Podcasts about unity in christ

Christians are all a part of the body of Christ. They're all children of God and all part of the same family. That's why, as you'll get to see today with Pastor Ricky, fellowship with Unity in Christ. God wants all believers to live in unity with Christ and with each other. He loves to see the gathering of His people as they encourage each other in love and fellowship. God made all of us with the need for fellowship with other believers. Today Pastor Ricky is going to show us how important it is to know other believers in our walk with God. You're not meant to go through this life alone. You're a part of the body of Christ with others and everyone has a role to play for Christ. "Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

How many times should we forgive someone who has wronged us? In this message, Pastor Karl explores Jesus' powerful teaching in Matthew 18:21–35, revealing that forgiveness is not about keeping score—it's about reflecting the incredible mercy we've received from God.Through the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Pastor Karl explains the immeasurable debt of sin that Christ has forgiven and why that forgiveness transforms the way we respond to those who hurt us. Discover the difference between forgiveness and enabling harmful behavior, why forgiveness is central to life in God's Kingdom, and how releasing others from their debt brings freedom to our own hearts.Whether you're wrestling with past wounds, strained relationships, or the challenge of extending grace, this message offers biblical truth and practical encouragement to help you walk in the freedom Christ has made possible.Watch all our sermons on our youtube channel "Flipside Christian Church"Join us in person 8:00am, 9:30am & 11:00am every Sunday morning.37193 Ave 12 #3h, Madera, CA 93636For more visit us at flipside.churchFor more podcasts visit flipsidepodcasts.transistor.fm

UNITY IN CHRIST

Unity in Christ — Review of Lesson #3 of the 3rd Quarter of 2026 -The Sabbath School Lesson study guide can be found here:— https://ssnet.org/lessons/26c/less03.html— https://www.adultbiblestudyguide.org/archives— https://sabbath-school.adventech.io/enThe title of this quarter's theme is: First and Second Corinthians: The Essence of Christian Life and Witness, where we will look at God's instructions to use for daily Christian living as outlined by the Apostle Paul in the epistles to the Corinthians.For the next 13 weeks (July to September 2026), we will look at God's desire to be in a relationship with humankind, and what that means for each of us personally.Related Podcasts:— Introduction to the Writings of Paul— The Purpose of the Church— Unity in Christ— Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?— Christ, Humanity and Salvation— The Divinity of Jesus Christ— Search Me, O God— Why Do We Seek Wisdom?Related Podcasts at TrueWisdom:— If Christ is NOT risen...— Revelations of the Godhead— Why Hasn't Christ Returned Yet - Part 1— Why Hasn't Christ Returned Yet - Part 2Text UsSupport the showSend questions or comments to: BibleQuestions@ASBzone.comThe Key Principles of Effective Bible Study is a resource which outlines core concepts shown in the Scriptures that will help you to better understand many Biblical themes and doctrines.  We have an extended, 24-part podcast series on these principles, and a condensed, 9-part series called God's Precious Word, that is based on the same resource.We also recommend that you check out the True Wisdom podcast which I co-host with Robert Baker -- a different format for Bible Study.Finally, check out these awesome Bible Maps!We pray that all of these resources will be very helpful to you in your Bible Studies.

Join Miguel Mendez and Joey Oh for the lesson study this week.

Summer Series // Jordan Feinberg // Ephesians 4:1-6

How to study the BIBLE: The One Fold and The One Shepherd: There is UNITY in CHRIST and not divisions or denominations. We all must be of the same fold under The One Shepherd which is Christ (Galatians 3:25-29), and we all must teach the same doctrine, ( I Corinthians 1:10).Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chatting-from-the-word-hosted-by-oscar--4081759/support.

Lesson #3 for Saturday, July 18, 2026 1 and 2 Corinthians Adult Sabbath School Lesson 3rd Quarter, 2026

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter's author, Dr. Adenilton Aguiar, as they provide additional insights into this week's Sabbath School lesson, "Unity in Christ."

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/your-daily-portion-with-l-david-harris--2912188/support.About Your Daily PortionYour Daily Portion with L. David Harris is a Bible-centered teaching ministry committed to helping people engage Scripture daily with clarity and purpose. This program is a service of Your Daily Portion Ministries, Inc., and is made possible through the faithful support of listeners and viewers.If this teaching blesses you, consider supporting the work so it can continue reaching others around the world through radio, podcasts, and digital platforms.Support the ministry:

Pastor Paxton and Pastor Adam sit down for a rapid-fire AMA built entirely from congregation questions after Adam's sermon on Romans 12—and the questions get personal fast. What do you do when you don't feel essential to the church? What if you're too depleted to give anything? What if you're genuinely bad with kids? Paxton and Adam don't dodge any of it, working through membership, burnout, jealousy over other people's gifts, and the ever-present tension between Martha's busyness and Mary's stillness — all while trying (and failing) to keep it under 50 minutes. Here's the list of questions that Paxton and Adam discuss in this episode: Are our gifts only useful within the church? Does that mean gifts used out in the world are less valuable to God? Isn't unity in Christ our greatest strength rather than diversity? (How can we be unified and still be diverse?) What is the difference between celebrating diversity in the church versus the way diversity is celebrated in the culture around us? Why does High Point require so much for membership when other churches require so little? Are we asking too much of our members? If someone says they're a Christian but doesn't attend a local church, are they not saved? Should Christians resist the rugged individualism in American cultural heritage? We're often told to serve using our gifts, but not how — how should we help people identify and confirm their gifts? What are the greatest areas of unmet need in the church? What if I don't feel connected to the body, or I just feel lonely? What should I do? Why does it feel like I'm not actually essential in this body? What if I am genuinely not good with kids — shouldn't that slot go to someone gifted for it? I have a criminal record but want to serve in kids ministry — how can I do that without being defined or judged for it? What if I show up too physically or spiritually depleted to offer anything? Is that wrong — and is that why I sense people looking down on me for not pulling my weight? How do I know if I'm becoming like Martha — focused on serving instead of on Jesus? Paul says to run the race to win, but we're told not to compete with other members of the body — how do we run to win without competing? And how do I keep jealousy of others' gifts under control? Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcastMusic: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

Commentary of "Unity in Christ" (July 11–17, 2026)Weekly Sabbath School Lesson Commentary and Adventist Fact Check with Colleen TinkerThis weekly feature is dedicated to Adventists who are looking for biblical insights into the topics discussed in the Sabbath School lesson quarterly. We post videos and articles which address each lesson as presented in the Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, including biblical commentary on them. We hope you find this material helpful and that you will come to know Jesus and His revelation of Himself in His word in profound biblical ways.Website, donation link: http://proclamationmagazine.com/Facebook—Former Adventist: https://www.facebook.com/FormerAdventist/Facebook—Life Assurance Ministries: https://www.facebook.com/ProclamationMagazine/#sda #sabbath #sabbathschool © 2023, 2024 Life Assurance Ministries, Inc.

Philippians 2:1-11 Mr Tyler Kniess You can enjoy unity in Christ because Jesus humbled himself for you.

We all long for peace. The ancient people of God longed for it, too—looking forward to the day when God Himself would establish true and lasting peace. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reflects on Psalm 87 and its vision of people from every nation coming together in God's holy city. The psalmist looked ahead to a day when believers from every corner of the globe would be united in love for God and one another. That holy city is founded on the Rock of Ages, the Lord Jesus Christ. Any ministry, church, home, or life not built on Him will eventually crumble, because every foundation apart from Christ is sinking sand. Dr. Youssef points to Revelation's breathtaking picture of a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the throne and before the Lamb. Our God is not a local or tribal deity—He is the God of the universe. He loves all people everywhere, equally, and His saving purpose extends to the ends of the earth. When we focus only on our little world and our little problems, we miss the joy of participating in God's global purpose. This devotional will lift your eyes to the mission revealed even before Christ's birth: that people everywhere would come to know God intimately through His Son, Jesus Christ. Prayer: Father, help me to remember that You are a global God and that You care about everyone, everywhere. Thank You for the promise of peace with You and all people in Your holy city to come. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me—Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush—and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion'” (Psalm 87:4). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon series Identifying with the Psalmist: LISTEN NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Was Clement of Rome a pope, as the Roman Catholic Church claims today? What does his letter to the Corinthians, 1 Clement, actually teach about church authority, unity, repentance, faith, leadership, and the resurrection? Clement of Rome is one of the most important early Christian voices outside the New Testament and a bridge from the Apostles to the Patristic era of the church. His letter to the Corinthians, the same church Paul wrote to, was written during a major conflict: certain church leaders had been removed, jealousy and division had taken root, and the church needed correction. In this video, Christian Barrett walks through his letter, 1 Clement, discusses whether the early church in Rome held to the same authority as later Roman Catholic claims describe, and how Clement exhorts us to unity, rest in Christ, and endurance to the end. Whether you are Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or simply interested in early church history, 1 Clement offers a remarkable window into Christianity in the wake of the apostles, and is worth a serious look. Want more discipleship resources? Visit emetministry.orgHelp Us Reach the Lost: Support Emet Campus Ministry- https://emet-campus-ministry.churchcenter. com/giving/to/ecm-general-fundHelp Us Make More Resources: Support Emet Ministries- emetministry.churchcenter.com/givingCheck out these sources we love and use our Amazon Affiliate Link: Knowing God - https://amzn.to/3ScwPh4The Holiness of God - https://amzn.to/4ouI7sSThe Resurrection of Jesus - https://amzn.to/4ouitVeWhat is the Gospel - https://amzn.to/4oAFqpUWhat it means to be Protestant - https://amzn.to/3Qkt8W32,000 Years of Christ's Power Vol 1 - https://amzn.to/4edGaxFFollow us on Instagram: @emetministry and @everytuesdayat7Christian's Reading List: goodreads.com/user/show/74696644-christian-barrettCHAPTERS:00:00 Clement of Rome01:33 Is This the Clement from Philippians?03:15 Did the 4th-Century Church Believe in the Pope?04:20 Why Did Clement Write to the Corinthian Church?05:24 Why Is Clement Important?07:00 1 Clement: Why Was It Written?10:21 Chapters 1–3: Praise and Condemnation11:53 Chapters 4–6: The Danger of Jealousy12:18 Chapters 7–12: The Call to Repentance12:42 Chapters 13–19: Walk in Humility13:26 Chapters 20–23: The Creation of the World14:02 Chapters 24–27: The Hope of the Resurrection14:13 Chapters 28–31: Fear God, for He Is Majestic15:11 Chapters 32–35: Justification by Faith Alone?16:24 Chapters 36–38: Unity in Christ and with Christ16:52 Chapters 39–41: Different Roles in the Church17:57 Chapters 42–47: Addressing the Corinthian Crisis19:33 Chapters 48–55: A Call to Repentance19:42 Chapters 56–58: Restore the Elders19:46 Chapters 59–61: Clement's Prayer for the Corinthians19:57 Chapters 62–65: Run the Race20:25 Why Doesn't Clement Take a Magisterial Role?22:30 What Did the Early Church Commit Themselves To?#ClementOfRome #1Clement #ChurchHistory #EarlyChurch #ApostolicFathers #Papacy #ChristianTheology #Protestant #romancatholic #protestantvscatholic

Check us out: https://www.determinetruth.com Does the New Testament support slavery? In this episode of the Determined Truth Podcast, we conclude our study of Philemon, one of the shortest—and most debated—books in the New Testament. Paul's letter to Philemon centers on a runaway slave named Onesimus, a wealthy Christian named Philemon, and a challenge that continues to spark discussion today: Why doesn't Paul explicitly condemn slavery? In this conversation, we explore: The historical context of slavery in the Roman Empire The relationship between Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus Whether Paul is gently persuading Philemon or subtly pressuring him The significance of receiving Onesimus as "a beloved brother" How reconciliation stands at the center of Paul's theology The difference between Roman slavery and American chattel slavery Why the early church may not have directly confronted the institution of slavery Whether Paul's teachings ultimately undermine slavery itself What this letter teaches modern Christians about human dignity, power, and justice We also discuss broader themes found throughout Paul's writings, including unity in Christ, reconciliation across social boundaries, and the challenge of living out the gospel in deeply broken systems. Whether you're studying Philemon, wrestling with difficult passages about slavery, or seeking to understand the historical world of the New Testament, this episode provides important context and thoughtful discussion.

The sermon exhorts believers to pursue the peace of God by maintaining unity in Christ through adherence to Scripture and active service. It warns against the distractions of modern gadgetry and societal busyness that hinder spiritual engagement and fellowship. The preacher emphasizes cultivating a gentle spirit and replacing anxiety with prayerful supplication and thanksgiving. Furthermore, it calls for meditating on virtuous truths and moving beyond mere hearing to practical obedience of biblical teachings. Ultimately, true peace is secured by aligning one's life with God's commands rather than worldly pursuits.

What if the most overlooked passage in Romans holds one of its most powerful truths? Romans 16 reads like a simple list of names—26 people we've never heard of, immortalized in Scripture for reasons that aren't immediately clear. But when we dig deeper, we discover something profound: these aren't just credits at the end of a movie. These are real people with real lives, real struggles, and real faith that changed the world. From Phoebe, entrusted with carrying the precious letter of Romans across dangerous terrain, to Priscilla and Aquila, who risked their lives and opened their home for the church in hostile Rome, to Rufus, whose father Simon carried Jesus' cross—each name tells a story of sacrifice, diversity, and unity in Christ. What emerges is a beautiful picture of the early church: slaves teaching masters, women serving as deacons, Jews and Gentiles working side by side, wealthy and poor united in purpose. The central message challenges us today: Are we building the same kind of diverse, sacrificial, loving community? Would we risk our homes, our comfort, our status for the gospel? And most importantly, do we recognize that God knows each of us by name, just as intimately as He knew these 26 saints? This passage reminds us that God is both infinitely big—breathing out stars—and intimately personal, numbering the hairs on our heads and calling us each by name.**Detailed Notes**- **All Scripture Matters** – 2 Tim. 3:16–17   - All Scripture is God‑breathed and profitable, even “just a list of names” in Romans 16.   - The Spirit intentionally preserved these 26 names to teach us.- **Phoebe (Rom. 16:1–2)**   - Sister, servant (diakonos / deacon), patron (financial supporter).   - Likely carried the only copy of Romans from Corinth to Rome—dangerous, costly, yet faithful.   - Deacons = lead servants; trusted with people, money, and needs.- **Priscilla & Aquila (16:3–5; Acts 18; 2 Tim. 4:19)**   - Fellow workers; risked their necks for Paul; hosted a church in their home.   - Forced out of Rome; everywhere they went, they planted churches.   - Viewed exile and hardship as mission, not punishment.   - Tentmaking friendship with Paul likely began through ordinary vocational contact.   - Lifelong, harmonious partners in ministry.- **Epaenetus (16:5)**   - First convert in Asia; Paul still knows his name and story.   - Firstfruits of a Gentile harvest.- **Andronicus & Junia (16:7)**   - Kinsmen, fellow prisoners, in Christ before Paul, well known among the apostles.   - Likely family Paul once persecuted; powerful testimony of grace and reconciliation.   - Example of costly obedience (imprisonment, suffering).- **Ampliatus & Others (16:8ff)**   - Likely former slave who rose to church leadership.   - Early church mixed slave/free, male/female, Jew/Greek, rich/poor—fulfilling Gal. 3:28.   - Masters sometimes sat under teaching of their slaves; the kingdom inverts status.- **Rufus & His Mother (16:13; Mark 15:21)**   - Probably the son of Simon of Cyrene who carried Jesus' cross.   - Simon's forced interruption became his family's salvation story.   - Rufus' mother became like a mother to Paul.- **Big Themes from the Names**   - Real people, real costs, real love, real partnership.   - Church as family: greeting, thanking, remembering, honoring.   - Diversity and unity under Christ, not human categories.- **God Knows Your Name (Luke 19:1–10 & Survey of Scripture)**   - Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name; salvation comes to his house.   - God calls individuals by name across Scripture (Adam, Noah, Moses, David, Lazarus, Saul, etc.).   - The Creator who names the stars also numbers the hairs on our heads.   - He has not abandoned or forgotten us; He is personal and near.---**Practical Applications**1. **See Yourself as a “Name” God Knows**    - Pray personally: “Lord, thank You that You know me and my situation.”2. **Embrace Servant Leadership**    - Look for ways to be a “Phoebe” or a deacon‑hearted servant this week—meet a practical need.3. **Open Your Home and Life**    - Consider how your home/resources can serve the kingdom, not just comfort.4. **Pursue Gospel Friendships**    - Initiate one new conversation at church; your “tentmaking” connection may become lifelong partnership.5. **Reject Status & Division**    - Examine prejudice (race, class, gender, education). Repent and intentionally honor someone different from you.---**Discussion Questions**1. Which person in Romans 16 stood out to you most and why?  2. How does knowing that God preserved these “hidden” names affect how you see unnoticed service in the church?  3. Where might God be inviting you to turn a hardship or “exile” into a mission opportunity?  4. In what concrete ways can your home or job become a platform for ministry, like Priscilla and Aquila?  5. How have you personally experienced God's “He knows my name” care?  6. What divisions or hierarchies do you see creeping into the church today, and how can we resist them?

The devotional centers on the powerful promise that when two or three gather in the name of Jesus, He is present among them, and their prayers are heard and answered by God. Emphasizing that divine presence and effectiveness are not dependent on numbers but on unity in Christ's name, the message affirms that prayer aligned with God's will—whether immediate or delayed—will be honored. It highlights the spiritual significance of small, intentional prayer groups, encouraging believers to form or join such gatherings for intercession on behalf of the church, missions, and the world. The tone is both pastoral and urgent, calling the audience to value and prioritize humble, faith-filled prayer meetings as a vital expression of faith. Ultimately, the devotional affirms that God's faithfulness to answer prayer is certain, even when results are not immediately visible.

CPXL Season 3 • Episode 5: Why Do Christians Disagree so Much?In this episode, Andy Addis and Eric Franklin tackle one of the most common questions both believers and skeptics wrestle with: if Christians all follow the same Bible, why are there so many different denominations, interpretations, and opinions? Together, they explore the difference between essential doctrines and secondary issues, discuss why disagreement exists within the Church, and consider how Christians can pursue unity without compromising truth.Whether you've been confused by differing beliefs among Christians, have friends or family in other denominations, or simply want to better understand why faithful believers sometimes land in different places, this conversation offers biblical perspective and practical wisdom for navigating disagreement with humility, conviction, and grace.The goal of the Christian life isn't uniformity in every opinion—it's unity in Christ, even when we don't see eye to eye on every issue._______________CrossPoint is one church in many places, seeking to reach our communities with the true hope and freedom found in Christ. We do this as ordinary people who are being changed by Jesus to do extraordinary things.Find out more at https://crosspointchurch.comGive at https://crosspointchurch.com/giveConnect at https://crosspointchurch.com/connectView our Vision Campaign at  https://crosspointchurch.com/unleashed#crosspointchurch #gospel #jesus #church #CPXL

CPXL Season 3 • Episode 5: Why Do Christians Disagree so Much?In this episode, Andy Addis and Eric Franklin tackle one of the most common questions both believers and skeptics wrestle with: if Christians all follow the same Bible, why are there so many different denominations, interpretations, and opinions? Together, they explore the difference between essential doctrines and secondary issues, discuss why disagreement exists within the Church, and consider how Christians can pursue unity without compromising truth.Whether you've been confused by differing beliefs among Christians, have friends or family in other denominations, or simply want to better understand why faithful believers sometimes land in different places, this conversation offers biblical perspective and practical wisdom for navigating disagreement with humility, conviction, and grace.The goal of the Christian life isn't uniformity in every opinion—it's unity in Christ, even when we don't see eye to eye on every issue._______________CrossPoint is one church in many places, seeking to reach our communities with the true hope and freedom found in Christ. We do this as ordinary people who are being changed by Jesus to do extraordinary things.Find out more at https://crosspointchurch.comGive at https://crosspointchurch.com/giveConnect at https://crosspointchurch.com/connectView our Vision Campaign at  https://crosspointchurch.com/unleashed#crosspointchurch #gospel #jesus #church #CPXL

Strong Christians know their freedom in Christ. Weak Christians are careful not to violate their consciences. The tension between them is real, but Paul insists that neither group belongs to itself. Both belong to the Lord who died and rose again for them. Rather than judging or despising one another, Christians are called to bear with each other in love, just as Christ bore with them. As Paul brings this section of Romans to a close, he reveals how the Gospel creates unity among Jews and Gentiles alike and gives a glimpse into his own mission to carry Christ's name where He has not yet been preached. Rev. Jim Daub, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Havelock, NC, joins guest host DCE Andy Bates to study Romans 15. To learn more about St. Paul Lutheran, visit stpaulhavelock.com. Why does doing the right thing sometimes feel impossible? Why do feelings of guilt follow us even when we've been forgiven? These aren't new questions. St. Paul wrote his letter to the Romans for a church he had never visited, and yet he addressed the struggles every Christian knows firsthand: the weight of the law, the persistence of sin, the sufficiency of what God has done in Christ. Romans covers enormous ground. Paul moves from the universal problem of sin through justification by faith, the role of baptism, the war between flesh and spirit, God's faithfulness to Israel, and the shape of life together in the body of Christ. There's a reason the Reformation was born in this letter. Join us on Thy Strong Word as we open up Romans, weekdays at 11am or on-demand anytime, at KFUO.org.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Romans 14 focuses on Christian liberty, love, and unity within the church, and faith, love, and conscience shape our actions and relationships as believers. Christ's death and resurrection establish His Lordship over all, and love and conscience should guide our actions toward others. While we avoid passing judgment and causing others to stumble, our actions should reflect faith and gratitude to God. Our faith is personal but should be expressed in love. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Unity in Christ requires patience and understanding, and avoiding unnecessary disputes preserves church unity. The Rev. Robert Smith, pastor emeritus in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins guest host the Rev. Sean Daenzer to study Romans 14:1-23. Why does doing the right thing sometimes feel impossible? Why do feelings of guilt follow us even when we've been forgiven? These aren't new questions. St. Paul wrote his letter to the Romans for a church he had never visited, and yet he addressed the struggles every Christian knows firsthand: the weight of the law, the persistence of sin, the sufficiency of what God has done in Christ. Romans covers enormous ground. Paul moves from the universal problem of sin through justification by faith, the role of baptism, the war between flesh and spirit, God's faithfulness to Israel, and the shape of life together in the body of Christ. There's a reason the Reformation was born in this letter. Join us on Thy Strong Word as we open up Romans, weekdays at 11am or on-demand anytime, at KFUO.org.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Many Christian singles wonder: Can a relationship work if you and your potential partner vote differently? Political differences in Christian dating have become one of the biggest challenges for believers seeking godly marriage. With heated elections, social media echo chambers, and cultural flashpoints, it's easy to feel like politics could derail God's will for your love life. The good news? Scripture offers clear wisdom. Unity in Christ transcends political parties, yet wisdom and discernment remain essential when considering a lifelong […] The post Political Differences in Christian Dating Relationships: Can Love Survive Different Views? appeared first on Christian Singles Advice | Christian Dating Advice Tips. Related posts: Dating People From Different Political Views How Christian Singles Can Remain Loving and Peaceful Amidst Political Polemics Marrying Someone With Different Political Views Navigating Cultural Differences in Intercultural Christian Dating Understanding the Five Love Languages in Christian Relationships

In this episode, Logan sits down with Dillon Baker, also known as The Protestant Gentleman, to talk through his journey from campus ministry and non-denominational church life into a deeper exploration of church history, Protestant identity, and the marks of a biblical church. Together, they discuss the strengths and tensions of modern evangelical and megachurch models, including questions of church governance, sacraments, unity, tradition, and how Christians should think about disagreement within the body of Christ. It's a thoughtful and honest conversation that invites pastors and church leaders to reflect on what the church is called to be while still pursuing humility, charity, and unity in Christ.

Monique and Krista are joined by Dr. Jacob Daniel and Dr. Joe Miller to discuss CFBU's brand new Los Angeles Statement on Race, Justice, and Unity. They unpack why this statement was written, how it differs from the 2018 Dallas Statement, and why the Church desperately needs biblical clarity on race, ethnicity, justice, and true unity in Christ. If you're tired of race being used to split the Body of Christ, this is the conversation you need to hear.

Monique and Krista are joined by Dr. Jacob Daniel and Dr. Joe Miller to discuss CFBU's brand new Los Angeles Statement on Race, Justice, and Unity. They unpack why this statement was written, how it differs from the 2018 Dallas Statement, and why the Church desperately needs biblical clarity on race, ethnicity, justice, and true unity in Christ. If you're tired of race being used to split the Body of Christ, this is the conversation you need to hear.

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike reflects on Galatians 2:11–14 and the importance of living in line with the truth of the gospel. Peter allowed fear of what others might think to influence his behavior, causing him to separate himself from Gentile believers and undermine the gospel's message of unity in Christ. Paul confronted him because the gospel is not merely something we believe with our minds—it must shape our actions and relationships. This passage challenges us to stand firm in the gospel and seek God's approval above the approval of people.

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Unity in Christ – July 18, 2026 by Percy Harrold

Introduction: Mark 1:8 - I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Since I'm a Member of the Body of Christ… (1 Corinthians 12:12-31) I shouldn't DOUBT the Part I Play (1 Cor 12:14-20) Because That DENIES My Purpose (1 Cor 12:14-17) Because That DISHONORS God's Design (1 Cor 12:18-20) I shouldn't DOWNPLAY the Roles of Others (1 Cor 12:21-26) By Acting Like I Don't Need ANYONE ELSE (1 Cor 12:21-24) By Exclusively Focusing on My NEEDS (1 Cor 12:25-26) By Shining the Spotlight onto ME (1 Cor 12:27-31) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Questions and Answers: How is the Church Like a Body? Taylor Brown Download Audio Transcript 00:36Please turn your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 12, verses 12-31. 1 Corinthians 12, verses 12-31. Isn't it frustrating to witness someone not do his or her job correctly? Maybe you have an employee or a direct report who constantly comes late, makes excuses, or has a suspicious number of grandparents that he has funerals he has to attend.01:06How many grandparents do you actually have? You hire a contractor to carry out a project in your house and he makes huge mistakes. And he acts very inconvenient when you come, when you ask him to come back and fix those mistakes. Your waitress has a horrible attitude and never checks on your table because she is constantly texting. You know what's even more frustrating than that? Witnessing or experiencing someone else.01:36not allow others to do their jobs correctly. You watch your favorite team lose yet again because one key player can't get his act together and he messes it up for everybody. You have a boss who is an expert in incompetence. He expects everyone to do their jobs as well as his job. You have a co-worker who makes your job so hard you can't finish this project at work because she has constantly dragging your feet and she is not communicating with you.02:10And instead of accepting that blame, taking it on herself, she points the finger of blame at you and says that it's your fault.02:19You know what's infinitely more frustrating than all the examples I've given already?02:24Witnessing a Christian refuse to do his or her job in the church.02:30or experiencing another Christian attempt to hinder you from carrying out your job in the church. Instead of contributing to the team, this person backs away, tries to go solo and do his or her own thing. Instead of building others up and encouraging them, they tear others down and diminish them. Wasted potential is a sorry sight to behold. Misused talents are squandered resources.03:02Missed opportunities for ministry are to be grieved. As you learned over the past eight months in 1 Corinthians, the church is commanded to be unified and purified. Unfortunately, this unity is undervalued, ignored, and tested by many who should know better. This purity is jeopardized, abused, and cast aside by many who claim to know and love Jesus Christ.03:30Excuses are made and commitments are unkept. Complaints are spoken instead of genuine praise. Zooming in on me and what I want is far more common than focusing on us and what we need. Am I describing you? Am I describing your contribution to the church?04:00Ask yourself, am I contributing to the unity and purity of Harvest Bible Chapel, or am I subtracting from it? Are you neglecting to do your job in the church? Are you standing in the way of others and making it hard for them to carry out their jobs in the church? Take a moment to go before the Lord and consider those questions.04:32Quiet your heart and ask God to convict you today. Ask God to challenge you today. Ask God to change you today. Go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we come before you as your people for the most important appointment of the week. May we not be distracted. Or may we truly dial in to what what you want to teach us this morning. Lord, may you show us who you've called us to be and what you've commanded us to do. I pray we'd all walk out of this room with a different vision of the church and a different idea of what we are called to do individually in the church. I ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. We are in the Q&A section of 1 Corinthians. Paul is addressing questions that this congregation asked him in a previous And last week, Pastor Jeff showed us Paul's answer to the Corinthians' question about spiritual gifts. Every single believer is given at least one spiritual gift that is to be used to bless the church and advance the gospel. No one is skipped over. No one is forgotten. No one is left giftless. And these gifts are to unite, not divide.06:00And Paul continues to answer this question in chapter 12, verses 12 through 31, by providing a powerful illustration. He compares the unity of the church body to the unity of a physical human body. Check out what he has to say in verse 12 of chapter 12.06:30So it is with Christ. I'm going to ask you a very easy question, and I'm even going to let you cheat to get the right answer. So everyone, look down and give yourself a quick once-over. Come on, go do it. Are you ready for my question? How many bodies do you have? It's not your question. Just one, you got the answer right. Great job.07:01I'm asking you an easy follow-up question. You can look down again if you have to. How many body parts do you have? Do you have more than one body part? Yes, you have more than one. According to Dr. Google, which is never wrong, you have 78 organs, 206 bones, and 30 to 40 trillion cells. You have individual body parts, legs, feet, toes, toenails, arms, Arms, Hands, Hands, Fingers, Fingernails, Heart, Lungs, Kidney, Stomach, Pancreas, Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Nose, Nose, Hairs, Mouth, Teeth, Gums, Tongue, Uvula.07:41And on the list goes. Sorry, Pastor Jeff's uvula was swollen this week, and you're talking about it a lot, so I had to add that.07:50He was sick. That was the reason why.07:54But these individual parts do not operate or function independently from one another.08:00Instead, they work together as one body. They serve different roles. They carry out the same mission to keep you alive and kicking. And Paul is saying this truth about your physical body applies to the church body as well. Yes, we all have different roles. We all have different functions. But we do not operate independently from one another. We work together as one body.08:30same mission to lift high the name of Jesus Christ by making disciples.08:37And you may be thinking, hold on a minute.08:39This illustration seems to break down a bit because I've always had my physical body.08:44It's the only one I've got.08:46How did I become a part of the church body?08:48When did that happen?08:50It's a great question.08:52Thankfully, Paul answers it in verse 13.08:55He says, For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and all were made to drink of one Spirit. You realize at one point you didn't exist. There was no you. Then you popped into existence and you grew in your mother's womb. And at one point you were born into this world with your physical But if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, if you have been saved and given new life in Him, you have experienced more than just one birth. According to God's Word, you've experienced a new birth. And on your spiritual birthday, you were brought into the body of Christ. You became a part of the body of Christ. And this second birth is a work of the Holy Spirit, who Paul That sounds really cool. What in the world does that mean? Baptized in the Holy Spirit. Well, 2,000 years ago, John the Baptist baptized men and women in water as a sign of their repentance. But John was up front. He was very clear that he was not the point. He was not the be-all and end-all. He came to point to someone greater than him. He says, He says, I baptize with water, but He will baptize with the Holy Spirit.10:37Who is this greater person?10:39Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit?10:42Jesus Christ Himself.10:46This has massive implications for my life, your life, and the life of this church body.10:52This means that I, Taylor Samuel Brown, wasn't just baptized in water on July 30, 2000 by Pastor Jesse Boggs at Northgate Church. Yes, that was an important day. That was an important baptism. But I experienced an even more important day, an even more important baptism years prior. Before that, I was baptized in the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ. I was saved from my sins.11:25I was made into a new person.11:27I was brought into the body of Christ.11:32My water baptism was simply an outward symbol of the salvation I experienced.11:39Of this baptism in the Holy Spirit that I experienced.11:45And Paul even says that I drank of the Holy Spirit.11:50Again, sounds great, but what in the world does that mean? Well, think about it this way. When you drink something, you are filled with that liquid, aren't you? Whether it's water, coffee, wild cherry, Pepsi, or kombucha. When you drink a liquid, you are filled with that liquid. When you drink of the Holy Spirit, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. He lives within you. He takes up residence within you.12:20If you have trusted in Christ, you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. You have been filled with the Holy Spirit. In verse 13, Paul mentions different factors that would divide people back in his day. He mentions ethnicity and social status. In 2026, we live in a world where we are constantly being tried to be ripped apart because of our many differences. We have different backgrounds. We have different skin colors. We come from different financial situations. We have different careers. We have different personalities. We have different temperaments. We are different in so many ways. And as we'll discover soon, that is good news to celebrate. But we are the exact same in the most important ways. We have the same Heavenly Father. We have been redeemed by the same Savior.13:20been changed by the same Holy Spirit. We belong to the same body. Our differences may be great, but our unity in Christ and His Spirit is even greater. So after this long and theologically heavy introduction, you may be thinking, all right, this is all very interesting, but what's the point? I get it. I'm a member of the body of Christ.13:49Now, you need to be encouraged to do your job in the body of Christ. Now, you need to be encouraged to let other people do their jobs in the body of Christ. So on your outline, since I'm a member of the body of Christ, number one, I shouldn't doubt the part I play. I shouldn't doubt the part I play.14:19Some of you in this room and watching online struggle to truly believe that you have an important part to play in the life of this church. You may think to yourself, I mean, sure, this is my church and I'm involved, but if I left, nothing would change. No one would notice. I don't have an upfront role that matters. I don't play an instrument. I don't really matter here. And as one of your pastors, it deeply saddens me that some of you feel that way about you.14:51It deeply saddens me that you believe a lie about yourself instead of believing what God's word says about who you are. You do matter. You do have a part to play at Harvest. This church does need you and it wouldn't be the same without you. And I'm not just saying that to make you feel good. I'm saying that because that's what God's word says. Listen to what Paul says in verses 14 through 17.15:19For the body does not consist of one member, but of many. If the foot should say, because I'm not a hand, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?15:49I didn't doubt the part I play. Letter A on your outline, because that denies my purpose. Because that denies my purpose. You claiming that you have no part to play in the body of Christ because you don't have the gifting of another person is as ridiculous as your foot saying, I have no part to play in the body because I'm not a hand. I'll never be able to hammer a nail into the wall. I'll never be able to type on a keyboard, so I just give up.16:18I mean, sure, your hands can't do, your feet can't do what your hands can do. But your hands can't do what your feet can do as well, right? Walking is pretty important, right? Most of you don't agree with that. Walking is really important, right? Your hands can't do that. Okay, good. Man, you are sitting right now, but eventually you will have to get up and walk away.16:45You claiming that you have no part to play in the body of Christ is as insane as your ears saying, I have no part to play in the body because I'll never be able to look at the Grand Canyon. I'll never be able to stare up at a starry night. So I'm just going to tune out and call it a day. I mean, yeah, your eye is important, but your eyes can't do what your ears can do. Without your ears, you wouldn't be able to hear anything. Just imagine if your entire body was just just one feature. Eyes are beautiful, aren't they? I love my wife's eyes the most, and I could stare into her eyes for hours. But imagine if Kate was just a big eyeball and nothing else. There's a big eye bouncing around my house and sleeping in the bed next to me at night. That sounds like the premise of a horror movie. I mean, yeah, I'd still love her because I made a vow to her 12 years ago, but That'd be pretty rough. That'd be hard. A big eye has 20-20 vision, but it can't really do anything else. A big ear has great hearing, but it can't really do much else. Now imagine if every single person in this church had the same exact gifting and function. Would that be productive or disastrous? It would be a total and complete I have been in a room with thousands of preachers before.18:20Imagine if those thousands of preachers tried to carry out the same function in the same church.18:27There would be arguments about who does what.18:29The bills would never get paid.18:31The building would fall in disrepair and probably burn down.18:34Preaching is an essential function of the church, but is not the only function.18:41Some of you men in this room do have a preaching gift.18:44We are so thankful for you. You realize it's very different. It's very unique to have this many guys who can preach a message in a church. That doesn't happen everywhere. God has gifted this church. But others of you guys do not have a preaching gift. And that is not something to be upset about. That is not a bad thing. Not everybody has the gift of preaching. Not everyone has an upfront role.19:14If your part is behind the scenes, it matters. Maybe your part is in the AV booth. Without Mike back there, without all the AV team back there, no one would be able to hear the sermons. I'd just scream at the top of my lungs for you to hear me. Without Ben and Lincoln working on the sermons afterwards, people across the country and across the world wouldn't be able to hear it, which does happen.19:43Maybe your part is being on the prayer team. You show the rest of the body what it looks like to faithfully lift up the needs of the saints to the Lord. Maybe your part is security. You function as the antibodies of the church that keeps the rest of the body safe. Maybe your part is working at Harvest Academy or working as an adult leader in Arrow. You are training up the future generation in Jesus Christ.20:14is leading a small group. You are on the front lines of congregational care and discipleship. Maybe your part is on the relocation and building committee with Pastor Rich and the others. You help formulate the budget. You count on Sundays. I can keep going and going and going. Without a doubt, you do have a part to play. Stop believing that you do not matter. Stop being envious of others. Stop denying your purpose at harvest.20:45I shouldn't doubt the part I play because that denies my purpose. Letter B, I shouldn't doubt the part I play because that dishonors God's design. Because that dishonors God's design. Let's look at verses 18 through 20. But as it is, God arranges the members in the body, each one of them as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be?21:18When you badmouth a team's starting lineup and strategies, who are you ultimately dishonoring? The coach who decides who starts and designs the place. If you pick apart every single detail of a restaurant and complain about it to everyone that you know, who are you dishonoring ultimately? The manager, the owner, who decides who to hire, who makes all the big decisions. If you complain about your gifting and part in the body, who are you ultimately dishonoring? God himself. He is the one who created you. He is the one who designed his church. Paul says that God arranges the members in the body, each of them as he chose. When you are discontent with your part in the church, you aren't just hurting yourself, and you are hurting yourself.22:13You aren't just shortchanging your fellow members. You aren't just making ministry hard for the pastors, elders, and other leaders. You are accusing God. You are saying something about Him that is not true. You are shouting this message to your Creator. God, you made a mistake with me. I deserve a do-over. You could have done better. Is that a great message to send to the most important and powerful person the universe. No, it is not. Because God doesn't need a do-over. Because he nails everything on the first try. God did not make a mistake with you. He designs you purposefully and puts you into his church with purpose and design. It's a complete waste of time, energy, and effort to resist the Lord. So cut it out. Get on board with his plans for the body. Lean into your God-given part instead of backing away from it. Do your job in the church because it was personally chosen for you. Since I'm a member of the body of Christ, I shouldn't doubt the part I play. Since I'm a member of the body of Christ, number two on your outline, I shouldn't downplay the roles of others. I shouldn't downplay the roles of others.23:44from sabotaging yourself to sabotaging others. It is foolish to stand in your own way, but it is wicked to stand in the way of other people. As we just talked about, many of you struggle with a low view of yourself and how God has gifted you. Others of you have the exact opposite problem. You have a low view of others and how God has gifted them.24:13In the next several verses, Paul warns you to not downplay the roles of others in the church. Listen to verses 21 through 24.24:43which are more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it. I shouldn't downplay the roles of others, letter A on your outline, by acting like I don't need anyone else. By acting like I don't need anyone else. So Paul turns the tables on the Corinthians as well as you and me in these verses. He flips the scenario.25:13First, he says it's dumb for a foot or an eye to say that they're not a part of the body. Now he says it's dumb for the eye or the head to tell other parts of the body that they don't matter. This kind of attitude is arrogant. This game of comparison misses the point. You know, naturally, we all create lists of importance and systems of ranking.25:43a to-do list that you want to complete, right? Where do you put the items that you think are the most important? Top of the list, right? Where do you put the items that you think are probably the least important? At the bottom of the list. Several months ago, many of you took part in the college basketball brackets, right? You decided which teams you thought were the best and which teams you thought were the worst. If I were to ask you your favorite movies, you could list them very quickly. If I were to ask you to list your least favorite movies, you could do it even quicker. We naturally evaluate everything. We're constantly grading other people's performances. We form our own personal rankings. And this was happening in the Corinthian church back in the first century. There were the spiritual elite at the top of the charts who looked down on those they thought were weaker, less honorable, and even unpresentable.26:45Paul says those brothers or sisters who seem weaker are actually indispensable. Those who seem to have a less than honorable role deserve greater honor. Those who seem unpresentable should be treated with the utmost respect. You may be thinking, oh, Pastor Taylor, I'm not spiritually elite. I don't look down at other people. I don't act like I don't need anyone else.27:16Are you sure about that? Are you sure? Do you make excuses for why you can't be in community with other believers? Do you refuse to join a small group or be involved in other ministries that we offer here like fishermen, live, laugh, lunch, precepts, mugs and moms? You say you don't have time or energy for these things, but inwardly you know that's not true.27:43By not joining a small group or participating in any of these ministries, you are communicating a loud and clear message, I'm doing just fine on my own. I don't need anyone else. I am self-sufficient. Maybe you are a part of a small group of one of the other ministries that I mentioned, but as soon as you walk in, you put up your defense shields. You don't share a detail of your life with anybody. No one knows anything about what you're struggling with or how they can pray for you because you don't.28:13tell them. You don't want to trust anybody else because they might let you down. You were hurt in the past and so you think, well, it's going to happen again, so I'm not even going to try. Are you someone who comes in late and leaves early because you are terrified of knowing others and being known? You're acting like you don't need anyone else. Are there people in this room or the other service that you actively avoid?28:45Is there a guy in your small group that you intentionally leave out of conversations and hangouts? Is there a woman down the aisle from you who you are blatantly rude to face to face and make fun of behind closed doors? All of these behaviors are childish. All of these behaviors are reflective of the Corinthians, not Christ. All of those behaviors hurt the body and do not help the body.29:14I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by acting like I don't need anyone else. Letter B, I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by exclusively focusing on my needs. By exclusively focusing on my needs. Let's read verses 25 through 26. That there may be no division in the body, that the members may have the same care for one another.29:44All suffer together. If one member is honored, all rejoice together.29:53Have you ever been walking around your house minding your own business whenever you stub your pinky toe on the bed or a bench or a chair?30:01Let me ask you, in that moment, is it just your pinky toe that reacts?30:07Does the rest of your body think, man, sucks to be pinky, too bad for him.30:11I'm just gonna kinda do my own thing for a little while he calms down. No, when you stub your pinky toe, the pause button is pressed on life and nothing else matters. Your whole body reacts, your face grimaces, your mouth yells out some things that you hope nobody else hears. Your back arches, your hands reach down and grab your damaged foot and you pogo stick around on the undamaged foot and then your eyes inspect the damage. Your whole body reacts to the pain.30:43You ever had a bad back problem? Or a nagging tooth pain? Are you able to compartmentalize that and not think about it? Now when your back hurts, it's game over for your day. If your tooth is throbbing, you have one all-consuming thought, end the pain right now. Your whole body feels the pain of even its smallest member.31:12The same should be true of the body of Christ. If one person is in pain, all of us should be in pain. If there is a need, we should all rise up to meet that need. If someone in your small group has a big surgery or a major medical issue, start a meal train. Go visit them in the hospital. Take care of tasks around the house.31:41If there's someone on your serving team who loses a family member, show up at the funeral. Show up at the visitation. Your presence will speak far louder than any words you could possibly share. Care about the pain of other people. Meet the needs of others. Care about what other people need, even more than what you need. If one member suffers, all suffer together.32:11If one member is honored, all rejoice together. Here's a question that's been nagging at me all week. Do I love to celebrate the victories of other people? Very often the answer is no. What about you? Do you love to celebrate the victories of other people? Do you rejoice with other Christians?32:41When something good happens to another Christian in your life, do you think, praise the Lord, what a blessing? Or do you think, man, when's it going to be my turn? Nothing good ever happens to me like it does to that guy. When there's a couple in this church that has a solid marriage and really great godly children, do you think to yourself, man, what a great example that I want to follow? Or do you think to yourself, when will my family get it together? I'll never be like Mr. and Mrs. Perfect. I wish they'd stop rubbing it in my face.33:13You have to understand that other people's success is not your failure. According to Paul, their success is your success because you are a part of the same body. Let's share in the pain together. Let's share in the joy together. Let's thank the Lord in the good times together. And let's trust the Lord in the hard times together.33:41I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by acting like I don't need anyone else. I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by exclusively focusing on my needs. Finally, I shouldn't downplay the roles of others by shining the spotlight onto me. By shining the spotlight onto me. Let's wrap up with verses 27 through 31. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, These verses are jam-packed with a ton of stuff that we cannot get into. We don't have the time right now.34:41But it's really important to see that Paul mentions an office that no longer exists today. The office of apostle. Some churches have not got that memo yet. God is not posting apostleship jobs on Indeed. He is not hiring or looking to fill that position in 2026. Paul also talks about the sign gifts like speaking in tongues, miracles, and healing. Thankfully, I don't have to wade into that controversial topic because Pastor Jeff did it last week and he'll do an even deeper dive this summer.35:11Sometimes it pays to be the associate pastor.35:15But for now, catch the principle that Paul is communicating instead of getting bogged down in the details.35:21And the best way to do that is to answer the layup questions that Paul asks.35:25Let's go through the list.35:26And you have to participate.35:27You have to answer the question.35:29There's one obvious answer for all of them.35:31Are all apostles?35:33Good job.35:34Are all prophets?35:36Are all teachers?35:38Do all work miracles?35:39Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? What's Paul's point? God has given every single believer a spiritual gift or several spiritual gifts, but he has not given any believer all the spiritual gifts. That's not possible. You know, we have a lot of talented musicians and vocalists here at Harvest, don't we? Let's give them a round of applause and thank them for all they do for us.36:13You know, Jesse Hogan, he can sing, he can play the guitar, he can play the drums, he can play the piano. He can play three instruments and I can play none. I guess I shouldn't rank our abilities, right? I shouldn't compare. I'm sorry, I'm still learning that lesson myself. I shouldn't compare with Jesse. Jesse can play all those things, but he can't play every single instrument in the world of which there are over 1,500.36:39Also, Jesse can't play all those instruments at the same exact time. If Jesse tried to come up here and do a one-man band and try to run between the guitar, the piano, and run between the drums, he would make a total and complete fool of himself. Because prideful exaltation always leads to forced humility. Jesse needs the rest of the band around him.37:09He needs everybody else. He needs the vocalists who can't reach the notes that he cannot. He needs Chris or Jay on bass. Jesse needs everybody else working with him. You know, the Corinthians were experts in self-exaltation. Many in the church wanted to shine the spotlight onto themselves. Look again at verse 31. Paul says, On a first glance, it may look like Paul is commanding the Corinthians to seek after the biggest and best gifts, but that totally misses the point of what he's actually saying. If you pay attention to the context, he's saying the exact opposite. This word, earnestly, is most often used in the context of envy and jealousy. A better translation of this verse is, But you are jealous for the higher gifts Paul is not commending them He is not celebrating them He is correcting the Corinthians Because they desired the flashy and showy gifts Serving wasn't on their mind because they wanted to show off Paul is telling them You're not the point So stop trying to be You're not in competition with one another You are working together Be in sync with one another do your job and help other people do their job as well. And he concludes by saying, and I will show you a still more excellent way. What is that still more excellent way? It is the way of love, which Pastor Jeff will talk about next week. This whole topic of spiritual gifts and the unity of the body should be viewed the lens of love.39:05The love of Christ for us, our love for Christ, and our love for each other. Otherwise, we'll miss the point of why God even gifted us in the first place. If you have been saved by Christ, never forget that you belong to Christ. Never forget that you belong to Christ's beloved body. Since you're a member of the body of Christ, you shouldn't doubt the part that you Since you're a member of the body of Christ, you shouldn't downplay the roles of others. As this sermon concludes, some of you in this room may feel a bit left out because you're not a Christian. You are not a member of the body of Christ. As of now, you are a detached hand or foot that has no function in the church body. As of right now, you are a detached eye or ear that is not connected to anything greater than yourself. As of now, the life-giving blood of Christ does not flow in you and through you. I have to warn you, if you continue in this state of self-isolation, you will wither away and die in your sins. You will experience a life without purpose, and you will endure an eternity separated from the giver of life.40:35and the other recipients of his life. If that's you, I beg you to turn from your sin and turn to Jesus. Place the full weight of your faith upon him, what he has done through his life, death, and resurrection. And then, and only then, will you be forgiven and given new life. Then, you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit. You will be brought into the body of Christ.41:04you will be placed into the perfect role that you were made for. You will be given the high honor and responsibility of serving Christ and his body. We'd love for you to join us. Let's pray. Father, we come to you and we thank you for your word. We thank you for the encouragement and the conviction that we all experienced. Lord, if there is someone in this room who is currently not a member of the body of Christ, who is not saved. May today be the day where they finally say no to sin and yes to your son.41:43And for the rest of us, Lord, may we do our jobs.41:47May we let other people do their jobs.41:49May we work together and encourage each other.41:51Lord, we thank you for all that you're doing with this new building project.41:57Lord, none of that matters if we can't work together now.42:01May we be faithful now.42:03May we work together now. We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 12:12-31What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Re-read 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 - What does it mean that we are baptized in the Spirit and drink of the Spirit? Why is this so important for church unity? Do you ever doubt the part you play in the body of Christ? How can you fight against this discouragement? How do you see professing Christians standing in the way of others and downplaying their roles in the church? How do you see this disturbing trend within yourself? What does it look like to prioritize the needs, hurts, and victories of other members in the church body over your own? BreakoutPray for one another.

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!A papal document tries to warn the world about artificial intelligence, but what happens when the warning itself is so ambiguous that it feels like it cannot guide anyone's conscience? We dig into Pope Leo's new AI text and ask the questions the average Catholic is already asking: What does “remain profoundly human” actually mean, what is “true progress,” and why does so much Church messaging sound allergic to naming sin, conversion, and the spiritual stakes of modern tech?From there, we zoom out to the bigger picture driving the anxiety: a Church leadership culture that often aims for unity without defining unity in Christ, and “solutions” that feel more humanist than Catholic. We talk about how social media dehumanizes people through anonymity, why AI can become an oracle if we treat it like one, and how older Catholic writing often delivered clearer moral reasoning in fewer words. We also explore why many Catholics see the current moment as a hostile takeover in slow motion, not a clean break from the faith, but a steady dilution that confuses the faithful while keeping the sacraments intact.Then the conversation gets blunt about ideology and influence: communism and apostasy in light of Pope Pius XII's 1949 decree, the Vatican's World Meeting of Popular Movements, and the danger of pairing local churches with activist networks that push revolution, abortion politics, and syncretistic spirituality. Along the way we touch prophecy, Jerusalem, Fatima timelines, and why end times talk keeps resurfacing when institutions look unsteady.Subscribe, share this with a friend who is trying to think clearly about AI and the Catholic Church, and leave a review with the one line from the conversation you cannot stop thinking about.Support the showGet 10% off an amazing Black Monk Rosary by going to https://www.blackmonkrosaries.com/?ref=AVOIDINGBABYLON and using code AVOIDINGBABYLON at checkout!Check out our sponsor, Nic Nac, at www.nicnac.com and use code "AB25%" for 25% off of your first order!Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://avoiding-babylon-shop.fourthwall.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comFull Premium/Locals Shows on Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1987412/subscribeRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rss

In this special Family Meeting, Monique and Krista are joined by Dr. Jacob Daniel and Dr. Joe Miller to discuss CFBU's brand new Los Angeles Statement on Race, Justice, and Unity. They unpack why this statement was written, how it differs from the 2018 Dallas Statement, and why the Church desperately needs biblical clarity on race, ethnicity, justice, and true unity in Christ. If you're tired of race being used to split the Body of Christ, this is the conversation you need to hear.

This Week at Genesis | Grace Has Been Given In Ephesians 4, Paul reminds us that grace has been given to each of us—not only as mercy and favor, but as empowerment for the work of God. This message explores how Christ gifts and forms His church, calling every person into maturity, unity, and purpose. Together, we reflect on how God equips His people, builds His body, and invites each of us to play a part in the growth of the church. As we stay rooted in truth and love, we become a community strengthened to serve, encourage, and reflect Christ to the world.  

In this homily The Rev. Dr. James E. Taylor, Rector of St.George Episcopal Church, discusses the day's Gospel and tells us that as Christians we must learn to trust in God and keep the faith. We live in a world that wants us not to be believers of Christ. The challenge is living in this world but not being of this world. He goes on to speak of disunity spawned by the evil one and God's unity. This disunity will destroy churches, families and organizations. God's unity in Christ transforms our lives ad can transform the world.Send comments to: musingsonfaith@gmail.com.

This guide covers the readings appointed in the Revised Common Lectionary for the Day of Pentecost, Year A, falling on May 24, 2026. Pentecost is the fiftieth day of the Easter season — the Sunday on which the church remembers the coming of the Holy Spirit. The lectionary offers several choices at three of the four reading positions this day, which can be confusing. The note below explains the options, and this guide covers all of them.A note on the options (just so you'll know): The lectionary for Pentecost offers these choices. (1) First Reading: Acts 2:1–21 or Numbers 11:24–30. (2) Epistle: 1 Corinthians 12:3b–13 or Acts 2:1–21 (Acts moves to the epistle slot when Numbers is used as the first reading, so Acts is read either way). (3) Gospel: John 20:19–23 or John 7:37–39. The Psalm (104:24–34, 35b) has no alternative. Most congregations will use Acts 2 as the first reading; this guide treats Acts 2 as primary and gives full coverage to all the alternatives.The ReadingsActs 2:1–21First Reading (Primary Option) — The Day of PentecostSummaryOn the day of Pentecost, the followers of Jesus are gathered together when the Spirit arrives with the sound of rushing wind and what looks like fire resting on each of them. They begin speaking in languages other than their own. A crowd gathers — devout Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem for the festival from many different countries — and to their astonishment each person hears the disciples speaking in their own native language. Some are amazed; others mock the disciples as drunk. Peter stands up and addresses them, explaining that what they are seeing is the fulfillment of the prophet Joel's promise: in the last days God will pour out the Spirit on every kind of person, crossing the usual lines of age, gender, and social status, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.Pentecost by Kseniya LaptevaKey Ideas for Preaching1. The miracle at Pentecost is, very specifically, a miracle of communication across difference. The disciples do not all speak one universal language that everyone somehow understands. They speak many languages — the actual languages of the people standing in the crowd. The Spirit does not erase cultural and linguistic differences; it crosses them. What might it look like for your congregation to take this seriously? Real welcome is not everyone becoming the same. It is everyone being met in their own voice.2. Peter's quotation from the prophet Joel insists that the Spirit is poured out on everyone: sons and daughters, young and old, those at the top of the social order and those at the bottom. Every line that might limit who has access to God is named and crossed. Which of those lines does your congregation still tend to observe, even without meaning to? Where might the Spirit be inviting you to cross one?3. The crowd's first reaction is mockery. When the Spirit moves, it sometimes produces confusion and ridicule before it produces understanding. That is worth naming honestly for a congregation that might expect a movement of God to look tidy. What if your people's discomfort with something new is not a sign that God is absent, but a sign that something is actually happening?4. The text begins by saying the disciples were all together in one place. That gathering is named as the setting in which the Spirit arrives. The Spirit is not poured out on scattered individuals here — it comes upon a gathered community. What does this say about why it still matters to show up, to be present together, in a culture that often treats faith as a private matter?Significant Cautions• Pentecost is sometimes called the birthday of the church. That phrase can give the impression that God was not at work among people before this moment, or that the Jewish community from which the church grew has somehow been left behind. Neither is true. Peter grounds the whole event in Jewish prophecy. The church does not replace something old; it grows out of it.• The mockers in the crowd are easy to dismiss as villains or to use as a foil for the faithful. But they are not really villains — they are genuinely confused by something they have never seen before. Be careful about setting up a sharp us-versus-them dynamic between the believers and the skeptics.• The promise that everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved is a quotation Peter draws from Joel and applies to this specific moment. Be careful about lifting it out of the story and turning it into a simple formula that ignores the communal witness and the changed lives that surround it in the rest of Acts.Numbers 11:24–30First Reading (Alternative Option) — The Spirit Shared with the EldersSummaryMoses, worn down by the burden of leading Israel through the wilderness, has cried out to God for help. God tells him to gather seventy elders at the tent of meeting and shares some of the spirit resting on Moses with them, and they begin to prophesy — though only this one time. Two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, had stayed back in the camp rather than coming to the tent, and the spirit comes upon them there too. Joshua, Moses's assistant, is disturbed and asks Moses to stop them. Moses refuses, saying he wishes all of God's people were prophets and that God would put the Spirit on every one of them.Key Ideas for Preaching1. Moses's wish — that all the Lord's people would be prophets — is exactly what Pentecost finally delivers. If you are preaching both this text and Acts 2, you can draw that line clearly. What Moses longed for, the Spirit at Pentecost gives. The Spirit is no longer reserved for a few special leaders. What might change in your congregation if people actually believed that the Spirit had been given to all of them, not just to the clergy?2. Eldad and Medad receive the Spirit out in the camp, away from the official gathering, without having done the expected thing of showing up at the tent. The Spirit moves where it wants. Joshua wants to stop them; Moses refuses. Where in your congregation, or your community, is the Spirit clearly at work in places or people you would not have predicted? Are you paying attention, or are you trying to call them back to the tent?3. Moses's response to Joshua shows a kind of leadership that is not threatened by other people receiving what he has. He does not protect his role; he gladly shares it. Many leaders in church and elsewhere quietly fear that empowering other people will diminish them. What would it look like to lead the way Moses leads here?Significant Cautions• The seventy elders prophesy this one time and never again. It is a moment, not an ongoing gift. Be careful about treating Moses's story as a straight preview of Pentecost in a way that flattens out the genuine newness of what happens in Acts. The connection is real and worth drawing; the two events are not identical.• Joshua is not condemned for wanting to stop Eldad and Medad — he is acting out of loyalty to Moses. Be gentle in using him as a negative example. The instinct to protect structures and proper channels is not always wrong. It is just sometimes misapplied.Psalm 104:24–34, 35bThe Psalm — The Spirit That Renews the Face of the EarthSummaryThis part of the great creation psalm marvels at how varied and abundant God's creation is. Every living thing — from the countless creatures of the vast sea to all the rest — looks to God for food and receives what it needs in its time. When God withdraws, creatures are troubled; when God takes back their breath, they die and return to dust. But when God sends out the divine Spirit — the same word that means breath or wind — they are created again, and the face of the earth is made new. The psalm closes with a vow to sing to God for as long as the singer has life, and a prayer that God will be pleased with the song.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The word for Spirit in this psalm is the same word for breath and wind (ruach )— the same creative power that hovered over the waters at the beginning of Genesis. On Pentecost, this image reaches back across the whole Bible and grounds the coming of the Spirit in something much older than the upper room in Jerusalem. The breath of God has been animating creation from the beginning. (Genesis 1:2) What does it do for your congregation to hear that the Spirit who came at Pentecost is the same Spirit who breathed life into the first creatures?2. The line about God sending out the Spirit so that creatures are created and the face of the earth is renewed is one of the most hopeful sentences in the whole Bible. Renewal is what the Spirit does. How might this widen the frame of your Pentecost sermon beyond the church alone? The Spirit who renewed the earth is the same Spirit poured out on the disciples.3. The mood of the psalm is wonder — delight at what God has made. Could Pentecost be an occasion not just to explain the Spirit but to invite your congregation into that same posture: paying attention, giving thanks, being astonished at what God is doing?Significant Cautions• The psalm describes creatures dying when God withdraws breath. It is part of the rhythm of creation in the psalm, but it can land hard in a congregation where someone is grieving. Be careful not to use this image casually in a way that suggests God has withdrawn from a person's loved one.• The poetry of the psalm is expansive and imaginative. Resist the urge to flatten it into a proof text for a particular view of how creation happened or how it works scientifically. The purpose of the psalm is praise, not explanation.1 Corinthians 12:3b–13The Epistle (Primary Option) — Many Gifts, One SpiritSummaryPaul is writing to a church in Corinth that has been arguing about spiritual gifts — specifically, about who has the more impressive ones. He begins with a basic test of authenticity: only the Holy Spirit enables someone to say Jesus is Lord. Then he describes the wide variety of gifts in the church — wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous works, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation — insisting that all of them come from one and the same Spirit, who distributes them as the Spirit chooses, and all are given for the good of the whole community. Paul closes with the image of the body: just as a body is one but has many parts, so it is with Christ. We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — Jews and Greeks, enslaved and free — and we all share in the one Spirit.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The gifts Paul lists are not awards for spiritual achievement. They are given by the Spirit, however the Spirit chooses, and they are given for the benefit of the whole community rather than the prestige of the recipient. This cuts both ways. It speaks to the person who quietly believes their gift makes them important. It also speaks to the person who quietly believes they have no gift at all. Neither of those positions matches the text. What might happen if your congregation actually believed that every person in the room had been given something for the good of everyone else?2. The body image at the end of the passage looks simple but carries real weight. Every part of the body is needed. No part can opt out, and no part can claim to be more important than another. What does the body of your congregation actually look like? Which members get treated as more important? Which members feel like they barely belong? What would change if everyone took Paul at his word here?3. Paul is not writing a peaceful, theoretical description of an ideal community. He is writing pastoral correction to a real church that is fighting about exactly this issue. That makes the passage more useful, not less. Where is your congregation tempted to rank one another — by gift, by giving, by visibility, by status — and what would Paul have to say about it?4. The last line of the passage says that the unity Paul is describing is already a reality. It happened in baptism. The congregation is not being asked to build unity from scratch; it is being asked to live into something that has already been given. How does it change the way you preach about unity when you stop treating it as a goal and start treating it as a gift to be received?Significant Cautions• Lists of spiritual gifts have sometimes been used to rank Christians, or to claim that one particular gift — often speaking in tongues — is the real sign that the Spirit is present. Paul's whole argument here runs against that use. The Spirit gives whatever the Spirit chooses to give. No person and no group gets to decide which gifts count the most.• Paul mentions the categories of “enslaved or free” alongside Jews and Greeks. He does not, in this letter, challenge slavery as an institution. Be honest about that. The image of being one body in Christ did not, on its own, end the social and economic injustices of the ancient world. Speaking of unity in Christ should not be used to suggest that hard questions of justice take care of themselves.• The unity Paul describes is not uniformity. The whole point of the body image is that the body has many different parts that do different things. Be careful not to use the language of one body to pressure a diverse congregation into one cultural or stylistic expression of worship.John 20:19–23The Gospel (Primary Option) — Peace and the Breath of the SpiritSummaryOn the evening of the first Easter Sunday, the disciples are huddled together behind locked doors because they are afraid. Jesus comes and stands among them and says, peace be with you. He shows them the wounds in his hands and his side, and they are overjoyed. He says it a second time: peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. Then he breathes on them and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit. If they forgive anyone's sins, those sins are forgiven; if they hold them against someone, the sins remain.Key Ideas for Preaching1. Jesus breathes on the disciples and gives them the Spirit. The image deliberately echoes the moment in Genesis when God breathed life into the first human being. This is presented as a kind of new creation. How might it shift the meaning of Pentecost for your congregation to see it as part of God's long pattern of creating and renewing life, rather than as an isolated, one-time event?2. In John's telling, the Spirit is given on Easter evening — not fifty days later. That is a different account than the one in Acts 2. Rather than smoothing over the difference, what would it look like to be honest with your congregation that the two accounts are doing different theological work? John ties the Spirit directly to the resurrection. Acts ties it to the Jewish festival of Pentecost. Both are saying something true about who the Spirit is.3. The commission and the gift come together. As the Father has sent me, Jesus says, so I am sending you — and then he gives them the Spirit. The Spirit is not given for a private spiritual experience. It is given for a sending. What does it mean for your congregation to receive a gift that, from its very first moment, is pointed outward?4. Jesus places in the hands of this community the responsibility of forgiving sins, of releasing one another from what binds. This has caused real argument in the church about authority. But at the very least, what would it look like for your congregation to take seriously the practice of concrete, embodied forgiveness — not as an abstract idea but as something this community is actually called to do?Significant Cautions• The difference between John's account and Acts is real. John puts the Spirit on Easter evening, and Acts puts it fifty days later at Pentecost. Resist the temptation to harmonize them or explain the difference away. Sermons that name the difference honestly tend to land better than sermons that pretend it is not there.• Jesus says that if the disciples retain sins, those sins are retained. Throughout history, this line has been used to justify exclusion, punishment, and harsh church discipline. Be clear that the main direction of what Jesus says here is toward forgiveness — the releasing of what binds people — not toward the exercise of power over those who are kept out.• The locked doors and the fear of the disciples can be used to make the post-Easter community look like a failure. But these are still the people Jesus comes to and the people he sends. Their fear is the starting point of the story, not the verdict on them. Take care not to shame your congregation's own fear when you preach this scene.John 7:37–39The Gospel (Alternative Option) — Rivers of Living WaterSummaryOn the last and most important day of the Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus stands up in the temple courts and cries out, inviting anyone who is thirsty to come to him and drink. Whoever believes in him, he says, will have rivers of living water flowing from within. John then adds a note explaining that Jesus was speaking about the Spirit, who would be given to believers later — after Jesus had been glorified.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The image of rivers of living water flowing from inside a person is one of the most vivid pictures of the Spirit in any of the Gospels. It is not a trickle. It is not a reservoir you fill up once. It is an ongoing, outward flow. The Spirit is not given to be stored. What would it look like for your congregation to think of the Spirit not as something they have, but as something that flows through them on its way to someone else?2. Jesus makes this announcement on the last day of the Festival of Tabernacles, when water was being poured out as a ritual prayer for rain. The crowd would have felt the weight of the image right away. Could your congregation feel what it means to be genuinely thirsty — not mildly curious about God, but actually in need?3. John explains in a brief note that the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified. The coming of the Spirit is tied directly to the cross and the resurrection. How does it deepen a Pentecost sermon to remind the congregation that the Spirit they celebrate today comes as the fruit of what happened at Easter?Significant Cautions• The phrase about living water flowing from within can sound as though the Spirit is essentially a private inner experience of abundance. But the setting here is a public festival, and Jesus is shouting in the middle of a crowd. The water flows outward, not just inward. Be careful with a reading that turns this into a purely personal experience.• Jesus says the scripture has said something about rivers of living water, but no single passage in the Hebrew Bible is a clear match. Different scholars suggest different texts. Avoid confidently pointing to one specific passage as the source without acknowledging that no one is sure.Thematic ConnectionsEvery text appointed for Pentecost points toward the same central claim: the Spirit of God is now given freely, widely, and without the restrictions that once limited who could receive it. * In Acts, the Spirit crosses every linguistic and cultural line in Jerusalem. * In Numbers, it escapes the official gathering and finds two men out in the camp. * In Psalm 104, it is the breath that renews the whole face of the earth. * In 1 Corinthians, it distributes gifts to every member of the body for the good of the whole community. * In John, it is given on Easter evening to a group of frightened disciples and turns them into a sent people — or it is the living water that flows outward from whoever believes.Acts 2 is the natural center for Pentecost preaching. It is the story the day is built around, and its images of wind and fire and languages are difficult to displace. But 1 Corinthians 12 offers a strong complementary angle for congregations that need to hear about the practical, community-shaping work of the Spirit rather than just its dramatic arrival. And for congregations that preached Acts 2 last year and want something different, either John 7:37–39 or John 20:19–23 opens a distinctive door. The psalm works best in worship as a spoken or sung response rather than as the main preaching text, though its image of the Spirit renewing the face of the earth is worth a sentence or two in almost any Pentecost sermon. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lectionarypro.substack.com/subscribe

The discussion begins with an introduction to the book of Romans, providing historical context and background information. It then delves into the significance of the gospel of God, the obedience of faith, and the importance of preserving unity in Christ. Throughout the conversation, Paul's emphasis on the universal message of salvation and the problem of sin is highlighted.TakeawaysThe gospel of God is a universal message of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.Obedience of faith is a key aspect of the Christian life, emphasizing the importance of trust and action in response to God's word.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Romans06:11 The Obedience of Faith

Pastor Marshall Ochs | May 10, 2026In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Galatians 3. In Galatians 3, Paul emphasizes that salvation and inclusion in God's covenant family come through faith in Jesus Christ, not through obeying the Law of Moses or outward signs like circumcision. Paul explains that both Jews and Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit through faith, just as Abraham was counted righteous because he believed God's promise. The chapter ultimately points to unity in Christ, showing that Jesus fulfills the covenants and removes divisions between people, making all believers one family at God's table.

The conversation covers Benjamin Lee's preparation for the USA Memory Championship, his teaching of the Book of Romans, and a detailed exploration of the purpose and audience of the book. It also delves into the importance of maintaining unity in Christ and the use of active recall for effective study.TakeawaysActive recall for effective studyThe purpose and audience of the book of RomansChapters00:00 Preparation for the USA Memory Championship09:03 Maintaining Unity in Christ

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by Dr. Derwin L. Gray, co-founder and lead pastor of Transformation Church. Since launching in 2010, Transformation Church has become a multi-ethnic, multi-generational movement impacting thousands locally and globally. In this conversation, Derwin tackles one of the most pressing—and often avoided—questions facing church leaders today: what are we actually multiplying? Are we forming disciples of Jesus—or unintentionally shaping people more through culture, politics, and media than through the gospel? Derwin challenges leaders to examine the deeper currents shaping their churches and to recover a bold, Christ-centered vision for discipleship. What are we actually multiplying? // Derwin raises a provocative concern: many churches are focused on growth, expansion, and multiplication—but not always clear on what is being multiplied. Are we producing disciples rooted in the gospel, or consumers attracted to experiences? He warns that without intentional focus, churches can unintentionally replicate shallow faith, cultural Christianity, or even ideological distortion. The goal of multiplication must not simply be more campuses or larger attendance, but deeper, more faithful discipleship. A discipleship crisis beneath the surface. // The issue isn't that churches lack discipleship. It's that many people are being discipled by the wrong influences. Social media, political ideologies, and cultural narratives are shaping beliefs and behaviors, often more powerfully than Scripture. This creates a “wrong discipleship” problem, where people identify as Christians but reflect values that are inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus. The challenge for leaders is to re-center discipleship around Christ, ensuring that people are being formed by the gospel rather than the surrounding culture. The danger of ideological captivity. // Derwin speaks candidly about the ways the church can become entangled in political ideologies—whether on the right or the left. He specifically critiques the rise of Christian nationalism, defining it as the fusion of the church's identity with the identity of a nation-state. This, he argues, distorts the gospel by elevating political allegiance above allegiance to Christ. At the same time, he acknowledges the influence of secular progressivism. Both extremes, in different ways, can pull believers away from the centrality of Jesus. The call is not to disengage from society, but to engage from a distinctly gospel-centered perspective. Recovering a gospel-shaped identity. // At the heart of Derwin's message is a call to rediscover what it means to be shaped by the gospel. The good news of Jesus is not merely about individual salvation—it creates a new family across ethnic, cultural, and social lines. This vision is central to Transformation Church's identity as a multi-ethnic community. Derwin emphasizes that the gospel reconciles not only vertically (between people and God), but horizontally (between people and one another). When churches lose this vision, they lose their witness in a divided world. Courageous and compassionate leadership. // Leading in this cultural moment requires what Derwin calls “courageous compassion.” Pastors must be willing to speak truth clearly while loving people deeply. This means addressing difficult issues without fear of losing people, while also avoiding harsh or divisive rhetoric. Derwin acknowledges that this approach can lead to criticism from multiple sides, but he emphasizes that faithfulness to Christ must take priority over maintaining comfort or approval. Practical steps for leaders. // For pastors who feel their churches have been shaped more by culture than by Christ, Derwin offers simple but powerful starting points: pray, repent, and refocus on the gospel. He encourages leaders to equip themselves through study and to guide their teams in rediscovering a biblical framework for discipleship. Most importantly, leaders must model what they teach, demonstrating lives rooted in Christ rather than captured by cultural narratives. A renewed vision for the church. // Ultimately, Derwin calls the church back to its prophetic voice. The church is not meant to mirror the divisions of the world but to offer a compelling alternative: a community shaped by love, unity, and truth. When the church remains rooted in Jesus, it becomes a powerful witness to a watching world. To learn more about Transformation Church and Dr. Derwin L. Gray, his teaching, and resources, visit transformationchurch.tc and derwinlgray.com. Plus, pre-order his book, It’s Time to Heal: Four God-Given Steps to Restore What Life Has Shattered. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Portable Church Your church is doing really well right now, and your leadership team is looking for solutions to keep momentum going! It could be time to start a new location. Maybe you have hesitated in the past few years, but you know it's time to step out in faith again and launch that next location. Portable Church has assembled a bundle of resources to help you leverage your growing momentum into a new location by sending a part of your congregation back to their neighborhood on Mission. This bundle of resources will give you a step-by-step plan to launch that new or next location, and a 5 minute readiness tool that will help you know your church is ready to do it! Click here to watch the free webinar “Launch a New Location in 150 Days or Less” and grab the bundle of resources for your church! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, so glad that you decided to tune in to today’s episode of the unSeminary podcast. Really looking forward to this. I had a fragment of a conversation with a dear friend at the Exponential Conference and I want to have more of that today with you listening in. And this is a conversation that I know is impacting people. I think 100% of our church is in the country today. It’s something that we all are seeing. It’s impacting us. We’ve got to be thinking about this. Rich Birch — Honored to have Dr. Derwin Gray with us, incredible leader from Transformation Church. He and his wife, Vicki, co-founded the church in 2010. It’s a multi-ethnic, multi-generational, mission-shaped community community with two locations in South Carolina, as well as Church Online. He’s an award-winning author of multiple books. He’s been on the podcast in the past and is one of the people who, he’s called me out on the podcast before, and I have taken those lessons with me. And so I’m I'm hoping that happens with you today. Derwin, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Hey, man, thank you. So good to be with you.Rich Birch — No, it’s it’s honest. You know, been multiple times you’ve been on the show and I I’ve walked away being like, man, okay, Derwin just, he’s just pushed me and and got me to think different, which I really appreciate that. So for folks that don’t know about Transformation, kind of tell us a little bit about the church and give us the context you’re in, that sort of thing.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, man. So ah my wife and I co-planted Transformation Church in 2010 in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. And so neither my wife and nor I grew up in church, and both of us came to faith in our mid to late 20s, and primarily through people at work. There was a woman at my wife’s job who shared Christ with her. I had a teammate named Steve Grant, with the Indianapolis Colts, where I played in the NFL. We called him the naked preacher because after practice, he’d dry off, take a shower, wrap a towel around his waist, and he’d share the gospel. And over five years, I came to faith. My wife came to faith before me. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And all we knew was this. If Jesus is this incredible, this forgiving, this gracious, this is the greatest news there is in the world. And so we didn’t know what words like evangelism and discipleship meant. All we knew was this. I want to know him. I want to make him known. I want to know his word.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so that was in 1997, 1998. We moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to play for the Carolina Panthers, and I got injured. And so all I could do was read my Bible, rehab my knee. And the following year, both my wife and I said, you know what? I think my NFL time is done.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — What are we going to do? We don’t know. So I got an invitation to speak at a youth event to share my testimony. And I said, well, what is that? They were like, a testimony is where you share your story of how you met Christ and what what took place. So I did that. People started calling me.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And in 1999, other Christians says, you guys need a nonprofit organization. You know, we’re like, what does that mean? So we started a ministry called One Heart at a Time. I would travel and speak. She would organize everything. We served at our church. Well, the longer we did that, we saw incredible fruit, but we also saw that wherever I would preach, it was ethnically segregated. It was it was really weird, right?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — I’m like, wait a second. America is integrated, but the church is basically segregated. And so I began to ask questions and I got lousy answers. But as we read the Bible, it was like the early church was Jews and Gentiles. That’s what it was. It was a multi-ethnic church. Jesus not only forgave sins, but he created a family with different colored skins. Not only is that the future of the church in Revelation 7:9, but that’s the present reality of the church that intrinsic to the gospel is ethnic reconciliation. What good would it be Jesus forgives you but don’t love your brother and sister? So the cross is vertical and horizontal. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So we were frustrated. And then we just sense God say, well, you can criticize or you can create. And so ultimately that led to planting Transformation Church in the south area of Charlotte, North Carolina, where actually physically in what’s called Indian Land, South Carolina, and our other campus is in Lake Wiley, South Carolina, but it’s really the greater Charlotte area.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And our church is more ethnically diverse than our community. And I want to be very, very clear. One of the reasons why we are ethnically diverse is because of the good news of Jesus. Like I explained, Jesus not only forgives sins, but he creates a family with different colored skins. And so for us, ethnic unity in Christ not only enhances our discipleship, but it enhances our witness to a looking and watching world which is filled with so much division. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And over the last 16 years, God has done miraculous things. We’ve seen 9,000 people come to faith, thousands be baptized. God has given us massive influence. We also have what’s called the Multi-Ethnic Church Roundtable, where we’ve equipped 800 leaders from around the world to do gospel-centered multi-ethnic ministry. We’re also in the process, Leon’s Crump and I, of launching what’s called the Promise Collective, which is going to be an intentionally multi-ethnic gospel-centered church planting network.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So a lot of wonderful things are taking place. And we think it’s pretty cool that God planted us in the state of South Carolina where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. And God has used this church here to influence not only the church in America, but even around the world. Rich Birch — Yeah, absolutely Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So we’re grateful.Rich Birch — Well, I, yeah, there’s I respect you on so many levels. And, and, you know, they these issues around being a multi-ethnic church are, you know, at the core of that. And just to respect you on for lots of what you’ve done. and And we ended up at this in this conversation, just to kind of bring everybody up to speed, we ended up in this conversation at Exponential that I leaned forward as just declaring my, ah you know, a little bit about me for folks that are listening in. So I am Canadian, don’t hold it against me.Rich Birch — But I’ve served mostly American churches in the churches I work with. And most of the 95% of the listeners of this podcast are in the States. I was in the States for a bunch of years. And that may become a little more obvious as we’re talking here why that’s why I’m talking about that context. But one of the things in this conversation that I heard you, the question you asked, which made me lean forward and then where it kind of unfolded from there is you asked the question, what are we actually multiplying? Exponential is obviously the global conference for multiplication, but you were pushing us to think about what are we actually multiplying? What is the the core of that? Can you unpack that for us?What were you thinking of when we started talking about that that day?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, sure, sure. Just to provide either even a little bit more context is it was a gathering of of very large churches. Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And the question is what’s going well, what’s not going well? And so typically in those types of rooms, I like to listen. And so as I was listening, I was hearing no disrespect, but a lot of the same.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so I kind of waited for everybody to to finish what they were saying. And I said, here’s something that Transformation Church does well, is we are equipping our people to stand against secular progressivism and Christian nationalism. And I said, what are we exactly multiplying? Because the state of the church the United States America is not good. It’s not healthy. It is divided. In many cases, it is it’s mean. Shallow theology, not loving our neighbors as God commands us to be loved. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So so my question was, are we just putting up more boxes for consumers to come in and consume because we have good music, good human-centered preaching. You know, we’re not going to mess with your idols. We’re not going to topple your idols at all. And yeah, you can invite your friends when we get more campuses. Because if that’s just what we’re doing, don’t sign me up for that. I don’t I don’t I don’t want any parts of that. That’s how we got to where we are now. And so you as a Canadian, here in America, the witness of the church is not very good. Like when I talk to people who are unbelievers, I have to untangle…Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — …politics from the gospel because unfortunately there’s been an unholy wedding, particularly on the far right with aspects of Christianity, which has distorted and deformed. I think the secular progressivism is pretty easy to see, but I think the Christian nationalism is a lot harder. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Now, let me define what I mean by that. So first of all, Loving your country is a good thing. That’s called loving your neighbors. You love yourself. So my fourth grandfather, Moses Davis, fought for the Union, the colored cavalry of Virginia… Rich Birch — Wow. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — …against the treasonous Confederate whatever it was. So in my blood is patriotism for my nation. America’s my home. But to love my neighbors, I love myself means not only do love America, but I love the entire world. And then as a Christian, we have a global body that we love. There are more followers of Jesus of color outside of America than the United States of America.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Now, what do I mean by Christian nationalism? This is what I mean. Christian nationalism is the attempt to fuse the identity and mission of the church with the identity and power of a nation state, treating the nation as a primary vehicle of God’s purposes rather than seeing God’s kingdom as a global Jesus-centered reality that transcends all nations.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — By that definition, Christian nationalism is a heresy. Because it basically says, if you don’t think like us, you can’t be a follower of Jesus. And so you’re adding to the works of Christ. And so Christian nationalism has infiltrated much of what I would say the majority culture, Caucasian church in America. Not all, but a lot. Where Christians, what what it means to follow Jesus has turned into a far right, almost authoritarianism versus, no, no, you have the right to vote in the United States of America. But as Christians, we don’t have a right to idolize nor demonize those who vote differently than us.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — I’m not sure Americans know this, but most people in the world are not Republican or Democrat. Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So if you say your faith is based on what you vote for, you’re adding to the work of Christ.Rich Birch — So, so Derwin, I appreciate you. So I’ve not heard a lot of people talk about this. This seems to be, I don’t know, it seems like something happened post COVID and the church in general, there was this like shakeup in the church in general where, you know, lots of people ended up in different places and it was like, we’ve become more divided than ever before. And I do think that there’s a significant dividing line at or close to what you’re talking about here, that it’s like, there’s a, there’s a new voice around Christian nationalism that seems to be gaining influence. Is that, is that, is that ah a false perception or is that the way you see it as well?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — No, you are 100% right. And it is a well-orchestrated, well-funded plan. With social media and the rise of social media influencers, paid propagandists can go on and infuse their propaganda into people immediately.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And here’s and here’s the thing. Populism does not require much intellect. All it requires is somebody to be angry at who’s taking from you. So the more divided we are as people, the more the oligarchs have power and the money that they make.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — They own the social media. They own the algorithms. I mean, for goodness sakes, Elon Musk promised people a million dollars to vote in Pennsylvania for the election. How is that even legal? Right. Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So people are being inundated. Like we have family members that don’t even talk to each other anymore because they have red hat or a blue shirt, right? And so it has been in increasingly effective. But here’s the thing, Rich, that’s so wild to me. The admin the the Trump administration greenlit the FDA approval of an abortion pill. And I don’t hear any evangelical saying anything about it.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And even when you look at the Supreme Court now saying states can choose whether you do abortion or not, that’s pro-choice. You know, what used to be the Republican Party, small government, family values, those things are way gone. Rich Birch — Right. Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so not only has Christian nationalism changed like, or not only has this current administration changed what the Republican Party was, but in many cases, it’s changed even so much of the church. And it is wild to listen to people in 2016 who said one thing, who say a totally different thing now.Rich Birch — Yeah.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — It’s hard.Rich Birch — Well, yeah. And I so I think the thing you’ve, you’re putting a finger on and it’s, I appreciate you being willing to talk about and unpack it is there’s definitely like a broader cultural conversation that’s happening around these issues. That is for sure. We’re seeing that. And that’s having an impact on our ability to disciple the people in our churches or our people are being discipled by social media, by the algorithm, by YouTube And that can create or is creating a discipleship crisis in many of our churches. How do you try to find the line between those two to say, hey, we’re going to talk about the discipleship stuff… Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah. Rich Birch — …without getting dragged in on the you know the exterior? How do we how do we draw those lines in a way that makes sense?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah. Yeah. So, so, so what I would say is we don’t have a discipleship problem. We have a wrong discipleship problem. Rich Birch — Okay, that’s good. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Because somebody is making students out of somebody.Rich Birch — Right, sure.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so are we becoming students of Jesus? that’s That’s the issue. And so what I say is this, how a person votes, that’s their conscience. But how do you treat the people who don’t vote like you? Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So for example, research shows black Americans are more socially conservative, more biblically committed than white Americans. But 90%, I’m sorry, but black American Christians, but black American Christians, 90% vote for Democrats. So how can you be more socially conservative, more biblically committed, but you vote for Democrat?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Well, because they don’t take everything that’s in the Democratic Party, just like most people who voted for Trump don’t take everything with him. And so we have to give each other the latitude and the grace. And there’s also pro-life Democrats. And not everybody who voted for Trump is evil. Not everybody who votes Democrat is evil. But the powers that be want us divided. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s true. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And when I and when I talk to my friends from Canada, when I talk to my friends that are pastors from around the world, Norway, different parts of Europe, Australia, England, and they’re going, what has happened to you guys?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — I can tell you what’s what’s taken place is our faith is being distorted and driving it is fear and hatred.Rich Birch — Yeah. So I would echo that. The joke I’ve made, both with American leaders and leaders from other parts of the world, is there is a segment of the body of Christ that seems very angry about the love of God. Like they’re and they’re very fearful. Like it’s all it’s all anger and fear driven. And I don’t know whether, and it probably is related to the algorithms, but like we’re hearing from these people so much more than, than we used to. It used to be an echo chamber of people that lived in so much fear, but now it’s just out there. It seems to be in, in our, you know, in our feeds all the time.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, what used to be on the fringes is now on the main street, right? And so we need to re-gospel ourselves. We need a greater commitment to Christ. So, for example, life in the womb is precious and sacred. That’s not conservative. That’s gospel. That’s biblical.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Caring for the dignity of undocumented people in America is not liberal. That’s gospel. Wanting border control is not conservative. That is understanding that a nation has to have borders to flourish. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Believing that marriage is between a man and a woman, we believe that’s biblical. But loving and respecting LGBTQ people is not liberal. Loving my neighbors as I love myself. And if I have any hope of anybody ah coming to Jesus, they’re not going come to Jesus because I’m yelling at them and I’m angry. I’m going to love them and pursue them just like we’ve done here at our church.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so I feel like what we’ve done in in in the church is we’ve taken a 250 year old country called America. And then specifically the last 10 years, we’ve made that the hermeneutic to understand the gospel.Rich Birch — Yeah, right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — We’ve made that the lenses that we look through to determine the gospel. Whereas what I’m saying, let’s go back to the text. Let’s go back to the early church, the book of Acts, Paul’s letters, the gospels. That’s where our faith comes from. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Like I have lobbied on Capitol Hill with Republicans and Democrats about immigration reform. We need border security, but we can also secure the dignity of human beings, especially human beings who are undocumented and don’t have a record against them. Right. So there has to be a process to have strong borders, but also to hold to people’s hearts.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — But but at the end of the day, right at the end of the day, we are people of the Lamb, not the elephant or the donkey.Rich Birch — So good. So good. So what’s the hardest part about leading in a church that really refuses to be captured by either side? I feel like there’s pressure on from both political parties to they, you know, I think somewhere along the line, they realize, wow, there’s a lot of power in these churches. And how do we you know, how do we kind of infiltrate or how do we gain that? What’s it like to lead a church that’s trying to, that’s refusing to be captured by both sides is wants to keep Jesus ahead. What does that cost? How is that, you know, what are some of the pressures of that? What have been some telltale signs for you as you’ve led at Transformation in this front?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, um i would i would I would say, Rich, sometimes I’ll get a critical email and a eventually those people will leave. But but but but for the most part, I mean, we’re 16 years in, it’s our ethos, it’s our character. People know who we are. They know why we are. And so like we’re flourishing, we’re growing. It’s beautiful. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — There’s a matter of fact, I got some messages earlier today just saying, hey, thank you. Like I was just about done with Christianity and I found Transformation Church, right? I mean, this Jesus, you’re this is what I want to be a part of. So I think respecting and loving all people, even though you disagree with them. And the thing that I said, I did a series in 2024 in the fall before the election on on the Beatitudes.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And my whole thing was how you vote is up to your conscious. How you treat people is not up for debate. We’re called to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. And so in our church, I’m sure we got people all over the political spectrum. I’m a registered independent myself.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — But something that I think really landed well with our people is this: 99.9% of all followers of Jesus for 2,000 years and even now have never voted Republican and have never voted Democrat.Rich Birch — Right. Right. That’s good.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Our faith is in Christ and Christ alone. And America is what’s called a constitutional republic democracy. It is not a theocracy. It is governed by a constitution, not the Bible. And so, yes, I want believers in place not to do some kind of spiritual Sharia law, but to make sure that the Constitution is upheld, which gives life and liberty and justice, not for some, but for all.Rich Birch — What would you say, you know, I’ve often thought around this, these, this issue and we’re kind of related issues. I have to think back to Billy Graham and I think like, man, we don’t know what, don’t what he’d be doing today. Like what would, I’ve heard this story that and in the fifties he gathered a group of what at the time, they you know they self afflicted they gave themselves the title of fundamentalist and they said, hey, we gotta stop calling ourselves fundamentalist because that word is so loaded in our culture. It feels like evangelical is like that today. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah.Rich Birch — It is when people ask me, are you evangelical? I’ll say, well, it depends on what you mean by evangelical because it has so much freight behind it. Do you think there is a place for kind of a broader discussion? How, how can we continue to try to create a middle here that where people can actually try to shed these, like you say, the Lamb and the donkey and, or the, the, the elephant and the donkey and, and focus on the Lamb. How do we do that going forward? How do we create those kinds of places where those kinds of conversations can continue to happen?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, you know, so let me answer the first question first is when I preached in Norway a few years ago, the people said, thank you for being so evangelical. And it had nothing to do with politics. So the term evangelical comes from the Greek word, which means good news. So it’s never meant to be a political voting block. Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — It’s never meant to be an ethnicity. It is good news people. So in Europe, I say I’m evangelical because it goes well. Here in America, I say I am shaped by the gospel. I’m a Christian that’s shaped by the gospel. Rich Birch — That’s good language.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — I love God and I love my neighbors. I love myself. So I think we have a fundamental gospel problem in the American church. If you simply think the good news is Jesus died for your sins, now you don’t go to hell, then your discipleship is going to be very reductionistic. It’s going to be very individualistic.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, his ascension and then sending the Spirit, is not only do we spend eternity with him, but as brothers and sisters, we’re equally righteous, equally redeemed, equally the temple of the Holy Spirit, equally God’s children. So if all those things are true equally, then by definition, we are the body of Christ. So if you hurt, then I hurt, but we don’t think that way.Rich Birch — Right.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So we have to change the way we think. Paul says in Philippians 2.3, do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but consider others better than yourselves. Verse five is “for you have the mind of Christ”. And so what we’ve been able to do here at Transformation Church is really move people deeper to the gospel. If you listen to one of my messages, you will hear gospel. That’s why we are the way we are. And the gospel challenges idols.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — When President Obama was president, I would get emails, “Oh you must be a Republican.” And then when President Trump, “You must be a Democrat.” I’m like, no, I’m an independent, but I’m called to be prophetic and to equip us to not be captivated by the zeitgeist…Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — …the spirit of the age. When the church loses her prophetic witness, we’ve lost everything.Rich Birch — That’s good.Rich Birch — Yeah, that that that names something that you put a finger on there, on something that I’d love you to unpack a little bit more. How do you do that as a pastor? Because I’ve seen you do that consistently. It’s like, how how do we be that prophetic voice, speak with clarity to ultimately point people back to Jesus, not be captured by just the winds of the day?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Be courageously compassionate. Rich Birch — That’s good.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Be courageously compassionate. I believe, you know, so I have, I have, I have talked to pastors who lead churches that may be, you know, center a little bit left. And well, if I talk about this issue too much, people may leave. Then I’ve heard other people like, well, if I talk about about this, the MAGA people may leave. And it’s like, well, Are you concerned about people leaving or are you concerned about honoring the call that God has given you? Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And one day you have to face him and you’re going to say, well, you know, what Lord, I was afraid people were going to leave. Like you can be courageous and compassionate simultaneously.Rich Birch — That’s good.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — So I, there are people on both sides of the aisle that passionately and deeply love Jesus, but have different perspectives politically. Now, Christian nationalism, that is a whole different species that that has to be lovingly challenged. And my job at Transformation Church is to equip our people and to be a shepherd because there are false prophets and wolves that are coming.Rich Birch — There’s a ton here. I really appreciate that. For a pastor that’s listening in today that’s thinking, man, I look at my people and I think maybe I they have been discipled more by cable news than by scripture. And I maybe haven’t done everything I could could have done. I haven’t been clear with compassion. I’ve just been, I’ve just kind of let this happen. What would you say some of the first steps that you would say for a for a leader like that?Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, pray, repent, pray, repent. Take your elders and your staff through a book by Preston Sprinkle called “Exiles in Babylon” or the book by Michael Byrd and N.T. Wright. Both of them deal with you know how to be a faithful witness in this time of political division. But before you go out and share, make sure that you are equipped. But also choose not to be partisan.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Rich, the Epstein Files is one of the biggest cover-ups in American history. We’re talking about precious kids who were taking advantage of. And I mean, where is the prophetic voice that this is wrong, regardless of who’s in it? This is wrong and it demands justice. We as God’s people are going to be held accountable to equip this. Like, this is serious. Like, I’ve heard people say, well, there’s bigger problems in the world. No, there’s not.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Derwin, this has been fantastic. I want to point people towards, you’ve got a new book that’s coming out. That’s like like a huge left-hand turn here, but just looking at it, I think this could is is connected, obviously, to what we’re talking about in today’s conversation. It comes out this fall.Rich Birch — It’s called it’s a time or “It’s Time to Heal: Four God-Given Steps to Restore What Life Has Shattered”. Tell us a little bit about this book, and I and I want to get people to you know actually pre-order this thing.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, man. So basically the last seven years, what I have seen from followers of Christ is we’re the walking wounded. We are, we are just stuck. We have allowed our traumas, our histories, our pains, our failures, the way we’ve been hurt to keep us in a position of hurt. And we’ve just circled and circled. And then, a lot of preaching deals with behavior modification and doesn’t get to the root. And so I’ve just been like, you know what, God, I want to help God’s people. Right. And it starts with helping myself.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And what I do is I really take a theology of who we are in Christ. I take neuroscience and psychology and marry them in spiritual formationRich Birch — Love it.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And it’s by far the best book that I’ve ever written. I can’t wait for people to see the endorsements from people like Dr. Daniel Amen, Craig Groeschel, Christine Caine. It’s by far the most important book I’ve ever written and the best book I’ve ever written. And I believe that it can really help people heal. Like really understanding that trauma gets in our nervous system. It’s not just think harder, do more. Like we have to learn how this is embodied inside of us. Dr. Derwin L. Gray — And so, man, it transformed me writing it. And what I do is I walk the people through an acronym. The the book is in four parts and the acronym HEAL. H stands for honest about what what happened. E, expect hard. A, accept what happened and L, live from love, not for love. And I share some incredible stories in there. And so, yeah, I’m really, really looking forward to people healing.Rich Birch — Well, yeah, I would encourage people to, we’ll link to that in the show notes and all that. But I think it’s connected in that I think I think the extremes on both ends politically, they’ve picked up on kind of the pain in the zeitgeist. And they’ve they’ve said, hey, the solution is is is the other side is the enemy and we got to do something to tear them down. And we know that just won’t work. At the end of the day, it’s Jesus transforming our lives. It’s him restoring us to who we are. And I think this could be a great tool for folks as they’re wrestling with that. So I’m excited for that book to come out. Looking forward to that. And we’ll we’ll link to all that. Rich Birch — Any kind of final words as we wrap up today? I really appreciate you unpacking this a bit more and taking some time to, you know, kind of let us chat a little bit about it.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, two thoughts. Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 and 45, bless those who persecute you. And I said, love your enemies. And then Jesus said, you will know my disciples because they love one another. Refuse to let anger and hatred and division guide you.Rich Birch — That’s good. So good. You said two things. You had two you that and one other thing.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Well, yeah, it was it was Matthew 5 and you’re on…yeah.Rich Birch — Oh, I see. Right, right, right. Yep. Okay. That’s good. Nice. Where if people want to track with you or with the church, where do we want to send them online? Just as we wrap up today’s call conversation.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Yeah, just go to derwinlgray.com, derwinlgray.comRich Birch — Nice. That’s great. Dr. Derwin, I just want to honor you. You’re an incredible leader. Thank you for being here today and helping us think through these issues. Thank you.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Thank you, my friend.Rich Birch — Take care.Dr. Derwin L. Gray — Appreciate you.

Lillian Colón, who grew up in an orphanage, beat out four hundred dancers to win a coveted spot on a world-renowned dance team. She performed with that group, with its tightly ordered synchronized choreography, until her mid-forties. Now teaching dance at age seventy, she imparts to students her greatest lesson from precision artistry: work together. “On and off the stage, our lives are deeply intertwined,” she said, “and we all fare better when we support and care for one another.” The apostle Paul knew the importance of this principle. Harmony in Christ points praise to its true purpose—glorifying God. Paul taught this lesson to believers in Rome, both Jewish and gentile, to encourage their unity. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,” he wrote (Romans 15:5). This was “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6). Competing voices won’t produce this result. Joining together to praise God, with no one person or group discounting another, gives unity in Christ its true purpose. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,” wrote Paul, “in order to bring praise to God” (v. 7). When we seek God’s help to do this, He inspires our common voice as we step together and give Him glory.