Times of disruption and seasons of change are hard to manage. Our resting state prefers stability and so we dislike disruption. But sometimes disruption creates unique opportunities for innovation, as Clayton Christensen described in his celebrated theory on Disruptive Innovation.

Other times disruption creates opportunities to take stock, reflect, and return to the fundamentals. That’s what Coach Vice Lombardi did when the Green Bay Packers lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1960’s championship. Their dream of becoming NFL champs was severely disrupted at the end of the game, but Lombardi didn’t waste his pain.

At training camp the next year Lombardi walked to the front of the meeting room, a football under his arm. Thirty-eight Green Bay Packers players sat waiting to hear what he had to say. Coach Lombardi’s plan for the 1961 season was to go back to the fundamentals. Lombardi took the football out from under his arm, looked at his team, and gave what has become perhaps one of the greatest if not most memorable football speeches of all time. “Gentlemen,” he said, gripping the football in front of him, “this is a football.” Coach Lombardi knew that for his team to be champions, they needed to go back to the basics. They never lost another playoff game.

When the church experiences disruption (as we do today) we can innovate, which has its benefits, but we can also go back to the fundamentals of what it means to be a Christian. We need pastors who will stand up before their congregations and preach the word of God by saying, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a Christian.”

Christians are men and women who conform to a standard, as Jesus taught saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19–20) Christians conform to the teachings of Christ.

The church comes into greater conformity with the standard as we practice. The essential practices that Christ calls the church to are: Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, Stewardship and Mission.

In June, Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church offered a class entitled Back to Basics in which we explore these essential practices You can watch the classes BHPC's YouTube channel.

Last year, Peter Kye and Nate recorded a Parrhesian Podcast episode in which they focused on worship and discipleship and how expressive individualism makes us terrible worshippers and even worse disciples.

https://theparrhesians.com/

In this Special Edition of the Parrhesian Podcast, Nate, Peter and Kyle discuss the POA’s report on the Theopolis Institute and Dr. Peter Leithart.

Your link to the report: https://theparrhesians.com/2024/05/30/the-theopolis-report/

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Rev. Eric Phillips is the pastor of Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church and long-time friend and colleague of Nate Devlin. Pastor Eric is finishing his Doctor of Ministry degree at Covenant Seminary in St. Loiuse, MO. His area of research is on pastoral leadership and in this Special Edition of the Parrhesian Podcast, Eric interviews Nate on the subject of conflict in the church. Join Nate and Eric and find out why it is important to engage the conflict faithfully and courageously.

https://theparrhesians.com/

Is the church essential or non-essential? Does the Bible really teach that the church should occupy a place of primacy in our lives? Is the church really fundamental to our Christian identity or is it really just supplemental?

In 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic caused society to shut down. And when society shut down, questions arose about what institutions in our culture were actually essential and which were non-essential. Many states in our country determined at the outset of the pandemic that the church was in fact non-essential and mandated closures.

One of those states was California and one of the churches mandated to close was Grace Community Church in Los Angeles. But Pastor John MacArthur knew his Bible and knew his church history and he knew that the church was essential. That is why Grace Community Church ultimately defied Gov. Newsom’s order and remained open.

Last year a documentary was released entitled The Essential Church, which detailed Grace Community Church’s journey to remain faithful to God, to his word and to the mission of the church. It is a truly inspiring story and if you have not yet watched it, then consider clicking the link above and checking it out.

In January of 2023, Nate, Peter and Kyle also sat down and talked about the essential nature of the church and why the church should have pride of place in a Christian’s life. They discussed the challenging, and perhaps dangerous proposition that the church calendar should come before the sports calendar, the school calendar or even our personal calendars.

So join, Nate, Peter and Kyle as they discuss the primacy of the church.

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The Evangelical Presbyterian Church recently released a document entitled “A Pastoral Letter of Racial Lament and Hope.” The paper is a pastoral word to the denomination regarding racism and the EPC’s response to this very real and serious problem. The paper was disseminated to churches in the EPC for review as well as response. The Stated Clerk of the EPC offered comments about the paper here.

Peter Chace, Kyle Bennett, and Nate Devlin all read the paper and found it to be significantly problematic. They believe the paper reflects much of the wisdom found in the prevailing culture, borrowing substantially from the popular modern notion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and secular “anti-racisms” rhetoric. The paper seems to be yet another piece of evidence that the EPC continues its slide toward theological and cultural liberalism.

https://theparrhesians.com/

Your system is perfectly designed to get you the results you are currently getting.

As Christians, we are called to think Christianly, but every once in a while Christians should think a little bigger, especially about the systems that we create or the conditions in which we live. The world is full of unspoken and unseen systems that help govern the world and our lives. As Christians, what do we think about the system around us, such as education or human sexuality? What do we think about culture or tradition? Hospitality or civics?

These systems are surprisingly powerful and they often shape us in unchristian ways.

Join Peter, Kyle and Nate as they talk about the systems that are all around us and how we as Christians should think about them.

https://theparrhesians.com/

Being a Christian in our world today is hard. It is made all the more difficult when Christians fail to think in a distinctly Christian way. Join Peter, Kyle, and Nate as they discuss Harry Blamires book The Christian Mind, what it means to think Christianly, and why Christian thinking is so important.

https://theparrhesians.com/

Kyle, Peter and Nate finally explain what Parrhesia is and why it matters today.

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