presbycast

Bryan and Grant of the Balm in Gilead podcast join us to talk about contemporary music and the worship of the church. Their podcast takes an unusually serious look at church music -- check it out: https://www.balmcast.com/

The first ever Presbycast Cantina with guests Drs. Darryl G. Hart and R. Scott Clark and several listeners via Discord. We covered a wide range of subjects and enjoyed some vintage Xian music...and had fun with baptists.

With permission from the PCA Historical Center we provide this recording of the first hour and a half of the first PCA General Assembly in 1973. The greater portion is an address by convener/moderator Jack Williamson (a ruling elder and attorney), the text of which can be found here with other addresses from this historic assembly.

PCA pastor Ryan Biese joins us to talk about the relationship of the Westminster concept of Christian liberty to the regulative principle of worship, plus we talk about a number of PCA issues.

This is the first installment in our series Walking Through Westminster with pastor Chris Drew. We cover the entirety of chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith.

A talk by the late Dr. Morton H. Smith on the history of presbyterian worship (with an emphasis on worship developments in the PCA) from the 2003 Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary theology conference. Dr. Smith taught at GPTS until his death in 2017. He was the founding professor of Reformed Theological Seminary and was the first stated clerk of the PCA. In the Presbycast archives you will find a biographical series on Dr. Smith. This recording used with the kind permission of GPTS.

We had a great time talking with two ARP pastors who happen to be good friends -- Ben Glaser and Clint Davis. Hear about the joy and trials of rural and small-town ministry in one of the most presbyterian parts of the country.

PCA ruling elder Gabe Williams joins our 300th show to talk about the joy and pain, sunshine and rain of being involved in a presbyterian denomination and when (if ever) churches ought to change affiliations. We also discuss the marks of a true church and some late-20th/early-21st-century history of the PCA.

We recently enjoyed talking with Nick Fullwiler and Peter Bell of the Guilt, Grace, Gratitude podcast about the origins of Presbycast, that hardscrabble presby life, and much more. Be sure to subscribe to their fine show.

2021 is here with bells on...so of course we talk (with Dan Borvan and Sean) about the latest in DC mayhem, what the future might hold, and Carl Trueman's explosive article on critical race theory. (show title is a riff on a Bob Dylan and Radiohead song titles, in case you wondered)

Our friend PCA pastor Ryan Biese teaches on worship using Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 21 as his guide. This is a very helpful presentation which you may also view on YouTube. Here's a link to the class outline and here's a suggested article.

We ring out the year that has wrung many of us out with a selection of Presbycasty tunes and a long talk about 2020 with our friend Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California and the Heidelblog media empire. We talk COVID, church, radio, and dogs. The interview portion runs from about 19:00 to 1:23:00 for those who hate good music.

For the benefit of newer listeners or those with short memories, this is another "Best of" encore presentation from 2017, when Chris Drew, pastor of a small church, joined us talk about the small church experience. Chris has joined us many times since, but this show got lots of positive reaction three and a half years ago.

For the benefit of newer listeners or those with short memories, this is our first "Best of" encore presentation. Originally posted 2/1/2017, Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California joins us to talk about his article "When Confessional P & R Congregations Do Not Exist Or Disappoint" about the lost sheep who struggle to find a confessional church in their area. Article here: https://heidelblog.net/2017/01/confessional-pr-congregations-disappoint-not-exist/

It's the most Presbycast time of the year! Our annual Festivus show features pastor Dan Borvan and show pal Amish Ambush. We actually talked about important stuff -- worship, the church, and liberty. We also had a good time airing grievances and lauding feats of strength.

Dr. Dominic Aquila -- pioneering internet journalist, pastor and church planter, seminary professor and president, church historian, and former moderator of the PCA General Assembly -- joins us to discuss the past, present, and future of the Presbyterian Church in America. And in so doing we touched on the history of most of presbyterianism in North America.

Twitter's own Odd Deacon, a real-life architect, joins us for the first Church Architecture Show. We talk about basic, big picture concepts concerning church design and worship spaces. Ranger the Presby Dog also made an unscheduled appearance. You may also view the show on YouTube which gives you the benefit of a few visuals, but we did not integrate the visuals to the degree we hope to in the future.

Presbyterian church planter Albert "Berti" Kona of Durres, Albania joins us to tell his amazing story and manages to inspire, warn, and amuse us along the way. This type of show is why Presbycast exists -- don't miss a minute of it. Support for the church in Albania can be sent to Woodruff Road Presbyterian (PCA) in Greenville, SC.

LCMS pastor Hans Fiene of Lutheran Satire fame joins us to talk culture, elections, COVID, and why Lutherans are funnier than Presbyterians.

We are joined by several quality guests including Dr. Darryl G. Hart of Hillsdale College to discuss the election results as they came in...to no certain result. We tried to answer questions such as "What difference will it make who wins?" and "What holds this country together?"

We explore the intersection of Christianity and libertarianism and...2020 with Kerry Baldwin, a prolific writer and podcaster at the Christian Libertarian Institute and her own website Mere Liberty.

Our friend Andy Webb of Fayetteville, NC gives his solo report of the proceedings of the 2020 Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church general synod which met for two days this week in Columbia, SC. This was his first synod as an ARP minister, his church having moved from the PCA to the ARP in the last year. This report was originally broadcast on Facebook. TRIGGER WARNING: Some PCA folks will not like what he has to say.

Are cities the best place to plant churches and "do evangelism"? Does the city breed spiritual seekers? A series of Tim Keller tweets prompted this morning commute monologue. Some links: https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/1317865570373685250?s=20 https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/1318213202862288896?s=20 Presbycast on cities: https://presbycast.libsyn.com/of-cities-and-schemes-with-sean https://www.movementday.com/

Despites some technical issues (improves greatly after about 20 minutes) we pulled off a show only Presbycast would or could do: We talk about the theology of fire and meat with butcher-seminarian Ben. There will never be another show like this one. We guarantee it.

Dr. D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College joins us to talk about liberalism -- theological, political...and incipient. We talk about the relationship between secular and religious progressivism and ask "Can you be politically liberal but not theologically liberal?" This article formed much of the basis of our conversation: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2018/05/the-theology-of-foreign-policy

Historian Miles Smith IV talks about his recent article on the PCA for The American Conservative "Will the PCA Go Woke?" plus we take listener calls, mostly on the same theme of real or supposed leftward drift among NAPARC (or former NAPARC) denominations.

Historian D.G. Hart of Hillsdale College joins us to talk about the evolution of the magazine Christianity Today and what the changes suggest about evangelicalism. We also dabble in politics, current events, and the propriety of polemics.

PCA member, seminarian, and major conservative media figure Erick Erickson joins us to talk about why he wrote an article called "Warnings in the PCA". We discuss critical theory, intersectionality, racial reconciliation, and Marxist-influenced secular ideologies. Here's the article we referenced.

CW monologues about the conflict between LA County authorities and John MacArthur's Grace Community Church...and what it might mean for all of us. Audio tweets: https://twitter.com/presbycast/status/1305203213067522049?s=20 LA County worship "protocol": http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_PlacesofWorship.pdf

Professor Scott Aniol and pastor Chuck Finney join us to talk about public worship using an old puritan sermon as a jumping-off point. Here's an online platform with which both men are involved: https://religiousaffections.org/

We are joined by Dr. Ben Shaw of Reformation Bible College to talk about his book Ecclesiastes, Life in a Fallen World and the relevance of this singular book of the Bible to life in 2020. We also talk about his trek from the mainline to the PCA, from Princeton to Greenville.

A bright young seminarian and a PCA pastor to join us to talk about the challenge and blessing of staying "moderate" in the era of 'Rona and, well, you know...2020 politics, politicians, and movements.

A reading of the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapters 3 through 5. https://opc.org/wcf.html The WCF reading will be published as one file when complete. This is the second installment.

Charlie Nave of MORE in the PCA and Bruce Kirby of the Firm Foundation Partnership join us to talk about their organizations' efforts to reform the PCA through ruling elder participation in the courts and church member involvement. MORE: https://www.moreinthepca.org/ FFP: https://www.firmfoundationpartnership.com/

Wresby, CW, Amish, and Ken Shepherd all under the same porch roof, talking about the stuff you're talking about, eating the food you'd eat.

Physics professor and Reformed church member David Shane joins us to talk about the moral dimensions of mask wearing and other COVID restrictions where data, ethical, scriptural, scientific and confessional convictions and conclusions collide.

A reading of the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapters 1 and 2. https://opc.org/wcf.html

Two pastors (Dan Borvan and Chris Drew) join us to talk about those who would defer to the magistrate on 'Rona restrictions and those who would defy said restrictions and assemble normally to worship, and we talk about the advisability of taking federal assistance funds as churches and religious organizations. And of course, fun with baptists. Relevant links: https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B200723?fbclid=IwAR3zNNiYjRMFS2orTktjBjN3XEF-2jIMr7Yuv_MTBU04PXhsjkrGX1XgnOs https://www.9marks.org/article/a-time-for-civil-disobedience-a-response-to-john-macarthur/

Argggh! We talk cancel culture and Calvinists corsairs of the Caribbean with Clark of California, our favorite swashbuckling church historian. Read more on cancel culture at https://heidelblog.net/

Silent Topher's wifi toaster opened up a time travel portal and we were able to download an episode of Presbycast from 2027...and it's not pretty.

Another call-in show, this time with 2020 energy and range...certainly not for everyone with its wall-to-wall inside jokes, Twitter references, and so forth. Ultimately though there was good fellowship, a bit of wisdom, and a few laughs, so probably not the worst two hours of a year that will live in infamy.

A Fourth of July bonus mostly-music show with a couple of clips from some of our favorite IFB preachers. Could be helpful if you have guests at your party who overstay their welcome.

URC minister Dan "The Third Presbycaster" Borvan joins us to talk about eschatology, church and culture, and the challenges of pastoring in days of revolution and pandemic. Dan brings the heat, the history, and the hope of the gospel...as usual. Follow him: @danborvan

Here's a wonderful sermon on God's provision of elders for his church by Dr. C.N. Willborn of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oak Ridge, TN, preached on 6/28/2020. The text was 1 Peter 1-5 and the accompanying OT passage was Exodus 8: 12-27.

Pastor Dan Quakkelaar of Friend of Sinners PCA in Milwaukee, WI joins us to talk about his lawsuit against the city over COVID lockdown restrictions which prevent his church from worshiping. Learn more about his unique church here: https://www.friendofsinners.org/

We're joined by Hutch (of the True Presbyterian podcast) and Charles, two young guys who hope to plant ordinary means of grace presbyterian churches in rural America. We talk worship, music, contextualization, and the challenges of bringing the gospel to the American South in a Reformed package. And there are plenty of tunes.

Hear a NoCo Radio interview recorded before the world got even crazier a month ago, but before that a couple of teaser clips of Loury and McWhorter on the craziness of that began in late May, 2020 (and how to deal with it). Find Mike and NoCo here, and find Glenn and John here.

Political thinker and writer Forfare Davis joins us to talk politics, culture, civilization, and coping strategies in the second decade of a "calamitous century" -- see his article of the same name: https://americanmind.org/features/the-coronacrisis-and-our-future-discontents/our-calamitous-century/ Here's the YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oL2-NfHDOY

PCA pastor Scott Sauls and Andy Webb, a pastor soon departing the PCA for the ARP, engage in a gracious-but-spirited conversation about SSA, a recent study report on sexuality, and the challenges of mission in the PCA. Thanks to both brothers for their generosity of spirit. Check out Scott's books and articles at https://scottsauls.com/ (Presburg Colloquy #1)

CW reacts to a Twitter thread from Janet Mefferd which blames "Calvinism"(or a certain permutation thereof) for the leftward drift in evangelicalism.