Onward in the Faith

Why "Top Down" Discipleship Isn't Biblical

We love to be discipled, but do we know how to make disciples? When someone has questions, are we quick to give them a book or pastor to listen to, rather than personally invest in them and their spiritual growth? This episode will finish out my thoughts on fallen Christian celebrities with a look at how we may misunderstand discipleship and a final call to put Christ first in all we do.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 10:24-25, Romans 12:15, Galatians 6:1-2

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Never Stop Seeking Purity (Reflecting on Fallen Leaders)

After years of pursuing holiness and godliness, it's tempting to settle for "good enough" in our walk with Christ. Today I discuss why purity from the world isn't something we arrive at, but is something we'll spend our whole lives pursuing.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: Psalm 51:10, James 4:4, Romans 12:2, Revelation 2:4-5, Colossians 3:1-7

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Why We Believe Christ Really Existed

We believe Christ existed, but why? In this episode, I look at the people and events around Jesus that show why it couldn't have been fabricated, as well as some sources outside the Bible that confirm His existence.

 

Summary:

In the Bible

1. Human failure
2. Christ valued women
3. People died for the person they personally knew

Outside the Bible

1. Tacitus
2. Josephus

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: Mark 14:50-52, Mark 16:14, Mark 5:34, Luke 21:1-4, Luke 13:16, John 19:27, Matthew 28:8, John 16:7, Acts 2:2-4, Luke 22:38, 1 Corinthians 15:17-22

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Not Everyone Should Become Teachers (Reflecting on Fallen Leaders)

Today I continue thinking about fallen Chrisitan leaders by discussing the seriousness and responsibility of teaching, whether speaking in front of millions or leading a small class on Sunday morning. If a teacher wants to avoid the judgment warned about in James, there's one thing they must never forget.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: James 1:22, Ephesians 6:4, Luke 6:39-40, 2 Timothy 2:2, Matthew 28:19, James 3:1 & 8-10, Galatians 6:7-8

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Power, Corruption, and Our Sin Nature (Reflecting on Fallen Leaders)

Does power make people evil? Today I look at what the human heart is really like, and from there we can understand how positions of power and authority seem to create truly corrupt people. 

 

(Note: Apologies for the silence at the end. That was just bad editing on my part!)

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: James 1:14-15, Luke 6:43-45, Romans 3:9-12 & 23, Romans 6:6-7, Galatians 4:8-9, Ephesians 4:22-24, Jeremiah 17:9

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

The Centrality of the Local Church (Reflecting on Fallen Leaders)

When we get so focused on our ministry to the world, we can neglect our call to the Christians in our lives.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: Hebrews 10:24–25

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

The Toxic Desire for "Yes Men" (Reflecting on Fallen Leaders)

 

When we want to pursue sin, one of the first things we'll do is remove things and people that tell us "no" and replace them with things that let us do what we want. As we think about public figures falling into sin, this pattern is something we'll see over and over again.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: Proverbs 27:6, John 3:19, Ephesians 5:8-13

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

The Danger of Celebrity Culture (Reflecting on Fallen Leaders)

The devastation left when a Christian celebrity falls into sin may be a sign that we give them too much power in our lives. In this episode I discuss the scandal that inspired this new series, and why we need to be very careful with how highly we regard a human being (no matter how good their content may be).

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Scripture used: 1 Corinthians 3:4-8

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

So You Failed Your Bible Reading Plan...

 

If you or a friend are struggling to stick to your Bible reading plan this year, this episode will give you some encouragement along with 3 ways to get back in God's word every day.

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

You can find this episode's original article here.

 

Article on why you shouldn't read your Bible in a year

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Thinking Through What Happened at the Capitol Protest

 

What happened at the capitol is the result of months, even years, of choices and conditioning. When we see the things people were regularly hearing, it shouldn't surprise us that the natural conclusion was violence and anger. In this lengthy episode, I look at the various factors that may have led to a small number of President Trump's supporters to do something so extreme.

 

Timestamps:

Echo Chambers: 21:08

 

Personality Cults: 43:00

 

Gaslighting: 1:07:47

 

Conclusion: 1:19:08

 

Articles:

Christians and Psychology series

 

To support this podcast, visit www.Patreon.com/OnwardintheFaith

 

Link to the video of the capitol prayer and other events: https://www.newyorker.com/news/video-dept/a-reporters-footage-from-inside-the-capitol-siege?utm_medium=social&utm_brand=tny&mbid=social_twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_social-type=owned

 

Scripture used: Galatians 2:20, Romans 14:7-9

 

More Notes:

• Why were people there?
  • Confident there was fraud
  • Country compromised
  • See themselves as revolutionaries
  • Last chance to change what was seen as a crime
  • Felt the need to fight
  • Felt ordained by God
• Echo Chambers are when we surround ourselves with likeminded people who will positively reinforce us believing what the group believes
  • Shapes our reality by drowning out opposing views
  • Defines and becomes our identity
  • Promotes Us vs. Them mentality
  • Makes us fear thinking differently
  • Extreme beliefs (cults, terrorist groups) rely on echo chambers
• Echo Chamber and the Capitol: Participants often consume news from a single viewpoint; no need to fact-check extreme claims; saw opposing views as "the enemy"; wound itself up into hostility over months of repeatedly consuming angry media
• Personality Cults: An obsessive devotion to an individual
  • Truth based on what the individual says
  • Enemies are those who speak against the individual
  • Individual is a savior-like figure meant to prevent something terrible or restore people to something good
  • Propaganda and other media builds up their accomplishments and excuses/deflects their failures
  • Appealing because it gives us s savior; sense of belonging to a group; removes responsibility for our own beliefs
• Personality Cults and the Capitol: People were there to fight for Trump; they assumed there was evil happening because of what the President had been saying; saw him as our last line of defense against the wickedness of the other political party (especially within Qanon); meant to return us to an idealized version of America's golden age
• Gaslighting
  • Someone controls your understanding of reality by either telling you what did/didn't happen, or telling how you should/shouldn't feel
  • A method of control and manipulation that separates a person from what they understand to be true and makes them dependent on the "gaslighter" to tell them what is real
• Gaslighting and the Capitol: Spent months being told the election was unfair; told there was fraud and theft; told to be angry; told they needed to be patriots and fight for their country like the Revolutionaries
• Commonalities: isolation, defining truth and reality, identity is based on other people, always an external enemy that needs to be fought against
• Takeaway: all Trump supporters can't be lumped together; need humility and honesty to call out what's wrong; see that how we shape our reality has necessary consequences and destinations
• Sin issues: Pride, Fear, and Idolatry
• Gospel response: Remember our lives aren't our own; our identity is in Christ; use wisdom to identify our weakness and how those affect our worldview; make sure our responses and actions are bringing glory to God above all and not just boosting up our political agenda
• Remember that our highest priority is to bring God glory!

 

Teamwork by Scott Holmes is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.