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Martin Bucer was a sixteenth century German Dominican monk who converted to Protestantism. He was a mentor to John Calvin and helped Calvin in his efforts to reform the city of Geneva. In his essay, Instruction in Christian Love, he had this to say:

Civil officials must govern according to the Word of God and, in the measure of their power, help the success of the divine Word.

For as there is no power which is not from God, and everywhere the present powers are established by Him (Romans 13:1), it certainly follows that this power must be exercised according to the order and will of God. Only so will this power at last procure the real welfare of its subjects and thus stimulate them to recognize, praise, and glorify God as the Lord of all lords and the King of all kings.

“Citizens are not governed for their good and for the true glory of the supreme King when the secular authorities do not rule according to the divine Law and are not set to observe it themselves. For where God is not recognized and obedience to Him is not required before all things, there peace is not peace, justice is not justice, and that which should be profitable brings injury instead.

We call ourselves Christians and consider ourselves the people of God, and yet our officials who have the power have fallen into the error of believing that the divine Law does not concern them, that they must judge and make regulations more according to the pagan imperial law and other human sentences than according to the sentence of God. But we cannot pride ourselves on being communities of God and the people of God, if we respect, accept, and keep all sorts of laws, ordinances, and regulations other than God's. Only His Law can make us live.

Bucer raises a few uncomfortable, but necessary, questions. Is a Christian nation good for our neighbor? Is vying for a Christian nation a way of loving our neighbor? What does it mean to love our neighbor if it doesn’t mean tangibly taking them straight to the throne of Christ? Are we really Christians if we leave politics to the pagans?

In this episode of The Parrhesians, Pastor Nate, Peter, and Kyle tackle the thorny issue of Christian Nationalism. How separated are the Church and the State? How separated should they be? What does it mean to be a Christian nationalist? If no law or policy is neutral, who, or what, is the Christian giving the nation over to if they don’t advocate for Christian laws?

Welcome to another episode of The Parrhesians Podcast!

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“This is a perishing world. Your neighbors are perishing. Maybe some of you I’m looking at right now are perishing. […] Everyone is either on their way to heaven or on their way to hell.”

This is the last installment of a three-part series Dr. John Gerstner gave at Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in 1984 on the riches of John 3:16. It focuses on God’s love of the “world,” the sovereign will of the Spirit, and those who believe.

In this episode, Dr. Gerstner discusses the world as a burning house, God’s obligation to keep the reprobate under eternal torment, His inflexible justice, and the infinite redemption of Jesus Christ.

Enjoy! And welcome to another episode of The Parrhesians Podcast!

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In a previous episode, Peter, Pastor Nate, and Kyle discussed how we measure church health and vitality. What does it mean that a church is healthy? What does it look like for it to be sick? They continue this exploration by providing several signs for what makes a church healthy. Such as,

- The congregation's words are more informed by the Word than the world. They speak less like Moabites and more like the ancient Israelites. The Pharisees don't have their tongue but the Prince of Peace.

- The congregation's eyes see correctly. The church isn't seen as a country club that they attend on the weekends but their entire outlook is one in which they see this as their covenantal family.

- The congregation's time is prioritized rightly. Those who work 40-60 hours take off the week to help with VBS. Those who encourage their kids to play sports don't let them miss a Lord's Day service.

When grammar (speech), perception (sight), and action (sacrifice) are rightly ordered, a healthy church is around the corner. Join Peter, Pastor Nate, and Kyle as they break this down and more.

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This is part two of a three-part series Dr. John Gerstner, long-time professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, gave at Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in 1984 on the riches of John 3:16.

In this episode, Dr. Gerstner discusses the need for apologetics, the insult that is evangelism, the condemnation that can come through missions, and how the road to hell is paved with pluralism, gentility, and tolerance.

Dr. Gerstner reminds us that we were there when the Son was crucified. Except He wasn’t our Lord then. He was our enemy. And we weren’t over on the sidelines crying. We were driving the nails, slaughtering Him, committing the crime.

And “God had no obligation to you or to me to present the gospel. We were fit for damnation. Nevertheless, He sent His one and only Son to perish for us.”

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“I told my doctor he was counting my heart rate incorrectly.”

You ever heard that before?

Yeah, me neither.

People who know, know, and we trust them.

“It’s all about perception.” “Your church is unhealthy.” “We’re just trying to help.”

You ever heard that before?

Yeah, me, too. All the time.

People who don’t know are always vying for your ear.

What does it mean that a church is healthy? What does it look like for it to be sick? When it’s sick, is it flatlining, or does it just need a few days to recover? Does it still have the power of Jesus in its blood? Is it just malnourished, famished, or parched?

In this episode, Peter, Pastor Nate, and Kyle talk about how we measure church health and vitality. Our Triune God likes lines and numbers, but are the lines we are drawing and the math we are doing consistent with His? How do our evaluative measures measure up to His? Maybe our scientific ruler is way sharper or shorter than His?

Perhaps lot of numbers aren’t always a sign of health or strength. One doesn’t seem very much to us, but that’s all it took for a Savior to accomplish redemption. Twelve doesn’t seem like very much, but that’s all it took to spread the gospel across the globe.

Maybe death is actually life.

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In this three-part series, recorded at Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in 1984, Dr. John Gerstner explores the depths of the riches of John 3:16.

But, Dr. Gerstner asserts that this "golden text" of scripture is oft misunderstood. To avoid misunderstanding, we need the whole context.

That's why Dr. Gerstner starts at the end of the story where Jesus answers the "why" question. Why did Jesus come into the world? He came because this is a perishing world.

Dr. Gerstner was a long-time professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, mentor to R.C. Sproul, and a straight shooter. His words were parrhesian then, and they are no less bold today.

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He’s got the whole world in His hands. Your mother. Your girlfriend. Even Kamala. He is the true "Govenator."

And He shares His power. He raises His people up and gives them responsibilities. He passes along His keys and expects His Church to use them (Matthew 18:18).

But the modern church just likes to swing them around her finger. She doesn’t even know which doors they open and close.

In this episode, Peter, Pastor Nate, and Kyle talk about the politics of the local church and using the keys—inside and out.

Christian Nationalism, anybody? Three cheers for excommunication? Or do you think Christ's Church should stick to whispering sweet nothings to fragile souls?

The modern church is afraid to make judgments to the State. To say, “Christ is King, and you will be held accountable . . . oh, and stop mutilating kids.”

She’s even afraid to make judgments within her own walls. To say, “Hey, you’re not acting like a Christian, and you’re poisoning the body—no bread for you!”

Whether they’re atheist politicians or previously ordained elders, it is the Church’s responsibility to name pagan and unfaithful behavior in her neighborhood.

Welcome to another episode of The Parrhesians Podcast!

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Three rogue elders walk into a Session meeting and slap a folder down. “We have concerns.” They leave it to Session to deal with it.

Time passes, and they grow impatient. They escalate their “concerns” to a higher authority and call in reinforcements.

They enlist the Presbytery to do something about it. The Presbytery nominates a few guys with good “intentions.”

Those intentions take on a life of their own. They grow an ill-will, and the next thing you know, those intentions birth bullies.

It all goes nuclear.

What do you do with bullies who call you a bully? What do you do with abusers who claim you’re the abuser?

According to Joe Rigney, you fight them. Tooth and nail. Like a real elder.

Elders aren’t fragile.

Elders aren’t afraid of drama.

Elders are quick to point out that “I’m hurt, therefore, you sinned” isn’t a syllogism.

Elders brush the progressive gaze off their shoulder and put up “no admittance” signs.

Elders redirect the soft hearted who are afraid to lose people and tell them to not be like Lot’s wife.

Elders are not afraid to drive a bus with only a few passengers on it if it keeps the church on mission.

Listen to our Session’s conversation with Joe Rigney on what it takes to be a church and lead in Negative World

(Previously unreleased: Recorded on June 27, 2024).

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