of Cicero and his influence on the American Republic. Michael Hawley is an assistant professor in the School of Civic Life and Leadership at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. A 2025-2026 Visiting Fellow with the James Madison Program, he wrote the book, Natural Law Republicanism: Cicero's Liberal Legacy (2022). Now, he's working on a new one, Preaching to the Choir: The Rhetoric of Prophets, Reformers, and Demagogues. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on the JMP substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

In preparation for the 250th anniversary of America's founding, it would be wise to look back at the ancient thinkers and writers who helped inspire its early leaders. Perhaps the preeminent role model was the Roman statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero. So here in Episode 11 of Season 5, I interview Michael C. Hawley to talk about the political philosophy of Cicero and his influence on the American Republic. Michael Hawley is an assistant professor in the School of Civic Life and Leadership at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. A 2025-2026 Visiting Fellow with the James Madison Program, he wrote the book, Natural Law Republicanism: Cicero's Liberal Legacy (2022). Now, he's working on a new one, Preaching to the Choir: The Rhetoric of Prophets, Reformers, and Demagogues. Hosted by Ryan Shinkel, Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The transcript for this interview is available on the JMP substack page, “Madison's Footnotes.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many Christians today recognize that all is not well. There are problems in our communities, our culture and even our churches. But what can biblical Christians do in the face of these challenges?Douglas Wilson - pastor, theologian, author, serial ministry founder and cultural commentator - joins the Christian Emergency Alliance to answer these questions and more. He shares his thoughts on the most pressing needs for Christians today, and offers sage advice on how to begin thinking holistically. The ability to think in wholes, not parts, is what allows him to often spot trends before others perceive them.  He opens up about how you can develop your own capacity for worldview thinking, so you can do the same.What does Pastor Wilson think is on the horizon for Christians? How will this affect the type of pressures or persecutions Christians can anticipate? What traps lie on the path for biblical Christians, and how can we avoid falling into them? Listen in to this encore episode of the Christian Emergency Podcast to find out.If you find this material helpful, please share it with your friends and leave us a five star rating wherever you listen to your podcasts. Also, don't forget to subscribe to the show, so you'll never miss out when new episodes drop.To learn more about resources mentioned in this episode, see the following.Blog and Mablog (Blog by Douglas Wilson): https://dougwils.com/Swords and Shovels (Video for New Saint Andrews College): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHz3qXuxy6AFuture Men: Raising Boys to Fight Giants, by Douglas Wilson (Book): https://canonpress.com/products/future-men-raising-boys-to-fight-giants/Rules for Reformers, by Douglas Wilson (Book): https://canonpress.com/products/rules-for-reformers/Canon Press (Christian Publishing House): https://canonpress.com/Association of Classical Christian Schools: https://classicalchristian.org/How Should We Then Live?, by Francis A. Shaeffer (Book): https://www.christianbook.com/should-live-labri-50th-anniversary-edition/francis-schaeffer/9781581345360/pd/345364?event=ESRCNChristian Emergency Alliance: https://www.christianemergency.com/Follow the Christian Emergency Alliance on Twitter: @ChristianEmerg1Follow the Christian Emergency Alliance on Facebook: @ChristianEmergencyThe Christian Emergency Podcast is a production of the Christian Emergency Alliance.Soli Deo Gloria

Season 2, Episode 119In this episode, Michael and Zach continue their series on sin, desire, identity, and holiness by examining the biblical doctrine of concupiscence and the ongoing struggle against indwelling sin. Building on the previous discussion of original sin and fallen human nature, the conversation addresses a difficult question: What should Christians think about sinful desires that seem to arise without conscious choice? Drawing from passages such as James 1, Romans 7, Galatians 5, Hebrews 4, and the Tenth Commandment, the episode explores the distinction between external temptation and inward corruption, the historic debate over whether sinful desire is itself sin, and why the Reformers insisted that disordered desires must be taken seriously as part of humanity's fallenness. Along the way, Michael and Zach discuss the sinlessness of Christ, the doctrine of impeccability, the reality of remaining corruption in the believer, and the Spirit-empowered battle of sanctification. The episode concludes with a message of both honesty and hope: the presence of sinful desire is not proof that grace is absent, but neither is it something to celebrate. Rather, the Christian life is a real war against sin in which God progressively transforms His people through the gospel, His Spirit, and the ordinary means of grace.Find our videocast here: https://youtu.be/M9nVPTdYieUMerch here: https://take-2-podcast.printify.me/Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/reakt-music/deep-stone⁠License code: 2QZOZ2YHZ5UTE7C8Find more Take 2 Theology content at http://www.take2theology.com

Adrian Wooldridge discusses how the 19th-century search for talent was shaped by utilitarianism and liberal reforms. Reformers like John Stuart Mill remained suspicious of the masses, seeking to replace the landed aristocracy with an "aristocracy of talent." This led to the development of psychometrics and standardized IQ testing, exemplified by the 11-plus examination in Britain, designed to allocate educational opportunities based on general mental ability. While intended to remove nepotism, the system faced early criticism for potentially favoring those from wealthy backgrounds who could purchase better education. 31680

Adrian Wooldridge highlights the historical blindness toward women's talent among 19th-century reformers who excluded them from competitive examinations. However, the meritocratic logic of objective measurement eventually provided women with the tools to challenge these exclusions. A pivotal moment occurred when Philippa Fawcettoutperformed the top male mathematicians at Cambridge. The World Wars further eroded these barriers, as the state was forced to utilize all available intellectual talent, including thousands of female codebreakers at Bletchley Park, proving that vast amounts of hidden talent existed within the general population. 41680 CHARLES II

The meeting in Old Slaughter's Coffee House formalised the organisation's structure and objectives. Early activities included bringing prosecutions against individuals accused of mistreating animals, distributing pamphlets, and encouraging more humane standards in markets, transport, and ...

SBC Reformers Just Scored Their Biggest Win in Decades. Here's What It Really Means.   On the heels of the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, Executive Director William Wolfe and attorney Jon Whitehead break down two massive victories for conservative reformers: Willie Rice elected SBC President Al Mohler's Truth & Unity Amendment passes with 74%   In this episode, we unpack: How laymen and first-time messengers helped deliver a “clean sweep” Why Willy's win is the first true reform victory in 35+ years How the SBC abuse narrative was weaponized—and why that era just ended The battle of issues vs. tone and why the “tone police” lost Why Mohler stepped down from the platform to the floor mic—and why it worked What conservatives MUST do before Indianapolis 2027 to secure these gains   If you care about Baptist polity, confessional integrity, and conservative reform inside the SBC, this is your strategy briefing.   Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro: SBC Reformers Win Big in Orlando 1:45 – How the CBL Podcast Mobilized Messengers 4:40 – Laymen Showed Up: Many First-Time SBC Attendees 10:15 – How Did Willy Rice Win? 18:10 – “Reform Candidate Wins for First Time in 35 Years” 23:20 – Weaponized Empathy, False Sex Abuse Narrative vs. SBC Reality 30:05 – Issues vs Tone: Why the “Tone Police” Lost 39:45 – Mohler's Truth & Unity Amendment: Why 74% Said Yes 49:25 – Can Conservative Reformers Win Long-Term? 56:40 – Call to Action: See You in Indianapolis 2027   ––––––   Follow Center for Baptist Leadership across Social Media: X / Twitter – https://twitter.com/BaptistLeaders Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Center-For-Baptist-Leadership/61556762144277/ Rumble – https://rumble.com/c/c-6157089 YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@CenterforBaptistLeadership Website – https://centerforbaptistleadership.org/   To book William for media appearances or speaking engagements, please contact him at media@centerfor­baptistleadership.org.   Follow Us on Twitter: William Wolfe - https://twitter.com/William_E_Wolfe Richard Henry - https://twitter.com/RThenry83   Renew the SBC from within and defend the SBC from those who seek its destruction, donate today: https://centerforbaptistleadership.org/donate/   The Center for Baptist Leadership Podcast is powered by American Reformer, recorded remotely in the United States by William Wolfe, and edited by Jared Cummings.   Subscribe to the Center for Baptist Leadership Podcast: Distribute our RSS Feed – https://centerforbaptistleadership.podbean.com/ Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/center-for-baptist-leadership/id1743074575 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0npXohTYKWYmWLsHkalF9t Amazon Music // Audible – https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ababbdd-6c6b-4ab9-b21a-eed951e1e67b

Witness Weekly | WW001 | Kickoff Episode!0:00 Intro0:15 Mario Andrew – News6:26 Discussion of the Week21:05 James St Simon – Book & Film Recommendations / Review26:28 Michael – Redlines (Philosophy & Politics)30:25 Jeremy Jeremiah – Viewer Comments & Questions“Smells and bells” vs “bare walls” misses the point. We debate beauty, Scripture, continuity, and why people say they met God at the Divine Liturgy.A bishop detained under murky circumstances. A fresh call for Orthodox unity a decade after the Council of Crete. A study that claims part of a papal encyclical reads like it was AI assisted. We kick off the first Witness Weekly by moving fast through the headlines, then slowing down where it matters: what these moments reveal about religious freedom, public pressure on clergy, and the real stakes for Christians trying to live faithfully in a tense political climate.We launch Witness Weekly with Orthodox news, a deep dive on why evangelicals convert to Orthodoxy, and a candid look at how rhetoric and assumptions can flatten real theological differences. We close with Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, a challenge to political fixes for evil, and listener questions on worship music, conversion, and parish life.• Metropolitan Hilarion's detention in Lithuania and why prayer for clergy matters• Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's renewed call for Orthodox unity and what changed since Crete• A study suggesting AI assisted writing in a papal encyclical and where the line might be• Archbishop Elpidophoros' hospitalization and continued prayers for his recovery• Common conversion motives and why “aesthetics only” is an unfair summary• Purgatory as a Roman Catholic doctrine and why Orthodoxy gets mislabeled• Institutional continuity versus doctrinal continuity and how Reformers argued their case• The catechumen process as evidence that conversion is usually slow and deliberate• Book of the week The Brothers Karamazov and why it speaks to believers and skeptics• The problem of evil, the Grand Inquisitor, and the limits of political solutions• Listener comment on worship music, tradition, standards, and Christian art• Advice for Protestants navigating hard conversations when exploring OrthodoxyPlease let us know your thoughts in the commentsFrom there, we take on a question we keep seeing everywhere: why are evangelicals converting to Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy? We challenge the lazy take that people switch churches because they got dazzled by “smells and bells” or seduced by a vague sense of history. We talk about the long, prayerful process most converts go through, the catechumen journey, and the way outsiders often lump Orthodoxy and Catholicism together, especially around doctrines like purgatory. We also dissect the rhetoric behind “continuity” claims, including how Reformers like John Calvin argued they were the true heirs of the ancient Church.We pivot into culture and formation with our book of the week, The Brothers Karamazov, and why Dostoevsky still feels uncomfortably current. We connect the problem of evil, the Grand Inquisitor's political temptation, and the hard truth that there is no ideology that can substitute for personal responsibility and repentance. Finally, we respond to listener comments on worship music, tradition, and standards, and we offer practical advice for Protestants navigating difficult conversations while exploring Orthodoxy. Can worship music be “frozen in time” and still alive? We respond to a tough listener critique, talk standards, lyrics, and the difference between church worship and Christian art. Mario Andrew  ⁨@AndrewStMercy⁩ James St Simon  ⁨@jamessaintsimon⁩ Michael  ⁨@redlineshq⁩  Jeremy Jeremiah Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok.Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

fWotD Episode 3321: Types Riot Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Monday, 8 June 2026, is Types Riot.The Types Riot was the destruction of William Lyon Mackenzie's printing press and movable type by members of the Family Compact on June 8, 1826, in York, Upper Canada (now known as Toronto). The Family Compact was the ruling elite of Upper Canada who appointed themselves to positions of power within the Upper Canadian government. Mackenzie created the Colonial Advocate newspaper and published editorials in the paper that accused the Family Compact of incompetence and profiteering on corrupt practices, offending the rioters. It is not known who planned the riot, although Samuel Jarvis, a government official, later claimed he organized the event. On the evening of June 8, nine to fifteen rioters forced their way into the newspaper offices and destroyed property. During the event, Mackenzie's employees tried to get passersby to help stop the rioters. Bystanders refused to help when they saw government officials such as William Allan and Stephen Heward were watching the spectacle. When the rioters finished destroying the office, they took cases of type with them and threw them into the nearby bay.Mackenzie sued the rioters for the damage to his property and lost business opportunities. The civil trial attracted substantial media attention, with several newspapers denouncing the government officials who failed to stop the riot. A jury awarded Mackenzie £625 to be paid by the defendants, a particularly harsh settlement. He used the event to highlight abuses of the Upper Canada government during his first campaign for election to the Parliament of Upper Canada, for which he was ultimately successful. Reformers viewed Mackenzie as a martyr because of the destruction of his property, and he remained popular for several years. Historians identify the event as a sign of weakening Tory influence in Upper Canada politics.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:41 UTC on Monday, 8 June 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Types Riot on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Nicole.

The Office of the Keys, the power to forgive and retain sins, has been given to the Church. This is why the Church has the right to elect and ordain qualified ministers. When one decides that the Church no longer has this authority, no matter their position, they are outside of the Lord's calling and are not to be followed. The Reformers began to elect and ordain their own ministers to assure that the pure Gospel was preached and souls received a clear conscience in Christ. Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Overland, MO, joins Rev. Brady Finnern to continue our study of the Power and Primacy of the Pope. To learn more about Our Redeemer Lutheran, visit ourredeemerstl.org. Find your copy of the Book of Concord - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org. Study the Lutheran Confession of Faith found in the Book of Concord with lively discussions led by host Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District, and guest LCMS pastors. Join us as these Christ-confessing Concordians read through and discuss our Lutheran doctrine in the Book of Concord in order to gain a deeper understanding of our Lutheran faith and practical application for our vocations. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org.

fWotD Episode 3316: Ancaster incident Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Wednesday, 3 June 2026, is Ancaster incident.The Ancaster incident was an attack on the Upper Canadian government official and politician George Rolph on June 3, 1826, in Ancaster, Upper Canada. Members of the Tory elite, motivated by suspected adultery and dislike of Rolph, dragged Rolph from his home and proceeded to tar and feather him. At the subsequent trials, government officials such as the solicitor general Henry John Boulton and the attorney general refused to prosecute the cases; instead, they recused themselves or acted as counsel for the accused. This led to several proceedings, in which Rolph was represented by his brother John Rolph, to determine which judges and court proceedings would be used for the trials. None of the defendants were criminally prosecuted, and Rolph received a verdict of £20 from two of the defendants; his appeal to increase the amount paid was unsuccessful.Reformers, the political opponents of the Tories, cited the incident as evidence of the Tories engaging in political violence to maintain their power, contributing to the Reformers' victory in the 1828 elections for the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. The Gore county magistrates dismissed Rolph from his position as their clerk, leading to a legislative inquiry into the dismissal and Rolph's reinstatement to the role. John Walpole Willis, a judge in the civil lawsuit's appeal, admonished government officials for not pursuing criminal charges. This incident contributed to the legislative assembly investigating the abuse of power perpetuated by public prosecutors. Historians have cited the incident to highlight the tensions between the ruling elite and the growing agrarian society in Upper Canada, resulting in the Tories using violence in an attempt to retain their political and social influence within the province.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:03 UTC on Wednesday, 3 June 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Ancaster incident on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Niamh.

Segment 1 • Dr. Jason Lisle argues that the strongest case for creation isn't fossils or geology—it's something far more fundamental. • If information always comes from a mind, where did the instructions inside DNA originate? • Carbon-14 findings in diamonds and dinosaur remains continue raising uncomfortable questions for deep-time assumptions. Segment 2 • A secular psychotherapist asks a startling question: What if therapy is actually tearing people apart? • Why does every difficult relationship now seem to involve someone who is "toxic," "narcissistic," or "traumatized"? • Todd examines whether modern therapy culture is helping people heal—or teaching them how to stay offended. Segment 3 • Young evangelicals aren't abandoning religion—they're searching for something they believe is missing. • Incense, liturgy, church history, and ancient traditions are attracting a generation raised on seeker-sensitive Christianity. • Were churches so focused on relevance that they accidentally stripped away transcendence? Segment 4 • The answer isn't copying Rome or importing Eastern Orthodoxy into Protestant churches. • What did the Reformers understand about worship, discipleship, and church life that many churches have forgotten? • From catechesis to church history to reverent worship, Todd outlines what may be needed to rebuild depth before more young people leave. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

In Episode 2 of the series Mary in the Dock: Ordinary or Extraordinary?, host Greg Smith puts the Catholic doctrine of Mary as Mother of God (Theotokos) on trial. Many modern evangelicals recoil at the title, calling it blasphemous or idolatrous and unknowingly echoing the ancient Nestorian heresy that split Christ in two. Greg gives the strongest Protestant objections a full, fair hearing — the lack of an explicit Bible verse, the risk of deifying Mary, and the historical cautions from Calvin — then delivers a robust Catholic defense rooted in Luke 1:43 (“mother of my Lord”), the Council of Ephesus (431 AD), and the affirmations of classical Reformers like Luther (“she is rightly called… the Mother of God”), Zwingli, and the Anglican Articles. Far from Marian excess, the doctrine safeguards the full reality of the Incarnation and the infinite value of Christ's atonement. Listeners serve as the jury in this conversational yet intellectually sharp courtroom discussion that asks the key question: is Mary simply an ordinary woman God used for a moment, or the extraordinary God-bearer the Church has proclaimed for two thousand years? Perfect for curious non-Catholics, Protestant pastors investigating Catholicism, and cradle Catholics deepening their faith. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who's curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

Segment 1 • Why do churches split over doctrine when everyone claims to follow the same Bible? • Todd traces modern church confusion back to a little-known Jewish revolt that changed Christian history forever. • Could the loss of a “plain sense” reading of Scripture be why Christians can't agree on basic truths anymore? Segment 2 • The Bar Kokhba revolt didn't just crush Jerusalem — Todd argues it reshaped the entire trajectory of biblical interpretation. • Jewish Christians were squeezed out from both sides, leaving Gentile leadership to redefine how Scripture was read. • What happens when “hidden meanings” become more important than what the Bible actually says? Segment 3 • Todd explains how allegorical interpretation opened the door to wildly different doctrines and endless theological confusion. • Did replacement theology grow out of bad hermeneutics instead of sound biblical interpretation? • Early church leaders began treating the “literal” meaning of Scripture as inferior — and the consequences still linger today. Segment 4 • The Reformers fought to recover a grammatical-historical reading of Scripture after centuries of allegorical dominance. • Todd compares ancient allegorical methods to modern deconstruction: “It's not what the text says — it's what it doesn't say.” • If your church doesn't share the same hermeneutic, are division and doctrinal chaos inevitable? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

Are you building with conviction and clarity or are you running on pride, impatience, and ego?   In this episode, we break down one of the most important distinctions in business and leadership: the difference between a Reformer and a Rebel. The side you're operating from will determine whether you build something lasting or blow it up.   3 Key Takeaways Meekness is not weakness. Reformers are submitted, coachable, and spirit-led. Rebels resist correction the moment it challenges their ego. Your fuel source is revealed under pressure, not in the highlight reel. Check what's actually driving your conviction and calling, or pride and proving people wrong. If you can't be examined, you can't be trusted with what you're trying to build. Reformers invite scrutiny. Rebels deflect it. Make sure your notepad is ready. This one hits differently. Keep taking action, pursuing personal excellence, and impacting lives!   In This Episode, We Discuss: The Reformer vs. The Rebel Two types of leaders. Two very different outcomes. Nehemiah was called to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem; he faced opposition, ridicule, and threats, and never reacted in anger. He kept building. King Saul was given a kingdom and lost it through pride, impatience, and self-will. Same pressure. Completely different response. Which one are you? The Reformer: Meek, spirit-led, purposeful, and submitted. The Rebel: Arrogant, self-willed, flesh-driven, prideful, stubborn, and impatient. Reformation is not about tearing down it's about restoration, repentance, renewal, and alignment. In business, it means aligning your work with your calling, your values, and a vision bigger than yourself.   5 Keys To Becoming a Reformer In Business Key #1  Know Your Sphere (Don't Fight Outside Your Lane) Nehemiah didn't try to reform everything he was called to one wall, one city. Rebels scatter their energy fighting battles they were never assigned to. When you work on your actual assignment, you become unstoppable.   Key #2  Meekness Is Not Weakness (Submit Before You Lead) Meekness is strength under control. Reformers are submitted to God, to mentors, to a process. Rebels are coachable until the coach challenges their ego. In business, are you building under authority or building around it?   Key #3  Check Your Fuel Source (What's Driving You?) Both reformers and rebels work hard. The difference is why. Rebel fuel is anger at the system, pride in proving people wrong, and impatience with the pace. Reformer fuel is conviction, calling, and the people they're serving.   Key #4  Patience Is a Strategy (The Long Game Wins) King Saul couldn't wait; he moved before he was supposed to and it cost him everything. Nehemiah faced 52 days of opposition and ridicule. He didn't quit. He didn't retaliate. He built. Rebels mistake urgency for anointing. Just because you feel it strongly doesn't mean it's time.   Key #5  Reformers Invite Scrutiny, Rebels Deflect It Nehemiah was transparent to the king, to the people, to God. Rebels hide from accountability, feedback, and the full picture. Do you have real financial accountability? A coach, a mastermind, a mentor who sees your actual numbers and decisions?   Follow Us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisandericmartinez/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Dynamicduotraining Website: https://www.liveadynamiclifestyle.com/     Attention Nutrition & Fitness Coaches: "Join our Free Dynamic Fit Pros Community Skool Group Where we help you Discover, Develop, & Deploy your skills, gifts, and greatness to help others."  See HERE   Attention Nutrition & Fitness Coaches: "Enrollment is Open for our Accelerator Mentorship to build a 6-Figure Online Fitness Coaching Business"  See HERE     See the full Show Notes to this episode here: https://www.liveadynamiclifestyle.com/podcast/the-reformer-vs-the-rebel-the-nehemiah-standard-for-business/  

Is a conservative reform wave about to flip the Southern Baptist Convention? In this episode of the Center for Baptist Leadership Podcast, William Wolfe sits down with pastor and writer Michael Clary to unpack his now-famous “taxonomy” of SBC factions—Platform, Loyalists, Reformers, Normies, and Absentees—and why Orlando 2026 could be a make-or-break moment.   They dive into: Why the reformers are actually winning (ERLC, Brent Leatherwood, and beyond) The battle over women pastors and the Truth & Unity Amendment led by Dr. Al Mohler Why Willie Rice may be the SBC president reformers have been praying for How normies and absentees can decide the future of the SBC in Orlando and Indianapolis   If you care about Baptist identity, institutional reform, biblical complementarianism, and the future of the SBC, this is your pre-Orlando briefing.  

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and a little Aramaic. But if we have so many good English translations today, do the original languages still matter?In this episode, we argue that Greek and Hebrew are not just academic extras for pastors and theologians. They are deeply connected to the health of the church, the clarity of Scripture, and the preservation of sound doctrine.We'll look at why the Reformers cared so much about the biblical languages, especially Martin Luther and John Calvin. We'll also consider what happens when churches, pastors, seminaries, and Christians begin to downplay the importance of returning to the original text of Scripture.Even if you never personally learn Greek or Hebrew, this episode explains why you should still care whether your pastors and teachers value them.Article mentioned: The Reformers and the Original Languages (https://petergoeman.com/papers/reformers_and_original_languages.pdf)Timestamps0:00 — Introduction3:22 — When Christians downplay the biblical languages5:15 — The dumbing down of theological education6:27 — Biblical languages as a barometer of church health8:20 — Before the Reformation: Latin and the average churchgoer9:47 — Wycliffe and the groundwork for reform11:27 — Luther, Bible translation, and the languages24:20 — Luther's warning about neglecting the languages27:29 — Modern examples of being swayed by attractive false teaching29:44 — Calvin and the importance of literal interpretation34:02 — Calvin's Geneva Academy and language training40:38 — Why English alone can sometimes limit interpretation42:27 — Do modern translations and commentaries make languages unnecessary?47:49 — Three problems when teachers lack biblical language tools52:34 — Machen and Princeton Seminary56:33 — Three benefits of studying biblical languages1:04:32 — Final appeal: be strong advocates for the biblical languagesIf you have found the podcast helpful, consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠leaving a review on Itunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rating it on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also find ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bible Sojourner on Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Consider passing any episodes you have found helpful to a friend.Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠petergoeman.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information on the podcast or blog.Visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shepherds.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more on Shepherds Theological Seminary where Dr. Goeman teaches.

Did Latter-day Saints get the Protestant Reformation wrong? In this eye-opening episode of Ward Radio, Luke Hansen from Doctrine & Governance joins Cardon Ellis to challenge common LDS narratives about Martin Luther and the Reformers.Using a detailed doctrinal comparison chart, they explore surprising alignments between LDS theology and Catholicism — and major disagreements with Evangelical Protestantism — on topics like the Godhead, priesthood authority, one true church, faith & works, and more.Is the Reformation a "massive leap for mankind" or a continuation of the Great Apostasy? Should we celebrate Reformation Day? This is must-watch for anyone interested in church history, apologetics, and deeper gospel understanding.Featuring humor, charts, and thought-provoking discussion as always.#WardRadio #LatterDaySaints #Reformation #MartinLuther #LDS #Catholic #Protestant #GreatApostasy #BookOfMormon #Christianity #ChurchHistoryVideo Chapters:

I ran into a former promising local politician yesterday, and he's as disillusioned as I am.Where is the Rams money?How is the former St. Louis Mayor a star scholar?Who is going to come through for the tornado victims??

Church discipline is one of the most neglected—and misunderstood—teachings in modern Christianity. But what if avoiding it is actually harming the church? In this episode of Take Heart, Cory Wing walks through the biblical case for church discipline and why it has always been considered essential to a healthy church. Drawing from Scripture and the Reformers, this teaching revisits the three historic marks of a true church—and the one many churches quietly ignore. You’ll see how church discipline is not about control or punishment, but about love, restoration, and faithfulness to Christ. This episode covers: • What church discipline actually is (and isn’t) • Why so many churches avoid it today • The three marks of a true church • How discipline protects both the sinner and the church Key passages: Matthew 16 & 18 Acts 5 (Ananias and Sapphira) 1 Corinthians 5 Revelation 2–3 If you’ve struggled with this topic—or seen it misused—this episode brings clarity rooted in Scripture and hope grounded in the gospel.

Church discipline is one of the most neglected—and misunderstood—teachings in modern Christianity. But what if avoiding it is actually harming the church?In this episode of Take Heart, Cory Wing walks through the biblical case for church discipline and why it has always been considered essential to a healthy church. Drawing from Scripture and the Reformers, this teaching revisits the three historic marks of a true church—and the one many churches quietly ignore. You'll see how church discipline is not about control or punishment, but about love, restoration, and faithfulness to Christ.This episode covers:• What church discipline actually is (and isn't)• Why so many churches avoid it today• The three marks of a true church• How discipline protects both the sinner and the churchKey passages: Matthew 16 & 18 Acts 5 (Ananias and Sapphira) 1 Corinthians 5 Revelation 2–3If you've struggled with this topic—or seen it misused—this episode brings clarity rooted in Scripture and hope grounded in the gospel.Watch all of our videos and subscribe to our channel for the latest content >HereHere

Church discipline is one of the most neglected—and misunderstood—teachings in modern Christianity. But what if avoiding it is actually harming the church? In this episode of Take Heart, Cory Wing walks through the biblical case for church discipline and why it has always been considered essential to a healthy church. Drawing from Scripture and the Reformers, this teaching revisits the three historic marks of a true church—and the one many churches quietly ignore. You’ll see how church discipline is not about control or punishment, but about love, restoration, and faithfulness to Christ. This episode covers: • What church discipline actually is (and isn’t) • Why so many churches avoid it today • The three marks of a true church • How discipline protects both the sinner and the church Key passages: Matthew 16 & 18 Acts 5 (Ananias and Sapphira) 1 Corinthians 5 Revelation 2–3 If you’ve struggled with this topic—or seen it misused—this episode brings clarity rooted in Scripture and hope grounded in the gospel.

Preorder McCune's Systematic Theology of Biblical Christianity here. What's the difference between justification and sanctification — and why does it matter? In this episode of Theologically Driven, host Phil Cecil sits down with Dr. Mark Snoeberger of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary to unpack two of the most important doctrines in Christian theology and explore how different traditions relate them to one another.Dr. Snoeberger begins by carefully defining each term. Justification is the one-time, legal declaration that a sinner is righteous before God, grounded in the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ and received by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Sanctification, by contrast, is the experiential process of being made holy — typically described in three phases: definitive (or initial) sanctification at conversion, progressive sanctification throughout the Christian life, and final sanctification or glorification.From there, the conversation turns to the central question: how are justification and sanctification related? Dr. Snoeberger lays out three major positions:The Roman Catholic view, which absorbs sanctification into justification through an ongoing process of infused grace, sacraments, merit, and a final justification at the end of life.The Holiness/Keswick view, which divorces the two by inserting a "second work of grace."The Reformation view, which treats them as parallel, simultaneous benefits flowing from the believer's union with Christ.This episode focuses on a thorough examination of the Roman Catholic position — including baptismal regeneration, the role of the sacraments, venial and mortal sins, purgatory, and why the Reformers' insistence on sola fide (faith alone) was such a watershed moment. Dr. Snoeberger also explains the "hopeful and causal relationship" Catholic theology draws between sanctification and final justification, and why this framework leaves believers without assurance.Whether you're a pastor, student, or curious listener, this episode offers a clear, accessible introduction to a doctrine at the heart of the gospel and the Protestant Reformation.Topics covered:Definitions of justification and sanctificationImputed vs. infused righteousnessDefinitive, progressive, and final sanctificationUnion with Christ and the duplex beneficiumRoman Catholic soteriology, sacraments, and purgatoryVenial and mortal sinsWhy Luther opposed the sale of indulgencesTheologically Driven is a podcast of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. Learn more at dbts.edu.

In this episode, Dave and Autumn discuss Protestant identity, tracing its roots in the Reformation and the call to be a church “always reforming” in light of Scripture. They examine core convictions like sola scriptura and sola fide, the rejection of institutional exclusivism, and the Reformers' vision for “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church” shaped by both truth and mission.Resources mentioned in this episode:What It Means To Be Protestant by Gavin OrtlundThe Missionary Movement in Christian History by Andrew Walls

Lee Christoffels was ordained in the Christian Reformed Church in 1970. He has been preaching ever since — in Worthington, Minnesota, where his congregation has held services in four languages and watched the community around it change week by week; in Edgerton, where he now serves part-time in retirement; and in pulpits across the region whenever someone needs a preacher on a Sunday morning. Fifty-two years in, he still loves it. This episode is a conversation with a man who has seen everything the CRC has been through since the 1970s and has something clear to say about what holds. Lee traces the drift that has shaped the denomination's current crisis back to a single question: what is Scripture, and does it have final authority? That question surfaced seriously in the 70s, when debates over biblical infallibility began to fracture the clarity the CRC had inherited. From there, Lee argues, the line runs directly through the battles over women in office in the 90s to the tensions surrounding Synod 2022. The problems were never sudden. They were the slow consequence of decisions made decades earlier, each one loosening the anchor a little further. The conversation turns on one of the most misused phrases in contemporary church life: semper reformanda — always reforming. Lee insists the historic qualifier was never optional. Always reforming according to the word of God. Reformation is not evolution. It is not the church adjusting to its cultural moment. It is the church being called back — daily, personally, institutionally — to what Scripture actually says and what the church of the ages has always confessed. As Jason points out, the original Reformers did not see themselves as innovators. They quoted Augustine and Irenaeus and said: we are standing where the church has always stood. It was Rome that moved. That same logic applies now. The episode ends where every episode ends: this is Christ's church and he bought it with his blood. Wolves will come. Keep a close watch on your life and on your doctrine. Preach the word in season and out of season. Lee Christoffels has been doing exactly that for 52 years. It is worth hearing from someone who has stayed the course that long. Timestamps: 0:00 — Intro 2:08 — Lee's background: 52 years in ministry, Worthington CRC, family 4:20 — Multi-cultural ministry: 30 languages, four-language worship services 6:33 — Joys of ministry: seeing people grow in faith over decades 8:29 — The case for long pastorates; Piper, Begg, and leavening a congregation 11:48 — The CRC in the 1970s: Scripture authority questioned, infallibility debates 14:11 — Women in office and the fractures of the 90s; confessional subscription 16:01 — Two competing visions of what "reformed" means post-Synod 2022 17:20 — Semper reformanda: what "always reforming" has always meant 19:11 — Willy: the dividing line between the two groups 19:47 — Confessional unity as the CRC's real strength; Edmund Clowney 21:29 — "Doctrine unites": pushing back on a progressive slogan 21:54 — The Reformation's claim: "they left, we stayed" 23:26 — The only way to be reformed is to be Catholic (small c) 24:29 — Reform vs. evolution: prone to wander, always called back 25:44 — John 3: something in every believer's heart still hates the light 27:08 — Scripture authority as the primary issue facing the church today 28:48 — The Catechism and the fullness of Scripture 29:01 — The unity of Old and New Testaments; the case for Old Testament preaching 31:47 — Catherine Vos's Child Story Bible as a model of redemptive-historical discipleship 34:27 — Expositional preaching and where authority lives in the pulpit Join and support us on Substack: https://themessyreformation.com/ Intro music by Matt Krotzer

Most professing Christians today hold to Arminian views, often assuming the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism is merely a secondary issue or a sort of "family squabble." But is it much more serious than that? In this episode of The Conquering Truth, we explore why the Reformers saw the doctrines of Arminianism not just as a mistake, but as a fundamental rejection of the biblical Gospel.When Martin Luther debated Erasmus, the core issue wasn't the corruption of the papacy—it was the nature of God's election and the bondage of the will. Does God choose man, or does man choose God? We dive into the outline of Arminianism to show how it changes the very nature of God, turning the Creator into a "slave" to man's choices and stripping Him of His glory.We also want to be very clear that this does not mean that everyone who has been taught or who holds to some form of Arminian doctrine is an unsaved heretic. But it does not help anyone to treat these doctrinal differences as if they are minor. There are wolves in and among the church who use these heresies to divide the church and to weaken the gospel. While our desire should always be unity, it should always be unity through truth, with the expectation that the spirit of Truth will guide those whom He indwells. Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson

Resurrections After Death (1) (audio) David Eells, 4/19/26   Faith That Resurrects B. A. - 10/20/2012 Mat.10:1 And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give. I dreamed I was in bed, sleeping, when, in my sleep, I sensed a presence in my bedroom. I opened my eyes, and an angel of the Lord was standing at the foot of my bed with his arm stretched out toward me. I immediately reached out my arm, and the angel took my hand, and we were immediately outside my house. In what seemed like just a few seconds, we were outside a farmhouse in the woods. As I was taking in my surroundings, the angel lifted me up, and we went through the outside wall of the house, into a couple's bedroom as they were sleeping. Shortly upon the entrance into their bedroom, the wife awoke and reached over to give her husband a kiss on the forehead, like she did every morning. As her lips touched his forehead, she felt the icy coldness of his lifeless body. Without fear or alarm, she calmly got out of bed, reached over on the nightstand, and took up her Bible. Php.4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. She went over to her husband's side of the bed and took his hand in hers. I thought to myself, how could she take hold of his hand if his body had already grown cold? Wouldn't rigor mortis have already set in? The Lord showed me that she wasn't walking by sight but by faith; she knew her husband wasn't dead, but only sleeping. Luk.8:52 And all were weeping, and bewailing her: but he said, Weep not; for she is not dead, but sleepeth. Mar.11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God (have God's faith). 23 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. 24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. So with her Bible in hand (trusting and believing in the promises of the Word of God), she knelt down beside the bed and began to pray. I watched as she read scripture after scripture; she would only stop reading scripture when she stopped to sing, worship, and praise the Lord. Psa.118:1 Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. 2 Let Israel now say, That his lovingkindness endureth for ever. 17 I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of Jehovah. 18 Jehovah hath chastened me sore; But he hath not given me over unto death. 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will enter into them, I will give thanks unto Jehovah. Psa.150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness. 6 Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah. Then, the angel of the Lord opened a window down at my feet, and I was able to see the wife's husband standing in what appeared to be Hell. He was crying out for the Lord to forgive him for putting off surrendering his life to the Lord, as he was a healthy man and believed he had more time. Pro.14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death. Isa.55:6 Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near ... Amo.5:6 Seek Jehovah, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el. Deu.4:29 But from thence ye shall seek Jehovah thy God, and thou shalt find him, when thou searchest after him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. Isa.45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else. One day, while passing by their bedroom door, he overheard his wife praying, “There's not much time left, Lord, for us to get things right with You, Lord. Help us, Lord, to walk in Your ways; draw us closer to You, Lord”. Jas.4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. “I know, Lord, that You have saved my husband and have brought him into Your kingdom to be a mighty warrior in Your army. Thank you, Lord, for Your goodness and mercy and Your grace”. Act.16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. Gen.18:19 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. As the husband stood in Hell, he recalled the words of that prayer his wife had prayed for him, interceding on his behalf. He cried out with such sorrow and pain as he realized he had put off his salvation. I watched as he put his hands over his face and sobbed uncontrollably. It was heartbreaking watching the husband in such anguish and agony, as he believed he had missed the Lord and Hell was his lot. Luk.13:28 There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth without. Suddenly, the window to Hell closed, and I was again watching the wife praying for her husband at his bedside. His wife then stood back up on her feet and commanded her husband to get up in the name of the Lord. Joh.11:43 And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. (Could it be that Jesus was commanding the spirits of death to loose Lazarus because death no longer had a hold on him? Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.) Act.9:40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up. I looked at the husband's fingers and toes, which began to move, and his eyes opened. He rolled over and sat up on the bed for a moment, then he stood on his feet in front of his wife. 1Jn.5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk. His wife had a broad smile on her face, as she looked lovingly into her much ALIVE husband's eyes. He reached out and took her small hand into his, and they both knelt down together as he, right then and there, gave his heart to the Lord.   Apostates Resurrected from Death M. L. - 10/11/2013 (David's notes in red) I dreamed of a woman (Bride) who gave birth to stillborn twin sons. (Israel and Judah representing non-Spirit-filled and Spirit-filled Christianity who are dead in their sins and bondage to their beastly flesh.) I did not see her face, nor did I see her pregnant. She had given birth at home. Her husband was not with her (in Heaven), nor was anyone else in the room. She wrapped her babies tightly in identical white blankets and took the upper corner and covered each of their faces. A nice soft blanket would be expected to be used, but these blankets were made of a coarse texture (Tribulation). And a plan was forming in her mind. This woman showed no sorrow, nor any kind of emotion. She was going through her days as if guided by her plan. She would anticipate when each would need to be fed, changed, etc. So she acted out the part only for the benefit of others. (Walking by faith for the resurrection of true Israel. The tares will not be resurrected.) Her husband saw her attending them from time to time and was relieved she could do this without his help. She'd make up excuses whenever anyone wanted to see them, or she would not be available herself. One day, she took them for a walk in the old-style baby buggy; the kind that had the top that could be brought up or folded down. Needless to say, the top was up and both babies had their faces covered, laying side by side. (Acting her faith for the resurrection of these baby bodies of fallen Christians. Men would point out that these babies are dead but someone in faith would not have their faith on their sin but see them as alive and righteous.) That way, neighbors would see that she was “out and about”. However, when anyone came out to take a peek, she would always say, “Not now; they are sleeping”. (As Jesus said of Lazarus, by faith, He was not dead but just slept.) She kept up the act for some time until she noticed the baby on the right. There was a yellow stain on the blanket at the forehead area, almost the size of her hand. Now people would know that something was wrong with the one baby and become too curious. (In these days, Judah, representing Spirit-filled Christianity, is showing the corruption more than ever before. They are more guilty than their brother because they have experienced and seen the power and gifts of the Spirit.) There was no odor of death with either baby. (To the world, they are not dead because they would stink, but the world stinks too, so they cannot discern the difference.) What should she do? Then I woke up, and I asked some questions: Who is this woman? (She represents the Bride, for the babies are her children to raise. Psa.45:9 Kings' daughters are among thy honorable women: At thy right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir... 13 The king's daughter within [the palace] is all glorious: Her clothing is inwrought with gold. 14 She shall be led unto the king in broidered work: The virgins her companions that follow her Shall be brought unto thee. 15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be led: They shall enter into the king's palace. 16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, Whom thou shalt make princes in all the earth.) Why didn't she show any emotion? (The Shunammite woman whose son died told her husband, “It is well” by faith, and so Elisha, the Man-child, resurrected him in 2 Kings 4:17-37.) Where was her husband? (With this faith her true husband is In Heaven, He will use the Bride as He did Esther to save the chosen ones of apostate Israel from the Beast, Haman.) Couldn't people see that, with all her excuses, that something was off? (No, because these babies are just like the world: persecution is against the Christ-like.) Why wasn't she honest? (Meaning: why did she hide their death from the worldly? Speaking faith before the worldly Christian is like casting pearls before swine; they will turn and rend you for it, as Jesus said.) I asked for a verse from the Lord. Taking markers out of my Bible, I closed it tightly. I really wanted to know. With eyes closed and opening up to where my finger was on the page, I read the following verse: Eze.37:8 ... but there was no breath in them. (A perfect answer. This text spoke of the valley of dry bones. Of ALL Israel, meaning Ephraim and Judah, who were dead in their sins, but were then resurrected in the following verses of Ezekiel 37, when the Man-child called forth the breath of the Spirit into them. 9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Come from the four winds, O breath (same Hebrew word for spirit), and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off (repentance). 12 Therefore prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have opened your graves, and caused you to come up out of your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I will place you in your own land: and ye shall know that I, Jehovah, have spoken it and performed it, saith Jehovah. (We know this is for a large cross-section of apostates who are dead in their sins and as we just saw sometimes physically dead. This text continues below in M.L.'s original writing.) Then continuing verses 15 through 23: 15 The word of the Lord came again to me saying, 16 And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write on it, 'For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions'; then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions'. 17 Then join them for yourself one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. (Jesus said we would be one flock with one Shepherd, and Ezekiel 34 confirms this will be with Jesus in and through the David Man-child company.) 34:11 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country ... 23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24 And I, Jehovah, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them; I, Jehovah, have spoken it. 25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. Back to our text in chapter 37:18 When the sons of your people speak to you saying, 'Will you not declare to us what you mean by these?' 19 say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will put them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand. 20 The sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. 21 Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; (The apostates are scattered among the world and in bondage to the Beast but all of the elect among them will be resurrected to stand on their land of promise. The two main divisions in the Church is the Spirit filled and the non-Spirit filled. Now notice:) 22 and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms. (This happens when Jesus comes in the Man-child through the fruit of the Word and anointing of God to lead them through the wilderness Tribulation to know God. At the beginning of the wilderness the Israelites were baptized in the water and the cloud, which is Spirit baptism. This will happen with the true Church.) 23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God. (What an awesome end-time promise that has never been fulfilled to the larger body.)   Davids Must Die for Man-children to Come  Eve Brast - 09/08/2008 (David's notes in red) I had a quick dream about David coming to 100-fold maturity. I was in a large building that housed UBM. It had a school with two kindergarten classes and a playground behind it at the back, and two radio station control rooms with sound equipment and control panels in them. One was in the hall that led from the school to the front lobby, and the other was enclosed in glass with a glass door in the front lobby -- both on the right from the school to the front. There were also glass windows all across the front of the entrance. It was sunset outside. I started out in the back of one kindergarten class, learning how to teach the children all the UBM materials from the kindergarten teacher who was in charge of that class. The next moment, I was teaching the kindergarten class next door on my own. Then, in the next moment, I was working the sound booth in the radio station that was located on the right side of the hallway that led up to the front lobby. (This speaks of the maturing of the Bride and her responsibilities for the rest of the church, as the Book of Esther shows. Eve, who had this dream, was the wife of Adam and represents the wife of the last Adam, Jesus.) The next moment, I was standing in the lobby with my husband, and we were looking through the glass booth at Bob Aicardi, who was running the front radio station sound booth. Bob was announcing to all the listening audience that David Eells had a very important announcement to make. (I am being used here as a type of the David man-child ministries to come.) We were all waiting to hear what David had to tell us. He wasn't there in person; he came on over a speakerphone. I was shocked when I heard his voice! He sounded like he was Howard Pittman. (A type is fulfilled here because Howard is a man who went to heaven through death and returned to share heaven's message with God's people.) His voice sounded like he was in his 90s! I knew in my spirit that he was in his 90s. He sounded so old and feeble, like he could die at any time! He made an attempt three times to announce that he was retiring, but every time he got to the word “retiring,” he would choke up and couldn't complete the sentence! (The old man David is retiring to pass the kingdom on to Soloman.) Then, after the third attempt, Bob helped him to finish his announcement with a little chuckle. He was very joyful and happy for David. (Bob could be a type of the out-resurrection) I thought it was strange that David waited to retire until he was almost 100 years old!  I was sad and couldn't figure out why Bob was happy, other than the fact that David had passed the mantle of the ministry over to him. (Bob/Robert means bright fame.) But then I realized that this was David's OLD MAN! He was finally almost dead!  Then I was very excited and happy for him too. Then I woke up. (The David ministry was followed by the Soloman man-child ministry, meaning peaceful, which we are about to see. PTL! More of the cause for joy and passing on of the mantle is below.) As David was the spiritual father of God's people, so was Abraham. Just as above, Abraham was “almost 100 years old” too when he was promised that the fruit of the Man-child would be born unto him in Gen.17:17: “Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old?” Abraham's flesh was cut off at 99, and he no longer sowed the flesh because he was circumcised in 17:24: “And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin”. Then at 100 years old he had the promised man-child in 21:5: “And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him”. Isaac, the promised seed, was the man-child through whom all the true seed of God's people would be born, just like Jesus the Man-child was and the end-time Man-child will be. As Eve said, this “100” could represent the old man being 100% dead, which would mean the new man would take over. “As the outer man is decaying, the inner man is being renewed” (2Co.4:16). The new man was Soloman. This is a work that only the anointing of God can do. Abram, meaning “high father”, had to die and have a name change, meaning a nature change, to become Abraham, meaning the “father of a multitude” through his Man-child born unto him. Gen.17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee. 6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. Notice the Man-child and all of his spiritual seed, to whom is “passed the mantle of the ministry” of David, will possess all of the Promised Land of this life, meaning they will stand on and receive all of the promises that Joel said would be restored in the latter rain. In Hosea 6:3 Jesus comes as the latter rain to empower His people. Notice also that the covenant will finally be fulfilled in and through them, meaning that they will have been crucified with Christ and no longer live, but Christ will live in them as Paul taught us to confess in Galatians 2:20. This is a cause for great joy in all “wise men”, for Jesus is going to be birthed through the woman of Revelation 12 in a corporate Man-child body of the spiritual seed of David, to minister to His people. Mat.2:10 And when they saw the star, they (the Wise Men) rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. No doubt the gifts enabled Jesus and his mother to flee the beast, Herod, and dwell in the wilderness of Egypt, just as gifts were given to Moses and the mother church when going into the wilderness. Also, worship will only go to the one who gives the anointing, who is Jesus. True shepherds like Bob above will have great joy first because the mantle of Jesus through the Man-child will be passed on to them in a repetition of His-story, just as Jesus passed it on through the disciples. Luk.2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9 And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: 11 for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this [is] the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased. Abraham and Sarah, the bride, laughed at hearing of the birth of the Man-child and they called him Isaac, meaning laughter. The first-fruits Man-child company will have no claim to fame, for this will come to pass through grace.   Pray for the Coming of Jesus in the Man-child V. W. - 4/3/23 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was in the UBM house with some others. The house was beautiful and clear of clutter. The floors were all polished and shining. There was a lot of room because everything we needed was against the walls. (This means all we need will be within our walls, which represent sanctification.) This was also a multi-story house, and I knew we were working on doing something with the teachings, but it was different from what it is now. (Getting the Word out by many methods, including supernaturally, as the angels have told us and done.) Matthew (meaning Gift of God) and I were standing in a small room with white walls (meaning sanctification), when David came in through the door. (I believe David represents the Man-Child reformers.) The three of us were standing together, with David in the middle. David said he felt weak. 2Co.12:10 Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.) (Weakness precedes death to self, and this precedes the resurrection life of Jesus.) And then David started to fall, so Matthew and I helped lay him down on the rug. Matthew lowered David's feet, and I lowered his head onto the rug. Matthew went to get help, and I thought David was dying or was already dead, and I thought to myself, “This can't be happening.” (Death to self must come before resurrection power.) I knelt by David, took his hand, and prayed something like, “Lord, let David live.” (The Lord wants us to pray this now. Lord, bring your resurrection life in the Man-child Davids.) I remember praying fervently, “Lord, there is much You promised David. (I asked the Lord for a word about a promise to David and received by faith at random “feet” in Rom 10:15 and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!) (The Gospel will go out in a much stronger way like it came out of Jesus.) I also prayed, “Lord, there is much You said You would do through him, and You are not a liar.” When I said, “Lord, You are not a liar,” David became conscious, leaned on his left side, and put his right hand around me and agreed with my prayer and said, “Yes, Amen.” Then he jumped up and was gone, and I thought he went to the next room to show the nurses who were dressed in white that he was alive and well. (Resurrection life is in Solomon, the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, in the Man-child. He will be shown to be superior to those who seek to heal in the natural.) Then, at least a day went by, and I did not know where David was. I was sitting on a metal bench outside, in a courtyard of a college campus. (The Man-child went to the school of higher education, as in Gabe's dream, where he saw the Man-child go to college. The Lord is giving us Bible colleges for the Man-childs to teach in beside their evangelistic tours.) Everything seemed new as I looked to my left and saw a lady with long blond hair, who knew David and was a believer. She was standing against a gray building and holding some books. (I think the lady represents believers who are submitted to the light of Christ and dying to self, but lack understanding. Gray represents not white and not black. It is time to go on to white. She represents those who come to get our books to grow in the Lord. Many immature or new believers in the Middle East and Africa and elsewhere are reading our books.) I wanted to tell her what happened to David and how God raised him up. I knew she would be happy as I was. Just then, a man dressed in a black robe (Judges of others) with yellow religious symbols (Feigning to be Christian) and wearing a black hat (Representing being submitted to darkness), walked past and in between us very quickly. (The faction has tried to separate us from those who need our teachings, but the Man-child David's will scatter them as the Edomites.) So, then I went to her and joyfully told her about God raising up David. (The wicked will not be able to stop those who want truth from finding their reformation through the Man-child Davids empowered by Jesus as the latter rain.) Then some of us from UBM were standing in a small room, and I saw David. He looked like a different man, and about Matthew's age, but I recognized him. (He is about the age of Jesus when He started His ministry.) I told him he looked better now, and he laughed. (This will be the beginning of the restoration from the curse in Joe 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first month. 24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. 25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you. (These represent the curse on God's crop.) Act 3:21 (Jesus) whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all (Things is not numeric), whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old. After I woke up, I asked the Lord for a word in line with this dream and received by faith at random Acts 2:36 on “him both Lord and Christ”. (In context vs. 29-36). Act 2:29 Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. (The spiritual death of the Man-child Davids will bring many more like him. Joh.12:24-25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it dies, it beareth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.) Act.2:30 Being therefore a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne; (David sowed a seed that brought forth many like him to dominion over the enemy. This represents the Man-child caught up to the throne in Rev.12:4 And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered, he may devour her child. 5 And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne. This throne represents dominion over the powers of darkness, the curse, and the people of God. The reason this text looks like Jesus is because it is, walking in the spiritual sons of David as He did.) 31 he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. (The resurrection of Christ in us will be seen in the Man-child Davids and then in many disciples.) 32 This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses. (Jesus came in the body of a son of David. This will be repeated in our day on a corporate body scale.) 33 Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear. (This was the former rain, but represents the far greater latter rain in a much larger body. Hosea 6:1-3 shows that Jesus “will come to us as the latter rain” and on the morning of the third thousand-year day from him, where we are now. Hos.6:1-3 Come and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. 3 And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.) Back to: 34 For David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, (Jesus said in Rev.3:21 He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. This is the throne of dominion authority.) Back to: 35 Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. (Jesus, in the Man-child and in all of us will bring dominion over our enemies. Rev.2:26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations.) Back to: 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified. (This foreshadows Jesus manifested in the Man-child reformer body through death and resurrection. Php.3:10-15: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death; 11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. (Notice that we are to lay hold of the resurrection life of Jesus, which is being called, perfect.) 13 Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before. (This is why you must see Jesus in the mirror now by faith.) 14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you: (He will show you how to walk this life of faith.) The most vivid part of this dream was when I prayed for David, and I think it is what the Lord is emphasizing. (Amen! We have been content to wait for God's perfect timing, but He's saying NOW we are to pray in the Man-child ministry. So, we say, “Come Lord Jesus!!”) This dream below speaks of the resurrection of the Man-child Reformers after the completion of death to self.   Christ Triumphs in Resurrection I. P. - 3/26/23 (David's notes in red) In this dream, I was in the spirit, witnessing a field that did not have a lot of grass. It was a mixture of dirt and grass. As I stood gazing at the field, I noticed a casket sitting in the center. The casket was the focal point, and there was no grass growing around the casket. (No grass means no flesh left.) (The grass represents the flesh according to 1Pe.1:24 For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth. The dirt is what man's flesh is made from.) As I continued to stare at the casket, I realized it was Jesus Who was in this casket. Instantly, it dawned on me that I was witnessing the resurrection of Jesus after His death and burial in a modern-day burial procedure. As I was watching intently, suddenly, a brilliant light began to form and illuminate from inside the casket. Then the casket could not contain the brilliant illumination of light, and it was overtaken by this orb of pure white light. (Joh.1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.) This light was outstanding and began to reverberate as if it were a heartbeat, pulsating. I knew this brilliant orb was Jesus. (Jesus is the heart of God manifested in flesh.) (I don't feel my vocabulary can describe the brilliant white light. However, if you compared the color white to His brilliant white, the color white would look dingy and tinted. Also, imagine the size and color of the sun reduced to a brilliant white, but having the same power as the sun, and you tried to contain it all in a box. It would be an unstoppable and uncontainable force, obliterating all darkness. It was as if it bleached out all colors in the spectrum, disposing of any darkness that forms within any individual color to create the aspects of that color, thus producing the absence of color into a brilliant white. This is what I saw.) While witnessing Jesus as the reverberating brilliant white orb, suddenly, as a fireball, He shot downward into the earth. As I looked at the aftermath of this powerful phenomenon, I saw there was a hole in the shape of a perfect circle, going from the surface of the earth all the way to the center of the earth. The hole was formed almost instantaneously, and all the layers of the earth completely disintegrated with a fervent heat, going down to His destination, which was in the center. Still witnessing the aftermath, the edges of the circular hole were like molten lava due to the intensity of the heat. (Eph.4:8-10 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. What happened here in the natural represents something that has happened and is going to happen again. Because of sin, demons have been given authority on earth as they have in hell. Many have experienced a living hell, but Jesus came, and is coming, to set the captives free. Isa.61:1-4 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.) It then dawned on me that the Stronger has gone to spoil the goods of the strong man and set the captives free. Then I woke up. (Mat.12:28-30 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you. Or how can one enter into the house of the strong [man], and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong [man]? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. Christ conquered, so we can conquer All of our promised land! Heb.2:14-16 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham. Psa.16:9-10 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; My flesh also shall dwell in safety. For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. And Joh.8:36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (I was reading “Delivered from Dark Powers” by David Eells and came across these pages, and it really spoke to me about this dream. Here is an excerpt from Delivered from Dark Powers, pages 10-12:) “Jesus made us able to be partakers in whatever we need. He made us able to plunder the devil's kingdom, and the devil's kingdom is wherever the devil rules or his curse reigns. Wherever the devil has ability, we have the ability to take it away from him. The devil has no power. Do you remember Joshua and Caleb were seeking to bring the children of Israel into the Promise Land? After spying out the land, these two said that their enemies defense was removed from over them. (Num 14:9) Only rebel not against the lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is removed from over them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not. All that the other ten spies could see were the giants, but Joshua and Caleb saw that the enemy had no armor. That's the way we must see the enemies of God's Kingdom. It makes no difference whether those enemies are lusts of the flesh, works of darkness, demons, the devil, or whatever. Their defense is removed from over them. They have no power against the Word of God. Jesus was the “Stronger” Who came and took away their whole armor. (Luke 11:22) Those “spoils” of the devil's kingdom are all the places where he has taken advantage of your life or taken authority over the things or circumstances that God has put in your hands. All these add up to “spoils.” When Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38), He was spoiling the devil's kingdom. If you are being oppressed of the devil, Jesus destroyed this oppression. He broke this power everywhere He went. Whether it was hunger, sickness, demonic possession, or mental need, it didn't make any difference; Jesus broke the oppression, and He told us to do the same thing because in (Mat. 12:30) He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. The devil's power over God's people rests in the fact that God's people don't know that his power has already been broken, and they don't know the authority that has been given to them. Although the Word speaks it plainly, it still has to be a revelation that you pick up and do something with. The Bible says of Jesus that (Col. 2:15) Having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. “Triumphing” is celebrating the victory that has already been won. Jesus triumphed over the devil, and He rubbed the devil's nose in what He had accomplished on the Cross. The victory was at the cross; what came after the Cross was the triumph. (2 Co. 2:14) But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place. We need to simply celebrate His victory. What we need to do is repeat what the Word says about our circumstances or situation, and we do that by stating what the Word says about our authority and righteousness. All we must do is believe that. The devil wants us to look at ourselves and our failures and the curse around us, but we just need to remember that we have authority over the curse. We've been crucified with Christ, and we're not alive anymore; now it's Christ Who lives in us. (Gal. 2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. When we remember what the Word of God says about us and about our circumstances, we can celebrate. A prayer from an Editor: [Father, this seems too easy, but help me to start right now to believe that the devil is crippled. As I read Your Word, I see the devil has been defeated. Help me to believe when my eyes have seen different results. Forgive my unbelief. As I read on, please put in my heart the victory You are bringing to my life and the lives of my loved ones. Thank You for helping me to believe that I've received victory over every demon.]” Let me share more revelations with you.   The Trumpet Bill Burns - 12/26/2005 You shall be astonished as you walk forward from this day. I tell you that I am going to build My house. It is a house that no man can build, and I will build on the mountain tops, and I will build in the places that people will flow into. I will build a house of power, for indeed this is the season of the horse (of power) when the sons of My right hand shall arise to their positions. I shall dispel the lies that I no longer move in power. I shall break through the darkness, for I am the Light of this Day. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Truth is going to be revealed in an unprecedented way as I come forth in power and build My house. It will be a house that I can dwell in, a place of healing and resurrection life, a place of revelation knowledge. You, My people, will see that house. Arise and rejoice, for I come, says the Lord!   Small Straws in a Soft Wind  Marsha Burns - 12/26/2005 There is a rumbling; it is My power in the earth. It is resurrection power. I have been touched with the feeling of your infirmities. I have been touched by your grief and sorrow. Come forth. Rise up and come forth. You have been bound in grave clothes, but I call to you to come forth! I will bring you up and loose you from your bondages. I will cause you to overcome and to be victorious even over the death in the things you have experienced, says the Lord.   Resurrection of UBM M.Y. - 07/16/2012 (David's notes in red) In a dream I was walking into a restaurant (UBM was serving spiritual food of the Word and he came here.) and as I walked up to a table, I had a sense that my sister was sitting there with another woman (sister fellowships joining in the feast). I think I was trying to get some electronics working and mentioned as much to my sister. (He needed a rewiring, a spiritual repair to be able to see and hear the Word, the spiritual food in this restaurant.) Finally, I got what appeared to be a phone working, so I walked a few steps from the table with the phone to my ear and asked, “Can I speak to the boss?” (I had the impression the boss was the Lord.) (He needed to talk to the Lord and found encouragement here.) I do not remember a conversation on the phone, but I started walking through the restaurant (UBM). I walked through an archway where a couple was sitting at a table and staring at something broken on the floor. (I had the feeling it was some type of container or pitcher.) (Representing the breaking of the vessel of his fleshly man. He got the understanding of these things at UBM. Ecc.12:5 yea, they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and terrors [shall be] in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom (first-fruits), and the grasshopper shall be a burden (devouring judgments to crucify the old man, as in Joel), and desire (lusts) shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6 before the silver cord is loosed (the soul is separated from the flesh), or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken (the old man of the flesh dies) at the fountain (of the waters of life - the living Word), or the wheel broken at the cistern (breaking the downward cycle of sowing and reaping death. 7 and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it. (The results are totally born from above sons of God. This crucifixion is certainly happening with UBM and the larger true church. God is separating the carnal from the spiritual.) I walked around the broken item (this represents being separate or sanctified from the fleshly; in the Law, whoever touched the dead man was defiled) and left the room through another archway on the other side. (All will not leave UBM as they came. The Word brings responsibilities. The priest entering the temple in Ezekiel 46 could not leave through the gate that he entered.) I was wondering why I walked around the broken thing and did not attempt to pick anything up. (Because the flesh man must be broken irreparably for the spiritual man who is created by the Word to live -- and everybody needs to see this.) After leaving the UBM room he said: I walked into a bigger room (This is like the broad road where most are.) and up to a man whom I thought was the owner standing by a big floor freezer with several solid doors on top (similar to what you would see in an ice cream shop, except the little door hatches were solid stainless steel.) (The flesh choses the flesh pleasing sweets that are not healthy.) There was something big and broken on the floor at his feet. I just reached down and started putting the broken pieces, which appeared to be thick, broken white glass or porcelain, into a large bag. (The broken or crucified life must be a part of our learning, or the teaching will be leavened.) I then raised the bag up, and we tilted the lower freezer so the contents would go into the bag (Flesh pleasing spiritual food will lead to the broken vessel. We must chose the crucified life with the teachings of the Word), and I told him I should have done that first and then picked the things off the floor (The teaching of the Word must be first so the crucified life can be possible.) I never noticed the bag after filling it up. It was trashed. “When that which is perfect is come” everything that is disconnected pieces, “shall be done away”, as Paul said: 1Co.13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part (pieces) shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. This is the vessel that the perfect Word can flow through, as it did through Jesus. When the Man-child Jesus came, everything before Him was old order, and so it will be today. PTL! The New Order is about to begin for many. The latter rain on the Man-child will bring it.) There were two different levels for the freezers, and one was right above the one we were emptying. (A sanctified vessel full of food from above will never be broken.) I think we replaced the lower freezer with a new one or repaired the old one. (The broken vessel receives resurrection life in UBM.) I was thinking that the new one would keep the Bibles in good shape. (Preserving the spiritual man of the Word in a new wineskin. The Word is incorruptible in this new vessel, for the old vessel of flesh has been broken or withered: 1Pe.1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: 23 having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. 24 For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: 25 But the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you. There were now a lot of people inside doing a lot of work. (After spiritual resurrection, many of like nature will join us in getting the Gospel out.) I noticed that the second-level freezer was gone, and just a ledge high up remained. I was leery of climbing up on the ledge because I am scared of heights. (The Word will be from the throne of God, from Heaven above.) I think I was wondering how well the music or sound system would sound in the building once it was done. (This building represents an even larger born-again UBM, and the music and sound system will be going out over different forms of media and through multitudes of witnesses by word of mouth.) I looked up, and there were large, white PVC-type pipes coming through the top-left side of the wall and attached to the ceiling. The pipes were dripping water at first, and then the volume of water just started increasing until all the drips were streaming. (I later had the feeling that the water was the Word growing louder and stronger as time went on.) (A great outpouring of the Word of the Spirit to the world.) That is all I remember. My impression after waking and pondering on it was: There was an earthquake. (The spiritual resurrection of the Man-child body as it was with Jesus, with a great earthquake. Also, a separating of the land, the carnal from the spiritual.) And / or something that caused change in the building. (A restructuring of UBM with much more help with gifts.) We were made into a fellowship/warehouse, and the Word went out slowly at first and increased over time. (As it was with Jesus) It was the Word of God because it came from up high. (After Father has separated the carnal, the Word will go out in abundance. The tribulations that UBM has gone through are bringing it into the eternal kingdom under our King David, Jesus.) Let me now share:   A portion of M. C.'s Dream of Resurrection Life Given to UBM David was directing my attention to the sky in anticipation of a lunar eclipse. Gradually, the moon became obscured briefly by the Earth passing between the Sun and the Moon. (As with a lunar eclipse, there is a death and resurrection of the glory, symbolizing UBM, and its reflection of the Sun/Son to the world. Eventually, it became entirely hidden under the Earth's shadow and remained that way for about what seemed like five minutes or so. Then a slight sliver of the Moon became visible and began very rapidly to be increasingly unveiled as the Earth continued on its path. (The Moon, as a type of UBM, is being born again as it reflects more and more light of the Son. The evil will have been purged by this baptism of death and resurrection.) I was commenting to David how the Moon seemed to be instantly illuminated entirely, even though technically the shadow had not yet fully passed. The moon continued to grow brighter. (The glory manifested after this baptism unto death will be greatly multiplied so that even the first-fruits of UBM will be as bright as the whole was before.) The Lord led me to: (Eze.36:11) And I will multiply on you man and beast, and they shall multiply and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before. Then you will know that I am the LORD. (This is an awesome promise of the resurrection life that will be given to UBM.) Friends, Satan has had permission from God to test every one of us to see who individually needs to be a part of UBM for it to be unleavened. Therefore, cast down every thought and reject words from others that are unscriptural to receive, so that you may overcome to escape the coming judgment. And do not judge or criticize others unscripturally or while you are in sin, or you will be judged. 2Co.10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds), 5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; 6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full.

Orthodoxy Ended Church Shopping: When Church History Won My Heart.  Special Uncut Edition.What if the ache you feel on Sunday isn't a lack of passion, but a hunger for roots? Tony Nektarios Vasquez joins us to share how a Pentecostal upbringing, a non-denominational season, and eventually a Calvinist-leaning church plant still left him asking where the first 1,500 years fit in. His story is not a theory lesson—it's a family saga: a praying father discovering the Desert Fathers, a brother slipping out to Vespers, a wife and children encountering reverence for the first time, and a co-pastor who realized that history, Scripture, and worship belong together.We trace Tony's path from Pentecostal roots and a non-denominational church plant to a sober look at church history, liturgy, and apostolic succession. Family doubts, online study, and the beauty of Vespers turn hesitation into conviction as Scripture and tradition align.• questioning charismatic altar practices and emotionalism• moving from Reformers to the first 1,500 years• parish visits to St James and first Vespers• answers on icons, relics, and intercession from Scripture• liturgy as continuity with Old Testament worship• apostolic succession and the promise that the Church endures• closing a young church to enter Orthodoxy• finding healing and stability in the sacramentsWe walk through the uncomfortable questions most avoid. Are altar manifestations genuine or coached? Does sola fide stand when held beside James and the early Church? How do relics, icons, and the intercession of the saints square with the Bible? Tony takes us inside St. James Orthodox Church in Modesto, where incense and chant weren't novelty, but a doorway to Christ-centered prayer. He shares the moment his daughter said the hymns made her want to cry, the way Revelation reframed prayer as a communion of heaven and earth, and how apostolic succession answered the authority problem that haunted his independent church.This conversation is a guided tour from system to story, from proof texts to a living tradition. We touch on the continuity between Old Testament worship and the Divine Liturgy, the claim that the Church Christ founded never paused or rebooted, and the quiet courage it took to close a young church for a faith that felt both ancient and alive. If you've wondered where the dots connect—Scripture, history, and sacrament—this is an honest map drawn in real time.If this resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more thoughtful journeys into the ancient faith, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your questions and stories shape future episodes—drop them in the comments and say hello to Tony.Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok.Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

This Day in Legal History: Seventeenth Amendment RatifiedOn April 8, 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution became part of the Constitution after receiving the necessary number of state ratifications. This amendment fundamentally changed the method of selecting U.S. senators, shifting the power from state legislatures directly to voters. Prior to its adoption, senators were chosen by state lawmakers, a process that had increasingly drawn criticism for corruption and political deadlock. Reformers argued that legislative selection allowed special interests to exert undue influence over Senate seats. The amendment emerged during the Progressive Era, a period marked by widespread efforts to make government more democratic and transparent. By mandating direct elections, it aimed to increase accountability and restore public trust in the federal government. The change also reduced the frequency of vacancies caused by legislative gridlock in the states. Supporters viewed the amendment as a necessary correction to a system that had strayed from democratic principles. Critics, however, warned that it weakened the role of states within the federal structure. The ratification process itself reflected strong public pressure for reform across many states. Over time, the amendment reshaped the political dynamics of the Senate, making senators more responsive to public opinion. It also aligned the Senate more closely with the House of Representatives in terms of democratic legitimacy. Today, the Seventeenth Amendment remains a cornerstone of how Americans participate in federal elections, illustrating the enduring impact of Progressive Era reforms.Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said that Donald Trump has both the right and responsibility to influence federal investigations, including those involving people Trump views as adversaries. Speaking publicly for the first time since taking the role, Blanche rejected claims that the Justice Department was improperly targeting Trump's opponents. He argued that a president is expected to guide national priorities, even when that includes investigations tied to personal or political conflicts.The Justice Department has recently pursued multiple investigations involving individuals connected to past inquiries into Trump, as well as political opponents and donors. Some of these efforts have faced resistance in court, with judges and grand juries limiting or dismissing certain cases. Blanche pointed to past prosecutions against Trump as justification, saying the president is seeking accountability for what he views as misuse of the legal system.Blanche's appointment followed Trump's firing of former Attorney General Pam Bondi, reportedly due to frustration over the pace and results of investigations. Blanche did not say whether he wants to remain in the role permanently, emphasizing that the decision rests with Trump. He also indicated he would step aside if asked, expressing loyalty to the president.Acting DOJ chief Blanche says Trump has ‘right' to influence investigations | ReutersYale Law School lost its long-held No. 1 position in the latest U.S. News & World Report law school rankings, marking the first time in 36 years it has not topped the list. Stanford Law School now holds the sole No. 1 spot, while Yale is tied for second with University of Chicago Law School. A slight drop in Yale's employment rate for graduates appears to have contributed to the shift, though other metrics like bar passage and LSAT scores remained stable.The rankings also saw broader changes among the traditionally top 14 law schools, known as the “T-14.” University of California, Berkeley School of Law and Georgetown University Law Center both fell out of that group, while Cornell Law School and Vanderbilt University Law School moved up in the rankings. Other schools, including University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and University of Virginia School of Law, saw smaller gains, while Harvard Law School remained steady.These fluctuations reflect changes in the ranking methodology introduced in recent years after several top schools, including Yale and Berkeley, criticized the system. The updated approach relies more heavily on data reported to the American Bar Association, making small differences in employment and bar passage rates more influential.Yale loses longtime No. 1 spot on latest US law school ranking | ReutersAI startups are increasingly targeting law students as part of a broader effort to capture the legal services market. Companies like Harvey AI and Legora are offering free access and training at top law schools, hoping students will continue using their tools once they enter law firms and corporate legal roles. This strategy comes as the legal AI sector expands rapidly, fueled by advances in generative AI since the rise of ChatGPT.These startups compete with established providers like LexisNexis and Westlaw, which have long dominated legal research and are now integrating AI into their platforms. While legacy companies rely on proprietary legal databases, newer entrants build tools on large language models and focus on tasks like drafting, research, and litigation preparation. Some partnerships have even emerged between startups and traditional providers to combine strengths.Law students are already using these tools for exam preparation, memo writing, and simulating legal arguments. Schools and companies also view this exposure as a way to teach both the benefits and risks of AI, including issues like inaccurate or “hallucinated” outputs. The broader goal is to create familiarity early, making future lawyers more likely to adopt these tools in practice.Other legal tech companies, including Clio and Spellbook, are pursuing similar partnerships, expanding access across hundreds of law schools. As competition grows, early access and training are becoming key battlegrounds for shaping the next generation of legal professionals.AI startups court law students in fight for lawyer market | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

In this episode Pastor Raef looks at the Roman Catholic teaching of the Lord's Supper and considers why the protestant Reformers so vehemently disagreed with their theology.

Did the Reformers believe civil rulers should promote Christianity? In this episode of The Magistrate, James Baird responds to the claim that “magisterial Christian nationalism” ignores the reality of human sin and promotes a utopian political vision.Drawing on the writings of the Protestant Reformers, historic Reformed political theology, and the ideas of the American founding, James examines the historic concept sometimes called the “Christian prince.” Did figures like Calvin, Knox, and the early Protestants believe civil magistrates had a duty toward true religion?Does human depravity make Christian governance impossible, or does it simply require wise limits on power?This episode returns to the original sources to explore what historic Christianity actually taught about civil authority, the role of the magistrate, and the relationship between church and state.

Did the Reformers believe civil rulers should promote Christianity? In this episode of The Magistrate, James Baird responds to the claim that “magisterial Christian nationalism” ignores the reality of human sin and promotes a utopian political vision.Drawing on the writings of the Protestant Reformers, historic Reformed political theology, and the ideas of the American founding, James examines the historic concept sometimes called the “Christian prince.” Did figures like Calvin, Knox, and the early Protestants believe civil magistrates had a duty toward true religion?Does human depravity make Christian governance impossible, or does it simply require wise limits on power?This episode returns to the original sources to explore what historic Christianity actually taught about civil authority, the role of the magistrate, and the relationship between church and state.Watch all of our videos and subscribe to our channel for the latest content >HereHere

Did the Reformers believe civil rulers should promote Christianity? In this episode of The Magistrate, James Baird responds to the claim that “magisterial Christian nationalism” ignores the reality of human sin and promotes a utopian political vision.Drawing on the writings of the Protestant Reformers, historic Reformed political theology, and the ideas of the American founding, James examines the historic concept sometimes called the “Christian prince.” Did figures like Calvin, Knox, and the early Protestants believe civil magistrates had a duty toward true religion?Does human depravity make Christian governance impossible, or does it simply require wise limits on power?This episode returns to the original sources to explore what historic Christianity actually taught about civil authority, the role of the magistrate, and the relationship between church and state.

In this episode Jon Harris tackles the growing wave of distorted teachings online about the Bible, the church, and the nation of Israel. Amid rising errors like dishonest portrayals of Jewish people, rejection of Gods promises to ethnic Israel, and even questions about Jesus Jewish identity, Harris offers clear biblical and historical guidance.Drawing from the unconditional Abrahamic covenant in Genesis and echoed in Romans 9 through 11, he shows that God still has a sovereign plan for ethnic Israel including a coming ingathering and salvation. This hope held by church fathers, Reformers, Puritans and theologians like Edwards Spurgeon and Lloyd Jones strengthens Gentile believers confidence in Gods faithfulness.Harris warns against letting politics shape theology or sliding into unjustified anti Jewish rhetoric emphasizing instead the call to bless Israel through prayer and evangelism while upholding Christ as the Jewish Messiah and the unity of Scripture. A timely defense of Gods irrevocable promises.PowerPoint Download: https://www.patreon.com/posts/153863146Essay Format: https://jonharris.substack.com/post/192036690Our Sponsors:* Check out Mars Men: https://mengotomars.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/conversations-that-matter8971/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

March 14, 2026Strength to Strength welcomed Philip Hess to critique the reformer's views of soteriology.Did the Protestant Reformers restore the true Apostolic doctrine to the church? Or did they fall short of this goal? Join us as we talk about how the Reformation teaching of “faith alone” did not represent the New Testament's picture of faith. To support “faith alone”, the Reformers had to promote forensic justification and monergism. Their alliance with the state church kept them from understanding the New Testament vision for the church as a body of the faithful, and led them to make all kinds of compromises with the teachings of Jesus. In this talk, we will discuss “How the Reformers slipped in Soteriology”.An interactive question-and-answer period follows.https://strengthtostrength.org/sacred-roots-how-the-reformers-slipped-in-soteriology/

Morning Prayer for Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (The Second Sunday in Lent; John and Charles Wesley, Priests and Reformers of the Church, 1791, 1788).Psalm and Scripture readings (60-day Psalter):Psalms 1-2Exodus 10Matthew 13:44-59⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to access the text for the Daily Office at DailyOffice2019.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to support The Daily Office Podcast with a one-time gift or a recurring donation.

Evening Prayer for Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (The Second Sunday in Lent; John and Charles Wesley, Priests and Reformers of the Church, 1791, 1788).Psalm and Scripture readings (60-day Psalter):Psalms 3-4Proverbs 2Romans 15⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to access the text for the Daily Office at DailyOffice2019.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to support The Daily Office Podcast with a one-time gift or a recurring donation.

Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell unpack what having a “Pilates body” actually means, diving deep into the misconception that health has a specific aesthetic. They explore why moving for health matters more than chasing a look, how confidence is built through action, and what it takes to stop shrinking your own story. Through honest reflection and real examples, this episode challenges the narratives that keep people playing small. Listeners are invited to redefine strength from the inside out. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto: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 https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Why “Pilates body” was never meant to describe a physical aesthetic.Moving for health instead of chasing shape or size outcomes.Reframing “fake it till you make it” as a confidence tool.How luck narratives keep people from owning their grit.Why having the right people in your corner matters long-term.Episode References/Links:Agency MINI - https://prfit.biz/mini Poland Contrology Pilates Conference - xxll.co/poland Brussels - xxll.co/brussels POT London - https://xxll.co/pot Spring Training - How to Get Overhead - https://opc.me/events The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063337163The Great American Spit Out - https://beitpod.com/americanspitoutRethinking Thin by Gina Kolata - https://a.co/d/0djq9K9pHysteria Podcast - https://beitpod.com/hysteriaButts: A Backstory - https://a.co/d/gHqMk8vSend your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questions 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. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  We have to cut to the bullshit of like, what a healthy body looks like. We just have to. Like, I am massively impressed by these strong women and strong men. They are not tiny people, they are big people, and what they can do is fucking insane. Lesley Logan 0:14  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 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. Lesley Logan 0:54  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the redefining convo I had with Brooke Siler and Maria Earle in our last episode. And if you didn't listen to that one, you fucked up, you missed, you messed up. Brad Crowell 1:09  Game over. Lesley Logan 1:09  I'm sorry. I hate to say it that harshly, but you gotta, you gotta listen. I mean, what are you doing? How are you missing the Tuesday episode? No, I'm kidding. Listen to this. Sometimes people like to listen this, and then they go listen to that one. So if that's you, I'm not harping on you, you're gonna go listen to it, because you are gonna be so intrigued if you missed it. It was so good. It was so fun. Brad Crowell 1:28  Yeah, it was good. It was actually a lot of fun. And there were, like, some great moments in there that I started taking notes. Lesley Logan 1:35  Whoa, whoa. 643 episodes later, friends and he is taking notes. Oh, my God. Well, today is February 19th 2026, it's a Great American Spit Out. We observe Great American Spit Out on the Thursday of February's third full week every year. So complicated. This year it takes place. I have a really funny side note, I listened to this podcast. Brad Crowell 2:01  Third full week. Thursday of the.Lesley Logan 2:04  Yeah, The February's third full week every year. Yeah. So there's this one podcast I listened to, and those, I won't say the podcast name, because if you listen to it, you'll know what I'm talking about. And she always says the date, and she'll say 2000 2026 and it's taken forever for her to go, what I'm not saying it right? They're like, No, you're not, anyways. And that just made me think of it like, let's make it as complicated as possible. Thursday of February, third full week of every year. So would it be the third Thursday of the fullest week in February? Brad Crowell 2:37  Why would the third week of February not be full? Lesley Logan 2:39  Well, because you could start on a for the first could start on a Thursday. Brad Crowell 2:40  Oh, I see. Lesley Logan 2:41  And so that's not a full week. Brad Crowell 2:43  So it's not, technically, the third Thursday, because if the if the week start, if it starts on a Wednesday, the first Thursday is not a full week.Lesley Logan 2:54  The third Thursday of February's fullest week. Brad Crowell 3:00  I think this is hilarious. Moving on.Lesley Logan 3:02  Anyways, they're like, dying to know what this is. So this year, it takes place on February 19th. It's a day to encourage people, especially veterans, to stop using smokeless tobacco products. The important mission of the day. I mean, honestly, this is for everybody. I appreciate that we're encouraging our veterans.Brad Crowell 3:19  All tobacco products, but right now we're talking about the Great American Spit Out, which is clearly talking about dipping, yeah, dipping and other things. Lesley Logan 3:27  Dipping and other things. I guess there's other things. So the important mission of this day is to provide users with enough resources to help them stop using such products that tobacco plant is cultivated for its leaves. Tobacco leaves are rich in nicotine, which is an addictive chemical people can use tobacco to smoke, chew or sniff. The Great American Spit Out as the perfect day to start, to start fighting the addiction caused by tobacco products and nicotine. Smokeless tobacco users are encouraged to quit, even if just for one day. Hey, you know what? You know around here, we are here for just one day. Anything to start. I actually really picked this day because a few other days were quite boring. But my family has a history of smokers and it and all of them had to have surgery, and all of them did not die on an easy in an easy way. So my grandfather, he had a part of his lung removed, like a huge part back in the day when they did those surgeries, it looks like a shark bit him. And they would show us, this is this is our hooked on trucks. This is our dare campaign. My family would pull up a shirt and show us the shark attack. Oh, this is gonna happen to you if you smoke. And then, yes, but your parents did a more, kinder.Brad Crowell 4:25  Yeah, we didn't have any shark attack smoking shark attack (inaudible).Lesley Logan 4:29  Everyone was able to learn, like the way I was raised. And then my mom had another because of the blood, the way his blood coagulated, and his tobacco use started losing limbs. And to the day he died, he still smoked. Because at one point he was like, Well, if I have no feet or legs or fingers, I should at least continue to smoke. And then his wife died of secondhand smoke. She died of emphysema. So yeah, so at any rate. So I also looked up because we are hearing that tobacco products are back on the rise again, partly because, like, you know, the hooked on drugs is your brain on drugs and and and things like that aren't working. But also the youth today, the youth, the younger people today, the youths, they are actually they're they actually don't they have a deeper sense of fatalism, like they actually don't think that they'll be alive as long as the rest of the world has been or in a world that is going to be healthy and clean for them. So why not smoke? Which I get that? Here's the deal. Brad Crowell 5:25  Aren't they drinking less though?Lesley Logan 5:28  They don't drink as much, they also have sex later, so that's cool, or less. Do you know today, the day that we're recording this, I heard that 40 year old women are having more babies than teenagers, and that's huge. That is a huge deal Because, like.Brad Crowell 5:43  That's not what I don't think I would have expected that, but that's great.Lesley Logan 5:46  Well, because now IVF has gotten better and kids are having less sex. So, you know, so I think, but here's the deal. Like, look, we all have our vices. We all have our addictions. And there's just something about cigarette smoke that just and if you're a smoker who listens this, I'm not judging you. I feel bad that you got hooked on that you got hooked on it, and it bothers me, and I understand, like you could be addicted to alcohol and other things that are as bad. But there's just about cigarette smoke that I fucking can't stand. I can't stand walking by a doorway and smelling it. I can't. So if, if, if me wanting to stand next to you outside matters, maybe you quit today, and I know you're like Lesley, this is chewing. Well, chewing causes jaw cancer, you know, so tongue, not not sexy, not sexy. In fact, one of our friends fathers had jaw cancer from smoking, from chewing tobacco, and so we all got to see that. That was my parents way of making sure we never started chewing. Brad Crowell 6:43  The Shark Attack of the jaw cancer. Lesley Logan 6:45  Well, it's not sexy. I'm gonna tell you right now, even if you're fatalistic, you definitely want your teeth you do. So stop smoking, even for today. Okay, let's get into it. So oh gosh, my goodness, babe. Agency Mini kicked off today.Brad Crowell 6:59  Today. This morning. We are, we are, while you're listening to this, we're probably live on a webinar. Lesley Logan 7:05  Yeah? So you can, I think you could still sign up today, but. Brad Crowell 7:08  You sure can. Lesley Logan 7:07  But it's gonna move quick, so and you don't want to wait till the next one, because I know you're like, Oh, I'll wait till the next one. You'll forget about it. So you should just sign up for today. prfit.biz/mini it's for Pilates instructors and studio owners who work for themselves or want to. We are going to get you clarity. We're gonna help you with your business. Brad and I have been around a lot of different fitness business coaches out there, and one thing that they all have in common is treating you all the same and encouraging your business to follow certain templates. And we want you. We've I believe that your business will ride any recession wave if you are differentiated and your services are diversified, and it follows your goals and your life, and that's what we coach. Brad Crowell 7:31  That is. But, so go to prfit.biz/mini. That's profit without the O slash mini, and then in March, we're hitting the road, y'all, in a different way than normal when we when we say we're hitting the road, usually means we're hopping in the van. This time, we are hopping on a plane. We are going to be skipping across said pond. Lesley Logan 8:07  We're going to be in Poland. Yeah, Poland first for the Controlology Pilates conference with Karen Frischmann. That's gonna be a couple of days of epicness. And there's a day where you can get some sessions, and it's just a lot of fun. If you didn't, if you missed us the last time was a couple years ago. Don't miss this one. We don't know when we're coming back, and that's just because the world is really big, and I've got to start going to new places. You know, we need to go to Australia and stuff. So xxll.co/poland and then we'll, we'll venture over. I don't really know if it's I have, you know, when I look at the map, I'm so confused. I don't know. I clearly forgot how to study the map of Europe. So we're gonna go over to Brussels. I'll just say that, because I don't really know if it's up or down, or east or west. We're going to Brussels. xxll.co/brussels, we'll be at Els Studio. P li tells which I just love. I love NFL is listening to this one of my Oh, whenever I hear what else I always think of? What else? Yeah, yeah. From our time with Jay, we would start going, what else? What else? Anyways, xxll.co/brussels that's, when we meet Karen, again. Brad Crowell 9:11  Let's just say that again, xxll.co xxll.co/brusselsLesley Logan 9:17  What you can't you can't hear this fast you can hear. And that's just giving out the fine print. It's Karen and I again, also our friend Ignacio is going to be there. Oh my gosh, I love him so much I can't even wait. So definitely snag your spots to that before it's sold out. And then we're gonna do our second honeymoon and make our way over to London to POT London, and I have some information for you folks. My Saturday workshop is sold out. Brad Crowell 9:45  What already? Holy mackerel. Lesley Logan 9:47  Yeah, it is. It is at max capacity. And there's only a few spots left in my Sunday workshop. So if you are wanting to add classical concepts to your contemporary classes, then you're going to want to go xxll.co/pot xxll.co/pot I'm super excited. We'll have our decks there. Those workshops will happen, and you definitely want to stick around, because there's also going to be a little hangout session that we're doing for our members and our listeners. And then there's a really cool documentary that they are doing. The release, Pilates Anytime is doing the release of at that POT event. Yep, you'll want to be there. Then we're gonna come back. Brad Crowell 10:25  Then we're coming home. Lesley Logan 10:26  And we're doing some fun stuff at home. We have eLevate weekend, we have eLevate retreat. We have business retreat. You know those things you can't come to unless you can, and you'll know if you can. So you got an invite, but what you can come to is something we're doing in May. And believe it or not, May is still springtime. Brad Crowell 10:49  Believe it or not. Lesley Logan 10:49  It's still springtime. And so. Brad Crowell 10:51  News flash. Lesley Logan 10:48  News flash. Well, some people think it's the summer because of the weekend, the holiday weekend, but it is still spring, and we're doing spring training, and it's how to get overhead so this is our overhead exercises. We have a lot of requests for people struggling with Overhead, Jack Knife, Control Balance, High Season, Bicycle Headstands. So what I'm super excited about is that we're going to do a whole week long on all these different classes with different teachers from the OPC platform, so that no matter your body size, height, age, experience, you are going to have a class. It's going to give you tips for for your life, for your practice. I mean, we even have a teacher who's removing overhead exercises from her practice, and so you don't let fear stop you from this one or, Oh, I'm a beginner, or I can never do that. I have contraindications. We will have versions and variations for you. And our goal is it's kind of like. Brad Crowell 10:51  Look, it's how to do it, not necessarily having to do it, right? How to do it, not have to do it. Lesley Logan 10:54  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And at OPC, we're really big fans of like you you learn the variations and the versions replacements for your practice, and then we believe it's brave and courageous that you do that. So we're super excited about it. You're going to want to go to opc.me/events, to get on the waitlist for that, because you'll, you'll, if you're on the waitlist, you'll hear about Early Bird and all that good stuff, and so you won't miss out on that information.Brad Crowell 12:08  Yeah, totally. Well.Lesley Logan 12:10  I'm excited we have. I mean, hello, welcome to the new year. I know it's February 19th, everyone. Brad Crowell 12:14  Busy busy year already. Lesley Logan 12:16  But we just got home. This is our first day in the office. Brad Crowell 12:18  This is literally the first full day in the office, and it's already January's almost done.Lesley Logan 12:23  I know, I know I kind of like it, though I feel very I felt ready to come back to work today. So anyways, we have to get into this episode before that. We have a question from audience. Would you like to share it with me, babe? Brad Crowell 12:35  Yeah. So IG, from IG, Pilates_Rosi is asking, Hey, someone told me that you should always gear out on the Reformer to do the short box series. Yes, no. Do you agree? Lesley Logan 12:48  Isn't always such a strong word? Brad Crowell 12:50  Always. This is why I failed all personality tests, because there's always an exception. So the answer would be fucking no, but.Lesley Logan 12:57  Yeah, I don't always do anything. Brad Crowell 12:58  Oh, right. We don't always do anything ever come on. Lesley Logan 13:00  And also not every Reformer gears out. So then what? Right? Brad Crowell 13:04  Then, what are you supposed to do? Should you be gearing out? Maybe that's a better way to ask the question. So we're not getting into our ADHD-ness.Lesley Logan 13:12  All right, so in an ideal world, your some people call it a sitting box. I call it a short box, goes over your shoulder blocks on the carriage, like a hamburger side, like it's, I guess. Anyways, I'm trying to describe how it goes on the Reformer for visual. But anyways, the short box goes on the carriage over the shoulder rest. That's the goal. So most Reformers will have a peg or some sort of post that is on there, and then there's space, and then there's your shoulder block. And so the box would, one side of the box would fit between that and lock it into place, lock in air quotes, right, would sit in there.Brad Crowell 13:44  So it's not sliding off easily. Still can if you're not paying attention. Lesley Logan 13:44  I mean, you could. You know, people have done funny things, but in an ideal world, you just sit on it, and it's not going to move forward or backwards. It's going to be in place. And then from that position, your feet go underneath the strap and they should. Brad Crowell 14:01  You're facing the foot bar. Lesley Logan 14:06  You're facing the foot bar. Brad Crowell 14:08  Feet go in the strap. Lesley Logan 14:03  In an ideal world, your feet do not rest on anything. That said, sometimes they touch things. There's a difference between touching and resting, right? However, I have noticed in our tours that there are a lot of new rules out in the world, and so there are some people who put the box in front of the shoulder rest. And I think this is because people aren't really paying attention to how they put the box on.Lesley Logan 14:09  So you're saying in front, as opposed to over the shoulder, okay. Lesley Logan 14:10  Over exactly in front. So they put them in front of the shoulder rest. Because I think the boxes are getting damaged because people aren't paying attention to what they're putting the box on. Or some equipment has, like, different things back there on their blocks. They have to go in front of the shoulder blocks. So if you're going in front of the shoulder blocks, most of the time, you're going to gear out. Unless someone is fun size and your box is really big, you're going to gear out. What does that mean? It means you're going to move the carriage away from the strap a little bit so that you can actually have straight, non resting legs when they're under the strap. Now, can the legs be slightly bent, of course. Should they be forced to bend? I wouldn't, because then it makes it really difficult to get into your seat. Makes it really difficult to get into your center. Your hip flexor start pulling you up. So here is the thing that I would agree with.Brad Crowell 14:10  When you say the thing you're talking about now we're talking about the actual gearing. Lesley Logan 14:10  We're going to talk about the exercise. In an ideal world, you place the box on the equipment where the body needs it, so that their legs can be reaching as long as possible without locking out, and their feet are underneath the strap flex without resting. That's the goal. Brad Crowell 14:10  Okay.Lesley Logan 14:10  That's the goal. So it's going to be different for everyone. Some people are going to be in front of the shoulder blocks. Some people are going to be over the shoulder blocks. Some people are gonna be front geared out. But if you are putting the box in front of the shoulder blocks, because that's a rule, most often, you're gearing out. Brad Crowell 15:27  Yeah, because it's now shifting the box forward like four inches. Lesley Logan 15:35  And then, by the way, you have to gear back in, because the straps are measured with the carriage geared in, and so in my opinion.Brad Crowell 15:52  So it's really a pain, that's a pain in the ass. Lesley Logan 15:54  Yes, thank you so much. Just put the box over the shoulder blocks. Why are we doing why are making this harder? Oh, because we don't want just teach people, you have to. I remember my trainer saying, hey, when you put the box on, make sure this part of the leather is underneath the box. Otherwise it will curl in and it will break and it will hurt against someone's neck. Okay, great. Just tell people. This is why we have a weird rule, you know, Hey, you think polite is expensive. Don't damage the box. How about that? Okay? Brad Crowell 16:21  Yeah, don't damage my damn box. Lesley Logan 16:24  So anyways, I just think that like I get, I get, I get why some people make funny up rules, but we are when you change the exercise placement, you change the exercise, and when you change that, it affects the cueing that people are giving, and then teachers are giving out weird ass cues that make no sense to the person doing it, because they're like, well, how do I get my butt on if my hip flexors are overworking, you know? So it's just hard. So anyways, hopefully, Pilates_Rosi, this gives you some ideas to think about. Definitely check out my videos on the short box, and in my flashcards, you can see where the box is placed. You can see how long my legs are. And if you're an OPC member, you can send in a video. Brad Crowell 16:57  You can see how long her legs are. Lesley Logan 16:59  Oh, my God, they're so long. But if you're an OPC member, you can send in a video of your setup for your short box, and I'll give you personalized feedback on where your box goes. There you go. If you have a question, you can send it in.Brad Crowell 17:13  Yeah, send it in. You can text us, 310-905-5534, or hit us up. At beitpod.com/questions, beitpod.com/questions, where you can leave both a win or a question. Lesley Logan 17:25  I want your wins. Brad Crowell 17:26  Yeah. Lesley Logan 17:27  I want your questions and your wins. I want all. I want it all. Brad Crowell 17:30  We want them all. All right, stick around. We're going to talk about Brooke Siler and Maria Earle. Brad Crowell 17:34  All right. Welcome back. Let's talk about Brooke Siler and Maria Earle. Brooke and Maria are internationally respected Pilates educators with over 50 years of combined teaching experience. Brooke, the author of the best selling The Pilates Body dropped in 2000 y'all, has spent decades teaching and researching Joseph Pilates' original writings, photos and archival materials which deeply inspired the new 25th anniversary edition of her book and its expanded chapter on internal sensing and natural movement. Maria, who began teaching in 1997 and previously owned a Pilates studio in Manhattan's Upper East Side, now runs a global education practice from Barcelona, where she moved, I think she said, about 15 years ago, she appears as the model in Brooke's new edition of the book, and was chosen for her grounded, internal, authentic approach to movement, rather than an her aesthetic performance. Together, they're redefining what a Pilates body really is.Lesley Logan 18:34  Okay, so I have to say, and I did say this on the episode, but I had, I have many Pilates people pitched to be on this podcast, and while we talk about Pilates a lot, it's not a Pilates podcast like I know it's for Pilates listeners. But to me, Pilate is a mind body, you know, practice, and sometimes our mind is a little fucked up, and we need help from these Be It guests that we have so we can get into our body around our practice. So, but I really wanted to interview them, because what a e it till you see it story and just how the book came about, how the second edition came about, how Maria jumped in on the second edition. I mean, she was so vulnerable and authentic about all about that, about joining the book. And I love that Maria said, let's celebrate the body as it is. Let's cut to the bullshit of what it means to have a Pilates body. And I here's the thing that's really interesting, right? Like, when I bought the book, The Pilates Body, I wasn't like, Oh, I'm going to look like this after I do this book. Like, that's not how I interpreted the book. It's kind of like, like a runner, like, you know what I mean? Like, what do these things mean.Brad Crowell 19:31  That'd be weird to pick up, like, a Gold's Gym muscle book and be like, Oh, if I do these exercises, I'm gonna look like Arnold.Lesley Logan 19:37  I'm gonna have the Gold's Gym body, you know? And like, I mean, I guess like people, I guess people do, but I think this all stems from just terrible media information on what a healthy body looks like. And so I couldn't agree more with like, with the cut through the bullshit of what a Pilates body means, because we have to cut through the bullshit of like, what a healthy body looks like. We just have to. Like, I am massively impressed by these strong women and strong men. They are not tiny people. They are big people, and what they can do is fucking insane. Brad Crowell 20:07  Yeah like, the dudes who pick up the boulder and carry it down the thing, or those, like weird, like rock that are, like, shaped like, kind of like a diamond, like those, and there are hundreds of pounds. Those people who are in those bodies, those are huge bodies. They're not, they're not. Lesley Logan 20:23  They are stronger than anybody I know. Brad Crowell 20:25  Yeah. Lesley Logan 20:26  Literally any, any of the bodies that we work out with, that we're friends with, that we're connected with, stronger than any of the bodies I know. Remember when we watched, what was that Korean show?Brad Crowell 20:36  The one the 100, the 100, the physical doc.Lesley Logan 20:39  Oh, physic, Physical 100. Brad Crowell 20:42  The Physical 100. Lesley Logan 20:42  Didn't translate well, which is why. But like, it was interesting because, like, they brought on all these different athletes, or pseudo athletes and trainers, and they had all these different bodies, and depending on the challenge, certain bodies did better, right? Like, the mountain climbers certainly slayed the first challenge over the strong men, but then when it came down to the end, you had an equal amount of people who were in bigger bodies and endurance bodies at the same challenge. And so what it comes down to is like, on average, most of us, if we are paying attention to our body and balancing out our strength and flexibility and our endurance, can do a fuck ton of stuff, but so many of us are, like, obsessed with getting smaller, and it's boring. Anyways, I could keep going, but she for Maria, you know, she there was an internal struggle because, of course, like, she was excited about the conversation, and then she's still a human being. So we got to talk about, like, when you look at yourself in those pictures and you go, yeah, I'm a proud of my body. I'm proud to be part of this, but ooh, that's what I look like, and I resonate with this so much. I was, I was doing a photo shoot yesterday, and I was just like, Okay, guys, this is not a sitting outfit. This is a standing outfit. So can you like because, because also it's like, how much of it do you want to be as a just, how much of it is a distraction versus like, the point or, or do we just do it so that people feel real, see real bodies more often? Like, it's, it's such a complicated thing, and your your mind messes with you based on how you were raised. And these stories take a long time, but she said for her, it was bigger than the photos. She said it became about reframing what is in our bodies, to be embodied and to celebrate all the different phases. And I love this so much because, you know, Maria, Brooke, and I, and many people listening, our bodies are in a different part of our journey. So it's just we're, you know, we're not going to look like 20 year olds, nor should we. And then Brooke also was conscious of this issue because in 2000 she had wrote in that issue that she said she hopes, in earnest that the models in the book inspire and don't intimidate, because she chose the original models for their strength and endurance, and also because they knew the work, I think that that's, you know, really hard when you're trying to pick it out and not because of their size and it. And I think even though her heart was really, you know, in there about inspire and not intimidate, like people just have a really hard time reading all the words and applying that to themselves. And so I'm excited for this additional chapter.Brad Crowell 22:57  Yeah, I also just wanted to say I'm glad you grabbed this as your topic, because I when I said I started taking notes, I actually was quoting you. As much as I appreciate the interview, you said something that really stuck out to me. You said we should have always been moving for the health of it and not for the shape of it. Move for the health of it and not the shape of it. In fact, I thought it was kind of quippy little, like, tagline, you know, for the health of it, because it's almost like, for the hell of it. Lesley Logan 23:29  Isn't it so great that I can come up with these things?Brad Crowell 23:33  Also, it's so great that I can hear them and be like, we should clip that. Lesley Logan 23:36  That's your job. Brad Crowell 23:37  Be It Till You See It, baby.Lesley Logan 23:39  Well, and I think that comes from like, I don't know if I mentioned on this episode or a different one, but I read a book called Rethinking Thin and at the same time that I picked up The Pilates Body book, I picked up that book because I was thinking about becoming a personal trainer, and I was doing this personal training stuff. And it was this history. It's a history of dieting and, like, where dieting came from and where the ideal woman's body came from. And it's two fucking things that'll fuck and piss you off. One, it's a cartoon drawing. So that's annoying, because it's not even fucking real. And then the other was on the statue, Norman. So the Norman statue. Brad Crowell 24:12  Is it the one holding the earth? Lesley Logan 24:13  No, but it's just a man. It's just a man. And then what they did for Norma. Brad Crowell 24:14  Oh, Norman, Norman, versus Norma. Lesley Logan 24:19  Norma, or nor woman, from what I understand from it, a book about butts it's, they basically took. Brad Crowell 24:27  I really hope that was the title, A Book About Butts.Lesley Logan 24:29  I think it is. I'll look at while you're talking about your favorite thing, I'll look it up. They basically put boobs on Norman. Well, Norman does not have estrogen. His pelvis is a different shape, like, oh my God, he doesn't even have.Brad Crowell 24:42  Oh I see. So you're they took, they took sculpture of a man and just put boobs, and then said, this is what the ideal woman should look like.Lesley Logan 24:50  This is what a woman looks like. And so I think ideal, I think it might have been average, right? But it's not that's not even a thing, not even impossible. So, anyways, like, because of the book Rethinking Thin, I learned about all the different diets that came around, all the different things that were obsessing about, and also how genetics plays such a massive role on the size that your body is determined to be. And then there's and then you go into the history of, like, when being heroin chic is in and it's always when they're trying to take rights away from women. Like, literally, if you take all the different times heroin chic was in and then you take all the different times they're trying to oppress women, they literally line up at the same time. So it's like, it's a cultic behavior of like, ladies stop eating so you your brain isn't functioning and you're not able to hear how we're taking your rights away. Anyways, what did you love?Brad Crowell 25:41  Well, I just wanted to say shout out to a podcast called Hysteria that I listened to that talks about this all the time, like the women's rights and. Lesley Logan 25:52  Oh, we love Hysteria, yeah. Brad Crowell 25:53  And, you know, like, it's a lot of politics as well, but it's two, you know, very powerful women who really dig in. And it's been really enlightening for me to see this from a different perspective.Lesley Logan 26:06  Yeah, the book is called Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke. Brad Crowell 26:12  By who? Lesley Logan 26:13  By Heather Radke. Brad Crowell 26:14  That's really funny.Lesley Logan 26:15  If anyone knows her, I want to interview her. But yes, it's about race, gender, control, beauty standards. It's, it's it's a lens of the human backside, and it's really great. But I also just want to say, if you're like, Oh, I get so annoyed when they get political. Ladies, being a woman in this world is political. Just, I hate to break it to you, but it is. Anyways, your turn. Brad Crowell 26:36  Yeah, you're not wrong. All right. Well, hey, look, back to Brooke and Maria. Maria also recounted how her mom often said, fake it till you make it. And I know that we've talked both times here about Maria, but I this really resonated with me, because I actually really wanted to hear you say, be it till you see it is the positive spin of fake it till you make it.Lesley Logan 27:02  I know, but, but I know, and I'm. Brad Crowell 27:03  We're not trying to take away from her. Lesley Logan 27:05  But also it works for her, like it works for her and it doesn't hold her back. So, like, I don't ever want to take something that works for someone away. And so I will let Brooke have fake it till you make it. That said. Brad Crowell 27:16  Maria. Lesley Logan 27:17  Oh, Maria said that, oh, yeah Maria said that. I will let Maria have that, because I think that's important. And also, if that is hard for you or inauthentic, then that's the be it till you see it reframe. That's all.Brad Crowell 27:28  Yeah and it is a reframe and, but it's obviously, you know. Lesley Logan 27:33  It's why always is a terrible word. Brad Crowell 27:36  Right. But she, she, so, Maria said she uses this when she's not quite sure what she's doing, or when she feels like she's not quite sure, helps her bypass the paralysis of starting where, you know, often starting things not 100% sure where they're going, but trusting that she's going to land on her feet. And, you know, I think it's really helpful. There's got to be, you know, it is a weird thing, right? This, this idea of having this internal dialogue of, like, your own internal like cheerleader versus like, you know, antagonist. And I think it's hard to sometimes be in the moment and see this is a time right now where I have to choose to fake it till I make it, right? You know, it's, it's hard to do that, but if you can, you know, being it until you see it is a win. You know, there's, there's a way to to at least get the ball rolling until, because confidence comes through action, right? It comes through doing and experiencing. So if you there's got to be a point where you got to get the ball rolling.Lesley Logan 28:39  Oh, couldn't agree more. And I like, I remember, like, you know, when I had a job in retail, one of the guys who worked for me, I was going through a lot, and I took him for his like, you know, monthly meeting. I said, Are you good? Like, I just know you got a lot going on outside of this. And he goes, Oh, none of that bothers me here, because when I cross the threshold of the store, sure, it's showtime. And that's another way of being it till you see it, or fake it till you make it, like, and I think that that's good mantra for us to have. And I also like, I think we are all putting too much pressure on feeling ready. You know, I don't know that I got to ask Brooke, like was, did she feel ready to like, add to this book? But also, like, this is a big endeavor to take a bestselling book and make changes to it. Like, like, the number of people like this book changed my life. I still have my book from 25 years ago. And then to go, Oh, I'm adding on. Brad Crowell 29:30  I'm just gonna make it better. Lesley Logan 29:30  I'm just gonna make it better. Brad Crowell 29:30  No big deal. Lesley Logan 29:31  And people didn't go, Oh, I'm just gonna keep the one I have. No. A bunch of our OPC members and our eLevate members all were like, Oh, I pre ordered the copy. I'm ready to go and, like.Brad Crowell 29:43  But, but I think this is, like, we're dancing around the word perfectionism, right? You know, like, the the idea of being ready to get started to do the thing, you know, that's, that's very much a perfectionism mentality, yeah. And it's, it creates this fear. That we're not gonna it's not gonna be right or done or perfect or whatever, and that that is debilitating, and also it is, like, the fastest way to go nowhere.Lesley Logan 30:10  Yes, it really is. And like, first of all, I think we, we're also blessed for the second edition of this book to be out, because the additional chapter isn't only a visual understanding of of what Brooke was trying to get in the first book, and also in the research she's done since. But, you know, she got to go through and, like, with 25 years of hindsight, and add into that, and it's, and I think that is a really beautiful thing, because it means the conversation continues, you know. And I think, like, going back to the word perfection, like, even though the book is it has hit print and you can all get it and you should, the conversation will continue. And I think that's what's really cool.Brad Crowell 30:47  Yeah, I think I'm, I'm excited for her, and also I love that she shared, that Brooke shared, oh yeah, I thought it was gonna get away with, like, the easy smack two books together and re release it, and be like, done. And then her publisher was like, No, no. Lesley Logan 31:02  Yeah, I know. I know. I actually really appreciated that, because when we redid the mat deck, we were like, Okay, we're gonna break these things out. And I think Meredith, I remember Meredith going, Oh, you edited every single card. And I was like, Well, yeah, because I thought we could just, like, pull these three out. But then once I did that, I was like, Well, I kind of got her through the whole thing like I now I know too much. I know too much about how it was used, and I.Brad Crowell 31:25  Well it would also have been five years, right? We got a tons of feedback. So I imagine that Brooke was similarly like, inundated with feedback for 25 years which is amazing.Lesley Logan 31:37  Probably, most unsolicited and some solicited.Brad Crowell 31:39  Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure. But hey, there's one more thing I wanted to talk about that Maria mentioned that really struck a chord with me. I really appreciate it. She didn't quite say it that way that I have said it, but the story she told herself, right? She, you know, was that, oh, she was just in the right place at the right time to be able to move to Spain, decide to live there and become an international educator, right? That's the story that she told her. She said it was she was spinning a narrative that kept her small, right? And so effectively, that was how she was viewing herself, (inaudible) well, and then when people would ask her, what did she do? How did she do it? She would say, I was just in the right place at the right time, which then allows them to go, oh, you lucked out, right? And she's like, but that takes away from all the hard work and the tough decisions, then the scary decisions that I had to make to get here. And that's not, that's not true. Yes, there's, of course, there's always some element of luck to it, but, you know, she was very intentional about that. And so she started to talk about the that that like addressing the narrative of playing small, you know, and, and I really appreciate that, because I remember when I was working for someone else. I, you know, why did I not go and ask for a raise? Oh, I'm just, I shouldn't even be here, was what I kept telling myself. I'm just the musician that, like I, you know, if I had ever gone through an interview process, they never would have hired me. These are all the things that I used to say to myself to justify the position that I was in, and that's 100% playing small. So I really resonated with this when she was talking about this. And she said today, she reframes her story. She said, you know, what got her here was her grit, persistence and tenacity, not luck, you know? And I just applaud her for I think it's really important that we identify that in our own lives. What story are you telling yourself that's keeping you small?Lesley Logan 33:31  Ooh, good question. Journal on that. Brad Crowell 33:33  Yeah. Well, stick around. We'll be right back. We're going to dig into those Be It Action Items that we got from Brooke and Maria right after this. Brad Crowell 33:42  Welcome 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 your convo with Brooke and Maria? Brooke said the only way out is through. The only way out is through. She said she has a mentor who's a Buddhist, and their guidance has been helping her push through the fear, especially when it comes to like we talked about, how do you make something that's 25 years successful even better, and not jack it up? The only way out is through, right? She said, if I see fear, I'm going to head towards that fear so that I can make it through, right? She said, now, when she has an idea she wants to share, she reframes taking action as sharing, rather than doing a thing for others to react to, which I thought was pretty cool, because what she was talking about you asked her, like, how do you have the confidence to do this stuff? She said she started teaching, and three years later, wrote this book, three years later, wrote this book that has been an international success. Lesley Logan 34:45  Took me six years to get the fuck on YouTube.Brad Crowell 34:48  Right? So that's kind of amazing. And you asked her, like, how did you do that? And she said, Honestly, I just get so excited about the thing that I'm focusing on that I want to share it. And I didn't, don't approach it in the way that, like I'm the authority. Listen to me. No, she's excited about this thing. She's nerding about out about it, and then she's sharing it with others. And that's how you know, that's what gave her the confidence.Lesley Logan 35:12  Well, and also, do you know that, like fear and excitement, the difference is breathing like they're on the same energetic wavelength. But why don't you breathe? Yeah, so if you're afraid or nervous, exhale, and then you can enjoy excitement, because it's the same. Brad Crowell 35:29  That's amazing. Lesley Logan 35:30  According to Gay Hendricks, and you know he is, he is one of the lords around here. Him, by the way, on the day we're recording this, it's not the day you're listening to it. He's 81 today, so, he's an Aquarian. Of course, he is. Of course, that's why I love him.Brad Crowell 35:43  That's amazing. Well, what about you? What was your big takeaway? Lesley Logan 35:47  All right, so I took some of Maria's Be It Action Item as my takeaway. So make sure you have people in your corner. Fuck yeah. If you don't, if your people in your corner suck at life. I know it's hard, it's almost hard to, like, have nobody, but I'd rather you have nobody, and like, you've held a space open for somebody, rather than have people who are who are, like, actively bringing you down. So just keep that in mind. Make sure you have some people in your corner. And she said, it's important that we nurture those relationships that you've built. It doesn't have to be big, but it should be something you can hold on to. And this is interesting, like, I'm always just reflecting, you know, yesterday in our photo shoot like I'm used to having a lot of friends I only saw once a month because we live in LA and there's traffic. And I love those friendships. And they don't have to to me. It goes back to me. It doesn't have to be big, doesn't have to be a weekly relationship, but it is something you have to have tangible. You have to hold on, to have some connections, and those are people you have in your corner. And so if you haven't yet, take some time go through your context, who's actually in your corner? Which nurture? Which relations do you want to nurture back and because in the hard moments, people who show up for you and see you for you are can reflect back to you all the good stuff that you are. And this has happened to me more times than I can imagine. And we have a friend who is recently going through something that's really quite frustrating and awful. And you know what? We don't talk to her very often, but we heard what happened. Someone else told us who's also in her corner. And a bunch of us are like, Oh, here's how we can support you. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, and she didn't ask for that help. I'm sure she didn't even know what kind of help we can give. But when you have relationships, you nurture, even it's on a quarterly basis, people will show up for you, and they'll and you'll show up for them, and it's, and it's quite it makes life a lot more fun. Brad Crowell 37:17  Yes, yeah. I definitely agree. You know, I think that we've talked about it before, being intentional about who you let weigh in, you know, or how, how much weight you give to their feedback, you know. So that's important. But I think also too, you know, there was an element to this conversation about allowing life to life and for relationships to change, which I also really appreciated, because I have always had a fear of loss, of letting go, I don't know why, and I've always struggled with, like, friendships drifting apart. And it was really interesting to hear her say, hey, it's kind of okay that that happens, and it allows you to take stock of who actually is paying attention and, like, in your world and choosing to be in your world instead of you, you know, trying to drag people along.Lesley Logan 38:07  Well, and also, I think, like, if they're really meant to be in your life, and you run into them, or something comes up and you call them, it will pick back up. Maybe there might have to be a quick conversation, or, like, why there's been so much space, but it'll pick back up. You know, we recently saw someone I haven't talked to in years. They were a part of my life for quite some time, and I had reflected about, like, why I let that kind of fade out. And when I saw them, I was like, yeah, it's okay. Like, I'm still okay with that decision. And I think it's hard, because we go, should I have a whole conversation with them? Should we dialog? Should we have, like, a whole like, here's why our relationship didn't know you don't need to have those things. You just can move on, because no one is right or wrong in these instances. It's just the way life goes. And you evolve, and they evolve, and sometimes that evolution is together and sometimes it's apart, and you can still support them from afar. I'm Lesley Logan. Brad Crowell 38:56  And I'm Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 38:57  Go get The Pilates Body book if you haven't already, you should. It's so good, especially if you're into Pilates, it's, it's.Brad Crowell 39:02  The new one. Is the new one out? Lesley Logan 39:04  Yeah, the new one's been out since December. Brad Crowell 39:05  Great. So, so The Pilates Body 25th Anniversary Edition.Lesley Logan 39:09  Oh my God, if you want to see my reaction to my husband literally opening the package for me, instead of, like, every day for five days, watching me go to the mailbox to open this package, and then he just opened it. It's on my Instagram. It's in December. Brad Crowell 39:25  It would have been in November. It may or may not have happened. Lesley Logan 39:29  Yeah, yeah. It was, I was like, every day he's filming me check the mail for this book, and then the one day he gets the mail, he opened it. Anyways. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Lesley Logan. I'm just so grateful for you. Make sure you send this to a friend who needs to hear it. We want to hear your wins and your questions, so send them in to the Be It Pod, and until next time, Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 39:49  Bye for now. Lesley Logan 39:50  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 40:32  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 40:37  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 40:41  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 40:48  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 40:52  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.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy