presbycast

We were the definition of diversity with two teaching elders and two ruling elders (and a Wresby) to discuss the 2022 PCA General Assembly. We covered the most significant actions and the prospects for passage for three Book of Church Order amendments. Pastors Todd Pruitt and Ryan Biese, and experienced ruling elder Doug Sharp provided encouragement and perspective in the wake of the Birmingham assembly in the PCA's 49th year. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qWKojd4ySc

Live from the raucous MORE in the PCA ruling elder gathering of several hundred presby souls, we speak to our good friends Aldo Leon, Dominic Aquila, WCF Linux, and Scott Edburg about the 2022 PCA General Assembly.

Day Zero? Yes, because much of the important business of the PCA General Assembly happens the day before the GA opens. Our panel were not, ahem, a bunch of zeroes: Charlie Nave, Scott Edburg, Job Dalomba, and Stephen Spinnenweber joined us to reflect on the fate of important SSA-related overtures and more. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pERhU_ZjkC8

Elders from the ARP, OPC, and PCA join us to review their just-completed assemblies or preview one yet to come (PCA). Pastors Andy Webb, David, Carnes, and Ryan Biese were our guests. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAXv4qQ1Lfc

Three young churchmen join us to break down the overtures before the 2022 PCA General Assembly. Pastors Jared Nelson, Scott Edburg, and Stephen Spinnenweber provided insight, information, and speculation. This show was decent...and orderly, more or less. Find all the overtures here: https://pcaga.org/resources/#overtures Watch: https://youtu.be/fgvZLFKwnVE

Here we go—more than one hour of music from the Presbycast genre: some real gems and some truly frightening stuff in celebration of six years of podcasting.

A cast of characters including Dr. Dominc Aquila, Camden Bucey of Reformed Forum, and the late Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones joined us to celebrate six years of strange presby podcasting. And, boy, did we cover some ground.

Here's a reading (with brief comments) of a 1923 J. Gresham Machen sermon that is shockingly relevant 99 years later: "Isaiah's Scorn of Idolatry." Read it here: https://www.readmachen.com/pg/isaiahs-scorn-of-idolatry.pdf

Dr Ian Hamilton delivers the address "The History and Theological Declension of the Church of Scotland" at the recent 2022 Gospel Reformation Network conference. Dr Hamiltion is president of Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Newcastle in England, and has pastored for decades in Scotland and Cambridge, England. https://www.presbyterianseminary.org.uk/

Church history professor and author Dr. R. Scott Clark joins us to talk about the history and present character of evangelicalism and revivalism from a Reformed perspective. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjYjwgqzZLk

PCA pastor Jon Payne speaks at the recent Gospel Reformation Network 2022 conference. Used with permission. View at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCmUU4JFcIc

Writer and Twitter maven Bethel McGrew helps us review the recent political and social issue-related controversies concerning the social media effusions of a certain big city pastor. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNv9x-R_5ic

Two bright young churchmen and Zoe join us to talk about day one of the 2022 Gospel Reformation Network conference in Birmingham plus the prospects for the PCA as the 2022 General Assembly grows ever closer. This show spanned three time zones. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9L0ii1EPJY

Rosaria Butterfield joins Sarah and Zoe for a frank and fiery discussion of "Side B Gay Christianity," sin and repentance, church as family, and radical hospitality. WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvOuBdsFmU8

This sermon based on Acts 13:1-3 by Pastor Peter Szabo of Budapest, Hungary was preached on April 24, 2022 at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN. Szabo is a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Central and Eastern Europe (RPCCEE) and has been interviewed on two previous Presbycast shows.

OPC pastor Bob Tarullo and ruling elder/seminarian Rob McKenzie join us to talk about Machen's Christianity & Liberalism, a book they have serialized on their own podcast Theology Simply Profound. https://reformedforum.org/programs/tsp

Jon Payne, pastor of Christ Church Presbyterian (PCA) in Charleston, SC and executive coordinator of the Gospel Reformation Network joins us to talk about the 2022 GRN conference, the organization's history, and current PCA events and their implications for this summer's PCA General Assembly. And remember...he asked for that outro. https://gospelreformation.net/ Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAkhk6Bdu8w

The recent republication of John Frame's article "Machen's Warrior Children" by a PCA blog spurred our discussion of the merits, relevance and context of the piece with two men who were "there when it happened"—church historians and serial Presbycast guests D.G. Hart and R. Scott Clark, together for the first time. Article: https://www.semperref.org/articles/machens-warrior-children

Zoe and Sarah are joined by Sarah's husband pastor Sean Morris and his fellow PCA pastor Stephen Spinnenweber for a discussion of how presbyterian church government ought to protect members and why it sometimes fails to do so. In a clear tribute to early Presbycast shows, the Presbygirls treat us to a bit of challenging audio...just like old times.

We present an archival recording of a packed PCA General Assembly seminar from 2009 with Dr. Ligon Duncan and Tim Keller discussing their differing views on deacons, deaconesses, offices, and more. Be sure to hear the question and answers in the last 30 minutes or so.

URC minister Chris Gordon joins us to discuss his article "The Domino Theory and Egalitarian Pulpits." We also briefly discussed CW's article on instances of females seeming to preach in PCA churches. https://agradio.org/the-domino-theory-and-egalitarian-pulpits https://www.reformation21.org/blog/lady-preachers-in-pca-pulpits View here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRPbVcaW_sM

Out windows, under buses...a diverse all-star Tour de NAPARC cast discusses current events in the PCA and beyond and...Mean Girls? A Cantina classic!

Oh nothin', just 22 amazing tunes from the alternately dark, sincere, entertaining, confused, and confusing musical underbelly of 20th-century American Christianity with context and commentary only Presbycast can (or would) provide.

Pastor Chris Drews helps us work through the truths and implications of the great eighth chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Christ the Mediator. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI60gzUfbYk

American Family Association researcher and author M.D. Perkins shares some of his findings about the Side B movement (and a notable book) along with PCA minister Stephen Spinnenweber who has also written on the subject. M.D.'s e-book: https://afa.net/alittleleaven

Dr. Dominic Aquila joins us to unravel the PCA SJC decision on the case against Memorial PCA for hosting the first Revoice conference. https://byfaithonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SJC-2020-05-Speck.Final-Decision.3-3-2022.pdf

PCA pastor and host of the Mortification of Spin podcast Todd Pruitt joins us talk about the impotance of staying informed and staying involved as church members and church officers. The interview was recorded in-person at the 2022 Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary conference at Woodruff Road PCA.

Live from the Presbaru: Our first ever Twitter Space featured quality commentary from a few of our friends on the late-breaking PCA judicial decision on a Revoice-related case...yes, it was recorded in a car, but it wasn't half bad.

Peter Szabo, a Hungarian pastor in the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Central and Eastern Europe (RPCCEE), joins us to talk about the needs of the Ukrainian churches in their denomination and how churches are meeting those needs...and how you can help. https://reformatus.net/en/how-can-you-help

Brad's latest article is the starting point for an interstate soliloquy about contextualization and the ever interesting, always hard-to-figure PCA. Read the article here: https://heidelblog.net/2022/02/shall-the-radical-contextualizers-win/

Dr. Darryl G. Hart of Hillsdale College joins us to announce the return of the much-loved and much-missed Nicotine Theological Journal, a feisty, Old School presbyterian favorite that published from 1997 to 2012. And since it's 2022 we wrapped up by talking about the perplexing turmoil in the PCA.

Aquila Report editor, PCA teaching elder, and seminary professor Dom Aquila speaks to a PCA church and answers questions about the state of play in the PCA...and what's to come.

Three thoughtful PCA pastors—Jared Nelson, Jim McCarthy, and Scott Edburg—join us to talk about the past, present, and future of the PCA, a denomination now embroiled in controversy and obviously on the precipice of renewal or realignment. Articles cited: https://gospelreformation.net/rise-up-man/ https://pcapolity.com/2022/01/28/secret-caucuses/ https://www.reformation21.org/blog/the-pca-doctrine-of-election-2022-style

Sarah and Zoe present the second installment of their advice regarding ways to encourage women in the church. This episode includes, but is not limited to Heart Day Wisecracks, tangents about fantastical baby names, us publicly admitting to being insane, and maybe even some useful information. No surprise visit from any PCA bigwigs this time - they're busy writing blog posts. We hope you enjoy.

Some of our best friends join us to talk about the interesting relationship between Big Eva(ngelicalism) and Big Government in the age of Covid. https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-the-federal-government-used-evangelical-leaders-to-spread-covid-propaganda-to-churches

Miami pastor Aldo Leon and a few other friends join us to talk about the strange charge that the PCA is being taking over by "Neo Fundamentalists"...and for Neo Fundamentalists we had a raucously good time!

ARP pastor Ben Glaser joins us to talk about jure divino (divine right) presbyterianism and why it's good for the sheep, the soul, and the elders. This is the regulative principle applied to the government of the church.

Some follow-up thoughts after the last RCW -- a few more thoughts on when/if/why churches would choose to leave the PCA.

Brad reflects on the day's voting results in PCA presbyteries and the calls for division and feelings of doubt and despair that must surely follow. This is the highest-speed RCW episode ever with the Presbaru reaching at least 75 MPH during the recording session.

Sarah and Zoe kick off their first live show discussing Sarah's pre-GA Aquila Report article, which was published last June and ranked #2 most read on the AR for the entire year of 2021. They venture also for the very first time into the world of advice distribution, listing 5 of 10 ways to encourage women in the church, the second installment of which is soon to follow. Sarah's article: https://theaquilareport.com/to-my-fathers-and-brothers-a-plea-from-your-sister/

Brad drives to work and talks about the clergy-laity divide over Revoice, Side B, and SSA issues in the PCA. Referenced articles: https://news.yahoo.com/im-gay-celibate-pastor-conservative-120126716.html https://presbycast.substack.com/p/a-minute-with-the-minutes

Old friend and small-town pastor Chris Ames (aka Twitter's Chuck Finney) joins us to talk about money, the Gospel-Industrial Complex, conference culture, and sustainable and scalable church. Chris offers a model of success and contentment not tied to size and celebrity.

OPC pastor Chris Drew joins us again as we examine the critical chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith that deals with covenant -- the key structure of Reformed theology and the crucial way that God has chosen to deal with man. View our talk on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ktfeJLu5Do

PCA pastor Sean Morris preaches an excellent sermon on the Lord's Day and the importance of worship, delight, and fellowship in the life of the believer. https://westpca.org/people/sean-morris/

Originally recorded in 2020, this episode commemorates the death of J. Gresham Machen on Jan. 1, 1937 in a tiny North Dakota hospital, alone and separated from friends or family save the Rev. Sam Allen, whose account we read. We also have context from Machen's biographer Ned Stonehouse. Here is the edition of The Presbyterian Journal (https://opc.org/cfh/guardian/Volume_3/1937-01-23.pdf) that marked Machen's death and a downloadable PDF (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MYfMayCxpWqtw8_Gp2rpHsvyzPGZaund/view) of the article by Rev. Samuel Allen (https://opc.org/today.html?history_id=533).

Church historian D.G. Hart joins us for a review of 2021 plus a fascinating breakdown of a little-known but very significant church planting network with clips from the "Rise and Fall of Mars Hill" podcast. Dr. Hart suggested this series as well for those interested in church planting: Church Planting 1: The Movement | StartUp (gimletmedia.com)

Our longest, most well-attended, and most boisterous Festivus celebration ever...with THE Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and THE Dr. R. Scott Clark, plus THE Bishop of Western Festivus Dan Borvan...also a doctor!

Well, everyone asked to 'hear women', so here we are, filling a need. Your introduction to Zoe (a precocious college student) and Sarah (a multi-talented homeschooling pastor's wife) includes the tale of how they met, why they care about any of this complicated churchy jargon, and what is so important about laypeople being involved in denominational arguments. Replete with castigation of therapeutic language and the bumper music, which we are happy to report is not changing. The inaugural episdode was not streamed live, you can view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXT3w9fuxr4

Dr. Jonathan Master, president of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, wrote a thoughtful review of Greg Johnson's new book about "gay Christian" issues, Still Time to Care. We ended with some excerpts from a recent interview with Johnson from another podcast. Here's the print review: https://gospelreformation.net/a-review-of-greg-johnsons-new-book-still-time-to-care/

Pastor Chris Drew guides us on our walking tour through the Westminster Confession of Faith, this time chapter 6 -- Of the Fall of Man, of Sin and of the Punishment Thereof. Depravity, federal headship, and the remedy for sin were all treated in this surprisingly edifying discussion.