The Evergreen Beaverton Podcast

Today Adam and Matthew discuss more material that was left out of Sunday's sermon. This material relates to the historical narrative around what exactly happened to the city of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD. What is it about the fall of the temple to the Zealots, and of the city to the Roman General Titus, that makes these events as a whole a good candidate for the fulfillment of Jesus' predictions in Matthew 23:37-24:35? [Note: We haven't marked this episode as "explicit," but just know that there are descriptions of violent acts in this episode that might not be appropriate for little ones.]   Sources Cited: Holland, Tom; Pax: War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age Jerusalem: A Biography; Simon Montefiore Josephus; The Jewish Wars Quarles, Charles; Matthew (Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary)

On this episode, Adam and Matthew interview Benjamin Flores, who is a member of Evergreen. Benjamin has a deep passion to see average church members realize their own calling to be faithful and speak of Jesus. It is tempting to believe that evangelism can and should really only be done by church officers, but Benjamin is eager to help all members to be eager, prayerful, and actively looking for opportunities to share the gospel with others.

Technology inevitably has an impact on the way we think and relate to others. Decades into our own experiments with computers and the internet, researchers have begun to gather data on what that technology is doing to us. Anecdotally, we know that the internet is changing how we relate, how we speak, and how we work. As Christians, then, what are we willing to do to make sure that our minds our sharp, and our children are ready to use their minds to glorify God?   On this episode, Adam, Matthew, Travis, and Erik discuss just what it is what we are doing, and what wisdom dictates we ought to do to press back against the way our technology is shaping us.

On this episode, Adam and Matthew welcome a former classmate and admissions director from seminary, Step Morgan, to take part in a conversation about the benefits and limitations of a seminary education.

Adam and Matthew are joined by Travis Koch as they dip their toes into a discussion of modern confusion over personal identity. They contrast more popular notions of identity with what the Bible has to say.

Adam and Matthew welcome Erik Haralson, Micah Meeuwsen, and Travis Koch to discuss family worship. The group conversation today allows an opportunity for us to check in with a variety of men from a variety of familes to ask the question: how do you do family worship? What does it look like in your homes? What would you say to someone who feels they are falling behind or failing at practicing family worship? A wide ranging discussion on the importance of doing our best to shepherd our families.

Episode 13 is a full table! Adam and Matthew welcome two guests: Travis Koch and Micah Meeuwsen. Today's episode is a follow-up to this past week's sermon by Pastor Parker on Matthew 15:1-20 ("True Defilement"). In this round-table conversation the crew further discuss the subject of the Christian conscience and what is really meant by "Christian Liberty."

Today Adam and Matthew invite Headmaster Travis Koch to the podcast to talk about St. Stephen’s Academy and Classical Christian Education in general. Interesting conversation ensues ranging from the history of St. Stephen’s all the way to the purpose of education and the place of Artificial Intelligence in education.

Alex Chung joins us to discuss Christians and the cinematic arts. Adam takes the opportunity to nerd out quite a bit on a favorite hobby. The discussion ranges from Christian movies, to whether time travel movies are really about regret or the need to atone. Alex is an assistant professor of cinematic arts at George Fox University. He has degrees from Columbia University and the University of Southern California.

In this episode, Adam gives the low-down on Michael Kruger's latest book Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church. What is spiritual abuse? How can churches avoid having bully pastors? https://amzn.to/3WQZPck

Adam and Matthew discuss the overall educational ministries at Evergreen and the biblical motivations we have for doing education outside of the regular worship services of the church. Is there biblical justification for something like Sunday School? Why do we give men instruction apart from the women, or "age segregate" the church for some specific activities like Bible studies? Adam and Matthew discuss both of those things this week.

On this episode, Adam gives an overview of the book The Genesis of Gender by Abigail Favale, and offers some reflections on lessons the book may have for the church today.   Note: This episode has some discussion that relates to physical characteristics of sex - nothing obscene, but perhaps more explicit than you might be comfortable with small children hearing.

What is "revival"? Is there a healthy way of thinking about revival that can be discerned from Scripture or from church history? How should we think about modern claims that revivals are taking place? Adam and Matthew are joined by David Hopkins once again to discuss these timely issues.

This week, Matthew and Adam interview Evergreen's Associate Pastor Emeritus, David Hopkins. David shares about his call to become a missionary, his history with Evergreen, and we discuss his adventures in the Alaskan wilderness among other things.

Adam and Matthew discuss the subject of worship from the perspective of church history. Why should we care how Christians worshipped 500 years ago? 1000 years ago? 1900 years ago? How did we get some of the traditions and patterns that we've inherited, and where did they come from?

Adam and Matthew discuss practical ways that we, as Christians, can develop habits of filling our minds and hearts with things that are honorable, just, pure, and lovely as Paul commands us in Phil. 4:8?

After our recent sermon series on the Sacraments, Matthew and Pastor Adam tackle some of the questions that we've received from congregants on the subject of the sacraments. "Isn't Colossians 2:11-12 really about baptism by the Spirit, not actual physical baptism? It seems like the connection in this passage between circumcision and baptism is way shakier than you made it sound in the sermon." "What if my children are no longer infants but still haven't been baptized? Is there an age when it's no longer appropriate to baptize a child?" "You mentioned people in church history wanting to baptize with sand instead of water. Did that really happen?" "We use wine in the Lord's Supper. Are people under 21 legally allowed to drink wine in church?" "I (or my children) don't like the taste of wine." "Why do Teaching Elders in the PCA administer the Lord's Supper but Ruling Elders don't?" "Why are we using wine in the Lord's Supper when grape juice is the least potentially offensive substance for us to use in the supper?"   For more information on Evergreen Presbyterian Church, visit our website, evergreenpca.com.

For the inaugural episode of the Evergreen Beaverton Podcast, Adam and Matthew discuss their own journeys to faith in Christ and share about how they came to be Presbyterians in the first place. For more information on Evergreen Presbyterian Church, visit our website, evergreenpca.com.