Pope Francis recently created a stir, as he was quoted as saying, “A hell does not exist; the disappearance of the souls of sinners exists.” So the parishioner wants to know what the pastor and professor think about hell and its existence. Aaron then plays the part of a presbytery examiner, grilling Barry and Kyle … Continue reading Episode 82: Hell? Yes.
Worship is first and foremost vertical as it is directed to God through Christ by His Spirit. Yet is there a horizontal dimension to it? Does corporate worship bring mutual edification and, if so, how? Aaron leads the way on this topic. He wants first of all to know what pastors get out of worship…besides … Continue reading Episode 81: The Horizontal in Worship
What programs does your church offer? The 3GTers answer this question, then converse about the pros and cons of a congregation offering various activities, events, and ministries. Though certainly a church can have an exciting youth ministry or an active soup kitchen, congregations need to guard against the dominance programs can tend to have. Congregational busyness can … Continue reading Episode 80: The Program Driven Church
Kyle was at the public library evangelizing sweet old Methodist ladies and he wants to talk about it. He explains how he is using the approach C.S. Lewis popularized, first attributed to Rabbi Duncan, known as “the trilemma.” Based on Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God and Savior of the world, one must … Continue reading Episode 79: The Trilemma
Kyle decided to actually listen to a podcast. It’s clear we’re going to have to make him stop! For he starts asking lots of questions about stuff we think others should know (Guess which podcast he was listening to?) in the categories of the theological, practical, historical and so forth. So we discuss things as … Continue reading Episode 78: Stuff You Should (Maybe?) Know
The three guys enjoy a discussion on the place of illustrations in a sermon. The purposes of an illustration are highlighted. What constitutes a proper versus a misused illustration is tackled a bit, with some examples given of each. Attention to word imagery by preachers is encouraged. Sources for illustrations are given. Along the way … Continue reading Episode 77: Sermon Windows
A few weeks have passed since a teenage gunman killed seventeen people in a high school in Parkland, Florida. 3GT offers a somber episode regarding it. Aaron, Barry, and Kyle discuss why tragic events like this happen and possible ways we ought to respond. Listen to this latest episode of 3GT as we mourn, pray, … Continue reading Episode 76: School Shootings
So Aaron asks, “How are we to confess our sins to God?” We don’t believe we need a confessional booth with a priest forgiving us of our sins. Yet what do we believe? How should sin be confessed in corporate worship? The guys discuss the importance of acknowledging our sins before God, seeking His forgiveness … Continue reading Episode 75: Confessing Sin in Worship
Many in the church suffer with depression and the questions it raises. Aren’t Christians always supposed to be happy? So is it sinful to be depressed? Is it always a spiritual problem? Where do you go for help? How do you help someone with it? Are resources outside the church an option? Are medications ever … Continue reading Episode 74: De(com)pression
Why would the 3GTers want to talk about the Democratic primary for the governor’s race in Texas? Because one candidate who is promoting a pro-choice position is an elder in a Reformed church, and other elders in his denomination are calling him to repent! The guys use this situation to delve into the underlying theological … Continue reading Episode 73: When Two Kingdoms Become One
Three Guys Theologizing 