#152 – Patreon Q&A Smorgasbord

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley answer questions submitted from their patron supporters! To learn more and become a patron visit patreon.com/trainingthechurch.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• We’ve heard (and subsequently forgotten) the title of JT’s dissertation. Jen and Kyle, if you had to write a dissertation, what would it be on?
• My new pastor has grown a lot from his UPC roots, but isn’t quite where I’m at in regards to the trinity. I appreciate that He is looking to the Word and growing, but this is still my biggest concern. He says if NT Wright is a trinitarian, then so is he. I don’t have context to interpret that well. He’s also leery of the word “persons” when speaking of the trinity, but does affirm distinction and oneness. He agrees that Father is not Son, etc, but all three are one God. Can you speak a bit about what I am losing if I agree to disagree here? Is there a major loss in saying ‘three beings, one God’ instead?
• Our pastor views keeping a Sabbath as wise and beneficial, but doesn’t believe it’s necessarily a command we have to keep. Is this true?
• For Kyle, would you be willing to talk about your relationship with foster care? I’d love to hear about your theology surrounding foster care, and how your faith informs how you’ve participated in caring for foster children and/or their families.
• What habits have you guys found to be the most beneficial for your spiritual life and family life?
• How do you, in your personal lives find the balance between Christian liberty and holiness, particularly as it pertains to your Christian witness?
• What is Phoebe’s role in the delivery of Romans?
• When you were in elementary school, what would we have found you usually doing during recess....tetherball? Trading baseball cards? Bullying kids for their lunch money?
• Were Adam and Eve indwelt by the Spirit? Did they lose him? And is the Holy Spirit’s indwelling of believers now a restoring of what was broken in the garden?
• Can you speak pastorally and practically about transitioning out of ministry in a small church that’s not in the best of health? Have any of you had any experience with graciously handing over your sheep in a church you have deep concerns about?
• Can y’all talk about alcohol?... And cannabis too. Let’s assume for discussion purposes that it’s legal for both medical and recreational use, at the state and federal levels. Should it be lumped in with how we view alcohol use?
• All of you seem to like reading and read a lot. Is it innate or an acquired skill? Do you have tips to be a better reader? How can I not dislike reading so much?
• How do you have gospel-centered conversations with close people in your life who are not believers?
• Manuscript or outline when giving a message?
• @Kyle Worley, I believe you’ve said plant and animal death is amoral (i.e., plant and animal death could occur before the fall because their life and death doesn’t go against God’s created order and will as human death does). Recently, a family member got upset by my choice to eliminate mice from my home via execution instead of relocation. This brought about the discussion of whether plants and animals have souls. I’m curious to hear y’all’s evidence on morality surrounding plants and animals.
• Jen, if you could talk to your 30 year old self, what advice would you give her specifically related to teaching the Bible?
• What do we mean when we say we’re evangelical? Meaning-evangelical as opposed to what?

Helpful Definitions: 

• Evangelical: From the Greek term euangelion.
  • Bebbington's Quadrilateral:
    1. Belief in the Bible. This is God’s word, it’s authoritative for our life, it’s the story of the world, and we submit ourselves to it.
    2. The cross. The most definitive event in human history, this is where we find our redemption, our reconciliation to God, atonement, justification.
    3. The concept of being born again. The cross and the giving of the Holy Spirit is something that needs to happen. The cross isn’t s concept that is meaningful for you until you have realized I am a sinner in need of redemption, reconciliation, and ultimately regeneration.
    4. Activism. We want to be engaged in our world in biblically meaningful ways to extend God’s cultural mandate or the great commission to the ends of the earth.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• The Family Discipleship Podcast
• “Ten Words to Live By” by Jen Wilkin
• “Cannabis and the Christian” by Todd Miles
• “Food Trucks in Babylon” Podcast
• “Confessions” by Augustine
• “A Non-Anxious Presence” by Mark Sayers

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